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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / 10 Things You Need To Know About Biafra And The Biafran War (805 Views)
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10 Things You Need To Know About Biafra And The Biafran War by theimmortals(m): 7:57am On Nov 10, 2015 |
10 Things You Need To Know About Biafra
And The Biafran War
In recent times, there has been a renewed
agitation for the Republic of Biafra by
members of the Movement for the
Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra
(MASSOB).
Nearly 50 years after the Biafran War (6 July
1967 – 15 January 1970) which almost
destroyed the unity of Nigeria, its agitators
have refused to give up the struggle.
This struggle by some Igbo people to secede
from Nigeria started when on May 30, 1967,
late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, a
military officer and politician announced a
breakaway of the Eastern Region under the
new name Republic of Biafra.
This subsequently sparked the Nigerian civil
war also known as the Biafran war. The war
was between the then Eastern Region of
Nigeria and the rest of the country. The war
was fought to reunify the country.
Below are some thing you should know about
Biafra and the Biafran war.
1. Meaning of Biafra
Little is known about the literal meaning of
the word Biafra. The word Biafra most likely
derives from the subgroup Biafar or Biafada
of the Tenda ethnic group who reside
primarily in Guinea-Bissau. The word Biafar
thus appears to have been a common word in
the Portuguese language back in the 16th
century. Biafra, a secessionist state in south
eastern Nigeria is believed to have taken its
name from the Bight of Biafra (the Atlantic
bay to its south).
2. What caused the war
According to local and foreign war historians
the immediate causes of the Nigeria civil war
in 1966 included: a military coup (carried out
by Maj. Nzeogwu which led to the death of
Tafawa Belewa, etc), a counter-coup (led by
Gowon, which led to the brutal murder of
Aguiyi Ironsi, Fajuyi, etc) and the 1966 anti-
Igbo pogrom in the north (persecution of Igbo
people living in Northern Nigeria).
3. Over one million people died in the war
The war which lasted for 30 months took the
lives of more than one million people. Some
died in the battle while others were lost
majorly through famine, and hunger. There
were over 50,000 casualties of soldiers both
from Biafran side and the Nigerian military.
4. The Biafran money
The Biafran government created the Bank of
Biafra, accomplished under “Decree No. 3 of
1967”. The bank was administered by a
governor and four directors; the first governor,
who signed on bank notes, was Sylvester
Ugoh. They had their own currency different
from that of Nigeria. The currency of Biafra
had been the Nigerian pound, until the Bank
of Biafra started printing out its own notes,
the Biafran pound. The new currency went
public on 28 January 1968. It is estimated
that a total of £115–140 million Biafran
pounds were in circulation by the end of the
war.
The Nigerian Government at the end of the
war ordered defeated Biafrans to destroy all
their currencies.
5. Their national anthem
Land of the Rising Sun” was the proclaimed
national anthem of the secessionist state of
Biafra, in south-eastern Nigeria. The tune was
adopted from Sibelius’ “Finlandia”, and written
by Nnamdi Azikiwe.
6. The flag
A flag of red, black and green, horizontally,
with a rising sun from the Coat of Arms (of
the old Eastern Province) in gold in the centre
was created by the Biafran Government and
raised on May 30, 1967. The design and
colours are based on the Pan-African flag
designed by Marcus Garvey’s Union. The
eleven rays of the sun represented the eleven
provinces of Biafra.
The three Pan-African colors on the flag
represent:
Red: the blood that unites all people of Black
African ancestry, and shed for liberation;
Black: black people whose existence as a
nation, though not a nation-state, is affirmed
by the existence of the flag; and
Green: the abundant natural wealth of Africa.
7. States under Biafra
It constituted the former Eastern region of
Nigeria and was inhabited principally by Igbo
(Ibo) people. Biafra has been commonly
divided into four main “tribes”: the Ibos, the
Ibibio-Efiks, the Ijaws and the Ogojas. The
modern-day states that made up Biafra from
the eastern region and midwest are: Abia,
Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Enugu, Ebonyi,
Imo, Delta, Rivers and Cross River and Edo.
8. How they got their arms and ammunitions
The Biafrans, through many of their people
abroad, mounted a very strong campaign and
propaganda for the recognition of Biafra by
the international community and for the
purchase of arms and equipment. Biafra was
recognized by countries like, Tanzania,
Zambia, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Haiti and Côte
d’Ivoire.
However, Britain supplied amounts of heavy
weapons and ammunition to the Nigerian side
because of its desire to preserve the country
it created.
9. How Nigerian military captured Biafran
territories back
In March 1968, Onitsha fell to federal troops
of the 2nd Infantry Division, after many bloody
unsuccessful attempts. In April, Abakaliki was
captured, followed in May by the fall of Port
Harcourt to troops of the 3rd Marine
Commando Division. Aba fell to federal forces
on September 4th followed on September
16th by Owerri and Okigwe was taken on
October 1st.
10. How the war ended
Biafran forces were finally routed in a series
of engagements in late December 1969 and
early January 1970. Realising that the
situation was a hopeless one, Ojukwu handed
over the administration of Biafra to the
Commander Biafran Army Maj. Gen. Phillip
Effiong. He then fled with his immediate
family to Côte d’Ivoire. Effiong consulted with
the Biafra Strategic Committee on the
situation and they decided that enough was
enough and that the only honorable way out
was to surrender. Biafra, on the point of total
collapse, surrendered and ceased to exist.
But the struggle lives on! Long live BIAFRA |
Re: 10 Things You Need To Know About Biafra And The Biafran War by Realret70: 7:59am On Nov 10, 2015 |
I see y laugh in swahilli |
Re: 10 Things You Need To Know About Biafra And The Biafran War by Kestolovee95(f): 8:05am On Nov 10, 2015 |
Na britain say make black people siddon for cage. hausa say 'walai for this cage, i be gateman', yoruba say ' i like am like that', Igbo Efik, Ijaw, Ogoja, ogoni etc say 'this zoo must fall yakata! |
Re: 10 Things You Need To Know About Biafra And The Biafran War by Nobody: 8:06am On Nov 10, 2015 |
Yeye pipu - - wukirs |
Re: 10 Things You Need To Know About Biafra And The Biafran War by NICOGRAVITY: 8:06am On Nov 10, 2015 |
I refuse war in Jesus name, amen. War isn't the best way to settle disputes, the casualties are usually those who are the weakest and most vulnerable in the society and this are Children, mothers, pregnant , nursing mothers, elderly and young adults and the poor. As soon as war starts, the very wealthy and the politicians secretly clamouring for war will suddenly disappear , only to be found in their mansions abroad with their families. Remember, there's no rule in war, there's no wrong or right, only those who survive will tell the story. Let peace reign in our land and communities. |
Re: 10 Things You Need To Know About Biafra And The Biafran War by EternalTruths: 8:07am On Nov 10, 2015 |
Good but please space it out |
(1) (Reply)
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