One of the most overlooked things that kept some international support for Nigeria during the war was the personality of the man - Yakubu Gowon. Biafran propaganda painted him as a vindictive leader who is bent on exterminating the Igbo race, an African Adolf Hitler. The man however fought back and successfully showed the world that he was different. He was simply a soldier protecting the territorial integrity of his country. His famous interview in which he declined using the term 'enemies' to refer to Biafran commanders was aptly timed. It must have been pretty confusing for the policy makers in most countries watching images of starving children in Biafra to square those images with the personality that Gowon portrayed. The icing on the cake was after Biafra surrendered. I am sure that his acceptance speech stunned a lot of people. He did not list heavy sanctions on any of the rebel leaders (which is what most heads of state would have done). I can understand why in the heat of the war, the propaganda had to shift from him to demonizing the field commanders. And of course Ben Adekunle, Murtala Mohammed and Mamman Shuwa provided a lot of fodder for it. Wherever one hails from in Nigeria, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that a tragedy like that war never happens again.
Am igbo but this ur write up is correct 💯 that war was highly unnecessary. Sumtimes I feel it's just a personal ego thing btwn gowon and ojukwu. I really don't know but it was highly unnecessary. But then I still respect my igbo people for fighting gallantly with little or no weapon and manpower but finally to me it was just a part of Nigeria history I wish never happened cos it created alot of enemity till date.
@@godsonnsofor1554 I partly agree with you. I don't think that it was entirely down to ego. I am from the North, but I would concede that Ojukwu had legitimate reasons for some of the actions he took. If I were in his shoes, who knows what I would have done? But I still maintain that the war was avoidable. There were so many missed opportunities that could have led to a peaceful settlement. For all the faults and half truths in his book, even Achebe admitted that. Ojukwu was motivated by a mixture of rage, ideology and personal ambition. He was the quintessential ideologue. Everything was black and white in his eyes. There were no shades of grey. Worse, he surrounded himself with like minded ideologues. If only he was willing to accept reality and make some difficult concessions, the war would never have happened. In the book 'On a Darkling Plain', Ken Saro Wiwa brilliantly described the air in the eastern region at the time. It was an indictment of the entire Igbo intelligentsia of those days. I wish the loudest voices had been more realistic.
@@AbdulmuminA Nothing can justify war. Ojukwu could have pursued dialogue with foreign forces if local ones were not acting prudently. I agree that Ojukwu was in a very difficult situation, as was Gowon. The war was doomed from the start. Gowon managed to restrict many attacks before, during, and after the civil war. This is a major reason why war veterans felt they deserved more post-war and later planned a coup to remove him.
The war was totally avoidable, But the young officers refused to listen to the elders, Too many missed opportunities to stop the war, Biafra was dead on arrival as minorities within it borders were also against it. Lesson learned, talking at the table is the best and only option.
Nah. We had 4 key leaders in the country around the independence period: Sir Tafawa Balewa (a British Knight), Sir Ahmadu Bello (a British Knight), Chief Azikiwe and Chief Awolowo. The latter two (erudites) were never knighted. You can interpret this fact based on regions, intellectualism and other criteria.
There's no shame in defeat. I believe the major actors in this war, especially the Yoruba and other minority tribes in northern region is regretting the role played during the war The ibos have out paced every other tribes in all endeavor of live
Please stop helping Fourth dimension sell papa's book. They do not have permission to CONTINUE selling the book as General Madiebo was not consulted in changing the cover, talk less of make any financial remittance to him or his estate.
One of the most overlooked things that kept some international support for Nigeria during the war was the personality of the man - Yakubu Gowon. Biafran propaganda painted him as a vindictive leader who is bent on exterminating the Igbo race, an African Adolf Hitler. The man however fought back and successfully showed the world that he was different. He was simply a soldier protecting the territorial integrity of his country. His famous interview in which he declined using the term 'enemies' to refer to Biafran commanders was aptly timed. It must have been pretty confusing for the policy makers in most countries watching images of starving children in Biafra to square those images with the personality that Gowon portrayed. The icing on the cake was after Biafra surrendered. I am sure that his acceptance speech stunned a lot of people. He did not list heavy sanctions on any of the rebel leaders (which is what most heads of state would have done).
I can understand why in the heat of the war, the propaganda had to shift from him to demonizing the field commanders. And of course Ben Adekunle, Murtala Mohammed and Mamman Shuwa provided a lot of fodder for it.
Wherever one hails from in Nigeria, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that a tragedy like that war never happens again.
@@AbdulmuminA very well said my bro
Am igbo but this ur write up is correct 💯 that war was highly unnecessary. Sumtimes I feel it's just a personal ego thing btwn gowon and ojukwu. I really don't know but it was highly unnecessary. But then I still respect my igbo people for fighting gallantly with little or no weapon and manpower but finally to me it was just a part of Nigeria history I wish never happened cos it created alot of enemity till date.
@@godsonnsofor1554 I partly agree with you. I don't think that it was entirely down to ego. I am from the North, but I would concede that Ojukwu had legitimate reasons for some of the actions he took. If I were in his shoes, who knows what I would have done? But I still maintain that the war was avoidable. There were so many missed opportunities that could have led to a peaceful settlement. For all the faults and half truths in his book, even Achebe admitted that. Ojukwu was motivated by a mixture of rage, ideology and personal ambition. He was the quintessential ideologue. Everything was black and white in his eyes. There were no shades of grey. Worse, he surrounded himself with like minded ideologues. If only he was willing to accept reality and make some difficult concessions, the war would never have happened. In the book 'On a Darkling Plain', Ken Saro Wiwa brilliantly described the air in the eastern region at the time. It was an indictment of the entire Igbo intelligentsia of those days. I wish the loudest voices had been more realistic.
@@AbdulmuminA Nothing can justify war. Ojukwu could have pursued dialogue with foreign forces if local ones were not acting prudently. I agree that Ojukwu was in a very difficult situation, as was Gowon. The war was doomed from the start. Gowon managed to restrict many attacks before, during, and after the civil war. This is a major reason why war veterans felt they deserved more post-war and later planned a coup to remove him.
The war was totally avoidable, But the young officers refused to listen to the elders, Too many missed opportunities to stop the war, Biafra was dead on arrival as minorities within it borders were also against it.
Lesson learned, talking at the table is the best and only option.
God bless the Federal Republic Of Nigeria 🇳🇬🫡
Typical northern puppet
Lmao
Your brainwash and you benefit off the southeast and south south resources
Amen
Nigeria Jaga jaga😂😂😂😂
God joined us all for a reason. Let's learn to forbear one another.
This was where our problem started.
Yes indeed
Nah. We had 4 key leaders in the country around the independence period: Sir Tafawa Balewa (a British Knight), Sir Ahmadu Bello (a British Knight), Chief Azikiwe and Chief Awolowo. The latter two (erudites) were never knighted. You can interpret this fact based on regions, intellectualism and other criteria.
I waited for this episode in anticipation but O think it is too short
The whole point of these videos is to get my viewers interested enough to actually get the books for themselves
And you did succeed Tay. I just placed an order for Madiebo's book. This is despite swearing many times in the past that I would never read it.😂
@@AbdulmuminA 🏆
😢😢😢
There's no shame in defeat.
I believe the major actors in this war, especially the Yoruba and other minority tribes in northern region is regretting the role played during the war
The ibos have out paced every other tribes in all endeavor of live
Nobody wins when the family feuds.
Please stop helping Fourth dimension sell papa's book. They do not have permission to CONTINUE selling the book as General Madiebo was not consulted in changing the cover, talk less of make any financial remittance to him or his estate.
Ok noted. Is there any way we can direct our viewers to the proper channels besides 4th dimension?
One Nigeria