The story about the Neglect of Ojukwu’s Safe Haven, Biafra’s Window in Amorka.
Amorka, a town in Ihiala Local government Area, near Uli is very significant in the story of the 33 months civil war, the town which the leader of Biafra, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu so much cherished, has fallen to neglect
During the 33 months of the civil war as a result of the quest for a new republic, one town stood out in the entire Igbo land for more than one reason. That town is Amorka, a border town of Anambra State, which shares boundary with Mgbidi people in Imo State.
Amorka was significant for more than just one reason. First is the Biafra Airport, which though located in Amorka was erroneously christened Uli Airstrip, and secondly the Ojukwu Bunker, which provided safety to the leader of Biafra nation, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
In his last novel; There Was A Country, Late Prof Chinua Achebe described the Biafra Airport in Amorka as Biafra’s window to the world, during the civil war. This was because there were no airports in the entire Igbo land. Since it was impossible for Biafrans to travel out of the country or into the country through airports in control of the Nigerians government, it was only wise for Biafrans to quickly establish an airstrip.
Again, the airstrip served as a means through which war equipment were brought into the country to aid Biafrans in the struggle, while the order by the leader of the federal forces, General Gowon to starve Biafrans of food made it impossible for anyone to consider using an airport in Nigeria to ship relief materials to the people of Biafra. In this way, the airstrip truly became Biafra’s window to the world.
Also, the Ojukwu Bunker which served as a safe place for the leader of Biafra made Amorka a unique place during the war. According to those who knew, Ojukwu was always at Amorka, inside the underground bunker, even when people thought he had ran out of the country. The bunker has a small opening that serves as a door, which leads into the ground, but it was gathered that the small opening leads into what looks like a cave, but is actually a full residence.
A look at the place, one would not suspect anything because the entire ground has grasses and trees growing on it, but only the opening which leads inside can convince one that there was something underneath. Beside being hidden in the ground, it was gathered that the bunker is located right under a deity that protects the people of Amorka, and it was believed that the location provided Ojukwu the safety he needed.
The owner of Igbo History Facebook page had visited the bunker and the airstrip and spoke to indigenes of the community, my findings is that for such a significant community, Ojukwu’s safe haven and Amorka has fallen into neglect as indigenes complain that they have been totally abandoned by the government of Anambra State.
When Ojukwu was alive he use to visit Amorka very frequently. Apart from his town, Nnewi, the next town Ojukwu adored was Amorka. He took chieftaincy title here and is always there then. He fully identified with Amoka.
When Ojukwu returned from exile, immediately he came to his town Nnewi, the next place he moved to was Amorka. This was the same day that he returned. He came straight to the bunker, from where he went on exile. He did it because he had a great memory of Amorka. The people came together and put the bunker in order and awaited him, and truly, he came on the same day of his return, and Amoka people receive him there. That bunker is a historic site, and it is bad that we are poor at keeping history., Chief Willie Obiano once wants to make Amoka Ojukwu Bunker a world tourist site, but it is a pity that since after then, no one have heard anything again.
Let’s correct our mistake, it was Amoka Air stripe not uli Air stripe.
(Igbo History via Facebook)
