CyberG:


This is the most ridiculous nonsense I have ever heard all strung together from one post. Before I waste my time responding point by point, can you provide any evidence in forms of video interviews, cross-referenced books from NEUTRAL authors (not Forsythe an co.), etc to backup your claims? If you CAN'T, this is all crappy nonsense! LOL...very FUNNY conspiratorial post!

Which evidence?

I dont knw why some people tink that war was foolishness.....so we shud have folded our hands to watch our bros and sis being massacred in the north abi?
The igbos were asking for a confederation because the opperession under federalism was too much for them.
Come 2015, i see a repetition of that grievance if an Ibo is not given that presidency..yaahh call us fool...we dont mind, we refuse to be oppressed.

ezeagu:

"^^ Weak. Buhahahahahaha! Buhahahahahaha!! Buhahahahahaha!!!" Do you know where you are? Have you lost your way? This is history discussion not a thread on pop culture. The information isn't based on how well someone is at arguing, it's all there for yourself. Cameroon closed it's borders to Biafra in 1968. It's good to act mature.

If cameroun closed it borders, what does that tell you about Biafra? Isn't it suppose to put Pa Awo in the same category as Cameroun for technically closing the Nigerian Border too? But No, in the eyes of Chinua Achebe it meant something else.
I guess you know your argument is dead on arrival.

CyberG:

So, why attack him personally with hateful comments? Can you show evidence on how the Brits commanded the Nigerians that beat you?

He attacked one of our greatest veterans with hateful comments and defamed his good name. He showed no empathy for our once dead, and he taunted igbos with his malevolent lies. Nigerians can't even beat a fly, talk-less of beating the great jewel of the Chukwu (Biafra). Nigerians are not free people, they have been enslaved. Explaining why Nigeria is home to some of the smartest people on earth but wallow in disgraceful poverty. Why must all your presidents leave important issues in their country and pay tribute to their owners (immediately after every election). If you doubt me check news articles immediately after general elections in Nigeria. This topic can take hundred pages but believe me dude, you didn't win shit. People that win take away spoils. Where are your spoils? You were mere overused slaves that refused to be free. Azikiwe tried, Nzeogwu tried, Ojukwu tried, ironsi tried, yet you chose to be slaves. For the proof you asked for; research online or read this book http://books.google.com.au/books?id=LWhgw4HheN4C&pg=PA193&lpg=PA193&dq=the+british+against+aburi+accord&source=bl&ots=u5sUPBujh4&sig=_DC9s3PZzLw_oPFfyDlid9fFYEU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4jdyUN-DKqKgigfKiYCgAg&ved=0CB0Q6AEwADgK

Standing5:
If cameroun closed it borders, what does that tell you about Biafra? Isn't it suppose to put Pa Awo in the same category as Cameroun for technical closing the Nigerian Border too? But No, in the eyes of Chinua Achebe it meant something else.
I guess you know your argument is dead on arrival.

Ahmadou Ahidjo, president for 20 years, shut the borders for unknown reasons in collaboration with Gowon, probably because of Southern Cameroons. I don't even understand why you would think your argument makes sense. If you want to associate your dear leader with a dictator go ahead.

I don't get why some are attacking the OP and questioning whether he is Igbo. As usual, rather than articulate their own arguments to counter what he has provided, they have resorted to ad hominem attacks.

Answer my questions. . . Stop going after irrelevant personalities here.

ezeagu:

Ahmadou Ahidjo, president for 20 years, shut the borders for unknown reasons in collaboration with Gowon, probably because of Southern Cameroons. I don't even understand why you would think your argument makes sense. If you want to associate your dear leader with a dictator go ahead.

shymexx:

I never said "Igbos," I said Nnamdi Azikwe... There should have never been a country called, Nigeria - he made it possible...

He also allowed himself to be used by MI6 to get the Northerners into pwoer, the same power they have turned into their birth right...

His cousin, Ifeajuna, plotted the first coup that led to the civil war, yet they blamed it on innocent Nzeogwu...

I'm done with this topic, I've got work in the morning...

4hrs sleep!!

And how does this take away blame from the British like I already said through their decision in the 60s? I hope you're not one of those that claim the western region had no promises with Biafra which was why starvation was seen as okay? I believe Nnamdi Azikiwe was naive in his view of one Nigeria, the same as other Igbo, but his efforts in the independence movement cannot be forgotten (unmatched actually).

Standing5: Answer my questions. . . Stop going after irrelevant personalities here.

You're questions are pointless and based on opinion. Nigeria was supported by those who it just gained independence from, what does that tell you? That it was and is a muppet with a hand up its nyash. Let's not try and pretend Biafra didn't have support on the African continent.

gree-die:


yes they did!!! Britain initiated the war. This is a fact u cannot get from google or any text book but a fact nonetheless... The notion that war ensued because of the seccession is a wrong one and even if it wasn't, it's not the whole truth. It had been, is and will always be about the oil. This clash of interest dates back to pre-independence.. The igbos and yorubas were well travelled and educated, the Hausas were..... Cattle rearers. We wanted our independence, the British didn't want to go and d hausas well aware dat they amounted to nothinginsisted dat a treaty be signed allowing dem to control a higher percentage of the house( dat was d beginning of this majority/ minority crap). The cabal agreed, they just needed the British gone... Fastforward to post I dependence, the same cabal plotted a coup to kill top military men but the real deal was to kill d few powerful hausas and dis is why awolowo( puttin him in prison was a ploy to save his life) and a host of others escaped. Aguiyi Ironsi became d head of state and because this had already planned by the powers that be ( this cabal was made up of yorubas and igbos)he merely imprisoned instead of killing kaduna nzogwu, the puppet dat was used to carry out d coup.

The British, fully aware that an Igbo man in power will cancel some of the treaties signed be dem nd lo foil there plan, gathered the hausas and told them that an Igbo man in power is their undoing. U see, the British fear and are in awe of the igbos especially the elite among them for the same reasons other ethnic groups hate us: our brillance, smartness, doggedness, diplomacy, name it! They had to kill ironsi,they used the well known mallam tasini of Kano, who until his death in 1980,fed on human skull and blood. It was tasini dat removed ironsi's charm while he was bathin and replaced it wit a fake one, it was only den dat they succeeded in killing ironsi and enthroned Gowon who they used as a pawn.

Following the mass killing of the igbos in d north, ojukwu was saddened and threatened to pull out. At first, Gowon was of the opinion that Nigeria didn't need d igboman and den the British called him and said " bia man, are u this foolish? U want to give in to this seccession, don't u know u have everytin to loose? If d igbos pull out, u ll be left wit nothing except cattle! U cannot allow this people to leave. Then came the Aburi accord but it wasn't good enuf for the British and so they asked Gowon to keep us or kill us.

Ojukwu had good intentions, he just didn't act at the ryt time perhaps cz he was too young and enthusiastic. The great zik, a member of the cabal dat formed this great country tried to warn him dat war at that time wasn't the best strategy, his father begged him too dat his biz is scattered all over the country but ojukwu would hear none of it, his reply to the dad was that he ll be richer than he was if Biafra won. As we all know, the dad died of heart attack shortly after.

During d war, the US didn't help us cz we were under d common wealth and they didn't want tohave anything to do with their colonial masters, France was an ally to Britain. Gabon supported us because they too as a colony of Britain didn't want to remain together. U see, they were hopin dat our success ll pave way for their own devision. The british made a terrible mistake wen they amalgamated differnt ethnic groups into one country. Most of their colonies has this problem; Gabon, Ghana etc. Of all these countries, Nigeria was the giant and if the seccession had been successful, other countries would have followed suit. Do u see why Britain couldn't allow Biafra to be? They achieved their purpose by playing on the ignorance of the hausas, they manipulated gowon

Backtrack to wen awolowo was freed from prison- he knew the original plan of the cabal to dethrone the intellectually backward hausas, he was even in support. He promissed to leave wit the igbos, he promised to give us men and land. The original plan was that all tribes ll seccede, leaving the hausas alone to their Ill fate. Yoruba land should have been a haven for the Igbo soldiers but awo sold out. He betrayed the cabal and wen the war arrived ore, Yoruba armymen already knew abt thleir heads betrayal and so they turned around to fight the igbos. That is why they are seen as coward

someone asked why ojukwu seceded wen he knew Biafra was poorly equiped-- well dat was the only way they could get arms, they had to declare a sovereign state in accordance with the guidelines of the UN.

As we all know, the war was a tough one and Biafra persevered. Biafra lost out not cause Nigeria was stronger but cause of the strong allies backing them up, allies that cannot allow Igbo people wit their oil and smartness to rule

and dis is why no igboman has been able torule since then. Okadigbo rose to a high position and then he saw sometin he wasn't supposed to see and he was killed

the problems of the igbos isn't awo or Nigeria, dat is why I do not advocate for any war. Igbos should not make the same mistake ojukwu made. Violence is not the answer, they should apply the traits in them the british fears so much and look for a way to stop d influence of our colonial masters ON us. Britain is the problem, anyother tribe in Nigeria cannot stand the heat- break the stronghold and the house falls.

It's all about the oil, Britain will do anytin to get hold of it! I always laugh wen I hear people say" Nigeria is a mess, we need our colonial masters to come and govern us again" if only they knew....

Musings of a Ganja-inspired rambler!. A tribe of people, who have no compunction mouthing inanities is called IGBO

gree-die:


yes they did!!! Britain initiated the war. This is a fact u cannot get from google or any text book but a fact nonetheless... The notion that war ensued because of the seccession is a wrong one and even if it wasn't, it's not the whole truth. It had been, is and will always be about the oil. This clash of interest dates back to pre-independence.. The igbos and yorubas were well travelled and educated, the Hausas were..... Cattle rearers. We wanted our independence, the British didn't want to go and d hausas well aware dat they amounted to nothinginsisted dat a treaty be signed allowing dem to control a higher percentage of the house( dat was d beginning of this majority/ minority crap). The cabal agreed, they just needed the British gone... Fastforward to post I dependence, the same cabal plotted a coup to kill top military men but the real deal was to kill d few powerful hausas and dis is why awolowo( puttin him in prison was a ploy to save his life) and a host of others escaped. Aguiyi Ironsi became d head of state and because this had already planned by the powers that be ( this cabal was made up of yorubas and igbos)he merely imprisoned instead of killing kaduna nzogwu, the puppet dat was used to carry out d coup.

The British, fully aware that an Igbo man in power will cancel some of the treaties signed be dem nd lo foil there plan, gathered the hausas and told them that an Igbo man in power is their undoing. U see, the British fear and are in awe of the igbos especially the elite among them for the same reasons other ethnic groups hate us: our brillance, smartness, doggedness, diplomacy, name it! They had to kill ironsi,they used the well known mallam tasini of Kano, who until his death in 1980,fed on human skull and blood. It was tasini dat removed ironsi's charm while he was bathin and replaced it wit a fake one, it was only den dat they succeeded in killing ironsi and enthroned Gowon who they used as a pawn.

Following the mass killing of the igbos in d north, ojukwu was saddened and threatened to pull out. At first, Gowon was of the opinion that Nigeria didn't need d igboman and den the British called him and said " bia man, are u this foolish? U want to give in to this seccession, don't u know u have everytin to loose? If d igbos pull out, u ll be left wit nothing except cattle! U cannot allow this people to leave. Then came the Aburi accord but it wasn't good enuf for the British and so they asked Gowon to keep us or kill us.

Ojukwu had good intentions, he just didn't act at the ryt time perhaps cz he was too young and enthusiastic. The great zik, a member of the cabal dat formed this great country tried to warn him dat war at that time wasn't the best strategy, his father begged him too dat his biz is scattered all over the country but ojukwu would hear none of it, his reply to the dad was that he ll be richer than he was if Biafra won. As we all know, the dad died of heart attack shortly after.

During d war, the US didn't help us cz we were under d common wealth and they didn't want tohave anything to do with their colonial masters, France was an ally to Britain. Gabon supported us because they too as a colony of Britain didn't want to remain together. U see, they were hopin dat our success ll pave way for their own devision. The british made a terrible mistake wen they amalgamated differnt ethnic groups into one country. Most of their colonies has this problem; Gabon, Ghana etc. Of all these countries, Nigeria was the giant and if the seccession had been successful, other countries would have followed suit. Do u see why Britain couldn't allow Biafra to be? They achieved their purpose by playing on the ignorance of the hausas, they manipulated gowon

Backtrack to wen awolowo was freed from prison- he knew the original plan of the cabal to dethrone the intellectually backward hausas, he was even in support. He promissed to leave wit the igbos, he promised to give us men and land. The original plan was that all tribes ll seccede, leaving the hausas alone to their Ill fate. Yoruba land should have been a haven for the Igbo soldiers but awo sold out. He betrayed the cabal and wen the war arrived ore, Yoruba armymen already knew abt thleir heads betrayal and so they turned around to fight the igbos. That is why they are seen as coward

someone asked why ojukwu seceded wen he knew Biafra was poorly equiped-- well dat was the only way they could get arms, they had to declare a sovereign state in accordance with the guidelines of the UN.

As we all know, the war was a tough one and Biafra persevered. Biafra lost out not cause Nigeria was stronger but cause of the strong allies backing them up, allies that cannot allow Igbo people wit their oil and smartness to rule

and dis is why no igboman has been able torule since then. Okadigbo rose to a high position and then he saw sometin he wasn't supposed to see and he was killed

the problems of the igbos isn't awo or Nigeria, dat is why I do not advocate for any war. Igbos should not make the same mistake ojukwu made. Violence is not the answer, they should apply the traits in them the british fears so much and look for a way to stop d influence of our colonial masters ON us. Britain is the problem, anyother tribe in Nigeria cannot stand the heat- break the stronghold and the house falls.

It's all about the oil, Britain will do anytin to get hold of it! I always laugh wen I hear people say" Nigeria is a mess, we need our colonial masters to come and govern us again" if only they knew....

This made me laugh so hard.

gree-die:


well, u should go and read the UN guidelines.... Before a. Group can be supplied wit arms, it has to be a sovreign, with it's own currency, anthem and do I say democrats? Nigeria was waging war against d igbos, ojukwu had to formally secede inother to get arms...

U see, totally against war, because I know that there are other diplomatic ways to break free. All the igbos need is to apply wit and this is why none of the
powerful igbos are supporting biafran war strategy. This freedom will come, it's just a matter of time

The haziness of this your post shows that you are part of the problem because if Palenstinians who have fulfilled all your UN resolutions have not yet been granted their heart desires why will anybody for that matter take the Igbo serious

Lol @ you all quoting me, the truth struck home didn't it? And u will do all within ur means to stifle it. A load of crap it may be but it is a factual load of crap! How do u expect dis info to be docmented and made public knowledge? There is a document all right, but u have to be at the top to know and even then, if u r Igbo and becomes privy of this, ur life just has to be snuffed out.

There shouldn't have been a nation called Nigeria, the diff tribes dat make this country up and so diverse in belief and culture that they just can't co habit wit each other. They knew this but still chose it coz it was the lesser of the two evil. The alternative was to remain under d rule of the British and this was a no-no.

Obj fought against Biafra quite allryt but he was a smart man and wen he assumed office and knew the ploy of the British, he saw that it would be to the detriment of all, he tried to salvage the situation to save his hide and dat of his kinsmen. U think his bid was foiled by the senate? Think again! The British has penetrated all out sectors and they act tru our gullible spokesmen. As tactful as Britain is, do u think they ll leave any trail?

U say I ve bin brainwashed but it's u all who have swallowed the lies written down hook and sinker. Often times u hear people interpret d saying " if u want to hide the truth from a black man, hide it in a book" to mean that blacks don't read and research but I tell u, what the white man meant was that the blacks believe everytin they read, they don't make further research. U see d whites, someone ll come out wit a theory and another will research and dispprove it but dat isn't d case here. U post ur source and want me to do same, I ask u, what is the source of ur source? Do a lol research nd u ll see dat this popular belief was spread by the unreliable British.

U have countered my arguments on the basis that it's all hog wash and dat the igbos possess nothing that other nigerians and the British fear. U say we amount to no threat so I ask, why is it so hard to se this supposed whiny tribe free? Why do u choose to remain paired wit this tribe u detest so much? Why would u rather fight us than let us go?

Fellow nigerians, u ve to think outside the box. I ve not the time or the zeal to argue wit u or make u see the truth. Any further contribution ll ve to wait til weekend. But I ll leave u wit this- d few unenlightened igbos advocating for war doesn't know more than u do but the rest of us that know the real deal is biddin our tym, mapping out a strategy dat doesn't involve blood. Keep calling us whiny and countering our arguments, we ll get wat we want and wen we do, u all won't know wat hit u.

Like I wrote earlier, Britain is the real problem. all other tribes can't stand the heat.

Have a nice week u all
peace, out

Olodo! and u r still suffering today as an ibo man. Prodigal son.

Rossikk: Somebody Needs To Write A Book On the Foolishness Of Biafra and Ojukwu

Many of us Igbos have for too long gotten away with playing the 'wronged victim' with regard to the Biafran War. We have refused to ask ourselves some deep questions about that war, which saw 2 million Igbo lives needlessly wasted. We have allowed our Igbo leaders to go virtually scot-free after leading us to the slaughterhouse, by propagating the myth that it was ''all Nigeria's fault''.

Somebody needs to write a book detailing the several missteps and foolish decisions made by the Igbo military dictatorship led by Ojukwu, with regard to the Biafran 'war' (slaughter more like).

Some points that need to be addressed include:

1) The declaration of secession was invalid and unconstitutional, having been reached by military fiat, as opposed to measurable democratic participation.

2)The decision to secede was made without commensurate investment in weapons and weapons sources, a pre-requisite for any military conflict, particularly against a major African power supported by global powers like the USA, Britain and the (then) USSR.

3)The decision to secede was made without commensurate investment in food and agricultural production, food import sources and entry routes, thus placing the Igbos at a distinct disadvantage, and at the mercy of the Nigerian govt - 'the enemy'. In fact the foolhardiness of such lack of strategic preparation accounts for the embarrassing statements recently credited to Chinua Achebe about Awo's conduct during the war. The failure of Biafran strategic thinking is evinced by Achebe's inadvertent admission that Biafra's survival was contingent upon Awo's sense of morality or lack thereof. The unwarranted power over Igbo lives thus granted Awo by this clumsy admission of his pivotal role in the conflict ought not to be lost on Achebe. Question is, WHY should Awo have had that power over Igbo destiny? He wouldn't have, had the Igbo leadership apriori done its homework.

4)Ojukwu's claim that he declared secession out of a need to ''protect Igbo lives'' was a dishonest and disingenous rationalisation, since there was no advance of federal troops towards the south or Igbo territory in the months leading up to the declaration. The political dispute in fact centred on the alleged failure of the FG to bring to justice the perpetrators of the northern massacres of Igbos in 1966. The immediate political event preceding the secession declaration was the announcement of the 12 state creation by the FG in May 1967. This meant Ojukwu's powers became territorially limited to the much smaller East-Central State Igbo heartland, as opposed to the entire East, which he ruled in his former capacity as military governor of the Eastern Region. The day after the FG announced the 12 state solution, Ojukwu declared secession. WHAT was the connection between the 12 state announcement and Ojukwu's declaration of secession? Why should we continue to be fed the line that he seceded in order to protect Igbo lives, if, as appears to be the case, he seceded because he could not countenance himself being limited to the East-Central State courtesy of his arch-enemy, Gowon's 'machinations'??

5) Why did the Biafran leadership bank on nations like France to provide military support to her secessionist bid, knowing full well that France was a staunch ally of the United Kingdom, who supported the Nigerian federation?

Why were they so naive as to count on French support?

Why were they so naive as to discount the fact that Nigeria had military and diplomatic support from the USA as well as the Soviet Union? Meaning they couldn't take advantage of the Cold War rivalry involving those two nations?

Why were these factors NOT taken into account before taking steps that would lead to military conflict?

I SUGGEST A TITLE FOR THE BOOK:

''OJUKWU'S BIAFRA - FOOLISHNESS INCORPORATED?''

redsun: The title will be "a becloude Nigerian views about survival instinct"

You slowpoke,you dont know that it is more worthy to die for a genuine cause than live without a reason and in fear.That is why your type will always remain subjected to their own meseries.

so you are alive today because you have to genuine cause to die for abi? Wat the OP said is the truth look inward no man is infalliable - ask question, think, don't just dub skewed history, think - questions. If you can't ask questions can you at least answer the one he raised.

gree-die:


yes they did!!! Britain initiated the war. This is a fact u cannot get from google or any text book but a fact nonetheless... The notion that war ensued because of the seccession is a wrong one and even if it wasn't, it's not the whole truth. It had been, is and will always be about the oil. This clash of interest dates back to pre-independence......

Seriously? A fact you cannot get from google or any text book but it's a fact because you pulled it out of your anus?

@@@@

why oh why do people open up post to write rubbish

even we that lives in UK know how much role this country played out during that war

op

it never gona be as easy as opening up useless and meaningless thread like this one

just do urself a favour and shut up plz

abes:

Seriously? A fact you cannot get from google or any text book but it's a fact because you pulled it out of your anus?

seriously?? U read all i wrote and dis is the only tin u could pick out? Dude, u are loosing it! D least u could Have done is try to strike back wit a baseless argument lyk others did. U think u know it all from ur little spot in d world? U think all answers can be found in textbooks nd google?

I cant waste my time on you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZeELnOiHAw&feature=related
This is for those trying to cover up history, biafrans fought a war of self defence against a lager interest which is the British. The British had the resources of the then Biafra as their strategic interest and backed the then Nigerian government to achieve it. More small arms rounds were used in biafra war than the second world war. That explains the extent of atrocities committed against biafrans. It is left for the actors to apologize for the atrocities they committed.

gree-die:

seriously?? U read all i wrote and dis is the only tin u could pick out? Dude, u are loosing it! D least u could do is try to strike back wit a baseless argument lyk others did. U think u know it all from ur little spot in d world? U think all answers can be found in textbooks nd google?

I cant waste my time on you

I didn't read the 'fact from your anus', sorry.

aduboy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZeELnOiHAw&feature=related
This is for those trying to cover up history, biafrans fought a war of self defence against a lager interest which is the British. The British had the resources of the then Biafra as their strategic interest and backed the then Nigerian government to achieve it. More small arms rounds were used in biafra war than the second world war. That explains the extent of atrocities committed against biafrans. It is left for the actors to apologize for the atrocities they committed.

their sole aim was to eliminate the igbo race if not, why starve children who had nothing to do wit the war... They failed and they will stop at nothing to hang us, even if it means giving us a bad name..

I do not fear for my people, we are conquerors. I pity these tribes dat foster d white mans cause, they think the white man is their friend but by the time britain finishes wit dem, posterity wont even know their names.. The only reason why they still exist is us but dey have failed to realise that

British Interests, Nigerian Tragedy


Michael Leapman on cabinet papers that recall the starving children of the Biafran war

BIAFRA was one of the great emotive causes of the late Sixties. The name still conjures up images of emaciated children, close to death, starved as a result of the blockade imposed by the Nigerian Federal Government to defeat the secession of the country's Eastern Region. I was there, and the images do not fade. yes una see am

Britain, the former coloniser of Nigeria and its main supplier of arms, could not escape involvement. As the outcry over the famine grew, Harold Wilson's government came under attack at home and abroad for providing the weapons that tightened the noose on Biafra. _{pro corruption the joker u listing}

The war began in 1967. Cabinet papers for that year, just released, show how the decision to continue arming Nigeria was not based on arguments for or against secession, or on the interests of its people, but on backing the likely winner. It is a case study in realpolitik. As one Commonwealth Office briefing document to the prime minister put it: "The sole immediate British interest is to bring the [Nigerian] economy back to a condition in which our substantial trade and investment can be further developed." yes na oil abi
[size=28pt]now ofenmma people listen and listen [/size] [size=28pt]The Biafran secession was the culmination of a long period of tribal and regional unrest in Nigeria that had come to the boil with the assassination in January 1966 of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the Prime Minister, in a coup led by General Johnson Ironsi. The new military ruler was an Ibo, the dominant tribal group of the Eastern Region. In May that year, thousands of Ibos were massacred in the Northern Region in riots against Ironsi's regime. A further coup in July was led by Maj-Gen Yakubu Gowon. Fearful of renewed massacres, the Ibos of the East sought autonomy under their military governor, Col Odumegwu Ojukwu. He declared the region's independence, as the state of Biafra, in May 1967.
As more recent conflicts in Eastern Europe show, it is hard to judge the rights and wrongs of other people's ethnic fears and hatreds. In any case, the cabinet papers make clear that right and wrong were the last considerations on anyone's mind. Oil, trade and the protection of British citizens dominated the decision-making process.[/size] If today's Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, really wants to introduce an ethical basis for policy-making, he should read the file to see how radically he needs to change the diplomatic mindset.

The bulk of Nigeria's foreign earnings derived from oil and most of it was in the Eastern Region. Shell-BP, then partly owned by the British government, was the largest producer. After secession, Col Ojukwu demanded that royalties for oil production should be paid to Biafra and not to the Federal Government. Shell agreed to make a "token payment" of £250,000. The Commonwealth Office at first proposed to support this decision on the grounds that Col Ojukwu was in de facto control of the oilfields. Harold Wilson bridled at that: "Dangerous argument - cf Rhodesia" he scrawled in the margin of the policy paper. Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence in 1965 but Britain was urging that nobody should recognise it, despite the regime's de facto control.

Gen Gowon imposed a blockade on Biafra, which meant that no oil could be exported anyway. This was a blow for the British economy, already floundering in the crisis that led to devaluation later in the year. Now the prime object of Whitehall was to get the blockade lifted. An important lever fell into British hands when Gen Gowon asked for more arms: 12 jet fighter-bombers, six fast patrol boats, 24 anti-aircraft guns.
George Thomas, Minister of State at the Commonwealth Office, was sent to Lagos. The Commonwealth Office note to Wilson about the mission was explicit: "If Gowon is helpful on oil, Mr Thomas will offer a sale of anti-aircraft guns.'' The plan went awry. Gen Gowon would not lift the blockade but he got his guns anyway; planes and boats were refused, but the Nigerians were permitted to take delivery of two previously ordered patrol boats - which ironically helped enforce the ban on Shell-BP's oil shipments. In August the Biafrans scored a military success (their only one, as it turned out) when they marched into the Mid-West Region and occupied Benin. This provoked a rethink in Whitehall. The Commonwealth Office set out five choices. A and B involved maintaining or increasing arms to Nigeria, C was to stop all supplies, D to promote a peace initiative and E a combination of the last two. Thomas wrote to Wilson, holidaying in the Scillies, recommending Option E. That view might have prevailed had not Sir David Hunt, British ambassador in Lagos and a keen advocate of the Federal cause, flown to Britain and persuaded the government to continue providing arms.
Soon the war turned in Gowon's favour and in November the flexible Thomas wrote to Wilson again, proposing this time that arms supplies be stepped up: "It seems to me that British interests would now be served by a quick Federal victory."
That victory came, but not quickly.During 1967 the words "famine" or "hunger" appeared nowhere in the hundreds of official documents devoted to the conflict. They would not emerge until 1968, when I and other reporters went to Biafra and witnessed the scenes for ourselves. By then the policy was too set to be altered. Too many reputations depended on the war's outcome. The conflict went on for another two years. Millions of children starved. How many would still be alive if that one slim chance had been grabbed back in August 1967 and Option E, E for ethical, had prevailed?
- THE INDEPENDENT, SUNDAY 4 JANUARY 1998. (posted to Igbonet by Obi Taiwan)

Source: http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~nwosu/biaf2.html

so after reading from all corners of the wall nevermind Achebe u seriously believe no atrocity has been committed right

the truth is the only option that can set us free for good

no point chewing amala and ewedu all over the place im afraid

now who lose?


aduboy

This is for those trying to cover up history, biafrans fought a war of self defence against a lager interest which is the British. The British had the resources of the then Biafra as their strategic interest and backed the then Nigerian government to achieve it. More small arms rounds were used in biafra war than the second world war. That explains the extent of atrocities committed against biafrans. It is left for the actors to apologize for the atrocities they committed.

correct!!

case closed right from the £20 era

abes:

I didn't read the 'fact from your anus', sorry.

lol.... U fail to realise that my anus is smarter than your brain!!!

Edited

the igbos led by ojukwu were really foolish. they somehow thought they were going to win without support from their neighbours? hell, the ijaws their so-called closest cousins were not fully convinced and fought gallantly to see the demise of biafra and ‘abandoned properties’ in ph have still not been returned.

even though ojukwu schooled in the uk and was trained by the brits, and with achebe's superior knowledge of the english language, they still failed to convince the british to support biafra? how is that not an all-round failure in the making?

even cameroon blocked their border to biafra. where was achebe when this was happening? why didnt he use his brilliance and superior knowledge of the english langauage to negotiate with cameroon to open their borders? oh wait, the cameroonians dont give a shiit about the english langauge and only understand french. achebe should have mastered french instead of english language, it would have done biafra some good.

^^^^ if anyone is foolish that should be u

stop writing nonesense here plz

ikeyman00: ^^^^ if anyone is foolish that should be u

stop writing nonesense here plz

lol...a prof of english and cultural minister of biafra failed to convince the british for support. ha ha ha, thats an oxym0ron.

^^^ the oracle has spoken

envious hater

Somebody needs to write a book on the foolishness of Rossik and his father!

gree-die:

lol.... U fail to realise that my anus is smarter than your brain!!!

lol..you are not the first person to reason with d anus, one fled to Abidjan.

@@@@ ^^^ then tell us the truth plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjKhzLrxcRM

PROUD-IGBO:


^^^Your stand on issues pertaining to Ndigbo makes your claim of being an Igbo son highly suspect.

We can all -with the benefit of hindsight- fault Ojukwus' moves before and during the civil war; but you fail to understand that any mistakes you ascribe to Ikemba (like a monday morning football critic that has the luxury of hindsight) were mistakes made in the heat of the fast-paced moment (when Ndigbo were being slaughtered in their tens of thousands like sallah rams.....with no protection from the federal gov't who felt they were getting their just desserts, since a couple of Igbo officers were among coupists that killed their leaders), and not borne out of malevolence; unlike with the case of Awo and Adekunle for instance; these were two of a kind....cut from the same cloth....and with an intense loathing for anything 'Igbo' as can be seen in their 'shoot at anything that moves' and 'all's fair in war' statements, forgetting that non-combatants (women and children) were casualties.....this collateral damage was acceptable in their eyes since they didn't see Igbos as humans (never mind- their kith and kin); after trying to fight Biafra for the better part of two years and not making any headway, they then resorted to every dirty/evil trick in the book to win the war, as it seemed 'conventional' tactics (even with outside help) was getting them nowhere....hence the blockade and ceding of Bakassi to Cameroun for them to block their own flank of the border; so this yarn of bringing in the 'blockade' policy b'cos Awo loved Igbos and wanted the war to end as quickly and as painlessly as possible is nothing short of laughable, as it was only thought of when they couldn't break Biafras' resolve through conventional war; and i've read heartless/inhumane arguments that we're not expected to feed our enemy' (not minding that this line of thinking would affect women and children you have no beef with).....but this only goes to strengthen my argument that Awo/Gowon were not concerned about such 'trivial humane' issues, but rather were more concerned with 'winning' the war at any cost.....we now see the wonderful/working/equitable/just Nigeria they have fought to bring the old Eastern region back into, and the kind of future they have bequethed to their children and unborn generations (not seeing the bigger picture b'cos of your hatred for a people?)

Bearing the above in mind, can you refer me to any past postings of yours where you go at Awo and Adekunle with the same amount of bile and venom you've used to go at Ikemba?

I didn't bother reading you initial post on this thread as i'm not really interested in all this back and forth between Igbos' and Yorubas' since excepts of Achebes' book were made public.....i don't believe they serve any purpose, esp' on a site like this where there are many immature twerps making daft ethnocentric based arguments; but i wanted to respond to you since you claim to be Igbo.

You've said it all bro.