‘The author, one of Africa's most
esteemed statesmen, has also been a prolific author of books over the decades,
to boot. This was his first book, and from the initial publication, has
remained very controversial. Sundry protagonists, critics et al seem to agree
that the author hardly has a good word for other people, and apparently
exaggerates his own deeds and "heroics". Reading a work by
"Baba" Obasanjo often reminds one of a scolding school headmaster or
such, frowning, punctilious, critical, hardly having a good word for others.
And this started in the great man's debut publication, this one - almost 40
years ago. And the rumblings over the contents of this work go on even now
after all these years. For example the frightening feud between Obasanjo and revered
Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka distinctly started after this book was published.
Both illustrious men have maintained different versions of what exactly
transpired between them in those precarious days of the Civil War. For Soyinka
however, Obasanjo is a "liar"; and Soyinka has not been the only one
to cry foul over this maiden work of Obasanjo. Others - fellow military men who
were also involved in the war were not happy over this work, including Benjamin
Adekunle and Alani Akinrinade. Indeed, to read this book, one gets the
impression that the author almost single-handedly won the war on his own; while
other illustrious war veterans have maintained that the author's role was
peripheral and he was just lucky to have been there when the war tapered to an
end. Whatever. This book often strongly suggests that the author at the time
was always sober, innovative, though wary during the war - or whatever was left
of it when he became ensconced in the saddle of his "Command". We
also get the impression that he was humane, he tried to fight the war with
principles, and ended the horrific war, the fighting, without any iota of
vindictiveness or cruelty. And he was loyal to his superiors. His comments in
this book on Ojukwu who had led Biafra during the war, are unflattering.
Despite the controversy, this book is well worth reading, and was published by
Heinemann, a major publisher. An important addition to the many books
published, based on the Nigerian civil war.’
