Jul 27, 2019 civil war breaks out in nigeria five weeks after its secession from nigeria, the breakaway republic of biafra is attacked by nigerian government forces. The biafran war began in july 1966, and ended in 1970 after more than a million people had been killed, mostly from starvation. The civil war was fought to reintegrate and reunify the country. General emeka odumegwu ojukwu had made this declaration and became the head of state of the new republic.
When the breakaway province of biafra tried to secede from nigeria in 1967, the result was a civil war of terrifying intensity. But despite that, calls for secession remain strong in. Nigerias political, social, and economic development has been largely influenced by the civil war, or biafran war, that occurred between 1967 and 1970. Nigeria experienced the effects of such tensions through the nigerian civil war. Oct 28, 2014 on 8 april 1967 in enugu, while meeting with suzanne cronje, author of the world and nigeria. The genesis of the nigerian civil war and the theory of fear. The nigerian civil war which broke out on 6 july 1967 and lasted until january 15, 1970, was the culmination of an uneasy peace and instability that had plagued the nation from independence in 1960. Nigeria is in the grips of civil war, one very similar to the real biafran war. Nigeria blockaded biafra on land, sea and air, to prevent food from entering biafra. The only knowledge the 22yearold college student has of the war comes filtered. With few memories of biafra war, young nigerians renew calls.
Koren, nigeria 9 19631970 march 2007 the first time i went to africa the sun was rising over an endless stretch of palm trees as the pan am boeing 707 banked steeply on approach to lagos nigeria, january 1st 1964. On chinua achebes book on the nigerian civil war and the. Owerrimemories of the nigeriabiafra war was yesterday, reenacted in owerri, as the consultant to the federal ministry of defence, professor bala. The biafran war was truly a brothers war, which saw family and friends on opposing sides.
Nigeria has experienced vast changes, evolving from a collection of ancient kingdoms to a british colony and protectorate to a struggling independent nation. Having broken apart, nigeria is now preparing for civil war. The nigeriabiafra war 19671970 was a defining event in the history of postcolonial nigeria. This book outlines what led to the bloodiest african war and tragedy. Books that tell the story of the nigerian civil war. The nigerian civil war, 1967 1970, was an ethnic and political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of nigeria as the selfproclaimed republic of biafra. Nigerians needs to talk about the horrors of the war 50 years. The nigerian civil war was a civil war in nigeria fought between the government of nigeria and. The minority igbo people stood little chance of victory in the face of the overwhelming superiority of the nigerian army in the.
Nigeria needs to start talking about the horrors of the biafra war, fifty years on. The nigerian civil war also known as the biafran war and the nigerian biafran war was a civil war in nigeria fought between the government of nigeria and the secessionist state of biafra from 6 july 1967 to 15 january 1970. Biafra was formally recognised by gabon, haiti, ivory coast, tanzania and zambia. In the aftermath of the war, the nigerian government did not want to impose any form of. Some writers have classified the nigeriabiafra war as a genocidal. The nigerian civil war also known as the biafran war and the nigerianbiafran war was a civil war in nigeria fought between the government of nigeria and the secessionist state of biafra from 6 july 1967 to 15 january 1970.
The nigerian civil war, popularly known as the nigeriabiafra war which lasted from 6th july 1967 15th january 1970 almost destroyed the unity of nigeria. Bibliography includes bibliographical references p. The nigeria biafra war lasted from 6 july 1966 to 15 january 1970, during which time the postcolonial nigerian state fought to bring the southeastern region, which had seceded as the state or republic of biafra, back into the newly independent but ideol. By the time the war, which was fought between nigeria and the breakaway republic of biafra ended in 1970, two million people had perished. The first time i went to africa the sun was rising over an endless stretch of palm trees as the pan am boeing 707 banked steeply on approach to lagos nigeria, january 1 st 1964 the second time i went to africa, two years later, the captain of the green and white painted nigeria airwayspan am 707 announced. Nigeria is haunted by biafran war world news the guardian. The biafran war, fought between the federal government of nigeria and the secessionist state of biafra, was the culmination of a period of racial violence and persecution of the igbos, its main people. Apr 05, 2017 owerrimemories of the nigeriabiafra war was yesterday, reenacted in owerri, as the consultant to the federal ministry of defence, professor bala jack yakubu, displayed some deadly weapons. He attempts to explain dispassionately why army officers toppled the civil government in the cause of stability, and the considerable civilian support they received. It was a result of the nigerian governments efforts to counter the struggle by igbo people of the eastern region to. Books set in the nigerian civil war biafran war the modern novel home page. Flat payment of 20 pounds to all igbos for their biafran and prewar nigerian money deposited in nigerian banks, regardless of amount. Majorgeneral gowon, who was promoted from colonel yesterday, is apparently ready to follow up his blockade of the breakaway east now.
The role of the biafran identity in the biafran campaign for support during the nigerian civil war of 196770 joshua willms thesis submitted to the. A group of northern army officers staged a counter coup in july 1966, killing the head of state, general aguiyiironsi, an igbo jacob, 2012, p. The biafran war top results of your surfing the biafran war start download portable document format pdf and e books electronic books free online rating news 20162017 is books that can provide inspiration, insight, knowledge to the reader. Biafra attempted to finance the war through foreign exchange. When nigerias brutal biafran war ended in 1970, sopuru amahs birth was still more than two decades away. International media coverage in the 1960s and early 1970s represented the. Refusing to accept her sovereignty, nigeria waged a thirtymonth war against biafra. Biafran weapons of war displayed in owerri vanguard news.
Ahazuem of the university of nigeria, nsukka, for granting me interviews and permitting me to use some transcripts of the oral interviews his team conducted on the nigeriabiafra war. After nigeria announced its currency would no longer be legal tender to make way for a new currency, this effort increased. Sensing that their safety could no longer be guaranteed, the easterners fled to the eastern region and established an independent nation called biafra. Nigerian civil war nigerianbiafran war the polynational. Africa, nigeria civil war, biafra, at the front line, young officer ordering. Christian religious propaganda in the nigeriabiafra war by nicholas ibeawuchi omenka abia state university, uturu abstract. The untold story of the nigeriabiafra war how nigeria. Nigeria the biafran war download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl. Nigerias coming civil war from the guardian the guardian.
The following list contains poetry, prose fiction and memoirs written by literary authors. The genesis of the nigerian civil war and the theory of fear author. After the announcement, tons of nigerian bank notes were transported in an effort to acquire foreign exchange. The nigerian civil war, also known as the nigerianbiafran war, 6 july 1967 15 january 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of nigeria as the selfproclaimed republic of biafra. It was a result of a long period of alleged political, economic, ethnic, cultural and religious deprivations, which had its genesis in the. The nigeriabiafra war lasted from 6 july 1966 to 15 january 1970, during which time the postcolonial nigerian state fought to bring the southeastern region, which had seceded as the state or republic of biafra, back into the newly independent but ideol. May 01, 20 general emeka odumegwu ojukwu had made this declaration and became the head of state of the new republic. The biafran war was truly a brothers war,which saw family and friends on opposing sides. Olawoyin, historical analysis of nigeria biafra conflict 1971, pp. Remembering nigerias biafra war that many prefer to forget bbc. As the vietnam war was going on in 1967, an equally devastating civil war, occasioned by ethnic and religious intolerance was raging in the west african nation of nigeria.
On 8 april 1967 in enugu, while meeting with suzanne cronje, author of the world and nigeria. Apr 06, 20 a video series chronicling the nigerian civil war between nigeria and the breakaway republic of biafra. The nigerianbiafran war african studies centre leiden. On chinua achebes book on the nigerian civil war and the aftermath. Secret american diplomatic dispatches, spread over 21,000 pages, provide previously unknown information about the nigerian civil war early in the morning of 1 july 1967, nigerias young head of state, colonel yakubu gowon, was feeling uneasy in his office at the supreme headquarters, dodan barracks in lagos. Many of the archival documents gould draws on shine fresh light on the relationship between the united kingdom and nigeria, including the place of oil in the conflict, but the book s richest sections use interviews the author conducted between 2007 and 2009 with key nigerian, biafran, and british figures from the war years to add texture to. Ndigbo in support of biafra not more than 10 percent balarabe biafran war veteran, others lament. Constituent features of nigerian politics 19451965 1966 prelude to confrontation the declaration of biafran independence, and war the collapse of biafra, nigeria and the aftermath. With few memories of biafra war, young nigerians renew. It is quite difficult for one to stand at any time without having to turn his. The biafran war took place from july 1967 till january 1970, was an ethnic and political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of nigeria as the self proclaimed republic of biafra. May 30, 2017 when nigerias brutal biafran war ended in 1970, sopuru amahs birth was still more than two decades away. A semantic history, the journal of american history 69, no.
In section 2 we address the formation of the nigerian state, focusing on the origins of dominant antithetical forces, struggles and their consequences over four distinct periods leading up to the. The consensus among many analysts of the nigeriabiafra war is that the con. Nigeria and the aftermath african studies ekweekwe, herbert on. In 1966, several waves of rioting in northern nigeria culminated in the brutal massacre of thousands of easterners by their northern nigerian counterparts. Nigerias independence in 1960 marked the beginning of attempts to build a strong, united, and prosperous nation in africas most populous pluralistic country. Explore free books, like the victory garden, and more browse now. When the breakaway province of biafra tried to secede from nigeria in. Biafra represented nationalist aspirations of the igbo people, whose leadership felt they could no longer coexist with the northerndominated federal government.
But in 2017, nigeria is still grappling with the aftermath. As a result of the unnecessary continuous killings of southern biafran christians who were residing at the northern part of nigeria, by the nothern moslems. Very emotional scenes of boy soldiers, suffering, children dying from starvation. The war became notorious for the starvation in some of the besieged warbound regions, and the consequent claims of genocide made by the largely igbo.
In a post i did last year, i briefly mentioned this when i listed elechi amadis sunset in biafra 1973, chukuemeka ikes sunset at dawn 1976, and flora nwapas never again 1976. Other nations, which did not give official recognition but provided support and assistance to biafra, included israel, france, spain, portugal, norway, rhodesia, south africa and vatican city. Books that tell the story of the nigerian civil war july 15, 2011 henry c. A video series chronicling the nigerian civil war between nigeria and the breakaway republic of biafra. Civil war breaks out in nigeria five weeks after its secession from nigeria, the breakaway republic of biafra is attacked by nigerian government forces. Ethnic minorities in the nigeriabiafra war, 19671970 cover page footnote acknowledgment i wish to thank j. Nafziger, the political economy of disintegration in nigeria, journal of modern african studies, 11 1973, 50536. Biafras declaration of independence from nigeria resulted in civil war between biafra and nigeria. Jan 27, 2003 as the vietnam war was going on in 1967, an equally devastating civil war, occasioned by ethnic and religious intolerance was raging in the west african nation of nigeria. The war, also known as the biafran war, 6 july 1967 15 january 1970, was an ethnic and political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of nigeria as the selfproclaimed republic of biafra. The diplomatic history of the biafran war, 19671970, ojukwu said.
Nigeria became a formally independent federation in 1960, and a republic in 1963, subsequently plunging into a civil war from 19671970. A retired general of the biafran army presents a postmortem account of the events of the nigerian civil war, 196670. A malnutrition disease, kwashiorkor that caused the deaths of thousands of biafrans, followed. The nigerian revolution and the biafran war by alexander a. On january 12, 1970 the war ended leaving more than three million people dead in a war that was totally avoidable. The war that changed nigeria jump to media player its 50 years since the start of the biafran war, one of africas bloodiest postindependence conflicts. The conflict was the result of economic, ethnic, cultural and religious tensions among the various peoples of nigeria. September 1 nigeria reconciles with tanzania, ivory coast, gabon and zambia. Books written about nigerian civil war aloko adewale peter 11. On january 15, i was the one who advised ironsi to stand as the head of the army, call for support and then organise the various units that would immediately support, so that the. The nigerian civil war, also known as the nigerian biafran war, 6 july 1967 15 january 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of nigeria as the selfproclaimed republic of biafra. Nigeria bombed biafran civilians, killing thousands. It has been said that nigerias civil war or the biafran war, which was fought between 1967 1970, spawned a large body of literature in nigeria.
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