₦airaland Forum

Ovamboland: Nigeria's GDP is estimated at $413Bn but adding informal sector may push it to $520Bn
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Nigeria

It produces 2.2 million barrels daily. In 365 days that is 803 million barrels annually

Assuming average prices of $100 per barrel total oil sales is $80.3 Bn Neglecting cost of production and profits taken away by oil majors
80.3/413 x 100 = 19.44 %

If the above listed factors were considered the contribution of oil to GDP will drop to about 16%. Hope this helps to reduce arguments

Even to further help the statistics you supplied and based on the alleged production of 2.2 million barrels daily, Nigeria only takes 60% of 2.2 barrels because of contractual agreement between Nigeria and extracting corporations.

Ibime: This is an old and silly debate we used to have on Nairaland years back.

Nigerian Government cannot survive without oil.

Large majority of Nigerians do survive without oil.

Can large majority of Nigerians survive without the services Government provides ie roads, hospitals etc etc? No!

Only an undeveloped country sees agriculture contribute 30-40% of GDP.

That basically means a lot of people are surviving for themselves. There is no Western country with more than 5% Agriculture contribution to GDP.

Most of the best schools and hospitals built in the real estate known as Nigeria were erected before the stup.id crude oil was struck. Nigeria would have been better off without crude oil than with crude oil. Other than Abuja, there is no new city erected in Nigeria since crude oil was struck in commercial quantity in 1956. The discovery of crude oil in Nigeria has germinated absurd social decadence in our society. The worst of all, it made so many goons think crude oil is the start and end of Nigeria. I really wish the crude oil will suddenly dry up in Nigeria.

There is nothing about government and crude oil in my community. The revenue derived from levy on stalls in the market square runs the community. How many people in your household work for government at any level? In some communities in Igbo, the majority of people are traders or farmers or self-employed.

And for moronic dimwits who has cast aspersion on the northern Nigerian farmers, they should remember that when Shell D’arcy wanted to fold its crude oil exploration in southern protectorate due to series of dry wells and lack of fund, money donated by the farmers in eastern and northern region helped sustain the exploration efforts.

In USA, agricultural sector is a sacred cow and treated with care because it the root of all economic activities. It is really unfortunate you address agricultural sector with spiteful disdain in your post.

ifihearam: The Court yesterday ordered the Imo state governor to reinstate the sacked local government chairmen and councillors he replaced with transition committee last year. The court further explained that the governor does not have the power to remove democratically elected persons.

We hope that the governor complies rather than heading for the supreme court.

If Rochas Okorocha wants us to believe there is iota of democratic principles in him, he must comply with the ruling of the court. I hope some of his praise singers should realize that Okorocha may not have happy days in his life after his term of office if he fails to change some of his political ways. He could find a room in Nigerian courts because he will be in and out of legal proceedings when he leaves office as governor.

He should have my support if he adopts the democratic ways of governance.

agbotaen: who told you ika people need a demented people like your people, you people as still suffering from effects of the war and that is why most of you always behave like bull dogs when people dont accept your ideas, do ika people need igbo ? the answer is no
1. an ika man is amongst the richest nigerians his name is jim ovia , did we need igbo to be that ?
2. an ika man is the head of newspaper proprietors of nigeria ,
3. an ika man is a senator now,
4. an ika man was former special adviser to yardua and jonathan
5. an ika man is a general in the army and the secretary of nigeria army
6. an ika man has been speaker, deputy governor and later acting governor of delta state,
7. in western nigeria , an ika edward anuku was minister, the obi of agbor was a minister, and in midwest we has dr osunhon as minister .
8. ika people have many professors and academics of both national and international repute , do we need the igbo , we dont , and you igbo people should just mind your business and stop counting ika as igbo or else you want another repeat of 1966 treatment.
and as an ika man i would not want to soil my royal hand with a group of people that dont know what royalty means and a people whose majority of citizens worship money .

Do you remember one Navy Commander Fred Anuku? Believe me, the last thing Igbo would want is Ika.I guess only a bloody fool in Nigeria from a certain ethnic group would dream of crossing swords with Ndigbo. This statement is in respect to your idiotic comment about 1966 treatment.

Becomrich0: You see, The problem we have in nigeria is the media, and the igbo media men are twisting the truth. But thank God for google earth satellite pictures the truth is coming out.


Look, the so call anioma is but anioma. In the north of delta state. There are different group.


Igbanke ( who are also found in Edo state in Orhionwon Local Government)
Agbor people
owa people
Igala people
Igbo immigrate
Olukumi people (mix yoruba)


If you look at the satellite pictures you would see clearly that the igbos are immigrate. You can see that the names of the villages are named after South east towns where the origin settler comes from. It is like Agu fulani in Oyo state.
It is just like those of us abroad, in future, we would claim some part of other people countries if history is not told correctly. Most of the place the igbos are claiming is call Owa kingdom. Please do a check on this.


Even if you look at the satellite picture very carefully, the igbo immigrate are minority in those areas. So there is No way, you can create a state in that place and now call it anioma state. It would never happen. The only possible state may be Owa state or Agbor state. Which this majority of the people have nothing to do with igbos.

This people bear names like Otumudon,Onwugha,Igbedigi, Ewodo , Ewuare, Ozolue , Orhogbue, Efeizomor. Do those name sound igbo to you.

look you Hon. Justice (Chief) S.A. Ehiwario (Rtd.) is the Okiroro of Owa kingdom, those his name sound igbo to you.
they have title like Oriowe of Owa kingdom ,
Igirigi Enweiwe of Owa kingdom.
Odafe Arakeze of Owa kingdom.


Look at the satellite pictures, it is obvious the igbos just came to farm. And many like those of us living abroad decided to stay, i know nigerian who have lived in canada for 40 years.

That is the area kaduna Nzegwu claim he comes from, it is obvious to see, they immigrated from igboland that why thier villages bear name to tell where they come from. Onitsha.

The interesting part of the above post lies with title of Owa Kingdom. All the titles, Igirigi Enweiwe, Oriowe and Odafe Arakeze, are Igbo not Edo. There is always a place the tire meets the roads. I do believe that the area in discuss have many Edo or Ishan who ran south-east to avoid the wrath of one of the wicked Oba. These runaways still cling to Edo-sounding names. I guess such minor instance does not give the impetuous to spew crap on Nairaland.

One of the reasons I dogmatically call for disintegration of Nigeria is crude oil. I do not care if my country does not have a drop of crude oil after the disintegration but hope the absence of crude oil will bring out tenacity and creativity in my people to make sands valuable.

homerac7: Argh!...@OP, Dede1 and Kobo

What's d difference between GDP and GNI ?

Alimosho is 40% of Lagos population while V.I & Lekki is 2% of Lagos population, so which is d higher revenue area?

*hypothetical percentages.

As a layman, I understand that GNI is GDP less both gross imports of goods and service and indirect business taxes.

Genius100: Chief, I believe the above refers to the contributors to GROWTH in GDP. So essentially, if the GDP grew by 7%, the above is referring to the contributors for the 7% growth.

Professor, let us assume you are correct on the 7% growth which, according to you, is a trend. Where on the chart is a sign that this trend will change at 100% growth? If the crude oil sector is running miserably third on a growth chart at 7%, it could be fourth or even worse at 100% if we could follow your ridiculous postulation.

It is imperative that those of you who have arrogated the expertise on national economy to yourselves need to shade more light on the issue of GDP than issuing posts based on rumor. The responses to the OP seem to fellow a typical pattern known to Nigerians.

I remembered vividly that it was money earned from Palm Oil and Groundnut sustained the exploration of crude oil in the real estate later known as Nigeria. Economics 101 tells me that GDP is the market value of all officially recognized final goods and services produced within a country in given period.

The statistical chart posted by the OP does not indicate that crude oil sector is the top producer.

ballabriggs: This is erroneous.

Crude oil contributes over 70% of Nigeria's foreign exchange. For an import dependent economy, Oil is the life wire of the economy.

Secondly, it is the earnings from oil which drives other activities that form the component of GDP.

Don't be deceived, take away the oil and your economy is doomed.

You can't get the true picture by mere viewing such data without an analysis.

You seem to be ignorantly held in delusional crucibles. If you think crude oil is the only and major exporter earner of Nigeria, you must be drunk on crude oil. Real Estate later knwon as Nigeria was performing equitable fine in all aspects of human endeavor before the discovery of crude oil. Since crude oil was struck, Nigeria has become a basket of political acrimony, tribal hatred, religious intolerance, humanistic antagonism, unbridled corruption and retrogressive growth.

I really want disintegration of Nigeria by any means available so that few goons in Nigeria would realize they would have been better off without crude oil and the second half of the goons would realize they do not have crude oil after all.

Before now I have agreed Nigeria is a mere geographical expression. But after the pronouncement alleged to have been made by NSA, Dasuki, in respect to phone numbers and Boko Haram leadership, I deduced the Nigeria is a silly geographical expression.

When did Dasuki come in contact with phone numbers of murderous Islamic group known as Boko Haram? And what action did the government initiate to deal with Boko Haram other than idiotic press release of holding dialogue with the murderous Islamic group?

In fact, I do not blame these moronic dingbats from northern region of Nigeria but visionless ninnies from southern region.

Nigerians tend to dance around issues and embrace mediocrity. I suggest Nigeria should scrap visionless NYSC program. It is funny NYSC members sent to cement the cordial relationship among Nigerians are slaughtered by their host.

Most Nigerians are simply deluded. The damnable crude oil and gas sector is the third highest earner or contributor to Nigeria’s GNP.

[quote author=~Bluetooth]Ibos dont have a kingdom but small villages which I'm sure had very hardened criminals at that time.[/quote]I guess you meant the hardened criminals the Nupe and Fulani chased away from Oyo ile which was 30+ miles north of present day Ilorin.

@PhysicsQED

Good to know that the so-called Benin Empire was filled to the brink with criminals and destitute people. I guess British did not visit other kingdoms before Benin and there were no criminals and destitute people in those other kingdoms too.

PhysicsQED: How are people "piling too much weight to the position of certain traditional rulers"?

You're an authority on the weight that should be attached to certain traditional rulers by their people?



Awolowo deposed multiple kings in the Western region for various reasons.

The Alaafin of Oyo deposition business had to with the death of Bode Thomas.



How?



The British claimed the sacrifices were due to their invasion, but some of those people were just criminals or destitute people who weren't afforded proper burials and were left by the road to rot as can be seen from some of the descriptions. We know there were sacrifices, but I'm not sure how they would know there was some big increase in the sacrifices being carried out.

The Oba died peacefully in Calabar in 1914 after living with some of his family members there. The man who organized the entire Benin invasion, Sir Ralph Moor, committed suicide and died in 1909 from poison taken while temporarily insane. I think I know which of these two ways I'd prefer as a cause of death.

Oba of Benin was told in no uncertain language to sit quietly in Benin City and avoid certain human endeavors by the western regional governemnt under Awo. I guess you remembered the famous political quote that made rounds in the old western region of Nigeria. The little authority of Oba of Benin wielded prior to the British invasion ended in 1897.

Of course, you would argue the dead bodies and in some cases headless ones were those of criminals and destitute people who never had a proper burial as if Benin Empire was jungle. Anyway, Benin Empire was what it was, village. The statement from you about British claim or lack thereof is plain laughable.

It is noted in history books that Oba dying in Calabar was not as result of the power wielded by Oba. What different does it make if Oba died happily or crazily?

It is funny some Nigerians are piling too much weight to the position of certain traditional rulers in Nigeria. The doubt people have about the position of Alaafin of Oyo was brought by the western regional government led by Awolowo. In the same stance, the western regional government reduced the position of Oba of Benin to mere name recognition.

I guess the same gods that informed the Oba of Benin to embark on lavish sacrifices, including humans, to avert the wrath of British Empire in 1897. Yet the Oba died as an inconsequential prisoner in a faraway land.

Anybody who remotely insinuates any component that constitutes the history of Nigeria should be swept under the rug is a compound fool.

dasparrow: Yes they did. I found that out here on nairaland. Read this academic piece by Dr Rasheed Olaniyi (Ph.D): http://www.imi.ox.ac.uk/pdfs/rasheed-olaniyi

The reason many Nigerians are not aware that Nigeria got kicked out of Ghana first is because it happened during the height of the biafra war between 1967-1970 and many of us were not yet born into this confused wicked world at that time. The Nigerian people most affected by the deportation exercise were the yorubas according to Dr Olaniyi. He said that Igbo migrants were allowed to remain in Ghana because of the biafra war.

In addition, Ghanian government instructed her citizens not to purchase the homes of the about to be deported Nigerian migrants. So Nigerians ended up leaving behind their homes and investments in Ghana and the Ghanians had a ball with these properties that did not originally belong to them (as mentioned in Olaniyi's paper). This should also serve as a lesson. Before you spend your hard earned money investing in property in another man's land, make sure you have the citizenship or at least permanent residency of the country in question so you don't risk losing your investment.

Anway, if you have adobe acrobat reader installed on your desk computer or laptop, I suggest you read the paper. It is very informative with pictures of some of the Nigerian migrants that were sent back to Nigeria, copies of newspaper articles from back in the day highlighting the deportation exercise and statistical information. It is no wonder Nigeria chose to retaliate in the early 80s when some of us were either infants, toddlers, under 8 years of age or not even born yet.

Hope I answered your question.

When will these goofy individuals leave Igbo people out of their tribal madness in Nigeria? First of all, Dr. Kofi Abrefo Busia became Ghana Prime Minister on October 1, 1969. The Alliance Compliance Order did not come until Busia was sworn-in on October 1, 1969. One wonders where Dr Olaniyi got the drift that Ndigbo were allowed to stay in Ghana while the Yoruba were deported which led him/her to conclude that Yoruba were more adversely affected than Igbo.

All Africans of non-Ghanaian citizen were affected by the Alliance Compliance Order of 1969. The bulk of Nigerian deported from Ghana peaked after the civil war in January 1970.

PhysicsQED: The NCNC and its members were definitely a credit to the nation in the pre-independence era, especially for their non-ethnic/regional orientation.

I have no problem with the NCNC. I just was not satisfied with your explanation for your claim because it does not seem to make sense that a party's great national spread necessitates all local/independent parties automatically being subsumed under it. If you have a better explanation for your claim please provide it.

I do not know where got the idea that since NCNC came across as a party with national coverage all local/independent parties automatically being subsumed under it. After all, Niger Delta Congress in eastern region contested under the platform of NPC. Some memebers of Urhobo Progressive Union also contested elections under the umbrella of Action Group.

This mindset of overbearing ethnic sentiment remains one of the reason I furiously call for Republic of Igbo land.

PhysicsQED: I've looked up the part in bold and the only thing I could find on it were that Ijaws from what is now Rivers state were briefly trained in Escravos before joining in the assault on Bonny by Nigerian soldiers in 1967.

In light of that, why do you continue to promote this story of some mass recruitment of every non-Igbo ethnic group in the Midwest from Urhobo right on down to Ososo at Escravos?

What made you think I could believe an iota of your posts when you had issues with the plight of Ighodaro in crossing to AG and NCNC as a party with national coverage?

PhysicsQED: Well your understanding is wrong. Where are you getting that all the members contested "under the chosen platform of NCNC"? I would hazard a guess that there was a general understanding that somebody who was a member of Otu Edo would not go for the AG over the NCNC because of the origins of Otu Edo and what motivated its formation, but a general understanding is not the same thing as an actual agreement. The only things I have come across which could even imply what you've written above are those writings which falsely claim that Otu Edo was some sort of local branch of the NCNC. I don't know how a local party is supposed to have national coverage and I also don't understand how a local party can be excluded from running and capturing its local area on the basis of not being part of an allegedly larger party which allegedly has "national coverage". You're claiming that local parties could not win areas unless they affiliated with a "party with national coverage" (how does one define national coverage? Did the NPC have national coverage in the south? Did the NCNC have national coverage outside of the East and West?) beforehand?

NCNC was the only political party touted as national party or party with national and international coverage in the ear in discuss. It is unfortunate that someone, due to ethnic or tribal inducement, seemed to tarnish such reputation.

PhysicsQED: You seem convinced that attacks were launched from Escravos before the Midwestern invasion by Biafra - I've never seen proof of this. I'm not sure whether I really care. The claim that Gowon recalled two battalions from Bonny to Escravos in 1967 is also contained in Obasanjo's book My command (1980). If you have an issue with this, then you should provide legitimate sources stating otherwise.

Like I said, I don't even care that much about the "soldiers went from Escravos to Bonny rather than Bonny to Escravos" claim from you. What I really want to see, and what you continue to fail to provide evidence of is this "massive recruitment of every non-Igbo ethnicity in the Midwest whose names I can remember prior to the Midwest invasion" story.

I am not interested in any form of debate with the followers of hack writers who were clearly enemies of Biafra over the military assault on Ubani (Bonny) which originated from Escravos, Mid-western region. Some players in the theater of the war such Adaka Boro who was involved in the amphibious operation on Bony were trained in Escravos.
My intentions are to disabuse the minds of young Biafrans who might have been poisoned with the junks enemies of Biafra imbedded in obscure newspapers or Internet.

PhysicsQED: Dede1, Otu Edo was in alliance with the NCNC after 1951, right?

So what's your issue with S.O. Ighodaro again?

We both know the Edo (Bini) people expected him to opt for the NCNC as that was the preferred national party in that area from what people have written but failing to live up to other people's preconceived notions or letting down their expectations is quite a different thing from actually violating a pre-existing agreement of some sort.

Despite what you may have read, Otu Edo was not formed as some sort of "subsidiary" of the NCNC but as its own party - and try to remember what happened between the Otu Edo and their ally, the NCNC, in 1964. The same Otu Edo almost entered into an alliance with the NPC after that squabble, but people are supposed to believe that it was some kind of "local branch" of the NCNC rather than a local party that could go with whoever? That it entered into a long alliance with the NCNC at a later date does not mean that when elections were held in 1951 every member of the Otu Edo was part of the NCNC.

Please read what I wrote to comprehend properly. To the best of my knowledge, Otu Edo was a cultural organization that had political ramification as well. Since it was not a political party or a party with national coverage, the members contested under the chosen platform of NCNC. It is also my understanding that Otu Edo may choose to contest on the platform of other party than NCNC.

PhysicsQED: https://www.nairaland.com/945502/nigeria-break-up-2015/13#10923238

You really disappointed me with this post. Do you tend to tell me you hedged your facts on a link to a posted by someone who could not discern the difference between 1967 and 1968? One of the glaring stupidity or highlight in the post was citing a division (army unit) from Lagos Garrison Organization which is not up to a brigade or even battalion.

Katsumoto: I apologise in advance but you sir are a slippery and pathetic old man. You speak from all sides of your mouth and yet you have the nerve to accuse others of being backstabbers.

Where in my posts did I differentiate between all the ethnicities that made up Biafra? My point was that Biafrans enlisted en masse (thanks to ACM) TO FIGHT AGAINST Biafra. You have stated that Yoruba together with other non-Biafran ethnicities joined the army before the Biafran invasion to fight Biafra and now that a writer that you apparently respect, wrote that sons of Rivers and South eastern states danced and enlisted to fight Biafra, you have suddenly changed tune to separate Igbo from Efik, Ijaw, Ibiobio, etc who equally gave their lives to the Biafran cause. In any case, the write-up refers to STATES and not state. I reproduce - 'Many people of Rivers and South-Eastern States[size=12pt][/size] origin were seen dancing in Lagos and enlisting en masse into the Federal Army.'

It takes a real man to accept when he is beaten in a debate and you certainly aren't one with all the twists that you have had on this thread.

Let me summise all your twists and lies

1. You claimed that Gowon acknowledged that he had no authority over the eastern region and started backtracking as soon as I produced the speech Gowon gave on the 1st of August
2. You claimed that NCNC won the 1951 election in the West and stated that there was cross carpeting which resulted in AG winning. After I produced results of the election, you then mentioned Ighodaro as the cross-carpeter when it is obvious that Ighodaro's switch could not have handed victory to the NCNC
3. You have maintained that NON-BIAFRANS enlisted to fight against BIAFRA AND NOW THAT it has been alleged that Biafrans fought against Biafra, you decided to segregate between Igbo and other Biafrans. Was Ike Nwachukwu also Efik? Was Elechi Amadi Ibibio?

I am unlikely to respond to any other lies, inaccuracies, fallacies, etc that you are likely to raise to dig yourself further into a hole. Good day sir

It is not my place to ruminate with the choice of language of one Mr Elaigwu. However when he wrote “Many people of Rivers and South-Eastern States origin were seen dancing in Lagos and enlisting en masse into the Federal Army” after Gowon had announced the creation of 12 States, he never minced words of his intentions.

If Gowon had addressed himself as C-in-C and head of state in the so-called speech, there should have been no issue of his authority over the country. However, he cunningly addressed himself as Lt Col and Army Chief of Staff. Again, it was not Gowon’s place to address the nation in such situation. It was the duty of the Army Supreme Headquarters and should have rightfully broadcasted by one Ogundipe who was Chief of Staff Supreme Military Headquarters and the 2ic to C-in-C.

I do not make claims but acknowledge facts with expeditionary research. There is no doubt in my mind that NCNC won the 1951 regional election in western region of Nigeria. The reason behind the example of Chief SO Ighodaro and Otu Edo was to let you know that all the craps you post as election result of 1951 were nonsense because almost the groups in the post were not political parties or parties with national coverage as required by law to stand electioneering scrutiny of the era in discuss. While on the Ighodaro, I should remain you that when 1954 regional election showed face, the chief ran under AG platform and lost his deposit.

I guess we have serious misunderstanding who was actual Biafra or not. Again, I think a good argument could be made for those who were in eastern region when the region was declared Biafra or easterners who patriotically believed in Biafra can be described as Biafrans. Even some folks among us today who were not born in Biafra or eastern region but had forbearers who were Biafrans and had patriotically accepted the spirit of Biafra are Biafrans nonetheless.

hercules07: Quit digging.

What is there to dig? The facts about Nigeria/Biafra war are ever present for people who are pure in heart.

Katsumoto: ACM

It appears you are either blind or unable to comprehend. You posted a link stating that biafrans were joining enmass to fight against biafra. Or rivers and southeastern states were not part of biafra?

I am surprised dede missed that as well and as already affirmed that elaigwu was an unbiased writer.

Talk about scoring an own goal. A biafran providing a link that biafrans enlisted enmass to fight biafra. Plus they were dancing and partying as well as gowon prepared for action.

You sound very pathetic with this post. When J. Isawa Elaigwu wrote “many people of Rivers and South-Eastern State origin seen dancing in Lagos and enlisting en masse in to the Federal Army”, he was not in any form of illusion about his assertion.

I guess you mischievously decided to play ignorant to the fact that Elaigwu meant Rivers State and South-Eastern State of the twelve original states created by Gowon. Let me refresh your memory for good understanding of the facts. South-Eastern State as referenced in the book morphed into Akwa Ibom and Cross River States while Rivers State gave rise to Rivers and Bayelsa States.

In addition, remember there was East Central State. Did you catch the dude’s drift? I suggest you drop the bull horn about the reference made by Elaigwu on the states.

Besides, it has been repeatedly rehearsed that not everybody from eastern region is regarded as Biafran hence the issue of betrayal. Even though I do not pay many dividends to references made by self-styled authorities on the Nigeria/Biafra palaver, anybody with dot of brain cell will discern that Elaigwu knowingly or unknowingly painted East Central State as Biafra hence Biafra is Igbo affair.

T9ksy: Look at a pot calling a kettle, black! Agabya ni e- you are a good for nothing old man. And what do you termed "established facts?" You mean, like the one where you and your ilk claimed (and still continue to claim) that NCNC won the 1951 regional election in western nigeria but till date, cannot produce the results for all to peruse. Is that your concept of "established facts"? Yeye man! you have no moral standing to lecture anyone here on established facts as you have no idea of what it means. You no dey shame sef!!!

Give us proof of your so-called "established facts" or just STFU!!!


@ ACM10, I dey patiently await your return from your village o!

Shut the freaking up toddler. Even if the facts are set under your nose, agbaya kekere such as you would still demand for proof.

CyberG: Some people like this ^^ will kaput talking gibberish forever with nothing to show for it! History is established facts of the past and facts are stubborn things that cannot be re-written!

Shut up your putrid mouth young man. What do you know about history and established facts?

ACM10: GOWON
by J. Isawa Elaigwu
West Books Publisher Limited, Ibadan.
1986.
Page 101

Do not pay any mind to Katsumoto when he throws those ridiculous challenges after being fed with junks written by enemies of Biafra and those who would do anything humanly possible to justify their utter stupidity for joining force with Gowon Nigeria.

Sometimes I wonder why most southern Nigerians shun books about the Nigeria/Biafra civil war written by authors such as J. Isawa Elaigwu or Bala Usman who had no reason to justify their actions during the civil war. As far as I concerned, the water has gone under the bridge and there nothing anybody could do in order to germinate seed of unity and camaraderie among the people of southern provinces of Nigeria.

Katsumoto: And as usual, you failed to address the post but proceeded to introduce irrelevant information. I stated that there was a mass recruitment after the Biafran incursion and you replied that someone was conjecturing that southern citizens couldn't stand up to Gowon and were begging Gowon to allow them into the forces. Where did you read that in my post? If someone else made that conjecture, then direct the response above to them and not to me.

Biafra decided to go to war despite being warned by both internal and external forces; but you were exoecting people on the streets demonstrating when Ojukwu had decided to settle scores on the battle field? The facts are that no one begged Gowon to enlist; many Yoruba and mid-westerners joined the forces after the Biafran incursion into the midwest and the debacle at Ore. It is your prerogative whether you refuse to accept this point.


I challenge you to provide a book, link, article that states that recruitment of Southerners into the armed forces started before the Biafran invasion. Please do not disappoint me this time. I appeal to you to please address whats stated in my posts and not what you wish to respond to even if its not stated.

For those interested, please see two articles below confirming that recruitment started after the Biafran invasion.



Although Benin City was retaken by the Nigerians on September 20, the Biafrans succeeded in their primary objective by tying down as many Nigerian Federal troops as they could. Gen. Gowon also launched an offensive from Biafra's south from the delta to riverine area using the bulk of Lagos Garrison command under Col. Adekunle (black scorpion) to form 3 division which latter changed to the 3rd marine commandos. Recruitment into the Nigeria Army increased with Biafra's offensive to the west mostly among other southern ethnics especially Yoruba and Edo people. Four battalions of the Nigerian 2nd Infantry Division were needed to drive the Biafrans back and eliminate their territorial gains made during the offensive. But the Nigerians were repulsed three times and lost thousands of troops as they tried to cross the Niger during October.

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Nigerian_Civil_War


But in the first three days of the assault, its element of surprise and advantage of speed were completely lost as Banjo sat in Benin arguing with Ojukwu over the appointment of a military governor, while trying to raise an additional battalion from scratch. Meanwhile, Gowon initiated recall of two battalions from Bonny to Escravos. Trains and trailers began bringing additional troops from Kaduna. Units were withdrawn from Nsukka sector. New recruits were hurriedly trained. From Lagos, every roadworthy vehicle that could be commandeered was grabbed to move troops and material to a "Maginot-Line" stretching from Okitipupa to Ore, through Ondo to Owo and on to Okene. A previously positioned company of men from the federal guard led by Lt. Sam Tomoye initially held the ground at Ore until relieved by additional troops from Ibadan led by Captain Geoffrey Ejiga. On August 18, Kano airport was suddenly closed to civilian traffic as a massive air shipment of Russian MIGS arrived along with personnel.

It is unfortunate you keep stressing the irrelevant fact about massive recruitment of soldiers by Nigeria after Biafra reacted to the occupation of its territory by Gowon and Nigeria. Of course, there was massive recruitment on both sides after Biafra decided to pay Nigeria back in its coin when it attacked Nigeria through Midwestern region.

Anybody who has been on parade ground would realize that LGO was not up to battalion strength but was built into brigade strength at Escravos, Midwestern region from July 29, 1966 to July 12, 1967. At the period too, Ibadan garrison organization was not up to battalion yet was built up to a division by the aforementioned periods.

My beef in all this historical twist is on the efforts of the goons who are bent on sitting history on its head by repeatedly and foolishly insinuating essence of neutrality on the part of certain section of Nigeria. Those who fought with Nigeria were not mandated as it was for those who fought with Biafra. However, it is beyond human silliness to insinuate that Biafra’s reaction to Nigeria’s incursion into eastern region of Nigeria triggered the fever pitch urge of Yoruba, Edo, Urhobo, Ishan, Itsekiri, Ijo, Ejegam and Efik to serve in Gowon’s Nigerian army of 1967.