Open Letter Of Resignation To Odumegwu Ojukwu

FROM Robert S. Goldstein (Public Relations Representative of Biafra in the United States) (Published in the Morning Post, Lagos, August 17, 1968)

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

POINT 1 - In November of 1967 when we met in Umuahia, you and your Cabinet were very impressive. You told me of the woes of your little Republic, that thousands of people had died, were dying and more were prepared to die for freedom's sake. You and your Cabinet told me you believed world opinion would help your cause if you could get your story across. You expressed the opinion that very few if any people in the United States knew of the plight of the Biafrans.

You asked me to tell the world that Britain had teamed up with Russia in a conspiracy with the Federal Government of Nigeria to murder every Ibo in Biafra. You suggested I use my talents to induce the Press to write about the Biafran side of the war, as at that time all news came out of Lagos. You will recall I did not take the assignment that day but stayed on several days before deciding to take that job to help win the peace At that time I stated to you and your cabinet that I was taking the assignment making it crystal clear I would try my best to help win the peace not the war.

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

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

POINT FOUR - Then urgent telex messages were received from 'Biafra' telling of tens of thousands of people starving in the refugee camps, the villages, the bush country - stating if something weren’t done in the next few months over a million women, children and aged would be starved to death. I immediately contacted the Press, urgently petitioned the State Department for action on their part. Food, medicine and milk were sent to the only available ports open for immediate shipment to 'Biafra' via land routes through Federal and Biafra territory, under the auspices of world organizations such as the International Red Cross among others.

Then came the incredible answer from 'Biafra' that land corridors could not be acceptable until there was a complete ceasefire, and that an airlift was the only solution to feed the starving. You then appeared before the various Heads of State and representatives of the OAU at Niamey in Niger. I fully expected you to at least accept the world help that was offered your starving throngs. However, you delayed, hoping to use these unfortunates with world sympathy on their side as a tool to further your ambition to achieve war concessions at the upcoming peace talks in Addis Ababa. Thus innocent victims continue to perish needlessly of starvation, the most agonising death that can befall any living creature.

POINT FIVE - This was incredible to me. I am now convinced that I have been used by you and your cabinet to help in military adventures of your origin....using your starving hordes as hostages to negotiate a victory.

If at some later date, following the isuance of this letter, you do concede to allow a mercy land corridor...would you expect me to agree to espouse before the world Press the incredible delay of your decision. What explanation could I honestly give for the needless prolongation of this horror.

Inconceivable acts

I pray this communication may in some small way influence you to move affirmatively, allowing the mercy land corridor to be born. It is inconceivable to me that you would stop the feeding of thousands of your countrymen (under auspicies of world organizations such as the International Red Cross, World Council of Churches and many more) via a land corridor which is the only practical way to bring in food to help at this time. It is inconcivable to me that men of good faith would try to twist world opinion in such a manner as to deceive people into believing that the starvation and hunger that is consuming 'Biafra' is a plot of Britian, Nigeria and others to commit genocide.

POINT SIX - I cannot in all conscience serve you any longer. Nor can I be a party to suppressing the fact that your starving thousands have the food, medicine and milk available to them.....it can and is ready to be delivered through international organizations to you. Only your constant refusal has stopped its delivery. I am this date, tendering my resignation and am returning to Mr. Collins Obih of the African Continental Bank all the fees you have given me (Letter of Credit No. 354 $400,000 US. )

I have sent your representative in New York a Bond in the amount of 800.000 pounds that I was holding in your behalf. I have also this date, sent the Bond of 200,000 pounds issues by the Central Bankl of Nigeria back to them for disposal.

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

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/guest-articles/biafran-documents-goldsteins-open-letter-of-resignation-to-odumegwu-ojukwu.html

The truth comes out. Again. And its pretty damning.

This thread needs to make the front page.

This is all about biafra. GREED!


God bless CHIEF. OBAFEMI AWOLOWO

I'd be surprised if it did. It doesn't lend itself to the usual attacks. This was an impartial observer with no skin in the game, that actually changed his mind based on facts on the ground. I am amazed at how much money was being spent on propaganda though - $400K letter of credit, and this is one guy.

God continue to bless the memory of Chief Obafemi AwolowO,GCFR,amen!!!


Shame Ashebe

Ojukwu is not here to answer why he preferred the air corridor than the land corridor.

Mr. Goldstein it would appear, did not do justice as to why it must be through land and not air.

Besides, Awo used his own mouth to accept that there was a policy of starvation as an act of war.


Yet, as far as I am concerned, this issue is neither about Ojukwu nor Awo nor Achebe!

It has to do with the mis-amalgamation in the first place.
Genocide was going on before the declaration of Biafra, if Ojukwu was starving the Bifrans to "win" the war, perhaps, he also masterminded the genocide to "start" the war? I don't know if Mr. Goldstein can provide me with the answer.

Finally, that was then and this is where we are today, I am very convinced that Nigeria was a mistake, let our generation correct it.

And here is another counter to the above:


WHO IS THIS Robert S. Goldstein?

In a Memorandum From the Country Director for West Africa (Melbourne) to the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (Palmer), Washington, April 18, 1969, The memorandum outlined the lobbying activities in Washington of Biafrans Dr. Pius Okigbo, Dr. Eni Njoku, and Dr. Kenneth Dike. - Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of the Special Coordinator on Relief to Civilian Victims of the Nigerian Civil War, February 1969 - June 1970, Box 514, Lot 70 D 336, Political. Limited Official Use.

NO MENTION WAS MADE OF ANY Robert S. Goldstein?


http://www.elombah.com/index.php/articles-mainmenu/12958-us-documents-support-achebe-gowon-blocked-food-supplies-to-biafra-shot-down-red-cross-relief-aircrafts-sabotaged-biafran-farmlands

Read the details from the link or see the thread: https://www.nairaland.com/1077610/us-documents-support-achebe-gowon#12596729

noblezone: And here is another counter to the above:


WHO IS THIS Robert S. Goldstein?

In a Memorandum From the Country Director for West Africa (Melbourne) to the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (Palmer), Washington, April 18, 1969, The memorandum outlined the lobbying activities in Washington of Biafrans Dr. Pius Okigbo, Dr. Eni Njoku, and Dr. Kenneth Dike. - Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of the Special Coordinator on Relief to Civilian Victims of the Nigerian Civil War, February 1969 - June 1970, Box 514, Lot 70 D 336, Political. Limited Official Use.

NO MENTION WAS MADE OF ANY Robert S. Goldstein?

http://www.elombah.com/index.php/articles-mainmenu/12958-us-documents-support-achebe-gowon-blocked-food-supplies-to-biafra-shot-down-red-cross-relief-aircrafts-sabotaged-biafran-farmlands

Read the details from the link or see the thread: https://www.nairaland.com/1077610/us-documents-support-achebe-gowon#12596729

Is Robert S. Goldstein a Biafran?

Try to comprehend your own article.

noblezone: Ojukwu is not here to answer why he preferred the air corridor than the land corridor.

Mr. Goldstein it would appear, did not do justice as to why it must be through land and not air.

Besides, Awo used his own mouth to accept that there was a policy of starvation as an act of war.


Yet, as far as I am concerned, this issue is neither about Ojukwu nor Awo nor Achebe!

It has to do with the mis-amalgamation in the first place.
Genocide was going on before the declaration of Biafra, if Ojukwu was starving the Bifrans to "win" the war, perhaps, he also masterminded the genocide to "start" the war? I don't know if Mr. Goldstein can provide me with the answer.

Finally, that was then and this is where we are today, I am very convinced that Nigeria was a mistake, let our generation correct it.

Biafrans were starving but Ojukwu and his senior officers weren't starving.

What grounds did Ojukwu have for rejecting food? That the food may be poisoned as he stated? Didn't starving people eventually die because food didn't reach them? There were observers, aid agencies, and journalists on ground in Biafra. How would Biafrans have been poisoned without the whole world knowing it?

If Gowon was bent on exterminating Ndigbo, he would not have allowed all those foreign groups into Biafra.

Ojukwu couldn't feed his people and had no power to determine how food was transported to Biafra. What should have been paramount to him was that, he was losing the war and children around him were dying daily.

The last bolded comment is completely moronic. They are mutually exclusive events. Pogroms committed by Northerners do not in any way remove from Ojukwu's failings. It's like saying that because a stranger slapped your sister, your father can not also slap your sister. The stranger and the father are both responsible for their individual actions. The occurrence of an evil act does not forestall the occurrence of another evil act by another totally different party. How would starving the children have enabled Ojukwu to win the war? The war Ojukwu knew he could win was the propaganda war. Pictures of starving children brought aid agencies. Ojukwu charged these aid agencies fees for FREE food. Ojukwu paid $400k to a US PR company.

Katsumoto:

Is Robert S. Goldstein a Biafran?

Try to comprehend your own article.

It is not my own article.

noblezone:

It is not my own article.

Don't try to be clever. You posted the article. My point was that you didn't UNDERSTAND what you posted.

The article clearly mentions Biafrans; Is Robert S. Goldstein a Biafran?

Katsumoto:

Don't try to be clever. You posted the article. My point was that you didn't UNDERSTAND what you posted.

The article clearly mentions Biafrans; Is Robert S. Goldstein a Biafran?

Posting the article does not make it mine.

I get your point about Goldstein not being a Biafran, yet, the man sounded as if he was solely in charge of the Biafran diplomatic efforts in the USA.

noblezone: Ojukwu is not here to answer why he preferred the air corridor than the land corridor.

Mr. Goldstein it would appear, did not do justice as to why it must be through land and not air.

Besides, Awo used his own mouth to accept that there was a policy of starvation as an act of war.

Was Awo there when Achebe was trying to muddy his reputation? And Ojukwu had plenty of time to set this straight, did he not? Good thing we have records rather than depending on a tribalist's account, no?

Yet, as far as I am concerned, this issue is neither about Ojukwu nor Awo nor Achebe!

It has to do with the mis-amalgamation in the first place.
Genocide was going on before the declaration of Biafra, if Ojukwu was starving the Bifrans to "win" the war, perhaps, he also masterminded the genocide to "start" the war? I don't know if Mr. Goldstein can provide me with the answer.

Finally, that was then and this is where we are today, I am very convinced that Nigeria was a mistake, let our generation correct it.

So you say there was genocide before the war. Does this make Ojukwu's starvation policy right?

This piece is really comprehensive and interesting to read. Independent writers, near and far, young and old, continue to castigate Ojukwu for committing genocide against his own people.

birdman:

So you say there was genocide before the war. Does this make Ojukwu's starvation policy right?

Bros, what I am pointing out is this:
If there was genocide (of course there was) before the war, what do you think will now happen during the war?

The accusation that Ojukwu starved his people was a part of war propaganda. Awo himself accepted that they applied the starvation policy.

Ibo people are proud, high headed and foolish. And like Ojukwu called them, they are wild horse extremely difficult to rule. Their deficit in leadership is legendary and has something to do with their history. The most unfortunate thing here is the ibos did not learn a thing from their civil war. Why start a war you cannot finish. They want to produce the next president in 2015 and they are busy making more enemies. Well, the sad thing is their children may soon make the same mistake their fathers and forefathers made. The difference between a Yoruba and an Ibo is, a Yoruba think before he act, while an Ibo man acts before he thinks. No pun intended, this is just the truth.

noblezone:

Bros, what I am pointing out is this:
If there was genocide (of course there was) before the war, what do you think will now happen during the war?

The accusation that Ojukwu starved his people was a part of war propaganda. Awo himself accepted that they applied the starvation policy.

A starvation policy implies that your opponents in war should feed you. What happened was that a blockade was enforced and Biafra was on the backfoot throughout the war and consequently had no policy for food. They were at the mercy of their opponents to let food in. Now this was because aid agencies brought free food. What if no aid agencies or governments responded to Biafra's call for help? Would Biafra have accused its opponents of not letting food through?

noblezone:

Bros, what I am pointing out is this:
If there was genocide (of course there was) before the war, what do you think will now happen during the war?

The accusation that Ojukwu starved his people was a part of war propaganda. Awo himself accepted that they applied the starvation policy.

No it wasn't propaganda, if several independent records show it to be true.

Ojukwu could have let the aid in, and people wouldnt starve, and the war could still have been waged. But he decided the propaganda was a better weapon of war. We can argue on if this was good military strategy or not. Tactically it was only a matter of time before the better equipped, more industrial army with better access to aid won. Ojukwu's only option other than surrender would be to gain an ally powerful enough to at least stalemate the Nigerian army. And it is understandable, albeit grudgingly, to use propaganda to achieve this goal. What bothers most sensible people, regardless of ethnicity is using your own people as mere pawns in that game, starving them to death in a most painful way just to buy a little extra sympathy. Something about this is fundamentally wrong, even in a war. I think even Ojukwu (and Achebe) knew this, which is why they try to blame others for this act. As long as Awo and Gowon are trying to clear their name, the focus is off the real offenders.

Katsumoto:

A starvation policy implies that your opponents in war should feed you. What happened was that a blockade was enforced and Biafra was on the backfoot throughout the war and consequently had no policy for food. They were at the mercy of their opponents to let food in. Now this was because aid agencies brought free food. What if no aid agencies or governments responded to Biafra's call for help? Would Biafra have accused its opponents of not letting food through?

During every war, people (especially women and children) are taking into special consideration. It is a war crime to deliberately harm them.
Even in war, there are rules of engagement.

birdman:

No it wasn't propaganda, if several independent records show it to be true.

Ojukwu could have let the aid in, and people wouldnt starve, and the war could still have been waged. But he decided the propaganda was a better weapon of war. We can argue on if this was good military strategy or not. Tactically it was only a matter of time before the better equipped, more industrial army with better access to aid won. Ojukwu's only option other than surrender would be to gain an ally powerful enough to at least stalemate the Nigerian army. And it is understandable, albeit grudgingly, to use propaganda to achieve this goal. What bothers most sensible people, regardless of ethnicity is using your own people as mere pawns in that game, starving them to death in a most painful way just to buy a little extra sympathy. Something about this is fundamentally wrong, even in a war. I think even Ojukwu (and Achebe) knew this, which is why they try to blame others for this act. As long as Awo and Gowon are trying to clear their name, the focus is off the real offenders.

The point is this:
There is no need for Ojukwu or Achebe to cook up blame. What independent record are you talking about? When Awo used his own mouth to confess what he did? Awo argued that the Biafran soldiers were hijacking the foods, so forbade it, he knew that the civilians would suffer, but according to him, that the soldiers would suffer more.

Yet, I am not particularly bothered at the moment about Awo, Gowon and the starvation!
I am concerned about the "Biafra" going on in the slaughter houses of Jos, Benue, Yobe, Norno, Kaduna, etc. And Nigeria cant do anything about it.

All we are saying is this: Nigeria should let Biafra have her independence.

Nice piece of fact; this goes to state clearly that truth cannot be suppresed, no mata how intelligent the scheme. Nice piece of fact; this goes to state clearly that truth cannot be suppresed, no mata how intelligent the scheme.

noblezone:

All we are saying is this: Nigeria should let Biafra have her independence.

You are confused. I like how you jump from apology to independence once the facts become hot.

birdman:

You are confused. I like how you jump from apology to independence once the facts become hot.

Jump from apology to independence? Honestly I don't understand!

You can go through my posts and generally you would see that my position is that Nigeria was a mistake!
My blame goes more to the Whiteman who took it upon himself to "crate" "one" Nigeria. Unfortunately, Nigeria was never one, is not one and will never be one.

As for your "truth", the fact still remains that this was the opinion of a distant outsider who wrote from his perspective.

Awo used his very mouth to acknowledge the starvation policy.

noblezone:

Jump from apology to independence? Honestly I don't understand!

You can go through my posts and generally you would see that my position is that Nigeria was a mistake!
My blame goes more to the Whiteman who took it upon himself to "crate" "one" Nigeria. Unfortunately, Nigeria was never one, is not one and will never be one.

As for your "truth", the fact still remains that this was the opinion of a distant outsider who wrote from his perspective.

Awo used his very mouth to acknowledge the starvation policy.

Distant outsider? I admire your attempts at propaganda, but fortunately, we all can read here. Distant outsiders dont get almost a million pounds to do a task, without collateral. Keep trying.

And Ojukwu refusing aid is not an opinion. Its a fact.

birdman:

Distant outsider? I admire your attempts at propaganda, but fortunately, we all can read here. Distant outsiders dont get almost a million pounds to do a task, without collateral. Keep trying.

And Ojukwu refusing aid is not an opinion. Its a fact.

Was Awo also a Biafran propagandist when he admitted the policy?