BECAUSE I AM INVOLVED: INSIDE OJUKWU’s MIND – BOOK REVIEW

Columnist: Daniel, Uzoigwe Chimezie

Late Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu(1933-2011)

For those who do not know before now, the book “ BECAUSE  I AM  INVOLVED ” written by Dim Odumegwu Emeka Ojukwu is a political treatise that centers  on the Author’s perception of the Nigerian political situation with indepth analysis of the peculiarities of the country’s problems and offering unbeatable solutions to these problems.

Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu,the Author of the book is somebody everyone knows.Perhaps,the peak of his emergence into national limelight was the pivotal role he played in the Nigerian civil war in 1967-1970 as the chief War Lord of the defunct BIAFRA. He has generated more controversy than any other Nigerian and has become somewhat of an enigma, so to say. He has been mis-interpreted and most often mis-interpreted. Yet the book is not dedicated to the War Lord himself, it was written for the advancement of the Nigerian polity.

The book was first published in 1989 by the SPECTRUM BOOKS LIMITED in association with SAFARI (Export) Limited with European and USA Distributors. It was first reprinted in July, 1989 and its last print was in 2005. The book has four parts, and each part contains chapters with topics headings.

Though published as far back as 1989, the content of the book is as valid today as it was in 1989, perhaps, even more so today. The book is not to be taken as “ Ojukwu’s new song’, the cliché, usually given to the Author’s public utterances by social commentators, as it addresses issues that define the nationhood of this nation.

There is the strong belief in the vision of a peaceful and united Nigeria that runs through the book. The Author asserts that unity must be redefined in Nigeria for the country to make progress. To him, unity, in a political unit, is a state of affairs where the entire polity is completely reconciled with itself. Unity provides the only foundation on which Nigeria is development can stand.

He asserts that “until we are prepared to modify, and sometimes to abandon, our primordial attachments in favour of a new Nigerian relationship, we cannot unite”. In the Author’s candid opinion, for Nigeria to unite, we must abandon “our fear of unity”. He presents unity as very indispensable in our quest for national rebirth, as without unity of purpose, Nigeria can neither achieve her manifest, destiny nor, can she function with the requisite efficiency

He bemoans the fact that Nigeria is infested with a long list of dichotomy, majority/minority dichotomy, Muslim / Christian dichotomy and so on. As a nation, we have not made serious attempts to seek a cure for these dichotomies (which has more or less become a concern in our body politic) and this is why it continues to spread with very frightful virulence.

To achieve unity, the Author advocated that we must do away with factors that promote disunity. We must be prepared to approach the issue of unity and national solidarity realistically, selfishly, fearlessly, and with a singularity of purpose. We must overcome old prejudices and entrenched interests and banish from every Nigerian, the atmosphere of insecurity. When this is done, Nigeria would be on the way to her national Eldorado.

The book also presents the Author’s views on several issues including Religion, Injustice, Military Coup, Education, Politics, the Civil War and so on. On the Civil war, Ojukwu sees the war as ‘a stage, an inevitable stage in our march to nationhood, a mile-post in our agglomerate development’. He also speaks on personalities that have played critical roles in our path to nationhood. Surprisingly, one of those he greatly saluted in the book, Lady Miss Bianca Onoh, ‘ the beautiful young girl that won the 1989 Miss Inter-continental Pageant‘ was later to become his hearthrob . The Author writes so bluntly and forth rightly that only he could have written it.  

The book makes for an interesting reading as it is imbued with copious quotes cutting across the political and philosophical axes. The language is fair enough to understand by the average reader and is filled with words that can build one’s vocabulary and enhance one’s grammatical capability.

Our politicians will find the solutions offered in this book very handy in resolving the current political imbroglio we are entangled in. The Political Analyst that reads the book will gain tremendous insights that will enable him make better analysis. The scholar that reads the book would have been many steps ahead of his colleagues. In fact, it is recommended to all Nigerians who really feel they have a stake in this nation. Though late, Ojukwu’s mind can still be read in the book.  The book ‘BECAUSE I AM INVOLVED ‘is indeed, an everlasting treatise.

Note: This book may not be found in the open-air market. But those who are interested in acquiring the book may visit any spectrum bookshop or any other standard bookshop in the neighbourhood or e-mail: (admin/@ spectrumbooksonline.com).