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Republic of Biafra
Unrecognized state

Flag Coat of arms
"Peace, Unity, and Freedom."
Land of the Rising Sun
Green: Republic of Biafra.
Light Green: Republic of Benin.
Republic of Biafra in May 1967
Capital Enugu
Languages English (official)
Igbo / Ibo (predominant)
Efik · Annang · Ibibio · Ekoi
Government Republic
President C. Odumegwu Ojukwu
Historical era Cold War
 -  Established 30 May 1967
 -  Rejoins Federal Nigeria 15 January 1970[1]
 -  1967 77,306 km² (29,848 sq mi)
 -  1967 est. 13,500,000 
     Density 174.6 /km²  (452.3 /sq mi)
Currency Biafran pound


The state was formally recognised by Gabon, Haiti, Côte d'Ivoire, Tanzania and Zambia. Other nations which did not give official recognition but which did provide support and assistance to Biafra included Israel, France, Portugal, Rhodesia, South Africa and Vatican City.[3] Biafra also received aid from non-state actors, including Joint Church Aid, Holy Ghost Fathers of Ireland, Caritas International, MarkPress and U.S. Catholic Relief Services.[3]




Main article: Nigerian Civil War

In 1960, Nigeria became independent of the United Kingdom.[5] As with many other new African states, the borders of the country did not reflect earlier ethnic boundaries. Thus the northern Sudan and Sahelian Savannah region of the country is made up of Muslim majority, while the southern population was predominantly Christian and Animist. Furthermore, Nigeria's oil, its primary source of income, was located in the south of the country.[5]

Following independence, Nigeria was divided primarily along ethnic lines with Hausa and Fulani in the north, Yoruba in the south-west, Ijaws in the south and Igbo in the south-east.[5] In January 1966, a group of primarily eastern Igbo led a military coup during which 30 political leaders including Nigeria's Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, and the Northern premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello, were killed. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the President, of Igbo extraction, and the premier of the southeastern part of the country were not killed.[6][7][8]



Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu[10]


After the federal and eastern governments failed to reconcile, on 26 May the Eastern region voted to secede from Nigeria. On 30 May, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Eastern Region's military governor, announced the Republic of Biafra, citing the Easterners killed in the post-coup violence.[5][9][11] The large amount of oil in the region created conflict, as oil was a major component of the Nigerian economy.[12] The Eastern region was very ill equipped for war, out-manned, and out-gunned by the military of the remainder of Nigeria. Their advantages included fighting in their homeland and support of most Easterners.[13] The British and Soviet support (especially militarily) of the Nigerian government played a major role in the outcome of the war.[citation needed]


The FMG launched "police measures" to annex the Eastern Region on 6 July 1967. The FMG's initial efforts were unsuccessful; the Biafrans successfully launched their own offensive, occupying areas in the Mid-Western Region in August 1967. By October 1967, the FMG had regained the land after intense fighting.[9][14] In September 1968, the federal army planned what Gowon described as the "final offensive". Initially the final offensive was neutralised by Biafran troops. In the latter stages, a Southern FMG offensive managed to break through the fierce resistance.[9]

On 30 June 1969, the Nigerian government banned all Red Cross aid to Biafra; two weeks later it allowed medical supplies through the front line, but restricted food supplies.[14] Later in October 1969, Ojukwu appealed to the United Nations to mediate a cease-fire. The federal government called for Biafra's surrender. In December, the FMG managed to cut Biafra in half, primarily by the efforts of 3 Marine Commando Division of the Nigerian Army, led by then Colonel Benjamin Adekunle, popularly called "The Black Scorpion", and later by Olusegun Obasanjo. Ojukwu fled to Côte d'Ivoire, leaving his chief of staff, Philip Effiong, to act as the "officer administering the government". Effiong called for a cease-fire 12 January and submitted to the FMG.[9] More than one million people had died in battle or from starvation.[15][16] Biafra was reabsorbed into Nigeria on 15 January.


Satellite pictures of Biafra

Enclosed in Biafra's borders were over 29,848 square miles (77,310 km2) of land;[17] the land borders were shared with Nigeria to the north and Cameroon to the east. Its coast was on the Gulf of Guinea in the south.

The former country's southeast borders the Benue Hills and mountains that lead to Cameroon. Two rivers flow from Biafra into the Gulf of Guinea: the Cross River and the Niger River.[18]


Biafra has a tropical climate with two distinct seasons, dry and rainy. From April to October the rainy season takes place, with heavy rain and high humidity. The heaviest rain occurs between June and July with up to 360 mm (14 in) of rain. The temperature of the region on a clear day is 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) high and 22 degrees Celsius (71.6 degrees Fahrenheit) low. The dry season starts in November and ends in April. The lowest rain level 16 mm (0.63 in) in February. The temperature at night reaches 20 °C (68 °F) and in the day has a peak temperature of 36 °C (96.8 °F).[19]


The English language is spoken throughout Nigeria and carried on into the new state of Biafra. The predominant language of Biafra was Igbo.[20] Along with Igbo there were a variety of other different languages, including Efik and Ibibio.







Roundel of the Biafran Air Force.

At the beginning of the war Biafra had 3,000 soldiers, but at the end of the war the soldiers totaled 30,000.[23] There was no official support for the Biafran army by another nation throughout the war, although arms were clandestinely acquired. Because of the lack of official support, the Biafrans manufactured many of their weapons locally. A number of Europeans served in the Biafran cause; German born Rolf Steiner was a Lt. Colonel assigned to the 4th Commando Brigade and Welshman Taffy Williams served as a Major until the very end of the conflict.[24]







Violence between Christians and Muslims (usually Hausa or Fulani Muslims and various Christian ethnic groups) has been incessant since the end of the civil war in 1970.[citation needed]


In 2010, researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and University of Nigeria, Nsukka, showed that Igbos born in Biafra during the years of the famine were of higher risk of suffering from overweight, hypertension and impaired glucose metabolism compared to controls born a short period after the famine had ended. The findings are in line with the developmental origin of health and disease hypothesis suggesting that malnutrition in early life is a predisposing factor for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes later in life.[31][32]

Movement to re-secede[edit]

The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) advocates a separate country for the Igbo people of south-eastern Nigeria.[16] They accuse the state of marginalising the Igbo people. MASSOB says it is a peaceful group and advertises a 25-stage plan to achieve its goal peacefully.[33] There are two arms to the government, the Biafra Government in Exile and Biafra Shadow Government.[34] The Nigerian government accuses MASSOB of violence; MASSOB's leader, Ralph Uwazuruike, was arrested in 2005 and is being detained on treason charges; MASSOB is calling for his release. MASSOB is also championing the release of oil militant Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, who is facing similar charges.[16] In 2009, The MASSOB launched "the Biafran International Passport" in response to persistent demand by Biafrans in diaspora.[35]

Meaning of "Biafra" and location[edit]

Little is known about the literal meaning of the word Biafra. The word Biafra most likely derives from the subgroup Biafar or Biafada[36] of the Tenda ethnic group who reside primarily in Guinea-Bissau.[37] Manuel Álvares (1526–1583), a Portuguese Jesuit educator, in his work Ethiopia Minor and a geographical account of the Province of Sierra Leone,[38] writes about the "Biafar heathen" in chapter 13 of the same book.[39] The word Biafar thus appears to have been a common word in the Portuguese language back in the 16th century.

Historical maps[edit]


  1. The original word used by the European travellers was not Biafra but Biafara,[40][41] Biafar[42] and sometimes also Biafares.[43]
  2. The exact original region of Biafra is not restricted to Eastern Nigeria alone. According to the maps, the European travellers used the word Biafara to describe the entire region east of River Niger going down to the Mount Cameroon region, thus including Cameroon and a large area around Gabon. The word Biafara also appears on maps from the 18th century in the area around Gambia.[44]



See also[edit]


  2. ^ Room, Adrian (2006). Placenames of the World: Origins and Meanings of the Names for 6,600 Countries, Cities, Territories, Natural Features and Historic Sites. McFarland & Company. p. 58. ISBN 0-7864-2248-3. 
  5. ^ a b c d Barnaby Philips (13 January 2000). "Biafra: Thirty years on". The BBC. Retrieved 1 January 2010. 
  11. ^ "Biafra Spotlight - Republic of Biafra is Born". Library of Congress Africa Pamphlet Collection - Flickr. Retrieved 2014-05-11. 
  12. ^ "ICE Case Studies". American University. November 1997. 
  16. ^ a b c Senan Murray (3 May 2007). "Reopening Nigeria's civil war wounds". BBC. Retrieved 15 August 2008. 
  19. ^ "Igbo insight guide to Enugu and Igboland's Culture and Language". 
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i Symes, Peter (1997). "The Bank Notes of Biafra". International Bank Note Society Journal 36 (4). Archived from the original on 27 August 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2008. 
  27. ^
  28. ^ "Site". Retrieved 22 May 2012. 
  29. ^ "Emerging Genocide in Nigeria". Retrieved 22 May 2012. 
  32. ^ Nigeria: Those Born During Biafra Famine Are Susceptible to Obesity, Study Finds. The New York Times, 2 November 2010
  34. ^ "Biafra News – 04.13.2009". Retrieved 22 May 2012. 
  36. ^ "Biafada: A language of Guinea-Bissau". 
  37. ^ "The Joshua Project: Biafada, Biafar of Guinea-Bissau". 
  38. ^ [1]
  39. ^ "Manuel Álvares, Chapter 13: The Biafar Heathen". 
  40. ^ "Map of Africa from 1669". USA: Afriterra Foundation, The Cartographic Free Library, Retrieved 14 March 2010. 
  44. ^ "Map of Africa from 1707". Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: James Ford Bell Library. 9 October 2001. Retrieved 14 March 2010. 

External links[edit]
