₦airaland Forum

Portuguese explorers named the curved Atlantic coastline from the Atlantic Ocean tributary called River Nun (in today's Bayelsa) to Cape Lopez in Gabon Gabon as the Bight of Biafra.

Even the name Biafra does not belong to the land locked SE.

gidgiddy:
The name Biafra comes from the bigght of Biafra which was the name of coastline of the Eastern Region, and was indigenous to the area

The name Nigeria was invented in London by a white woman

FuglyGurl:
My Blind Mother Was Burned Alive During the Biafra War; I Joined Nigeria’s Army for Revenge” — Rose Bassey


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xETIY9A4Vb4?si=qlolDw3pTT7uMIEs

Rose Hogan Bassey apparently from Calabar, one of the minority groups in former Eastern Nigeria watched Biafran army burn her village and her grandmother to ashes. She joined the Nigerian army hoping to have a chance at revenge.

- Surviving Biafra. BBC pic.twitter.com/KwYx7Y7PiZ

— Temitope (@topeapoola) June 2, 2026

Another anti-Igbo series started by Yorubas using Calabar characters.
Temitope, you do well oh!
This 60-year-old tactics of Lagos/Ibadan press axis doesn't get tired.

eagleu:
Another anti-Igbo series started by Yorubas using Calabar characters.
Temitope, you do well oh!
This 60-year-old tactics of Lagos/Ibadan press axis doesn't get tired.

Even the truth is anti Ibo.

Irony1:
Something that cannot be substantiated can not lack merit. Also Ojukwu's push to Lagos was a tactical gamble he knew that with the killing of igbo officers the Nigerian army was short of infantry leaders so a quick advance into Lagos would send them to panic mode and force them to abandon their positions for Banjo to consolidate his hold on Lagos, even in the art of war speed is important that formed the basis of the blitzkrieg strategy used by the German Werhmacht during WW2. This made them conquer France in 2 weeks despite the fact that France had more manpower and the benefit of the colonial Tiraleurs. The politics there was clear dislodge the north from East and West. Staying put in Benin and Ore gave the Nigerian army time to reorganise and mount a counter offensive and to me that was Banjo's costly mistake.

Interesting take on the blitzkrieg parallel, but Germany had air superiority, coordinated armour, and secure supply lines—none of which Biafra had. Speed without logistics just stretches a weak army thinner. Banjo knew that pushing into Lagos was not ideal. Banjo was more honourable than Ojukwu. Either way, calling it "unsubstantiated" doesn't mean it lacks merit.

newnigeriannew:
Portuguese explorers named the curved Atlantic coastline from the Atlantic Ocean tributary called River Nun (in today's Bayelsa) to Cape Lopez in Gabon Gabon as the Bight of Biafra.

Even the name Biafra does not belong to the land locked SE.

And a white woman came up with the name "Nigeria" in London. Let's hear word

ekitimanalways:
No, I did not miss any part of her interview. The same woman's name is Rose Hogan Bassey (she joined the Nigerian army in 1968 during the civil war). She never said that Benjamin Adekunle ordered the summary execution of her tribe's people.

Our point is that the Igbo must stop playing the victims of the Nigerian civil war. The minorities whom Biafran soldiers raped, maimed, and killed have moved on. We have never heard them castigating the Igbo online or offline for the crimes committed against them. We all lost loved ones during the war.

She never said that Adekunle ordered the execution of Abak people and they were buried in mass graves? Its possible that Biafran troops may have done somethings they shouldn't have during the war but it is no where near what the Nigerian Army did when you think of the Asaba genocide, the Utagba-Ogbe massacre etc

gidgiddy:
She never said that Adekunle ordered the execution of Abak people and they were buried in mass graves? Its possible that Biafran troops may have done somethings they shouldn't have during the war but it is no where near what the Nigerian Army did when you think of the Asaba genocide, the Utagba-Ogbe massacre etc

The Asaba massacre was horrific—no argument there. But let’s not pretend Biafran forces didn’t also slaughter civilians, including the systematic killing of ethnic minorities in the SE then who refused to join their cause, or the brutal raids on minority groups in the Midwest. War brings out the worst in everyone. Using one horror to minimize another doesn’t honor victims—it just fuels the same cycle of whataboutism that keeps old wounds open.

Esnbrutality is a LEGEND

everyone knows you as a multiple moniker NINJA. I am h9noured you call me Esnbrutality...that guy expos3s you all constantly.

DomPerignon:
Esnbrutality indeed!

Go and claim Biafra in any SS city and come and tell us how it went.

No be only SS.

Ok..I am from the SE .and all the teachers and 9BAs killed are not my problem.

Shikena:
Claiming to be from the SS is an act of cowardice. It is okay to display your hypocrisy with pride instead of this embarrassment.

See People wey dey tell.me where i am from..

You dey whine?

Amalekki:
No you are not from SS, we know you

loveth360:
Okay your yoruba and fulanis soldiers that gathered Asaba people and massacre them used them as what?

it’s why as an Anioma person I will never ever claim to be own with either the Yoruba man, Igbo man or Fulani man because you all have proven to us that when push turn to shove, you will safe yourselves and leaves us out to dry.

ekitimanalways:
Interesting take on the blitzkrieg parallel, but Germany had air superiority, coordinated armour, and secure supply lines—none of which Biafra had. Speed without logistics just stretches a weak army thinner. Banjo knew that pushing into Lagos was not ideal. Banjo was more honourable than Ojukwu. Either way, calling it "unsubstantiated" doesn't mean it lacks merit.

The luftwaffe didn't really do the damage it was the wermacht that did it. Biafran army had airforce and they did damage at the start of the push midwest. Banjo messed up big time, any student of infantry knows that when you start warfare based on speed, it is designed to put your enemy in panic so that they abandon their positions. Mind you all war is based on deception. A case in point when the US left Saigon and the northern Vietnamese army moved south. The south Vietnamese army had more men and equipment, but they panicked and ran when they found out that the north Vietnamese army was few miles from Saigon.

ekitimanalways:
Interesting take on the blitzkrieg parallel, but Germany had air superiority, coordinated armour, and secure supply lines—none of which Biafra had. Speed without logistics just stretches a weak army thinner. Banjo knew that pushing into Lagos was not ideal. Banjo was more honourable than Ojukwu. Either way, calling it "unsubstantiated" doesn't mean it lacks merit.

There was logistics, and mind you the Biafran army had the best logistics which was why they stayed long during the blockade. This was testified by Philip Effiong's first son. The truth was Banjo halting the advance at Benin and Ore was so costly. Banjo was incompetent and I don't blame him because he was not an infantry man and a such he had no idea of how to coordinate a military advance, it was never about honor, Please let us cut the crap here.
My annoyance with Banjo was why accept to lead the division to advance to Lagos via the midwest, if he had misgivings because the plan was clear. If you clear Nigerian army divisions from Asaba, Benin, Ore and advance to Ijebu Ode and they let the West see the importance of getting rid of the northern soldiers in their region, then you sell the appeal of Yoruba joining the Biafra cause and by the time they are few kilometers from Lagos, they have full complement of men and machines, that alone would have put Gowon on panic mode, rather his blunder of stopping at Benin and Ore ensure that the Nigerian army was first to sell the propaganda of the biafran army which made them rapidly recruit men from the Western and Middle belt regions into the army. That was why Ojukwu told him clearly "Victor what are you doing in Ore"

Irony1:
There was logistics, and mind you the Biafran army had the best logistics which was why they stayed long during the blockade. This was testified by Philip Effiong's first son. The truth was Banjo halting the advance at Benin and Ore was so costly. Banjo was incompetent and I don't blame him because he was not an infantry man and a such he had no idea of how to coordinate a military advance, it was never about honor, Please let us cut the crap here.
My annoyance with Banjo was why accept to lead the division to advance to Lagos via the midwest, if he had misgivings because the plan was clear. If you clear Nigerian army divisions from Asaba, Benin, Ore and advance to Ijebu Ode and they let the West see the importance of getting rid of the northern soldiers in their region, then you sell the appeal of Yoruba joining the Biafra cause and by the time they are few kilometers from Lagos, they have full complement of men and machines, that alone would have put Gowon on panic mode, rather his blunder of stopping at Benin and Ore ensure that the Nigerian army was first to sell the propaganda of the biafran army which made them rapidly recruit men from the Western and Middle belt regions into the army. That was why Ojukwu told him clearly "Victor what are you doing in Ore"

Let’s be real—Biafran logistics weren’t the best in the Nigerian Civil War. Weak logistics and a blockade crushed them in the end.

They lasted 30 months not because of great supply lines, but thanks to foreign support (Portugal, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Israel), guerrilla tactics, seized Nigerian army supplies, and stalemates.

Effiong’s son isn’t a credible source. I’m not saying Biafra lacked organization—but you’re mixing up two different things: holding out under blockade vs. launching a fast offensive. Not the same.

Calling Banjo incompetent is too easy. He was a Nigerian army brigadier before the war. The real issue? The Lagos advance was always a gamble. Stopping at Ore wasn’t just his call—supply lines were stretched and fuel was low. Hindsight makes any pause look dumb, but charging ahead blindly could’ve been a disaster.

Honestly, do you think the Western Region would’ve rallied to Biafra just because their troops showed up? Unlikely. They’d have seen invaders, not liberators. Gowon’s propaganda worked because that fear was real. Banjo’s halt gave the Nigerian army time, sure, but the bigger flaw was believing the West was waiting to join. They weren’t.

Irony1:
The luftwaffe didn't really do the damage it was the wermacht that did it. Biafran army had airforce and they did damage at the start of the push midwest. Banjo messed up big time, any student of infantry knows that when you start warfare based on speed, it is designed to put your enemy in panic so that they abandon their positions. Mind you all war is based on deception. A case in point when the US left Saigon and the northern Vietnamese army moved south. The south Vietnamese army had more men and equipment, but they panicked and ran when they found out that the north Vietnamese army was few miles from Saigon.

You're right that the Biafran Air Force inflicted damage at the start of the Midwest offensive. However, it's important to note that it was a small force, equipped with a motley mix of antiquated aircraft obtained through clandestine channels. By October 1967, the Nigerian Air Force had established air superiority, and the Biafran Air Force was quickly overshadowed and outclassed.

Your insights about Banjo's strategic failure are not valid. I would also push back on the idea that the Luftwaffe was insignificant (Actually, the Luftwaffe did inflict significant damage throughout WWII—it wasn't just a supporting act for the Wehrmacht. It was also an instrumental component of the Blitzkrieg battle plan in its own right) , or that the Fall of Saigon was purely a panic-driven collapse without considering the massive disparity in forces. History is rarely that simple.

Ojukwu was truly the villain: the food that was being sent to Biafraland to feed the people was instead diverted by him to supply his own soldiers.

For further reading, see Ojukwu's Rebellion and the World Opinion by Dr Nebo Graham Douglas.

Irony1:
There was logistics, and mind you the Biafran army had the best logistics which was why they stayed long during the blockade. This was testified by Philip Effiong's first son. The truth was Banjo halting the advance at Benin and Ore was so costly. Banjo was incompetent and I don't blame him because he was not an infantry man and a such he had no idea of how to coordinate a military advance, it was never about honor, Please let us cut the crap here.
My annoyance with Banjo was why accept to lead the division to advance to Lagos via the midwest, if he had misgivings because the plan was clear. If you clear Nigerian army divisions from Asaba, Benin, Ore and advance to Ijebu Ode and they let the West see the importance of getting rid of the northern soldiers in their region, then you sell the appeal of Yoruba joining the Biafra cause and by the time they are few kilometers from Lagos, they have full complement of men and machines, that alone would have put Gowon on panic mode, rather his blunder of stopping at Benin and Ore ensure that the Nigerian army was first to sell the propaganda of the biafran army which made them rapidly recruit men from the Western and Middle belt regions into the army. That was why Ojukwu told him clearly "Victor what are you doing in Ore"

You do realise that the first time Banjo met any military resistance was at Ọrẹ so he didn't clear anything, cut out the lies.

The Mid Western state had been demilitarised, as requested by the Military administrator, who did not want his region to be a war zone being on the border with Biafra.

You clearly know little about military warfare, Banjo couldn't have just sailed through Benin, he had to make sure the place was clear and armed people couldn't attack him from the rear flank.

Because Biafran soldiers made it more difficult by terrorising the locals and misusing the power their uniform, and arms gave them, the process of proceeding towards Lagos took longer.

He would have needed to do that in every single place he went past as he got closer to Lagos and more flanks to secure too. There was no way he could advance rapidly as Ikemba expected.

Finally, as soon as Obasanjo said he wasn't going to allow free access, that mission was doomed.

aswani:
You do realise that the first time Banjo met any military resistance was at Ọrẹ so he didn't clear anything, cut out the lies.

The Mid Western state had been demilitarised, as requested by the Military administrator, who did not want his region to be a war zone being on the border with Biafra.

You clearly know little about military warfare, Banjo couldn't have just sailed through Benin, he had to make sure the place was clear and armed people couldn't attack him from the rear flank.

Because Biafran soldiers made it more difficult by terrorising the locals and misusing the power their uniform, and arms gave them, the process of proceeding towards Lagos took longer.

He would have needed to do that in every single place he went past as he got closer to Lagos and more flanks to secure too. There was no way he could advance rapidly as Ikemba expected.

Finally, as soon as Obasanjo said he wasn't going to allow free access, that mission was doomed.

Aswani stop being half clever. It is clear you couldn't comprehend what I wrote. He slowed down in Ore that was why the counter offensive came at him in Ore. Of he had not slowed down in Benin and Ore. My guy you don't know anything about military warfare so stop overestimating your intelligence capacity.

ekitimanalways:
Ojukwu was truly the villain: the food that was being sent to Biafraland to feed the people was instead diverted by him to supply his own soldiers.

For further reading, see Ojukwu's Rebellion and the World Opinion by Dr Nebo Graham Douglas.

Do you know that Lt Fola Oyewole one of Jan 66 boys handled logistics In Biafra when he was interviewed he said clearly that even soldiers didn't even see food. Abeg you people should stop lying. Evidence full ground. Most of our parents were soldiers in Biafra they never saw food.

Irony1:
Aswani stop being half clever. It is clear you couldn't comprehend what I wrote. He slowed down in Ore that was why the counter offensive came at him in Ore. Of he had not slowed down in Benin and Ore. My guy you don't know anything about military warfare so stop overestimating your intelligence capacity.

Ọ ma.

Enjoy the stories your uncles told you solely blaming Victor Banjo for your Biafran Army tactical and logistical inadequacies.

ekitimanalways:
You're right that the Biafran Air Force inflicted damage at the start of the Midwest offensive. However, it's important to note that it was a small force, equipped with a motley mix of antiquated aircraft obtained through clandestine channels. By October 1967, the Nigerian Air Force had established air superiority, and the Biafran Air Force was quickly overshadowed and outclassed.

Your insights about Banjo's strategic failure are not valid. I would also push back on the idea that the Luftwaffe was insignificant (Actually, the Luftwaffe did inflict significant damage throughout WWII—it wasn't just a supporting act for the Wehrmacht. It was also an instrumental component of the Blitzkrieg battle plan in its own right) , or that the Fall of Saigon was purely a panic-driven collapse without considering the massive disparity in forces. History is rarely that simple.

It all happened because of the slow down of the military offensive to Lagos. If banjo had not slowed down we wouldn't be saying this. Banjo's incompetence was the factor. Again I will site another example South Vietnamese army had airforce equipment given to them by the US but because the Northern Vietnamese army used a fast Advancing strategy forced them into panic when it was clear that the northern Vietnamese army were a few kilometers from Saigon. Even the Blitzkrieg succeeded without the use of the airforce.

aswani:
Ọ ma.

Enjoy the stories your uncles told you solely blaming Victor Banjo for your Biafran Army tactical and logistical inadequacies.

It was clear Banjo screwed up, and I don't blame him because he is not an infantry officer ask an infantry officer when you mount an offensive that is characterised by speed, you don't make the mistake of slowing down as that allows your enemy to regroup.

Irony1:
It was clear Banjo screwed up, and I don't blame him because he is not an infantry officer ask an infantry officer when you mount an offensive that is characterised by speed, you don't make the mistake of slowing down as that allows your enemy to regroup.

As I have said before, that speed thing was impossible, the roads were bad and the machinery was heavy.

The Nigerian Army didn't need to regroup, they knew where they were and simply waited for them at Ọrẹ.

To show how idiotic the plan was, the Biafran Army that was defeated at Ọrẹ ran back all the way across the Niger, they couldn't even stop to fight in Benin, or anywhere else, as they had soiled their reputation there.

So they had no backup plan, imagine that.

aswani:
Ọ ma.

Enjoy the stories your uncles told you solely blaming Victor Banjo for your Biafran Army tactical and logistical inadequacies.

Let me burst your bubble the Nigerian army as of 1966 before the coups was only 10k strong in Number. The bulk of the infantry officers were igbos, before the war started Ojukwu knew that there was a skills gap in the Nigerian army especially in infantry division. Hence the fast advance was made to the West via Ore. If they had reached Ijebu Ode, Ojukwu had calculated that having Banjo a Yoruba man leading that advance would appeal to the Yorubas to join so that they would dislodge the Northern Soldiers from the Western region. Banjo slowing down at Ore and inviting a counter offensive was his greatest blunder, as he made the Nigerian to win the propaganda war in the West which encourage massive recruitment of youths and prisoners to swell the number of fighting men in the Nigerian army. That was the greatest mistake made by Banjo. The Nigerian army at the start of the war had a skills gap in Infantry especially in the commanding officers corps as the most skillful commanders were igbos.

aswani:
As I have said before, that speed thing was impossible, the roads were bad and the machinery was heavy.

The Nigerian Army didn't need to regroup, they knew where they were and simply waited for them at Ọrẹ.

To show how idiotic the plan was, the Biafran Army that was defeated at Ọrẹ ran back all the way across the Niger, they couldn't even stop to fight in Benin, or anywhere else, as they had soiled their reputation there.

So they had no backup plan, imagine that.

Oga if Germany achieved it in WW2 without air support and they had the heaviest machinery, they still conquered France in 2 weeks crossing the dardanelle a dangerous valley crossing. Again note Banjo is still to be blamed for the misadventure in Benin, he knew his orders clearly why keeping a detachment in Benin?

aswani:
As I have said before, that speed thing was impossible, the roads were bad and the machinery was heavy.

The Nigerian Army didn't need to regroup, they knew where they were and simply waited for them at Ọrẹ.

To show how idiotic the plan was, the Biafran Army that was defeated at Ọrẹ ran back all the way across the Niger, they couldn't even stop to fight in Benin, or anywhere else, as they had soiled their reputation there.

So they had no backup plan, imagine that.

Again you are still lying that Nigerian army didn't have to regroup when they actually regrouped at Sabongida Ora. Under muritala's command to launch the counter offensive.

Irony1:
Again you are still lying that Nigerian army didn't have to regroup when they actually regrouped at Sabongida Ora. Under muritala's command to launch the counter offensive.

You realise the Nigerian Army went towards Biafra using a pincer formation so the ones that defeated Biafra comprehensively at Ọrẹ were different to the ones approaching from Edo North?

Irony1:
Let me burst your bubble the Nigerian army as of 1966 before the coups was only 10k strong in Number. The bulk of the infantry officers were igbos, before the war started Ojukwu knew that there was a skills gap in the Nigerian army especially in Africa infantry division. Hence the fast advance was made to the West via Ore. If they had reached Ijebu Ode, Ojukwu had calculated that having Banjo a Yoruba man leading that advance would appeal to the Yorubas to join so that they would dislodge the Northern Soldiers from the Western region. Banjo slowing down at Ore and inviting a counter offensive was his greatest blunder, as he made the Nigerian to win the propaganda war in the West which encourage massive recruitment of youths and prisoners to swell the number of fighting men in the Nigerian army. That was the greatest mistake made by Banjo. The Nigerian army at the start of the war had a skills gap in Infantry especially in the commanding officers corps as the most skillful commanders were igbos.

I don't know where to start with a post containing so many falsehoods that was passed down verbally from generation to generation.

You are saying things to fit your narrative bearing little resemblance to any reality on ground.

aswani:
You realise the Nigerian Army went towards Biafra using a pincer formation so the ones that defeated Biafra comprehensively at Ọrẹ were different to the ones approaching from Edo North?

Taaa keep quiet there do you know what a pincer formation is? The Nigerian army spread their division to attack that is not a pincer formation. You use a pincer formation when you are directly confronting the enemy or a detachment of the enemy encamped in a particular place.

aswani:
I don't know where to start with a post containing so many falsehoods that was passed down verbally from generation to generation.

You are saying things to fit your narrative bearing little resemblance to any reality on ground.

Dude there is no falsehood there even Alabi-Isama said it before the Biafran advance even before 1966 Nigerian army was only 10k man strong in number.

aswani:
I don't know where to start with a post containing so many falsehoods that was passed down verbally from generation to generation.

You are saying things to fit your narrative bearing little resemblance to any reality on ground.

The bulk of the infantry officers in the Nigerian army were igbo officers. Why would I speak falsehoods here.

aswani:
I don't know where to start with a post containing so many falsehoods that was passed down verbally from generation to generation.

You are saying things to fit your narrative bearing little resemblance to any reality on ground.

The problem you have is that you lack deductive reasoning and as such you find it hard to analyse statements and find out what was not said. That is issue with so many Nigerians they are not smart in thinking.