Nigeria, Jan. 28 -- I think it made a lot of sense then to use 15 January as Armed Forces Remembrance Day, especially given General Gowon's symbolic declaration that there was "No Winner, No Vanquished" in the war - even if we all know there was a clear winner. Using 15 January as Armed Forces Remembrance Day was then meant to honour soldiers on both sides of the 'brotherly' conflict, who paid the supreme sacrifice and to celebrate the unity the end of the war was meant to usher.

Unfortunately, given that 15 January was also the Day the First military coup took place, Nigeria's Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day has unfortunately turned to be a Day to re-open old wounds on both sides of the conflict because every finger pointin...