The 14th Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Professor Epiphany Azinge (SAN), has reiterated that the people of Asaba are still waiting for a formal apology from the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria over the October 7, 1967, Asaba Massacre, which claimed hundreds of innocent lives during the civil war.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Annual Memorial Anniversary marking 58 years since the tragic event, the revered monarch said the people of Asaba continue to carry the deep emotional and psychological scars of that dark episode in the nation’s history.
“It is good that we have come out today to honour our brothers and sisters who were victims of the Asaba massacre of October 7, 1967,” the monarch said.
“We are the affected ones; hence, this anniversary holds deep meaning for us. Those born around that time are now grandfathers who have achieved success in life, but imagine the pain of those who were orphaned or raised by single parents as a result of the killings. This massacre left a lasting mark on the psyche of the Asaba people.”
Azinge revealed that the Asaba community has continued to push for national recognition and justice, noting that a bold step was taken on March 20, 2025, when they directly confronted a sitting President over the issue.
“We are not relenting,” he declared. “If Rwanda can rise stronger after its tragedy, Asaba too remains resilient. My appeal to President Bola Tinubu is simple: Asaba deserves an apology from a sitting President.
“Secondly, to honour the memory of our people and heal our land, the Federal Government should establish a Federal University in Asaba, a request that dates back to the reign of the 13th Asagba.”
The monarch stressed that these demands represent not only a call for justice but also for national healing and reconciliation.
“These are our modest requests,” he added. “So that we can take solace in the fact that our sons and daughters did not die in vain. The government of Nigeria must recognise this cry for justice and meet us on that note.”
In his remarks, Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze, the Convener of the Annual Memorial Anniversary and the Isama-Aje of Asaba, noted that although President Tinubu did not respond publicly when confronted about the massacre, he believes the matter has not gone unnoticed at the federal level.
He described this year’s commemoration as particularly significant, following a recent motion by the Delta State House of Assembly to observe a minute’s silence annually on October 7 in memory of the victims.
“We are intensifying awareness,” Nduka-Eze said. “Plans are underway to construct a more befitting monument in honour of the victims, complete with an eternal light that will burn 24 hours a day as a lasting symbol of remembrance.”
The ceremony was marked by the firing of 21 gunshots and a minute of silence at both the Delta State House of Assembly and Ogwa-Ukwu, Asaba, in solemn tribute to the victims of the 1967 massacre.
