They joined the Army as teenagers. They rose rapidly thanks to the Civil war and in their 30s were holding plum positions. As septuagenarians, these men are still calling the shots. All of them began life at the Nigeria Military Training College [NMTC]  Kaduna, in 1962.

General Alani Akinrinade may not remember this story. He was involved, no doubt, and my source was a Biafran officer, Gogo Lemchi, whose last major political appointment was, Supervisory Councilor, Nkwerrre/Isu Local Government Council, Imo State while the general served as Army chief between 1979 and 1980.

We cannot  delete our past especially now that insecurity is threatening the polity. About this time 51 years ago, Nigeria was in turmoil. What started as police action became a full blown war when Lt. Gado Nasko powered the first artillery shots that signaled the beginning of the civil war.

Fifty years ago, a young man fighting on the side of Biafra during the Civil War entered record books when a Saladine Armoured tank was named after him,post humous. Corporal Nwafor, of B Company, 29 Battalion, 54 Brigade under 11 Division became a dead hero among his people.

FIFA preaches fair play to the soccer world. One Nigerian super star who was badly treated by club and country after achieving so much and sacrificing a whole lot is Emmanuel Anthony Oguejiofo Okala, Africa’s Best Goalkeeper in 1978.