OPEN LETTER OF RESIGNATION TO ODUMEGWU OJUKWU
FROM Robert S. Goldstein
Public Relations Representative of Biafra in the United States
(Published in the Morning Post, Lagos, August 17, 1968)

As your Public Relation's Representative in the United States, it is my distasteful duty to tender my resignation based on the following points:

POINT 1 - In November of 1967 when we met in Umuahia, you and your Cabinet were very impressive. You told me of the woes of your little Republic, that thousands of people had died, were dying and more were prepared to die for freedom's sake.
You and your Cabinet told me you believed world opinion would help your cause if you could get your story across.
You expressed the opinion that very few if any people in the United States knew of the plight of the Biafrans.
You asked me to tell the world that Britain had teamed up with Russia in a conspiracy with the Federal Government of Nigeria to murder every Ibo in Biafra. You suggested I use my talents to induce the Press to write about the Biafran side of the war, as at that time all news came out of Lagos.
You will recall I did not take the asssignment that day but stayed on several days before deciding to take that job.
To help win the peace
At that time I stated to you and your cabinet that I was taking the assignment making it crystal clear I would try my best to help win the peace not the war.

POINT TWO - I immediately arranged the first world Press conference in Biafra inviting the US Press as well as journalists and television people from England, France, Switzerland, Africa and other parts of the Globe. This was the first news break through. I arranged regular trips into Biafra for the world Press, helped set up stringers, etc., so that your statements and the statements of your Cabinet would be heard.
At that time, I was absolutely positive you were right and your cause was a just one in the best interests of the free world and your countrymen.

POINT THREE - Finally the Republic of Biafra was recognized first by Tanzania, then quickly followed by Gabon, the Ivory Coast and Zambia. Our public relations work was paying off, world opnion was starting to side with us.
Peace talks were arranged at Kampala. I thought that if anyone walked away from the table it would be the Federal Government. But to my dismay it was Biafra that left the Conference. After all the fighting and killing, I knew that peace would not come easy but I could not understand leaving the Peace Conference until the last point was negotiated and the avenue explored.

POINT FOUR - Then urgent telex messages were received from 'Biafra' telling of tens of thousands of people starving in the refugee camps, the villages, the bush country - stating if something werent done in the next few months over a million women, children and aged would be starved to death. I immediately contacted the Press, urgently petitioned the State Department for action on their part. Food, medicine and milk were sent to the only available ports open for immediate shipment to 'Biafra' via land routes through Federal and Biafra territory, under the auspices of world organizations such as the International Red Cross among others.
Then came the incredible answer from 'Biafra' that land corridors could not be acceptable until there was a complete ceasefire, and that an airlift was the only solution to feed the starving.
You then appeared before the various Heads of State and representatives of the OAU at Niamey in Niger. I fully expected you to at least accept the world help that was offered your starving throngs. However, you delayed, hoping to use these unfortunates with world sympathy on their side as a tool to further your ambition to achieve war concessions at the upcoming peace talks in Addis Ababa. Thus innocent victims continue to perish needlessly of starvation, the most agonising death that can befall any living creature.

POINT FIVE - This was incredible to me. I am now convinced that I have been used by you and your cabinet to help in military adventures of your origin....using your starving hordes as hostages to negotiate a victory.
If at some later date, following the isuance of this letter, you do concede to allow a mercy land corridor...would you expect me to agree to espouse before the world Press the incredible delay of your decision. What explanation could I honestly give for the needless prolongation of this horror.
Inconceivable acts
I pray this communication may in some small way influence you to move affirmatively, allowing the mercy land corridor to be born.
It is inconceivable to me that you would stop the feeding of thousands of your countrymen (under auspicies of world organizations such as the International Red Cross, World Council of Churches and many more) via a land corridor which is the only practical way to bring in food to help at this time. It is inconcivable to me that men of good faith would try to twist world opinion in such a manner as to deceive people into believing that the starvation and hunger that is consuming 'Biafra' is a plot of Britian, Nigeria and others to commit genocide.

POINT SIX - I cannot in all conscience serve you any longer. Nor can I be a party to suppressing the fact that your starving thousands have the food, medicine and milk available to them.....it can and is ready to be delivered through international organizations to you. Only your constant refusal has stopped its delivery.
I am this date, tendering my resignation and am returning to Mr. Collins Obih of the African Continental Bank all the fees you have given me (Letter of Credit No. 354 $400,000 US.)
I have sent your representative in New York a Bond in the amount of 800.000 pounds that I was holding in your behalf. I have also this date, sent the Bond of 200,000 pounds issues by the Central Bankl of Nigeria back to them for disposal.

POINT SEVEN - I am now convinced that one Nigeria is the only solution to peace. I also call upon you Mr. Ojukwu to allow your starving people to be fed. Their well-being is of deep concern to me as well as other right thinking people of the world. Your acting in the utmost haste in this matter is in my opinion the first step toward any lasting peace in your country."

THE POINT IS THIS, IT IS TIME WE MOVED ON AND STOPPED DRAGGING OURSELVES BACK TO AN ERA IN OUR HISTORY WHERE NO SIDE CAN CLAIM COMPLETE INNOCENCE OR COMPLETE GUILT. WE HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS IN NIGERIA.

One would have expected Prof Achebe to leave the comfort of his wheelchair to further research beyond sentiments - at least a visit to nairaland will avail the prof the opportunity to documents like this. After 40years the lies of Biafra is just a lie @ 40 is a lie forever.

Everybody is guilty! But come to think of it, how will someone who claimed he was fighting for his people be this wicked to allow them die of starvation when food was readily available. Its cruel

Where are the biafran apologists? I await their defenses to this and how Awolowo was the one who forced this man to resign with a gun pointed at his head

No one can rewrite history!

So Ojukwu started a civil war to own a country by starving his people and now Achebe want a scapegoat for his own Amnesia and hatred for Awolowo.

Interesting....

terrible

asala1: Everybody is guilty! But come to think of it, how will someone who claimed he was fighting for his people be this wicked to allow them die of starvation when food was readily available. Its cruel

This letter was forged - Chinua Achebe

What's sad is that the ethnic bigots will refuse to defend this obvious indictment of Col Ojukwu! Which is also indicative of the fact that they know the truth when they see it!

Truly there are no victors in war, only victims, and in the civil war, it was young defenseless children that were used as Cannon-fodder and bargaining tools!

If I were igbo, I'd curse the man who denied so many of his own kin access to food and sustenance because of his ambition!

Or well, maybe Robert Goldstein is Awolowo's other name!

This is front page material. Mods, kindly put this on the front page. The world deserves to see this.

I just read this letter off this link: http://newsrescue.com/documents-contradict-achebe-book-there-country-facts-biafra-genocide/#axzz29YVapYQ8
I was going to open a thread but checked through and trust NL it is here already.
The question to those who share the Achebe thinking: Is the letter the truth or was it forged or simply made up?

BABSIN: OPEN LETTER OF RESIGNATION TO ODUMEGWU OJUKWU
FROM Robert S. Goldstein
Public Relations Representative of Biafra in the United States
(Published in the Morning Post, Lagos, August 17, 1968)

As your Public Relation's Representative in the United States, it is my distasteful duty to tender my resignation based on the following points:

POINT 1 - In November of 1967 when we met in Umuahia, you and your Cabinet were very impressive. You told me of the woes of your little Republic, that thousands of people had died, were dying and more were prepared to die for freedom's sake.
You and your Cabinet told me you believed world opinion would help your cause if you could get your story across.
You expressed the opinion that very few if any people in the United States knew of the plight of the Biafrans.
You asked me to tell the world that Britain had teamed up with Russia in a conspiracy with the Federal Government of Nigeria to murder every Ibo in Biafra. You suggested I use my talents to induce the Press to write about the Biafran side of the war, as at that time all news came out of Lagos.
You will recall I did not take the asssignment that day but stayed on several days before deciding to take that job.
To help win the peace
At that time I stated to you and your cabinet that I was taking the assignment making it crystal clear I would try my best to help win the peace not the war.

POINT TWO - I immediately arranged the first world Press conference in Biafra inviting the US Press as well as journalists and television people from England, France, Switzerland, Africa and other parts of the Globe. This was the first news break through. I arranged regular trips into Biafra for the world Press, helped set up stringers, etc., so that your statements and the statements of your Cabinet would be heard.
At that time, I was absolutely positive you were right and your cause was a just one in the best interests of the free world and your countrymen.

POINT THREE - Finally the Republic of Biafra was recognized first by Tanzania, then quickly followed by Gabon, the Ivory Coast and Zambia. Our public relations work was paying off, world opnion was starting to side with us.
Peace talks were arranged at Kampala. I thought that if anyone walked away from the table it would be the Federal Government. But to my dismay it was Biafra that left the Conference. After all the fighting and killing, I knew that peace would not come easy but I could not understand leaving the Peace Conference until the last point was negotiated and the avenue explored.

POINT FOUR - Then urgent telex messages were received from 'Biafra' telling of tens of thousands of people starving in the refugee camps, the villages, the bush country - stating if something werent done in the next few months over a million women, children and aged would be starved to death. I immediately contacted the Press, urgently petitioned the State Department for action on their part. Food, medicine and milk were sent to the only available ports open for immediate shipment to 'Biafra' via land routes through Federal and Biafra territory, under the auspices of world organizations such as the International Red Cross among others.
Then came the incredible answer from 'Biafra' that land corridors could not be acceptable until there was a complete ceasefire, and that an airlift was the only solution to feed the starving.
You then appeared before the various Heads of State and representatives of the OAU at Niamey in Niger. I fully expected you to at least accept the world help that was offered your starving throngs. However, you delayed, hoping to use these unfortunates with world sympathy on their side as a tool to further your ambition to achieve war concessions at the upcoming peace talks in Addis Ababa. Thus innocent victims continue to perish needlessly of starvation, the most agonising death that can befall any living creature.

POINT FIVE - This was incredible to me. I am now convinced that I have been used by you and your cabinet to help in military adventures of your origin....using your starving hordes as hostages to negotiate a victory.
If at some later date, following the isuance of this letter, you do concede to allow a mercy land corridor...would you expect me to agree to espouse before the world Press the incredible delay of your decision. What explanation could I honestly give for the needless prolongation of this horror.
Inconceivable acts
I pray this communication may in some small way influence you to move affirmatively, allowing the mercy land corridor to be born.
It is inconceivable to me that you would stop the feeding of thousands of your countrymen (under auspicies of world organizations such as the International Red Cross, World Council of Churches and many more) via a land corridor which is the only practical way to bring in food to help at this time. It is inconcivable to me that men of good faith would try to twist world opinion in such a manner as to deceive people into believing that the starvation and hunger that is consuming 'Biafra' is a plot of Britian, Nigeria and others to commit genocide.

POINT SIX - I cannot in all conscience serve you any longer. Nor can I be a party to suppressing the fact that your starving thousands have the food, medicine and milk available to them.....it can and is ready to be delivered through international organizations to you. Only your constant refusal has stopped its delivery.
I am this date, tendering my resignation and am returning to Mr. Collins Obih of the African Continental Bank all the fees you have given me (Letter of Credit No. 354 $400,000 US.)
I have sent your representative in New York a Bond in the amount of 800.000 pounds that I was holding in your behalf. I have also this date, sent the Bond of 200,000 pounds issues by the Central Bankl of Nigeria back to them for disposal.

POINT SEVEN - I am now convinced that one Nigeria is the only solution to peace. I also call upon you Mr. Ojukwu to allow your starving people to be fed. Their well-being is of deep concern to me as well as other right thinking people of the world. Your acting in the utmost haste in this matter is in my opinion the first step toward any lasting peace in your country."

THE POINT IS THIS, IT IS TIME WE MOVED ON AND STOPPED DRAGGING OURSELVES BACK TO AN ERA IN OUR HISTORY WHERE NO SIDE CAN CLAIM COMPLETE INNOCENCE OR COMPLETE GUILT. WE HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS IN NIGERIA.

This another series of arrant nonsense propagated by those on the payroll of Nigeria and its friendly foreign governments who supported Nigeria during the war.

I guess the detractors of Biafra and Ojukwu will stop at nothing to register insignificant point. Anybody with atom of human brain will check out the dates when the so-called Public Relation's Representative named Robert S. Goldstein visited Umuahia and when the letter was published.

Let us intelligently and humanly examine the date of November of 1967 when the scallywag named Robert S. Goldstein visited Umuahia and date August 17, 1968 when the so-called letter was published in the Morning Post, Lagos. I can say without equivocation that between these dates, Biafra had enough foods for children until certain areas of Biafra became war torn in late parts of 1968 when the effects of total blockade started to bite harder than at beginning of the war.

I can not understand the headache of Robert S. Goldstein as Public Relation's Representative because at the scheme of things Biafra did not need such an operator. There were many journalists, government sponsored or freelance, who were jostling to report the carnage generated by the war to the world.

Biafra did not and never sought for the goofy expertise of Robert S. Goldstein whose government of the USA leaned toward Nigeria due to undue political pressures from Britain.

Dede1:


This another series of arrant nonsense propagated by those on the payroll of Nigeria and it friendly foreign governments who supported Nigeria during the war.

I guess the detractors of Biafra and Ojukwu will stop at nothing to register insignificant point. Anybody with atom of human brain will check out the dates when the so-called Public Relation's Representative named Robert S. Goldstein visited Umuahia and when the letter was published.

Let us intelligently and humanly examine the date of November of 1967 when the scallywag named Robert S. Goldstein visited Umuahia and date August 17, 1968 when the so-called letter was published in the Morning Post, Lagos. I can say without equivocation that between these dates, Biafra had enough foods for children until certain areas of Biafra became war toned in late parts of 1968 when the effects of total blockade started to bite harder than at beginning of the war.

I can not understand the headache of Robert S. Goldstein as Public Relation's Representative because at the scheme of things Biafra did not need such an operator. There were many journalists, government sponsored or freelance, who were jostling to report the carnage generated by the war to the world.

Biafra did not and never sought for the goofy expertise of Robert S. Goldstein whose government of the USA leaned toward Nigeria due to undue political pressures from Britain.

Chai! And once again,dede kills another yoruba media propaganda. Dede,ikaraka!

asala1: Everybody is guilty! But come to think of it, how will someone who claimed he was fighting for his people be this wicked to allow them die of starvation when food was readily available. Its cruel

That is because he wasn't fighting for his people.He was using his people to fight for his own selfish agenda of been a head of state and commander in Chief!!He would have still been in the helm of affairs if it had happened.A tyrant like many other African Leaders!!

It is only a bigot and a person with a warped mind that would attempt to rewrite history. In the face of facts that have been in existence for over 30years, Prof Achebe's book looks like a poor attempt at a secondary school history project that was badly written. To defend this book is just plain ridiculous. ethnic or no ethnic.

Dede1:


This another series of arrant nonsense propagated by those on the payroll of Nigeria and its friendly foreign governments who supported Nigeria during the war.

I guess the detractors of Biafra and Ojukwu will stop at nothing to register insignificant point. Anybody with atom of human brain will check out the dates when the so-called Public Relation's Representative named Robert S. Goldstein visited Umuahia and when the letter was published.

Let us intelligently and humanly examine the date of November of 1967 when the scallywag named Robert S. Goldstein visited Umuahia and date August 17, 1968 when the so-called letter was published in the Morning Post, Lagos. I can say without equivocation that between these dates, Biafra had enough foods for children until certain areas of Biafra became war torn in late parts of 1968 when the effects of total blockade started to bite harder than at beginning of the war.

I can not understand the headache of Robert S. Goldstein as Public Relation's Representative because at the scheme of things Biafra did not need such an operator. There were many journalists, government sponsored or freelance, who were jostling to report the carnage generated by the war to the world.

Biafra did not and never sought for the goofy expertise of Robert S. Goldstein whose government of the USA leaned toward Nigeria due to undue political pressures from Britain.

I'm short of words. Nnukwu mmadu udo diri gi

the ibos should stop whining afterall they cintributed in that mess called war.

but as for the info from that american jornalist, its completely nonsense. when i read the accounts of the war from major players in nigeria side and found out contradiction and differencies then i sense foul play.

i stand by the truth. nigeria use foul play but i can see we use it to end the war soon.

i still dont know why the yorubas are the only tribe defending the war in social media.

let me say it again. my yoruba brothers pleade desist from this becus it has great consequence.
the middle belt the core north which are the major player always keep mute but only you guys always go on and talk too much. or is there any other secret for that.

Starving Biafra has big contract with publicist -

http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%20Disk3/Watertown%20Times/Watertown%20NY%20Daily%20Times%201968%20July%20Grayscale.pdf/Watertown%20NY%20Daily%20Times%201968%20July%20Grayscale%20-%200559.pdf

u dey mind these fucking criminal hypocrites.


never trust these bastards i tell u. violent opportunists the lot of them.

I d̶̲̥̅̊ε̲̣̣̣̥γ̲̣̣̥ laugh oooooooo

Dede1:


This another series of arrant nonsense propagated by those on the payroll of Nigeria and its friendly foreign governments who supported Nigeria during the war.

I guess the detractors of Biafra and Ojukwu will stop at nothing to register insignificant point. Anybody with atom of human brain will check out the dates when the so-called Public Relation's Representative named Robert S. Goldstein visited Umuahia and when the letter was published.

Let us intelligently and humanly examine the date of November of 1967 when the scallywag named Robert S. Goldstein visited Umuahia and date August 17, 1968 when the so-called letter was published in the Morning Post, Lagos. I can say without equivocation that between these dates, Biafra had enough foods for children until certain areas of Biafra became war torn in late parts of 1968 when the effects of total blockade started to bite harder than at beginning of the war.

I can not understand the headache of Robert S. Goldstein as Public Relation's Representative because at the scheme of things Biafra did not need such an operator. There were many journalists, government sponsored or freelance, who were jostling to report the carnage generated by the war to the world.

Biafra did not and never sought for the goofy expertise of Robert S. Goldstein whose government of the USA leaned toward Nigeria due to undue political pressures from Britain.

Dende....you LIAR bastardo! Here is the original newspaper publication as posted by Localchamp.

LocalChamp: Starving Biafra has big contract with publicist -

http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%20Disk3/Watertown%20Times/Watertown%20NY%20Daily%20Times%201968%20July%20Grayscale.pdf/Watertown%20NY%20Daily%20Times%201968%20July%20Grayscale%20-%200559.pdf

I

jason7651:

That is because he wasn't fighting for his people.He was using his people to fight for his own selfish agenda of been a head of state and commander in Chief!!

Absolutely. Igbos got taken for a ride by this ambitious military dictator, Ojukwu.

Ozonna:

I'm short of words. Nnukwu mmadu udo diri gi

when u see ''TRUTH'' u call am ''LIE'' when u see ''LIE'' u call am ''TRUTH''

The day u guys accept Ojukwu has alot of faults that day is the day u re free.......else, u shall continue to live in the bondage of ur retarrrrrdeeen.........MENTALITY!!!!!

Yoruba ooo gba gbere!!!

Continue to Rest In Peace Chief Obafemi Awolowo,GCFR ........ur sons re fighting for U all through Odua land and Abroad.........


Ori Ashebe/Elegan lo daru!!!!

I'll put it as such, no single right minded Yoruba man would come out here and deny what Awolowo said himself, to feed your enemy in war his foolish. However fair-play must be observed.
My opinion thus far is that the Nigerian government allowed food to be transported only by road into Biafra so to check the true contents of the cargo. We all know Ojukwu tried to smuggle arms in under the guise of food and medical supplies by air.
The nigerians might have made it rather difficult for the red cross to deliver food by maintaining the stipulation that all inwards goods need travel by road, however the true evil was commited by ojukwu who tried to use the opportunity of starvation facing his people to score political points.

Ojukwu starved the biafrans using the tools the nigerian government unbeknown to them gave him.

Dede1:


This another series of arrant nonsense propagated by those on the payroll of Nigeria and its friendly foreign governments who supported Nigeria during the war.

I guess the detractors of Biafra and Ojukwu will stop at nothing to register insignificant point. Anybody with atom of human brain will check out the dates when the so-called Public Relation's Representative named Robert S. Goldstein visited Umuahia and when the letter was published.

Let us intelligently and humanly examine the date of November of 1967 when the scallywag named Robert S. Goldstein visited Umuahia and date August 17, 1968 when the so-called letter was published in the Morning Post, Lagos. I can say without equivocation that between these dates, Biafra had enough foods for children until certain areas of Biafra became war torn in late parts of 1968 when the effects of total blockade started to bite harder than at beginning of the war.

I can not understand the headache of Robert S. Goldstein as Public Relation's Representative because at the scheme of things Biafra did not need such an operator. There were many journalists, government sponsored or freelance, who were jostling to report the carnage generated by the war to the world.

Biafra did not and never sought for the goofy expertise of Robert S. Goldstein whose government of the USA leaned toward Nigeria due to undue political pressures from Britain.

What the hell is this one ranting about here? Goldstein worked for the corrupt and selfish Biafran Government, all your nonsense logic and twisting cannot change that fact. Very soon you'll find a way to deny that Ojukwu abandoned his people and ran away with his treasured Mercedes.

We all know ojukwu is a slowpoke. A blood sucker who deliberately led millions of ibos to their death for ego purpose.
All the lies of the fake professor has been blown open.

LocalChamp:
Starving Biafra has big contract with publicist -

http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%20Disk3/Watertown%20Times/Watertown%20NY%20Daily%20Times%201968%20July%20Grayscale.p/Watertown%20NY%20Daily%20Times%201968%20July%20Grayscale%20-%200559.pdf

As a veteran on NL for 17 years now, I've seen a lot of ebbs and flows here. As of this time in 2012, we were here on NL with uploaded massive evidence (against Achebe's infamous book which contained major fallacies) such as the 1968 resignation letter of the American Public Relations guy called Robert S. Goldstein!


There's a new generation of badly informed younger members of NL as of 2022 of Ibo origin who are blindly throwing tantrums, insults, lieing and thrashing out at other Nigerians in the wake of that very ignorant Uju's lies against the late Queen of England that she was responsible for the deaths of Ibos, when in actual sense it was a
politically and militarily naive Ibo young guy in his early 30s called
Ojukwu that declared secession in order to prevent over 5 million non-
Ibos from having their own 2 new
States (of Rivers State with capital in
Port Harcourt and South-Eastern
State with capital in Calabar), within the Nigerian State.


We took the Ibo deniers of war history to the cleaners in 2012 and silenced them, and we will DO it again to these people in 2022 who
have NO shame when it comes to denying historical facts that show that it was the actions of these criminal Ibo rebel and/or secessionist leaders that triggered the 2 years and 6 months Nigerian Civil War by viciously forcing the over 5 million ethnic minorities such as the Ijaws, Efiks, Ibibios, Annangs, Ogonis, into an illegal "biafra" which they had rejected through the Calabar, Ogoja, Rivers Movement (COR), and had requested through the father of Ijaw nationalism from Bonny Island, Chief Harold Dappa Biriye, Kenekule Saro-Wiwa and other great
Nigerians from Rivers for the creation of 2 new States from the Old Eastern region for them and that was done by General Yakubu Gowon on May 27, 1967 along with 12 new States.

The ONLY person and his gang of military adventurers that saw something wrong in this noble move was Lt. Col. Ojukwu (rtd), who illegally declared secession on May 30, 1967 and dragged all non-Ibos into a territory they had rejected and that only existed on paper. It [so-"biafra"] was a total failure from the start! It was never recognised by the UN and OAU (now AU).

This act of blind secession led to the death of innocent Ibos while
Ojukwu and his family and goons were looking well feed as they ran away by airplane from Uli airstrip!


More damning evidence to come.

People chasing shadows! Get used to having Peter Obi as your president come 2023 and stop all this campaign to paint a people black.

Today idiots are abusing the Queen but they killed 3million people in order to keep a union the British empire created. Are you not hypocrites?