‘God Forbid’ — Obasanjo Warns Nigeria Against Another Civil War

• Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that many of the factors that triggered Nigeria’s 1967 civil war still exist today.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that many of the issues that led to Nigeria’s civil war in 1967 remain unresolved, cautioning that the country must do everything possible to prevent another national conflict.

Obasanjo made the remarks on Wednesday while receiving a collection of books, research materials, eyewitness interviews and documentary evidence on the Asaba Massacre at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta.

Describing the possibility of another civil war as unthinkable, the former president said Nigeria had already fought “one civil war too many” and must embrace a collective resolve of “never again.”

“What went wrong in the past is essential to preventing a repeat. We must do everything humanly possible to prevent its recurrence,” he said.

According to Obasanjo, some of the political, ethnic and social issues that ignited the civil war more than five decades ago are still present today, making it imperative for Nigerians to learn from history rather than repeat it.

He recalled former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, once saying Nigeria might not survive another civil war, a view he said he fully shares.

“I believe we have fought one civil war too many already. To say that we will have a second civil war, God forbid. We must understand what happened, condemn what should not have happened, and do everything humanly possible to prevent its recurrence,” Obasanjo stated.

The former president praised the efforts of the Asaba Memorial Trust in documenting the events surrounding the Asaba Massacre, stressing that preserving history is crucial for national healing, reconciliation and unity.

Reflecting on his own role during the civil war, Obasanjo explained that while he could not give detailed accounts of the Asaba incident because operations there were under the command of the late General Murtala Mohammed, he maintained that atrocities against civilians were never official military policy.

He also recounted personally stopping a soldier from assaulting a civilian woman during the war, emphasizing that commanders must always be accountable for the conduct of their troops.

Obasanjo added that former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon had publicly acknowledged and apologised for the excesses committed during the war, insisting that incidents such as the Asaba Massacre were neither ordered nor condoned by the federal leadership.

He pledged to study the research materials presented to him and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring Nigeria never experiences another civil war.