A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Engineer Buba Galadima, has invoked the post-Civil War reintegration of the late Biafran leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, as an example of why Nigerians should embrace reconciliation and move beyond the divisions of the past.
Speaking during an interview from 12:28 on Arise News on Thursday, July 16, 2026, Galadima argued that the country cannot continue to be held hostage by historical grievances if it hopes to build a more united future.
The NDC chieftain made the remarks while defending the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance and responding to critics who continue to frame national politics through the lens of the 1966 coups and the Nigerian Civil War.
According to Galadima, many of those actively participating in today’s political debates were not part of the events that led to the civil war and should therefore focus on promoting national healing rather than perpetuating old divisions.
He pointed to Ojukwu’s return from exile as evidence that Nigeria had previously chosen the path of forgiveness and reconciliation despite the painful consequences of the conflict.
“Odumegwu Ojukwu — his actions caused the death of his own people and other people, but he was forgiven and pardoned, and came back to Nigeria and participated in the electoral process of forming a government.”
Galadima argued that if Nigeria could pardon and reintegrate a central figure in the civil war, there is little justification for continuing to treat present-day political relationships through the prism of decades-old events.
He maintained that the country must move away from ethnic suspicion and historical resentment, stressing that national unity can only be achieved through dialogue, forgiveness and cooperation among all regions.
The NDC chieftain said his party’s vision is built around healing old wounds and fostering stronger ties between the North and the Southeast, insisting that lasting peace and national development require Nigerians to look beyond the divisions of the past and work together toward a common future….See More