The Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) has said that contrary to misconceptions from various quarters, there is nothing wrong with honouring the victims of the Nigerian Civil War.
In a statement made available to Saturday Telegraph, the IWA leadership reacted to the arguments surrounding the May 30, 2025, sit-at-home observed in the Southeast to commemorate those who died during the Biafran War.
The National President of IWA, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, insisted that Biafra Remembrance Day is an integral part of the people’s history and should not be criminalised. She stressed that remembering fallen heroes and heroines is a global practice and not an act of rebellion.
“The people who died defending us during the war were not goats — they were our beloved husbands, children, and youths. Honouring their memory is not a crime,” Chimezie said.
She commended all who observed the sit-at-home in remembrance of the dead — both civilians and soldiers — despite prevailing challenges. According to her, observing a day to honour war victims does not equate to a rebellion against the Nigerian state.
“It is a mirage for anyone to think we can stop remembering them. Biafra Day is not about IPOB; it is about our history, which must be passed on to the unborn generation,” she said.
Chimezie urged the federal government to acknowledge Biafra Day as a significant part of the nation’s history, instead of attempting to suppress it or clamp down on peaceful commemorators.
She added that the persistent marginalisation of Ndigbo continues to fuel agitation for the restoration of Biafra and called on the government to embrace peaceful dialogue rather than force in addressing the region’s grievances.
The IWA also urged former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, not to die with the truth about the Aburi Accord and the real causes of the civil war.
“We have done our research and discovered the war was avoidable. Even former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, recently confirmed that the narrative of the 1966 coup being an ‘Igbo coup’ was false. Why is it so difficult for Nigeria to apologise to Ndigbo for the false accusations that led to the war?”
The women argued that without a sincere national apology, genuine reconciliation and healing remain elusive.
“General Gowon cannot pray his way out of the atrocities committed during the war. Over six million innocent children, women, and men were wasted. If there must be healing, he must speak the truth about the war, including the failed Aburi Accord.”
The group also highlighted wartime atrocities such as the Asaba massacre, church and market bombings, and other war crimes that have not been addressed or acknowledged.
“How can we pretend these things didn’t happen? Why is the government avoiding the conversation around the war, even 56 years later?”
Drawing comparisons, the IWA said if the federal government could declare June 12 a national holiday in honour of the late MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential election, it should also officially recognise the sacrifices of Biafrans who died during the war.
The women again called for the release of detained IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, describing it as a necessary step toward peace in the Southeast.
“Releasing Kanu will fast-track peace and reduce tensions, not escalate them,” the statement concluded.
