The Trial of Mamman Vatsa

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

[Agidimolaja]

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]

Originally Posted by Agidimolaja

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by Adisko87

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]

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.

[10Kobo]

I will not comment on this piece but l thank the writer for refreshing our memory.
......THE EVIL THAT NIGERIAN MEN DO.......
10Kobo

[Nokia]

Originally Posted by employlawone

I am sorry but am still unable to grasp the essence of your response.

Ohhh yes, you can not grab it because you lack comprehension. Wait for him to find you a wife, pay her dowry and also lay your wife he found for you to produce children for you, then you will comprehend the essence of his response.

[crownabbey]

Rodena,

Did you read the same article that I read? If you did, then you must be Babangida or one of his cohorts or apologists!

What I read was that Mamman was not involved in the coup and the evidence against him was invented and circumstantial. Did that justify killing an innocent man? No.

I stand by my comment and I wish Babangida and all his household calamities and evil that he claims to be anyway!

This man does not fit to live in a decent society and he deserves a violent death as well.

[Agidimolaja]

I'm actually not concerned about the person of Vatsa, Bitiyong{who was alleged to have killed Gen. Ironsi as a service to his home-boy Jack Gowon} and others.
My concern here is, why are known murderers allowed to be walking around freely after they have murdered several people for the same offence of which they too are also very well guilty? Where is justice and where is fairness?
Whether it is successful or not, coup is coup. All coup planners are then subjected to suffer the same fate, just to make it fair.
But, there is no fairness in Nigeria which is another recipe for our massive corruption and epileptic so called democracy.
Why should mean-hearted military thug like Buhari shamelessly as ever, tried{and frantically otherwise} to become a democratically elected President? Did he not stage coup and overthrew a democratically elected President? Should an individual like him who ought to have suffered similar fate as did Vatsa who indeed did not carry out a coup but was alleged to be planning one still willing to get for himself what he took away from another person? Is that the way of Islam that he is always dishonestly propagating?
Obasanjo put over fourty people to death over Muritala's assasination including Wya whose position or part in the coup remained eternally doubtful.
But Obj was party to the coup that brought Muritala into power and he greatly benefited from the putsch.Yet Obj reigned twice in Nigeria.Today,he too is a free man walking around while the graves were loaded with those he signed their death sentences for same offence he too remained guilty.
Jack Gowon and T.Y. Danjuma, both actively participated in the planning and execution of the coup that killed Gen. Ironsi,yet they are all walking around freely today.
And IBB,let me not repeat myself again for you all know so much about the military mobstar.He is today too close for comfort in Nigeria despite that he saw to the deaths of all percieved rivals and enemies in addition to several other deaths that are unrelated to coups. Is it fair?
That is my qustion.That is my annoyance.That is my great concern.It is not sentiment as someone alleged,rather it is yet to be answered questions.
I disagreed with few respondents who submitted that IBB did what was right.How? Was the killing of Major Bamidele a good thing?What did the man do?Was he not charged for similar offence as did Moses Effiong?Was he not at one time locked up and greatly humiliated when he made similar report? What did IBB do that was right in this life?Was it the daylight robbery of June 12 1993 Presidential election?
Folks,when are we going to be fair and be truthful and be serious and be civilized?
Our glory have been slained upon the high places and several of our mighties have fallen,yet we are so.......!

[employlawone]

Originally Posted by Nokia

Ohhh yes, you can not grab it because you lack comprehension. Wait for him to find you a wife, pay her dowry and also lay your wife he found for you to produce children for you, then you will comprehend the essence of his response.

Are you speaking from personal experience? If so you have my sympathies.

[allaccess]

live by the sword die like the sword does not work in Nigeria, IBB is in his old age and still living among us with not so much as a scratch, why is that?

He is rich and lives on a hill top over looking Nigeria and he walks around with impunity. We are here writing articles chronicling his life.

too bad!

[maxsiollun]

Gentlemen, thanks for your responses. A couple of points though:

1) Musa Bitiyong. The men who killed Ironsi are well known. Bitiyong was not the culprit. Full details will follow in my forthcoming book.

2) A double standard always applies to coup plotting. If you succeed you get away scot free. If you fail....death.

[DeepThought]

The men who killed Ironsi are well known.

As far as I'm concerned Danjuma, the leader of the gang that "arrestred" Ironsi, is the most responsible one. It doesn't matter who pulled the trigger

The other culprits:
Gowon and MM

[wolvrine]

It truly hurts to remember some of our moments in history. One can only take solace in the fact that history is not filled with deeds that are always good, always correct, but that the bad is often mixed up with the good.
We often say we will not swear for someone (take an oath about another person's integrity) b/c only God knows truly what a person is capable of doing, but reading through what Maj. Bamidele and Mamman Vatsa said makes it hard to think of them as lying in any way. I pray that their families, and those of others who got caught up in the cruel game that life sometimes is, will find solace in God. It is well.

[Adisko87]

Originally Posted by maxsiollun

Gentlemen, thanks for your responses. A couple of points though:

1) Musa Bitiyong. The men who killed Ironsi are well known. Bitiyong was not the culprit. Full details will follow in my forthcoming book.

2) A double standard always applies to coup plotting. If you succeed you get away scot free. If you fail....death.

I qualified my statement "...if some quarters are to be believed, personally killed Major-General J.T.U. Ironsi?

However, some things are undisputable:

1. He was one of the Marauders of July 1966,
2. He killed a number of military officers that committed the crime of being from the south
3. He was promoted above the limits of his educational qualification as stipulated by Nigeria army
4. He committed further acts of bestiality during the civil war

One problem we have in Nigeria is the tendeny to look away when the ill is not directly hurting us, but we quickly forget that evil will come around to our homes if not nipped early in the day