OJUKWUS' LAST SPEECH IN BIAFRA

General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu gave his last speech as Biafran Head-of-State before leaving for Côte d'Ivoire, on this date. On that occasion, he said:

“In the three years of the war, necessity gave birth to invention. During those three years of heroic bound, we leapt across the great chasm that separates knowledge from know-how. We built rockets, and we designed and built our own delivery systems. We guided our rockets. We guided them far, we guided them accurately.

For three years, blockaded without hope of import, we maintained all our vehicles. The state extracted and refined petrol, individuals refined petrol in their back gardens. We built and maintained our airports, maintained them under heavy bombardment. 

Despite the heavy bombardment, we recovered so quickly after each raid that we were able to maintain the record for the busiest airport in the continent of Africa. We spoke to the world through telecommunication system engineered by local ingenuity; the world heard us and spoke back to us! We built armoured car tanks. We modified aircraft from trainer to fighters, from passenger aircraft to bombers. In the three years of freedom we had broken the technological barrier.

Credit: Historical Nigeria

THE LETTER FROM OJUKWU TO BANJO

Many people dont know who Brigadier General Hillary Njoku is but he was the first GOC of the Biafran Army until he fell out with Ojukwu and was replaced by General Madiebo. After the war ended, Njoku wrote a book called "Tragedy without heroes" in which he wrote about his military career and time as commander of the Biafran Army. He also attached to his book the appointment letter Ojukwu wrote to late Victor Banjo giving him control of Biafran forces to liberate Western Nigeria from the North. The explosive letter is below:

22nd August 1967

My dear Victor

(1) For sometime now, you and I have been discussing the circumstances Which have led to the current and inevitable disintegration of what was the Federation of Nigeria. We have been fully convinced that the aim of the Hausa/Fulani complex has ever been, and will ever remain the total domination of every other part of what was known as the Federation of Nigeria. It is impossible to forget that the crisis which led to the army takeover in January 1966, the coup of the Northern Soldiers Ied by Gowon in July 1966, the wholesale and indiscriminate massacre of the people of what is now Biafra and to a less degree, the people of the Mid-west and West, including the Yorubas - were all the direct result of the Hausa/Fulani attempt to subjugate and use us as tools, the gallant people of Western Nigeria, namely the Yorubas. We do not need to remind ourselves of the heavy losses in life and property suffered by the Yoruba people in their fight for justice and freedom during 1965.

2. Sharing our belief that the people of Yorubaland have a right to live a life of equality, self-respect and justice, free of domination and dictatorship from any quarter, you have both identified yourself with the cause of the Biafran struggle for survival and expressed your determination to see the people of Yorubaland freed from Hausa/Fulani domination. We, the people of Biafra, for our part are willing and have decided to give you and the people of Yorubaland every assistance to achieve your aim.

3. After clearing the whole question with my Executive Council, I, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Biafra Armed Forces, have decided to place at your disposal Biafran forces for the liberation of Yorubaland on the following clear conditions:-

(i)You will have nothing to do with the Military Administration of the Mid-west Territory during your sojourn there prior to your move to the West.

(ii) The willingness and preparedness of Biafra to assist any part of the former Federation of Nigeria wishing and willing to liberate itself from the Hausa/Fulani domination, does not in any way whatever imply any inclination on her part to compromise her sovereignty or preserve what remains of the defunct Federation of Nigeria. In other words, our sovereignty and break with what used to be known as Nigeria are complete and irrevocable. Nothing must, therefore, be said or done by you or any member of the Liberation Army to give a contrary impression.

(iii) Biafra is determined to maintain and safeguard her sovereignty, and ensure that her integrity are never again threatend.

(iv) Biafran troops will, after the liberation of Yorubaland, remain in that territory only for as long as we in Biafra consider it necessary for the Yorubas to consolidate their position and sovereignty against any external threat.

(v) On the liberation of Yorubaland, you will be appointed Military Governor of that territory.

(vi) The liberation of Western Nigeria will be a prelude to the liberation of all Yorubas up to the River Niger and the severance of all connections between the West and the North at Jebba.

(Vii) during the period of Biafra troops presence in your territory, all political measures, statements or decrees shall be subject to the approval in writting, by myself or on my authority.

(Viii) Should our troops arrive and liberate Lagos, the Government of the Republic of Biafra reserves the right to appoint an administrator for that territory. Such an Administrator will remain in office until a merger of that territory with Yorubaland is effected and Biafran troops withdrawn.

(ix) As soon as possible after your appointment as the Military Governor of Western Nigeria and the separation of that territory from Nigeria, you and I must meet to discuss:

(a) The duration of stay by Biafran troops in your territory.

(b) The areas and subjects of co-operation between the liberated state of Western Nigeria, or by what name it may call itself, and Biafra.

(4) I do not need to remind you that Biafra regards all Yorubas as friends. As such, everything must be done, to ensure that the minimum force and loss of life are involved in achieving the objective of liberation.

(5) It is essential, in order to avoid misunderstanding or confusion, that all subsequent requests for support be formally made to me by you in writing.

(6) Will you please signify, in writing, your acceptance of the above conditions so that you may leave for Western Nigeria and lead the Army of Liberation.

Yours very sincerely
Sigd: Lt. Col. C. Odumegwu Ojukwu
Military Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Biafran Armed Forces.

Brigadier Victor Banjo Enugu,

Copy to: The Senior Biafra Army Officer Liberation Army to the West