₦airaland Forum

I have noticed that some people keep opening this thread about Ojukwu starving his own people. More than 4 of them have been opened since yesterday. They should read this

RE: NigerianID | Re:Robert S. Goldstein (Biafra Public Relations Rep in the USA) - Letter of Resignation to Odumegwu Ojukwu (1968) 


Dr. Aluko:

It is obfuscation at its most blatant to read Goldstein letter outside of the rationale for action taken by Ojukwu and the Biafran leadership. 

I'll attempt to answer your earlier questions posed to me alonsgide this, because they are related. 

- The first question was why Ojukwu did not, given that Biafra had shrunk dramatically, not surrender to save starving Biafrans. 

- The second is, to link it to the substance of Goldstein's letter, why Ojukwu insisted on ceasefire and the airlift of relief to Biafrans as the only grounds or conditions for accepting relief. 

First, Ojukwu knew that an internationally observed ceasefire was the only guarantee for the security and safety of the Biafran. Second, the atrocities recorded wherever the federal forces liberated lent credence to that demand. In fact, it made it imperative, particularly because the Lagos regime was not prepared to negotiate in true faith for the amicable end of the conflict. 

The war strategy of the Gowon administration was hell-bent on Biafra's complete surrender without guarantees. No political and military leader will agree to that kind of suicide. I'll return to this point. But let me quote from Susan Cronje's quite illuminating book, The World and Nigeria: The Diplomatic History of the Biafran war 1967-1970 ( I'd also recommend that you read the other, Biafra: Britain's Shame). Cronje writes this about the meeting in Niamey referenced by Goldstein:

"The Nigerian delegation was led by Chief Awolowo, but General Gowon arrived in Niamey on 16 July and addressed the meeting as an 'observer.' The main theme of his speech was a warning that if the 'rebels persist in their contemptuous attitude to the conference table the federal government will have no choice but to take over the remaining rebel-held areas...In military terms the rebellion is virtually suppressed already.' But the atmosphere had suibtly changed. Hamani Diori had altrady suggested that the committee's consultative role should be changed to a mediatory one, and after Gowon's address the committee went into closed session. Eventually it was announced that that Ojukwu had been asked to attend, and Gowon who had already returned to Lagos flew back to Niamey the following day, cancelling all engagements. His presence in Niamey was required not for a meeting with Ojukwu but to reply to a truce proposal put forward among others by General Ankrah. This called for a ten-mile wide demilitarized zone patrolled by neutral troops to allow relief supplies to pass to Biafran refugees. According to one account of the debate, Gowon is said to have turned to General Ankrah, saying, 'You are a military man: you know what it is with commanders.' The suggestion that he might be unable to restrain his army was reinforced when he warned the committee that if it did not see things his way they would have to have 'a Nigeria without me.' According to a Niamey radio report the following day, General Gowon rejected the resolution put to him by the O.A.U. committee; the main points of this resolution were the establishment of a demilitarized zone and 'an international force which would include neutral observers acceptable to both sides.' Ghana and Cameroun, the broadcast said, had offered shipping facilities for moving relief supplies. 

Ojukwu arrived in Niamey on 19 July in President Houphet-Boigny's private jet. The Biafran delegation, when it was fully assembled, included Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the former Nigerian president, Dr. Okpara, former Eastern Nigerian premier, Sir Louis Mbanefo, Dr. Eni Njoku and several other notables; Lagos was not far off in suggesting that the 'entire rebel leadership' had assembled in Niger. At the end of the meeting between Ojukwu and the consltative committee - Gowon had returned to Lagos two days previously - a communique was issued. Two versions appear to be in existence; the one broadcast by Niamey radio read: (1) the Nigerian Federal Military Government and Colonel Ojukwu have agreed to meet immediately in Niamey under the chairmanship of President Diori Hamani in order to begin preliminary talks on a speedy resumption of Nigerian peace negotiations; (2) the Nigerian Federal Military Government and Colonel Ojukwu have agreed to resume as soon as possible peace negotiations in Addis Ababa under the auspices of the O.A.U Consultative Committee on Nigeria.' The version as broadcast by Lagos - and which does not pretend to be a verbatim report - said that the committee had called on both parties to resume peace talks as soon as possible, '... with the objecvtive of preserving Nigeria's territiorial integrity and guaranteeing the security of all its inhabitants.' The committee said, according to this broadcast, that 'it will be in contact with the federal military government, and Ojukwu or his representativs may at any time contact any member government of the committee.' The Lagos version went on to cite two further point of which ther was no mention in the Niamey version, both dealing with relief, and appealing to the two sides to undertake various mesures to alleviate the suffering among war victims.

In view of the strong criticism that has been levelled at the Biafran leadership for its intrasigence, and the high praise heaped o General Gowon and his Government for humanitarian concern and magnanimity, it should be stressed that in Niamey Gowon rejected the O.A.U proposals for a partial truce and international policing of relief routes, while Ojukwu was prepared to accept both these proposals. When Ojukwu returned to Biafra, he gave a press conference at which he was asked whether his invitation to the OAU had meant any form of recognition of him. For once Ojukwu was cautious in his reply: 'Let's put it this way. My presence in Niamey for once represents the O.A.U's acceptance that there are two sides to a conflict.' He would not reveal any further details about the forthcoming Addis Ababa peace talk, but said, 'I find myself in a rather simillar situation as after Aburi.' He did not want to say anything in case Lagos started 'interpreting it, and go back to square one..." (302-303)

The foregoing provides the clear context of the situation, that it was not Ojukwu, but Gowon who rejected the proposals by which Ojukwu and the Biafran leadership was prepared to abide.The context is clearly established and makes nonsense of Golsdstein's ground for resignation. 

While the Biafran government was prepared to act without precondition, the Nigerian authorities persistenly insisted on Biafran surrender. It was a deliberate and determined argument made to make certain that the only solution was by a military solution because Lagos knew that the basic grounds on which it made its offer of relief was conditional and unconscionable. It was to disavow the very basic reason why Biafra defended itself in the first place: its sovereignty as a means to the safety, security and dignity of its population. Now, were the Gowon administration acting in good faith, that would be a differet matter. What guaratees could Biafrans have, had Ojukwu surrendered as a condition for food? None. 

Here is the evidence narrated by John Stremlau in his The International Politics of the Nigerian Civil War how Gowon's cable upturned the agreements reached in May 1968 in kampala between Eni Njoku and Enahoro in which Eni Njoku had in fact "conceded the evntuality of one-Nigeria." As Stremalau notes, "Whereas Enahoro had left acceptance of the twelve-state structure implicit in his propsals, Gowon insisted that before any agreement was reached the rebels must explictly embrace the twelve states. In addition, Gowon stipulated that there would be no question of an interim commission for the rebel-held areas, there would be no recruitment and formation of Ibo units into the federal armed forces, and no elements of the rebel troops or police would be allowed to retain their arms. Gowon's instruction, which did not reach Kampala until shortly after Enahoro had made his presentation, clearly reflected the views of the more hawkish elements in the federal government" (172-173). 

To put these in summary:

(a) Ojukwu did not reject relief, he wanted the security and guarantee of safety for Biafrans. He was in fact willing to accept the O.A.U's proposals 

(b) Gowon and the Lagos administration manipulated international propaganda, as testified in the versions of the broadcasts of the Niamey agreement to further its own goals of the liquidation of Biafra 

(c) The federal government was not, in spite of all the efforts made by the Biafrans willing to negotiate peace, they were hell-bent on "surrender" as the only condition for the survival of the Biafran population. 

If anybody must bear responsbility, it must be those who kept using the talks to elongate the suffering of the civilian population, and clearly this are the 'hawks" who placed the only condition for peace on Biafra's surrender and liquidation. And there, you have it.

Obi Nwakanma

Naijaguy12345:
You declare a war, they had to defend .

You need to go and learn Nigerian history well. Ojukwu declared the independence of the Eastern Region. He never declared any war. The only person who declared war was Gowon. Ojukwu only fought to defend his people

It is unfortunate for FFK, he comes from a tribe who largely dont know anything about self determination

Nice one!

Kana je n'ubi, ka ji n'aka

EvilMetahuman:
I still don't get how someone will send people to war without provision for food and millions of zombies followed his command.

Thats because you dont know anything about fighting for your freedom and dignity. In history, there are people whi have fought for their freedom with their bare hands. It is noble for one ti fight for their freedom because freedom is one of the few things in life worth dying for. I dont expect a Nigerian like you to understand.

Naijaguy12345:
Needless war, cowardly act. You sent people out to war only to fled yourself. Not worth celebrating. Rest in pieces.

Needless war? So why did Nigeria come to the East to fight?

jpphilips:
Same immigration principles? really? while britain was in the EU it never used the Schengen visa which was applicable in most EU states, this product of free education think that all immigration laws in the EU are domesticated in all member states, jeez you are quarter to a m0r0n.
What is the refugee quota of the EU? what are the refugee quota of all the member states since their immigration laws are the same, go and buy a television you dvmb fvck!!

What has Shengen got to do with this? Shengen does not affect EU citizens. When Britain left the EU, the immigration status of the 3 million EU citizens living in Britain became in doubt. When Igbos get Biafra, the immigration status of millions of Igbos living in Nigeria will become in doubt. What about these two similar scenarios dont you have the brains to understand?

Rossikki:
It was this same callous disregard for the lives of the Igbo masses that led Ojukwu into a conflict for which his people were utterly unprepared, with no weapons, no army or airforce or navy, with catastrophic results. For him as well, the Igbo 'tribe' came before the Igbo people.

It is a terrible trait to have, and it could lead the Igbos into further trouble in future.

Sorry bro but most Igbos dont share your sentiments. The war was forced on Ojukwu. It was far more incumbent on Gowon as head of state to prevent war than for Ojukwu.

Ojukwu was faced with two options. Bow down and accept Nothern domination like Awolowo and Yorubas did or rise up and fight for your sovereignty and freedom. Now which option did you expect an Igbo man like Ojukwu to choose?

jpphilips:
EU is not a country Nigeria is you dvmb fvck!!

Oh shut up you morron, the same princlple of immigration applies in both scenario

Nnamdi Kanu is holding prayer session in all the pictures. As Christians or Judaists, we all bow when one prays.

NtoAkwaIbom:
When we are ready, we will create our very own country... independent of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.

Really funny people. You dont have even one organisation championing independence, you people have never held even one protest. The only time anyone even hears anything about getting your own country is when the issue of Biafra comes up. I laugh in Swahili. You people shoukd go and stage a protest first so we can take you serious.

Ekinematics:
You people keep showing how selfish and self centered you are over and over again.
You claim you are marginalised in Nigeria,
You claim to have the population and technical know how to survive as a nation without the others in Nigeria,
You claim to have the highest number of billionaires in Nigeria,
You claim we are purposeless,
Yet you have refused to agitate for a nation without hanging your hopes on the SS.

It's obvious South South holds the key to your success as a nation, if not you guys won't be crying and begging day in day out for an inclusion of SS in your phantom biafra.
We may be different by tribes, we may be different by language, but we know who we are and what we want and biafra has never been one of it.

Remember I'm not against a biafran state(country), neither are my for or against Nigeria's disintegration.
All I'm concerned with is the Niger Delta(SS) and my future as a Niger Deltan; be it in Nigeria or as an entity of its own.

You cant even see the hypocrisy of what you are wtitting.You have to learn to face your ethnic group same as you ask Igbos to do the same.

The Biafra you are talking about was never about Igbos alone. In the first Republic of Biafra, look at non Igbo appointments.

Philip Effiong- Deputy head of state (Annang)
Nr NU Akpan- Secretary to the Biafran Govt(Ibibio)
Lt Col George Kurubo-commander Biafran Airforce (Ijaw)


How can Biafra be an Igbo thing when the two most powerful people in Government after Ojukwu were not Igbos? How can Biafra be an Igbo thing when Philip Effiong, its last president, was not Igbo?

It is really funny the slave mentality people have these days. You are Nigerian because Lugard created Nigeria, you are South South because Abacha created South South. It is others that have to tell you what you are. You cant even demand referendum to choose who you are.

You dont have to support or believe in Biafra, but do not speak for other tribes in the name of South/South. The Oron man, the Efik man, the Ijaw man etc all have their right to speak for themselves. Not even the Biafrans are claiming to speak for these people as everybody is agreed on the principle of referendum where everyone speaks for themselves.

The issue of Biafra is a very important one because it borders on the soverignty of the ethnic groups in the south of Nigeria. That is why you should never speak outside your ethnic group, others can speak for themselves.

TonyeBarcanista:
Considering that Niger Deltans are "purposeless" according to you, the appropriate thing to do is to save yourself the trouble of these purposeless people and focus your agitation on your purposeful group.

All these blackmail will not sway the minds of people into the Biafraa project.

Honestly, I dont think anyone will have to be blackmailed into the Biafran project. I think that when the realisation finally hits home that the North will never allow restructuring to ever happen in Nigeria, you people will weight your options and find out you dont really have any.

Ojukwu was never against food coming into Biafra, what he was against was the way in which it would come in. The Nigerian Government wanted a land corridor which Ojukwu rejected because it could have given Nigeria unfair military advantage over Biafra. So Ojukwu insisted on the food being brought in by air which the Nigerian Government could have agreed to if it cared about the people. Other aid agencies such the Red cross and Caritas brought in foid by air.


Also, it should be noted that the same Nigerian Government that rejected delivering food to starving Biafrans by air as Ojukwu wanted, would deliver food to Nigerian Soldiers by air.

And example of this was when Biafran Soldiers sorrounded Nigerian troops in Owerri. With no way to get Nigerian troops food and supplies, the Nigerian Government airdropped food for then into Owerri town center.

The Nigerian Government cared much more about feeding it troops than it cared about starving children


Ojukwu did not starve anyone, Gowon did

Engritodo:
Nigeria was a country

Maybe it never actually was a country

Some have photograph albums of what their villages have been through: old women set alight; young women raped and shot; babies hacked to death… …A villager takes me to the bridge where the village leader and 13 others were recently gunned down in a Fulani ambush.

This is the beauty of 'one Nigeria'. The ability to look the other way while being massacred by Fulani militias and their born to rule mentality.

No wonder some people think we Igbos are fools for seeking Biafra. Who wouldnt want to be in the same country where they are rountinly massacred by Fulani's?

I find it quite astonishing that some Yorubas are congratulating them for having save Igbos. While this is a noblw gesture, it is tarnished by the fact that Yorubas still wanted to do 'one Nigeria' with the same people trying kill Igbos.

This is one thing I never understood about Yorubas, their blind belief in 'one Nigeria'

An example is with herdsmen. When Herdsmen attack Igbo land, many Igbos call for the division of Nigeria.


When Herdsmen attack Yoruba land, that is when Yorubas call for 'unity of purpose'

What is this with Yorubas and about trying to do 'one Nigeria' with killers?

7lives:
Why force referendum on other tribes?, you no know the boundaries of Igboland?.
Oh I forgot, you guys are land grabbers, wonder shall never ends, a tribe that hate others now wants to play lovey dovey because it will help their selfish domineering agenda.
How about encouraging the SS and MB to struggle for their own Independence?, you said they were slaves in Nigeria, yet you want to force them into another in Biafra helloooo who exactly are you trying to fool?.
Even with the so called referendum, did you guys honestly think these people will follow you.
The world has evolved beyond your myopic view, what seeds have your fathers sown into the lives of the people you want to take with you other than exploitation?.
Or don't you think that one good turn deserves another?.

What do you mean by force referendum on other tribes? Referendum is forced on all of us all the time. Every 4 years, referendum or voting is conducted by INEC to choose political leaders, wether we like it or not.

As I said before, Biafra is not just about Igbo land, it has never been that way. The last president of Biafra, General Philip Effiong, was not an Igbo man.

Sime of you like to accept fraud when it suits you, life is not thst way.

No referendum made any of us Nigerians! Therefore, it is incumbent that a referendum be held to know who is a Nigerian and who is not.

MB/SS/SW/SE dont mean anything, 25 years ago, they didnt even exist. They were just geographical terms created by Abacha. What matters are individual tribes, not ficticious names ascribed to them.

Anyone who has to be encouraged to be independent is someone who is not ready for independence.

There is something called power to choose. We want a referendum in the are called lower Niger. Those who are happy with Nigeria can vote to continue while those of us who are not happy can vote to go. If there are any tribes who fear Igbo domination or are not comfortable with Igbos, they should vote to stay in Nigeria.

This referendum is even far more important for the minorities for 2 reasons,so that none of them will say they were put into Biafra against their will and for those who love Nigeria to express it by voting to remain in Nigeria.

Nigeria never allowed anyone the right to choose, Biafra will allow everyone the right to choose

Amberon11:
If "SS" pains you then hit your head on any available rock.

Stop talking thrash. There is no sense in the bolded. Did your forefathers use phones? Does that means you shouldn't use a phone.

SS is a geographical term not recognised by any law, it is not a people. Speak for your tribe, do not speak for other tribes. The fact that one does not like Biafra does not mean everyone feels the same way. As you want to be hear is the same way you must allow others to be heard. So a referendum will be held, if you dont like it, dont come out and vote.

Amberon:
When did SS ask for a referendum? Was Wales forced to take part in the Scottish referendum?

Stop talking 'SS' and stick to your tribe instead of speaking for others.

Did anyone hold a referendum for you to be a Nigerian? Yet you are a Nigerian today? If you can accept to be a Nigerian without a referbdum then you should be applauding the Biafrans who want everyone to be Biafran by referendum

When you look at this term South/South, you see close to 50 tribes united by absolutely nothing. A few are linguistic neigbours but thats about it. The same South/South is not recognised by the constitution of Nigeria.

The only thing that unites these tribes are Igbos because it is only Igbos/Igboids that have landed borders with every one of them.

The way Nigeria is currently structured, South South serves no purpose.

Some argue that Igbos should forget the minorities and secede on their own, however, what some of these people do not realise is that there is a difference between Igbos seceding from Nigeria and Biafra. Many Nigerians seem to think it is the same thing, it is not.

Biafra is about the tribes of the lower Niger who wish to be independent. That is why it is very important that a referendum be conducted before Biafra is declared. Those who vote to go can go, those who vote to stay can stay. We dont want any tribe that believes in 'one Nigeria' to be in Biafra. It is them that will cause trouble and confusion in Biafra tomorow.

Biafra is not Nigeria where everyone was unwillingly forced into an unholy marriage.

I find it quite funny when some of these minorities in the south of Nigeria who call themselves 'Niger Delta' or 'South South' suddenly find their voice when the issue of Biafra comes up.

You hear some say 'why did you add us in Biafra?', 'did we ask for referendum?'

These are the same people that Lugard ambushed into Nigeria with no referendum

These are the same people who have little or no say in the running of Nigeria

These are the same people whose mineral wealth has been stolen for decades with no referendum.

Yet, the same person has no hope of ever getting a referendum in Nigeria to decide his future is wondering why Biafrans are giving him referendum? I laugh in Igbo.

blingxx:
if awolowo was a coward ..at least he didn't start a war that led 2million of his people starve to death ,and even ran away disguising as a woman ..

How could Awolowo start a war? Its people who have the backbone to fight that start wars, not people hiding under their beds.

The prodigal daughter has returned. To be fair, she was with Nnamdi Kanu in the early days of IPOB until they fell out.

The same diversity that cost over 3 million lives? Who would admire this but a lunatic?

Biafra is but a matter of time.

TRUTHTOPOWER:
Since their release from Zoo jail we have not heard the chest beating of Mazi Kanu and Olisa Metuh. Our brave sons. Our great father Zik who composed Biafra anthem also left over two million dying children to join the winning Nigerian Team. The greatest of all: out hero Ojukwu ran to Ivory Coast to avoid the fate that he Brought upon 10 million of his brethren? was the "escape option" not there before testing Federal might with the destinies of 10 million igbos?

A man who led others to a suicide mission is not a brave man but a traitor!

You are waiting for Kanu to talk? Kanu that issued a command that everyone should stay indoors on the 30th of May and virtually everywhere from Asaba to Portharcourt turned into a Ghost town. Who else in Nigeria can do that without employing military force? Kanu does not need to talk, actions are louder than words and the people spoke loudly on the 30th of May

TheStronghold:
Once Yorubas agree in totality to leave Nigeria, it will be balkanized. Yorubas hold the future of Nigeria in their hands.

Who told you that? How will Yorubas leave? You think its mouth they use in seceding?

martinlooter:
God Bless Ag President Osibanjo, the people love him, because he also loves them too.

Get real man. Who loves Osibanjo? Little Shool kids? Let him go to places let adults stone him and his evil party that have made things worse for the common man

bullabong:
The useless examples you gave here cannot be used and expected to work in a grossly underdeveloped country like Nigeria. Instead what I expect of the touts agitating for sovereignty,is to try and develop an internal network that will bring the rest of Nigeria to their knees while also aiming at developing our political participation/human capital to be able to compete adequately in issues of political office holding. Maybe that will give yall a sense of being part of happenings in Nigeria rather than economic power of buying and selling.

What do you mean? That Nigeria is underdeveloped does not mean that they cannot do things in a civilised way like other developed countries do. Did Lugard develop any internal.netwirk before he created Nigeria? He just forced everyone together. IPOB is here to de-amalgamate Lugards illegal amalgamation of 1914 where people lands, including Igbos, were stolen to create the colonial fraud called Nigeria.

ProWalker:
This is the letter of resignation written by Ojukwu's Chief Propangadist and International PR person.
So when next an Igbo man accuses Awolowo and Yoruba people of starving Biafrans, do not get mad, educate them.
Many of them are ignorant of facts.

This doesnt mean anything. People starved because of the blockade enforced by Gowon and Awolowo.

bullabong:
but today I ask,

*what is Nnamdi Kanu fighting for/against?

*What injustice is IPOB clamoring for/ against?

And your answer is as good as mine...none!!

Let me explain it to you in laymans terms. Britain that created Nigeria is made up of 4 contituent parts, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Even though Scotland was well treated by Britain, even though Scotland was not marginalised by Britain, even though Scotland had a lot to gain by remaining part of Britain which is the 5th richest country in the world, Scotland agitated to leave Britain. Britain didnt start asking Scotland the useless questions you are asking Biafrans

What are you fighting for?
What injustice are you clamouring against,

These questions are not for Nigerians to ask Biafrans same as it was not Britains to ask Scotland. What Britain did was to give Scotland a referendum in 2014. Nobody threatend war.


If Britain that created Nigeria can consider allowing some its people the right to go, tben who are you they made a 'Nigerian' to say 'one Nigeria'?


Self determination is a right of all people and any constituent area(s) of Nigeria are entitled to agitate to leave Nigeria at any time and for whatever reason.

Nigeria is but the illegal creation of the white man and we that were forced into that union entitled to go at any time