Hi guys. I've been reading about modern African history, and the Biafran War. I stumbled across the Ahiara Declaration, a letter/speech by Ojukwu. It is so rousing, inspiring and intelligent. I was so impressed by his soundness of mind. He realized the forces Igbos were fighting against were much larger than just their fellow tribes in Nigeria. He understood why the AngloSaxon world was ready to die ontop the matter. There are obviously other factors in play, but I think that if Nigeria wants to survive AND thrive as an entity, she should embrace the Biafran spirit. It's actually the truest version of Pan Africanism, no pro-blackness I've seen ever.

Anyways, please read some passages below and I'll link to the full speech at the end:

Fellow compatriots, today, being our Thanksgiving Day, it is most appropriate that we pause awhile to take stock, to consider our past, our successes notwithstanding, to consider our future, our aspirations and our fears....

Fellow Biafrans, I have for a long time thought about this our predicament the attitude of the civilized world to this our conflict. The more I think about it the more I am convinced that our disability is racial. The root cause of our problem lies in the fact that we are black. If all the things that have happened to us had happened to another people who are not black, if other people who are not black had reacted in the way our people have reacted these two long years, the world's response would surely have been different.

In 1966, some 5O,OOO of us were slaughtered like cattle in Nigeria. In the course of this war, well over one million of us have been killed: yet the world is unimpressed and looks on in indifference. Last year, some blood-thirsty Nigerian troops for sport murdered the entire male population of a village. All the world did was to indulge in an academic argument whether the number was in hundreds or in thousands. Today, because a handful of white men collaborating with the enemy, fighting side by side with the enemy, were caught by our gallant troops, the entire world threatens to stop. For 18 white men Europe is aroused. What have they said about our millions? Eighteen white men assisting the crime of genocide: what does Europe say about our murdered innocents? Have we not died enough ? How many Black dead make a missing white? Mathematicians, please answer me. Is it infinity?

Take another example. For two years we have been subjected to a total blockade. We all know how bitter, bloody and protracted the First and Second World Wars were. At no stage in those wars did the white belligerents carry out a total blockade of their fellow whites. In each case where a blockade was imposed, allowance was made for certain basic necessities of life in the interest of women, children and other non-combatants. Ours is the only example in recent history where a whole people have been so treated.

What is it that makes our case different ? Do we not have women, children and other non-combatants? Does the fact that they are black women, black children and black non-combatants make such a world of difference?

They have sought in various ways to dismiss our struggle as a tribal conflict. They have attributed it to the mad adventuresome of a fictitious power-seeking clique anxious to carve out an empire to rule, dominate and exploit. But they have failed. Our course is transparently just and no amount of propaganda can detract from it.

He goes onto say something very interesting; and his argument for it is essentially flawless:

Our struggle has far-reaching significance. It is the latest recrudescence in our time of the age-old struggle of the black man for his full stature as man. We are the latest victims of a wicked collusion between the three traditional scourges of the black men racism, Arab-muslim expansionism and white economic imperialism. Playing a subsidiary role is Bolshevik Russia seeking for place in the African sun. Our struggle is a total and vehement rejection of all those evils which blighted Nigeria, evils which were bound to lead to the disintegration of that ill-fated federation. Our struggle is not mere resistance -that would be merely negative. It is a positive commitment to build a healthy, dynamic and progressive state, such as would be the pride of black men the world over.

Here's the link to read the full speech (it's so long I know!) and his argument for that paragraph:
http://emeagwali.com/biafra/nigeria-biafra-civil-war-ahiara-declaration.html

Cc: cococandy madamexcellency ngozi123
cheruv pidgin2 all my ladies )

This paragraph might be of particular interest to my fellow women:

Inequality of the sexes was actively promoted in Nigeria. Rather than aspire to equality with men, women were encouraged to accept the status of inferiority and to become the mistresses of successful politicians and business executive, or they were married off at the age of fourteen as the fifteenth wives of the new rich. That was the glorious Nigeria, the mythical Nigeria, celebrated in the European press.

I always thought Igbo culture to be relatively patriarchal (and it is) but this, this was amazing to me. He sounds like Chimamanda N. Adichie. That has to be the most feministic (?) and progressive thing I've ever heard any Nigerian politician say.

MrsPhyno:
This paragraph might be of particular interest to my fellow women:

Inequality of the sexes was actively promoted in Nigeria. Rather than aspire to equality with men, women were encouraged to accept the status of inferiority and to become the mistresses of successful politicians and business executive, or they were married off at the age of fourteen as the fifteenth wives of the new rich. That was the glorious Nigeria, the mythical Nigeria, celebrated in the European press.

I always thought Igbo culture to be relatively patriarchal (and it is) but this, this was amazing to me. He sounds like Chimamanda N. Adichie. That has to be the most feministic (?) and progressive thing I've ever heard any Nigerian politician say.

That was to win the support of women! A typical political ploy.
Make them feel among. Kindly ask if the patriarchal nature of Ndigbo ever changed even during the Civil War?
Do you also know that the village women in Igboland do not eat at ocassions till the visitors have left (even if its till evening?).
I tell you, in treating women like an acquired 'trophy', Igbo culture trump every other African culture.

we may have like lost the 1967 - 70 Battle, but the war is not over yet.

Yes,I have read that speech and if the ideas are applied could make biafra and Africa great.But you and I know that africans are very good at policy formulation and poor at implementation.Tanzania's nyerere came up with similar ideas in the 60s and don't forget great nkrumah and his beautiful rhetorics which were the loftiest of all.Another case is patrice lumumba.In the end they all failed.Even black leadership in south africa with its huge resources,has not helped the blacks much.So don't let us be carried away by rhetorics.

Nice one!
Archived as usual.

obaaderemi:
Yes,I have read that speech and if the ideas are applied could make biafra and Africa great.But you and I know that africans are very good at policy formulation and poor at implementation.Tanzania's nyerere came up with similar ideas in the 60s and don't forget great nkrumah and his beautiful rhetorics which were the loftiest of all.Another case is patrice lumumba.In the end they all failed.Even black leadership in south africa with its huge resources,has not helped the blacks much.So don't let us be carried away by rhetorics.

MODIFIED because I think this is important
Africans are not naturally any better or worse than other human beings at anything. And if I have to be specific, Igbo ppl are hyper-capable, even of whatever ur calling implementation. You have to understand that the West actively colludes and gets involved in our affairs, the way Russia did with Americas election. They do it with one sole purpose, to keep the black African lowly, in need, undignified and subservient. They actively overthrow our peaceful leaders, incite violence; they hate Muslims in their own countries but want all of Africa to be ruled by Muslims if possible. They have been raping Africa for centuries and they're not about to stop now. We're not worse than anyone. We just make them very desperate.

Olabestonic001:


That was to win the support of women! A typical political ploy.
Make them feel among. Kindly ask if the patriarchal nature of Ndigbo ever changed even during the Civil War?
Do you also know that the village women in Igboland do not eat at ocassions till the visitors have left (even if its till evening?).
I tell you, in treating women like an acquired 'trophy', Igbo culture trump every other African culture.

That one Igbo woman agreed to marry you doesn't mean all Igbo women are like your senseless wife.

Why are you always talking about Igbo women?

Why not go and campaign for equal right for your Yoruba sisters dying everyday in the hands of their men.


Did Igbo women asked you to fight for them?

Why not mind your business and shut your large mouth.

Mr equal right. Mtcheew

I took my time to read d entire writeup, it is so inspiring. indeed Ojuku was a man who truly saw tomorrow, the hopelessly hopeless country call Nigeria. RIP IKEMBA 1. BIAFRA Will be a reality soon. I'm an Edo man, I totally support Biafra.

Olabestonic001:


That was to win the support of women! A typical political ploy.
Make them feel among. Kindly ask if the patriarchal nature of Ndigbo ever changed even during the Civil War?
Do you also know that the village women in Igboland do not eat at ocassions till the visitors have left (even if its till evening?).
I tell you, in treating women like an acquired 'trophy', Igbo culture trump every other African culture.

They already had the support of the Eastern women, they needn't bother trying to win it. Its still admirable that a politician in Africa in the 60's was progressive enough to mention purely women's issues. I can only see those intentions as good. Also, what village are u referring to @bolded?

MrsPhyno:

MODIFIED because I think this is important
Africans are not naturally any better or worse than other human beings at anything. And if I have to be specific, Igbo ppl are hyper-capable, even of whatever ur calling implementation. You have to understand that the West actively colludes and gets involved in our affairs, the way Russia did with Americas election. They do it with one sole purpose, to keep the black African lowly, in need, undignified and subservient. They actively overthrow our peaceful leaders, incite violence; they hate Muslims in their own countries but want all of Africa to be ruled by Muslims if possible. They have been raping Africa for centuries and they're not about to stop now. We're not worse than anyone. We just make them very desperate.

Well,your opinion is very sound but it is still your opinion.In my own opinion,i think it's reductive to try to explain africa's complicated problems away by blaming it all on the whiteman.

obaaderemi:
Well,your opinion is very sound but it is still your opinion.In my own opinion,i think it's reductive to try to explain africa's complicated problems away by blaming it all on the whiteman.

You're right. Though I don't think it's the only factor, I just think it's the greatest contributing factor. Thanks for commenting. :-)

Shout out to our fallen heroes, its not yet over
The sun will rise again

.

MrsPhyno:

They already had the support of the Eastern women, they needn't bother trying to win it. Its still admirable that a politician in Africa in the 60's was progressive enough to mention purely women's issues. I can only see those intentions as good. Also, what village are u referring to @bolded?

Can we really say that? Was he ever of that bias before the Ahiara declaration?
And again, he wasn't a politician by then. He was a military governor. Unless we can see his disposition and utterances prior to the evil debacle that led to Ahiara's declaration, it wouldn't be sound to 'give it to him' that he was a pioneer of gender equality (anyway, personally, I am not a supporter of gender equality either, rather, I root for gender equity).

Olabestonic001:


Can we really say that? Was he ever of that bias before the Ahiara declaration?
And again, he wasn't a politician by then. He was a military governor. Unless we can see his disposition and utterances prior to the evil debacle that led to Ahiara's declaration, it wouldn't be sound to 'give it to him' that he was a pioneer of gender equality (anyway, personally, I am not a supporter of gender equality either, rather, I root for gender equity).

Ojukwu didn't rly have anything to gain by saying it. If anything, if Igbo culture was truly the way you're implying; he could stand to irritate the men.

The funny thing is, there was 0 opinion in what he said, no bias. Everything he said there was just pure fact, and it remains true till today in Nigeria. He didn't even say that Igbo people aren't like that, he just used the subjugation of women as another example of how horrible an entity Nigeria was. Pioneer of gender equality was never spoken by him or me, I'm just saying that I'm impressed and that still stands. Plus, why not mention the villages you're referring to; since you're coming here to explain to people about their own tribe?

MrsPhyno:

Ojukwu didn't rly have anything to gain by saying it. If anything, if Igbo culture was truly the way you're implying; he could stand to irritate the men.

The funny thing is, there was 0 opinion in what he said, no bias. Everything he said there was just pure fact, and it remains true till today in Nigeria. He didn't even say that Igbo people aren't like that, he just used the subjugation of women as another example of how horrible an entity Nigeria was. Pioneer of gender equality was never spoken by him or me, I'm just saying that I'm impressed and that still stands. Plus, why not mention the villages you're referring to; since you're coming here to explain to people about their own tribe?

Bro, its culture and you can only adjust it! No one alters culture at a go. Even American who seems to have no culture (though they're Europeans, hence conservatives) and who always try to liberalize every culture reacted in the last election. There's a limit to what one can do about culture.
Let me even state here that African Cultures generally favors women! Going to culture itself, gender equality (abi what is the rubbish called) is a reneged force in Western world (ditto LGBT). So, I'd just say we should root for gender equity (where each gender 'manned' his/her strength post) than gender equality (putting us all on a level playing field).
Honestly, women that even cry and clamor for gender equality mostly imply 'gender equity'. That's why that 'Feminist' championing woman would rather prefer that a man lifts the heavy object if she sees men in the vicinity. She'll be glad to see you change the car tyre and many such 'tough' stuffs. During such acts, she'll remind you that women are fragile. But, when she wants an advantage e.g in house chores or the like, she'll remind you about 'gender equality'. Its better we celebrate and respect women uniqueness than try to clamor their being 'same' with men.
As a person, I wouldn't really encourage women to go into labourers works for Construction works; and most feminists won't like that too. But, the greatest fraud is to cry gender equality on one hand and try to clamor for special treatment of women on another! That's why I hate all these gender equality talks and rather called for gender equity.

Olabestonic001:


Bro, its culture and you can only adjust it! No one alters culture at a go........That's why I hate all these gender equality talks and rather called for gender equity.

Ok. I'm not here to argue the inherent rightness or wrongness of feminism. I'm merely informing people of a great quote of the man; your stereotypical arguments are for another thread oga.

Olabestonic001:


That was to win the support of women! A typical political ploy.
Make them feel among. Kindly ask if the patriarchal nature of Ndigbo ever changed even during the Civil War?
Do you also know that the village women in Igboland do not eat at ocassions till the visitors have left (even if its till evening?).
I tell you, in treating women like an acquired 'trophy', Igbo culture trump every other African culture.

when I read some assertions you guys make about igbo culture I begin to ask myself questions like; Are both my parents no longer of igbo origin Are everything I see happening in core igbo states different from what is really happening are other tribes, most especially the yorubas more knowledgeable on igbo matters than the core igbos themselves
please you should take it easy with masturbating with lies just to prove a point that no one gives a fück about!!!

Devices:



That one Igbo woman agreed to marry you doesn't mean all Igbo women are like your senseless wife.

Why are you always talking about Igbo women?

Why not go and campaign for equal right for your Yoruba sisters dying everyday in the hands of their men.


Did Igbo women asked you to fight for them?

Why not mind your business and shut your large mouth.

Mr equal right. Mtcheew

Is it our sister that he married is making him say all this rubbish?

The ahiara declaration was Ojukwu's finest hour...

That document was built on the Igbo ideals of Republicanism and merit,the thought that every man is the owner of his own destiny and that what A is capable of...B is capable too.
I'd say Ojukwu's mistake was not aligning with Bolshevik Russia to secure our fledging independence and if possible force Nigeria to cede Anioma and the Western Rukwo areas to us in a peace settlement... Its what the Chinese call making use of the cat's paws to bring out nuts from burning coals.
Like for an example, in 654 AD Moo ascended the throne of silla with the vision of uniting the three Korean states into one,yet he knew Silla was inferior to Goguryeo,which was the largest and most powerful of three states. What did he do He borrowed the power of the Tang(the dynasty ruling China then) and used it to crush the weakest of the three,Baekje in 660 AD. His son Moonmoo followed it up with the conquest of almighty Goguryeo in 668AD,still with Tang help. Afterwards, Silla mobilized anti Tang sentiment prevalent in the areas and used it to expel the Tang armies in 671AD. So if Ojukwu, knowing the limitations his new state had in arms technology had reached out to the Bolsheviks...we'd have won.
Anyway, our fathers have done their part,its time for our generation to pick up the baton and run with it...let's reestablish the independence of Igboland that was lost in 1911

cheruv:
Is it our sister that he married is making him say all this rubbish?

Don't mind the big-mouthed monkey with 65 tribal marks.

Lofty speech. However, it's rather wrong to say only Ibos have been victimized senselessly over the course of history. It is not even a racial issue.
The german Nazi had killed a good number of Jews before WWII broke out and no one gave two fu..cks. Infact, liberating Jews was only a side excuse by the Allies, not the main reason.

The reason for the Western and European powers ignoring Biafra was simple : Britain had always favored the northern oligarchs.
It's even in Lugard's speechs, in the colonial secretary statements, and even still shows traces today.
Hence, when Biafra broke out, it was more easily explainable to claim it was a seccesionist move orchestrated by a powerhungry dictator who had no regard for his people.

Although, to be fair,
The concept of Biafra was doomed from the point Ojukwu attacked Yoruba lands and turned the whole tides against them. Had he properly used correlation of forces, perhaps Iboes would have won the war. Perhaps....

i'm thinking of a united Africa not Biafra..

To get progressive, I perceive all boils back down to revisiting the territorial sketch designed by our sole looters that we still live by. The political kinda framework that will work perfectly in native Igbo land and co mightn't in a land like the Yoruba's who are more communist than capitalist. Africa, if will ever get to that stage where she will be traded with and not overtly offered aids needs to sit her gaddam asss down to go around the systemic slavery she'd been condemned to paying particular attention to misfitting amalgamations if that makes any sense.

Although, to be fair,
The concept of Biafra was doomed from the point
Ojukwu attacked Yoruba lands and turned the
whole tides against them. Had he properly used
correlation of forces, perhaps Iboes would have
won the war. Perhaps....

Trash!

Awolowo had already made his bed with Gowon and the North, and together started attacking Eastern region at the Garkem border before the Biafran Ore March.

cheruv:
The ahiara declaration was Ojukwu's finest hour...

That document was built on the Igbo ideals of Republicanism and merit,the thought that every man is the owner of his own destiny and that what A is capable of...B is capable too.
I'd say Ojukwu's mistake was not aligning with Bolshevik Russia to secure our fledging independence and if possible force Nigeria to cede Anioma and the Western Rukwo areas to us in a peace settlement... Its what the Chinese call making use of the cat's paws to bring out nuts from burning coals.
Like for an example, in 654 AD Moo ascended the throne of silla with the vision of uniting the three Korean states into one,yet he knew Silla was inferior to Goguryeo,which was the largest and most powerful of three states. What did he do He borrowed the power of the Tang(the dynasty ruling China then) and used it to crush the weakest of the three,Baekje in 660 AD. His son Moonmoo followed it up with the conquest of almighty Goguryeo in 668AD,still with Tang help. Afterwards, Silla mobilized anti Tang sentiment prevalent in the areas and used it to expel the Tang armies in 671AD. So if Ojukwu, knowing the limitations his new state had in arms technology had reached out to the Bolsheviks...we'd have won.
Anyway, our fathers have done their part,its time for our generation to pick up the baton and run with it...let's reestablish the independence of Igboland that was lost in 1911

True!! Hindsight though, is always 20/20.

cheruv:
The ahiara declaration was Ojukwu's finest hour...

That document was built on the Igbo ideals of Republicanism and merit,the thought that every man is the owner of his own destiny and that what A is capable of...B is capable too.
I'd say Ojukwu's mistake was not aligning with Bolshevik Russia to secure our fledging independence and if possible force Nigeria to cede Anioma and the Western Rukwo areas to us in a peace settlement... Its what the Chinese call making use of the cat's paws to bring out nuts from burning coals.
Like for an example, in 654 AD Moo ascended the throne of silla with the vision of uniting the three Korean states into one,yet he knew Silla was inferior to Goguryeo,which was the largest and most powerful of three states. What did he do He borrowed the power of the Tang(the dynasty ruling China then) and used it to crush the weakest of the three,Baekje in 660 AD. His son Moonmoo followed it up with the conquest of almighty Goguryeo in 668AD,still with Tang help. Afterwards, Silla mobilized anti Tang sentiment prevalent in the areas and used it to expel the Tang armies in 671AD. So if Ojukwu, knowing the limitations his new state had in arms technology had reached out to the Bolsheviks...we'd have won.
Anyway, our fathers have done their part,its time for our generation to pick up the baton and run with it...let's reestablish the independence of Igboland that was lost in 1911

Nwanne I'm impressed you are conversant in asian history just like me.