The Plateau State Government has rejected claims that Governor Caleb Mutfwang apologised to the Igbo community over Nigeria's civil war. A statement issued Wednesday by Gyang Bere, the governor's Director of Press and Public Affairs, clarified that reports attributing such remarks to Mutfwang were based on a misinterpretation of his comments. The clarification followed media reports suggesting the governor issued an apology during a courtesy visit by Igbo leaders from the state's 17 local government areas. Bere stated that the governor's words were meant to express appreciation, promote reconciliation and affirm national unity, not to assign blame or revisit historical grievances tied to the civil war.
Bere emphasized that the governor did not intend to diminish the pain associated with the civil war, noting that the period remains a sensitive chapter in Nigeria's history. He accused some outlets of taking portions of the governor's speech out of context, saying such distortions do not reflect Mutfwang's views and only distract from the intended message of unity and mutual respect. The statement stressed that Mutfwang values the contributions of the Igbo community to Plateau State's development and sees diversity as a foundation for shared prosperity. The government urged the public to disregard interpretations that impute meanings to the governor's remarks that were never expressed.
The governor's need to issue a correction suggests his original message lacked clarity on a historically sensitive issue. When a statement about unity is widely read as a wartime apology, it raises questions about how such conversations are framed in multiethnic states. The incident underscores the difficulty of navigating historical memory in public discourse, especially where emotions remain close to the surface.
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