Biafran war leader Ojukwu is dead

at 78 Ojukwu has called it a day somewhere in London hospital. he will be remembered for leading his Igbo tribe to secede against the rest of nigeria.........................nyerere also sympathized with his cause by being the only African country to recognize Biafra as a new nation in the making............................


ported earlier this morning... breakaway Republic of Biafra leader Chukwuemeka Ojukwu died in a London hospital after a stroke. The Nigerian colonel and politician served as the leader of the seccessionist Biafra republic from 1967 to 1970 - a move that was at the center of the Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, which would eventually see the deaths of 1 to 3 million civillians and millitary personnel, a few years after Nigeria gained its independence from Britain in 1960.

[h=1]Ojukwu dies at 78[/h] By Hamed Sobiye 58 minutes ago

Font size:

Ojukwu

The National Leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu is dead.
He died in the early hours of Saturday at a United Kingdom hospital.
He was aged 78. His death was confirmed in a statement by the family titled DIM CHUKWUEMEKA ODUMEGWU-OJUKWU IS DEAD signed by Ojukwu's son, Chukwuemeka. "After a protracted and brave fight against stroke, the People's General, Ikemba Nnewi, Dikedioranma Ndigbo, Odenigbo Ngw, Ezeigbo Gburugburu, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu died in the early hours of yesterday in London. "We thank all those that showed concern in our period of difficulties, starting from President Goodluck Jonathan. We thank in a special way the Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, who went above and beyond the call to duty to look after him. "Besides paying the hospital bills, he visited London on a monthly basis to see him. He was there yesterday and only came back this morning to receive the news, whereupon he entered the next available flight back to London. He even had to fly the Economy class since other classes were fully booked. We thank him for the sacrifices. "We thank all Nigerians for their solidarity, especially those that continued to pray for him. May you continue to pray for the repose of his soul." Further details shall be made available." the family stated Governor Obi of Anambra State in a statement by his Special Assistant, Valentine Obienyen titled OUR FATHER IS GONE also confirmed Ojukwu's death Which he said occurred in the early hours of today, November 26, 2011. "With Ojukwu's death, the entire Igbo race, at home and in the Diaspora as well as Nigerians have lost a treasure. "He was one of the most forthright personalities Nigeria has ever had. He believed in a Nigeria where justice and equity should reign and devoted his life to their pursuit of that ideal as if he was under a spell. "While alive Ezeigbo Gburugburu was such a subject of history that it makes little sense to start contemplating how history will remember him. "He is worthy of Ceaser's own summary of his victory in Pontus (former Asia Minor), Veni, vedi, vici, (I came, I saw, I conquered). Ojukwu came, saw and conquered, leaving for us vital lessons in patriotism and nationalism. "With his death, part of every Igbo man has also died. We shall continue to remember him in our prayers as we work out further details in consultation with his family and other stakeholders".

[h=1]Nigerian Colonel/Politician Chukwuemeka Ojukwu Is Dead; Watch A Doc On The 60s Secessionist Rebellion He Led[/h] News by Tambay | November 26, 2011 | 0 Comments

Reported earlier this morning... breakaway Republic of Biafra leader Chukwuemeka Ojukwu died in a London hospital after a stroke. The Nigerian colonel and politician served as the leader of the seccessionist Biafra republic from 1967 to 1970 - a move that was at the center of the Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, which would eventually see the deaths of 1 to 3 million civillians and millitary personnel, a few years after Nigeria gained its independence from Britain in 1960.
The rebel movement would eventually be squashed, and Biafra was reclaimed by Nigeria soon after Ojukwu fled, spending 13 years in exile, and eventually returned to Nigeria after he was unconditionally pardoned in 1982, where he would live the life of an elder statesman, with a few unsuccessful attempts at returning to active roles in the country's politics.
And some 40 years after the Nigerian-Biafran War, remnants of that conflict's roots still divide the country across ethnic lines, with the Igbo people, who made up the majority of the seccessionist Biafra republic (due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious tensions, particularly with the northern feudal Muslim states and leaders), continue to endure political isolation in the country.

Thus, the dream of a true seperate country of their own is still very much alive for some within that forner breakaway region. As Ojukwu himself was quoted as saying in 2006, "Biafra is always an alternative."
I'm not sure if a definitive documentary/film on the war has ever been produced (if anyone knows something I don't, let me know); however, I did find this hour-long 1995 BBC documentary titled Biafra: Fighting a War without Guns, which examines the Igbo struggle to secede from Nigeria, told by those who witnessed the tragedy first-hand... including the leader of the secessionist republic, Ojukwu himself.
The doc is currently on YouTube, in 7 parts, where you can watch it; the person who uploaded it there didn't make the clips embeddable for whatever reason (something that really annoys me actually - I hate it when people do that), so you'll have to go to YouTube to watch it there.

RIP biafra

Ndo ivo tena wana Afica 2mebaki wakiwa...

[h=2] DIM CHUKWUEMEKA ODUMEGWU-OJUKWU IS DEAD [/h] Saturday, 26 November 2011 10:36 OJUKWU'S FAMILY

After a protracted and brave fight against stroke, the People's General, Ikemba Nnewi, Dikedioranma Ndigbo, Odenigbo Ngw, Ezeigbo Gburugburu, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu died in the early hours of today in London. We thank all those that showed concern in our period of difficulties, starting from the President of Country, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR. We thank in a special way the Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi who went above and beyond the call to duty to look after him. Besides paying the hospital bills, he visited London on monthly basis to see him. He was there yesterday and only came back this morning to receive the news, whereupon he entered the next available flight back to London.
He even had to fly Economy since other classes were fully booked. We thank him for the sacrifices. We thank all Nigerians for their solidarity, especially those that continued to pray for him. May you continue to pray for the repose of his soul. Further details shall be made available.

[h=1]Emeka Ojukwu, Ex-Biafran Leader, Is Dead[/h] Posted: November 26, 2011 - 10:17





Saharareporters has just confirmed that Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu died in London in the early hours of today after a long illness in a hospital in the UK.

One of the most charismatic figures in Nigeria's history, Mr. Ojukwu, who held the traditional title of Ikemba Nnewi, came to international prominence when he served as leader of the secessionist Biafra during a bloody civil war in Nigeria from 1967 to 1970. An Oxford-educated historian, he became the face and voice of the doomed struggle by south-eastern Nigerians to achieve self-rule.

A source within the family told Saharareporters that Ikemba Nnewi died in the UK after months of hospitalization to treat the effects of a serious stroke he had suffered late last year.

The late Ojukwu was married to Bianca Ojukwu (nee Onoh), an ex-beauty queen in Nigeria. He is survived by numerous children, including Emeka Odumegwu, Jr. and Okigbo Ojukwu, who is based in London.

Mr. Emeka Ojukwu, Jr. has issued a statement confirming his father's death.

Rutashubanyuma said:

at 78 Ojukwu has called it a day somewhere in London hospital. he will be remembered for leading his Igbo tribe to secede against the rest of nigeria.........................nyerere also sympathized with his cause by being the only African country to recognize Biafra as a new nation in the making............................


ported earlier this morning... breakaway Republic of Biafra leader Chukwuemeka Ojukwu died in a London hospital after a stroke. The Nigerian colonel and politician served as the leader of the seccessionist Biafra republic from 1967 to 1970 - a move that was at the center of the Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, which would eventually see the deaths of 1 to 3 million civillians and millitary personnel, a few years after Nigeria gained its independence from Britain in 1960.

Click to expand...

This was another failure for Nyerere and highly contradictory of him, while preaching unity in his own turf in Nigeria he has shown his hidden self by supporting the secessionist Ojwuku. Wouldn't anyone ever wonder why? A unity diehard supporting a secessionist?

I will never forgive Nyerere for making us walk in the streets with donation cans hanging in our necks unknowingly begging for donations meant for Biafra secessionists. Why would a President do such horrible things to school children? teaching us to beg for causes only known to him (then)?

RIP Ojukwu!

FaizaFoxy said:

This was another failure for Nyerere and highly contradictory of him, while preaching unity in his own turf in Nigeria he has shown his hidden self by supporting the secessionist Ojwuku. Wouldn't anyone ever wonder why? A unity diehard supporting a secessionist?

I will never forgive Nyerere for making us walk in the streets with donation cans hanging in our necks unknowingly begging for donations meant for Biafra secessionists. Why would a President do such horrible things to school children? teaching us to beg for causes only known to him (then)?

Click to expand...

Those of us who lived at the time never wondered why. When millions of Igbos were being killed in Nothern Nigeria and other parts of Nigeria Africa could not afford to stand idly by as they did in Rwanda in 1994. Nyerere played a gallant part in trying to resolve the Nigerian tragedy by trying to arrange a meeting between Gowon and Ojuku. Gowon defiantly refused that he would never meet with his junior. Nyerere together with Houphouet Boigny of Ivory Coast, Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia and Papa Doc of Haiti recognised Biafra's right to exist. I as a Tanzanian and a Pan Africanist have never felt prouder of Julius Nyerere for his contribution to fight for righteouseness where others hid their heads in the sand. Yes, those of us who lived through these times have never wondered why. RIP Odumegwu Ojuku.

Why Tanzania recognised Biafra is a subject that has been discussed in detail elsewhere on Jamii Forums: "Why did Nyerere Support Biafra?" If some of you don't know why, go and read that.

Some of us were there during those days as grown-ups. And we knew why Nyerere recognised Biafra. Even other African leaders who did not agree with him did not question the merits of his argument. And that included Chief Anthony Enahoro, leader of the Nigerian delegation to the OAU conference on the Nigerian civil war, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in August 1968.

Enahoro conceded that Igbos had indeed been mistreated and had not been protected by the Federal and the Northern Nigerian authorities but should not secede. And it was the same Enahoro who about a month before in July 1968 bluntly stated that starvation was a legitimate weapon of war that had to be used against Biafrans. Other Nigerian leaders, including Chief Obafemi Awolowo who was vice chairman of the Supreme Federal Executive Council, hence Nigeria's vice president under Yakubu Gowon, articulated the same position.

I remember many Biafrans who came to live in Tanzania during the war. Many of them were here in Dar es Salaam. I also remember the Biafran representative to Tanzania, Dr. Austine Okwu, who used to drive the car himself, a white Mercedes Benz, here in Dar. I also remember his wife, Beatrice Okwu. She studied linguistics at the University of Dar es Salaam and became a professor like her husband after earning her doctorate a few years later and after they left Tanzania. They were teaching somewhere in Pennsylvania, USA, a few years ago.

The Biafran office was in Upanga.

Dr. Austine Okwu had ambassadorial rank but his official title was Biafran representative to Tanzania and was identified as such in official circles and in the media.

Biafrans were forced to secede in order to survive. They had no protection in the Nigerian federation. And Tanzania was justified in recognising Biafra as a sovereign entity on those grounds.

Our country was the first to recognise Biafra, followed by Zambia. Others which recognised Biafra as an independent state were the Ivory Coast, Gabon, and Haiti.

If some of you still wonder why Nyerere was acknowledged by many people, friends and foes alike, as "The Conscience of Africa," his recognition of Biafra was one of the reasons why he was accorded such an honour; so did his stand against Idi Amin when other African leaders remained silent.

Ojukwu's death should be a moment of profound reflection on the horrendous tragedy that befell Nigeria and Africa as a whole in the late sixties - and what that tragedy portends for the future of our continent in countries where some groups, especially ethno-regional, are denied equal rights and play only a peripheral role in the mainstream to the detriment of national unity decades after independence. That's probably why some observers have said Biafra came too early and would have had more support today in its quest quest for self-determination. It's a valid observation, clearly demonstrated by the secession of South Sudan which would not have won much support in the sixties.

Ojukwu's demise should not be used as an opportunity to re-write history and distort facts by misrepresenting Nyerere's position on Biafra's secession and on African unity, surgically removing his statements from their proper contexts and giving them a different and twisted interpretation in pursuit of a partisan political agenda or simply to tarnish his legacy.

It's one thing to challenge the rationale for Biafra's secession and even to ask why it acquired the stamp of legitimacy from our government; it's quite another to misrepresent Nyerere's position on the matter in a deliberate and malicious attempt to portray him as a leader who did not uphold his principles which he cherished so much as an ardent Pan-Africanist.

Read what he said when he explained why Tanzania recognised Biafra. There is no contradiction in his position on the imperative need for African unity and the right to self-determination. Given their plight, you will have to explain why the Igbos and other Eastern Nigerians were not entitled to self-determination, if that's what you contend.

R.I.P ojukwu