Commander Achuzie goes to rest

Tribute to Late Joe Achuzia By Sir Chris Rosco U. OKAFOR MY COMMANDER, J. O. G. ACHUZIA GOES HOME, THE FINAL RESIDENCE OF ALL MORTALS. MY INTERACTION WITH THE GREAT JOG ACHUZIA WAS FROM NOVEMBER 1967, 108 OF US WERE PICKED FROM ONITSHA TRAINING DEPOT, NOW ANGLICAN GIRLS ONITSHA TO FORM 29 BATTALION BA, BY THE THEN BRIGADIER CONRAD NWAWO. AFTER LIGHTING OPERATIONS AT ONITSHA DURING THE FIRST ATTEMPT BY NA TO DESTROY ONITSHA BRIDGE, WE WERE MOVED TO FATHER JOSEPHS AGULERI 57 BRIGADE UNDER THE COMMAND OF IVENSO. J.O.G ACHUZIA CAME ON BOARD AND WAS GIVEN COMMAND OF 29 BATTALION (THE 108 BOYS FROM ONITSHA DEPOT). J.O.G ACHUZIA PROMPTLY MOVED US TO ST. FRANCIS NANDO WHERE HE PICKED ME AS ONE OF HIS BATS MEN. THIS WAS ABOUT FEBRUARY 5, 1968. WE CROSSED IKEM NANDO RIVER AND CAMPED AT OMOR AND GOING TO FIGHTING PATROLS AT UMUMBO. ON FEBRUARY 8, WE COMMENCED ATTACK AGAINST FEDERAL FORCES AT AKIYI UMULOKPA. ACHUZIA WAS NOT THE TYPE OF COMMANDER TO BE AT THE REAR. HE WAS ALWAYS IN THE FORWARD LOCATION MOVING FROM ONE TRENCH TO THE OTHER. YOU BECOME A DEAD MAN INSTANTLY IF ACHUZIA FINDS YOU RUNNING IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY. HE WAS A MORAL BOOSTER TO US ALL. ACHUZIA LED US TO OBINMO ONE AND TWO AS WE PURSUED THE ENEMY. WE FORKED IN TWO THROUGH ADADA RIVER, THROUGH OHODO, OZALLA AND THEN TO OPI JUNCTION WHERE 29 BATTALION BA CONFRONTED 29 BATTALION NA COMMANDED BY BUKA SUKA DIMKA. AS WE MADE GAINS IN THAT OPI AXIS, NEWS CAME THAT FEDERAL FORCES WERE THREATENING AWKA AND ACHUZIA BECAME DEVASTATED BY THE NEWS AND OUR MORAL FELL TO THE LOWEST EB. ACHUZIA IN HIS CHARACTERISTIC MANNER ADDRESSED THE TROOPS AND HURRIED TO AKIYI UMULOKPA AND HEADED FOR ST. MARYS, IFITE-UKPO AND THE FOLLOWING MORNING WE ESTABLISHED OUR CAMP AT NGBAKWU FROM WHERE OUR TROOPS STARTED ATTACKING AMANSEA TO BE ABLE TO BLOW THE BRIDGE WHICH WE NEVER SUCCEEDED TO DO UNTIL MY COMMANDER JOG ACHUZIA WAS REDEPLOYED BY THE C-IN-C. IT WAS DURING MY STAY AS HIS OFFICE BOY WITH ACHUZIA AT MGBAKWU THAT I KNEW ACHUZIA VERY CLOSELY. HE WAS A MILITARY MAN THROUGH AND THROUGH. AMONG OFFICERS AND MEN, THE NAME ACHUZIA EVOKED GREAT FEAR BECAUSE HE WAS A NO NONSENSE MAN. I BELIEVE IT IS MY ANOINTING IN MY MOTHERS BOWELS THAT ENDEARED ME TO A MAN LIKE ACHUZIA WHOSE FEAR WAS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM AMONG OFFICERS & MEN OF BIAFRAN ARMY. THERE DEFINITELY CAN BE NO OTHER ACHUZIA IN THIS GENERATION. ADIEU GREAT ONE UNTIL WE MEET TO PART NO MORE. Sir Chris Rosco U. OKAFOR (pathdonofficials)