Niyi Aborisade’s book reveals truth about civil war genius, Colonel Victor Banjo

NOT many people know Colonel Victor Banjo more than the fact that he fought on the side of the Biafran Army during the civil war. To such people, Colonel Banjo was a ‘villain’ who joined Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu in the war against Nigeria.

However, historian, Chief Niyi Aborisade, has been able to dig up some information that revealed the nationalist in Colonel Banjo and how he saved Nigeria, particularly the South West, from being run over by Biafra.

In the book, ‘Colonel Victor Banjo: A Revolutionary Betrayed,’ Aborisade details how Colonel Banjo assisted General Aguiyi Ironsi to power in 1966 and how he was framed up of planning to kill Ironsi and detained.

The book further reveals that Colonel Banjo was in detention in Enugu when the war broke out in 1967 and he was invited by Ojukwu to join him, with Banjo forming the 101 Brigade of the Biafran Army.

Aborisade reveals that though Banjo was not in support of the war, he decided to stay with Ojukwu despite overtures by leaders of the South-West.

He, however, had an agreement with Ojukwu that any region conquered would have an administrator from that region.

On August 9, 1967, Banjo’s Brigade invaded and took the Mid-West, but the decision by Ojukwu to name Albert Okonkwo, an Igbo man, as the governor, infuriated Banjo. He knew if he proceeded to take the region all the way to Lagos, there was the possibility that Ojukwu would also appoint Igbo to run the affairs of the Western region. Several other issues also came up between Banjo and Ojukwu and in the end, Banjo was arrested for insubordination. A military court was set up and he was found guilty and executed.

Chief Aborisade’s book highlights the role of other senior Yoruba officers like Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo in defending Ibadan, Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle and others, with specific mention that the Biafran Army began failing after Banjo’s execution.

Recently, Chief Aborisade presented the book to the public at the Otunba Subomi Balogun Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.

At the event was a daughter of Colonel Banjo, Professor (Mrs) Olayinka Omigbodun, the first female provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan; the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, represented by Professor Soji Adejumo; Dr Yemi Farounbi, Chief Lekan Alabi, Major-General Abdullahi Adekunle Martins (retd); the Olowu of Owu, Oba Saka Matemilola, among others.

The guests saluted Colonel Banjo’s bravery, particularly in standing up to Ojukwu that non-Igbo must not be made administrators of regions conquered, something Ojukwu reneged on.

Professor Omigbodun thanked the author for the book, adding that it was able to reveal the true nature of her father as a nationalist.

She said her father was against domination of a group of people by another group.

“He was never fighting for any part of Nigeria to secede, but was fighting against domination; he was a brave and courageous man and I am very proud of him.”

Professor Omigbodun, however, lamented the manner by which talented Nigerians are leaving in country in droves, saying, “We need to work to retain our best brains.

“We also need restructuring to enable positive competition among the regions for the collective good of the country.”

In his remarks, the author, Chief Aborisade, said there had been a lot of misconceptions about the role of Colonel Banjo in the war, adding that revealing the truth to Nigerians is what he had done with the book.