Answering the question of traveling back to stop a historical event would be an interesting one but a difficult thing to achieve because the fear of being killed in the process won't even let me. The fact I didn't witness some of the historical events and other wars back then before Nigerian independence, might make me say traveling back to stop things like that might sound easy.
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One thing with things like this is that the action might end up being victorious or a bad one. Let's say I decided to travel back to stop the Biafran War of that year. We all know what this war is all about. The quest for independence by the Eastern part of the country. My mum told me how bloody the Biafran War was, the number of lives lost, stopping a war like this won't be an easy one and even if I succeeded, it might be temporary. It will lead to strong division and strong inter state conflict.
Nigeria is one country that different ethnic groups cluster. All the states are home for everyone. It's difficult to visit any state without having people from different states. One thing I will do to help in preventing historical events as this one is trying to convince the leaders in different states to make a law that will prevent the killing of different Nigerians in different states because of the crisis. With that done, there would be restoration of peace and orderliness after the war has been stopped. Meeting the Igbos leaders and the pioneers behind the idea and explaining reasons why one Nigeria should be the goal and the disadvantages of segregation.
One thing is certain, changing the past is uncertain because the outcome is unclear and scary. While it might end up well, it's also important to expect the worst. Just like the story of Mary Slessor, who took a bold step and her change made a remarkable difference till date. So traveling back to end the Nigerian Civil War would leave me with two expectations. Is either I prevent it or it even gets worse after an effort has been made.
Getting the chance to go back in time is something I will have to rethink because it's very risky to change history. In my honest opinion, it is just better we learn from what happened in the past and stop it by all means to prevent it from repeating itself again. Currently, the Eastern are still trying to bring back Biafra, but with the understanding of what crisis like this can cause the country and its citizens have made the Nigerian leaders act wisely on the matter. When such a crisis is followed blindly, there would be lots of tension in the country, political crisis, and loss of innocent souls. Instead of going back to stop history like that and create a ripple effect that won't even be a better result, I feel it's better to face the present and see how to make it right.
After the Biafran War was calm and peace was restored, many different ethnic groups still didn't want to accept unity and it was no more a physical war, but a war of feelings. A war of feelings that makes one individual feel unsafe with another. But with the development of certain policies by the government of that time, peace and unity had been restored. Going back to time will never really change most past occurrences but it's better the present and future are secured and made better.
It's often said, “Let your past be your teacher”.
It's better we judge our past and make our present and future better.