As today marks the 50th
Anniversary of the end of the Biafra War in Nigeria, this is a throwback photo
of the leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra, Colonel Odumegwu Emeka
Ojukwu popularly known as 'Ikemba' reading a speech as he declared the
independence of Biafra on May 30th, 1967.
After three years of non-stop
fighting, in fear of being assassinated, General Odumegwu-Ojukwu in 1970 handed
over power to his second in command, Major-General Philip Effiong and traveled
to Ivory Coast where he was in exile for 13 years.
In 1982, the Federal Government
of Nigeria under President Shehu Aliyu Usman Shagari granted an official pardon
to Odumegwu-Ojukwu and opened the road for a triumphant return for him.
He contested as a presidential
candidate three times under his party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
but lost. Until his illness, he remained the party leader.
Ojukwu died in a London Hospital
in 2011, at the age of 78.
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Ikemba, dike rest on, ur Labour will never be in vain, biafra one day
ReplyDeleteA great Igbo hero and Biafra leader. May his soul continue in eternal peace!
ReplyDelete