The Trial Of Mamman Vatsa - The Full And Complete Story

Aug

2008

By Max Siollun

Mamman Vatsa

Your Comments

Please make The Square an enjoyable experience for everyone by refraining from gratuitous ad-hominem contributions, defamatory comments and off-topic posting. Such posts will be removed.

Robot

# 1 | 06.08.2008 22:46

	Continued From: Part One: ...Read the full article.

Agidimolaja Agidimolaja is offline

# 2 | 07.08.2008 00:30

	The question I'm still asking is this. Why is IBB still walking around a free man? Is he not also guilty of planning coup and jointly executing coup?If planning coup{not even carried it out like Dimka} earned so many people death at the hand of IBB ,why has he too not been arrested,charged and executed for the coups he planned and jointly carried out? If the likes of Vatsa,Iyorshe,Okar etc were found guilty of treason,then what is IBB guilty of? IBB,you are also guilty and therefore deserved to die just like those you've put to death. Hopefully,Divine providence shall see to it.

emenanjo emenanjo is offline

# 3 | 07.08.2008 04:27

	=Agidimolaja;4295080275>The question I'm still asking is this. Why is IBB still walking around a free man? Is he not also guilty of planning coup and jointly executing coup?If planning coup{not even carried it out like Dimka} earned so many people death at the hand of IBB ,why has he too not been arrested,charged and executed for the coups he planned and jointly carried out? If the likes of Vatsa,Iyorshe,Okar etc were found guilty of treason,then what is IBB guilty of? IBB,you are also guilty and therefore deserved to die just like those you've put to death. Hopefully,Divine providence shall see to it. Dear Agidimolaja, I share your sentiments! My understanding of the act of coup-plotting, which is a treasonable offence, is that you must try to succeed otherwise you pay the ultimate prize which is death. There are no half measures. IBB is too clever. He participated in coups but those coups never failed. However, in prosecuting coup plotters, the prosecutor has to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. I did not read law, but in most countries, where the death penalities apply, I was made to understand that any element or little shred of doubt in such cases, the death sentence is not to be upheld until that element of doubt is cleared. But in the Nigerian military, because they are always afraid of their shadows, they are always in a hurry to kill people. Just read the above again and see how petty this people are. Human life meant nothing to them. I remembered quite vividly that the Association of Nigerian Authors {ANA> sent a team headed by Prof. Wole Soyinka, to meet and plead with IBB, to spare the lives of these men but he refused. When Nigerians appealled to him to de-annule the June 12 election, which was another coup by IBB, he still stubbornly refused. The same man was saying Vatsa was stubborn. This earth my brother... this earth.

tanibaba tanibaba is offline

# 4 | 07.08.2008 05:16

	I want to thank the author of this piece for refreshing our memories with what happened in those days of "blindness". I was shocked too, when against all entreaties by well meaning Nigerians Mamman Vasta was murdered in a similar fashion that Ken Saro Wiwa was murdered. I am glad that Mamman became more popular and more respected by Nigerians after his death till today. It was then that we learnt that he was a very intelligent officer, poet etc and not the regular "mamy market tombo drinking, womanising officers" Though you were murdered your tormentors and their agents have known no peace since you departed. Their evil acts have continued to haunt them and some of them have died on the streets like chickens. The verdict was already written before your trial and the outcome known to the executors but God was on your side by making them preserve you for us in the film that they made. Mamman there is something that you said sometime ago that i make reference to quite often. The statement has helped me greatly in life. You were once quoted as saying " nobody will insult you until you start insulting yourself". It is one great lesson I learnt from you and your trial. Even at the doorstep of the hangman, you were able to touch lives like mine; you are my hero. You added value to my life even at the point you were about to lose yours. Tears suddenly filled my eyes as I write, but they are tears of joy that indeed God has answered your prayers because the final judgement is not with your persecutors. Several years after they murdered you the judgement by them has been proved wrong. You definitely live in the hearts of some of us. I pray to Allah to grant you Aljanah Fridaus and to continue to bless and protect your family and dependants. Sun re o. taslim

pappilo pappilo is offline

# 5 | 07.08.2008 12:15

	Just like you Taslim, reading Major Bamidele's statement brought tears to my eyes.I still cant comprehend how military men think. How can you sign the death sentence of your best man? Just like Campaore killed Sankara. I think when you are in the miltitary, the life of a friend is no more valuable than that of an enemy in the field

crownabbey crownabbey is offline

# 6 | 07.08.2008 14:55

	Babangida shall die horrible death!! His wife and children shall wallow in pity and die in terrible circumstances like him. He will depart this world in sorrow and his children will burn in hell like him!! What a horrible man!

Adisko87 Adisko87 is offline

# 7 | 07.08.2008 15:33

	Musa Bitiyong an intellectual? The pope is a Jew. Is this not the same Musa Bitiyong that participated and if some quarters are to be believed, personally killed Major-General J.T.U. Ironsi? Is it not the same Bitiyong that was catapaulted from the rank and file to a commissioned officer because he was willing to kill anyone that opposed his choice of his fellow midbelter - Yakubu Gowon from becoming head of state after the massacre of July '66. And Mamman Vatsa, what did he write against the pogrom and genocide of the war of 1966-70. Achebe and Soyinka interceded for him with IBB, but where is it recorded in history that Vatsa pleaded for Soyinka when the latter was jailed for speaking and acting out against the genocide called Nigerian civil war, or where is it recorded that he interceded on behalf of Achebe and his people when they were bombed and straffed mercilessly against Geneva's convention charter that protects the rights of non-combatants? Was Vatsa dealt an unjust blow, maybe, but what is with this crying when one of the riders ends up in the belly of the tiger. Karma has never been known to cut clean, she at times craves the perverted pleasure of spiting her victims same way they traded in the blood of others.

19 guy 19 guy is offline

# 8 | 07.08.2008 15:40

	Kill them all I say! I cannot believe anyone would shed tears for Nigerian Political Military Officers. These guys were coup plotters for God's sakes and those who weren't were beneficiaries of coups anyway. These guys-all of them- should have been charged with treason.

employlawone employlawone is offline

# 9 | 07.08.2008 15:47

	=Adisko87;4295080569>Musa Bitiyong an intellectual? The pope is a Jew. Is this not the same Musa Bitiyong that participated and if some quarters are to be believed, personally killed Major-General J.T.U. Ironsi? Is it not the same Bitiyong that was catapaulted from the rank and file to a commissioned officer because he was willing to kill anyone that opposed his choice of his fellow midbelter - Yakubu Gowon from becoming head of state after the massacre of July '66. And Mamman Vatsa, what did he write against the pogrom and genocide of the war of 1966-70. Achebe and Soyinka interceded for him with IBB, but where is it recorded in history that Vatsa pleaded for Soyinka when the latter was jailed for speaking and acting out against the genocide called Nigerian civil war, or where is it recorded that he interceded on behalf of Achebe and his people when they were bombed and straffed mercilessly against Geneva's convention charter that protects the rights of non-combatants? Was Vatsa dealt an unjust blow, maybe, but what is with this crying when one of the riders ends up in the belly of the tiger. Karma has never been known to cut clean, she at times craves the perverted pleasure of spiting her victims same way they traded in the blood of others. I am sorry but am still unable to grasp the essence of your response.

Rodena Rodena is offline

# 10 | 07.08.2008 18:18

	Thanks man, nice writ. What i cannot understand are the vituperations being poured on the person of Mr. Babangida simply because he saw off Vasta and his cohorts. With all due respect, what he did was right and should not be surprising to any sound, sentiment-free mind. I aint too sure but i daresay Mamman was less likely to have spared his friend had the coup succeeded so what are we talking about? The military is serious business whose harsh rules soldiers have to learn to play by or be outplayed. Mr. Babangida may not have been the best thing to have happened to Nigeria but methinks he got it just right here. As for guys like crownabbey who post such repulsive and indecent comments on this page, please stop. It is by far more dignifying to hold one's peace & piece especially when objectivity is missing. Wait until you find yourself in a situation such as Mr. Babangida's. It will be interesting, very interesting to see how you will react to such brazen treachery from trusted quaters.

The conversation continues in our forum. Click here to read all comments

< Prev		Next >