₦airaland Forum

Because charges of genocide had fueled international sympathy for Biafra (Also known as igbo propaganda)

, the FMG allowed a team of international experts to observe the surrender and to look for evidence. Subsequently, the observers testified that they found no evidence of genocide or systematic destruction of property, although there was considerable evidence of famine and death as a result of the war. Furthermore, under Gowon's close supervision, the federal government ensured that Igbo civilians would not be treated as defeated enemies. A program was launched to reintegrate the Biafran rebels into a unified Nigeria. A number of public officials who had "actively counselled, aided, or abetted" secession were dismissed, but a clear distinction was made between them and those who had simply carried out their duties. Igbo personnel soon were being reenlisted in the federal armed forces. T[b]here were no trials and few people were imprisoned[/b]. Ojukwu, in exile, was made the scapegoat (To show you that this article is unbiased), but efforts to have him extradited failed.

An Igbo official, Ukapi "Tony" Asika, was named administrator of the new East Central State, comprising the Igbo heartland. Asika had remained loyal to the federal government during the civil war, but as a further act of conciliation, his all-Igbo cabinet included members who had served under the secessionist regime. Asika was unpopular with many Igbo, who considered him a traitor, and his administration was characterized as inept and corrupt (consisting of course of members of the secessionist movement). In three years under his direction, however, the state government (The igbo preferred war instead) achieved the rehabilitation of 70 percent of the industry incapacitated during the war. The federal government granted funds to cover the state's operating expenses for an interim period, and much of the war damage was repaired. Social services and public utilities slowly were reinstituted, although not to the prewar levels

Forgiven by the Nigerian authorities in the early 1980s, he admits to no remorse for the events of the civil war.

I don't feel responsible at all. I did the best I could
Chief Ojukwu
"At 33 I reacted as a brilliant 33 year old," he says (so full of himself). "At 66 it is my hope that if I had to face this I should also confront it as a brilliant 66 year old.

"Responsibility for what went on - how can I feel responsible in a situation in which I put myself out and saved the people from genocide? (Then he ran away like a coward to cote d'ivoire) No, I don't feel responsible at all. I[b] did the best I could[/b]."

For the men who fought for the Biafran cause, defeat has been followed by 30 years of humiliation. The wounded veterans line up in their wheelchairs alongside the main roads in Enugu, begging for money from passers-by.

Men like former Sergeant Michael Okafo believe they are being punished for fighting on the losing side .

He wants food, he wants to educate his children and he wants shelter. He wants to be treated like any other Nigerian (Not biafran).

A Law graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Odumegwu-Ojukwu is now married to the Ikemba, and the couple have children together. She divides her time between her home and cosmetics business Bianca Blend, in Enugu.

Biafra's independence was recognized by Tanzania, Zambia, Gabon, and the Ivory Coast (Of course those who have not kept their houses in order, are always the first to talk), but it was compromised in the eyes of most African states by the approval of South Africa, Southern Rhodesia, and Portugal (Black people haters, why will they not recognize you). Britain extended diplomatic support and limited military assistance to the federal government. The Soviet Union became an important source of military equipment for Nigeria. Modern Soviet-built warplanes, flown by Egyptian and British pilots, (This is why I love white people they fund your wars, and then screw you up at the same time ) interdicted supply flights and inflicted heavy casualties during raids on Biafran urban centers. In line with its policy of noninvolvement, the United States prohibited the sale of military goods to either side while continuing to recognize the FMG.

In October 1969, Ojukwu appealed for United Nations (UN) mediation for a cease-fire as a prelude to peace negotiations. But the federal government insisted on Biafra's surrender, and Gowon observed that "rebel leaders had made it clear that this is a fight to the finish and that no concession will ever satisfy them." (Critical reading suggest that concessions must have been made) In December federal forces opened a four-pronged offensive, involving 120,000 troops, that sliced Biafra in half. When Owerri fell on January 6, 1970, Biafran resistance collapsed. Ojukwu fled to the Ivory Coast, leaving his chief of staff, Philip Effiong, behind as "officer administering the government." (Coward  ). Effiong (Smart guy) called for an immediate, unconditional cease-fire January 12 and submitted to the authority of the federal government at ceremonies in Lagos.

According to observers and foreign journalists, he lined up any able-bodied men he could find along a wall and had them face a firing squad. Their crime seems to have been aiding and abetting of the Biafran troops by allowing them into the midwest due their common Igbo heritage, even though the midwest was still in Nigeria. To further compound matters, there were tales of women (even some who were pregnant) being raped and then killed. Mohammed steadfastly denied these claims during the war, but conceded after the war that his troops (probably some uneducated tribalistic mallams) may have gotten carried away. He never proffered an apology, however[b].(Wetin commander go do when he is commanding crazy people)

You're the "clever" guy who thinks so; you really are funny. Read your own comments.

However, Many northerners saw the reluctance of Ironsi to prosecute the coupist and the fact that the army was giving exceptional privileges to the coupist as an indication of Ironsi's support for the killings. Consequently northern politicians and civil servants mounted pressure upon northern officers such as Mohammed to avenge the coup. In the face of provocation from the southern dominated media which repeatedly showed humiliating posters and cartoons of the slain northern politicians, on the night of July 29, 1966, northern soldiers at Abeokuta barracks mutinied, thus precipitating a counter-coup, which may very well have been in the planning stages. According to most southern sources Muhammad at first intended to use the counter-coup as a step towards the secession of northern Nigeria, but later dropped this demand when the economic difficulties of a potential Northern Nigerian State were pointed out to him by civil servants and British diplomats.

ven a half brained fool should know that Murtala Mohamed carried out that massacre

When did Nixon become "Carter" na?
Look at our self acclaimed super intelligent being making a fool of himself (or herself?).

^^^
Carter Huh

There has been genocide, for example on the occasion of the 1966 massacres , Two areas have suffered badly [from the fighting]. Firstly the region between the towns of Benin and Asaba where only widows and orphans remain, Federal troops having for unknown reasons massacred all the men. According to eyewitnesses (from which tribe again) of that massacre the Nigerian commander ordered the execution of every Ibo male over the age of ten years.
" Monsignor Georges (sent down on a fact-finding mission by His holiness the Pope reporting his finding in Vatican Rome
Le Monde (French Evening newspaper) April 5, 1968. ",

Until now efforts to relieve the Biafran people have been thwarted by the desire of the central government of Nigeria to pursue total and unconditional victory and by the fear of the Ibo people that surrender means wholesale atrocities and genocide. But genocide is what is taking place right now - and starvation is the grim reaper. This is not the time to stand on ceremony, or to go through channels or to observe the diplomatic niceties,  The destruction of an entire people is an immoral objective even in the most moral of wars. It can never be justified; it can never be condoned."
Mr. Richard Nixon, September 9, 1968- During the Presidential Campaign.

Bestialities and indignities of all kinds were visited on Biafrans in 1966. In Ikeja Barracks (Western Nigeria) Biafrans were forcibly fed on a mixture of human urine and faeces. In Northern Nigeria numerous Biafran house-wives and nursing mothers were raped before their husbands and children. Young girls were abducted from their homes, working places and schools and forced into sexual intercourse with sick, demented and leprous men.

Mr. Eric Spiff (German War correspondence Eyewitness, 1967
Again back to the topic!

All you need is a swastika.

Who dey fear now! I'm totally flabbergasted!
No, (mate?) you keep thinking genocidal. How about identifying people we share values with first. The rest will play itself out. So, don't run yet!

War with Nigeria, funded secretly by Shell, and company, and the northern elites who have more money than your so called igbo men could even dream of off, would make the war end in a maximum of five days.

Your mention of the ijaw conflict raises an important issue. The government could easily end the ijaw conflict by massacring the ijaw people (thought experiments, nothing to do with my opinions mate), but of course this would be seen as a genocide as opposed to maintaining federal peace. So its makes sense why such atrocities were committed during the civil war, as aforementioned.
. . .

Of course! . . .And there you are proffering "academic" massacres on the Ijaws, communal raping of Igbo women. . . What next?

LMAOOOO^^^^^^ and u truly believe Igbos can't do the same? Igbos have ground the economy of many naija cities to a halt and can do it again so economically we will all feel the pinch.  Grin Bring it.  My guy or girl this not 1966. Those fantasies wont come true.

The other mistake you guys make is you keep assuming that Igbos are simply after the creation of Biafra. Ol boy, you don't even have a clue! Like I told your brother DuduKight, one day you guys will beg us to leave and we would then give you our terms! Time and history is on our side.

Try a new Nazi trick boy (or is it girl today?).

Before, we had only few months to defend ourselves against you. Now,we have forever! So, ol boy calm down. Time is on our side! Relax. I once prophesized that you guys will one day beg us to leave Nigeria and we will then give you the terms under which we leave. So jeje my friend, no hurry in life!

Really? At the time we were discussing ways to sort out the grieviances from the past genocide, you diverted the topic to this Alice in Wonderland war idea (where Shell sides those who don't have oil against those who do and then sit back twiddling their thumbs - because Ijaw man no go let dem drill - until the war is over). Stop tripping over your own tongue, it makes you look even more . . . (fill in the gap).

Yes, the Midwest was both a serial pawn and victim. But some of the major players were from the Midwest (eg Kaduna Nzeogwu). Indegenes also pointed out Igbo's (who they knew would be excecuted) mainly out of fear when the Federal troops arrived.

I LOVE IGBO FIRST B/4 NIGERIA,BECAUSE NIGERIA IS THE WHITEMANS MAKING.I HAVE READ ALL THE TREADS POSTED,THE VIEWS OF MOST TRIBES IN NIGERIA IS THAT THE IGBOS SHOULD JUST FORGET THE INJUSTICE AGAINST  THEM AND MOVE ON IN A COUNTRY WHER THEY ARE HATED.I WANT TO MAKE IT CATEGORY CLEAR THE IGBOS SHOULD BE MORE OFFENSIVE TO ISSUES CONCERNING THEM.

The whole war and perpetration of massacre thing began in your head.

No need to change your colors jare.

Like Onlytruth said we know u. Too late.

Academic opinion More like academic threat.

Eziachi,
Great work!!
U beat me to it. I was working on same. Its great how the IGBOS have refused to slave to the bastards.

Who is afraid of equity, transparency, justice, fair play and equal opportunity?

These things are what the average Igbo man or woman [/b]wants and I sincerely believe that every single person should want the same thing. Sacrificing excellence at the altar of mediocrity has never done mankind any good and will never do

hello guys,

it was really great to stumble on this post and even greater to know there are people who think and see what you do. THE THINGS YOUR ENEMIES WANT YOU TO FORGET ARE THE THINGS TO REMEMBER! i think we should as [b]young igbo come together to

1) document the experiences and events of the biafran war because what we hear today are what others say

2)find a more effective strategy to restore our economic dominance, something beyond the thieving, semi literate petty trader model currently in place

3)develop ways to make our young people go to school and find pride and dignity in their igboness

4)finally, make igboland viable economically, so that all of our investments will no longer be outside the homeland.

i will keep watching this thread to see where it goes and if perhaps it could serve as a launch pad for some of these things

be strong people!

Despite all the millions of Igbos killed in that genocidal war, I[b]gbos maintain a strong presence, not only in Nigeria but also at the world stage[/b]!

May the souls of our departed kins remain in the bosom of the Lord.

Then just take it that we are still at war . . . . . And thats why the cesspit called Nigeria would never know peace till it disintegrates into its different components.

At least some of you fools are now feeling the effects of the suicidal mistake made by your inept and lily-wily levered leaders.

Yes, we are powerful. We hold the purse strings and will resist any new age Hitler that feels that massacre (which they aren't even equipped to carry out) is the way to sort issues. What happened after Gbaramatu was bombed? Think! Its only a few months back.

Lets get one thing straight, [i]you started this threat of massacre [/i]and you're only getting the response of a "bunch of nairalanders" who nevertheless, represent many.