The agitation for the Independent State of Biafra did not start today as some people would wrongfully presume.
Barely a decade after Nigeria got her independence from the British, a civil war which lasted for about three years broke out in the country. The war at that time was between the Nigerian government and the breakaway Biafra Republic.
Nigeria was led by General Yakubu Gowon while Biafra the secessionist State was led by Lt.Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu.
Ojukwu had declared Biafra an independent state due to the alleged prosecution of the Igbo people in Northern Nigeria among other reasons according to the information available onWikipedia.
The Igbo people also felt they could no longer coexist with the Federal Government of Nigeria which was majorly dominated by the interests of the Northern people.
After diplomatic efforts to resolve the indifferences failed, war began between the two countries.
With support mainly from the British government, Nigeria was able to surround Biafra and capture coastal oil facilities and a blockade was imposed.
As a result of the Nigerian naval blockade, about 2 million Biafra civilians died of starvation and when Biafrans couldn’t hold it any longer, they surrendered to the Nigerian government.
A lot of military officers were killed and thousands of people displaced during the civil war.
In this piece, let us look at why Nigeria should not witness another civil war again.
The devastating effect of war as seen in the Nigerian-Biafran war cannot be overemphasized. The time that could have been used to build the nation was used for destruction.
War leads to loss of lives and properties. Men of intellect and manpower who the nation need for development get killed during war.
Also, people who should be in school would not be able to during war and that leads to the declination of literacy level in the country.
With all these effects of war, Nigeria cannot afford to witness another war again.
As citizens of Nigeria, let us tolerate one another and live peacefully together.
9Naija 