Biafra: Gowon seriously sick; suffering from “Da’muda” syndrome

By Tim Tochukwu

For Biafra Choice Writers

Yakubu Gowon, war criminal and former Nigerian military junta is confirmed to be seriously sick and suffering from “Da’muda” or “Daramuda” syndrome. The syndrome is an emotional health condition that makes its victims to continuously mutter the name of their supposed Achilles’ heel, until they die.

The regularity with which Gowon rants nonsense against Biafra and its former leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, presented enough reason for many Biafrans to conclude that he is currently afflicted with “Da’muda” syndrome.

The origine of “Da’muda” syndrome is from the legendary story of Akputude, the most beautiful woman in her land in her days. Her story was one of the most popular tales told to children in those days during moonlight tales.

In those days, she was accused of being the killer of her parents, even though she denied it all her life. But the allegation was destructive enough on its own that no man dared to make marriage advances to her. As time went on, she got the conviction that she had no chance of ever getting married in her own land, or the surrounding towns and villages. So she decided to undertake a journey away from her village, to a very distant land, hoping to find someone out there, who would not know her story, and would want to marry her.

Her long journey ended at Igbankiti land, where nobody knew her. On sighting her, people were so stunned by her beauty and ran to report to their king. Their king’s son, who has been too choosy about getting a wife for himself, and had so far refused to marry to the distaste of the king, fell instantly in love with her.  Seeing his son in love, the father was excited and started to make marriage plans instantly.

But unfortunately for the Akputude, a young man from her far-away country was passing through the town and saw her in that heat of preparation for her marriage. His name was Daramuda, which is Da’muda for shot. Before he left the town, he spilled the beans about the death of her parents. With that information, the marriage was called off. And with the cancellation of the marriage plans, Akputude became heartbroken.

Her heartbrokenness led to a sickness which eventually led to her death. While dying, the name of Da’muda did not escape from her lips. She kept muttering “Da’muda, Da’muda” until she breathed her last breath.

Many Biafrans see similarity between Akputude’s dying days and that of Yakubu Gowon. This is especially so because they have seen how the Nigerian mass murderer (Gowon) took every opportunity to blame Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Biafra’s former head of state, for the war Biafra fought against Nigeria. He has used every opportunity to convince himself that Biafra was dead and could not be rejuvenated. But the fact that Biafra has been rejuvenated into world reckoning, not dead as he and his malevolent contemporaries had thought, was also torment to his soul. Besides that, Gowon always feels low that Ojukwu took him to the cleaners at Aburi. Ojukwu exposed his illiteracy, naivety and stupidity to the world at Aburi. He has not recovered from the humiliation.

He blames Ojukwu, and condemns Biafra with so much regularity, but blames not himself for death of millions of innocent children, women and the aged he murdered and starved to death. So, for Biafrans, that is symptom enough, to show that he now suffers from Da’muda syndrome.