₦airaland Forum

@ Pilgrim 1

Today is so tight that I have not been able to relax for 1 hour. Probably, you can notice it from my post. Just having visitors discussing one thing and the other.

@ Pilgrim 1

I said Images are used to increase understanding about God. I have given you references in the bible, yet you still ask me to show you specific instruction. Now, I want you to sincerely tell me if you don’t have Jesus Christ Pictures in your house. What does your mind explain to you each time you see Jesus Christ picture in a book? I believe that your mind tells you that the picture is Jesus. If your answer is positive that you have Jesus Christ Picture in your house, then, is picture not an image? Why do you have Jesus pictures hanging in your house? Why practicing what you have condemned? I hope you are getting the point I’m making here? Let me tell you the mind of every Catholic now, we don’t worship idols, only the Living God we worship.

Now about Pope, Pilgrim I quote you “The leaders are several at any given time, and you can read who those leaders are in 1 Corinthians 12:28. There is NO MENTION of ANY Pope among those whom GOD Himself set as leaders in the Church.”

While we had many Bishops or Elders at the time of St. Peter, we also read that all the Bishops were not taking presiding sit at any gathering. It was only St. Peter who presided every meeting they had. This is an indication that while we had many Bishops St Peter was no doubt the Head of the Christians even there is no word like Pope in the bible, we also have no word like “bible” in the bible, but we know scripture means the same as bible. As I said earlier, Pope simply means a shepherd and he succeeded St Peter. John 21:15-17, Luke 22:32) In these portions Christ made St. Peter the Shepherd of the whole flock when He him (Peter) three times, do you love me and Christ said “Feed my lambs, feed my sheep, and then commanded Peter to strengthen his brothers. Besides, Matt 16:18:19) says “you are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the underworld can never prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made Eunuchs by others and there are Eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.” (Matt 19:11-12). The bold phrase proves that some eunuchs are made by others. So, Jesus Christ and St. Paul encouraged celibacy. I repeat, for Christ Church to be one, it must be united under one visible head, which Pope or Bishop or even Vicar of Rome is the visible Head. Christ cannot allow His Church to scatter without hierarchy. I know I have not been steady today because of what I'm trying do. I will make more research probably today or next to convince you, if only you will accept.

@ Pilgrim

Wait let me go through my bible. I want to make use of my bible now.

@ Ndipe:

Now I can take my bible: Listen, in so far as Jesus regards the institution of marriage as a great calling, so also he regards Celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom as a great calling. Hear Jesus “not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made Eunuchs by others and there are Eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.” (Matt 19:11-12) Along the same vein, St. Paul the Apostle who did not marry says: “I wish that all were as myself am. But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind.” (1 Cor. 7:7). Now, we all know that St. Peter married but as things progressed Catholic now made a change and adopted the teaching of Jesus Christ to enable the Priests devote their time for Kingdom Service. So, it was just a constructive change to serve God better. I believe the change does not rule out St. Peter as first Pope. Note, the word Pope simply means a Shepherd, Leader, Bishop etc. So, nobody can argue this simple truuth.

Our mentality, Ndi Bekee dey watch

@ doyin13

I believe the war will be taken outside South East this time.

You guys should not bother, the knowledge and skills I have acquired from Hezbollah, I will come back and introduce it to Nigeria. My people shall be free indeed. I have seen close to 200 Igbos here and they share the same view with me. We will teach our boys Hezbollah method and I know some Igbos are also there in Israel learning the Zionists style. We are for the same purpose.

@Pilgrim 1
Listen, you can’t follow the word of God in part, whole must be involved because nature itself is one connected whole and not part. As I said earlier about these traditions which our separated brethren (Protestants) have refused to accept, and this is where we always have problem with them. Jesus Christ and His Apostles handed these Traditions to their successors to be fully followed. Get it again, brethren stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word (orally) or our epistle (written) (II Thessalonians 2 vs 15). So, what are these traditions? People saw these traditions and have been passing them from generation to generation. Now, somebody came yesterday and established his own church only to argue what he has no idea simply because he cannot see it in the bible, and has refused to ask for explanation or interpretation of the bible. Still on the Images, I think I have given references in the bible about Images. Now, you are asking if God instructed Catholics to make Images. To me, I understand you really want me to show you a specific instruction from God in the bible. Those specific instructions have been pointed out in my earlier posts – Covenant Box, Brazen Serpent. These instructions came from God directly. Again, we read bible and follow it base on the references in it. I know Jesus at a particular point compared himself with the brazen serpent in the Old Testament. Jesus said “just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up” (John 3:14). “When I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself: (John 12 : 32) Verse 33 stated that Christ said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die (i.e. death on the cross). It is on the cross that lifted up Jesus. You can see that people are not kneeling for the wood (Images). They are brought to the mood of humbling themselves before Christ through whom they receive life as symbolized by the brazen serpent of old.

Again, Pope’s infallibility as he defines a doctrine concerning faith and morals that must be held by all Christian faithful. Yes, I said Christians and not only Catholics because Pope is the Successor of St Peter whom Christ Made the visible head of His Church on earth. Christ Church is united under one head. Who is the head? The fact that some people have failed to believe this does not rule out Pope as the Head of the Christian faithful. There is no way Christ Church will be without a leader on earth. It’s not possible. So, Pope is the head of the Christian faith. However, you can talk about the unfaithfulness of some Catholic Priests but don’t use “most” because the word “most” should be properly referred to the Pastors. They are known for this.

@Pilgrim1

I can’t understand what you meant by “you don’t use my persuasion to accommodate idolatry in God’s house.” If you follow my posts, you will understand that both of us are of the opinion that idolatry is one of the gravest sins. I am only trying to put it clear to some people who condemns what they have no idea, such as Imageries, Images and Sacramental. God can still manifest His Powers and Spirit in them, and there is wide difference between Images use for idolatry and Images that increases understanding about the Living God. As for Pope being infallible, I don’t mean Pope is perfect in Engineering, Sports etc. What I mean by Pope’s infallibility is based, acting as a Shepherd and the Teacher of all Christians, he defines a doctrine concerning faith and morals that must be held by all Catholic (Christian) faithful. This he does after long consultations with the Cardinals. However, I thank God that you could not point out a single thing Pope had uttered that were contrary to the word of God. So, I believe there are none until they are pointed out.

Now Fables, you mentioned about some Catholic Priests going after girls, well, a few of them misbehave but you must provide evidence. I know they are human beings with feelings and I can’t tell you they are without sins. But know that most of the Pastors even with their wives around them are prone to unfaithfulness. Let me put it clear now, I am NOT A PRIEST. My set was ordained within 2002, but I refused to go ahead in 1997 and that’s when I was in the senior seminary (personal decision). So, I live a normal life like every other person. Don’t bring the issue of being a Priest again.

seeu:
@ebos
I hope we are fighting for the same cause? Two of are pursuing ghost, and now you said my head is smelling ghost. This babeearly’s views can deceive the easy ones. I don’t need to follow him with soft mind. Following his views, I will rather prefer a tougher word to nemesis. Ebos, you should forget babeearly, he’s a clown.

@Seeu, , I don’t think your head is smelling ghost. Though, I understand your point but I believe another enhanced word should be preferred to nemesis. As I said earlier, babeearly, could be activating his keyboard just opposite your building. Nemesis should not be used against somebody simply because your opinion varies from his or her.

ok now, I hope my post have just answered your question

Just 20, Well the moral decadence of our society today is the problem. Just wondering what is strange in all this fuss.

However, similar predictions had been made by various observers for almost a year. On November 3, 1968 just about two months after Gowon’s announcement, the New York Times reported that fresh supplies of arms from Gabon had enabled the Biafrans to put up stiffer resistance and even to counter-attack on some areas. At present, another extended stalemate seems in the offing. It is impossible at this distance to make any firm surmise about the viability of continued Biafran resistance. Estimates by Nigerian authorities and by experts, journalists and observers from abroad that Biafran opposition would soon dissipate repeatedly have been proven inaccurate. On the other hand there has been a steady retreat by Biafran forces and it is clear that if this trend continues some point soon will be reached at which the remaining terrain will be inadequate to sustain organized operations by the Biafran army

WRITTEN BY
AMERICAN JEWISH CONGRESS –

The Counter-Coup and the Mass Killings

In any case, this mass slaughter left a deep scar on the Ibo people. Ibo leaders called for the return of all Ibos to their ancestral homeland and began serious preparations for secession.

On May 30, therefore, the Eastern Region proclaimed its independence as the Republic of Biafra.

In July 1966, Federal forces attempted to reassert control over the East. After a determined and successful defense, however, Biafran troops a month later moved across the Niger River into the Mid-West. Aided by Ibo officers and soldiers in that area, they installed a puppet government under a Mid-Western Ibo officer, Major Albert Okonwo. That region then proclaimed its independence as a second separate state. The disintegration of Nigeria appeared to be well under way.

However, the Ibo advance apparently panicked residents of the predominantly Yoruba Western Region, particularly after Radio Biafra promised that the West would also be “liberated.” At that point, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the old Yoruba leader of the national Opposition, who had been let out of jail and had accented a top civilian post with the Gowon government, rallied to the Federal Government many Yoruba leaders who had favored secession of the West. The Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani peoples along with minority groups in all the regions are now apparently held together by anti-Ibo sentiment and common pursuit of the war. The Yoruba and the minorities have also been pleased by the new twelve-state structure decreed by Colonel Gowon which has resulted in the break-up of the formerly monolithic North.

In the summer of 1967, Great Britain and the Soviet Union started to supply the Federal Government with modern planes, armored cars and other weapons. In September 1967, the Federal forces were able to retake the Mid-West and large-scale massacres of Ibos followed in which the Edo people of the region who had been enraged by the Ibo take-over, participated to a large extent. The Federal Army then pushed on into the East and during the course of the following year was able to occupy almost all the non-Ibo areas of Biafra and almost: half of the Ibo homeland. On September 8, 1968, Colonel Gowon predicted that the war would be over in two months.

WRITTEN BY
AMERICAN JEWISH CONGRESS –

BIAFRANS BETTER THAN FEDERAL TROOPS BUT WE BELIEVE LOST THE WAR DUE TO GREAT BRITAIN AND SOVIET UNION

However, the Ibo people, highly individualistic and achievement-oriented, took to Western education zealously. By the 1940’s they had transformed themselves into one of the most educated, wealthiest, and politically unified groups in Nigeria and presented a serious challenge to Yoruba predominance in the civil service and the professions. Moreover, severe population pressure in the Ibo homeland combined with an intense desire for economic improvement drove thousands of Ibos to other parts of Nigeria in search of work. Many went to the Northern areas where their entrepreneurial and technical skills were in particular demand among the traditional and generally uneducated population. There they took up positions as merchants, government civil servants, and clerks in private European companies. In time the Ibos came to occupy in Nigeria a position somewhat analogous to that of the Indians in East Africa or the Jews in Eastern Europe. In the North and to a lesser extent in the West they came to be looked upon as alien outsiders occupying positions in the economy that “rightfully” belonged to tile indigenous inhabitants of the area. They were perceived as aggressive and pushy, and were envied and resented because of the rapidity with which they acquired education and wealth.

During the 1940’s and 1950’s the Ibo and Yoruba parties were in the forefront of the fight for independence for Britain They also wanted an independent Nigeria to be organized into several small states so that the conservative and backward North could not dominate the country. Northern leaders, however, fearful that independence would mean political and economic domination by the more Westernized elites in the South, preferred the perpetuation of British rule. As a condition for accepting independence, they demanded that the country continue to be divided into three regions with the North having a clear majority. Ibo and Yoruba leaders, anxious to obtain an independent country at all cost, accepted the Northern demands.

This stability was short-lived. Within a few years, explosive forces always present covertly, began to surface. Since 1962, Nigeria has been rocked by widespread violence, internal disorder, and now by a savage civil war,. This violence reflects, in essence, Northern attempts to maintain control of the country in the face of increasingly intense opposition from the South and particularly from the Ibo peoples.

Thereafter the Federal government moved more decisively to consolidate its strength. Claiming to have uncovered a plan for a military coup the Northern-dominated Federal government arrested Awolowo and sentenced him to ten years in prison. and the Federal Territory of Lagos, 675,000.

read and get tired, then i will stop

ALL THE STORIES AND MANY MORE TO COME - WRITTEN BY

NOWA OMOIGUI

AND

MAJOR ABUBAKAR .A. ATOFARATI


STUDENT: US MARINE COMMAND AND
STAFF COLLEGE
ACADEMIC-YEAR 1991/92

AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE WRITER, WE WILL READ THE FEDERAL MILITARY STRATEGY- NOTE THERE WERE MANY OFFICERS NEVER MENTIONED HERE, AND THEY PARTICIPATED FULLY IN THE WAR. ESPECIALLY ON THE BIAFRAN SIDE

It is commonly said that an army fights on its stomach. Logistics won the war for Nigeria. If the Biafrans had half of the resources Nigeria had, the story might be different. The Biafrans were better organized and managed the meager resources available to them more effectively. The Nigerian Army learnt a big lesson from this. The Army school of Logistics was upgraded and well funded to train and produce high quality logisticians for the Army after the war.

Communication in the field was a big problem to both sides in the conflict. Radios were lacking and when they were procured, trained manpower was not available. The importance of good and reliable communication and gathering of adequate and up to date intelligence of the enemy was a big lesson.

The silencing of guns allowed the milk of brotherhood, love, understanding and sympathy to flow from both the civilians and the soldiers on the Federal side to their fellow citizens on the rebel side. As time went by, everybody came to appreciate the futility of the war which some had regarded as inevitable.

The war had come and gone. The story of the war and what led to it has been told, is being told and will continue to be told. What seems to me a human tragedy all through ages is the inability of man to learn a good lesson from the past so as to avoid the pitfall of those who had gone before? There is also the innate and unconscious desire of man to remain oblivious of the lessons of the past. He hopes and believes that the past can be ignored, that the present is what matters, that no mistakes of the present can be as serious and grievous as the mistakes of the past. As a result history tends to repeat itself. However, there are exceptions of nations and men who had learnt from history to avoid collective and individual disasters or a repetition of such disasters. I feel confident that Nigeria must join the group of these happy exceptions if we are to have political stability, economic progress, integrated development, social justice, contentment and be the epicenter of African solidarity. Since the end of the civil war, Nigeria has made considerable progress in all these areas.

POLITICAL / DIPLOMATIC

The Biafrans knew that the odds against them were immense and that their survival depended on the amount of external support they were able to muster. The Biafrans, through many of their people abroad, mounted a very strong campaign and propaganda for the recognition of Biafra by the international community and for the purchase of arms and equipment. This powerful propaganda paid off by her recognition by countries like, Tanzania, Zambia, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Haiti, covert support by France and double dealing by countries like West Germany, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Republic of Dahomey, Sierra Leone and secret importation of arms and ammunition into the region.


THE CLASH OF ARMS STRATEGIES EMPLOYED

Nigeria's potential in manpower, wealth, natural resources, land mass, infrastructure, international links and diplomacy could hardly be surpassed in Africa. Whenever war is declared, people are generally concerned with the relative strengths of the opposing forces coupled with their war potential. Armed forces are the towing equipment that pulls a nation out if she runs aground in her policy. It is madness for a nation to commit herself more than her armed forces can do. There was no comparison between the strengths of the opposing forces in the Nigerian civil war. Nigerian Army (NA) was too formidable for Biafra, a ratio of 4:1. However each side knew the tactics the other side would employ since they all belonged to the same Armed Forces before the war.

The Biafran Army, realizing the odds against them decided correctly to go into defense. Taking the advantage of fighting on their own ground, they constructed fortified pill boxes on the enemy most likely avenues of approach, the major highways connecting the Eastern Region with the rest of the country. The Biafran army had gathered a lot of information on the disposition of the Nigerian army and made contingency plans to meet any incursion into their territory. They conducted training exercise code named "Exercise Checkmate" which was on the line Biafra Army hoped to fight. This exercise was so realistic that when the Nigerian Army started their offensive, they reacted exactly the way Biafra expected them to.

Biafra deployed her troops as follows:

1. Northern Sector - 51st Brigade made up of three infantry Battalions
2. Central Zone and Garrison Command - 11th Infantry Battalion
3. Southern Zone - 52nd Brigade made up of three battalions.

The Biafran Air Force carried out strategic bombings of major towns, military installations and the Defense Industry. This had a diverstating effect on civilian population and further helped the Nigerian propaganda which resulted in making more people to join the NA to crush the rebellion. The Biafran Navy also carried out some attack on the Nigerian ships with little effect. Mercenaries were hired to train the troops and took part in the fighting.

BIAFRA MILITARY

On the Biafran side, preparation for war was put into high gear as soon as the troops of non - Eastern origin withdrew from Enugu in August of 1966. Thousands of people poured in for recruitment. Training was embarked upon both for officers and soldiers who were mainly lecturers and university students. Before the outbreak of hostility, the Eastern Region had no sufficient arms since all the soldiers who returned to the region did so without their arms while the soldiers who were withdrawn from the East departed with their weapons. What was left of the Nigerian Army at Enugu barracks amounted to about 240 soldiers, the majority of them technicians and tradesmen and not all the soldiers had weapons. However at the outbreak of the war, the Eastern Region had succeeded in securing arms and ammunition from France, Spain and Portugal. Madiebo remarked, "When more weapons were received in May 1967, a decision was taken to form two new battalions to be called the 9th and 14th Battalions." (2:100)

Many pilots and technicians formerly of the Nigerian Air Force of Eastern origin returned to the region to form the Biafran Air Force (BAF). Two old planes, a B26 and a B25 were acquired with new helicopters. The two bombers were fitted with machine guns and locally made rockets and bombs. The BAF also acquired Minicon aircrafts. A small Navy was established in Calabar with some patrol boat formerly used by the Nigerian Navy. More boats were later manufactured locally and these were armored plated and fitted with light guns and machine guns. A people’s army called, the Biafra Militia, was formed. Local leaders and ex-servicemen trained young men and women in the use of whatever weapon the individuals had. These weapons were mainly imported and locally made short guns. The militias were to provide a ready source of manpower re-enforcement for the regular army, to assist with military administration immediately behind the frontline, to garrison all the areas captured or regained from the enemy, and to help educate the population on the reason why Biafra was fighting.

An establishment known as the Administration Support was formed. Before the declaration of hostility, the small Biafran Army was almost completely administered and maintained by donations from the civil populace. This establishment was to muster necessary support particularly logistic requirements for the army and to run the administration since all the young and able bodied men and women were to be engaged in the fight. A Food Directorate, responsible for the purchase and distribution of all food, drink and cigarettes to the armed forces and the nation was formed. A Transport Directorate with operational procedure similar to that of the Food Directorate was established. A Petroleum Management Board was established for procurement, management and distribution of POL. The board designed and built a sizeable and efficient fuel refinery which produced petrol, diesel, and engine oil at considerably fast rate.

Several other directorates such as Clothing, Housing, Propaganda, Requisition and Supply, and Medical were established. Clothing in particular was very essential as uniform was unavailable in Biafra. The textile mills in the Eastern Region were reactivated to produce bails of uniform for the armed forces and the civilians. A Research and Production Board was established. This organization researched and manufactured rockets, mines, tanks, grenades, launchers, bombs, flame throwers, vaccines, biological and alcoholic beverages and so forth.

Women were not left out in the scheme of things. Women were trained in intelligence gathering and how to infiltrate into the Nigerian side. Women Voluntary Service was formed to assist in educating the women of Biafra on the cause of the crisis, keep women informed of developments, rehabilitation of war casualties, setting up of nurseries, orphanages, civil defense corps, and provision of cooks for the troops. An Advisory Committee was set up to plan and execute the war and to advise the Head of State on political and military matters.

which had been regularly tampered with by the politicians since 1962. The rift between the Eastern Region and the rest of the country was total." (5: Most of the civilian of Eastern Region origin who had never lived in the East and would have continued to live elsewhere in the country lost confidence and moved to the East. Some of them when they arrived at their destination became refugees in their own country.

None of the other recommendations was fully implemented except nullification of the unification decree. The implementation of the recommendation with regards to the posting of troops to barracks within their region of origin was relentlessly pursued by the political leaders of Western Region after the exercise had been completed in the Eastern Region. They were afraid of the so - alled Northern troops domination and probably of the safety of the troops of Western Region origin. With the troops of Eastern Region back in Enugu and the non-Eastern troops withdrawn from there, with Nigerians of non-Eastern origin driven out of the East in their own interest, and with Easterners at home and abroad returning home with news of Nigerian's brutality against them, and with the oil flowing in the Eastern Region, the way was now open for the implementation of the secession.

The East and the North began a virulent of words through their radios and newspapers. Early in 1967, a peace negotiating meeting of the Supreme Military Council of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Eastern Region Military Governor, Lt. Col. Ojukwu was called under the auspices of Gen. Ankrah of Ghana in Aburi, Ghana. As it turned out, all the other members of the council except Ojukwu were too thrusting, too naive or too ill-prepared for the meeting. Therefore Ojukwu scored a vital goal in his ambition. Walter Schwarz remarked: "Ojukwu got his way with little effort, by being the cleverest. He was the only one who understood the issue.

Step by step the others came to acquiesce in the logic of Ojukwu's basic thesis - that to stay together at all, the regions had first to draw apart. Only Ojukwu understood that this meant, in effect, a sovereign Biafra (Eastern Region) and the end of the Federation." (6:18) Different versions of what happened in Aburi were released by Ojukwu in the East and by the Federal Military Government in Lagos.

Ojukwu accused the Federal Government of bad faith and going back on promises. The Federal Government accused Ojukwu of distortion and half truths. After several meetings amongst the Federal and Regional officials, what amounted to the demise of the Federation was promulgated in decree No. 8 of 17 March 1967 in a desperate effort to implement the Aburi decisions and to avoid further stalemate and possible civil war.

Eventually 12 States were created throughout the country on 27 May 1967. The Eastern Region was divided into three states.

The reaction from Enugu was sharp and quick: the declaration of Eastern Nigeria as the independent sovereign state of "Biafra" on 30 May 1967. The month of June was used by both sides to prepare for war. Each side increased its military arsenal and moved troops to the border watching and waiting until the crack of the first bullet at the dawn of 6 July 1967 from the Federal side. The war had started and the dawn of a new history of Nigeria.

A counter coup was staged by the Northern military officers on 29 July 1966 with two aims: revenge on the East, and a break up of the country. But the wise counsel of dedicated Nigerians, interested and well-disposed foreigners prevailed. The Head of State, Maj. Gen Aguiyi Ironsi and many other senior officers of Eastern origin were killed.

After three anxious days of fear, doubts and non-government, Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon, at the time the most senior officer of Northern origin and then the Chief of Staff, Nigerian Army, emerged as the new Nigerian political leader. The lack of planning and the revengeful intentions of the second coup manifested itself in the chaos, confusion and the scale of unnecessary killings of the Easterners throughout the country. Even the authors of the coup could not stem the general lawlessness and disorder, the senseless looting and killing which spread through the North like wild fire on 29 September 1966.

Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon, the then Head of State, in a broadcast to the people of the North in September said; "I receive complaints daily that up till now Easterners living in the North are being killed and molested and their property looted. It appears that it is going beyond reason and is now at a point of recklessness and irresponsibility." (3:9) Before then, in an effort to stop the killings and to preserve the nation in one form or the other, an ad hoc conference of the representatives of the regions was called on 9 August 1966 in Lagos.

The meeting made the following recommendations:

1. Immediate steps should be taken to post military personnel to barracks within their respective regions of origin.

2. A meeting of this committee or an enlarged body should take place to recommend in a broad outline the form of political association which the country should adopt in the future.

3. Immediate steps should be taken to nullify or modify any provisions of any decree which assumes extreme centralization.

4. The Supreme Commander should make conditions suitable for a meeting of the Supreme Military Council urgently as a further means of lowering tension.

The first recommendation was implemented on 13 August 1966. Troops of Eastern Nigeria origin serving elsewhere in the country were officially and formally released and posted to Enugu, the capital of Eastern Region, while troops of non-Eastern origin in Enugu moved to Kaduna and Lagos. This marked the beginning of division and disunity within the rank and file of the Nigerian Armed Forces. "This simple and seemingly innocuous action broke the last thread and split the last institution symbolizing Nigeria's nationhood and cohesion

aisha2:
See the problem with Nigeria, we keep shouting corruption, corruption, something is being done to reduce corruption and some people are still giving the "he is not the only one excuse"

Listen, nature is one connected whole and not part. At any given moment every part must be precisely what it is, because all other parts are what they are, and it’s possible that a grain of sand moved from its place may not change something throughout all parts of the immeasurable whole, except the whole is involved. Though, I support the anti-corruption crusade as long as the whole will be involved, starting from the part but does not stop at the part. Hope you get it because we are watching?

Must Iran get one? Those heartless niggers!

What do you want the innocent-correct niger to do? I do not support him, but he is not the only person. De niger dey try him best

Read until you get tired. There are more to copy and paste.

According to several regular former Biafran officers I have spoken to, Achuzia never wrote operational orders for any battle – although to be fair to him, neither did Nigeria’s Lt. Col. Murtala Mohammed, who trained at Sandhurst. But time and time again, Achuzia would start off an operation and then lose interest and go somewhere else, and then return later on when it seemed things had worked themselves out. This happened in Onitsha during Mohammed’s final push into the town from Awka in March 1968. When Achuzia staged one of his disappearances, military officers like Colonel Chude-Sokei (Biafran Air Force Commander), Brigadier Nwawo, Colonel Eze, Colonel Aghanya, Major Okeke, and others rallied the front. Chude-Sokei died from mortar fire and most of the others mentioned were seriously wounded by the time Achuzia returned. On March 21st, Nigeria’s Major S.M. Yar’Adua took Onitsha. When, however, a column of 2DIV logistic vehicles tried to link up with Yar’Adua from Abagana, they were destroyed in an ambush led by Biafran Major Uchendu on March 31st at Abagana – in another disaster for Nigeria’s Colonel Murtala Mohammed. Nevertheless, Major Joe Achuzia promptly reappeared to address a Press Conference about it and did a photo-op at the scene with journalists, explaining in detail how he accomplished the ‘feat’. To the amusement of regular Biafran officers who say he was not even there, it was on this basis that he got the nickname “Hannibal” – in memory of the great Carthaginian General.

When asked to comment on Madiebo’s criticisms of his military methods, Achuzia said:

Anyway, Achuzia was later relieved by Ojukwu of command of 11 Division and replaced by P.C. Amadi, a graduate of the MONS Officer Cadet School. This would later prove vital when federal troops tried unsuccessfully to take Nnewi. Achuzia, meanwhile, was ordered to relieve Colonel Ogbugo Kalu as the 52 Brigade Commander in the Port Harcourt sector. When he failed to stop Colonel Adekunle’s advance there, Navy Captain Anuku, a graduate of the Royal Naval School at Portsmouth – who also failed to stop Adekunle’s march into Port Harcourt - relieved him.

In September 1968, when Colonel Adekunle launched Operation OAU, Achuzia was at it again. He was embroiled in a command controversy with Biafran Navy Captain Anuku over control of the joint 52 and 60 Brigade HQ in the Owerri-Ahoada axis – under control of a newly created 14 Division. Eventually, Anuku was asked to accompany Ojukwu for an OAU meeting in Addis Ababa while Colonel Ben Nwajei of 53 Bde was asked to take command of the Division as its first Commander. In this way, Madiebo outmaneuvered Achuzia.

Nevertheless, he bounced back into political prominence, distinguishing himself during the Biafran counter-offensive to retake Oguta in collaboration with Colonel Nwajei and Captain Anuku. Later in September, Achuzia made an unsuccessful attempt to retake Obilagu airstrip from Nigeria’s Major Abdullai Shelleng of the “Jet” 22 battalion, 1 Sector, I DIV.

When Brigadier Nwawo’s 13 Division lost Okigwe to elements of the Federal 1st DIV on October 1st, 1968, Achuzia was ordered by Ojukwu to take over command of the badly battered Division while Nwawo was redeployed to AHQ and Colonel Ude sacked. Achuzia then changed the name to “15 Division” because he felt “13” stood for bad luck. Nevertheless all three (3) attempts by Achuzia’s new 15 Division to retake Okigwe failed woefully. By the time of his third attempt, many Biafran officers had abandoned their troops for fear of failure and Achuzia’s dreaded retribution – which some allege included summary executions. The 15 Division later came under command of Biafran Colonel Linus Ohanehi.

After the failure of efforts to retake Okigwe, Achuzia, once again, got into a controversy with Colonel Amadi over the best way to stem federal advance in the Agulu and Adazi areas. With Ojukwu’s backing, he even allegedly expropriated ammunition and fuel supplies meant for the operation, delaying it in the process. Were it not for the “Umuahia Brigade” under Major Nwosu, the story would have been different. An entire battalion of federal troops was later destroyed at Agulu and Adazi – the only major disaster experienced by Colonel Shuwa’s 1st Division throughout the war. The outcome of that battle, in late November 1968, saved the 11 Division under Amadi and prevented the fall of Nnewi, Ojukwu’s hometown.

Other than the arrest and deportation of mercenary Colonel Steiner, which he claims credit for, Achuzia was quiet and subdued for a while, preferring to stir up trouble in the Midwest. But in March 1969 he convinced Ojukwu to allow him take temporary control of the “S” Division from Lt. Col. Onwuategwu in an effort to penetrate federal 16th Brigade lines during the siege of Owerri. This effort also failed, and as previously noted, led to a shoot out between Achuzia and Onwuategwu, his rival. Achuzia, therefore, left the sector and returned to planning guerilla operations behind 2DIV lines inside his home region in Midwestern Nigeria.

When Umuahia was threatened by the federal “Operation Leopard” offensive, however, Colonel Achuzia returned from his Headquarters and showed up. He took control of one axis of the attack plan to retake Uzuakoli (along with Lt. Col. Onwuategwu and Majors Ananaba, Ginger and Okafor). Biafran troops, badly disorganizing Nigerian Major Ibrahim Bako’s battalion and wounding Major IB Babangida, temporarily retook Uzuakoli. Achuzia wasted no time addressing an international Press conference about it and exaggerating federal losses – but in no time Uzuakoli was again in federal hands. Achuzia drifted away once again to plan further operations in the Midwest.

Biafran Colonel Joe “Hannibal” Achuzia (rtd)

Biafran Colonel Joseph Oseloka Achuzia (rtd) (a.k.a. “Hannibal”, “Air Raid”) never served in the Nigerian Army. For that reason there are no Nigerian Army records in his name. He did write a book titled, “Requiem Biafra” (Fourth Dimension Publishers, 1986).

He says he originally served as a conscript in the British Army in Korea under the assumed name “George Taylor.” However, Commonwealth war records that I have reviewed identify “George Taylor” as Brigadier George Taylor, Brigade Commander of the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade - one of the two Brigades in the Commonwealth division during the Korean War. ‘George Taylor’ was definitely a Caucasian. But it is possible that Achuzia may have served under him as a black man with the exact same name.

Be that as it may, Achuzia returned to Nigeria on July 29, 1966 as elements of the 2nd Battalion at Ikeja Barracks were closing down the Ikeja International airport in Lagos during the early stages of the northern counter-coup. With the assistance of coup leader Lt. Col. Murtala Mohammed (whom he knew personally), Achuzia and his expatriate wife were given safe passage to Benin City (capital of his home region), from where he later made his way to Port Harcourt. It was after he returned that he re-assumed his ancestral Asaba family name.

When the war broke out he joined the Biafran Militia. As a militiaman he played an active role in the August 1967 Biafran invasion of his home region in the Midwest. In fact he was involved in the arrest of several Biafran officers (like 101 Division Chief of Staff Major [Lt. Col.] Adewale Ademoyega) in that theater after suspicion fell upon them for alleged sabotage. He later claimed command of the “Republic of Benin Division” after Colonel Banjo was withdrawn, tried and later shot by Ojukwu. Along with other Biafran elements, he fell back across the river Niger Bridge in the wake of Lt. Col. Mohammed’s rapid advance.

As a volunteer militiaman, Achuzia was very active in the defence of Onitsha. After the heroic defence of Onitsha against the initial efforts of Colonel Murtala Mohammed to take it across the Niger, fellow Midwesterner, Brigadier Nwawo, who was then 11 Division Commander, recommended that Achuzia be commissioned. He was inducted into the Biafran Army with the rank of a Major – in a move Madiebo calls “the greatest mistake of my military career.” Achuzia proved to be an expert in publicity stunts – and had very poor relationship with officers who had been conventionally trained in military academies. There is no doubt, however, that he was quite useful to Ojukwu in keeping the regular military boys “in line.” He was an absolute gem for Biafran propaganda.

Just before Onitsha eventually fell in early 1968 (to then Major Shehu Musa Yar’Adua), civilian militia elements moved in to take control of some regular army formations. Citing his Korean War experience, Achuzia lobbied for, and was appointed the Division Operations Officer for the Biafran 11 Division, previously commanded by Colonel Nwawo. In this position he was technically the Divisional Commander – an appointment he attained within three months of being commissioned into the Biafran Army. Achuzia had direct reporting relationship with the Head of State, Ojukwu, thus bypassing the Biafran Army HQ. His new Administrative Officer was none other than Brigadier Nwawo – his former Divisional Commander (and one time Nigerian Defence Attache in London)!

After the Port Harcourt debacle, Kalu led the 63 Brigade of the 11 Division under Colonel Amadi and staged a successful assault crossing of the River Niger. He slipped behind 2 Division lines and temporarily harassed Asaba, Ogwashi-Uku and even Ibusa, all in the Midwest. The significance of this move was that it was the first return of Biafran units to the Midwest since they were evicted in October 1967. Unsurprisingly, the incursion was not significantly publicized on the federal side.

In September 1968, as elements of the 3MCDO were linking Aba to Owerri during the opening phases of Operation OAU, Ojukwu relieved then 14 Division Commander, Colonel Nwajei and placed Colonel Kalu in charge – with the initial task of defending Mbaise against the federal 14th Brigade. Although unfairly needled by Ojukwu about his problems at Port Harcourt, he subsequently led the Biafran double envelopment of the federal 16th Brigade at Owerri, which – under Madiebo’s supervision - he recaptured in April 1969. As a result, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier.

Biafra talk full for ground! This copy and paste, so read the real story

Ex-Biafran Brigadier Ogbugo Kalu, commander of the Biafran 14 Division during the siege of Owerri joined the Nigerian Army in September 1958. After training at the ROSTS (Ghana) and MONS Officer Cadet School (UK), he was short service commissioned 2/Lt. in November 1959. Like his colleagues of that era, he rose rapidly and was already a substantive Major by May 1966 when Major General Ironsi promoted him Acting Lt. Col. He saw action as an infantry officer during the Cameroon uprising and served with UN peace-keeping troops in the Congo. At the time of the northern counter-coup of July 1966 he was the Commandant of the Nigerian Military training College (NMTC) in Kaduna, as the successor to Colonel Ralph Shodeinde who had been assassinated in January. (Kalu was neither informed nor did he take part in the January 1966 coup.)

On July 29, 1966, as conditions in Kaduna became increasingly tense following reports of the northern counter-coup in the south, he hosted an early afternoon meeting at his house in Kaduna of a few officers who were concerned about their safety. These officers included Lt. Col. Madiebo, and Majors Emelifonwu, Ogunro and Ogbemudia. Ogunro and Emelifonwu were later killed. Kalu eventually slipped out of Northern Nigeria and, as Madiebo was to do subsequently, escaped to eastern Nigeria in the water-tank of a Goods Train.

In early February 1967, the then eastern region government, concerned about the gathering clouds of confrontation decided to create two new infantry battalions that would not be under the control of the federal government. These were the 7th and 8th battalions. Lt. Col. Ogbugo Kalu was asked to command the 8th battalion based at Port Harcourt while Madiebo was in command of the 7th, based at Nsukka. The 8th Bn was initially responsible for Ahoada, Calabar, Oron and Bonny. By the time war actually broke out on July 6th, a new 9th Bn (under Biafran Major Ogbo Oji) was in the process of being formed at Calabar. 52 Brigade was then created – to include the 8th and 9th Battalions, initially under Colonel Eze. Kalu later took command of this Brigade after further differentiation. He was, therefore, in command of unsuccessful efforts by 52 Bde to resist Colonel Adekunle’s landing at Bonny in July 1967. However, Kalu nearly recaptured Bonny in December 1967 and January 1968 from the federal 15 Brigade under Lt. Col. Julius Alani Akinrinade. Akinrinade had transferred to the 3MCDO from 2DIV after falling out with Col. Murtala Mohammed over the Onitsha disaster. But he then got into a disaster of his own and was barely saved at Bonny by timely reinforcements from Lagos. (It was during this operation that Lt. Col. Onifade died)

Again, in late March and early April, after a series of reversals, Kalu blocked the first major attempt by Adekunle to take Port Harcourt through Onne. Akinrinade’s 15 brigade was practically wiped out. According to Oluleye, the only survivors were “Ijaw swimmers” who knew how to disappear into the creeks. If Kalu had sustained the momentum and conducted a hot pursuit he would have retaken Bonny and made history.

Unfortunately for Kalu, local Biafran civilian leaders were frustrated with his inability to stem the overall tide of Adekunle’s subsequent advance on Port Harcourt. Therefore, in an atmosphere rife with unnecessary suspicions of sabotage, he was replaced in late April as Brigade Commander initially by then Major Joe “Hannibal” Achuzia of Abagana fame and subsequently by Navy Captain Anuku. This did not, however, stop Adekunle from eventually taking the city via other axes the following month – in what was clearly a major military disaster for the Biafran military.

Benue, Kogi etc?

dimka:
yawn @ Wazobia,The Northerners are the real Majority in Nigeria.

No, don't say Northerners but say Hausa/Fulani. When you say North (as a whole), then you have to say South (as a whole). There many ethnic groups in the Northern part of Nigeria just as we have in the southern part of Nigeria.