A leading peacebuilding organisation has called on the South-East geopolitical zone to offer a formal apology to the Niger Delta over past political actions that deepened regional mistrust and contributed to the events leading to the Nigerian Civil War.
The appeal was made on Friday in Abuja by AbdulRazaq Hamzat, Executive Director of the Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro), during the public presentation of the organisation’s “National Healing Blueprint” – a 10-point roadmap aimed at achieving genuine reconciliation across Nigeria’s fault lines.
Speaking on the theme “Healing Nigeria: From Apology to Reconciliation,” Hamzat insisted that pretending historical wounds do not exist is the biggest obstacle to national unity.
“Nigeria cannot continue to patch over deep scars while expecting unity,” he warned. “True reconciliation begins with truth, acknowledgement, and the courage to say ‘we are sorry.’ An apology is not weakness – it is leadership, it is maturity, and it is the first step toward healing.”
Hamzat specifically urged the South-East to apologise to the Niger Delta for “political manoeuvres that heightened tensions leading to the 12-Day Revolution” (the short-lived secession of the Eastern Region under Lt-Col Odumegwu Ojukwu in 1966) and the subsequent civil war), stating that those actions “left lasting bitterness in the Niger Delta whose resources have continued to bear the burden of national survival.”
He stressed that the call was not about assigning blame but about mutual accountability, adding that the blueprint also demands apologies from other zones and institutions:
- The Nigerian state to the South-East for the conduct and aftermath of the civil war
- Northern leaders to the Igbo for the 1966 pogroms
- Ethnic majorities to minority groups for decades of marginalisation
- The Federal Government to oil-bearing communities for environmental devastation and neglect
“No group is guiltless,” Hamzat declared. “Every zone has inflicted pain and every zone has suffered pain. Healing will only come when we all take responsibility.”
The PeacePro blueprint proposes the establishment of a non-partisan National Truth and Reconciliation Platform, annual National Healing Day, and the integration of reconciliation studies into school curricula.
Responding to reporters, Hamzat said the Niger Delta’s continued underdevelopment despite producing over 80% of Nigeria’s revenue makes the call for acknowledgment particularly urgent.
“Many in the Niger Delta feel their sacrifice has been taken for granted. A sincere apology from those whose political decisions in the past worsened the region’s plight will go a long way in rebuilding trust-building and fostering the cooperation needed for sustainable development,” he noted.
The event was attended by civil society leaders, academics, traditional rulers, and youth representatives from across the country. Copies of the blueprint have been sent to the Presidency, National Assembly, state governors, and major socio-cultural organisations for consideration.
As Nigeria grapples with fresh calls for restructuring and resource control, observers say initiatives like PeacePro’s could provide a softer, people-centred pathway to addressing long-standing grievances that fuel militancy, separatist agitations, and mutual suspicion.
