Victors determine how history is written, and so it happens that what we know of our past is an incomplete story. When we think of the world wars, the narrative is dominated by the British and American commanders and personnel; there’s barely any mention of the Africans and Asians who gave their all for Empire.
It’s why the victorious French troops that matched into Paris during its liberation 1944 was a wholly white unit, yet the Free French Forces that fought for France was 65% black.
If it weren’t for an exhibition he attended as representative of his nation, the world would probably never have known Belo Akure, who would probably be a renown hero of the Great War if his circumstances were different.
But Belo Akure was born in the land to be later known as Nigeria, then under the dominion of the British. Even Akure may not be his actual surname, as the African troops recruited or conscripted from West Africa were given the names of their hometowns as their surname. Akure is the capital and largest city of Ondo State, southwestern Nigeria.
It’s not known when he was born, only that he had joined the West African Frontier Force in around 1901, and he stated off as a bugler. Somehow, Belo Akure earned himself a Distinguished Conduct Medal somewhere along the way. A citation for his award hasn’t been found yet, so here’s a citation from another DCM recipient to give you an idea of the mettle of such recipients.
“For marked courage on 4th November, 1918, near Bousies. His battery, firing a barrage, came under heavy shell fire, suffering heavy casualties. He showed utter contempt for danger, and rendered great assistance throughout the operation. He has done consistent good work.” – Citation for Sjt. H. Clay, 100thBn, M.G. Corps.
Historical records show that Belo Akure was listed for a DCM in 1908/09, and also for the ‘acts of bravery in the field’ on (coincidentally) 4thNovember 1914. By this date, he had risen to be a company sergeant-major, and was fighting off the Germans in Cameroon.
On that date, the Germans were the stronger side, and Akure’s regiment was forced to retreat. Their retreat occurred on the Mungo River, where Sgt.-Maj. Akure singlehandedly held off the Germans until safely crossed the river. Then he was given covering fire and retreated too. Because of his two DCM awards, his came with a bar on its ribbon acknowledging both deeds of bravery.
He was also mentioned in dispatches, yet another acknowledgment of gallantry.
By 1916, the Germans had been subdued in West Africa, but not in East Africa. Nigerian regiments were thus redeployed to Tanzania, and Akure was dispatched around the Rufiji River.
In March 1917, he was conducting a patrol with three other soldiers when he ran into a column of 50 Tanzanian soldiers under two German officers. Once again, he covered the retreat of his small group.
About a week later, while exchanging fire with another German detachment, Akure dodged bullets to bring back a German officer as a prisoner; for the two deeds, he was awarded a Military Medal.
The Nigerians stayed in Tanzania until 1918, returning home shortly before the war ended. Belo Akure had been promoted to Regimental Sergeant-Major, the highest rank an African in could attain at the time.
For all his efforts in East and West Africa, we probably would have never known him had he not joined the British Empire Exhibition of 1924.
From West Africa were people from Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, and they built a village next to Wembley. They were in London for six months, taking photos with visitors and suchlike engagements.
Postcards were also made of Belo Akure, DCM, MM, and 2 other Nigerians: Sergeant-Major Belo Ojo, of Ibadan, and Insp. Ajayi of Lagos.
It’s as if he vanished from the face of the earth following this exhibition; it is unknown whether he went on to fight in the second world war, when he (likely) died.
Did he even return to Nigeria following the exhibition? There are many unknowns about Belo Akure.
By Matengo Chwanya
Africa Global News Publication
