Tag: Personal Encounter

Did I say in my last narrative that MKO Abiola was arrested when he declared himself president? No. I didn’t. I have not reached that part of the story of my encounter with Nigeria yet. Abacha took over the reins of government and set about establishing himself as Military Head of State. He had no…

It was long before the days of social media. We relied on NTA news at 9pm and newspaper reports to have the full story. Rumour mill too. In the long hours before the full report came, there was uncertainty in the land. Then the newspapers carried pictures of the bullet-ridden car of the former Head…

The federal troops bombed a school. Abbot School owned by an Igbo man. Mere vandalism. There were no enemies in there. The bombing shook the town. It was my first real experience in war time bombing. Later a lone Biafran war plane would bomb targets in the town. We lived without slat and onions. Security…

I encountered Nigeria very early. Age 4 or 5, I think. I remember they said Nigeria had become a Republic. We marched. Danced. Ate rice. Drank Fanta. Not that I knew what a republic meant. It did not matter. We celebrated with teachers. And adults. We danced lustily to songs which wording we corrupted. But…