Biafra

Categories: Former countries | History of Nigeria

The Republic of Biafra was a short-lived secessionist state in southeastern Nigeria. It existed from May 30, 1967 to January 15, 1970. The military's Chief of Staff formally announced capitulation on January 12. The country was named after the Bight of Biafra, the bay of the Atlantic to its south.

It was recognised by a small number of countries during its existence: Gabon, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, and Zambia. Despite lack of official recognition, other nations provided assistance to Biafra. France, Rhodesia and South Africa provided covert military assistance. The aid of Portugal proved to be crucial to the republic's survival. Portugal's São Tomé and Príncipe became a center of humanitarian relief efforts; Biafran currency was printed in Lisbon, which was also the location Biafra's major overseas office. Israel also gave Biafra the arms that it captured in the 1967 Six Day War, but that same conflict ruled out further assistance.

In January 1966, a coup in the Nigerian government was attempted, which was bloody and short-lived. Since mostly Igbo officers in the Nigerian army survived, it was assumed that they had initiatied the coup and in the months of May and September of 1966, Igbo migrants living in northern Nigeria were the targets of mass killings. Most of Nigeria's eight million Igbo people live in what was then the Eastern Region of Nigeria, which had as military governor the Igbo Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. He declared the region an independent state with a capital at Enugu, and his troops began seizing Federal resources such as inbound postal vehicles.

Nigeria responded initially with an economic blockade, and brought military force to bear starting on July 6, 1967. In the ensuing Biafran War, raids were made by Biafran troops west into Nigeria in July and August. Nigerian troops soon recovered however, advancing into Biafra, and forcing the repeated transfer of the Biafran capital from Enugu to Aba and then Umuahia by the end of the year, and to Owerri in 1969.

By 1970, Biafra had been ravaged by war and was in great need of food supplies. Amid economic and military collapse, Ojukwu fled the country and the rest of the republic's territory was re-incorporated into Nigeria. Around a million people are thought to have died in the conflict, mostly through starvation and illness.

Biafra's national anthem used the Finlandia tune by Jean Sibelius.

This conflict inspired musician/artist/activist Jello Biafra in his choice of name.

Nigeria later renamed the Bight of Biafra as the Bight of Bonny.

Reconciliation

On Monday 29 May 2000, the Guardian of Lagos newspaper reported that President Olusegun Obasanjo commuted to retirement the dismissal of all military persons who fought for the breakaway state of Biafra during Nigeria's 1967-1970 civil war. In a national broadcast he said the decision was based on "justice must at all times be tempered with mercy". It is also thought, that during the previous year, there had been a public resurgence of pro-Biafra sentiment among a section of the Igbo, who claimed that in the Nigerian federation they have been marginalised.[1]

External links

• Biafraland - The official site of the Biafra Actualization Forum, which presents a point of view that seems close to that of the MASSOB, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, which is the main group currently still advocating the restoration of Biafra.
• The Ship's Cat on Amazon.coma fictional account of the Oxfam Air Relief flights that penetrated the military blockade around Biafra. Written by Jock Brandis who as a young man participated in the effort.da:Biafra

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