BIAFRA WAR PART 5 :
The major reason perceived as why Nigeria didn’t want Biafra to go is because other ethnic nationalities would follow suit, The Nigeria Government therefore had to block Biafra secession to prevent the dissolution of Nigeria.
The Organization of African Unity (O.A.U) attempted to facilitate a number of peace meetings throughout the conflict. The umbrella body of sovereign African nations lacked credibility in this effort and their meetings the first one slated to be held in May 1966 in Kampala Uganda and in May 1968 were ineffectual and quickly disintegrated into fiascos of confusion
The OAU consultative committee resent their invitations to the leaders of the two warring parties, Gowon and Ojukwu for talks in Niamey, the capital of Niger, Nigeria’s northern neighbor.
The Summit, was later learned to have become a case of sliding doors with Gowon meeting with the OAU principle officers to avoid confrontation, the action which created an opposite effect and played no part in diminishing the possible result that the first president of the Republic of Niger Hamani Diori, was attempting to moderate. Professor Eni Njoku, the chief negotiator from Biafra, Gallantly attempted to salvage what was left of that Nigeria Biafra summit. He arranged a meeting with the leader of the Midwest region government’s delegation, Chief Anthony Enahoro that closed in an impasse.
Ojukwu saw an opportunity to speak to a world audience at the next summit and agreed to attend; it was planned for august in the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Ababa. He treated the gathered delegates to a speech of over two hours in length and made the case for the Biafran independence. He pointed out the great irony of conflict, one that most of us in Biafra were later driven out by the rest of Nigeria, which waged war with the secessionist republic to conserve the very sovereignty of a nation (Nigeria) within walls of Biafrans did not feel free, safe or desired.
In my opinion (Chinua Achebe said), Gowon’s absence at these meetings was telling, because it clearly suggested that he had a different agenda. This suspicion would be confirmed by his announcement of a surge in the Nigeria offensive that would increase exponentially the numbers dying, and starving to death in the coming months.
Most African countries adhered to the doctrines of the Organization of African Unity, which supported Nigeria for the same reasons espoused by the great powers: “[allowing Biafra to secede would result to other ethnic groups and tribes to be seeking such which will lead to destabilization of the entire continent. Few African nations declared support for Biafra for humanitarian ethical and moral reasons. A Tanzanian intellectual and one of the very few survivors of the cold war tussle in Africa and also a towering African statesman of the era described Biafra’s attempts to secede through the lens of the Jews seeking a homeland following the Holocaust in Nazi Germany and elsewhere in Europe.
President Julius Nyerere was the first African head of state to recognize Biafra and his statement was published by the government printer in Tanzania’s capital, Dar es salam, on April 13, 1968. The day Igbos heard that Tanzania had recognized Biafra was a fantastic day for them.
A lot of historical connections were also made by Biafrans emissaries after discovering more clearly that the people of several Caribbean nations are descendants of former Igbo slaves. Diplomatic delegations led by Dr okechukwu ikejiani and Mr chukwuma azikiwe met with Dr Francois Duvalier president of Haiti at the presidential palace in port au France in February 1969. Following the visit, on March 22, 1969, The Igbos secure the only non-African full diplomatic recognition from the Haitian people.
Britain was supplying arms to the Gowon led federal government of Nigeria, blockade was formed such that economic importation and exportation of needed things like food were paralyzed, the international need cross-society gave so Much support to Biafra by giving care to the sick just before the full start of the war, The Nigerian air force strikes down the airplane carrying health relieve things to eastern Nigeria
French was discovered to be supporting Biafra even though their support is related to their interest in making their smaller market share in the Nigeria oil industry a bigger one
The United States of America as officially neutral during the conflict, which meant that it overtly supported neither the Nigerians nor the Biafrans. Even though a lot of Igbo people want a more aggressive pro-Biafra stance from America, particularly on humanitarian grounds, were deeply disappointed, to put it softly. It was alleged that president Lyndon Johnson of the united state was aiding Nigerian was an effort in cooperation with the British.
The international communities levied charges and allegations of genocide and ethnic cleansing against Nigeria Army, but the general American citizens who are known for their generosity sent millions of dollars to ease the suffering of the innocent caught between the warring parties
A lot of international organizations like The National Association for the Advancement of colored people (NAACP), The Soviet Union only get concerned about Nigeria when they realized that Nigeria had become one of the most important oil exporters, but in short, Russia supported Nigeria Federal government, Portugal supported the Igbos only by giving them the chance to land on their airport, Chinese sided Biafrans
Igbos got their guns and weapons on the black market and they manufactured some as well
