Reflecting on the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War, Chief Edwin Clark, a former Federal Commissioner for Information and a prominent South-South leader, emphasized the efforts toward reintegration and reconciliation as championed by Gen. Yakubu Gowon. According to a report from the Vanguard, Clark shared insights on how the war’s end was approached with a focus on healing and unity. Chief Clark recalled that Gen. Gowon, upon the war’s conclusion, declared that there were no victors or vanquished, as the conflict was akin to a family dispute. Gowon urged Nigerians to work towards reintegration and reconciliation, a message that resonated deeply across the nation. In a personal gesture of solidarity and to foster understanding, Clark moved his daughter Rebecca from her school in Ughelli to Enugu. This move was intended to allow her to experience and share in the challenges faced by students in the war-affected region, symbolizing a bridge between divided communities....CONTINUE READING
Clark highlighted the government’s practical contributions, noting that schools in Enugu and Nsukka received desks and furnished teachers’ quarters. This support was aimed at rebuilding the educational infrastructure and fostering a sense of normalcy and progress in the post-war period.
Hear him: “When the war was over, Gen. Yakubu Gowon said, I don’t need any congratulations, that there was no victor, no vanquished because it was a family war. Go and help them to reintegrate, to reconcile and we have a station, which we did. My eldest daughter, Rebecca, was in Class 2 in St. Theresa School Ughelli. I removed her from Ughelli and took her to Enugu to go and study with them and see and suffer with them, supplied them desk.
