Biafra
Biafra (/biˈæfrə/ bee-AF-frə), officially the Republic of Biafra, was a partially recognised state in West Africa that declared independence from Nigeria and existed from 1967 until 1970. Its territory consisted of the former Eastern Region of Nigeria, predominantly inhabited by the Igbo ethnic group. Biafra was established on 30 May 1967 by Igbo military officer and Eastern Region governor C. Odumegwu Ojukwu under his presidency, following a series of ethnic tensions and military coups after Nigerian independence in 1960 that culminated in the 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom. The Nigerian military proceeded to attempt to reclaim the territory of Biafra, resulting in the start of the Nigerian Civil War. Biafra was formally recognised by Gabon, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, and Zambia while receiving de facto recognition and covert military support from France, Portugal, Israel, South Africa and Rhodesia. After nearly three years of war, during which around two million Biafran civilians died, President Ojukwu fled to Ivory Coast in exile as the Nigerian military was approaching the capital of Biafra. Philip Effiong became the second president of Biafra, and he oversaw the surrender of Biafran forces to Nigeria.
Republic of Biafra | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967–1970 | |||||||||
Coat of arms
| |||||||||
| Motto: "Peace, Unity, and Freedom." | |||||||||
| Anthem: "Land of the Rising Sun" | |||||||||
The Republic of Biafra in red, bordered by its puppet state of the Republic of Benin to the west | |||||||||
Republic of Biafra in May 1967 | |||||||||
| Status | Partially recognised state | ||||||||
| Capital | Enugu (1967) Umuahia (1967–1969) Owerri (1969–1970) Awka (1970) | ||||||||
| Largest city | Onitsha | ||||||||
| Common languages | Predominantly Igbo English Minority languages Ibibio Ijaw Efik Ejagham Ogoni | ||||||||
| Ethnic groups | Igbo (70%) Efik Ibibio Ogoni Ijaw | ||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Biafran | ||||||||
| Government | Republic | ||||||||
| President | |||||||||
• 1967–1970 | C. Odumegwu Ojukwu | ||||||||
• 1970 | Philip Effiong | ||||||||
| Vice President | |||||||||
• 1967-1970 | Philip Effiong | ||||||||
• Upper house | Council of Chiefs | ||||||||
• Lower house | Consultative Assembly | ||||||||
| Historical era | Cold War | ||||||||
• Independence declared | 30 May 1967 | ||||||||
• Rejoins Federal Nigeria | 15 January 1970 | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
| 1967 | 77,306 km2 (29,848 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 1967 | 13,500,000 | ||||||||
| GDP (PPP) | estimate | ||||||||
• Total | $40.750 million | ||||||||
| Currency | Biafran pound | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Igbo nationalism became a strong political and social force after the civil war. It has grown more militant since the 1990s, calling for the revival of Biafra as an entity. Various Biafran secessionist groups have emerged such as the Indigenous People of Biafra, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, and the Biafra Zionist Front.