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| Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu 1933-2011 |
In 1967, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu declared Eastern Nigeria a sovereign state to be known as BIAFRA with the following statement:
“Having mandated me to proclaim on your behalf, and in your name, that Eastern Nigeria be a sovereign independent Republic, now, therefore I, Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Military Governor of Eastern Nigeria, by virtue of the authority, and pursuant to the principles recited above, do hereby solemnly proclaim that the territory and region known as and called Eastern Nigeria together with her continental shelf and territorial waters, shall, henceforth, be an independent sovereign state of the name and title of The Republic of Biafra.”
The Biafra war started on 6 July 1967, when Gowon declared war and attacked Biafra. For over 3 years battle raged between Biafra’s forces and the Nigerian government. Towards the end of the 3 years it became clear that Ojukwu and his Biafra forces were losing the war. General Odumegwu-Ojukwu who was by then in fear of assasination handed over the reigns of what was left of his dreams to see an independent Biafra for the Igbos to Chief of General Staff Major-General Philip Effiong. He left his beloved Biafra for Côte d’Ivoire to seek political aslylum from President Felix Houphöet-Biogny—who had recognized Biafra on 14 May 1968.
Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu later returned to Nigeria and took part in politics until his passing. He left behind his wife, former Nigerian beauty queen Bianca and children.
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