Why Ojukwu don print Biafran Pound by 1967 if really his mind had not been set on secession?

Seems we are now trying to force the arguement to revolve around what you insist was the cause, sorry, dead end.

From day 1 of the counter coup Ojukwu made it clear that a junior Col (Gowon) cannot be his C-I-C, instead the highest surviving army officer at that time (Brigadier Ogundipe) should he the head of state.

Biafra was declared about a whole year after Gowon's counter coup and exactly 3 days after Gowon created Rivers State and Cross Rivers State, so what are you really talking about?

Since you printed the Biafran Pound with them kukuma tell us when he printed it (Month, not Year) and why. I need not go and ask Ojukwu to find this out.

Seems we are now trying to force the arguement to revolve around what you insist was the cause, sorry, dead end.

You hit the nail on the head. I think these guys (denex et al) has drawn his own conclusion and has simply buried themselves in their own argument.


Sadly they are the ones spreading those lies.

From what I understand of the war, it was the North that started the agitation to seceed. But they were cajoled by the British govt to remain because that was the only way they (british) could be sure of benefiting from the natural resources in the country (oil). As it is well known that the colonialists could not govern the country through the south.

I'm waiting for a Non-Igbo to come here and state with facts, how he/she believes that greed, arrogance, pride, self delusion on the part of Igbo leaders (Ojukwu being the rallying point at the time) was not the major cause of the Biafran War.

All these people posting are Igbos, by ethnic affiliation and otherwise, so they can pass with their facts. We know why they're reacting like this. I will do thesame if I were in their shoes. I want someone else to contribute

angel101:

From what I understand of the war, it was the North that started the agitation to seceed. But they were cajoled by the British govt to remain because that was the only way they (british) could be sure of benefiting from the natural resources in the country (oil). As it is well known that the colonialists could not govern the country through the south.

Angel101

I must say that I have hardly seen any girl at grasp with the politics of Nigeria like yourself. You are so remarkable.

Those who do not want to believe the above post should decipher the truth from the present happenings of today. Who between the North and South has a history of violence and who would have instigated the one we had before.

There is no point trying to worry too much about by-gones, lets make our present Nigeria right. Let us prevent those who are killing and about to attack their fellow citizens in the name of religion, an act which is against our constitution.

angel101:

From what I understand of the war, it was the North that started the agitation to seceed. But they were cajoled by the British govt to remain because that was the only way they (british) could be sure of benefiting from the natural resources in the country (oil). As it is well known that the colonialists could not govern the country through the south.

Now tell me, what manner of man will see death on the horizon by taking a wrong step, and will go ahead to take that step? If you ask me, that man is someone who thinks he can play a fast one on other peoples intelligence and get away with it. Only a fool will do that.

ono:

Now tell me, what manner of man will see death on the horizon by taking a wrong step, and will go ahead to take that step? If you ask me, that man is someone who thinks he can play a fast one on other peoples intelligence and get away with it. Only a fool will do that.

You have no shame, every ill statement you direct to the Igbos of 3 decades ago you direct to your present day self.
Guess what, the then Igbos fought for what they believed in with dignity. They did not kidnap innocent people and children including their own children for ransom. They did not engage in theft and criminality.

They simply stood openly for their right.

@Ono,

You claim you have Igbo lineage and yet you are unable to coherently state what you think led to the war.

What other facts do you need when they have been clearly outlined even on the very first page of this thread?

Or, are the facts you are looking for the ones that claim that France and Total planned the war 5 years before?

Ok, keep waiting for non Igbos to come and help you in your deep rooted hatred towards an ethnic group you openly stated you wished was annihilated.

The hatred you have will gradually consume you.

So, it is no longer the crude oil in the Niger Delta but pride, greed, arrogance and self delusion? What a confused being?

Again I ask, assuming you are correct with all the lies you have been spreading today are the Niger Deltans better off than the Igbos today? I have been asking this question since yesterday abi you no dey see am well?

The Igbos like any other ethnic group cannot be perfect but to watch people like you spread lies and misinformation while opening wishing that all the Igbos were killed even when non killed your people to hate them that much and do nothing is what no Igbo son or daughter will do.

And yes, pride is not a bad thing after all if done rightly. I do not see why the average Igbo man should not be proud of his achievements in life. If you've got it, flaunt it jare, abi you never hear am before for your life?

Stop hating people, stop generalizing. Fight your fights as they come.

Yes:
Greed: Ojukwu wants all the oil to himself and his people

Pride: You were very proud indeed at the time. A lot of the brilliant men around were Igbos. Part of the facts the British knew they can't handle a Nigeria led by the Southern people. Yes, your people stood up for what was right. It's like an ant standing up to an elephant at the time and telling the elephant to his face that he's stupid. You knew the Brits will support a united Nigeria, yet you stood in their way. We know better today.

Self Delusion: To your leaders, who thought they were dealing with stupid and foolish people in other regions of Nigeria, until the war came and prove them wrong.

Any other thing?

Dont mind the fool

They have given him 200,000 naira busary and he used it to aquire visa to N'Djamena that is why he keeps typing crap.

oil, oil, oil he does not even have access to it.

Shameless thing, Ateke Tom, Soboma George, and all those he calls his heroes are retired thieves and pickpockets who have found a more acceptable and lucrative criminality in hostage taking. These are boys who go as far as lifting shops in Borikiri area of PH those days.

Abeg, make all of una cool down!!  

@denex,

I have read about the TotalFinaElf angle to the civil war, but since I do not have any facts to disprove or corroborate it, I will keep mute. But please note: you got it wrong when you implied the Igbo fought the war due to oil. NO sir!! The Igbo fought the war, because a large number of them had been killed in the North, and they needed to defend themselves. Period. Along the line, when resources were being depleted as the war was being fought, maybe the thought of using oil revenue to finance the acquisition of arms that would be needed to defend Biafra, may have arisen. But that war was not fought primarily to annex the oil fields in the Niger-Delta. NO!! Read up on the events that led to the 1966 coups and the eventual declaration of seccession. Nowa Omoigui as well as some British historians, have published some facts about what took place between 1966 and 1970. There have also been some non-fiction books written about the war. Draw your own conclusions, after you must have gone through them.

What I believe till date, is that all the peaceful avenues known to man were not fully explored to resolve the situation, before the nation was plunged into war. Like I keep saying "War is nothing, but the absence of wisdom." Those are not my words, but those of people who have seen enough bloodshed, to know that conflict resolves nothing.

ono:

Yes:
Greed: Ojukwu wants all the oil to himself and his people

Your imagination must be running wild my friend. So now he doesn't have all the oil to himself and his people do you now have the oil for yourself and your people?

ono:

Pride: You were very proud indeed at the time. A lot of the brilliant men around were Igbos. Part of the facts the British knew they can't handle a Nigeria led by the Southern people. Yes, your people stood up for what was right. It's like an ant standing up to an elephant at the time and telling the elephant to his face that he's stupid. You knew the Brits will support a united Nigeria, yet you stood in their way. We know better today.

It sounds more like you are filled with envy. How can you quarrel with the fact that a lot of brilliant men around were Igbos (your words, not even mine)?

Is it now a bad thing to be brilliant? True the British knew that the Igbos cannot be used as zombies to do their bidding and I guess they found willing tools in the hands of those that fought against the Igbos, thanks for bringing this information to the fore.

ono:

Self Delusion: To your leaders, who thought they were dealing with stupid and foolish people in other regions of Nigeria, until the war came and prove them wrong.

Any other thing?

Now that the war has proven them wrong ARE THE NIGER DELTANS BETTER THAN THE IGBOS TODAY? Answer me now abi na the envy, jealousy and hatred still dey control you?

@Laudate

do you understand French? I'd like to show you some articles but they are written in french.

By the way, I didn't say the Ibos fought for Crude Oil. They fought for self preservation.

But Ojukwu machinated them on purpose into the situation they found themselves.

laudate:

Abeg, make all of una cool down!!  

@denex,

I have read about the TotalFinaElf angle to the civil war, but since I do not have any facts to disprove or corroborate it, I will keep mute. But please note: you got it wrong when you implied the Igbo fought the war due to oil. NO sir!! The Igbo fought the war, because a large number of them had been killed in the North, and they needed to defend themselves. Period. Along the line, when resources were being depleted as the war was being fought, maybe the thought of using oil revenue to finance the acquisition of arms that would be needed to defend Biafra, may have arisen. But that war was not fought primarily to annex the oil fields in the Niger-Delta. NO!! Read up on the events that led to the 1966 coups and the eventual declaration of seccession. Nowa Omoigui as well as some British historians, have published some facts about what took place between 1966 and 1970. There have also been some non-fiction books written about the war. Draw your own conclusions, after you must have gone through them.

What I believe till date, is that all the peaceful avenues known to man were not fully explored to resolve the situation, before the nation was plunged into war. Like I keep saying "War is nothing, but the absence of wisdom." Those are not my words, but those of people who have seen enough bloodshed, to know that conflict resolves nothing.

Its in Dawodu.com that you would see all the write up by Omogui. There's no way Igbos will be killed by northerner without some form of provocation from some quarters. And judging by the mood of the northerners at the time, it would be rather impossible for people who are muslims, jihadists et al, uneducated lot, volatile people, at the time to spare anyone tagged enemy of their progress. Even if I were in their shoes, although I wll not go as far as killing innocent people, but I will be angry at the people who killed my leaders for flimsy reasons. Just the way I'm angry at the people of the three ethnic groups milking us dry in the Delta. And just like Afam, Mckren and other Igbos are up in arms defending their people's action. It's a natural thing to defend what's yours.

Is it because an Hausa man has not come to say anything yet that you guys think you're having some say? Let the Danmasanis and other northern people of the NL forum come and say something about what they know of the Biafran war. It's then there will be a balanced view of the facts that led to the war.

Whatever

I think people should believe whatever they want, the lives lost then will never come back

Let us tackle National issues that might cause more lives in future, the Kano State government  is sponsoring a religous police to get people to adhere to a particular way of life. This is illegal.


Ono

There's no way Igbos will be killed by northerner without some form of provocation from some quarters

Just like the recent cartoon of prophet Mohamed in Denmark could cause the killing of compatriots and you are justifying that.

@Ono,

You are simply beating around the bush, the facts of the war are there for all to see but of course you are looking for statements that tie with your hatred filled lies.

Do you imagine that Hausas on this forum have not seen this thread? My dear the era where people blindly support their tribe or ethnic group is gone but it seems you are still living in the past.

denex:

@Laudate

do you understand French? I'd like to show you some articles but they are written in french.

By the way, I didn't say the Ibos fought for Crude Oil. They fought for self preservation.

But Ojukwu machinated them on purpose into the situation they found themselves.

I agree that the Igbos fought for self preservation.

The last statement would have made sense if Ojukwu was part of the group that planned the Nzeogwu coup, the counter coup and the massacre of innocent Igbos living in the Northern part of the country. But facts till this day do not support these.

denex:

@Laudate

do you understand French? I'd like to show you some articles but they are written in french.

By the way, I didn't say the Ibos fought for Crude Oil. They fought for self preservation.

But Ojukwu machinated them on purpose into the situation they found themselves.

Please tell me the difference between fighting for self preservation and fighting for what you will use to do just that.

Its in Dawodu.com that you would see all the write up by Omogui. There's no way Igbos will be killed by northerner without some form of provocation from some quarters. And

judging by the mood of the northerners at the time, it would be rather impossible for people who are muslims, jihadists et al, uneducated lot, volatile people, at the time to spare anyone tagged enemy of their progress. Even if I were in their shoes, although I wll not go as far as killing innocent people, but I will be angry at the people who killed my leaders for flimsy reasons. Just the way I'm angry at the people of the three ethnic groups milking us dry in the Delta. And just like Afam, Mckren and other Igbos are up in arms defending their people's action. It's a natural thing to defend what's yours.

Is it because an Hausa man has not come to say anything yet that you guys think you're having some say? Let the Danmasanis and other northern people of the Nairaland forum come and say something about what they know of the Biafran war. It's then there will be a balanced view of the facts that led to the war.

Thank you very much for giving us some inkling on how your mind works. So you solely depended on an article written by a very biased writer? I have also read some of his articles on igbo people and the civil war.

Ono et al, why do you people insist on burying yourselves in your own argument?

Just the way I'm angry at the people of the three ethnic groups milking us dry in the Delta. And just like Afam, Mckren and other Igbos are up in arms defending their people's action. It's a natural thing to defend what's yours

Ono,

Igbo people have no part in oppressing the iger-delta people. it is the nigerian state, whichyour people are also part of. Quit hating because it will take on where.

@post

We should give each other a chance there is hope for a better Naija.

In the military there is what you call chain of Command it was broken. the is no tribalism in the military.

OJUKWU WAS A GREAT SOLDIER ALOT WAS SPENT ON HIS TRAINING AND HE COULD NOT SEE HIMSELF RETIRING AFTER A VERY BRIEF TIME IN THE MILITARY.

OJUKWU MISTAKE WAS USING TRIBALISM TO MAKE HIS POINT.

QUESTION?

SHOULD HE HAVE RESIGNED WAITED FOR WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO HIM?

WAS HE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IGBO WHEN HE STILL WENT AHEAD TO DECLARE BIAFRA KNOWING THAT IGBOS WERE EVERYWHERE IN THE NORTH AND OTHER PARTS?

Planner:

Its in Dawodu.com that you would see all the write up by Omogui. There's no way Igbos will be killed by northerner without some form of provocation from some quarters. And
Thank you very much for giving us some inkling on how your mind works. So you solely depended on an article written by a very biased writer? I have also read some of his articles on igbo people and the civil war.

Ono et al, why do you people insist on burying yourselves in your own argument?

Er. . . . .I was actually the one who made the first reference to Omogui. Ono never relied on him, or cited his work as 'facts'. And I wouldn't refer to him as a 'biased' writer. So far, he seems to be one of the very few, who has written extensively about the war from various perspectives. Other writers such as Alexander Madiebo who served in the Biafran army, as well as a few others like Frederick Forsythe, Wole Soyinka etc. have shared their own accounts of the war, with the public. But am still waiting for Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu to do so. His last book "Because I'm Involved," did not address the issues that led to the war & its' aftermath. I just wasted my money buying that book.

We need to learn from the past, because those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it, like someone once said. May this country never go through the turmoil of war, again. Amen!

Er. . . . .I was actually the one who made the first reference to Omogui. Ono never relied on him, or cited his work as 'facts'. And I wouldn't refer to him as a 'biased' writer. So far, he

seems to be one of the very few, who has written extensively about the war from various perspectives. Other writers such as Alexander Madiebo who served in the Biafran army, as well as a few others like Frederick Forsythe, Wole Soyinka etc. have shared their own accounts of the war, with the public. But am still waiting for Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu to do so. His last book "Because I'm Involved," did not address the issues that led to the war & its' aftermath. I just wasted my money buying that book.

We need to learn from the past, because those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it, like someone once said. May this country never go through the turmoil of war, again. Amen!

So Oga wetin be your point?

Planner:


So Oga wetin be your point?

Go back & read my previous post.  It's all in there.

ono:
I hate no Igbo person.

This ''Igbo Hater'' tag should be removed from me immediately. I have Igbo links. Lineage actually.

There are no assumptions. It's impossible that the whole of Nigeria armoury, at the time, would wake up one day and just go all out the annihilate the Igbos. Or what do you think? Something pushed them into doing just that.

Deduction: Ono is of Igbo extraction. I'm confused why he wishes all Igbos were killed in the Biafran War.

ono:

Is it because an Hausa man has not come to say anything yet that you guys think you're having some say? Let the Danmasanis and other northern people of the Nairaland forum come and say something about what they know of the Biafran war. It's then there will be a balanced view of the facts that led to the war.

This statement is a metaphor for the philosophy of the likes of Ono; a philosophy that can be identified as a form of post traumatic stress disorder resulting from the Biafran War. The likes of Ono have a perpetual dependence on the Hausa for salvation from a threat, largely attributed to the Igbos, born out of hallucinations (probably) caused by excessive crude oil ingestion.

He calls for Hausas on Nairaland to express their views; this begs the question: Would Ono change his views if the views of his northern friends is in sync with those of the Igbos?

RichyBlacK:

This statement is a metaphor for the philosophy of the likes of Ono; a philosophy that can be identified as a form of post traumatic stress disorder resulting from the Biafran War. The likes of Ono have a perpetual dependence on the Hausa for salvation from a threat, largely attributed to the Igbos, born out of hallucinations (probably) caused by excessive crude oil ingestion.

Why are you exaggerating?? In what way has Ono expressed a perpetual dependence on the Hausa for salvation?? I don't get it o! Everyone has a different perspective on the causes, and the aftermath of the civil war. It happens the world over. The guy simply has a different viewpoint. Refute his allegations with facts. Simple. I have tried to set him straight on a few occassions. I don't believe in conjecture. Its' better to place the facts on the table & let people judge for themselves.

laudate:

Why are you exaggerating?? In what way has Ono expressed a perpetual dependence on the Hausa for salvation?? I don't get it o! Everyone has a different perspective on the causes, and the aftermath of the civil war. It happens the world over. The guy simply has a different viewpoint. Refute his allegations with facts. Simple. I have tried to set him straight on a few occassions. I don't believe in conjecture. Its' better to place the facts on the table & let people judge for themselves.

@laudate, please go check the meaning of a metaphor then we can talk. Okay. Thanks.

@Laudate

Refute him with facts?. . .Who doesn't know the events that led to the war? Who doesn't know that the war did not start with Ojukwu?. . .What other facts to you give to Ono?. . .It's like trying to teach a retard calculus, complete waste of time!

I don't think that there will ever be consensus on what caused the war; it is in everyone's interest to highlight what they feel led to the unfortunate war but there are fundamentals that cannot even be debated or argued.

1) The actions of a few Igbo soldiers (plus one Yoruba man) in 1966 against the supposedly corrupt ruling establishment of the day cannot with due diligence be tagged an "Igbo orchestrated coup". The Igbo people were not consulted for this action; the perpetrators also did not claim to be acting in Igbo interest. They did what they felt would benefit Nigeria as a whole.

2) Before this action, the Igbo people did not have any particular need for a revolution because unlike today, the Igbo people were richly represented in every sphere and strata of government and the working class.

3) It is unconscionable and downright bizarre to commence a large scale extermination of fellow Nigerians (Igbos or people of south-southern origin) because of the actions of a few soldiers. That action served to illustrate that Nigeria was never one or united even if it was politically correct to claim so.

Folks can argue from now till tomorrow on what should have happened or not have, but really, its akin to crying over spilled milk. At this juncture, it behooves this present generation to draw some lessons from the mistakes of the past and then vow never to repeat those mistakes again. This is why it is remarkably sad that people who ought to be railing against the brigands in power (who have always executed their anti-people policies without facing negative consequences) are now mired in endless tribal baiting and infighting.

Ordinary Nigerians of every creed and tongue are suffering under the yoke of decades of inept leadership. Apparently, the dream of a united prosperous Nigeria which propelled the people that fought on Nigeria's side to crush the Biafran secession has never materialized. It is the height of folly for ANYONE (especially someone of Niger-Delta origin for instance) to waltz into a thread of this nature to deride and caricature the self-determination efforts of those who fought on Biafra's side. The more sensible approach, even if one has strong reasons for objecting to "Ojukwu's personal war", I think would have been to carefully study the facts, reach out to other Nigerians (Igbos included by the way), and build a broad grassroots movement to tackle visionless leadership in Nigeria. It would appear however that many Nigerians (especially Igbo people) have given up hope that Nigeria will transcend her current plethora of problems hence the now predictable penchant for blaming either non-Igbos for the misfortunes of yesteryears.

It is time to work together for progress, or as much as I hate to say it, find a way to separate peacefully.

Oya, make una continue with una yarns.

laudate:

Why are you exaggerating?? In what way has Ono expressed a perpetual dependence on the Hausa for salvation?? I don't get it o! Everyone has a different perspective on the causes, and the aftermath of the civil war. It happens the world over. The guy simply has a different viewpoint. Refute his allegations with facts. Simple. I have tried to set him straight on a few occassions. I don't believe in conjecture. Its' better to place the facts on the table & let people judge for themselves.

I have tried, using available facts at my disposal, plus rational thinking to simulate the events in the country that led to the Biafran War. I have a reasonable match in the end. I have read books on the war. I have also read several articles written in the past on this war. And like you, Laudate, said earlier, Ojukwu has consistently maintained an ominous silence on the role he played to execute that war. So are many of his Igbo brethren who partook in the war. I wonder why they do not want to say anything. Could it be that they admit they were at fault? So far I have painted the picture of that war as I see it. If anyone has any disputable facts to present, let him/her do so without making snide remarks or making derogatory statements about me, my tribe and my people in the Delta.

Maybe you can take me back to those few occassions where had to quanta- argue, Did I budge in the end?

@Prizm,
1.0 Much as what you've posted about the coup that led to that war is true, you need to look at the ''general mood'' in the country after the January 1966 coup. You need to in particular zero in on the people of Northern Nigeria, who are predominantly Moslems, proud, Jihadists, mostly Illiterates and are very many. Killing their Sardauna along with several other ministers of non-Igbo extraction spelt trouble.

Please read this link from wiki. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biafran_War and note this.

It is important to note, though, that most of the oil produced in Nigeria is from the non-Igbo Niger Delta

Wiil continue later.

Prizm:

3) It is unconscionable and downright bizarre to commence a large scale extermination of fellow Nigerians (Igbos or people of south-southern origin) because of the actions of a few soldiers. That action served to illustrate that Nigeria was never one or united even if it was politically correct to claim so.

It is time to work together for progress, or as much as I hate to say it, find a way to separate peacefully.

I am quite impressed by your post, more so of the comments in bold.

This is sooooo true.

I have followed with keen interest all the posts in this thread. I strongly want to commend the efforts and contributions of people like Afam, Mckren , Angel101 et al in exposing the lies and twists that has been continually attempted by Ono and his irks to foist on us.

It has become fashionable in the re-writing of Nigerian histroy to which so much effort has been given to describe the January 1966 coup as being racial in intent and execution. The record shows just the opposite.

Major Nzeogwu was a left-wing radical and a Marxist, buthe was no racialist. Far from hating the North, he loved it, and the Northern soldiers he commanded. During his coup, three senior Northern officers were killed, Brigadier Maimalari and Cols. Pam and Largema. Two Yoruba senior officers were killed and two Igbo Majors. The key Igbo officers in infantry posts, Ironsi and Ojukwu were marked for death.

It is ironic that the Igbos were later blamed as a nation for that coup. Five Igbos led it, supported by officers and troops of all the regions. Two Igbos broke it, one in the south (Ironsi) and the other in the north (Ojukwu), more than any other officers in the Army. The victims were, among the politicians, two northerners, one westerner, one mid-westerner; and among the army officers three northerners, two westerners and two easterners.

The need to put the record staright is a task that must be done, because alot of people are reading the hate being reeled out by Ono and his co-haters.

Peace