₦airaland Forum

asha 80:
Was it Ironsi that that organised the january coup How did he dethrone the then civilian regime

The Nzeogwu led coup failed to seize power, and it was Ironsi that took control from the senate president led Civilian regime.
Ironsi was not elected into office, he took over.

babapupa:
Don't worry about us, we are not dummies and we don't follow one single mumu like sheep to our deaths, we pick and choose our fights. No be everybody be zombie dodoyo like you.

And who did you hurt? Did you not get your a!s!s  whopped back to the  stone age?

And who lead the 3rd marine commando offensives actions that whooped your a1s!ss into submission? Colonel Benjamin Adekunle and Col. Obasanjo, both Yoruba.

And who whooped your alpha and omega Ojukwu the weakest coward alive and made him cut and run like a poh!ss1y? Obasanja.


So who's weak? Obviously, we've whooped your backside before and we'll whoop it again if need be. Don't get it twisted.

lol,

no mind dem jare. Eni ti ko t'eni na, ti o wa di ona de emi, mo r'oye

naijaking1:
I shudder to think that a military ruler who was assasinated in office would be listed by you, and condemned for his actions and inactions after just 6 months in office?

No wonder, if Ironsi was the worst according to your biased analysis, then I see you jubliating with his killers that were supposed to be protecting him. If you do, how does that make us move forward as a country?

Ever wondered why Ogundipe did not replace Ironsi as the next in rank?

The criticism was of his dethroning the civilian regime, and subsequent failure to execute the coup plotters.
If Ironsi had not seized power, and had he executed the failed coup plotters (like he should have under military justice), the civil war, and the antecedent pogrom, would likely have been adverted.
Subsequent governments have shown that you dont need more than a few days to execute coup plotters. Six months was too much time.

mekusxxx:
Igbos do not want Biafra any longer. We will finally take over Lagos and drive them Yoruba people to where they belong: Cotonou.

That is the funniest thing you have said all day!
You be real Joseph!!!

mekusxxx:
Biina you lie too much. There are many forums online where Yoruba have been talking about an Oduduwa nation. OPC has even threatened to secede if Yorubas are continually killed in the North. Let me direct you to some of these articles. Stop peddling lies where I am.

http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/main-square/47016-borders-oodua.html

http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/main-square/47908-ethno-religious-crisis-opc-advocates-secession-yoruba.html

and this links are on Nairaland? Did I say becomerich was the only yoruba in the world that wants to secede
BTW I dont take kindly to personal attacks. If you cant make your point without such, its best we dont continue the discourse.

mekusxxx:
Lagos is 50% Igbo property. Igbos will stay there for life; that is those who are interested. No shaking! As for me, I'd rather live in my hamlet than in Lagos. I don pass the level of Lagos 10 years ago.

You want your own country and want to stay in someone else land for life?

SEFAGO:
so you do guys think that I should contact professors in the schools I still have pending? I doubt much could be done now, but is there harm in trying? I wish I knew this- but I dont want to reapply again though. If I dont get in I dont want to apply.

By the way for anyone who completed the PhD. how any years did it take you?

I would suggest you contact as many as you can. Have you checked for Nigerian/African/Black professor in the programs you applied to?

As per not wanting to apply again, I truly understand where you are coming from, as I told myself same when I was applying.
Still a little set back shouldn't stand in the way of you achieving your goals. Rather, I would advise (hopefully wont be needed, particularly since you have one offer already) that if you dont make it, that you spend the next months making sure you make it the next time around.

MS/PhD in Engineering (to my knowledge) will typically take 5-7 yrs, with the duration depending highly on your adviser.

aloy-emeka:
When, where and who disbursed the money to Abiola?. Do you even know the meaning of ITT and Abiola's position in the organization?. How is ITT related to Nigeria and their money?

This is funny, but I will humor you a bit.
ITT is International Telephone and Telegraph, a company Abiola joined as the comptroller in 1969. He ousted the expratiate MD and became a 49% percent stakeholder (after he returned from forming his own company, Radio Telecommunications as a competitor to ITT when they initially refused his demands). He later became Vice -Chairman for  MEA.

The contract in question was awarded in 1975 by Murtala as minister for communications (shortly before becoming head of state) and was for installation of exchanges and phone booths. Other contracts were awarded to Radio Telecommunications, particularly for military installations. The former permanent secretary, Akindele, was retired (then recalled) over refusing to sign the papers over issues of transparency and due process.

The implementation of the contact propelled Nitel (then P &T) to 'great heights'

mekusxxx:
Biina,
Lagos was not part of Western Nigeria then. Lagos was a fed territory.  Awo had no power to establish Unilag. So, I repeat that Awo had no hand in the creation of UI and Unilag. Go do your research well.
UI was built by Oyibo
UniLag was build by the fed in the fed capital, Lagos
ABU was built by the North
Ife was built by Awo
UNN was created by Zik
How is Awo involved in Unis in the West except Ife?

I dont know why you keep reiterating it, but I never said Awo created UI, and only said it was transitioned.
As to Unilag, Lagos state as you know it today was not entirely the FCT. The part under FG rule was only the Municipality of Lagos, which covered the Island and some part of the mainland (i would assume places like Yaba and Obalende included),  while other areas like Ikeja, Agege, Mushin, Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry were under the western region. Awolowo could have sited the new university in any of this places, a move that would have made sense given the demographics, but would have made the establishment of Unilag less likely, given that UI was already in the west and Yaba college was already in Lagos.

aloy-emeka:
Which telecom infrastructure? . I've warned you from peddling unfounded rumors. If you have any proof that Abiola stole your money in Nigeria, please do indulge me and stop presenting Fela's ganja driven accusation.

what are you disputing, that the contract wasn't awarded or that the job was done?

aloy-emeka:
You've started making your wild allegations again. Can you tell me what Abiola stole from Nigeria and how he did it?. Shame on you if you cannot.

why do you increase font sizes as if you are short sighted?

As to what Abiola stole, where were the telecommunication infrastructure that his 49% owned ITT and 100% owned Radio Communcations Nig. Ltd were supposed to have installed?

mekusxxx:
Biina, won't you apologise for lying tha Awo established UI and UniLag?

Why? was it not his party that was in power in the western region when Unilag was created and UI transitioned?
Of the 5 universities in Nigeria in 1962, 3 were in the west. do you think it was mere coincidence?
Awolowo and Zik ahead of the curve of the Ashby commission by already working on establishing OAU and Nsukka respectively. Awolowo sited a University in Ife knowing fully well that the FG would be inclined to site  a university sited in Lagos.

Onlytruth:
Frankly you make a lot of sense. Folks like us need to catch up to the truth about them. I pity whoever forms a new nation with the Yoruba.

We are in Nigeria and waiting for them to try any secession. Dem go hear am!

Look at this joker except for Becomrich, which other poster have you seen seeking secession for the west. It is the Igbos, and possibly Niger-Delta, who seem so unsatisfied with the present arrangement and feel secession is the only solution. The west are, and will be, doing just fine, as part of Nigeria, or on their own.

aloy-emeka:
I am not kidding you. Abiola was the greatest philanthropist ever to come from Nigeria. Like it or hate it, it's arguable.

When I think of philantropy, I prefer the likes of mobolaji bank-anthony, and not the chairman of a telecom company that robbed the country and its people, nor the chairman of the corrupt ruling NPN, the PDP of the second republic, nor do I think of someone who is reputed to have sponsored 2 or more miltary coups for his own personal gains, and most definitely not a pal of IBB. I do not believe in exploiting the masses so as to be philanthropic towards them.

As far as I am concerned, like Fela said, Abiola was a generous ITT!

Some Igbos come here whinning and crying like if they were purely victims, when in truth they were the ones that picked the fight.
- The failed 1966 coup was Igbo dominated, and led to the death of several northerners including the prime-minister, the premier of the northern region and several high ranking military personnel. How many and who were the Igbos that died?
- After the failed coup, why did Senate President, Nwafor Orizu, hand power over to Ironsi and Ironsi agree?
- Why weren't the coup plotters executed by Ironsi, after all they had killed the prime-minister and several senior military officer, an act punishable by death.

While I do not approve of the northerners equating the actions of a few to be representative of an entire ethnic group, I do sympathize with where they are coming from, as it seemed they had been unjustly treated and further denied justice by Ironsi. Igbos should hold Ironsi responsible for giving the northerners the excuse for perpetrating the progom, and they should accept that it was the actions of a predominantly Igbo group that set us down the path of military rule.

Dede1:
In fact, a reasonable and well-informed person from northern region of Nigeria would never utter this nonsense. This is reason that the incessant calls for southern Nigeria to form a confederation out of the cesspit called Nigeria induces me to laugh. At least, you got it right that Biafrans have not forgotten the history about Nigeria/Biafra civil war.

and why would the rest of the south want to form a confederation with the Igbos?

aloy-emeka:
Should we close our eyes on his sins because of his free education program?. Something he did with govt money and not his personal money for that matter. If it was Abiola you are praising like this, I wouldn't bother to complain. Abiola raised and educated  a generation with his money and not government money. That is someone who should remain evergreen in our hearts and not a mass murderer like Awolowo.

Are you kidding me?

PapaBrowne:
Hehe Biina!
U are using Covey's manuals wrongly!!
Two things
1)The analogy is totally wrong.
2)If the analogy is right, then it actually indicts Sanusi's faulty actions.

make up your mind. The analogy is either wrong or right. In this case it is right, in that all people saw was the increased in size of the banking sector and not the underlying problems, and when Sanusi tried to clear things up, he is being painted as the bad guy.

Soludo met a decrepit system and built it from scratch. The Banking sector was not in a rapid growth stage. Infact it was dead. All our 89 banks combined were smaller than the 4th largest bank in South Africa. Soludo created the boom! He layed the golden eggs.

Soludo did not meet a decrepit system i.e. about to fail. The sector was quite healthy when soludo took over. Instead, what he met was a banking sector that was small i.e. under-capitalized in his view. He forcefully increased capitalization of the banks with out any regards to the negative consequences.

I am always amused when people justify the exercise by comparing the size of our banks to one in SA, even though they do not serve the same local market. Even the US has a substantial fraction of her banks that are capitalized under $100 million (less than Nigeria's minimum). The banks people use for comparison grew because of the size of their associated economy and not vice versa. I simply felt it was an unwarranted risk to force the growth.  While it would be nice to have big banks, the more important criterion was to have a healthy and transparent banking sector, and not the cesspit of poor corporate governance we had e.g. in the early 2000s, FBN had to write off a N4 Billion non-performing loan owed by an ex-chairman.

Soludo was not the first to increase the capitalization of the banks, and he wont be the last. It has never solved the problem of the sector. Like the introduction of higher denomination currency, it is tantamount to pumping water into a liquid tank.

Enter Sanusi! Fine he probably met a breaking down and  rusted Sick Goose. Question is, while investing heavily in downtime and maintenance, are you supposed to destroy all the existing machinery, just because you want to make a point that your predecessor and his workers overused the goose? Sanusi broke the house down to the foundation just so he could fix a few bricks!

That Sanusi met a breaking down system, means that Soludo left a breaking down system. Since Soludo met a healthy system and left a breaking system, we can conclude that Soludo ruined the system or that the system was ruined under his watch.

Sanusi has not destroyed anything that Soludo did e.g. the increased capitalization and EDW are still in place. All he has done is cleaned up the mess Solduo swept under the carpet with the EDW and tried to take steps to protect future re-occurrences. I have not read any comment attributed directly to Sanusi criticizing Soludo or his policies . If he has done so, no matter how justifiable, it is in bad taste.

The fear and distrust affecting the sector is less a result of Sanusi's actions, but from the fear and doom being spread by his opposition.

Anyways, the same Covey's Seven Habits explains how distorted perception affects our view on issues. Remember the story he tells about a Lecturer who presents the same picture differently to 2 different sets of students in a classroom. . . . . . . . .and how the two sets had  2 different ideas about the picture. . . .
Yes! Same goes for your views on Soludo and Sanusi. You disliked Soludo long before Sanusi came on board,hence whoever replaced Soludo would have been OK by you. Your support for Sanusi is mainly based on your dislike for Soludo.
If not, you tell me what Sanusi is about(economically) that gives you confinndence in him?

I do not dislike Soludo, just felt he was the wrong man for the job at the time. It was a simple case of us putting the cart before the horse. My fears were confirmed by the failure of the CBN in its supervisory role during tenure. Soludo did not have the required background to police the sector and it would be unfair to criticize him for it like if he was corrupt (but that cannot be said for some of his predecessors who often turned a blind eye).

Its ironic how people call Sanusi a bull in a China shop, when in truth Soludo was probably worse. Prior to Soludo' appointment in mid 2004, the banks were to increase capitalization to N2.5B, but on his appointment. he unilaterally decided to increase it 10x to N25B and gave them only an additional 12months. He also instituted a de facto consolidation of the banks. At the meeting with the Bank executives, he simply read his statement and refused to entertain questions from the executives. He was accused of being arrogant and dictatorial in his approach. There was also his announced intention to withdraw public funds from some banks, an act that the saw the stock market collapse that weekend.

My approval of Sanusi is simply because he is doing what I feel the sector needs. The sectors need to be cleaned up and he is doing just that. I doubt Sanusi will clean up the entire sector (as I expect him to have his own pals who will go untouched e.g. the huasa dominated forex black market and associated round tripping) but I hope the next guy that comes after him cleans up whatever he leaves behind.

Nigeria would have been much better off, if we had sanusi before soludo.

Na wah for dis ur 'man crush' on Awolowo.

The truth his that no matter what his personal flaws were, and whatever crimes he committed, he would still be remembered for such things as his policy on free and mandatory education, and free health care; notable firsts like the first TV station in Africa and first stadium in west Africa; and, the creation/transition of the University of Ibadan, Ife and Lagos.

These are things that benefited the people, and are so much more than you can say for any of his contemporaries or any other Nigerian leader for that matter, irrespective of his/her place of origin or ethnicity.

The comparison of Soludo to Sanusi should be clear to anyone that has read Covey's '7 Habits of highly effective people' (and anyone that hasnt should try to) and its discussion of P/PC balance.

A relevant excerpt:

Organizational PC
One of the immensely valuable aspects of any correct principle is that it is valid and applicable in a wide variety of circumstances. Throughout this book, I would like to share with you some of the ways in which these principles apply to organizations, including families, as well as to individuals. When people fail to respect the P/PC Balance in their use of physical assets in organizations, they decrease organizational effectiveness and often leave others with dying geese.

For example, a person in charge of a physical asset, such as a machine, may be eager to make a good impression on his superiors. Perhaps the company is in a rapid growth stage and promotions are coming fast. So he produces at optimum levels -- no downtime, no maintenance. He runs the machine day and night. The production is phenomenal, costs are down, and profits skyrocket. Within a short time, he's promoted. Golden eggs.

But suppose you are his successor on the job. You inherit a very sick goose, a machine that, by this time, is rusted and starts to break down. You have to invest heavily in downtime and maintenance. Costs skyrocket; profits nose-dive. And who gets blamed for the loss of golden eggs? You do. Your predecessor liquidated the asset, but the accounting system only reported unit production, costs, and profit.

Onlytruth:
Biafra's seaports were ceased and occupied by Nigeria. Nigeria was in effective control of Biafran air spaces which they used to bomb churches, markets and hospitals.

You know, I've been through this useless argument with idiot's' like you before on this nairaland, and frankly you can believe whatever you want. Like I said before, we are in Nigeria and our history is not over yet.  Just stop thinking you have a country, because frankly, with such unaddressed genocidal history,  it is idiotic to think that Nigeria is a serious country. We are patiently waiting for our opportunity to feed you some of your medicines. It will definitely come one day. My advise to Igbos and eastern minorities is to never forget this history.

and therein lies your folly, as that day will never come. You will never be able to take on the FG on your own.
Instead of you to strive to gain your legitimate influence in the government, you are wasting energy chewing the curd on history, and putting at a disadvantage your descendants.
Its 40yrs after the Civil war and your day of vengeance is yet to come, and I can promise that you will wait till the coming of Christ and will still not have it.

wrong thread

Both positions may not be mutually exclusive, as an underground detonation may have catalyzed the quake.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/faq/?categoryID=12&faqID=88

Onlytruth:
Art. 55.
"To the fullest extent of the means available to it, the Occupying Power has the duty of ensuring the food and medical supplies of the population; it should, in particular, bring in the necessary foodstuffs, medical stores and other articles if the resources of the occupied territory are inadequate."

Geneva conventions.

Nigera was the occupying power (they occupied Biafran seaports and air ways) and they blockaded food and medicines, shot at planes evacuating children and bringing food supplies, bombed churches, hospitals and markets. They starved innocent children and weak old people to death. History. 
They couldn't win at the war fronts so they had to take cheap "below the belt" shots.

Wrong!

1. Biafra was not a signatory to the Geneva convention, so article 55 does not apply.

2. Biafra was not a recognized sovereign nation, and thus was never under occupation. The biafran war was a civil war.

3. Nigeria did not deny food to regions of Biafra that were under its control, but rather restricted influx into regions under Biafran control.

You should try and read the entire convention, including protocol II, before making false claims.

Onlytruth:
I am yet to see an Igbo family that did not lose any member to your evil actions in Biafra, but that is not what drives folks like me. We are driven by things people like you will never be able to understand. I don't expect you to understand me.

evil actions?  that is just hilarious.
Who declared an independent state?
Who defied the federal government of the nation?
who did not surrender when it was obvious the position was lost?

The Ojukwu led biafra laid their bed, and the FG simply made them to lie on it.

Onlytruth:
Here is where most of you are mistaken about this piece of history. I would advise you to go and read the definition of war crimes under the UN charter of 1949. It is illegal under UN war treaty called Geneva conventions to block supply of food and medicine. Even the aboki calling himself ndu_chucks knows this fact. It is not my duty to educate you on the Geneva Conventions of war.
If more powerful countries adopted your line of thinking, this world would have ceased years ago.

My take is that Nigeria was fighting to annihilate or exterminate the eastern region which Gowon claim Nigeria desperately needs to survive.
That is incongruous and highly dubious.

Please show me where, keeping in mind that Biafra was not a even signatory to the Geneva convention.

For non-international conflict, the concerned article is Article 3
ARTICLE 3'

     In the case of armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, each Party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, the following provisions:
     (1) Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed ' hors de combat ' by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.
     To this end, the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:
     (a) violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;
     (b) taking of hostages;
     (c) outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment;
     (d) the passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court, affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.
     (2) The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for.
     An impartial humanitarian body, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, may offer its services to the Parties to the conflict.
    The Parties to the conflict should further endeavour to bring into force, by means of special agreements, all or part of the other provisions of the present Convention.
     The application of the preceding provisions shall not affect the legal status of the Parties to the conflict.

Onlytruth:
I really don't expect you to see my point, heck you are a Hausa man! So keep deceiving yourself. Approximately 200,000 Biafrans died in combact (Biafran soldiers and combatants ), but about 1.5 million civilians mainly women, the old, and children died from an act you term as a legitimate war strategy. Your foolery knows no bounds.

We know how the majority of our people died in that war and it was not at the war fronts; it was in their homes, markets and churches where they were supposed to be safe.

A seige is a legitimate war strategy. It is not the FGs fault that Biafra was not self-sufficient and needed importation to feed it self.
Even outside of war, trade embargoes are used as instrument of influence. The Biafran's had the choice to surrender at any point in time, but instead (admirably though questionable) chose to fight on. Do not blame the consequences of your choice on another.

Ironsi - he shouldnt have taken over power.

All this accusations against Awolowo on the words of a Zikist is funny. While I won't be surprised that certain members of the AG  could have been negotiating with the NPC (Akintola and Akinloye factions would come to mind evidenced, by their later formation of NNDP), I doubt it was on the behest of Awolowo, as I have not seen any other record of him being willing to form an alliance with the Sardauna led party.

Awolowo was in no position to offer the prime minister to the NPC, as the prime minister came from the party with the highest number of seats. From the result of the election, NPC had 142 seats and would produce the prime minister. The only option opened to the AG and NCNC was to form an alliance but the ill will from the carpet crossing saga made it difficult. Zik decided to ally with the north because of his own interests, and not because of any act by Awolowo as Amechi would like us to believe.

Some question that their answers could shed further light on the topic include
- why Azikiwe wanted to be the premier of the western region, and the maneuvering that led to him being the premier of the east?
- why, after the alleged 'treacherous' act by Awolowo, NCNC and the AG went ahead to form an alliance, UPGA  for the the 1964-65 elections?

The truth that some of you shy away from was that all those leaders were simply politicians, and were all ready to use almost any means available to get into power. In the end, the standard six educated Sardauna, outplayed and 'out-politicked' the two intellectuals in Zik and Awo, and that is the sad truth of why we are where we are today.

aloy-emeka:
What the heck are you talking about?. Are you a socialist? Have you heard of the open market policy before?. Your father told you that the 20-pounds given to Igbos was a gift from Nigeria? . As your tribal cloak will continue to blindfold you, you also forgot that besides the pounds, there were more igbos who have money in Nigerian banks than Yorubas and hausas(ask your father). They left their properties including money in the bank and ran back to the east. Awolowo pounced on their money, bought shares in the defunct Leventis, Coca Cola, Lennards, etc. I've heard many claim they had over 30,000 pounds then in the bank when the war broke out. Awolowo ran through bank accounts and ate the ones that have igbo names attached to it. If your father loves the truth, he should tell you unless he also wallows in ignorance like you demonstrated in your last response.

Okay, Obafemi the man with a large heart.  Igbos and other south southerns should be grateful he exchanged their money for 20 pounds. You see our problem in Africa, inability to accept the open truth rather we can go to any length to defend evil. You should have entered as another pathetic Awo apologist who will never see any sin committed by him. Why they continue to bring up Ojukwu on the issue of massacre against children beats me. May be its acceptable in Yoruba culture to massacre children because Obasanjo did the same in Odi and some Obasanjo apologists continue to defend him because they claim that odi indigenes were belligerent criminals. therefore, it is justified to bomb their women and children by Obasanjo. Ask yourself, will Obasanjo take the same decision if Odi was in Ogun or Ondo state?. Is that not the same hatred that exists among some Yorubas on their neighbouring Ijaw and Igbos that fueled his decision?. So, I am not surprised at the way some  Awo's kinsmen rally around our own Hitler and defend him for better for worse.

Ask your father to explain the 20 pound policy against Biafrans to you please and if he loves the truth, he shall open your eyes. Contrary to your belief, I may not be Biafran.

CBN did not give 20 pounds to just any biafran depositor, but rather 20-pounds was granted in exchange to any depositor of the old nigeria pound or biafra pound irrespective of the amount deposited. It is the same way that depositor of a failed bank are entitled to no more than a specified amount, which is  often much less than a lot of depositors are owed. So do you then blame the NDIC or the management of the failed bank?

You make claims of Awolowo pouncing on Igbos money, but have yet to provide any ref or source to backup your accusations. Rather you are talking about the claims of others. Awolowo did not own the banks, and if any bank and/or its officials embezzled a depositor's money, the affected person can pursue it in court. When the currency was changed, existing deposits were converted to the new currency.

I have no interest in defending Awolowo, but I will argue against using unfounded claims to try and bring disrepute on another. That you claim you know his motives like if you were God, only shows your true intention as being un just. That you provide your own rationale for the 20-pound policy and then find Awolowo guilty of it just further show where you are coming from. That you felt hard done by the policy is your choice (of which I may even sympathize), but to make it out like if some deliberate plot was enacted to rob people is just nonsense.

BTW you have not suggested what value the CBN should have attached to a valueless currency. would a 1:1000000 exchange rate been appropriate?

aloy-emeka:
Haven't you heard about Awolowo's 20-pound policy against Biafrans?. Are you a Nigerian?

suspected as much, but just wanted to be sure.

Contrary to your claims, the 20-pound policy was nothing but a gift, as the biafra pound was no longer legal tender anywhere i.e. it was worthless. The 20 pound was just a token of good will and it was evident in the flat rate applied. They could have decided to not give them anything at all and ask them to exchange through a third party currency. What would you have had the exchange rate be and explain why you feel that is fair?

The CBN had no control over the printing of the Biafran pound and could not then be held responsible for it. The poor quality of the biafra-pound (particularly the first issue) made counterfeiting a serious problem. There was less than 140 million biafran pound put in circulation, and  with an estimated population of 14 million in biafra, that was an average of 10 biafra-pound per person. The 20-pound per depositor award was generous.

If you have an axe to grind, you should take it up with Ojukwu and his crew, who stole over 40 million Nigerian pound being held in the bank vaults of the Central Bank in Enugu, Benin, and Port Harcourt, and transferred them overseas to finance the war (which was the act that spurred the FG to change currency). It was ojukwu who deluded his people into trading in their valid Nigerian pounds for the (would be) valueless biafran pound, and using the money to fund the war. It was Ojukwu that ran away for his own safety, and did not stay behind to negotiate crucial details of the surrender, such as this, that would have made post-war life easier for his people.

aloy-emeka:
Of course but my agro is more with Awolowo who unleashed his terror AFTER THE WAR. Not even the hausa Fulani who defeated the Igbo in the war was that mean.  To those that are asking the igbo to move on, I'll ask, who forgets who helped him during his bad times. Awolowo no only betrayed the Igbos but continued after the war by seizing their money so that the surviving children will die more from hunger. The only person in the whole of Africa that did something close was Idi amin. I am not really worried about Awolowo's action during the war because war has its consequences but After the WAR?.
[size=14pt]May his generation suffer the sins of their father.[/size]

Sorry if you have stated this earlier, but could you be more explicit in your description of the crimes against Awolowo?
While I am not a fan of the guy (think his personal ambition to rule Nigeria, and his ethnic based politics, were some of his flaws), I am not familiar with his seizing of money from Igbo so that surviving children would die.