Biafra was a secessionist state that declared its independence from Nigeria in May 1967. The state is located in the former Eastern region where Igbo people predominantly live. Other ethnic groups in Biafra are Efik, Ibibio and Ijaw. It got its name from the Bight of Biafra, the Atlantic bay to its south.
Pro-Igbo nationalists led by General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu formed the sovereign State in response to the ethnic tensions that resulted in the killing of over 30,000 Igbos in Northern Nigeria. Survivors fled back to the Eastern region while non-Igbos in the area were expelled. Ojukwu, who was the governor of the region, with the backing of the Assembly, declared a sovereign and independent republic of Biafra.
The secession subsequently led to the Nigerian civil war. Over two million Biafran civilians, mostly children, died in the war, which lasted for two-and-half years. They died from starvation after the Nigerian government imposed a blockade that stopped supplies from entering the Eastern region.
However, Biafra ceased to exist when the war ended in 1970 after their Armed forces surrendered to the federal government.
Biafra flag and coat of arm
The Flag
The flag consists of a red, black, and green horizontal tricolour. The black has the rising sun representing the eleven former provinces of Biafra.
Biafra flag was first raised on May 30, 1967, during then Lieutenant Colonel Ojukwu’s declaration of the region as an independent State. The coat of arms inspired the colours of the flag.
Coat of Arms
The Biafra coat of arms consists of the following symbols and their meanings:
The Eagle
The eagle stands for the pride and self-esteem of Biafra as a sovereign nation under heaven. It conveys the powers and messages of the spirit and renewed life. The eagle is also linked with the east wind, including spring, dawn and rebirth.
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Cow Horn
It stands for Biafra’s rich cultural heritage. The people of Biafra hold their cultural heritage in high esteem because it represents the general consensus of their collective existence.
The Shield
The shield represents the map of Biafra which consists of the landmass of the sovereign state stretching down to the Atlantic ocean.
The Rising Sun
The eleven rays of the sun represent the eleven provinces that make up Biafra. It also means the Leading Light of the World.
The three rings
They represent the forefathers of Biafra – Eri, Areli and Arodi.
Two leopards
They symbolize strength, confidence, power, intelligence, beauty and leadership. The two leopards also stand for the steadfastness, swiftness and gracefulness of the Biafra Armed Forces.
Biafra Anthem
The “Land of the Rising Sun” anthem was proclaimed after the Eastern region seceded from Nigeria. Jean Sibelius’ “Finlanda” inspired the anthem’s tune, while Chief Charles Okereke wrote the lyrics. Below are the lyrics of the Biafra anthem:
Land of the Rising Sun
Land of the rising sun, we love and cherish,
Beloved homeland of our brave heroes;
We must defend our lives, or we shall perish,
We shall protect our hearths from all our foes;
But if the price is death for all we hold dear,
Then let us die without a shred of fear.
Hail to Biafra, consecrated nation,
Oh, fatherland, this be our solemn pledge:
Defending thee shall be a dedication.
Spilling our blood, we’ll count a privilege;
The waving standard which emboldens the free
Shall always be our flag of liberty.
We shall emerge triumphant from this ordeal,
And through the crucible unscathed we’ll pass;
When we are poised the wounds of battle to heal,
We shall remember those who died in mass;
Then shall our trumpets peal the glorious song
Of victory we scored o’er might and wrong.
Oh God, protect us from the hidden pitfall,
Gu/de all our movements lest we go astray;
Give us the strength to heed the humanist call:
‘To give and not to count the cost’, each day;
Bless those who rule to serve with resoluteness,
To make this clime a land of righteousness.
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Biafra States
The following State made up the sovereign republic of Biafra:
- Abia (capital, Umuahia – 1967-1969)
- Akwa Ibom
- Anambra (capital, Awka – 1970)
- Bayelsa
- Cross River
- Ebonyi
- Enugu (capital, Enugu – 1967)
- Imo (capital, Owerri – 1969-1970)
- Rivers
Although, Delta State was not included in the Biafra States following Ojukwu’s decree, a few Igbos from the State for on the Biafran side.
Biafra war
The Biafra war, also known as the Nigerian civil war, began on July 6, 1967. Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, led Nigeria while Lt. Colonel Ojukwu led Biafra. The Igbos had felt marginalized and, as a result, could no longer co-exist with the rest of the country, particularly the Muslim Hausa-Fulani of Northern Nigeria.
However, the conflict is traced to the political, economic, ethnic, and religious tensions during the early post-colonial period. Things got worse when predominantly Igbo military officers led by Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuma Nzeogwu staged a coup and assassinated 30 political leaders, including Nigeria’s Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, and the Northern premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello. Four most senior military officers from the north were also killed.
Commander of the army, General Aguiyi Ironsi, seized power to maintain order but was killed alongside Nzeogwu and several southern officers in 1966. General Yakubu Gowon became Head of State. Resentment against the more prosperous, educated Igbo minority led to violence in the north. Over 30,000 Igbos were massacred. Also, about 1,000,000 fled as refugees to the east.
Aburi Accord
Representatives of all regions of Nigeria gathered at Aburi, Ghana, for reconciliation. Everyone agreed that the government should adopt a decentralized system.
However, this agreement, popularly known as Aburi Accord, didn’t sit well with the Northerners. Again, the leader of the Western Region, Obafemi Awolowo, warned that if the east was allowed to secede, the west will follow suit. This persuaded Gowon to renege on the agreement at Aburi. Instead, he created more new States to divide the east further.
The war
On May 30, 1967, the Governor of the Eastern region, Lt. Colonel (later General) Ojukwu, declared the sovereign and independent republic of Biafra. General Gowon refused to acknowledge Biafra as an independent nation and war broke out. Oil deposits in the Eastern region which were becoming the major source of the Nigerian economy, also contributed to the war.
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At first, Biafra troops seemed to have the upper hand, but soon the numerical superior Nigerian troops began to invade Biafra boundaries. By 1968, Biafra lost all seaports and became landlocked. The federal government imposed a blockade which stopped supplies from entering the Eastern region. Over 2 million Biafran civilians died due to mass starvation, especially children. A total of about 100,000 soldiers also died in the war.
International intervention
In mid-1968, images of malnourished Biafran children circulated in the media. Countries, international organizations and non-governmental agencies started to make some interventions. Countries like the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union supported Nigeria, while France, Israel, and others supported Biafra. The United States took a neutral stand considering Nigeria as UK’s responsibility. But most believe the US refusal to recognize Biafra as a sovereign State meant subtle support for Nigeria.
The surrender
Eventually, the Biafran troops were defeated in late December 1969 and early January 1970. Ojukwu fled to Cote d’Ivoire, one of the few countries that acknowledged Biafra as an independent nation. The remaining Biafra Forces, led by Major General Philip Effiong surrendered to the federal government on January 15, 1970. General Gowon declared the war, “no victor, no vanquished.”
Countries that support Biafra
Gabon, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Tanzania and Zambia officially recognized Biafra as a sovereign nation. However, France, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Rhodesia, South Africa, and Vatican City did not recognize Biafra but provided support during the war. Other countries that supported Biafra are West Germany, Israel and China.
Today, no country has openly recognized the Republic of Biafra. However, the US and UK did not support the federal government’s decision to declare the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) a leading separatist group in the South-East, a terrorist organization.
Biafra today
Over 50 years later, the Igbos still suffer the aftermath of the war. They feel marginalized. In 1999, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) emerged as a non-violent Biafran nationalist group. MASSOB leader Chief Ralph Uwazuruike established Radio Biafra in the United Kingdom in 2009 with Nnamdi Kanu as his radio director. Kanu was dismissed from MASSOB due to his reported penchant for violence. He went ahead to form the IPOB in 2012. IPOB’s main aim is to restore an independent state of Biafra in the Eastern region.
The group has led many protests in the region, including the Monday sit-at-home. There have been clashes between protesters and the Police, with several killed in the process. Currently, Nnamdi Kanu is in police custody and has been charged to court for various offences, including felony and terrorism.
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