Day The Sanctity Of Nkwo Amofia-Agu Market Was Desecrated!

WRITTEN BY PASTOR LEO OFFOR

It was a normal Nkwo market day, and everyone was unaware of the danger that lay ahead. 1969 was a period near the end of the civil war; nobody on this day even knew that by early 1970, the Nigerian Biafran war would be over.

As was the custom everyone was eager to get to market to source the usual food supplies that come from various farms. People of different dialects and towns of lgboland had settled in Amofia-Agu as it appears to be a haven for fleeing refugees.

By typography Amofia-Agu is situated right inside the valley with various hills, over seven of them, surrounding the town. A story was told of how many times the Nigerian army has tried to gain entrance into the boisterous town but could not owing to the legendary story that there was a guardian idol that guarded over the town. Each time the soldiers approached the town; they had always beheld what looked like an ocean and had to turn back.

However, there were three accounts of what led to the invasion of Nkwo market by the Nigerian soldiers, a situation that has defied the mystery story of the town being an impregnable fortress.

One account says the Nigerian soldiers along the Nsukka, Adani, Onitsha axis have always heard about the boisterous Nkwo market but were reluctant to come but for the dearth of food suppliers that prompted their arrival to seek supplies. Another account affirms that some Biafra soldiers in alliance with its “Boys’ Company” (young boys between 12-18 given paramilitary training to give information on the movements of the Nigerian army), had in the course of their amateur outings been giving valuable information to Biafra soldiers that even prompted the killing of one or two of their men.

The third account revealed that the invasion was masterminded by some criminal elements, deserters from the Biafran army, who were members of our community. These men, our sources say, were from the Amoboli clan namely Padro, Omega etc, being their nicknames. They were known to have been terrorizing the community through armed robbery, rape, and various vices.

The source said a certain teacher, a very popular one who taught in the community after the war by the nickname Yokolo from Umuaga, Udi revealed the secret that as Biafran soldiers, they were approached to organize the mayhem by those renegades.

The teacher spoke of how they intended to disrupt the market and steal as many food supplies as possible, including if it were possible, money to help augument their supplies. The idea was not to kill anyone at all. In fact, all they did was shoot into thin air except that in the process two or more casualties were involved.

So, on that fateful day of the attack on the market planned by “Nigerian soldiers”, it was a day the efficacy of the mythical idol was tested. Truth is that at the end of the day, the gods went to sleep when they arrived.

Though six years at the time, the memory remains fresh in my mind. I could recall that my mother, Late Ugoeke Monica Offor had hurried to the market for her usual restaurant business. My father was sitting right inside our “nkolo”. He was not the usual market person. Probably between 1 pm and 2 pm, the sounds of gunshots began to echo from a close distance. As the event was rattling in Nkwo, you would always think that the person shooting was a few distances away.

Before you could say, Jack Robinson, words have gone round that the war has finally visited Amofia-Agu and so everyone except animals began scampering and fleeing for safety.

We all headed towards the wilderness of Ugwu Anumu without really caring about our definite destination. Eventually, we arrived at “Gbiyigbi”, a hill close to Ugwu Anumu, and some distance through the bush to Amofia Imezi.

As I looked around, there she was, my mother. Herself in the company of many others had run for safety, meeting us at the same Ugwu Gbiyigbi! “My God, what a welcome relief”!

It was then that we began to hear the story of how the soldiers arrived, taking with them people’s wares and property, and ended up killing seven people in the process.

Dr Jude Odinkonigbo, a legal luminary and an illustrious son of Amofia-Agu recalled how on that day of attack his grandfather, Ozo Aniadighmpanite Odinkonigbo was asked to run for his dear life but the Ozo was extremely reluctant stating that whatever death should take him away should do so inside his “nkolo”. On taking two steps, the old man,slumped and died, right inside his compound.

There was also the story of Madubuata Ede, who was on top of his palm tree trying to fetch palm wine when the Nigerian soldiers shot the defenceless man without regard to international laws governing warfare which prohibit the intentional killing of civilians by soldiers involved in war.

However, an eyewitness account by lchie, Dr. Paul Odigbo, a member of Igwe Omugwu 2, cabinet, who was 11 years old and right there at market on the day of the incident has this to say: “there was rumour several times before that day that “Nigerian Soldiers” will attack Nkwo but it never happened. There was false alarm two market days before the D-day. The prediction by Odo Ugwu of “dead bodies in Nkwo” heightened the tension. There was palpable tension in the air but mothers with little children must go to buy stuff or send someone.

“Besides, many refugees were actually living inside the market. After waiting up to about 2pm, my mother assumed the soldiers were not coming that day as usual, so she sent me to go and buy pepper.

“I was in front of Ani Nkwo when the first shot sounded. Many other shots followed immediately. I ran faster than Bolt. Everybody started running at the same time away from the sound of the gunshot. Before I got to my house, my parents and siblings had fled through the bush heading to Ukagba. I followed some people and caught up with them around 4pm.”

Our source revealed that the soldiers actually shot two persons dead namely Madubuata Edeh and Odo Nwaku who was said to be picking money at the scene.

Mrs.Thomas Amudiekem was hit by a stray bullet on the stomach. Her stomach was ripped open and all the intestines came out. She survived because she did not use her bare hands instead, she used the coco yam leaves to hold the intestine while she escaped to safety. She was later treated at lkedimkpa hospital and so survived.

The war has long ended but its devastating effect continues to linger. May war never visit us again!