Colonel Victor Banjo: A Revolutionary Betrayed

Description

On the 22 September 1967, the Federal Government Troops were at the outskirts of the ancient city of Enugu, shelling the positions of the Biafran army, Enugu then was the Capital of the newly proclaimed Country of Biafra Republic. Whilst the fighting was going on, the commander of the Liberation Army of Nigeria, Brigadier Victor Banjo and his comrades, Col Emmanuel Ifeajuana, Majors Phillip Alale and Sam Agbam were tied to the stakes of execution and the firing squad officers had taken position. There were crowds of selected indoctrinated people clapping and rainy curses and insults on the condemned men. It was only a miracle that could deliver the condemned men from death. The oldest and the most senior among the condemned men, was Banjo and he was in his late thirties. The look on the face of Victor Banjo on the execution stand was that of contempt and defiance. He was bold and unruffled; he spite death on the face.