The great John Lennon, ex-member of the 'Beatles'
John Lennon once said he was more famous than Jesus Christ. Many faithful Christians around the world weren’t happy over that defamatory statement he made. However, I’m not writing this article to condemn Mr. Lennon but to congratulate him on his concern over the political crisis in Africa during his period.
Africa has been a neglected continent for a very long time, even though most of the wealth in Europe was taken from that continent. In the sixties, the members of the Beatles were presented with MBE awards, Nigerian-Biafran Gowon haunts did, and John Lennon returned his award to the Queen in protest against UK foreign policy.
He wrote, “Your Majesty, I’m returning my MBE as a protest against Britain’s involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam, and against Cold Turkey slipping down the charts” with love, John Lennon.
The Nigerian-Biafran war in the sixties between Yakubu Gowon and Ojukwu claimed thousands of lives. It was a catastrophe, a human disaster, and a nightmare that still haunts Nigerians.
It’s astonishing that while the world does not care about the turmoil in Africa, just as the racist Margaret Thatcher does not care about the Apartheid, segregation, and the discrimination going on in South Africa ca that time, a common musician like John Lennon cares much about the carnage going on in Africa.
To me, John Lennon wasn’t only a great musician. But a special statesman, an envoy interested in bringing peace to Africa. At the same time, he was bringing the problems of Africa to the awareness of the selfish leaders who do not care about the continent’s political crisis, but the Beatles were only interested in the looting of the continent's rich mineral resources.
Fans of the Beatles want the rejected award that has been in storage at Saint James’ Palace, since 1969, to be placed at the museum, but a spokesman for the Chancery Department of the Royal said that it’s only John Lennon’s wife, Yoko Ono, could decide if it has to go on display or to the museum.