Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for forgiveness and reconciliation as Asaba marked the 59th anniversary of the Asaba Massacre, while the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, insisted that a public apology from a sitting President is necessary for full closure and healing.

Obasanjo made the call on Wednesday while participating virtually as chairman of the 59th anniversary memorial held in Asaba, Delta State.

The former President described the Asaba Massacre as one of the most painful and terrible episodes of the Nigerian Civil War, saying the war itself was an unfortunate event that should never have happened.

He said he was deeply moved after receiving documents on the massacre from the convener of the memorial, Chief Chuks Nduka-Eze, and disclosed that the materials brought him to tears.

Obasanjo urged survivors, families of victims and the wider community to embrace forgiveness as part of the process of reconciliation.

“To all of you assembled: let us keep one thing in mind, forgiveness, forgiveness, and forgiveness again,” he said.

However, Azinge said forgiveness did not mean forgetting the tragedy or abandoning the community’s demand for acknowledgement and accountability.

The traditional ruler said the people of Asaba could forgive but would not forget the killings, stressing that there could be no complete closure or healing until a sitting President publicly apologised to the people.

“We may not forget, but certainly, we have to forgive,” Azinge said.

He noted that former military Head of State, retired General Yakubu Gowon, had previously apologised for the Civil War, but argued that the community was seeking an acknowledgement from a serving Nigerian President.

“We need a sitting President to apologise to the people of Asaba; that will bring closure,” the monarch said.

Azinge also questioned Obasanjo’s call for a “never again” approach, recalling the killings at Odi in Bayelsa State during Obasanjo’s tenure as President.

Despite his demand for a presidential apology, the Asagba made a significant gesture towards reconciliation by publicly declaring that the Asaba community had forgiven the family of late Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo, who was associated with the military operation during the massacre.

The monarch’s declaration followed an apology by retired Major-General Ahmed Ibrahim Taiwo, son of Colonel Taiwo, who expressed regret on behalf of his father and family over any acts or omissions that contributed to the killings.

Taiwo said he could not change what happened but hoped his apology would serve as a step towards reconciliation.

The Asaba community accepted the apology while maintaining that remembrance, acknowledgement and healing remained important.

The Delta State Government, represented at the memorial by Secretary to the State Government Dr Kingsley Emu, also disclosed that the Federal Government was expected to make a formal reconciliation declaration concerning the massacre.

The state government said official acknowledgement of the tragedy was important to the reconciliation process and expressed hope that Nigeria would formally recognise the events.

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori also reaffirmed the need to preserve the history of the massacre and ensure that the deaths of civilians are remembered.

The anniversary comes ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Asaba Massacre, with renewed efforts to establish a permanent memorial centre documenting the victims, testimonies and history of the tragedy.

The Asaba Massacre occurred in October 1967 during the Nigerian Civil War, when hundreds of civilians were killed after Federal troops entered the town. Researchers and community historians have estimated that more than 1,000 people died in the killings.