While it is common to hear an argument postulated by adherents of a recent pro-Biafra agitation resurgence among young listeners of a pirate radio station operating out of the United Kingdom, Radio Biafra, that “Biafra” was the initial name of the territory to which the South of Nigeria belonged, our checks have failed to substantiate this claim. The idea has been pushed by the Radio station run by a rather radical individual, Nwannekaenyi Kenny Okwu- Kanu, who goes by the alias, Nnamdi Kanu. Apparently the name “Biafra” or “Biafara” was picked again because the former Premiere of Nigeria’s then Eastern region, Odumegwu Ojukwu had chosen the “Biafra” name for the territory he wished to preside over; however there is no evidence that Ojukwu selected that name because he believed it was the name of his ancestral home. Rather it was the name of much of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Príncipe and perhaps a nice name that tickled Ojukwu’s fancy. Or perhaps Ojukwu was suggesting an ancestral origin outside Nigeria in the Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon region.

The maps can be seen on the Princeton University
website and enlarged to examine. We have brought out the relative parts below.

In the image above, River Camarones can be noticed at
the left border of “Biafra.” This river, now called
Wouri river is in the middle of today’s Cameroon.

The Region Is Benin And Not Biafra
Calabar, Nigeria’s Eastern border is seen well within
territory called Benin; Benin, a large demarcated
kingdom that extends deep into today’s Cameroon,
before the region known as Biafra starts.
Based on these findings, “Benin” would serve as a
more accurate historical fact based sobriquet for the
southern parts of Nigeria in discussion.

Another map from 1644 also puts “Biafara” solidly in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Príncipe and far from Nigeria’s furthest Eastern border. Apparently the prior name of the territory now called Biafra by this group was recognized and mapped as “Benin,” and never Biafra in all historic maps.

Origins Of The Name “Biafra” According to Encyclopaedia britannica: a dictionary of arts, sciences …, Volume 11-12, year 1910 , the name “Biafra” from “Bight of Biafra, comes from the word, “Mafra,” a town in Portugal.

The Portuguese named a country extending from Cameroon southward to Equatorial Guinea, Biafra,” but the name was later dropped in the later part of the 19th century.

The Bight of Biafra, or Mafra (named after the town Mafra in southern Portugal), between Capes Formosa and Lopez, is the most eastern part of the Gulf of Guinea; it contains the islands Fernando Po [Equitorial Guinea], Prince’s and St Thomas’s [São Tomé and Príncipe]. The name Biafra-as indicating the country-fell into disuse in the later part of the 19th century.

It is left to see whether realizing this, the Biafra Restoration project will properly trace their roots based on accurate geographical locations and take their plight to and desire to restore “Biafra” to Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
We call on all Nigerians and foreigners to resolve to
intellectual redress of pertinent matters and to refrain from insult, disrespect and violence

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MMP4B2fqR0

Source: http://newsrescue.com/old-maps-show-biafra-was-actually-in-cameroon-and-never-part-of-nigeria/#axzz3qlc4jYET

Cc lalasticlala

Are you saying the Biafra agitators in Nigeria need to go to Cameroun to fight for their land or those living in Biafara in Cameroun should come and get them?

Your analysis, if correct, will confuse many more than they are now.

SmartMugu:
Are you saying the Biafra agitators in Nigeria need to go to Cameroun to fight for their land or those living in Biafara in Cameroun should come and get them?

Your analysis, if correct, will confuse many more than they are now.

If the youthful Radio Biafra family does believe they are from Biafra, this would mean that they are Cameroonians and Equatorial Guineans and can only take their grouses and demands of a return to their ancestral home and creation of a related state to these countries and to the UN with the proper geographical location in these Nigeria’s neighbour's territory

This report questioned whether Odumegwu Ojukwu knew Biafra was not in Nigeria’s current territorial boundaries when he selected that name.
Pro-biafra agitators should properly trace their roots based on accurate geographical locations and take their plight to and desire to restore “Biafra” to Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Does this change who they are or what they want? I think the answer is,No.

NOBODYY:

[If the youthful Radio Biafra family does believe they are
from Biafra, this would mean that they are Cameroonians
and Equatorial Guineans and can only take their grouses
and demands of a return to their ancestral home and
creation of a related state to these countries and to the UN
with the proper geographical location in these Nigeria’s
neighbour's territory

You mentioned the youthful. There is every probability that the Biafra youths can only rely on stories they heard from their parents or various versions of history available to them; which in most cases will not tally; one person's experience of the Biafra war would be different from the other person's narration of it.

Ojukwu's fight for Biafra never mentioned potential affiliations with Cameroon or Equitorial Guinea, so I doubt if the youths would make any sense of your hypothesis. May be sharing your sources can help.

People would likely rely on history as passed onto them from those that actually saw the war and only understood Biafra should be carved out of Nigeria from the original Ojukwu's Biafra fight.

I really wish Nigeria kept records in databases, so we don't have to rely on records external communities feed us. They may be intended to further prevent us from understanding one another than the way it is today.

Nice analysis! But why is the rest of the country so worried by the move to breakaway from Nigeria by the Biafran Agitators?


Let them go peacefully nauuu! If your sister is in a marriage where she's fed up with her husband and her inlaws, won't you let her return in peace? Abi na by force to dey inside marriage forever in this 21st century?

Free them oooo. As for me in Delta State, we are not bothered wether they go or not. We are only bothered about the Right to Free Association!

So help Me God!

175:
Nice analysis! But why is the rest of the country so worried by the move to breakaway from Nigeria by the Biafran Agitators?


Let them go peacefully nauuu! If your sister is in a marriage where she's fed up with her husband and her inlaws, won't you let her return in peace? Abi na by force to dey inside marriage forever in this 21st century?

Free them oooo. As for me in Delta State, we are not bothered wether they go or not. We are only bothered about to Right to Free Association!

So help Me God!

Now it gets more confusing. You are from Delta State, isn't Delta State one of the states Biafra agitators are claiming? In other words, if Biafra comes to limelight, you would rather be a Nigerian than a Biafran?

The more reason I believe the known leaders in respective Biafra states should be the ones driving the fight. The youths should first focus on getting the leaders to understand what their fight is about. Afterwards, they can ddeuce what regions want to be in Biafra and what doesnt.

You just can't impose a new nationality on anyone just like that. Several people from the stated Biafra regions have accomplished so much in other regions, with successful businesses, properties and recognition. Are we saying they need to give all of that up to start all afresh in a new country?

Hehehee.

SmartMugu:

Now it gets more confusing. You are from Delta State, isn't Delta State one of the states Biafra agitators are claiming? In other words, if Biafra comes to limelight, you would rather be a Nigerian than a Biafran?

Biafra cannot claim the South-South in this 21st century!

However, If Biafra comes to light, I will still prefare to be a Nigerian!

And If Nigeria is no longer accomodating as it is currently being piloted, The Republic of Niger Delta becomes my prefrence!

So help me God.

175:



Biafra cannot claim the South-South in this 21st century!

However, If Biafra comes to light, I will still prefare to be a Nigerian!

And If Nigeria is no longer accomodating as it is currently being piloted, The Republic of Niger Delta becomes my prefrence!

So help me God.

Republic of Niger Delta? I didn't know of that one o. So, that will be carved out of Biafra, right? I thought Biafra covers all those areas, leaving only Yorubas and Hausas to keep Nigeria if they want. I didn't know there are other potential republics within Biafra.

Someone posted this already.

SmartMugu:

Republic of Niger Delta? I didn't know of that one o. So, that will be carved out of Biafra, right? I thought Biafra covers all those areas, leaving only Yorubas and Hausas to keep Nigeria if they want. I didn't know there are other potential republics within Biafra.

I'm more concerned by the geo-political creations because it defines the various ethnic nationalities more clearer in terms of singularity of culture and zeal for progressive competition!

175:



I'm more concerned by the geo-political creations because it defines the various ethnic nationalities more clearer in terms of singularity of culture and zeal for progressive competition!

I would think that should have been clearly defined before the agitation. So, some of those that got killed or locked up in the fight already don't even know if their regions fall within the Biafra they're fighting for?

No problem. We prefer Cameroon to the Zoo.

SmartMugu:


I would think that should have been clearly defined before the agitation. So, some of those that got killed or locked up in the fight already don't even know if their regions fall within the Biafra they're fighting for?

It's pathetic how you carry this in your head. So because it's not defined, we must stay in Nigeria.
How long does it take to define a map?

NOBODYY:

If the youthful Radio Biafra family does believe they are from Biafra, this would mean that they are Cameroonians and Equatorial Guineans and can only take their grouses and demands of a return to their ancestral home and creation of a related state to these countries and to the UN with the proper geographical location in these Nigeria’s neighbour's territory

This report questioned whether Odumegwu Ojukwu knew Biafra was not in Nigeria’s current territorial boundaries when he selected that name.
Pro-biafra agitators should properly trace their roots based on accurate geographical locations and take their plight to and desire to restore “Biafra” to Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Naming of the country Biafra has nothing to do with what later became the contiguous of Nigeria. It is a waste of your time to prove otherwise. It is even funny that some people claim Benin or Bini when in fact what was known as Benin via Portuguese was not Benin. Most Africans are lost on the originality hence my quest to have Republic of Igbo land.

Holyman3:


It's pathetic how you carry this in your head. So because it's not defined, we must stay in Nigeria.
How long does it take to define a map?

Who carries what in their head? Where did you come from and what are you talking about?
Who is we? Biafra? What states make up Biafra? And what's the proof the states agreed to it?
Lost. What is this person saying?

I pity some people, your lands have been governed by your people in the past 16 years and U still complain of lack of infrastructures and Co.

The very little you have, has been given to you by those you now tag "adversaries".


When the 3rd highest position in the country was zoned to you, in 8 years, U had 5 leaders, while ur "adversaries" who held the 1st and 2nd positions supported their tribesmen through thick and thin for 8 years.

You held the highest position in the land for about 6 years, yet your region parades the worst international airport in the world, you could not construct a 2nd bridge to link the rest of the country, you still have to travel over 600km to go access a sea port, abandoning yours, you could not construct a rail track across your region.

The youngest country in the world today - South Sudan, agitated for independence from Sudan and in 2011, she got it through a referendum, but today South Sudan has the highest score in the "Failed State Index".

a word is enough for the wise...

SmartMugu:

Who carries what in their head? Where did you come from and what are you talking about?
Who is we? Biafra? What states make up Biafra? And what's the proof the states agreed to it?
Lost. What is this person saying?

What if they chose Republic of Adam? Must Adam be part of the geography that became Nigeria? Biafra could have come from Fernando Po for all I care.

Your attempt to trace the origin of the name Biafra while cross-referencing archaic maps from Colonial times gravely hinders your conclusion. As for the blood tasty agitators of war, no individual unfortunate to be a witness to the civil war would want a sequel, except for the illiterate few that champion such calls.

Lol, so the naming of the new country is wrong and has been wrong all along. Open ballot so the agitators can choose new name

Malay, SA, singapore and few others jail and execute Biafrans quarterly yet u still troop there. If biafra gets independence, they would still be everywhere in naija like cockroaches and it would be extremely difficult to impose immigration controls. Igbos asking for biafra is just like a 7 year old child asking for car keys

If u give biafra independence then niger delta too should be free because if you ask me they are the ones who should be free. There lands has been soiled powering nigeria yet no atom of development dere,they have been cheated far more than biafrans.

@ NOBODYY

Stop deceiving people.

www.africafederation.net/Biafra__Maps.htm

You can see the first map in Portuguese not the british and Italian maps you showed.

That Portuguese map is the original.

You are being dishonest, you selectively showed British map that excluded eastern Nigeria and went an extra length to show that crap Italian map.
Nawa oo.