Biafra is a mistake made by Nigeria as a country that all well meaning Nigerians do not wish for its repetition.It's a national nightmare that almost torn us apart as a nation.
Nigeria is undoubtedly the most populous black nation in the world,hence,Nigeria is the pride of all black men and women worldwide!We are like a role model,the BIG BROTHER to all other black nations of the world.It would not,therefore,only be a disgrace for all that were Nigerians should Nigeria be broken into pieces,it would also be an eye sore for all Africans.One of the major reasons is that our secession as a country would only prove that the whites were right when they called us monkeys...animals that are incapable of self governance!
Like I said earlier,Biafra is a regretted mistake of our country as a whole.It was a necessity,a means to an end not an end itself!
Nigeria Before Biafra
Nigeria was amalgamated in 1914 by Lord Lugard who was the Governor General of the Slave Coast that is now known as Nigeria.His wife (some say his mistress) gave the newly amalgamated British colony her name - Nigeria which was said to be coined from 'River Niger Area'.
To cut long story short,our founding fathers,having been enlightened through quality education fought for and secured our independence as a sovereign state.The first Entourage consist of notable people like Nwakachukwu who was the leader of the delegate to London and Mrs Funmi Ransome Kuti,the first Nigerian woman to drive a car and the mother of the music Legend,Fela Anikulapo kuti.After a couple of agitations over the years,the British finally agreed to grant us our wish,independence...FREEDOM!
As Nigerians we celebrated independence on the 1st of October 1960 with Sir Tafawa Balewa as Prime Minister and Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe as the Ceremonial President.
After independence,Nigeria later became a republic 3 years later.As a young Nation trying to find its roots,Nigeria had a lot political clashes with a little tribal coloring here and there.By 1966,after a violent election,some Military boys have had enough of the shameful power tussle between the major regions of the country and fell the need to do something fast to reinstate law and order.
In 1966,certain junior officers took it upon themselves to put an end to the political regime,take over the reigns of power for a while before re-establishing civilian leadership again.There were five Military men all of the rank of Major that connived to make it happen.Four were of Igbos by origin while the fifth Major was a Yoruba.
The 1966 Coup
It was close to the end of the year when the coup plan was hatched and it was going to happen when all leading politicians would be in Lagos for a major economic conference.The coup plotters had targets.Some were:
- THE POLITICIANS:Arrest them and kill those that resists arrest.
- THE SENIOR OFFICERS:Eliminate all Senior Officers
- THE RIVERS BENUE AND NIGER BRIDGES:Destroy the Bridges to prevent the free flow of troops and equipment.
These were just a few of their targets,their main aim,according to them was to restore law and order in the already tribal divided country... which was noble enough.But,the casualty check after the failed but yet bloody coup suggested otherwise.
The Problems With the 1966 Coup
Firstly,the participants in the coup were all Igbos except for one.Another problem was that,the Premiers of the Northern and South Western Regions were killed during the coup,but,some how,some way,the Premier of the South East survived.
On the National level,Sir Tafawa Balewa,the Prime Minister of the country was killed but Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe the Ceremonial President survived!
These were obvious problems that needed serious and urgent attention.As earlier pointed out,the coup failed as such some senior Military Officers proved difficult to kill.Late Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi was such a soldier that narrowly escaped assassination.As the most Senior Officer,then,he was appointed as the head of the First Military Regime.He was of Igbo descent.
Hausas under him,such as the Late General Murtala Ramat Muhammad were boiling with rage and in desperate thirst for justice especially when Major Ezieogwu Kaduna was still in charge of the Kaduna Military instalment.He was the one that led the boys that killed the great Saudana,the Premier of the North..But,for unknown reasons,Gen. Ironsi wanted to take his time in meting justice on the affected soldiers.
Due to his sluggishness in dealing with the coup plotters,the angry Northern Military Officers,planned and executed a successful coup that took the life of Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi.
After the coup,there were rancor and petty quarrels between soldiers of Northern and South Eastern origin,this consequently turned violent such that they, soldiers, attacked and killed each other...this later spilled to the general public and lo and behold!A major crisis broke out in the North that saw to what we can call a massacre of Igbos living up North...this continued for a long while and the Exodus of the Igbos back to their region began.Igbos were hunted down and killed even during the Exodus.The then Governor General of the Eastern region Lieutenant-Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu started making complaints as to the nearly genocide nature of the attack on the Igbos.But it seem to fall on deaf ears,yet,he continued to appeal to the Federal Government.
The straw that seem to have broken the back of the camel was the installation of a Junior Officer to Ojukwu,General Gowon as Head of State.At that point,it seem as though the Nigerian country doesn't care about the Igbos and should that be the case,Ojukwu saw nothing wrong with secession.
Now,that was why I said Biafra was as a result of a National mistake.Had it being that Federal Government showed a sign of remorse and had curbed the crisis that saw to the gruesome murder of hundreds of Igbos back then,Ojukwu wouldn't have thought of secession.
That would be it for today,hope to continue my story tomorrow or the next 'cos,this is just the beginning of the story!Later!!!
Nigeria is undoubtedly the most populous black nation in the world,hence,Nigeria is the pride of all black men and women worldwide!We are like a role model,the BIG BROTHER to all other black nations of the world.It would not,therefore,only be a disgrace for all that were Nigerians should Nigeria be broken into pieces,it would also be an eye sore for all Africans.One of the major reasons is that our secession as a country would only prove that the whites were right when they called us monkeys...animals that are incapable of self governance!
Like I said earlier,Biafra is a regretted mistake of our country as a whole.It was a necessity,a means to an end not an end itself!
Nigeria Before Biafra
Nigeria was amalgamated in 1914 by Lord Lugard who was the Governor General of the Slave Coast that is now known as Nigeria.His wife (some say his mistress) gave the newly amalgamated British colony her name - Nigeria which was said to be coined from 'River Niger Area'.
To cut long story short,our founding fathers,having been enlightened through quality education fought for and secured our independence as a sovereign state.The first Entourage consist of notable people like Nwakachukwu who was the leader of the delegate to London and Mrs Funmi Ransome Kuti,the first Nigerian woman to drive a car and the mother of the music Legend,Fela Anikulapo kuti.After a couple of agitations over the years,the British finally agreed to grant us our wish,independence...FREEDOM!
As Nigerians we celebrated independence on the 1st of October 1960 with Sir Tafawa Balewa as Prime Minister and Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe as the Ceremonial President.
After independence,Nigeria later became a republic 3 years later.As a young Nation trying to find its roots,Nigeria had a lot political clashes with a little tribal coloring here and there.By 1966,after a violent election,some Military boys have had enough of the shameful power tussle between the major regions of the country and fell the need to do something fast to reinstate law and order.
In 1966,certain junior officers took it upon themselves to put an end to the political regime,take over the reigns of power for a while before re-establishing civilian leadership again.There were five Military men all of the rank of Major that connived to make it happen.Four were of Igbos by origin while the fifth Major was a Yoruba.
The 1966 Coup
It was close to the end of the year when the coup plan was hatched and it was going to happen when all leading politicians would be in Lagos for a major economic conference.The coup plotters had targets.Some were:
- THE POLITICIANS:Arrest them and kill those that resists arrest.
- THE SENIOR OFFICERS:Eliminate all Senior Officers
- THE RIVERS BENUE AND NIGER BRIDGES:Destroy the Bridges to prevent the free flow of troops and equipment.
These were just a few of their targets,their main aim,according to them was to restore law and order in the already tribal divided country... which was noble enough.But,the casualty check after the failed but yet bloody coup suggested otherwise.
The Problems With the 1966 Coup
Firstly,the participants in the coup were all Igbos except for one.Another problem was that,the Premiers of the Northern and South Western Regions were killed during the coup,but,some how,some way,the Premier of the South East survived.
On the National level,Sir Tafawa Balewa,the Prime Minister of the country was killed but Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe the Ceremonial President survived!
These were obvious problems that needed serious and urgent attention.As earlier pointed out,the coup failed as such some senior Military Officers proved difficult to kill.Late Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi was such a soldier that narrowly escaped assassination.As the most Senior Officer,then,he was appointed as the head of the First Military Regime.He was of Igbo descent.
Hausas under him,such as the Late General Murtala Ramat Muhammad were boiling with rage and in desperate thirst for justice especially when Major Ezieogwu Kaduna was still in charge of the Kaduna Military instalment.He was the one that led the boys that killed the great Saudana,the Premier of the North..But,for unknown reasons,Gen. Ironsi wanted to take his time in meting justice on the affected soldiers.
Due to his sluggishness in dealing with the coup plotters,the angry Northern Military Officers,planned and executed a successful coup that took the life of Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi.
After the coup,there were rancor and petty quarrels between soldiers of Northern and South Eastern origin,this consequently turned violent such that they, soldiers, attacked and killed each other...this later spilled to the general public and lo and behold!A major crisis broke out in the North that saw to what we can call a massacre of Igbos living up North...this continued for a long while and the Exodus of the Igbos back to their region began.Igbos were hunted down and killed even during the Exodus.The then Governor General of the Eastern region Lieutenant-Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu started making complaints as to the nearly genocide nature of the attack on the Igbos.But it seem to fall on deaf ears,yet,he continued to appeal to the Federal Government.
The straw that seem to have broken the back of the camel was the installation of a Junior Officer to Ojukwu,General Gowon as Head of State.At that point,it seem as though the Nigerian country doesn't care about the Igbos and should that be the case,Ojukwu saw nothing wrong with secession.
Now,that was why I said Biafra was as a result of a National mistake.Had it being that Federal Government showed a sign of remorse and had curbed the crisis that saw to the gruesome murder of hundreds of Igbos back then,Ojukwu wouldn't have thought of secession.
That would be it for today,hope to continue my story tomorrow or the next 'cos,this is just the beginning of the story!Later!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment