BIAFRAN WAR AND THE INGENUITY OF THE IGBO MAN

By Charles Ogbu

Biafran warfare machine; 1967
This piece is specifically meant to challenge us to have that very important and long overdue talk with our innerselves and speak truth to ourselves about whether this our forced union as one country has been of advantage or disadvantage to different nations that make up this British contraption called Nigeria.

In the heat of the war and while outnumbered, outgunned, blockaded from both land, sea and air and under very heavy bombardment from the Nigerian side actively supported by Russia, Britain,Egypt and their other allies, the Biafrans did that which no other nation has been able to do under such a very unconducive atmosphere:

Reconstructed Biafran bombers; 1967
They (the Biafrans) constructed the Uli airstrip and each time it was bombed by the enemy forces, they repaired it on record time even with enemy bomb raining down on them.

These Biafrans whom the British derogatorily referred to as 'a dot in the map' not only succeeded in converting commercial planes to fighter jets but they were equally successful in weaponizing them.

Biafran surface to air missiles; 1967
They manufactured surface to air missiles which they adopted to surface to surface missiles. They made precision rocket guiding systems. They made monster bomb, hand grenade, Saladin-like armoured cars and Armoured Personnel Carriers.

They built refineries and were able to refine their oil.

They did all these and much more while they were cut off from the rest of the world and were ceaselessly being bombed from all corners.

They had nothing. All they ever had was themselves.

Yet,

Biafran warfare machine; 1967
They achieved these unimaginable feats under such a very harsh environments and with bomb from Nigeria, Russia, Britain and Egypt falling down on them ceaselessly.

BIAFRANS achieved all these as a separate entity almost 50 years ago.

Today,

Even with the Biafrans forcefully brought back into the forced marriage that is Nigeria, the country  (Nigeria) cannot produce ordinary pencil. Not even toothpick, not to talk of making her own weapon even when she is not at war and no country is raining bomb on her as was the case with the Biafrans then.

What does this tell you?

Now, pause,

Ask yourselves:

How was it possible for the Biafrans to have achieved all these uncommon feats under such a very hostile atmosphere as far back as 1967 when most part of the world were still in slumber?

How did the Biafrans managed to manufacture all these weapons and even hold off the combined fire power of Nigeria, Egypt, Britain and Russia?

What was so special about these Biafrans that all these world powers buried their differences and came together to ensure the young nation didn't succeed?

Most importantly, where would Africa have been today if the new Biafra nation with all her technological advancement was allowed to survive?????

Today is Sunday, for the sake of whatever it is you believe in, look beyond your petty emotion against the Biafra agitation.

Just ask yourselves the above questions. You can keep the answer to yourselves, even.

Even if we must lie to ourselves, how can we descend to the level of believing our own lies???

Publisher: Chinwe Korie
Chinwe could be reached via;
Twitter: @ckorie17
Facebook: facebook.com/ckorie17/
Email: ckorie17@gmail.com
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