HISTORY EXCERPTS FROM AUDACITY ON THE BOUND: A DIPLOMATIC ODYSSEY: To Ojukwu- ''Young Man you have no manners''

History Beckon

I had the privilege of attending the three peace talks in Niamey, Niger Republic; Accra, Ghana and Monrovia, Liberia. For me, the peace talks in Niamey clearly presented the personalities of the two protagonists, Gowon and Ojukwu. General Gowon led the Nigerian delegation comprising the Foreign Minister, Okoi Arikpo; Commissioner Femi Okunnu; Allison Ayida; Ahmed Joda and ambassador Sanu. Colonel Ojukwu on the other hand, bedecked with medals on his chest, led a high- powered delegation comprising the former President of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikwe, Premier Michael Okpara, Justice Louis Mbanefo,Christopher Mojekwu and others.

The OAU delegation was led by President Tubman of Liberia, who doubled as the chairman of the occasion. Others were President Hamani Diori of Niger Republic, General Joseph Ankah, the Head of State of Ghana and Diallo Telli, the OAU Secretary General.

Ojukwu led the delegation of Biafra embarrassingly late to the conference room when everyone was already seated. As soon as he sat, he brought out his cigarette, tapped it once or twice on the table and stretched his hand back to his entourage seating behind him, without looking in their direction as a signal that he wanted his cigarette to be lit. Immediately, there was a scramble by both Mbanefo and Okpara to light the cigarette for him. All eyes were on Ojukwu and the hall was dead silent. Then Ojukwu drew on his cigarette and made the mistake of puffing the smoke out. Immediately, the three elderly Heads of State of the OAU scrambled to take off their earphones. President Tubman of Liberia, who must have been in his 70s, was obviously annoyed. He bellowed out at Ojukwu.

"Young man, have you no manners?"

And again, "Young man, have you no manners?" At which point Nnamdi Azikwe stepped in to save the Biafran delegation. He did not allow Tubman to continue his tirade. He pushed Ojukwu aside and took his place and then in his characteristic mellow voice announced himself:

"My name is Nnamdi Azikwe, the author of Liberia in World Politics."

Calmness returned to an atmosphere that had become tense. President Tubman gave a broad smile to the first African who wrote about Liberia and suddenly Biafra was saved. It was also an occasion on which I could so easily have lost my job. I got carried away seeing Azikwe, the hero of my generation. We always trooped to Mapo Hall in Ibadan whenever he was in town to campaign on behalf of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). Seeing and hearing him speak at close quarters at this meeting, I was about to clap when I noticed that General Gowon glared at me and my hand froze mid-air.

Olusola Saanu, Audacity on the Bound: A Diplomatic Odyssey.

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