By Adadainfo
Gov Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, weekend, paid a glowing tribute Gen Alexander Madiebo, who comammded the Biafran Army during the Nigerian Civil, as the ex-warlord was laid to rest in his country home.
Soludo commiserated with the family in a release by his press secretary, Mr Christian Aburime.
According Soludo, “Though we would have loved him to still be with us, we take solace in the fact that he lived a life of service and accomplishments.
“His contributions to nation building and development of his immediate community remain a strong reference points in patriotism and nationalism.
“It is also gratifying to note that he put his life on the line in protecting his people when it mattered most.
“And while in the battlefields, he diligently kept notes that enabled him to write one of the greatest books about the Nigerian civil war, ‘The Nigerian Revolution and the Biafran Civil War’.
“General Madiebo will surely be missed as a great patriot, courageous soldier and officer gentleman.
“I therefore commiserate with Mr Richard Madiebo and his siblings and other relations. It is also my prayers that the good Lord will grant his noble soul eternal rest.”
His war classic entitled ‘The Nigerian Revolution and The Biafran Civil War’ is rated among top reads of the civil war memoirs.
Goodreads.com states that Madiebo, in the book, “Presents a post-mortem account of the events of the Nigerian civil war, 1966-70. He attempts to explain dispassionately why army officers toppled the civil government in the cause of stability, and the considerable civilian support they received; and the ensuing riots and counter-coup, in the name of reunification, which led to a civil war claiming some three million lives.
“He presents eye-witness accounts, and from an insider-perspective tells the story of how and why the Biafrans fought the war for almost three years under blockade and in isolation from the outside world, aiming to rectify much perceived misinformation about the war published outside Africa.”
Madiebo, born on 29 April 1932, died on Friday, June 3, 2022, aged 90. He was a Nigerian soldier, and later served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Biafra Army from 1967 to 1970.
