Obasanjo Warns That Nigeria Is Still Playing With the Same Dangerous Problems That Caused the First Civil War

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has issued a sobering warning to the country, stating that Nigeria is currently repeating many of the same institutional errors and ethnic divisions that led to the outbreak of the catastrophic 1967 civil war.

The former military ruler made these comments while hosting a delegation at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The meeting centered around the presentation of a major historical research project titled Asaba Massacre, authored by the Isama Ajie of Asaba, Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze. The project features eye-witness testimonies, recorded interviews, and deep archival footage documenting the dark days of the civil war.

Addressing the guests, Obasanjo stated that thinking about another civil war is completely out of the question. He recalled a serious conversation with his old military colleague, former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon, where both veterans agreed that the fragile structure of modern Nigeria could never survive a second full-scale armed conflict.

The former president pointed out that instead of learning from old mistakes, the country has left many of its core issues completely untouched.

“Some of the very things that led to the Civil War are still with us today,” Chief Olusegun Obasanjo warned. “How long can we continue to live like this? I believe we have already fought one civil war too many. To say that we will have a second civil war—God forbid. We must understand exactly what happened in our past, openly condemn the terrible things that should never have been allowed to happen, and do everything humanly possible to prevent a repeat. We must be able to stand together and say, ‘Never again.'”

During the event, Obasanjo made a rare historical admission regarding his own role in the war. While he was a prominent frontline commander who helped bring the conflict to an end, he explained that he has always declined to give specific details about the infamous Asaba Massacre. He revealed that the military operations in that specific territory were managed entirely under the separate command of the late General Murtala Muhammed, meaning he had no direct oversight of the tragic events that unfolded there.

According to the historical documents presented by Chief Nduka-Eze, independent records show a tragic pattern during the October 1967 events. Unarmed civilian men in Asaba were reportedly gathered in public spaces by federal troops and ordered to chant “One Nigeria” to show their loyalty. Despite complying and showing their support for the government, more than 1,000 unarmed men were separated from the women and children and systematically executed, leaving a massive, unhealed scar on the local community.

Both the author and the former president insisted that keeping these historical records alive at the presidential library is not meant to reopen old wounds or cause fresh anger. Instead, they argue that confronting the ugly realities of the past honestly is the only way to build a reliable shield for the future, ensuring that future generations understand the real cost of ethnic division and choose peace over bloodshed.