Why did Ojukwu go to war, to actualize personal beliefs or to expand Igbo territory?

why did he cross to west if he meant to secede?

Here are few markers in the war.

1. A plotted attempt by ibos to deploy and nationalize the ibo brand all over non-ibo lands of the federation had failed. Nzeogwu's selected elimination of political and military leaders.

2. A second attempt and successful snatch of power by ibos conniving and deposing the civilian regime in a deception that had Dipcharima fearing that if he did not yield power he and his party members, the rightful majority to the seat, would be eliminated. He therefore yielded to Ironsi.

3. An investigation into the Nzeogwu plot was dragged and the plotters shielded giving perception of bias and favoritism.

4. The imbalance movement and promotion of ibo civil servants as well ibo military officers to serve as head of parastatals and command units.

5. The interference in regional governments, dissolving powers reserved for the regions through the use of decrees.

6. Instead of offering sympathy and condolence and sharing in goodwill with their Hausa neighbors who just lost Bello and Balewa, ibos in the North.....inflated by the power of their new ascension to top posts flaunted arrogance and know-how and broke the plug that had held in the steam from exploding. 

7. The Northerners retaliated with their own coup and went wild killing ibos.

8. A second failure in the attempt to be at the top of the totem pole and ibolize Nigeria. 

9. Gowon became head of state. Ojukwu took it personal as an insult that he, an Oxford graduate, would be subordinate to a secondary school certificate holder. Moreover, Gowon dismissed Ojukwu's request to follow the protocol of ascension......Ogundipe was senior and the next in line. When Ironsi unlawfully took power out of turn and quite illegitimately from a democratically elected officials, Ojukwu was one of those that sanctioned it and in fact he was the one who coined the title "Supreme" Military Commander which Ironsi used. He fought agaonst Gowon using that title on grounds that Ironsi had not officially been declared dead and therefore Ironsi was still the SMC.

10. Ojukwu grew suspicious and feared that Gowon and Murtala were after him. He decided that if ibos could not be ontop of everybody then nobody would be on top of ibo.....particularly those he considered inferior to ibos - Yorubas and Hausas and all other non-ibos.

11. Ojukwu isolated himself in Enugu and started a propaganda briefings. Relationships broke down between Lagos and Enugu.

12. Aburi was an attempt to review what happened from January 66 to date and obtain reconciliation. Gestures of goodwill by Gowon and the other accompanying delegates from Lsgos was dismissed and rebuffed by Ojukwu. Their invitation for reconciliation was repeatedly shut down by Ojukwu.

13. There were conditions which both sides did not enumerate iclearly n the Aburi contract. On return when these lack of clarity became apparent the accord was interpreted out of intent causing further mistrust and cold relations.

14. Ojukwu became more suspicious and agitated that the other side is not honoring the agreements. He concluded that if the contract could not be honored then he would take his people by force out of Nigeria....he started campaigning for Biafra.

15. Gowon responded by divesting the Eastern region and breaking Ojukwu's hold-choke on the non-ibos in the East. 

16. Ojukwu declared sovereingty of Biafra.

17. Biafra marched into non-ibo territories and planted Biafran flags, claiming them as part of his domain.



Was Ojukwu fighting an ideological war or was this a territorial war?

Wild juxtapositions and reckless spinning of history by the unholy formula of 90 percent lies and 10 percent truth.

Back to your question. My answer is none of the above. It was a war of survival and self determination. These are two inalienabl rights of man

Dudu_Negro: Here are few markers in the war.

1. A plotted attempt by ibos to deploy and nationalize the ibo brand all over non-ibo lands of the federation had failed. Nzeogwu's selected elimination of political and military leaders.

2. A second attempt and successful snatch of power by ibos conniving and deposing the civilian regime in a deception that had Dipcharima fearing that if he did not yield power he and his party members, the rightful majority to the seat, would be eliminated. He therefore yielded to Ironsi.

3. An investigation into the Nzeogwu plot was dragged and the plotters shielded giving perception of bias and favoritism.

4. The imbalance movement and promotion of ibo civil servants as well ibo military officers to serve as head of parastatals and command units.

5. The interference in regional governments, dissolving powers reserved for the regions through the use of decrees.

6. Instead of offering sympathy and condolence and sharing in goodwill with their Hausa neighbors who just lost Bello and Balewa, ibos in the North.....inflated by the power of their new ascension to top posts flaunted arrogance and know-how and broke the plug that had held in the steam from exploding. 

7. The Northerners retaliated with their own coup and went wild killing ibos.

8. A second failure in the attempt to be at the top of the totem pole and ibolize Nigeria. 

9. Gowon became head of state. Ojukwu took it personal as an insult that he, an Oxford graduate, would be subordinate to a secondary school certificate holder. Moreover, Gowon dismissed Ojukwu's request to follow the protocol of ascension......Ogundipe was senior and the next in line. When Ironsi unlawfully took power out of turn and quite illegitimately from a democratically elected officials, Ojukwu was one of those that sanctioned it and in fact he was the one who coined the title "Supreme" Military Commander which Ironsi used. He fought agaonst Gowon using that title on grounds that Ironsi had not officially been declared dead and therefore Ironsi was still the SMC.

10. Ojukwu grew suspicious and feared that Gowon and Murtala were after him. He decided that if ibos could not be ontop of everybody then nobody would be on top of ibo.....particularly those he considered inferior to ibos - Yorubas and Hausas and all other non-ibos.

11. Ojukwu isolated himself in Enugu and started a propaganda briefings. Relationships broke down between Lagos and Enugu.

12. Aburi was an attempt to review what happened from January 66 to date and obtain reconciliation. Gestures of goodwill by Gowon and the other accompanying delegates from Lsgos was dismissed and rebuffed by Ojukwu. Their invitation for reconciliation was repeatedly shut down by Ojukwu.

13. There were conditions which both sides did not enumerate iclearly n the Aburi contract. On return when these lack of clarity became apparent the accord was interpreted out of intent causing further mistrust and cold relations.

14. Ojukwu became more suspicious and agitated that the other side is not honoring the agreements. He concluded that if the contract could not be honored then he would take his people by force out of Nigeria....he started campaigning for Biafra.

15. Gowon responded by divesting the Eastern region and breaking Ojukwu's hold-choke on the non-ibos in the East. 

16. Ojukwu declared sovereingty of Biafra.

17. Biafra marched into non-ibo territories and planted Biafran flags, claiming them as part of his domain.



Was Ojukwu fighting an ideological war or was this a territorial war?

nku5: Wild juxtapositions and reckless spinning of history by the unholy formula of 90 percent lies and 10 percent truth.

Back to your question. My answer is none of the above. It was a war of survival and self determination. These are two inalienabl rights of man

What hindrances were blocking or threatrening your survival and standing in thr way of your self-determination?

Chief Dudu_negro

As a student of Nigerian history, everything you wrote was on the money, except the Nzeogwu bit... Ifeajuna and Nnamdi Azikwe colluded, and used Nzeogwu as the face of the 1966 coup - they were real hands behind the deadly coup...

1966 coup was an Ifeajuna coup - Nzeogwu was just used as a pawn, to divert the attention away from the real coup plotters...

Nnamdi Azikwe(NCNC) was also behind the Operation wetti thing in the SW - you failed to include that in your write-up...

Nice write-up, though...

The indisputable stupi.d greatest coward called ojuiku wanna play smart he won chop person land.
My guy run commot go ivory coast when he see say o boy fire dey come.

The pathetic part of it was the kids he left to face hunger and others, untimely death.

Papa dey chop t.o.t.o
Kids they suffer

Mvrtherfvcker

Just last Monday, when Nigeria was celebrating her so called Independence Day, about 40 students (more likely of southern) origin were kiled in cold blood.

At Poster, why not blame it on Ojukwu and the Igbos.

^
How does this affect the question of the OP? on a similar note, an ibo businessman was kidnapped and killed by six ibo kidnappers. How about that?

Just answer the question or bounce!.

If Biafra was about Territorail Control , what do we call Nigeria where people claim they were fight against Igbos snatching Niger Delta oil wells only for the same Roques to Relocate all the Oil and gas company Headquaters to Lagos Make sure the Nger Delta Ports (calabar, Warri and Onne Port PH) are not dredged to allow for Big vessels to berth and the worst of it all bring up a new decree called land use act that will make all Mineral rights belong to the Federal Government rather than controlled by states , The same roques changed the Revenue Sharing Formual and Niger Deltans are getting 13 % of their God given Oil Revenue ( compare that to what is obtainable in texas and the United Arab Emirates).
As if to finally finish the Destiny of Niger Deltans they gave away the only oil rich Island Bakassi in Niger Delta to a neighbouring Country Cameroon without the firing of a single gun shot.

Who is really fooling who

kettykin: If Biafra was about Territorail Control , what do we call Nigeria where people claim they were fight against Igbos snatching Niger Delta oil wells only for the same Roques to Relocate all the Oil and gas company Headquaters to Lagos Make sure the Nger Delta Ports (calabar, Warri and Onne Port PH) are not dredged to allow for Big vessels to berth and the worst of it all bring up a new decree called land use act that will make all Mineral rights belong to the Federal Government rather than controlled by states , The same roques changed the Revenue Sharing Formual and Niger Deltans are getting 13 % of their God given Oil Revenue ( compare that to what is obtainable in texas and the United Arab Emirates).
As if to finally finish the Destiny of Niger Deltans they gave away the only oil rich Island Bakassi in Niger Delta to a neighbouring Country Cameroon without the firing of a single gun shot.

Who is really fooling who

lolz hahaha they think we are as dumbs as they
thieves!

it was a war to right the 1914 grand error. Your blowing it out of proportion is expected. Keep on dreaming.

shymexx: Chief Dudu_negro

As a student of Nigerian history, everything you wrote was on the money, except the Nzeogwu bit... Ifeajuna and Nnamdi Azikwe colluded, and used Nzeogwu as the face of the 1966 coup - they were real hands behind the deadly coup...

1966 coup was an Ifeajuna coup - Nzeogwu was just used as a pawn, to divert the attention away from the real coup plotters...

Nnamdi Azikwe(NCNC) was also behind the Operation wetti thing in the SW - you failed to include that in your write-up...

Nice write-up, though...

Thanks. I agree that there existed a wide and deep web of interconnect between top ranking Igbos, military and civilians, and thise who carried out the coup.

I dont know what time span and production hours it takes from ideation to design to prototyping, proofing and then going into production...in order to mint the Biafran currency, weave the Biafran insignia on the uniform and hats of the soldiers as well the flags, and there were two flag designs - 1 for Biafraland, 2 for posessions of Biafra Nation. So taking all these minute details into account and laying it over the timeline between when Ojukwu declared Biafra and when the currency were already in circulation and uniforms and flags on the ground it would seem there was too short a time to have had all these materials ready if the two chronologies were in synch.

Again, I dont know how long ut takes to produce these thkngs.....but my suspicion is that Biafra had been declared way back when Balewa was PM. The coup and elimination of those people were systemic with the plot for a Biafraland.

Another minute note is what happened when Ojukwu was commanding officer in Kano. Soon as he got message that the Kaduna leg of the coup was complete Ojukwu made attempt without federal authority and approval to truck money out of the central bank there.

A coup is in session, what does a commanding officer need to get in the central bank for?

Dudu_Negro:

Thanks. I agree that there existed a wide and deep web of interconnect between top ranking Igbos, military and civilians, and thise who carried out the coup.

I dont know what time span and production hours it takes from ideation to design to prototyping, proofing and then going into production...in order to mint the Biafran currency, weave the Biafran insignia on the uniform and hats of the soldiers as well the flags, and there were two flag designs - 1 for Biafraland, 2 for posessions of Biafra Nation. So taking all these minute details into account and laying it over the timeline between when Ojukwu declared Biafra and when the currency were already in circulation and uniforms and flags on the ground it would seem there was too short a time to have had all these materials ready if the two chronologies were in synch.

Again, I dont know how long ut takes to produce these thkngs.....but my suspicion is that Biafra had been declared way back when Balewa was PM. The coup and elimination of those people were systemic with the plot for a Biafraland.

Another minute note is what happened when Ojukwu was commanding officer in Kano. Soon as he got message that the Kaduna leg of the coup was complete Ojukwu made attempt without federal authority and approval to truck money out of the central bank there.

A coup is in session, what does a commanding officer need to get in the central bank for?

Of course I will not blame you, you are like the rest of them Nigerians.
You fail to realize how fast and intelligently the average igbo mind works, all those things you mentioned were possible because we were free to think and do things without the bitterness and wickedness of the yoruba and hausa. I challenge you guys to leave this nation in the hands of 20 intelligent igbo guys and ladies for 20 years, this land will be better than the USA!!!

All these efforts to rescue awo can not change history.
It is easier to consider P.W Botha a saint than to believe
and buy this "counter Achebe strategy".

Eko Atlantic*:
The indisputable stupi.d greatest coward called ojuiku wanna play smart he won chop person land.
My guy run commot go ivory coast when he see say o boy fire dey come.

The pathetic part of it was the kids he left to face hunger and others, untimely death.

Papa dey chop t.o.t.o
Kids they suffer

Mvrtherfvcker

I Like the pictures of those resilient children that defied awos's
theory of death.Where they started is not the issue but how they ended with some becoming world
class model and face of joy soap.Even wole awolowo can not compete with any of those kids today
and tokubo dosumu looks too ugly without passing through what those kids went through in the hand of their evil
father.