A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Ulasi, has accepted Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s apology to the Igbo community over the Nigerian Civil War but cautioned against reopening old wounds that could deepen national divisions.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television monitored by The News Chronicle (TNC), Ulasi urged Nigerians to focus on reconciliation and nation-building rather than reliving painful memories of the 1967–1970 conflict.
“Let the sleeping dog lie,” he said.
Ulasi, who disclosed that he served as a battalion commander during the Civil War, said the conflict claimed the lives of many of his friends and relatives, making it one of the darkest periods in Nigeria’s history.
While acknowledging Governor Mutfwang’s apology, he said he could not determine whether it was motivated by genuine reconciliation or political considerations.
“When political ignorance is combined with political arrogance, you will have political blindness,” Ulasi said.
Reflecting on the events that led to the war, the PDP chieftain said the level of suffering experienced by the Igbo people influenced the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, to question the idea of a united Nigeria.
He maintained that the Civil War could have been avoided.
“The apology is accepted. One day, the full truth about the Civil War will be told. The Civil War was not necessary,” he said.
Ulasi called on leaders across the country’s geopolitical zones to initiate sincere dialogue aimed at addressing longstanding grievances and strengthening national unity.
He argued that many people in the South-East still feel politically and economically marginalised because of the Civil War, insisting that the region has yet to enjoy a full sense of belonging within the federation.
According to him, Nigeria’s progress depends on honest conversations about its history, the implementation of agreed reforms and a collective commitment to building a more inclusive and united nation.
