Since independence from britain in 1960, nigeria had managed to stay a single entity despite historic enmity between the mainly muslim north and the largely christian south. My message to nnia nwodo is that no one can be wiser than history and so, those who toe the footsteps of failed people in history, will also go down as failed people. This is a brief history of biafra the biafra telegraph. First and second generation impacts of the biafran war. The nigeria biafra war lasted from 6 july 1966 to 15 january 1970, during which time the postcolonial nigerian state fought to bring the southeastern region, which had seceded as the state or republic of biafra, back into the newly independent but ideol. Biafra s declaration of independence from nigeria resulted in civil war between biafra and nigeria. Biafra represented nationalist aspirations of the igbo people, whose leadership felt they could no longer coexist with the northerndominated federal government.
Its main aim is to restore an independent state of biafra for the people of old eastern region of nigeria through a referendum. Biafra wasis a kingdom to the then western ethiopia or north congo, whose according to the history books the then original capital city of the same name was sited about six miles up wouri river in what is now cameroona position which coincides with douala. Soon after the war, the bight of biafra which was the closest area named after the old biafra region stretches towards cameroon was renamed to bight of bony just like the british has this master plan of eliminating biafra from the map recently removed a lot book from their library containing the history of biafra. Nigeria is haunted by biafran war world news the guardian. She later dismissed it as an awfully melodramatic play, but it was among the earliest works in which she explored the war in the late 1960s between nigeria and its secessionist biafra republic. This book is part memoir, part history of the biafran war and part a survey of nigerian literature. Oct, 2016 nigerian civil war facts history biafra civil war the nigerian civil war which is also popularly known as the biafran civil war, was fought between 6th of july 1967 to 15th of january 1970. The nigerian civil war history the untold story of biafra. In 1998 adichies play for love of biafra was published in nigeria. Great biafrans, i think its wise that we use social media facebook to disseminate information about our history, since they refused to teach us at school, this generation has come to dig it up and share with our people, biafra is a great nation with great people and great heritage and. Nigeria has a long history, with its roots in early civilisations of distinguished artistry. The biafra story by frederick forsyth pdf, ebook read online.
Books written about nigerian civil war aloko adewale peter 11. May 30 2017 marks the 50th birthday of the declaration of independence of the republic of biafra, leading up to a 30month civil war between federal nigerian troops and the igbo secessionists. The word biafra most likely derives from the subgroup biafar or biafada of the tenda ethnic group who reside primarily in guineabissau. Very emotional scenes of boy soldiers, suffering, children dying from starvation. The answers introduce current events in nigeria and the concept of historical lenses as a way of understanding the past. The biafrans have never forgotten, never forgiven those who attempted genocide upon them. It has also reluctantly acquiesced in the night relief flights into biafra.
Ogbunigwe also called ojukwu bucket was a series of weapons systems including command detonation mines, improvised explosive devices, and rocket propelled missiles, massproduced by the republic of biafra and used against nigeria between 1967 and 1970 in the biafran war. I hope this piece of writing will serve as an absolute lesson leh kakh for those dreaming to sabotage the biafra restoration process. In the course of this paper my interest is focussed on the legacy of biafra and the. Actually, the republic of biafra which was declared in 1967 by general odumegwu ojukwu was not a new country but an attempt to restore the ancient biafra nation that existed before nigeria was created by the. May 19, 2015 this is a brief history of biafra of the efik extraction. It was made up of the states in the eastern region of nigeria. Little is known about the literal meaning of the word biafra.
The tragedy of the 1970s war continues to this day. The failed secession bid of biafra from nigeria in a civil war that ended after thirty months of military hostilities. Biafra, secessionist western african state that unilaterally declared its independence from nigeria in may 1967. The group was founded in 2012 by nnamdi kanu, who has resurfaced the issue of independence of the indigenous biafran population from nigeria. This article on what caused the nigerian civil war will also proffer suggestions on how to prevent a repeat version of the war in nigeria. It took its name from the bight of biafra, the atlantic bay to its south. The nigerian civil war miamidade county public schools. A personal history of biafra emerges into this landscape of memory and remembrance, 42 years after the war ended. Biafra, officially the republic of biafra, was a state in west africa that existed from may 1967 to january 1970. Great biafrans, i think its wise that we use social media facebook to disseminate information about our history, since they refused to teach us at school, this generation has come to dig it up and share with our people, biafra is a great nation with great people and great heritage and culture. With few memories of biafra war, young nigerians renew calls.
It was fought between 6 th of july, 1967 to 15 th of january, 1970. May 30, 2017 with few memories of biafra war, young nigerians renew calls for independence. Pdf the nigerian civil war in history and historiography. History lesson for today biafra wasis a kingdom to the then. In the biafra story, forsyth reveals the depth of the british governments active involvement in the conflictinformation which many in power would have. Get an answer for what were the causes of the biafrannigerian civil war. Apr 06, 20 a video series chronicling the nigerian civil war between nigeria and the breakaway republic of biafra. The making of an african legend forsyth, frederick on. In the biafra story, forsyth reveals the depth of the british governments active involvement in the conflictinformation which many in power would have preferred to remain secret. The inhabitants were mostly the igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious tensions among the various peoples of nigeria. General yakubu gowon, divided the federation into 12 states, including three in the east. The nigeriabiafra war, popular culture and agitation for sovereignty.
That the subject of biafra and genocide is in the air is also indicated by the publication of chinua achebes blend of memoir and history, there was a country. As you can see in the attached image of the biafra map dating as far back as 1662. On one side is labeled the prize that the igbo ethnic group has paid or will pay for the biafra independence agitation. Smith abstract in late august 1968, following a british proposal, nigeria announced it would allow an international observer team into the country to show that it was not pursuing a campaign of genocide in biafra. The nigeria biafra war 19671970 was a defining event in the history of postcolonial nigeria. In achieving this aim, the paper necessarily explores the theory of revolution and at the same time. This is a brief history of biafra of the efik extraction. Atofarati of the nigerian army, examining the causes of the war, the strategies employed by the belligerents, and the lessons subsequently learnt. It constituted the former eastern region of nigeria and was inhabited principally by igbo ibo people. Isbn 9781594204821for those who already know the writer of things fall apart 1958, chinua achebes memoir, there was a country, will emphasize and elucidate certain intricate or fuzzy details of his already wellknown life. The goal for those studying the global concerns during the biafran secession era is to try to assess what people outside of biafra including england, the former colonial power over nigeriathought of the conflict and what they proposed should be done about it. Biafras attempt to carve out a new state as an important moment in the history of self. Pdf the article aims to fill the knowledge gap on sao tomes. History, memory and the politics of national unity in adichies half of a yellow sun and achebes there was a country international journal on studies in english language and literature ijsell page 83 hence, the novel becomes the author.
The 30th of may 1997 marked the 30th anniversary of the declaration of independence by biafra from which the nigerian civil war or the biafran war 19671970 ensued. While the official position of the british government was that its main interest in the nigeria conflict was to prevent the. The nigerian civil war is commonly referred to as the biafran war. Radio biafra this is a brief history of biafra of the. Nigerias independence in 1960 marked the beginning of attempts to build a strong, united, and prosperous nation in africas most populous pluralistic country. The biafra nation practiced autonomous democracies among its clans as practiced among the igbo today. The international politics of the nigerian civil war, 1967. The history of nigeria will never be complete without highlighting the tales of the nigerian civil war the biafra war as some have come to know it every parent who lived in the 1960s knows what it really meant to be a parent in the face of hunger, disease, outcry and hopelessness. The legacy of the biafran war news the harvard crimson. Text taken from transcript of actual radio broadcast over the biafran radio at 4. A special feature on the 50th anniversary of nigerias first military coup, aired on television continental tvc. In 1967 the breakaway independent republic of biafra was established by the igbo people. In the whole of africa, biafra is now the fourth largest in population, exceeded only by nigeria, the u.
Ojukwus forces made some initial advances, but nigerias superior. Biafras cause abroad and report on the suffering population, which helped to. I attach a nigerian government photo of me destroying a mig17 may 22, 1969 port harcourt, biafra. However, in recent years, scholarly interest in the conflict is increasing.
Marxist, and progressive thinker, edwin madunagu, every political history has its significant dates, landmarks or turning points. On the occasion of this anniversary, the library, documentation and information department at the african studies centre in leiden ascl has compiled a web dossier on the nigerian civil war 1967. The jos plateau is in the centre of nigeria, but the first extensive kingdoms of the region more than a millennium after the nok people are in the north and northeast, deriving their wealth from trade north through the sahara and east into the sudan. May 20, 2016 these are the states biafra agitators want from nigeria. The genesis of the nigerian civil war and the theory of fear author. These are the states biafra agitators want from nigeria.
In chimamanda ngozi adichie in 1998 adichies play for love of biafra was published in nigeria. The plateau area around jos was a meeting point for cultural influences from the upper niger valley where agriculture developed independently as early as 5000 bce and from egypt. Pdf the biafran secession and the limits of selfdetermination. The indigenous people of biafra ipob is a group that leads the calls for biafrans freedom from nigeria. The biafran people can be traced back to the afarensis who are earliest humans who migrated from the afar region of ethiopia and partly from egypt.
This article analyses why the united kingdom pushed for the. The present population of biafra, therefore, equals the total number of people inhibiting the west african states of togo, dahomey, ghana, liberia, sierra leone and gambia put together. Biafra s declaration of independence on may 30, 1967, precipitated a civil war with important implications for the territorial integrity of all newly independent african states. Gowon welcomes biafra message general gowon welcomes biafras surrender broadcast at midnight on 12 january 1970 federal ministry of information press release no. The nigerianbiafran war african studies centre leiden. The paper seeks to cast the nigerian civil war of 1967 to 1970 within the mould of a revolution. The 12 states will be six in the present northern region, three in the present eastern region, the midwestern will remain as it is, the colony province of the western region and lagos will form a. Bybee nigeria has long contended with a separatist movement in the southeastern part of the country. Biafra was reabsorbed into nigeria on 15 january 1970, though the southeasterners are still striving to regain the biafra republic. Onyema g download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Sep 03, 2017 indigenous people of biafra ipobs agitation for the independence of biafra. What lasting effect did the biafran war have on the nigerian. Using newly available evidence, mainly from the public records office now the national archive in london, this article attempts to unravel the true extent of the role that british oil interests played in the decision of the british government to insist on a one nigeria solution in the nigeria biafra. By showing that the rise of the aro merchant group was the key factor in trade expansion, g. It was made up of the states in the eastern region of nigeria biafra s declaration of independence from nigeria resulted in civil war between biafra and nigeria. History, memory and the politics of national unity in adichie. The following links connect to the historical substance of the unit. Between 1967 and 1970, nigeria was the theatre of a cruent and bloody civil war that is commonly known as biafra war. Alongside with a renewed literary interest in the war and its legacy, the international history. Unfortunately, nigeria has a history of problems with data collection. This book is the latest in the everexpanding corpus of books on the nigerian civil war otherwise known as the biafra war. What were the causes of the biafrannigerian civil war. Today 30th of may 2015 a day that will never be forgotten in the history of biafra aba has made us proud and all the ipob family all over the world that participated in making todays event a success aba heroes day today 30th of may 2015 a day that will never be forgotten in the history of biafra aba has made us proud and all the. At one point, 10,000 were dying from starvation per day.
My story of the biafra nigerian civil war a struggle for survival 19671970 kindle edition by nkwocha, dr. Biafra was formally recognised by gabon, haiti, ivory coast, tanzania and zambia. Below are some thing you should know about biafra and the biafran war. She later dismissed it as an awfully melodramatic play, but it was among the earliest works in which she explored the war in the late 1960s between nigeria and its secessionist biafra. The genesis of the nigerian civil war and the theory of fear. A wide range of actorsboth supporters and opponents of biafra viewed the nigerian civil war and biafra s attempt to carve out a new state as an important moment in the history of self.
The continuous agitation for the independence of biafra could be described as a coin with two sides. The nigeriabiafra war 19671970 was a defining event in the history of postcolonial nigeria. At the orders of the federal military government, the nigerian federal troops marched in two divisions into biafra on the 6th of july, 1976. Purpose of the war was to quell the secession of biafra. The civil war was fought to counter the secession of biafra from nigeria brief history of the. General gowons genocide of the biafran people was facilitated by a ready supply of british arms and advice. The president of biafra was the head of state of the republic of biafra, a secessionist state in southeastern nigeria which existed from 30 may 1967 to 15 january 1970. Pdf sao tome and the biafran war 19671970 researchgate.
There was a country could easily refer to biafra, or given the state of nigeria as described by achebe, could be to nigeria itself. This technology promises that the user will be able to address an issue by working from the present back into the past, collaborate more easily with fellow students and faculty, deal with a. A video series chronicling the nigerian civil war between nigeria and the breakaway republic of biafra. Biafra ceased to exist as an independent state in january 1970. The introductory chapter outlines the role of identity in nigeria. Western powers were also involved in the war, with britain and the then soviet union backing nigeria, while france and a few other countries supported biafra. Onthespot account of the nigeriabiafra war in the atlantic theatre is a chronological narrative of the war that lasted from july 6, 1967 to january 15, 1970. The nigeriabiafra war, popular culture and agitation for. This is an experiment on ways to do history in the electronic age. Since most of nigerias oil supply was located in the warring republic of biafra, the nigerian economy suffered greatly. The nigerian civil war also known as the biafran war and the nigerianbiafran war was a civil war in nigeria fought between the government of nigeria and the secessionist state of biafra from 6 july 1967 to 15 january 1970. Like other developing nations in africa, nigeria tried to modernize its economy. The international politics of the nigerian civil war, 19671970 book description.
The slave trade and culture in the bight of biafra the slave trade and culture in the bight of biafra dissects and explains the structure, dramatic expansion, and manifold effects of the slave trade in the bight of biafra. Nigerias history would not be complete if you do not write about the nigerian civil war that occurred from 1967 to 1970. During the nigerian civil war, the economy ground to a standstill. Before gong further we need to address a key question. Nigerian government, on the one hand and the resurgence of biafra separatist agitations. Biafran forces agreed to a ceasefire with the nigerian federal military government fmg, and biafra was reintegrated into nigeria.
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