The advent of Colonialism in Africa gave birth to many new territories, annexation and extinction of the existing ones. For instance, the territory known as Nigeria today was invented by the colonial masters through the annexation of different existing territories. This geographical invention precipitated the historical distortion and geographical extinction of certain territories. Biafra among other territories lost their sovereignty to this colonial arrangement.

According to Prof. Chinua Achebe, Biafra territory was deduced from “the bight of Biafra, the vast expanse of water covering the Continental shelf into which the Niger empties before flowing into the gulf of Biafra.” In John Mitchell comprehensive map intrinsically made for resolving border disputes, it’s also elucidated that the pertinent estuaries from where the rivers flew into the Ocean is called “Ephraim town” located at 60miles from River Num presently in the South-South Nigeria today. The river is named after Nun, Joshua’s father, the tribe of Ephraim. In a nutshell, some researchers held the view that Biafra was inhabited by Ephraim descendants.


The Nigeria colonial Masters successfully formed “Nigeria” from different alien territories but failed to unite her people. Subsequently Nigeria attained her political freedom on October 1st 1960 then arouse power tussle on whom to pilot the country political affairs. It’s an unhealthy political competition among the sections(the Northern, Eastern and Western regions) which Nigeria was divided into. By 1966, It’s conspicuously clear that “Nigeria” was merely a geographical expression lacking the spirit of a nation.


Read more: http://thinkyoung.com.ng/2018/06/12/brief-history-of-biafra-what-you-need-to-know-about-lt-gen-odumegwu-ojukwu/