“To forget would be not only dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.” Elie Wiesel (Holocaust Survivor and Noble Peace Prize Winner)

Barely few years after the gruesome Biafran war of independence that ended in a temporal failure, millions who died both in active military service and innocent civilians especially women and children, our relations, were forgotten in the quest for the traumatized living to survive. Even after surviving, our dead remained forgotten, their names, faces, memories obliterated. This is wrong. It must be reversed and as rightly said by a holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel, “to forget the dead is akin to killing them a second time.”
Why has Biafra Memorial Foundation set out to recall our dead, list their names, remember shared memories with them? We must not forget those killed in genocide because remembering their lives and honoring their memory is essential for several reasons:

• Honoring Human Dignity: Every person has inherent dignity and worth, and remembering those who were killed in genocide reaffirms this fundamental principle. It acknowledges their humanity and the unjust suffering they endured.

• Preventing History from Repeating: By remembering the atrocities of genocide, we are reminded of the consequences of hatred, discrimination, and intolerance. It serves as a powerful warning against allowing similar atrocities to happen in the future.

• Justice and Accountability: Remembering genocide victims can contribute to efforts to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. It supports justice for the victims and their families and reinforces the importance of prosecuting perpetrators of genocide and other crimes against humanity.

• Preserving Collective Memory: Memory plays a crucial role in shaping our understanding of history and informing future generations. By remembering those killed in genocide, we ensure that their stories are not forgotten and that their suffering is acknowledged and respected.

• Promoting Healing and Reconciliation: Remembering genocide victims can foster healing and reconciliation among affected communities. It acknowledges the pain and trauma endured by survivors and their descendants and encourages efforts to build a more peaceful and tolerant world.

In all history, Memorials for the dead are established to honor and remember people who have passed away. They help us keep their memory alive, show respect for their lives, and provide a place for loved ones to gather and reflect on the memories they shared. Memorials can also serve as a way for future generations to learn about the lives and contributions of those who came before them.

The need to set up a memorial for the dead arises from our human desire to remember and honor those who have passed away. Memorials provide a physical space where we can pay tribute to their lives, accomplishments, and the impact they had on us and others. They serve as a way to preserve their memory for future generations and provide comfort and solace to those who are grieving. Additionally, memorials often play a significant role in the grieving process, offering a place for reflection, healing, and remembrance.

Setting up a memorial for our dead equally helps us to achieve proper closure and is a natural part of the grieving process. Closure helps us come to terms with the loss, accept the reality of the situation, and begin to move forward with our lives. Closure can come through honoring the memory of the deceased. Ultimately, closure helps us navigate the journey of grief and find a way to live with the loss while still cherishing the memories of our loved ones.

Ultimately for our people, death through violent means or human inflicted fatality needs appeasing the spirit of the dead and appeasing mother earth. This lack of appeasing our mother earth and the spirits of the dead violently snuffed out during our struggle for independence is part of what holds off peace in our land today. A memorial is key to resolution.