₦airaland Forum

Irony1:
What really is your definition of a professional soldier and a ragtag army? You argue based on your tribal and ethnic bigotry tainted bias rather than being intelligent in writing and organising your thoughts.

What tribal and ethnic bigotry again nwanem, is this what you are going to hide under now?

NOETHNICITY:
Yeah , you are right. My father told me how they invaded our small village in Edo and rained terror on innocent people and killed my uncle (my father’s eldest brother)who was the hope of the entire family.

That's what they do, they snuff out the illustrious sons (and daughters) of other ethnic groups while preserving theirs

aswani:
What tribal and ethnic bigotry again nwanem, is this what you are going to hide under now?

You and I know why you feel hatred for Biafran army officers because they were far more professional than the vietcong but your bias which is fuelled by bigotry made you think otherwise that is why I asked you what makes a professional soldier and a ragtag one and you cannot answer me.

Irony1:
You and I know why you feel hatred for Biafran army officers because they were far more professional than the vietcong but your bias which is fuelled by bigotry made you think otherwise that is why I asked you what makes a professional soldier and a ragtag one and you cannot answer me.

So you think an army that lost battle after battle is not ragtag? Did you know that some of the Biafran army went to the war front without arms. It was only when a soldier was killed that their gun was reassigned.

Or that Achuzia used to hang back from battle spots and any potential deserters that he saw loitering away from there, of which he was ashamed to say most were Ndigbo, he summarily executed there and then.

You need to read up about the Biafran army experience, the fervour for the war on the Biafran side ended less than 3 months after the first shots were fired.

H

Irony1:
Ojukwu had his flaws and his arrogance no doubt but he wanted to use the element of speed for this knowing fully well the skills gap in the Nigerian infantry at that time. Banjo slowing down gave the Nigerian army enough time to mount a counter offensive. At the time of their advance the fleeing Nigerian troops from the midwest didn't practice a scorched earth policy so the supply line as still there.

There is no speed nothing in moving men and artillery, stop this asinine notion.

Everyone knew where the Biafran army were at all times so there wasn't even an element of surprise, that is why the Nigerian army waited patiently for them at Ọrẹ, a small town with no barracks or any military presence normally, and gently or not so, turned them back after a few days battle.

Also, there was no supply line anything for the Biafran army in Benin, they had behaved badly on their way to Ọrẹ so were hated by the locals. In fact, those without arms were advised to change into mufti on their way back to Biafra and had to move about under the over of darkness stealing to feed etc

The ones with arms did their bullying thing on the locals again on their way back to Biafra including raiding the Central Bank. Thankfully they didn't hang around too long as the Nigerian army were on their tail.

Your lack of knowledge on the civil war interspersed by your need to make multiple posts on it is jaw dropping.

aswani:
H

There is no speed nothing in moving men and artillery, stop this asinine notion.

Everyone knew where the Biafran army were at all times so there wasn't even an element of surprise, that is why the Nigerian army waited patiently for them at Ọrẹ, a small town with no barracks or any military presence normally, and gently or not so, turned them back after a few days battle.

Also, there was no supply line anything for the Biafran army in Benin, they had behaved badly on their way to Ọrẹ so were hated by the locals. In fact, those without arms were advised to change into mufti on their way back to Biafra and had to move about under the over of darkness stealing to feed etc

The ones with arms did their bullying thing on the locals again on their way back to Biafra including raiding the Central Bank. Thankfully they didn't hang around too long as the Nigerian army were on their tail.

Your lack of knowledge on the civil war interspersed by your need to make multiple posts on it is jaw dropping.

This is the sheer reason why I said you are not smart at all. I know for one that you are doing frantic Google search and chat GPT to make deductions I can easily detect it. I have made my point and a very sensible will see it, even Alabi Isama said at Lagos there was apprehensive atmosphere upon learning of the Biafran advancement into Benin and you say there was no element of surprise. You even make yourself so predictable that your comments are laced with hate and bigotry only that you are trying to hide it by being subtle and pretending to have a discussion.

loveth360:
Should we remain them Asaba massacre by Yoruba and hausafulani soldiers.

It was a war and I dont expect your opponent to pamper you.

Irony1:
Ojukwu had his flaws and his arrogance no doubt but he wanted to use the element of speed for this knowing fully well the skills gap in the Nigerian infantry at that time. Banjo slowing down gave the Nigerian army enough time to mount a counter offensive. At the time of their advance the fleeing Nigerian troops from the midwest didn't practice a scorched earth policy so the supply line as still there.

You’re giving Ojukwu too much credit. If speed was everything, Banjo wouldn’t have needed to slow down—he ran out of supplies and coordination because Ojukwu’s logistics were a mess from day one. The fact that fleeing Nigerian troops didn’t burn things behind them actually proves the point: a competent commander would have exploited that intact supply line and maintained momentum. Banjo wasn’t the brake; he was the symptom of a plan that relied on a fantasy of Nigerian collapse, not real infantry readiness. Blaming Banjo just lets Ojukwu’s strategic arrogance off the hook.

Irony1:
Oga stop trying to play smart every one including soldiers faced starvation why you trying to mischievous? Ask any Biafran veteran that fought even the boy brigade there will tell you everyone faced starvation.

Oga, no be everybody suffer the same. Soldiers and Boy Brigade got priority rations because dem need strength to fight. Civilians—especially women, children, and the elderly—bore the worst of the starvation. Ask any real veteran: the frontlines ate before the villages did. So no be mischief, na reality.

Irony1:
This is the sheer reason why I said you are not smart at all. I know for one that you are doing frantic Google search and chat GPT to make deductions I can easily detect it. I have made my point and a very sensible will see it, even Alabi Isama said at Lagos there was apprehensive atmosphere upon learning of the Biafran advancement into Benin and you say there was no element of surprise. You even make yourself so predictable that your comments are laced with hate and bigotry only that you are trying to hide it by being subtle and pretending to have a discussion.

Stop hiding under me being hated or bigoted and focus on what I said.

The only time Lagos would have been apprehensive would have been if Biafra had breached the first army division they came across at Ọrẹ.

They didn't and from them on, until Muritala's madness trying to cross the Niger, it was back to back wins for the Nigerian army.

Like I said, poorly equipped tag tag army only good at bullying civilians, sorry to burst your bubble about them being heroes.

aswani:
Stop hiding under me being hated or bigoted and focus on what I said.

The only time Lagos would have been apprehensive would have been if Biafra had breached the first army division they came across at Ọrẹ.

They didn't and from them on, until Muritala's madness trying to cross the Niger, it was back to back wins for the Nigerian army.

Like I said, poorly equipped tag tag army only good at bullying civilians, sorry to burst your bubble about them being heroes.

So what is the difference between the vietcong and the Biafran army. The Vietcong too was poorly equipped. Again go and read Alabi Isama's account on the reaction in Lagos when Biafran army left Benin it was panic. You just want to lie to yourself

ekitimanalways:
You’re giving Ojukwu too much credit. If speed was everything, Banjo wouldn’t have needed to slow down—he ran out of supplies and coordination because Ojukwu’s logistics were a mess from day one. The fact that fleeing Nigerian troops didn’t burn things behind them actually proves the point: a competent commander would have exploited that intact supply line and maintained momentum. Banjo wasn’t the brake; he was the symptom of a plan that relied on a fantasy of Nigerian collapse, not real infantry readiness. Blaming Banjo just lets Ojukwu’s strategic arrogance off the hook.

Like I said if Banjo knew that the logistics would have been an issue why did he accept to lead the Biafran army westwards? Was there any correspondence Between Banjo to Ojukwu that there was a logistics problem? All of you are just making assumptions here. I would believe Banjo not making a blunder by stopping at Ore if he actually complained to Ojukwu that he was stretched thin of supplies. But the last correspondence between Banjo and Ojukwu was Ojukwu asking him "Victor what are you doing in Ore?"

ekitimanalways:
Oga, no be everybody suffer the same. Soldiers and Boy Brigade got priority rations because dem need strength to fight. Civilians—especially women, children, and the elderly—bore the worst of the starvation. Ask any real veteran: the frontlines ate before the villages did. So no be mischief, na reality.

Oga no soldier got priority rations stop spreading lies. There was an interview Fola Oyewole granted when they asked him if Soldiers cornered food meant for civilians. Fola said that even soldiers were faced with starvation. I wonder why you guys love to lie. You have changed tune from soldiers cornering all the food to them getting priority rations, make una slow down to dey lie.

Irony1:
Look I get your point. No doubt, but my issue is why did Banjo accept to lead that Biafra division to head to Lagos? If he knew that he had misgivings he should voice it out to his high command. He even got Ifeajuna to be his deputy commander for this.
The truth is Ojukwu felt with a Yoruba leading it would appeal to the Yorubas considering that they have been complaining about the heavy presence of northern soldiers in the west. As Banjo accepted it would have been better to continue the advance and probably surrender if he was encricled. That would have been the extreme case scenario if it failed, but clearly a fast advance as was noticed initially when they entered Benin put Lagos in fright mode. Imagine what would have happened if they had reached Ijebu Ode? Trust me Gowon would have abandoned Dodan barracks because if Yorubas were On Banjo's side, Gowon wouldn't feel safe and Britain would be forced to do business with the West and Eastern region than the north.

They were young people. That should not be forgotten. Colonel Banjo should not have agreed to lead the invasion at all and maybe Colonel Ojukwu may have called it off. They are both to blame. The Biafran army was attacked by civilians in the Midwest and that must have been when Colonel Banjo realized what was waiting for him in the west. Going further would be suicidal even if he was able to pass Ore. He had only three thousand soldiers and not much of weaponry. To move an army into the west and Midwest without the permission of the leadership of those regions is something Biafra should not have done

Irony1:
Oga no soldier got priority rations stop spreading lies. There was an interview Fola Oyewole granted when they asked him if Soldiers cornered food meant for civilians. Fola said that even soldiers were faced with starvation. I wonder why you guys love to lie. You have changed tune from soldiers cornering all the food to them getting priority rations, make una slow down to dey lie.

Your arguments rely more on bigotry, personal attachments, or emotional appeal rather than on objective logic, hard facts, or critical reasoning.

Irony1:
Oga no soldier got priority rations stop spreading lies. There was an interview Fola Oyewole granted when they asked him if Soldiers cornered food meant for civilians. Fola said that even soldiers were faced with starvation. I wonder why you guys love to lie. You have changed tune from soldiers cornering all the food to them getting priority rations, make una slow down to dey lie.

Inside Biafra, top commanders and their families ate well while civilians dropped like flies. Ask the refugees at Uli airstrip about the relief food that never reached them because officers took it first. The starvation was deliberate and uneven, not some equal suffering movie.

Have the Igbo ever asked why Ojukwu and his family appeared healthy during the civil war, while other civilians in the Republic of Biafra died of starvation?

Irony1:
Oga no soldier got priority rations stop spreading lies. There was an interview Fola Oyewole granted when they asked him if Soldiers cornered food meant for civilians. Fola said that even soldiers were faced with starvation. I wonder why you guys love to lie. You have changed tune from soldiers cornering all the food to them getting priority rations, make una slow down to dey lie.

You're twisting my words. I never said soldiers cornered "all" the food — that's your strawman. What I said was that Ojukwu and his inner circle had access to supplies while civilians died by the millions. That's not the same as saying every soldier ate well.

Regarding Fola Oyewole — one person's interview doesn't erase documented history. Even if soldiers also faced hunger (and I'm not disputing that), the key question is: who suffered worst? The answer is civilians, by a catastrophic margin.

Irony1:
Oga no soldier got priority rations stop spreading lies. There was an interview Fola Oyewole granted when they asked him if Soldiers cornered food meant for civilians. Fola said that even soldiers were faced with starvation. I wonder why you guys love to lie. You have changed tune from soldiers cornering all the food to them getting priority rations, make una slow down to dey lie.

Hard facts:
1. Photos and accounts show Ojukwu and family well-fed while civilian children starved — leadership and ordinary civilians didn't share the same fate.

2. Declassified 1969 CIA documents confirm food reserves went to Biafran officials and military, not civilians. Biafra’s own "breakthrough" propaganda also blocked relief via Nigerian routes.

3. 1–2 million Biafran civilians (mostly children) died of starvation. Equitable distribution would have saved many. Ojukwu gave speeches from comfort.

4. Ojukwu never denied the starvation — he blamed Nigeria's blockade, not his government's wartime decisions.

So no lie: evidence shows civilians bore the starvation, not those Biafran soldiers. Spare the "make una slow down to dey lie" rhetoric. It’s not evidence.

Irony1:
Like I said if Banjo knew that the logistics would have been an issue why did he accept to lead the Biafran army westwards? Was there any correspondence Between Banjo to Ojukwu that there was a logistics problem? All of you are just making assumptions here. I would believe Banjo not making a blunder by stopping at Ore if he actually complained to Ojukwu that he was stretched thin of supplies. But the last correspondence between Banjo and Ojukwu was Ojukwu asking him "Victor what are you doing in Ore?"

The idea that Banjo would have simply refused a doomed mission misunderstands military hierarchy. As a subordinate, he likely accepted the operation in principle—its flaws were well known. The real issue isn't whether he knew the risks, but that he kept going until the supply situation on the ground became impossible.
Banjo explicitly requested weapons; Ojukwu promised but didn't deliver.

"Victor, what are you doing in Ore?" That dramatic line is anecdotal. From what I read a few years ago, the "question" reflects Ojukwu's demand for an explanation regarding Banjo's unexpected halt at the town of Ore, which jeopardized the entire military campaign.The halt at Ore wasn't a blunder. It was a tactical call: moving forward without adequate supplies would have been suicidal. Add to that Ojukwu breaking a prior agreement on regional leadership, and Banjo's decision looks less like hesitation and more like a commander choosing not to destroy his own force.

ekitimanalways:
The idea that Banjo would have simply refused a doomed mission misunderstands military hierarchy. As a subordinate, he likely accepted the operation in principle—its flaws were well known. The real issue isn't whether he knew the risks, but that he kept going until the supply situation on the ground became impossible.
Banjo explicitly requested weapons; Ojukwu promised but didn't deliver.

"Victor, what are you doing in Ore?" That dramatic line is anecdotal. From what I read a few years ago, the "question" reflects Ojukwu's demand for an explanation regarding Banjo's unexpected halt at the town of Ore, which jeopardized the entire military campaign.The halt at Ore wasn't a blunder. It was a tactical call: moving forward without adequate supplies would have been suicidal. Add to that Ojukwu breaking a prior agreement on regional leadership, and Banjo's decision looks less like hesitation and more like a commander choosing not to destroy his own force.

You are still assuming that there was no adequate supplies whereas every story on war never talked of supply gaps at the start of Biafran push westwards.

ekitimanalways:
Hard facts:
1. Photos and accounts show Ojukwu and family well-fed while civilian children starved — leadership and ordinary civilians didn't share the same fate.

2. Declassified 1969 CIA documents confirm food reserves went to Biafran officials and military, not civilians. Biafra’s own "breakthrough" propaganda also blocked relief via Nigerian routes.

3. 1–2 million Biafran civilians (mostly children) died of starvation. Equitable distribution would have saved many. Ojukwu gave speeches from comfort.

4. Ojukwu never denied the starvation — he blamed Nigeria's blockade, not his government's wartime decisions.

So no lie: evidence shows civilians bore the starvation, not those Biafran soldiers. Spare the "make una slow down to dey lie" rhetoric. It’s not evidence.

That 1969 declassified document is a fabricated lie please stop lying I know of that document and CIA talked about attacks on igbos fleeing Lagos during the programs by people in Benin. Oga slow down and stop lying. You see that CIA document I am well versed in it. No where did it say that food was commandered to the biafran army. Please we are having a decent conversation do not fabricate a fake story claiming it is a CIA declassified document.

My father fought in the Biafran medical corps the soldiers suffered starvation that they were going to fans that were abandoned to get food while Advancing towards the enemy. Please don't ever say that lie abeg

ekitimanalways:
You're twisting my words. I never said soldiers cornered "all" the food — that's your strawman. What I said was that Ojukwu and his inner circle had access to supplies while civilians died by the millions. That's not the same as saying every soldier ate well.

Regarding Fola Oyewole — one person's interview doesn't erase documented history. Even if soldiers also faced hunger (and I'm not disputing that), the key question is: who suffered worst? The answer is civilians, by a catastrophic margin.

Even in WW2 the German High command lived well. Even Gowon and the Nigerian military High command lived well. Does it say the same for all the troops and field commanders at the front?

ekitimanalways:
Your arguments rely more on bigotry, personal attachments, or emotional appeal rather than on objective logic, hard facts, or critical reasoning.

Oga don't try to play smart. You are the one being biased with ethnic hatred and bigotry. You can never understand the experiences of the war, because you have no relative that has experienced it. Everything you are deducting is based on propaganda and carefully curated half truth. Imagine you forcing an obvious lie that biafran soldier were taking food meant for civilians, when even soldiers faced starvation. Even the ex biafran veteran in the BBC video said clearly that he hadn't eaten and was starving at the time the surrender was announced. It is better you keep silent and don't comment on things you don't know.

ekitimanalways:
Inside Biafra, top commanders and their families ate well while civilians dropped like flies. Ask the refugees at Uli airstrip about the relief food that never reached them because officers took it first. The starvation was deliberate and uneven, not some equal suffering movie.

Have the Igbo ever asked why Ojukwu and his family appeared healthy during the civil war, while other civilians in the Republic of Biafra died of starvation?

Have you asked why Gowon and his military high command lived in luxury and he threw a lavish wedding in the heat of the war. That Adekunle list his cool and confronted Gowon in Lagos? Don't be sanctimonious with me.

lawani:
They were young people. That should not be forgotten. Colonel Banjo should not have agreed to lead the invasion at all and maybe Colonel Ojukwu may have called it off. They are both to blame. The Biafran army was attacked by civilians in the Midwest and that must have been when Colonel Banjo realized what was waiting for him in the west. Going further would be suicidal even if he was able to pass Ore. He had only three thousand soldiers and not much of weaponry. To move an army into the west and Midwest without the permission of the leadership of those regions is something Biafra should not have done

I understand your point. If truly Banjo was a competent infantry man(he was commanding Engineering corps) he knows that his orders are to advance why keep a batlle hardened detachment in the midwest? He should have advanced meet with the elders give them assurances and move forward, it was simple. That move complicated everything in the war and we are paying for it, because that move further entrenched northern domination. If he hadn't made that blunder, perhaps the other communities would have been looking forward to work with the Advancing army to route the northerners from Lagos. Because Gowon would know that he is not safe in Dodan Barracks at that time.

aswani:
Stop hiding under me being hated or bigoted and focus on what I said.

The only time Lagos would have been apprehensive would have been if Biafra had breached the first army division they came across at Ọrẹ.

They didn't and from them on, until Muritala's madness trying to cross the Niger, it was back to back wins for the Nigerian army.

Like I said, poorly equipped tag tag army only good at bullying civilians, sorry to burst your bubble about them being heroes.

But Nigerian army also bully civilians and the Biafran army was an offshoot of the Nigerian army. So you have also indicted the Nigerian army as being unprofessional.

Irony1:
Have you asked why Gowon and his military high command lived in luxury and he threw a lavish wedding in the heat of the war. That Adekunle list his cool and confronted Gowon in Lagos? Don't be sanctimonious with me.

Look, Gowon’s no saint—just like Ojukwu. His regime locked people up without trial, and the war was brutal. Fair game to criticize. But the idea that he feasted while Nigerians suffered? No evidence. He left office with next to nothing, got investigated, and was cleared. Critique him all you want, but don't rewrite history. The facts stand on their own.

And honestly, this next part might annoy annoy you. But there’s no solid record of Benjamin Adekunle confronting Gowon in Lagos. What actually happened: Adekunle got quietly sidelined from frontline command in 1969, then later put in charge of the Lagos ports to fix a crisis. A messy bureaucratic move, not a dramatic face-off. If that showdown really went down the way you have claimed, it's not a documented fact.

Irony1:
Oga don't try to play smart. You are the one being biased with ethnic hatred and bigotry. You can never understand the experiences of the war, because you have no relative that has experienced it. Everything you are deducting is based on propaganda and carefully curated half truth. Imagine you forcing an obvious lie that biafran soldier were taking food meant for civilians, when even soldiers faced starvation. Even the ex biafran veteran in the BBC video said clearly that he hadn't eaten and was starving at the time the surrender was announced. It is better you keep silent and don't comment on things you don't know.

Respect that the war is personal for you, but don't mistake facts for ethnic hatred.
On food: I did not say Biafran soldiers stole, but documented accounts (Biafran officers, foreign journalists) confirm civilian food aid was diverted to the military late in the war. The record's messy. Keep sentiment away.

Irony1:
Even in WW2 the German High command lived well. Even Gowon and the Nigerian military High command lived well. Does it say the same for all the troops and field commanders at the front?

Of course it's not the same. Frontline troops eat dirt and sleep in terrible conditions. But that's not some scandal, it's war. Command needs a functioning headquarters to plan, not a hunger strike. And comparing Nazi high command to Gowon's circle? Different wars, different scales. You're mixing valid points into a false equivalence.

Irony1:
That 1969 declassified document is a fabricated lie please stop lying I know of that document and CIA talked about attacks on igbos fleeing Lagos during the programs by people in Benin. Oga slow down and stop lying. You see that CIA document I am well versed in it. No where did it say that food was commandered to the biafran army. Please we are having a decent conversation do not fabricate a fake story claiming it is a CIA declassified document.

My father fought in the Biafran medical corps the soldiers suffered starvation that they were going to fans that were abandoned to get food while Advancing towards the enemy. Please don't ever say that lie abeg

My uncle is 89 years old—he fought on the federal side during the war. I respect your father's service and the real starvation Biafran soldiers faced. But calling a declassified CIA document a 'fabricated lie' doesn't make it false. You can know the document well and still miss a line: it did note that food in Biafran areas was often diverted to the military, worsening civilian hunger. That doesn't contradict your father's suffering—both can be true. Troops starved despite some food being commandeered, not because the army ate well. Let's not mistake disagreement for lying.

Irony1:
That 1969 declassified document is a fabricated lie please stop lying I know of that document and CIA talked about attacks on igbos fleeing Lagos during the programs by people in Benin. Oga slow down and stop lying. You see that CIA document I am well versed in it. No where did it say that food was commandered to the biafran army. Please we are having a decent conversation do not fabricate a fake story claiming it is a CIA declassified document.

My father fought in the Biafran medical corps the soldiers suffered starvation that they were going to fans that were abandoned to get food while Advancing towards the enemy. Please don't ever say that lie abeg

My maternal uncle is 89 years old—he fought on the federal side during the war. I respect your father's service and the real starvation Biafran soldiers faced. But calling a declassified CIA document a 'fabricated lie' doesn't make it false. You can know the document well and still miss a line: it did note that food in Biafran areas was often diverted to the military, worsening civilian hunger. That doesn't contradict your father's suffering—both can be true. Troops starved despite some food being commandeered, not because the army ate well. Let's not mistake disagreement for lying.