Nigerian activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore has sharply criticized the country’s post-civil war “No Victor, No Vanquished” policy, arguing that the reconciliation slogan masked deep inequalities in how different sides were treated after the conflict ended.
Speaking on the Mic On Podcast, Sowore challenged the narrative that Nigeria’s civil war conclusion was equitable, pointing to stark disparities in how former combatants were compensated.
“4 million people died, you just woke up and say no victor, no vanquished, but there was a victor, there was a vanquished because the vanquished got £20, the victor got billions,” Sowore stated during the interview.
The “No Victor, No Vanquished” declaration was made by General Yakubu Gowon at the end of Nigeria’s civil war in 1970, intended to promote national reconciliation and healing. However, Sowore’s comments highlight ongoing debates about whether this policy truly delivered justice and equality.
His reference to the £20 payment alludes to the controversial policy where Biafran soldiers and civilians who had money in banks before the war were given a flat payment of £20 regardless of their previous account balances. Meanwhile, Sowore suggests that those on the winning federal side benefited financially in vastly different proportions.
The activist’s remarks reflect broader conversations about historical injustices and unresolved grievances stemming from the Nigerian civil war, which lasted from 1967 to 1970. The conflict’s legacy continues to influence Nigerian politics and inter-ethnic relations more than five decades later. See, More, Here>>>>
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