A retired Nigerian ambassador, Lawrence Agubuzu, has written a book detailing the marginalization of Igbo officers in Nigeria's foreign service following the Biafra war. Titled "Zero Hour Graduate: A Nigerian Diplomat's Journey Through War and Service to Triumph," the book provides a granular account of how officers from the former East Central State were systematically sidelined. Agubuzu, a career diplomat and traditional ruler in Enugu State, recounts his experiences and those of his colleagues in the foreign service. The book sheds light on the challenges faced by Igbo officers in the years following the war. Agubuzu's account is one of the most detailed insider accounts yet published on the subject.
Agubuzu's experiences in the foreign service began in April 1971, when he reported for duty at the Republic Building in Lagos. He had applied to the Ministry of External Affairs after declining a contract teaching post offered to graduates from East Central State in the Northern states. Agubuzu's decision was influenced by his perception that the offer was an attempt to maintain segregation. His training class completed its course at the Foreign Service Academy, but officers from East Central State faced discrimination. A classmate from Benue Plateau State was posted to Nigeria's mission at the United Nations in New York within a week, while those from East Central State were held back at headquarters.
The restriction on Igbo officers eventually eased, but they were only permitted postings within West Africa. Ambassador Gabriel Akuwafor was sent to Dakar, Ambassador Mark Eze to Lomé, and Agubuzu's training officer, Ambassador Pascal Nnochiri, to Conakry. Nnochiri had joined the service before the war and had earned two promotions under General Yakubu Gowon, yet his record of loyalty afforded him no exemption from the unwritten rule. The memoir also recounts the case of Mr. Mike Amobi, who was forced to choose between his intended marriage and his career. Amobi's bride-to-be was the widow of the late Colonel Emmanuel Ifeajuna, and her background led to her being declared unsuitable.
Agubuzu's own posting was delayed after a supervisor described him as too valuable to release from headquarters. He was eventually freed to take up a post in Liberia only after another Igbo officer, Victor Chibundu, was recalled from Monrovia following an adverse report. The report accused Chibundu of wearing a Biafran-styled suit to Nigeria's independence anniversary celebrations. Loyalty to the federal government offered no protection, the memoir states. Ambassador John Ukegbu, who publicly swore allegiance to the Gowon administration while serving in Liberia during the war, was nonetheless subjected to false reports from a rival deputy and forced to return to Lagos.
Agubuzu also names several diplomats who were summarily retired in a pattern that cut short some of the country's most capable foreign service careers. The diplomats include Ambassador Dapo Fafowora and Ambassador Remi Esau, among others. The author notes that he received support and mentorship from colleagues of other ethnicities throughout his career. He cautions against generalizing about any single tribe or region. The book provides a detailed insider account of how the aftermath of the civil war shaped careers within Nigeria's diplomatic corps.
Agubuzu's experiences in the foreign service were influenced by his background and the historical context of the time. He was a graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, when the civil war broke out in 1967. Agubuzu supported the war effort through the Olo and Amagu Umulokpa Civil Defence Organisation, sheltering refugees displaced by the fighting. He was later commissioned as an intelligence officer with the Biafran Organisation of Freedom Fighters, work that placed him in mortal danger on several occasions.
The book "Zero Hour Graduate" provides a unique perspective on the experiences of Igbo officers in Nigeria's foreign service during a tumultuous period in the country's history. Agubuzu's account highlights the challenges faced by these officers and the impact of the civil war on their careers. The book serves as a valuable resource for understanding the complexities of Nigeria's diplomatic corps and the ways in which historical events continue to shape the country's institutions.
Key points
- The book "Zero Hour Graduate" exposes the systematic marginalization of Igbo officers in Nigeria's foreign service after the Biafra war.
- The marginalization was influenced by the historical context of the time, including the civil war and its aftermath.
- The book provides a detailed insider account of the experiences of Igbo officers in the foreign service during this period.
