so you want me to tell you exactly how Biafra could have done that? nna na wa o.
well, i would complete my submission by adding that Biafra should have acquired a navy after destroying nigerias. the navy was the key to that war.
It's a very simple question. How could Biafra have destroyed the Nigerian Navy?
Do you think acquiring ships is like acquiring oranges? You require funds to buy ships and then you require time for the ships to be built and then transported.
It's a very simple question. How could Biafra have destroyed the Nigerian Navy?
Do you think acquiring ships is like acquiring oranges? You require funds to buy ships and then you require time for the ships to be built and then transported.
i understand all that. it was a war, and there were countries supporting nigeria, and a few supported biafra too biafra was busy researching and building far more technical things like guided missiles and tanks nigeria had a very small navy then. that cannot work today of course because naija navy don improve well well.
like i said, it was a war situation and Biafra did things that were far more challenging. i won't be more specific than that because we are all walking a fine line on the topic.
i understand all that. it was a war, and there were countries supporting nigeria, and a few supported biafra too biafra was busy researching and building far more technical things like guided missiles and tanks nigeria had a very small navy then. that cannot work today of course because naija navy don improve well well.
like i said, it was a war situation and Biafra did things that were far more challenging. i won't be more specific than that because we are all walking a fine line on the topic.
Just admit that you mis-spoke (or write) instead of digging the hole further. What research was Biafra conducting? Biafra developed guided missiles and tanks? ? ? Did they sell these equipment to other nations because they weren't used in that war?
Just admit that you mis-spoke (or write) instead of digging the hole further. What research was Biafra conducting? Biafra developed guided missiles and tanks? ? ? Did they sell these equipment to other nations because they weren't used in that war?
the op was asking a question, and i gave my own answer. why not leave it at that. this thread is not about finding ways to destroy the nigerian navy. your trick will not work. if it makes you feel better about yourself, yes i don't know what i'm talking about. can you offer your own strategy or leave the thread to those willing to do so? a famous yoruba pastor once lamented that the only thing yorubas are good at is pulling others down (or even each other! lol).
the op was asking a question, and i gave my own answer. why not leave it at that. this thread is not about finding ways to destroy the nigerian navy. your trick will not work. if it makes you feel better about yourself, yes i don't know what i'm talking about. can you offer your own strategy or leave the thread to those willing to do so? a famous yoruba pastor once lamented that the only thing yorubas are good at is pulling others down (or even each other! lol).
The biggest error made by Biafra was that it didn’t plan for war. Declaring Biafra too soon; Biafra was declared on May 29th, Nigeria launched its offensive on the 6th of July. Biafra did not have the time to source for weapons. Hence its locally made weapons were not sufficient to prosecute a full scale war.It rushed into war thinking that the perceived ‘bravery’ of its sons would enable it to prevail. Bravery enables you to win battles but strategy wins wars. Biafra should have been patient with its planning. Patience would have enabled it to acquire much needed military equipment and develop its intelligence network. It had no Navy or Airforce and that’s why Nigeria controlled the skies and waters for the duration of the war.
The second biggest error was that it didn’t seek alliances with its neighbors. The war was initially between the East and the North. Biafra should have pretended to be pacified and then started secret negotiations with its neighbors to the East and West. But instead, it tried to capture Lagos. If it captured Lagos, the victory would have been symbolic but not advantageous for the simple reason that the seat of power can be moved temporarily. For instance, Biafra did not collapse after Enugu, its capital, was captured in the first few months of the war. Similarly, De Gaulle and the Polish war leaders conducted their war efforts from England during the Second World War. If Lagos fell, Gowon would have simply moved to Kano or Kaduna. The move to Lagos irked its neighbors and enabled Gowon to recruit aggressively from groups that were initially neutral to the war effort.
Other errors include 1. Biafra based its capital so close to enemy territory. Enugu fell so quickly that Biafra was on the back foot throughout the war. 2. Not having the finances/revenue to prosecute a war. Biafra was reliant on collecting money in circulation and in the banks in the East. It also required its citizens to fund the war effort with their savings. The problem with that approach is that you need capital to generate revenue. That was the approach taken by Awo who introduced or increased taxes and treasury bills. 3. Not anticipating that super powers would support Nigeria (this is called short-sightedness) or obtaining strategic support from the super powers 4. Biafra did not have the means to feed its citizens with the war on its soil; this was exacerbated by not having a single ally on any of its borders.
The biggest error made by Biafra was that it didn’t plan for war. Declaring Biafra too soon; Biafra was declared on May 29th, Nigeria launched its offensive on the 6th of July. Biafra did not have the time to source for weapons. Hence its locally made weapons were not sufficient to prosecute a full scale war.It rushed into war thinking that the perceived ‘bravery’ of its sons would enable it to prevail. Bravery enables you to win battles but strategy wins wars. Biafra should have been patient with its planning. Patience would have enabled it to acquire much needed military equipment and develop its intelligence network. It had no Navy or Airforce and that’s why Nigeria controlled the skies and waters for the duration of the war.
The second biggest error was that it didn’t seek alliances with its neighbors. The war was initially between the East and the North. Biafra should have pretended to be pacified and then started secret negotiations with its neighbors to the East and West. But instead, it tried to capture Lagos. If it captured Lagos, the victory would have been symbolic but not advantageous for the simple reason that the seat of power can be moved temporarily. For instance, Biafra did not collapse after Enugu, its capital, was captured in the first few months of the war. Similarly, De Gaulle and the Polish war leaders conducted their war efforts from England during the Second World War. If Lagos fell, Gowon would have simply moved to Kano or Kaduna. The move to Lagos irked its neighbors and enabled Gowon to recruit aggressively from groups that were initially neutral to the war effort.
Other errors include 1. Biafra based its capital so close to enemy territory. Enugu fell so quickly that Biafra was on the back foot throughout the war. 2. Not having the finances/revenue to prosecute a war. Biafra was reliant on collecting money in circulation and in the banks in the East. It also required its citizens to fund the war effort with their savings. The problem with that approach is that you need capital to generate revenue. That was the approach taken by Awo who introduced or increased taxes and treasury bills. 3. Not anticipating that super powers would support Nigeria (this is called short-sightedness) or obtaining strategic support from the super powers 4. Biafra did not have the means to feed its citizens with the war on its soil; this was exacerbated by not having a single ally on any of its borders.
i agree with the bolded every other thing you wrote was an offshoot of that first bolded words this is where i blame ojukwu the most, though i know he had no choice because gowon was not going to allow biafra to get ready. gowon was already at garkem.
as for international support, i believe that it was a fluid thing. if biafra had the liberty to wait as you said (which i totally agree with), and made necessary arms purchases before hostilities began, biafra would have gained the upper hand, and international support would have been forced to support biafra.
i was really talking about more specific thing biafra could have done even after the war was imposed on biafra by gowon. don't forget that gowon fired the first shot.
I am yet to understand one thing and I really really wish a sensible igboman can answer me without insults
WHY DO BAIFRAN WANT THE WEST ESPECIALLY LAGOS ?
Why Lagos, why is it so important to baifra ? It was a capital of the country but also predominately ethnically owned so why would you choose that as a point of attack because I am really confused on this one.
But seriously you all should just drop this matter a break up of any country is never peaceful lives and I mean plenty lives will be lost. If you seriously won't sacrifice yours then shut up. And I am talking neutrally here I do not live in Nigeria but I'm proud to be Nigerian and would rather Nigeria remains one.
The same way the Yorubas are busy kicking against Fulani domination right there in Yorubaland? Is there any other major ethnic group in Nigeria that has a foreign monarchy lording it over her subjects for ages like we have the fulani do in Ilorin? Just quit the haughty bragging, you always struggle to be objective whenever Yoruba/Biafra/Awolowo/Ojukwu are mentioned. In war, the most ruthless wins! Period! If Ojukwu/Banjo arrived Lagos with enough men and ammo, there was little you and yours could have done other than to tighten your tribal anus.
Am sorry, you perceived my post as chestbeating but that was the least of my intention. Even the
mid-west people rebeled against the occupation of her territory by Ojukwu's BLF. How many men do you think Ojukwu
would have needed just to hang on to the western region? Plus fighting the "rebels" in the mid-west region with
the hausa/fulani forces bearing down from the north.Suffice it to say, Ojukwu may win a few battles but in the
long run he will surely lose the war.
Anyway, everyone deserves a 2nd chance so you obdurate Igbos are welcome to try again.
From the discussions on this forum, it's obvious that Ojukwu shouldn't have declared Biafra when he did. he should have waited a little bit and plan. He followed his heart and not his head. Seeing that his people were been maimed all over the country and that the Nigerian government wasn't doing anything about was what prompted him to seek for self determination for Biafra but she should have stayed a little longer to consider some variables that may be of help to the Biafran army.
SmartTalk: Now, before you start reacting to the topic without understanding my reason for this post, a few caveats: 1. War is unnecessary. The Nigerian Civil war would have been avoided if Nigeria stuck to the terms agreed on in the Aburi Accord. 2. Biafra would rise again, but I do not think war with Nigeria would recur. Nigeria is doing a good job of destroying herself, so Biafrans only need to opt out when the madness reaches a head. Meanwhile we would just bid our time. 3. This is more of an intellectual exercise. Every country reappraise their pasts and see how they would have acted differently given the prevailing circumstance. Too many people comment with ignorance about the Civil War so encouraging this discussion makes us understand the subject more. This post is directed at those who blame the people running the Biafran effort but do not suggest what they would have done differently under similar conditions. I have concluded that if I was in the same shoes as Ojukwu, I would have done exactly the same thing. I would have seceded knowing that Nigeria was planning to invade the Eastern region after reneging on the Aburi peace agreement. This post is to discuss what extra efforts I would have made to defend the Biafran people from Nigerian Aggression.
A lot of the strategies adopted by Ojukwu were excellent given the conditions. Sun Tzu advices the general to avoid the strong part of your enemy and attack the weak. This was what Ojukwu did when he noticed the Nigerians were attacking from Nsukka and left their Eastern flank exposed. He sent a division to attack Lagos. If his subordinate had carried out the order to the letter, the outcome of the war would have been very different and Biafra would have been an independent country. But imagine Lagos was better protected, the tactics of Sun Tzu, himself, provides a template on "attacking directly to engage your enemy, attack indirectly to win". The Nigerian soldiers were pulled from the Nsukka axis and sent to protect Lagos. Encircling them, the way Sun Tzu did to the warriors from Chu, as they head for Lagos would have been a good strategy in such a scenario. This is illustrated in the Documentary below:
While Nigeria adopted genocidal tactics to break the Biafran will, this only strengthened the will of the Biafran people. The most important asset a general should have, according to Sun Tzu, is the moral authority of the people - and Ojukwu had that. Till today, the Biafran spirit cannot be extinguished. The Nigerian soldiers, on the other hand, were not as motivated. They were motivated only by lies told to them, fear of Igbo domination and hatred of the Igbo people. They were not a disciplined force. The only advantage they had over Biafrans was international support. If the Biafrans had just enough guns, the Biafrans would definitely have won the war - this is not in doubt. But given the disadvantage, the only way of winning the war for a country not getting the same financial support is to take the war to the enemy. It is a tragedy that while the Biafrans were facing threat of genocide from the Nigerian soldiers, people were going about their normal daily businesses in Lagos, Kano, and other parts of Nigeria. I do not condemn Ojukwu for letting soldiers from other parts of Nigeria go safely with a rifle while Biafran soldiers and civilians were massacred. This is a good thing and in line with the Biafran Christian ideal. Other strategies should have been adopted to disrupt normal life in the major cities of Nigeria and force the Nigerians to pressure their government to stop the war. The best way for Biafran to fight Nigeria was not through a war of attrition but through Guerrilla tactics. A few examples: 1. Spies: The use of spies is a critical advice from Sun Tzu. There were Igbo people leaving in Nigeria under false names to evade persecution by the Nigerians. Since the Igbo are the best travelled and most cosmopolitan Nigerias, they can blend in to any environment and speaking other Nigerian languages can get them access to important information. I do not know the extent to which spies were used but their use would be critical to carrying out other suggestions I have. 2. Sabotage: Bombs should be placed to destroy important facilities in the Nigerian cities. Public buildings, stadiums, etc should be bombed - not to kill people but to create unease in the society. For example, place a bomb in an important building; call the management to alert them about the bomb and your intentions to detonate it in a few minutes so they can clear the building; detonate the bomb after the building is cleared so no one is killed. The aim is not to kill people but create sufficient panic so Nigerians question the benefit of fighting Biafra when their normal way of life is threatened. This method is adopted by Basque separatists ETA. 3. Assassination: Attempts should be made at the lives of Nigerian leaders authorizing genocide in Biafra. It's okay if you don't always succeed, you only have to be lucky once, they have to be lucky all the time. This would bring the nightmare they gave Biafrans everyday to their doorsteps. 4. Money: Nigeria was given money and support by the foreign powers that wanted Nigerian oil. Finances are important, this is why Nigeria changed the currency after Biafra seceded. It was a means of economic sabotage against Biafra. Biafra should have returned the favour by introducing a flood of counterfeit nairas on the Nigerian market. This would have served the purpose of buying essential items for Biafrans while destroying the value of the naira and creating inflation in the Nigerian economy. Small denomination notes should have been counterfeited by the Biafrans and introduced to Nigeria. Beggars are the best way to distribute these notes. Biafran spies should have given many of such notes to Nigerian beggars and destitutes.
These are the few strategies I can come up with now. Do feel free to add more. Add please, so this discussion does not get derailed IGNORE TROLLS. Silence is the best answer for fools, so please prove your intelligence by not engaging foolish commenters.
start another war and lest see how your plans work out .. shameless ibo man who can never sacrifice for anyone, let alone their family talks about war .. useless talk
I would say that the biggest mistake ojukwu made,was not recognizing who his enemies were,before going to a war. If he did,the outcome of that war would have been different.
Like the Op suggested,we must bid our time,before going for biafra part 2, we must not present ourself as target to all nigerians again, we must bid our time.
Like so many have stated, you cannot win a war without planning, and planning involves finding the best vantage points - strategies. You cannot execute a war without financing and infrastructures, I think that's was the greatest mistake of Ojukwu, nonetheless, he did his best and Biafra will live on our heart. Thus to avoid this from happening (hypothetically speaking since Nigeria is gradually defaulting back into another showdown), you need
1. Financing - Without Money, you're nothing, have good savings, or some way to raise funds. Use resources if u have to.
Morayo747: But seriously you all should just drop this matter a break up of any country is never peaceful lives and I mean plenty lives will be lost. If you seriously won't sacrifice yours then shut up. And I am talking neutrally here I do not live in Nigeria but I'm proud to be Nigerian and would rather Nigeria remains one.
Only two years of life remainning for the cancerous country of british imagination.
The IBO has never been a good administrator,the Biafrans probably lost because Ojukwu left war issues to civilians(ex of bad administrating)The IBO has never been a good administrator,the Biafrans probably lost because Ojukwu left war issues to civilians(ex of bad administrating)The IBO has never been a good administrator,the Biafrans probably lost because Ojukwu left war issues to civilians(ex of bad administrating)
Rich beat: The IBO has never been a good administrator,the Biafrans probably lost because Ojukwu left war issues to civilians(ex of bad administrating)The IBO has never been a good administrator,the Biafrans probably lost because Ojukwu left war issues to civilians(ex of bad administrating)The IBO has never been a good administrator,the Biafrans probably lost because Ojukwu left war issues to civilians(ex of bad administrating)
Thanks to administrative ingenuity of the yorubas and north, one nigeria remains a failure,since 1970.
alj harem: I am yet to understand one thing and I really really wish a sensible igboman can answer me without insults
WHY DO BAIFRAN WANT THE WEST ESPECIALLY LAGOS ?
Why Lagos, why is it so important to baifra ? It was a capital of the country but also predominately ethnically owned so why would you choose that as a point of attack because I am really confused on this one.
Thanks
Fair question. Lagos was marked for an attack because it was the seat of power of the Nigerian state. I disagree completely that the biafran army had designs on the western region. When people have imperialistic designs on territory, the said designs are characterised by brutality and symbolic acts of colonisation. I am sure nobody can claim that the biafran troops carried out any atrocities in yorubaland or ore where they were stopped.
As for your point that Lagos was predominantly owned by one ethnic group, I don't think it applies because the owners (yorubas) really had no mouth or say regarding Lagos or the entire western region. The people in control of Lagos were the Hausa-Fulani Regime and they were the ones who would naturally be the focus of the attack.
Only two years of life remainning for the cancerous country of british imagination.
I take it that you will pick up an AK to aid this supposed division? If not then SHUT THE F UO? Put your money or in this case your life where your mouth is!!
Morayo747: I take it that you will pick up an AK to aid this supposed division? If not then SHUT THE F UO? Put your money or in this case your life where your mouth is!!
There are many ways to kill a rat. AK is not the only solution.
There are many ways to kill a rat. AK is not the only solution.
OK boss. Whatever your solution is I hope you will be in the forefront and direct line of fire. What I really hate is the fact that its not people who start wars that get killed. E.g Ojukwu lived till he died of natural causes and fled(like a coward) when he was close to being captured why not stay and suffer the same fate as the defenseless babies that needlessly died of starvation? Ponder on that.
SmartTalk: Now, before you start reacting to the topic without understanding my reason for this post, a few caveats: 1. War is unnecessary. The Nigerian Civil war would have been avoided if Nigeria stuck to the terms agreed on in the Aburi Accord. 2. Biafra would rise again, but I do not think war with Nigeria would recur. Nigeria is doing a good job of destroying herself, so Biafrans only need to opt out when the madness reaches a head. Meanwhile we would just bid our time. 3. This is more of an intellectual exercise. Every country reappraise their pasts and see how they would have acted differently given the prevailing circumstance. Too many people comment with ignorance about the Civil War so encouraging this discussion makes us understand the subject more. This post is directed at those who blame the people running the Biafran effort but do not suggest what they would have done differently under similar conditions. I have concluded that if I was in the same shoes as Ojukwu, I would have done exactly the same thing. I would have seceded knowing that Nigeria was planning to invade the Eastern region after reneging on the Aburi peace agreement. This post is to discuss what extra efforts I would have made to defend the Biafran people from Nigerian Aggression. These people have still not learnt and will not learn. I dont blame you thou, I blame Emmanuel Ifeajuna and Emeka Ojukwu who led the first coup and the civil war respectively and ran into exile after killing innocent and defenceless people and leaving officers & people they led into such exercise in a lurch. What word do u call such people?
A lot of the strategies adopted by Ojukwu were excellent given the conditions. Sun Tzu advices the general to avoid the strong part of your enemy and attack the weak. This was what Ojukwu did when he noticed the Nigerians were attacking from Nsukka and left their Eastern flank exposed. He sent a division to attack Lagos. If his subordinate had carried out the order to the letter, the outcome of the war would have been very different and Biafra would have been an independent country. But imagine Lagos was better protected, the tactics of Sun Tzu, himself, provides a template on "attacking directly to engage your enemy, attack indirectly to win". The Nigerian soldiers were pulled from the Nsukka axis and sent to protect Lagos. Encircling them, the way Sun Tzu did to the warriors from Chu, as they head for Lagos would have been a good strategy in such a scenario. This is illustrated in the Documentary below:
While Nigeria adopted genocidal tactics to break the Biafran will, this only strengthened the will of the Biafran people. The most important asset a general should have, according to Sun Tzu, is the moral authority of the people - and Ojukwu had that. Till today, the Biafran spirit cannot be extinguished. The Nigerian soldiers, on the other hand, were not as motivated. They were motivated only by lies told to them, fear of Igbo domination and hatred of the Igbo people. They were not a disciplined force. The only advantage they had over Biafrans was international support. If the Biafrans had just enough guns, the Biafrans would definitely have won the war - this is not in doubt. But given the disadvantage, the only way of winning the war for a country not getting the same financial support is to take the war to the enemy. It is a tragedy that while the Biafrans were facing threat of genocide from the Nigerian soldiers, people were going about their normal daily businesses in Lagos, Kano, and other parts of Nigeria. I do not condemn Ojukwu for letting soldiers from other parts of Nigeria go safely with a rifle while Biafran soldiers and civilians were massacred. This is a good thing and in line with the Biafran Christian ideal. Other strategies should have been adopted to disrupt normal life in the major cities of Nigeria and force the Nigerians to pressure their government to stop the war. The best way for Biafran to fight Nigeria was not through a war of attrition but through Guerrilla tactics. A few examples: 1. Spies: The use of spies is a critical advice from Sun Tzu. There were Igbo people leaving in Nigeria under false names to evade persecution by the Nigerians. Since the Igbo are the best travelled and most cosmopolitan Nigerias, they can blend in to any environment and speaking other Nigerian languages can get them access to important information. I do not know the extent to which spies were used but their use would be critical to carrying out other suggestions I have. 2. Sabotage: Bombs should be placed to destroy important facilities in the Nigerian cities. Public buildings, stadiums, etc should be bombed - not to kill people but to create unease in the society. For example, place a bomb in an important building; call the management to alert them about the bomb and your intentions to detonate it in a few minutes so they can clear the building; detonate the bomb after the building is cleared so no one is killed. The aim is not to kill people but create sufficient panic so Nigerians question the benefit of fighting Biafra when their normal way of life is threatened. This method is adopted by Basque separatists ETA. 3. Assassination: Attempts should be made at the lives of Nigerian leaders authorizing genocide in Biafra. It's okay if you don't always succeed, you only have to be lucky once, they have to be lucky all the time. This would bring the nightmare they gave Biafrans everyday to their doorsteps. 4. Money: Nigeria was given money and support by the foreign powers that wanted Nigerian oil. Finances are important, this is why Nigeria changed the currency after Biafra seceded. It was a means of economic sabotage against Biafra. Biafra should have returned the favour by introducing a flood of counterfeit nairas on the Nigerian market. This would have served the purpose of buying essential items for Biafrans while destroying the value of the naira and creating inflation in the Nigerian economy. Small denomination notes should have been counterfeited by the Biafrans and introduced to Nigeria. Beggars are the best way to distribute these notes. Biafran spies should have given many of such notes to Nigerian beggars and destitutes.
These are the few strategies I can come up with now. Do feel free to add more. Add please, so this discussion does not get derailed IGNORE TROLLS. Silence is the best answer for fools, so please prove your intelligence by not engaging foolish commenters.
SmartTalk: Now, before you start reacting to the topic without understanding my reason for this post, a few caveats: 1. War is unnecessary. The Nigerian Civil war would have been avoided if Nigeria stuck to the terms agreed on in the Aburi Accord. 2. Biafra would rise again, but I do not think war with Nigeria would recur. Nigeria is doing a good job of destroying herself, so Biafrans only need to opt out when the madness reaches a head. Meanwhile we would just bid our time. 3. This is more of an intellectual exercise. Every country reappraise their pasts and see how they would have acted differently given the prevailing circumstance. Too many people comment with ignorance about the Civil War so encouraging this discussion makes us understand the subject more. This post is directed at those who blame the people running the Biafran effort but do not suggest what they would have done differently under similar conditions. I have concluded that if I was in the same shoes as Ojukwu, I would have done exactly the same thing. I would have seceded knowing that Nigeria was planning to invade the Eastern region after reneging on the Aburi peace agreement. This post is to discuss what extra efforts I would have made to defend the Biafran people from Nigerian Aggression.
A lot of the strategies adopted by Ojukwu were excellent given the conditions. Sun Tzu advices the general to avoid the strong part of your enemy and attack the weak. This was what Ojukwu did when he noticed the Nigerians were attacking from Nsukka and left their Eastern flank exposed. He sent a division to attack Lagos. If his subordinate had carried out the order to the letter, the outcome of the war would have been very different and Biafra would have been an independent country. But imagine Lagos was better protected, the tactics of Sun Tzu, himself, provides a template on "attacking directly to engage your enemy, attack indirectly to win". The Nigerian soldiers were pulled from the Nsukka axis and sent to protect Lagos. Encircling them, the way Sun Tzu did to the warriors from Chu, as they head for Lagos would have been a good strategy in such a scenario. This is illustrated in the Documentary below:
While Nigeria adopted genocidal tactics to break the Biafran will, this only strengthened the will of the Biafran people. The most important asset a general should have, according to Sun Tzu, is the moral authority of the people - and Ojukwu had that. Till today, the Biafran spirit cannot be extinguished. The Nigerian soldiers, on the other hand, were not as motivated. They were motivated only by lies told to them, fear of Igbo domination and hatred of the Igbo people. They were not a disciplined force. The only advantage they had over Biafrans was international support. If the Biafrans had just enough guns, the Biafrans would definitely have won the war - this is not in doubt. But given the disadvantage, the only way of winning the war for a country not getting the same financial support is to take the war to the enemy. It is a tragedy that while the Biafrans were facing threat of genocide from the Nigerian soldiers, people were going about their normal daily businesses in Lagos, Kano, and other parts of Nigeria. I do not condemn Ojukwu for letting soldiers from other parts of Nigeria go safely with a rifle while Biafran soldiers and civilians were massacred. This is a good thing and in line with the Biafran Christian ideal. Other strategies should have been adopted to disrupt normal life in the major cities of Nigeria and force the Nigerians to pressure their government to stop the war. The best way for Biafran to fight Nigeria was not through a war of attrition but through Guerrilla tactics. A few examples: 1. Spies: The use of spies is a critical advice from Sun Tzu. There were Igbo people leaving in Nigeria under false names to evade persecution by the Nigerians. Since the Igbo are the best travelled and most cosmopolitan Nigerias, they can blend in to any environment and speaking other Nigerian languages can get them access to important information. I do not know the extent to which spies were used but their use would be critical to carrying out other suggestions I have. 2. Sabotage: Bombs should be placed to destroy important facilities in the Nigerian cities. Public buildings, stadiums, etc should be bombed - not to kill people but to create unease in the society. For example, place a bomb in an important building; call the management to alert them about the bomb and your intentions to detonate it in a few minutes so they can clear the building; detonate the bomb after the building is cleared so no one is killed. The aim is not to kill people but create sufficient panic so Nigerians question the benefit of fighting Biafra when their normal way of life is threatened. This method is adopted by Basque separatists ETA. 3. Assassination: Attempts should be made at the lives of Nigerian leaders authorizing genocide in Biafra. It's okay if you don't always succeed, you only have to be lucky once, they have to be lucky all the time. This would bring the nightmare they gave Biafrans everyday to their doorsteps. 4. Money: Nigeria was given money and support by the foreign powers that wanted Nigerian oil. Finances are important, this is why Nigeria changed the currency after Biafra seceded. It was a means of economic sabotage against Biafra. Biafra should have returned the favour by introducing a flood of counterfeit nairas on the Nigerian market. This would have served the purpose of buying essential items for Biafrans while destroying the value of the naira and creating inflation in the Nigerian economy. Small denomination notes should have been counterfeited by the Biafrans and introduced to Nigeria. Beggars are the best way to distribute these notes. Biafran spies should have given many of such notes to Nigerian beggars and destitutes.
These are the few strategies I can come up with now. Do feel free to add more. Add please, so this discussion does not get derailed IGNORE TROLLS. Silence is the best answer for fools, so please prove your intelligence by not engaging foolish commenters.
These people have not learnt and will not learn. I dont blame you thou, I blame Emmanuel Ifeajuna and Emeka Ojukwu who led the first coup and the civil war respectively and ran ino exile after killing innocent and defenceless people and abandoning other officers and people they led. What do you call such people?[/b][b][/b]
aside the fact that Biafrans rushed to declare soverienty, I would love to add, why on earth did Ojukwu trust one of the major battle to Banjo? if u so much trust a foreigner to fight ur battle, not when you set him against his fatherland! Banjo could have being made to stay withing Biafra, fighting any incursion by Nigeria or made to fight towards the north. Im Yoruba, and if Im in Bajo's position I will betray anybody who wants to use me against my fatherland! Mind you Im not blaming Ojukwu fo trusting Banjo, but he was very wrong sending him to fight his fatherland.
cogitoErgo: aside the fact that Biafrans rushed to declare soverienty, I would love to add, why on earth did Ojukwu trust one of the major battle to Banjo? if u so much trust a foreigner to fight ur battle, not when you set him against his fatherland! Banjo could have being made to stay withing Biafra, fighting any incursion by Nigeria or made to fight towards the north. [size=18pt]Im Yoruba[/size], and if Im in Bajo's position [size=18pt]I will betray anybody[/size] who wants to use me against my fatherland! Mind you Im not blaming Ojukwu fo trusting Banjo, but he was very wrong sending him to fight his fatherland.
cogitoErgo: Im Yoruba, and if Im in Bajo's position I will betray anybody who wants to use me against my fatherland! Mind you Im not blaming Ojukwu fo trusting Banjo, but he was very wrong sending him to fight his fatherland.
Ojukwu didn't exactly trust Banjo rather like you opined, he was using Banjo as his "Trojan horse" into
yorubaland. Remember the mid-west invasion and how ojukwu unbeknown to banjo had instructed a unit led by Lt. Col. Ochei (a
Midwest Ibo officer), to specifically attack the Government house in Benin, ostensibly to capture the governor, Lt. Col. Ejoor
You miss the mark widely. First, Ojukwu sent 5000 soldiers to the West. Even if they got to Lagos, they would have been isolated from the main Biafran Army by long distance which would have meant their deaths. 5000 can't hold Lagos with millions surrounding them on all sides. Second, the Second division (Murtala) was formed from units from the 3rd Marine Commando (Adekunle) and from sons of the mid-west and west who joined the war efforts earnestly. Third,the mission of the Second Division wasn't to protect Lagos but to chase the Biafrans out. It was the Biafran Expeditionary Force that was vulnerable to an encirclement. A lake doesn't encircle the land around it.
I think you are the one missing the mark. I put up a video emphasising the importance I place on flexible military strategies. The loyalty of Nigerians was up in the air - still is. Who told you Lagosians would continue to fight for Nigeria when the Biafran army, lead by a Yoruba son, liberates Lagos? Why do you think Awolowo demanded the withdrawal of Northern soldiers from the West before the conflict? The same Mid-Westerners were the ones who aided the Biafran liberation of the Mid-West. So, like I said, the loyalty of Nigerians to Nigeria is up in the air, and it still is. This is even more so for Nigerian leaders who would sell this country if they had an offer. After all, the Northern leadership at that time was entering into a "mutual protection pact" with Britain, a move British secret documents reveal as in pursuit of their own interests. And whoever told you that the number of soldiers must match up with the number of civilians? That hardly ever happens and does not ensure victory either. Read about Israel's war of Independence.
Katsumoto:
If Biafra wanted to be its own country, then relying on the Nigerian currency surely was a huge mistake. It gained initially from taking Nigerian currency in the East and in Benin to buy weapons but that was a short term strategy. It didn't develop its own revenues sources. As for your comment about Biafra introducing counterfeit currencies, that wouldn't have worked for two reasons: 1. Biafra didn't have the means to print currency 2. Even if it did, it had no means of getting it into Nigeria. After Nigeria changed its currency in 1968, it improved its border controls to ensure that old currency couldn't get in. This had the effect of turning the currency the Biafrans took from the Central banks in the East into paper. Old currency was even stopped in places like Lome. 3. Once new currency was introduced, international agencies wouldn't have accepted Nigerian currency from Biafrans for obvious reasons.
I said nothing about relying on Nigerian currency. Biafra DID make their own currency so surely their could forge other currencies. And developing revenue sources is naturally done in peace time. Nigeria has not developed revenue sources beyond oil. Biafra undoubtedly would have done better. And trust me, there were means of circulating fake Nigerian currency to destroy the value.
Katsumoto:
What are these excellent strategies that Ojukwu adopted? What was the main point of the Biafran strategy? How did Biafra plan to win the war?
You would benefit from good old research. There is no time and space to begin to answer your question. Thank goodness you have access to the internet.
Katsumoto:
The biggest error made by Biafra was that it didn’t plan for war. Declaring Biafra too soon; Biafra was declared on May 29th, Nigeria launched its offensive on the 6th of July. Biafra did not have the time to source for weapons. Hence its locally made weapons were not sufficient to prosecute a full scale war.It rushed into war thinking that the perceived ‘bravery’ of its sons would enable it to prevail. Bravery enables you to win battles but strategy wins wars. Biafra should have been patient with its planning. Patience would have enabled it to acquire much needed military equipment and develop its intelligence network. It had no Navy or Airforce and that’s why Nigeria controlled the skies and waters for the duration of the war.
The second biggest error was that it didn’t seek alliances with its neighbors. The war was initially between the East and the North. Biafra should have pretended to be pacified and then started secret negotiations with its neighbors to the East and West. But instead, it tried to capture Lagos. If it captured Lagos, the victory would have been symbolic but not advantageous for the simple reason that the seat of power can be moved temporarily. For instance, Biafra did not collapse after Enugu, its capital, was captured in the first few months of the war. Similarly, De Gaulle and the Polish war leaders conducted their war efforts from England during the Second World War. If Lagos fell, Gowon would have simply moved to Kano or Kaduna. The move to Lagos irked its neighbors and enabled Gowon to recruit aggressively from groups that were initially neutral to the war effort.
Other errors include 1. Biafra based its capital so close to enemy territory. Enugu fell so quickly that Biafra was on the back foot throughout the war. 2. Not having the finances/revenue to prosecute a war. Biafra was reliant on collecting money in circulation and in the banks in the East. It also required its citizens to fund the war effort with their savings. The problem with that approach is that you need capital to generate revenue. That was the approach taken by Awo who introduced or increased taxes and treasury bills. 3. Not anticipating that super powers would support Nigeria (this is called short-sightedness) or obtaining strategic support from the super powers 4. Biafra did not have the means to feed its citizens with the war on its soil; this was exacerbated by not having a single ally on any of its borders.
The italicized statement is the reason we should discuss this topic more. Anyone presented with Biafra's situation or who actually knows the history of the war would be shocked at your thinking that liberating Lagos would not be advantageous. The liberation of the Mid-West alone made the British consider stopping arms supplies to Nigeria and suing for peace. One of Harold Wilson's advisers, Thomas, suggested that he should do just that. It took the British ambassador in Lagos, Sir David Hunt, to fly to Britain and convince the British administration to continue arms supplies. So just imagine if the mission was carried out, it would be more difficult for Nigeria to source for weapons. Wherever they want to use as their administrative center for war planning is irrelevant. As long as the coastal areas of Nigeria were supplying weapons to the Nigerian cause, they had to be cut off. As for the rest of your post, pretending to be pacified would have meant being okay with the killings in the North and the rest of Nigeria. It would have also meant that the Govt's plan of divide and conquer which saw them creating 12 states instead of going for confederation as was agreed on. I agree with you insofar as deception being critical in warfare, but given the situation of the time and the already signed peace agreement, NO ONE would have accepted reneging on the Aburi accord. Awolowo had the luxury of using taxes. Biafra didn't. After seizing Igbo-owned property in much of Nigeria, not much was left for taxes. No one reading British intelligence would have imagined that Britain would support Nigeria. Infact, they declared neutrality until they saw that Biafra would not be a walk in the park for Nigeria. Read http://www.afrikanistik-online.de/archiv/2011/3042
As main backer of Nigeria's regime, Britain cannot be exonerated from responsibility for the many civilians who starved to death. It is unlikely, however, that the British government instigated the hostilities against the Igbo. Chibuike Uche, an Igbo scholar who studied recently declassified documents, found "no evidence that [Britain] encouraged the [July 1966] massacre. Archival evidence points to the contrary. The British High Commissioner at the time made spirited efforts to get Gowon to do more to stop the killing of Ibos". [154] After his talks with the Nigerian leadership in August and September 1966, the High Commissioner wrote to London that Gowon refused "to face up to the stark facts of the scale of brutalities in the North, and the extent of the Army's positive responsibilities for them". [155] For British diplomats, this denial was dangerous as it threatened the unity of Nigeria: "The Northern murderers are certainly making it as difficult as possible for the East to refrain from secession. The disastrous consequences for the Northern economy are brushed aside by even sophisticated Northerners as secondary to the need to make it quite impossible for the Ibos ever again to aspire to play any decisive part in the North". [156]
