THE RESTORATION OF BIAFRA NATION

Civil war.  Ten months into the civil war, the international community looked for a peaceful solution to the crisis. A meeting was convened in London and it was resolved that peace talks be held in a neutral place to end the hostilities. Kampala was agreed upon by all parties. The leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra, Lt Col Odumegwu Ojukwu, inspects a guard of honour. Photo | File   By Henry Lubega On May 30, 1967, a section of the Nigerian army, led by Lt Col Odumegwu Ojukwu, steered a break away from eastern Nigeria to form the Republic of Biafra. Nigeria was then led by Gen Yakubu Gowon. More than a month later, on July 6, 1967, troops from the federal government of Nigeria attacked the self-declared Republic of Biafra, starting a 33-month civil war. Ten months into the war, the international community looked for a peaceful solution to the crisis. Former colonial masters Britain, working through the Commonwealth, brought the two warring parties to a round table ...

Eight months ago, Tolulope Arotile, the first female combat helicopter pilot of the Nigerian Air Force, was  decorated by Sadique Abubakar , chief of air staff. Arotile had just ended a programme at the Starlite International Training Academy, South Africa. While decorating her alongside Kafayat Sanni, the first female fighter pilot, Abubakar had said: “They are not only female officers but outstanding aviators. While one of the two pilots is the first female fighter pilot in the 55 years history of the NAF, the second one is the first female combatant helicopter pilot.” But less than a year after, Arotile was killed in a freak accident at the Nigerian Air Force base in Kaduna state. According to a statement, the deceased did not recover from the injuries sustained in the accident. She was said to have lived a “short but impactful life”. “It is with great sorrow that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) regretfully announces the unfortunate demise of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, who di...

A group of coordinators of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the United States says the country should appoint a special envoy to the Lake Chad region, alleging that Christians are being killed there. In a letter to Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state, the group alleged that “Biafra Christians” are being targeted in incessant killings in the region and other parts of the country. The IPOB coordinators accused “extremists” of spearheading the attacks which it said the federal government has failed to address. It made reference to the report by the United Kingdom All-Party Parliamentary Group on International Religious Freedom or Belief, a group made up of  British parliamentarians, which said Christians are being targeted because of their faith in Nigeria. The letter dated July 6 and signed by Clement Okoro, the group’s national coordinator in the US, read: “We write to you as the United States coordinators for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), an organization that repr...

Ambassador Uche Ajulu-Okeke, a veteran Diplomat and Development Studies Expert with thirty-year achievements in the Nigerian Foreign Service. She is widely known for her performance orientation, positive mentorship and team spirit. In recognition of her high-level competences, the Anambra State Government appointed Ambassador Ajulu-Okeke to serve in various capacities. She also served in the All Progressive Grand Party (APGA), a Southeastern-based political party, before relocating to the United States. In the present-day Federal Republic of Nigeria, several years after its independence, the leaders have not succeeded in rebuilding its state institutions enough to reflect all-inclusive ethnic diversity, let alone in adopting Western-style democracy that takes cognizance of different public opinions on development issues in the country. The struggle for and misuse of power have brought the country into a stalemate, disrupting any efforts to overcome the deepening economic and social cri...

Vincent Kalu The   National President of Indigenous Igbo Youth Congress (IIYC), Chief John Mayor Echefu, has said, the the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, would not have taken to peaceful struggle for the emancipation of the Igbo, if successive leadership of the country have been fair to the Igbo. In a statement, Echefu emphasised that his group after considering the plight of the Igbo has decided to support Kanu in his peaceful approach to the realisation of the Biafra project. He said: “After the civil war, the government said there was no victor, no vanquished, but its actions and policies since the end of the war have proved to be the contrary. “Any part of Igbo you visit, you will behold the relics of the civil war; the race is denied of what should come to them in terms of appointments, infrastructure development. Any single thing or project executed in the region is blown out of proportion, and would be seen as a favour, while jumbo projects a...

Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri As the whole world continues to mourn the loss of Ezekiel Izuogu, mainstream Igbo pressure groups, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB) have expressed their sadness over the demise. IPOB in its own press statement by the group’s media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful described his death as great lost to Biafra. “But we Biafrans would continue  to remember him and his family, we would not forget what usefulness he would have  been to us if Biafra is achieved” Powerful said. Also, MASSOB through its leader, Uchenna Madu said “His death was a huge physical loss to the people of Biafra and Africa in general. He is a patriotic Biafran that will forever be honoured and celebrated. He added “The administration of General Sani Abacha and other successive governments of Nigeria frustrated his technological ingenuity that was deeply rooted in in his Igboistic nature and aspi...

Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has reacted to the death of President Muhammadu Buhari’s close associate, Isa Funtua. Funtua had died on Monday shortly after suffering cardiac arrrst. Reacting to the development, Nnamdi Kanu on his Facebook page described Funtua as an architect of Operation Python Dance. According to him, 2020 is Biafra year because people who swore it would never come to pass were now dieing. He wrote: “Another architect of Operation Python Dance is gone. Three down, two more to go. “All those that swore they would never live to see Biafra are all slowly leaving the stage. This proves that Biafra is imminent and 2020 is our year.” I was wrong' - Nnamdi Kanu bows, apologises to Abia Police Commissioner, Okon Biafra: Buhari told to attend Nnamdi Kanu's parent's burial, grant presidential pardon to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu parents' burial: Police'll cause problem Nigeria won't recover from - IPOB warns 'I'm...

Vincent Kalu The National President of Indigenous Igbo Youth Congress (IIYC), Chief John Mayor Echefu, has said, the the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, would not have taken to peaceful struggle for the emancipation of the Igbo, if successive leadership of the country have been fair to the Igbo. In a statement, Echefu emphasised that his group after considering the plight of the Igbo has decided to support Kanu in his peaceful approach to the realisation of the Biafra project. He said: “After the civil war, the government said there was no victor, no vanquished, but its actions and policies since the end of the war have proved to be the contrary. “Any part of Igbo you visit, you will behold the relics of the civil war; the race is denied of what should come to them in terms of appointments, infrastructure development. Any single thing or project executed in the region is blown out of proportion, and would be seen as a favour, while jumbo projects are bei...

BIAFRA A g roup of coordinators of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the United States says the country should appoint a special envoy to the Lake Chad region, alleging that Christians are being killed there. In a letter to Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state, the group alleged that “Biafra Christians” are being targeted in incessant killings in the region and other parts of the country. The IPOB coordinators accused “extremists” of spearheading the attacks which it said the federal government has failed to address. It made reference to the report by the United Kingdom All-Party Parliamentary Group on International Religious Freedom or Belief, a group made up of  British parliamentarians, which said Christians are being targeted because of their faith in Nigeria. The letter dated July 6 and signed by Clement Okoro, the group’s national coordinator in the US, read: “We write to you as the United States coordinators for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), an organization t...