I have been reading a book about the Biafra War by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie called 'Half of a Yellow Sun'. It has really opened up my eyes and what is happening now in Tanzania bears similarities to the beginning of the revolution in Nigeria. The revolution failed in Nigeria and many, many people lost there lives in the cause of the BIAFRA WAR.
The Biafra war was fought between 1967-70. Millions of people died and if you read the book you will have to take a break now and again to walk out and get a breath of fresh air to dry your tears and keep pinching yourself so as to bring yourself back to reality....(I experienced many sleepiness nights too).Be prepared by the graphic pictures that get imprinted in your mind!!. Forewarned is forearmed.
Many people starved to death, children died of kwashakor and malnutrition, young men were conscripted, they were very inhumane and raped young women to dull the pain that they themselves felt(I guess to numb their senses) for being part of the ugly war that they were forcefully asked to fight.
The Ibo tribe were targeted by the Hausa and Yoruba (mainly) for dominating the country's economy, civil service and business. It is really scary reading the book as I have seen too many similarities in what is happening in Tanzania today. The irony of it all is that the western countries fuelled the war in Nigeria for their own benefits...the questions to us Tanzanian should ask ourselves is..... What is the west after in our beloved country??. We don't have oil do we??.
The west send out the Red Cross to feed the displaced people with, cornmeal, egg York powder and powdered milk. However the really good stuff....goodies, where used to lure victims by relief staff, "Big men" and even shockingly some priests to have sex with women and young girls for exchange for treats such as crayfish, corned beef, salt and sugar which had become a luxury.
Please lets stop fuelling hatred amongst our own as it will get us absolutely NO WHERE!!.This is a war between the rich and poor and equality. Lets all address why this has happened and stop blaming each other. Lets try and progress towards a common goal...and embrace the Umoja spirit once again that built Tanzania. Lets pass a mabati, a brick a stone, an olive branch.. to each other regardless of Udini, rangi, tribe( or gender)and lets start building Tanzania again. The Biafrans were so engrossed in the plight of their own that they would say...IF THE SUN REFUSES TO RISE, WE WILL MAKE IT RISE. Does this ring a bell with some of the slogans we are seeing at the moment in Tanzania???.
Last but not least, the revolution of the Biafrans failed and their state failed and they had to be part of Nigeria again in order to survive!!. The Revolution failed the people. THOSE WHO DON'T LEARN FROM HISTORY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT.