Biafra
which is a part of the Atlantic Bay on the Southern part of Nigeria. e
name Biafra and its people were in existence 5,000 years ago. But the Republic
of Biafra lived from May 30, 1967- January 15, 1970 (at the end of hostilities)
after which the people were reintegrated into Nigeria.
The
declaration of Biafra led by Emeka-Ojukwu, who was a lieutenant colonel in
the Nigerian Army, was caused by Lt Col Yakubu Gowon, (who became head of state
after the assassination at Ibadan, of Gen Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi, Head
of State and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and his host, Lt Col
Adenkunle Fajuiyi, then Military Governor of Western Region). Col Gowon
outrightly rejected the Aburi Accord (hosted and) presided over by Gen Thomas
Ankrah of Ghana. He rejected the Aburi Accord because of the evil advice of the
British government headed by Prime Minister Harold Wilson (and top Nigerian
public servants), not to accept such formal peace agreement.
One
of the greatest enduring myths in Nigeria is the lie that Gowon fought the
Nigeria-Biafra war to keep Nigeria united. In reality not only did Gowon, whose
Northern Region had originally intended to secede (araba) after the
July 1966 counter coup, cause an unnecessary war through his failure of
leadership, his aim for fighting the war after he bridged the Aburi Accord, was
never in the least a genuine desire to keep Nigeria united, but purely because
of Northern economic interests.
The
economic interests of the hitherto secessionist North became the principal
reason for the volte face from secession to ‘One Nigeria’, after British
government advised the Northern leadership of economic disadvantages of
secession.
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