The post -Gowon Nigerian Account of The Nigerian Civil War 1975-1990, A Preliminary Review by Siyan Oyeweso, African Peace Research Institute, Lagos, 1992, iv+35Pp.

This research monograph of just thirty five pages is a fascinating review of sixteen books on Nigerian Civil War written by different authors with different motives and different perspectives. This monograph is a compendium of Nigerian Civil War and aftermath.

            Oyeweso identifies the lacunae in the accounts of this internecine war as rendered by different military officers who were the eye witness of this historical event. First, that all these accounts are dependent on the geographical divide or ethnic group the authors belong even Saro Wiwa who was not a military officer is guilty of this factor. Second, in spite of the objective claim of these authors they are all victims of partisanship and subjectivity in their selection of facts. Third, the dominant motives of these books are to emphasize the exaggerated roles of the authors in the war, re-write and rationalize facts to favour their prejudice aims.

            Besides the critique of these literatures offers by Oyeweso, the major historiography problems any historian researching on Nigerian Civil war is likely to face are noted. The effect of the traditional embargo on official documents for a period of twenty to thirty years is identified. He also notes that the eye witness accounts are not ultimate and thus, every source whether primary source or secondary source must be well criticized. Lastly, the voice or silence of any living historical actor on historical events can not hinder historian from arriving at fruitful objective research as nothing guarantees that even when the historical actor talks his account can ever be objective. Not only that, Oyeweso discusses the problem of minority group which Nigeria has to contend with in the post-war era.

            In conclusion, this monograph not only presents us the catalogue of primary sources (living historical actor) and secondary sources on Nigerian civil war but also a critic of these sources. The monograph will no doubt serve as a compass for future research on Nigerian Civil War.

Shina Alimi