₦airaland Forum

Major General Philip Efiong (18 November 1925 – 6 November 2003) was the first Vice President and the second President of the now defunct Republic of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 to 1970.

Born in Ibiono Ibom in present-day Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, on 18 November 1925, Philip Effiong joined the Nigerian Armed Forces on 28 July 1945. He quickly rose through the ranks until on 11 January 1956 he received the Queen's Commission following his officer cadet training at Eaton Hall in Chester. England later commissioned him for duty in the Rhine, West Germany. He was then transferred to the Nigeria Army Ordnance Corps; then to England for further training after a peace-keeping stint in the Republic of Congo in 1961. He was Nigeria's first Director of Ordnance.

This was the post he held as a Lieutenant Colonel when the first coup d'état took place on January 15, 1966. He was then subsequently posted to Major General Aguiyi Ironsi's Supreme Headquarters in Lagos as the first Principal Staff Officer.

In July 1966, then Lt. Col. Effiong was posted to Kaduna as Acting Brigade Commander of the 1st Brigade, Nigerian Army, a post he held till the July 29, 1966 counter coup. Having successfully escaped several attempts on his life, during the “kill all easterners” campaign in the north, he finally made it to Enugu. On the advent of the Nigerian-Biafran civil war in 1967, he subsequently took command under the Biafran secessionist military government and rose to the rank of Major General. In Biafra, as Chief of General Staff, and eventually as Officer Administering the Government of Biafra, he effectively brought the civil war to an end by signing the Instrument of Surrender in Lagos on January 15, 1970. He was married with eight children and resided in Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State at the time of his death.

The tune of Biafra's national anthem was Finlandia, by Jan Sibelius. The equatorial Biafrans admired the arctic Finns because the Finns won and kept their freedom in spite of ghastly odds.

Final Offensive

On January 7, 1970 the 3rd Marine Commando Division under Gen. Obasanjo, supported by the 1st Infantry Division to the north and the 2nd Infantry Division to the south, launched their final offensive. The Biafran S Division under Captain Azum Asoya was operating along the Port Harcourt - Elele road. The Division found itself cut off and disorganized due to a quick envelopment by the Nigerian 17th Brigade under Maj. Tomoye, the Nigerians now began making their advance on Owerri. On the outskirts of Owerri, Biafran Lt. Col. Lambert Ihenacho's 63rd Brigade came under withering attack by Maj. Tomoye's 17th Brigade, supported by 122 mm Soviet artillery. In less than a day of fighting the 63rd Brigade became overwhelmed by the Nigerian bombardment and were forced to surrender. While the Nigerians were preoccupied with attacking the 63rd Brigade, the Biafran leadership made their final meeting in which President Ojukwu announced his plans to go abroad "in search of peace". Ojuwku handed over the Biafran presidency to his vice-president Philip Effiong and placed all remaining Biafran troops under the command of Maj. Joseph Achuzie. On January 9 Maj. Timothy Onwuatuegwu escorted Ojuwku to the Uli airstrip where he boarded his private jet and depart to the Ivory Coast. Immediately after Ojukwu's departure President Effiong called for a ceasefire to discuss the details of surrender. On January 12 Philip Effiong, Joseph Achuzie, Ogbugo Kalu, and other Biafran officers made their way to Amichi and later Owerri to broadcast their final surrender to Col. Obasanjo.

There are two accounts about Timothy Onwuatuegwu's death in days following the surrender. One account by his former co-conspirator Maj. Adewale Ademoyega states that he was tricked into attending a meeting at a hotel with federal officers of the 3rd Marine Commando Division. At this meeting, that was said to have occurred on January 15, he was summarily shot dead by vengeful officers personally aggrieved by the assassination of Brig. Ademulegun and his wife during the 1966 Nigerian coup d'état. An alternative account given by Col. Obasanjo states that during the process of surrender, Onwuatuegwu unsuccessfully attempted to ambush him near Amichi. After this he apparently made for the Cameroon border and was later killed in a firefight with Nigerian 1st Division soldiers. The truth about Maj. Onwuatuegwu's death remains a mystery.

The Civil War is Over. Broadcast by (Biafran) Major-General Phillip Effiong on Monday, January 12, 1970

"Fellow Countrymen,As you know, I was asked to be the officer administering the government of this Republic on the 10th of January, 1970. Since then, I know that some of you have been waiting to hear a statement from me. I have had extensive consultations with the leaders of the community, both military and civil, and I am now encouraged and hasten to make this statement to you by the mandate of the armed forces and the people of this country. I have assumed the leadership of the government.

Throughout history, injured people have had to resort to arms in their self-defense where peaceful negotiations fail. We are no exception. We took up arms because of the sense of insecurity generated in our people by the events of 1966. We have fought in defense of that cause. I take this opportunity to congratulate officers and men of our armed forces for their gallantry and bravery which had for them the admiration of the whole world. I thank the civil population for their steadfastness and courage in the face of overwhelming odds and starvation. I am convinced now that a stop must be put to the bloodshed which is going on as a result of war. I am also convinced that the suffering of our people must be brought to an immediate end. Our people are now disillusioned and those elements of the old government regime who have made negotiations and reconciliation impossible have voluntarily removed themselves from our midst.

I have therefore instructed an orderly disengagement of troops. I am dispatching emissaries to make contact with Nigeria’s field commanders in places like Onitsha, Owerri, Awka, Enugu and Calabar with a view to arranging armistice. I urge General Gowon, in the name of humanity, to order his troops to pause while an armistice is negotiated in order to avoid the mass suffering caused by the movement of population. We have always believed that our differences with Nigeria should be settled by peaceful negotiations. A delegation of our people is therefore ready to meet representatives of Nigeria federal government anywhere to negotiate a peaceful settlement on the basis of OAU resolutions.

The delegation will consist of the Chief Justice, Sir Louis Mbanefo as leader, Professor Eni Njoku, Mr. J. I. Emembolu, Chief A. E. Bassey and Mr. E. Aguma. The delegation will have full authority to negotiate on our behalf.I have appointed a council to advise me on the government of the country. It consists of the Chief Justice, Sir Louis Mbanefo, Brigadier P. C. Amadi (Army), Brigadier C. A. Nwawo (Army), Captain W. A. Anuku (Navy), Wing Commander J. I. Ezeilo (Air Force), Inspector-General of Police, Chief P. I. Okeke, Mr. J. I Emembolu (Attorney-General), Professor Eni Njoku, Dr. I. Eke, Chief A. E. Udofia, Chief Frank Opigo and Chief J. M. Echeruo. Any question of government in exile is repudiated by our people.

Civilian population are hereby advised to remain calm and cooperate with the armed forces and the police in the maintenance of law and order. They should remain in their homes and stop mass movements which have increased suffering and loss of lives.

On behalf of our people, I thank those foreign governments and friends who have steadfastly given us support in our cause. We shall continue to count on their continued help and counsel. I also thank His Holiness the Pope, the Joint Church Aid and other relief organizations, for the help they have given for the relief of suffering and starvation. I appeal to all governments to give urgent help for relief and to prevail on the Federal Military Government to order their troops to stop all military operations.

May God help us all.!!!

all these splitting of states is really something.

Later one idiot will tell you that Biafra is an igbo thing alone, because of oil,

kemback2220003:
Later one idiot will tell you that Biafra is an igbo thing alone, because of oil,

I like how saro wiwa saw the light, literally

Is ND liberated or conquered? Hypocrites should answer this question

We must remember those that died that we may be free. Even if they failed in the process, they paid the ultimate price with their lives. "What greater love can a man show for another man but laying down his life that the other may live" --Bible. They are simply Christlike!!!!

kemback2220003:
Later one idiot will tell you that Biafra is an igbo thing alone, because of oil,

na waaaaaaa oooo ibos just dey find friends to gum body with by all means, see when the war becomes tough and hard for biafra, coward ojuku contact awolowo for secetion which he refuse, ojuku now pretend as if is going for re-enforcement he handed over to philip effiong, so that federal troop can divert attention from igbo land and distroy calabar, ojukwu now dress like woman and run to ivrycoast. Effiong now handed over gently to fg, that is why till to day igbos called calaba people mumu.

Okay, we don hear

kemback2220003:
Later one idiot will tell you that Biafra is an igbo thing alone, because of oil,

ojuku coward, want calaba to be destroy when the war was tough ,that is why he chose effiong, ojuk did not even tell him his runing away, he said he wanted to go and re enforce.

Ojuku kidnap some people who are not ibo, and realy force them into biafra army.

Philip effiong gently surrender to fg trope,that is why till to day igbo calling them mumu. The same he told awolowo that he should declare oduduwa republic the man reject him

disumusa:
na waaaaaaa oooo ibos just dey find friends to gum body with by all means, see when the war becomes tough and hard for biafra, coward ojuku contact awolowo for secetion which he refuse, ojuku now pretend as if is going for re-enforcement he handed over to philip effiong, so that federal troop can divert attention from igbo land and distroy calabar, ojukwu now dress like woman and run to ivrycoast. Effiong now handed over gently to fg, that is why till to day igbos called calaba people mumu.

this is very true. they see we calabarians as traitors. during d war they called calabar "new Onitsha". can u imagine?

disumusa:
na waaaaaaa oooo ibos just dey find friends to gum body with by all means, see when the war becomes tough and hard for biafra, coward ojuku contact awolowo for secetion which he refuse, ojuku now pretend as if is going for re-enforcement he handed over to philip effiong, so that federal troop can divert attention from igbo land and distroy calabar, ojukwu now dress like woman and run to ivrycoast. Effiong now handed over gently to fg, that is why till to day igbos called calaba people mumu.

You are right my dear. Everyone is mumu in the eyes of igbos.

disumusa:
ojuku coward, want calaba to be destroy when the war was tough ,that is why he chose effiong, ojuk did not even tell him his runing away, he said he wanted to go and re enforce.

The wayo they are still playing till today.

disumusa:
Philip effiong gently surrender to fg trope,that is why till to day igbo calling them mumu. The same he told awolowo that he should declare oduduwa republic the man reject him

that is why they called yoruba names like faire faire,dirty

Infact igbo had started opresing niger delta thinking they will win the war of biafra

truefact:
Is ND liberated or conquered? Hypocrites should answer this question

yorobbers, awusas and foolanis conquered whatever you called ND, but very soon through the restoration of Great Biafra our people will be set free to live the life to its fullest accomplishment.

kemback2220003:
Later one idiot will tell you that Biafra is an igbo thing alone, because of oil,

why are nigerians afraid of biafra if not for oil? And why did awusa/fulani and ndi-Yoruba split former eastern region into two if not for oil? Did you knw the history of today SS/SE people? Watch your tongue before you talk.

disumusa:
na waaaaaaa oooo ibos just dey find friends to gum body with by all means, see when the war becomes tough and hard for biafra, coward ojuku contact awolowo for secetion which he refuse, ojuku now pretend as if is going for re-enforcement he handed over to philip effiong, so that federal troop can divert attention from igbo land and distroy calabar, ojukwu now dress like woman and run to ivrycoast. Effiong now handed over gently to fg, that is why till to day igbos called calaba people mumu.

Is this really what happened or you just cooked up your own story.