Nigeria’s path has been a complex one. Even as the world is getting used to the fact that the "dormant giant of Africa" is now awake, the "giant" in question is yet to establish and probably even realize his own identity, to learn to use his legacy to his own advantage.
Oil-rich power, "number one" economy of the Dark Continent, yet, Nigeria is tormented by corruption, poor governance and internal conflicts threatening its very unity along fragile ethnic and religious lines.
Targeted by the Boko Haram terrorist sect, our country is still haunted by horrors of the past, as growing separatist aspirations remind of the bitter civil war over the breakaway Biafran republic in the late 1960s.
Remembering the Biafran War (1967 –1970) in his book "There Was a Country," the renowned Nigerian author Chinua Achebe asked:
"Why has the war not been discussed, or taught to the young, over 40 years after its end? Are we perpetually doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past because we are too stubborn to learn from them?"
Naij.com has asked Nigerians to share their memories of, or thoughts on the Republic of Biafra, and identify lessons they have drawn from this page of our country’s history book.
Some respondents talk of the period with fondness.
Mike Irem remembered: There was a country of great ideas, technology, and good governance. It was a people-oriented country. We hope that the emancipated Africans will join the developed word. Biafra, we love you, our dear hope for development of Africa. Igbo nation, I love you all.
Calista Aniesedo said: I stand for Biafra forever and ever. Because Nigeria has extremely, extra-ordinarily, mentally and physically disgraced itself among the rest of the world.
Bendecir Dios said: It reminds me of a great a Nation in Africa called Biafra. The land of the rising sun a country that has all human resources! A Nation that will boost the African race in the world. Please #BringbackourBiafra
Ada Haly Oti said: If the Igbos are what you claim they are, instead of criticizing them, show them example. In fact, pray for them to change. Maybe you or one or more of your family members, if not all of them, are not left out of what you are accusing Igbos to be. Be guided accordingly.
Ebilaimi Cynthia Okafor said: As long as South South does not join you, guys. Because we are the minority in Nigeria and still will be minorities in Biafra. We will be on our own. After all, we have the oil.
Dexter Phoenix Joseph said: the Igbos don’t want war. They never did. All they wanted was to be on their own in their own country. It was the rest of Nigeria that wanted war when they refused to let the Igbos go. Just like in the case of pharaoh and the Israelites. So go and read history of the war and the true non-tribal reason for it!
Nzube Augustine Okoye said: If you people are against Biafra, why don’t you make an effort to stop brutal killings committed everyday by the North, especially by Boko Haram. Everybody should join hands to peacefully to end this menace. If you like Nigeria, go and live in the North, then you will understand.
Uche O Uche said: The country Nigeria, as presently constituted, is defective and risks being an orphan if we don’t restructure it. But as for Biafra, it’s a spiritual seed that seeks for a conducive environment to positively express herself for the benefit of mankind. So the best you can do for her is to encourage and to support her to be.
Igwe Chimenum said: If we consider the current situation in Nigeria, Ojukwu was right to have carried out that liberation struggle. May his soul rest in peace.
Danny Bliss said: I detest these deluded people who are mocking Igbo nation. If what had happened in Igboland during the Biafra war should happen to Yorubaland and Northern Nigeria, the region would have looked like evil forest by now. I don’t blame gullible inane youths of nowadays: a young man who has never seen the war beats the drums of war. All I know is that one day Biafra will come alive!
Austincruz Enemchukwu said: Igbos are the backbone of Nigeria. That’s why the Hausas and the Yorubas are crying each time we want to leave Nigeria.
Aloy Dennis argued: [People say] "Igbos are thieves, fraudsters, corrupt, ritualists, murderers, bad people, products of baby factories, cheats, etc." Still, you don’t want them to go and be on their own. It is only in this country that we hear one Nigeria. As long as you deny them freedom, some of them will always be thorns in your flesh. Sorry for saying this, but it is just a reply to the annoying comments of some people against the lgbos.
Some, however, were quick to point out the negative sides of the conflict which affect contemporary Nigeria.
Kingsley Udo said: Only five states with not much resources are making nonsensical noise. People from South South should be the ones talking about division in this country. Tribalism in Igbos is too much. When I entered a staff office at UNIZIK back then when I was a student, they started bombarding me with Igbo [language] even after I told them I don’t understand it. They told me either to speak the language or pack and go back to my state. They hardly use English with strangers, I don’t know why. Discrimination towards strangers is too much in that land. I can’t waste my time reading Biafran history. They are the minority having no voice in Nigeria. Igbo should respect South South because we are the pillar of this nation.
Blessing Idele reasoned: If all the people ranting and shouting Biafra! Biafra! signed to make Biafra a sovereign nation! You guys need 2,000,000 signatures for the United Nations to recognize Biafra. However, only 1,857 people have signed up. What’s holding the rest back?
Blessing Offiong noted: If Ojukwu did not succeed, you people wouldn’t have, too! How can you compare your small states to Nigeria? Please, grow up and stop deceiving yourself. Biafra exists only in your dreams. You’d better think for a way to turn Naija into a stronger nation.
Hoyindarmollar Hardeykollar said: The question I want to ask you Biafrans is, can you people stand on your own? If you know you can, you’d better move out of Nigeria instead of wasting your time here claiming you are the Biafrans. Because I can tell that you’re waiting for Nigeria’s downfall.
Akinpelu Kenny said: Five Biafran states are nothing to the great Nigeria. Why you people are not patriotic, have you forgotten the pledge?
Blessing Offiong said: Making noise is nothing when your brothers cannot even fight Boko Haram who are killing them. How much more, a national war? You better focus on your businesses and stop making noise about your fruitless dreams!
Justino Cantona Vidic mused: To me, even as a Niger Delta/South South indigene, there is nothing wrong with disintegration! I guess, the only solution to save us from all this mess is division. Because a country with two different religions and multi-ethnic groups always finds it difficult to leave in unity. After all, every region in Nigeria tries to develop their country because we are blessed with abundant resources coupled with intelligent youths, not the “old fools" that created this hateful mindsets. Imagine Togo, Benin Republic, Burkina Faso etc.: with their little resources, they’re doing well. So we should stop deceiving ourselves. We’re only a united Nigeria when Super Eagles or any of our national teams are playing in the World Cup.
Isaac Kalu said: General Yakubu Gowon was deceived by the North to kill Biafra (Igbos) in a genocidal civil war and jihad for a fake One Nigeria. There was a country.
Kikiowo Dester Olaniran said: The Ibos are still desperate to leave the Federation, no doubt. Them supporting Jonathan is part of their strategy, too. They are feigning support to him in order to cause a deep drift between him and the North. And if the North eventually stops him from contesting in 2015, they will know that the militants in the Niger Delta are about to rise again. This would result in national chaos, and it will give them the opportunity to declare Biafra once again.
Some observers, while not providing an analysis of "Biafran period" in Nigeria’s history, have pointed out the overall importance of considering the lessons of the past. Afte all, it is impossible to build the present or invest in the future without looking back on past experience, acknowledging previous mistakes and learning from yesterday’s failures.
Chimere Ifeanyi Chukwuemeka said: It is only a fool who will allow the repetition of mistakes of the past, having seen how war resulted in hunger, homelessness, rape, bloodshed. Our leaders are still holding the mushroom which killed their forefathers! The history of the past should be introduced into school curriculum, both in secondary schools and higher institutions of learning.
Gomikup Taribo said: I think the best course for us now is to determine what had lead to the Biafran war so as to avoid such mistakes in the future that could lead to another war. Understanding the past is also a key to understanding the present.
Ade David said: Many young ones here calling for war are just like babies that like to touch everything including live wires, never knowing the implications. Let them travel to villages to meet elders and ask questions about Biafra War. What we need to fight is impunity. The system when the few take the whole wealth must be made obsolete. God created resources for all, not the politicians or the popular ones alone. We the youths must unite to make things right!
Augustus Ibiam said: Nigerian leaders are useless thoughtless people, never proactive at all. We formulate and teach in our schools European, American and Asian histories and philosophies, but, quite unfortunate, none of ours is being seriously taught in our schools. For over four days now, I have been reading the history of the Nigerian revolution and the Biafran war by Alexander A. Madebo. You cannot imagine the huge wealth of knowledge I have been exposed to. If such knowledge was exposed to our schools as basic knowledge, believe me, we would collectively not want to allow history to repeat itself.
Ahmad Basheer Collins observed: That’s what is happening now: the Southerners are taking revenge on Northerners.
Mufaddal Saeed said: History is history, no matter how bad or good it is. Lessons about the days of the past should be a classroom lesson. Had it been such lessons were taught in schools, we wouldn’t be in pain today. In developed countries, lesson of history is very important. It’s a reason why you can hardly find Boko Haram in America, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, etc. who are killing their fellow human in cold blood. History of the past is needed to be taught in education establishments, especially history of Biafra, the killings of our fathers and all the capacious cabal of the past.
John Nnamdi Okoye said: It is very simple, no one cares about our future! We want to eat everything right now
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