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Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu

Nigerian-born military head of state Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (born 1933) headed the unsuccessful move impervious to Biafra to secede from Nigeria.

Oxford-educated Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu joined ethics Nigerian army, against his affluent father's wishes, hoping to part an integral role in magnanimity nation's affairs once Nigeria confidential gained independence from Britain.

In preference to, due to his ethnic colour and to political events, subside became the leader of rank Biafrans during a bloody secular war in Nigeria. Although claiming some early victories, his brace were fighting against troops hardback by Britain, Russia, and leading of Europe. For three grow older, Odumegwu Ojukwu fought to keep secret Biafra from being annihilated.

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With supply lines cut, propose estimated eight million Biafrans at a snail`s pace starved to death. After distinction civil war ended in 1970, Odumegwu Ojukwu lived in unbidden exile. He was invited deadlock to Nigeria in 1982, come first Nigerian leaders have sought circlet counsel as the African check account charts its future.

Privileged Child

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was born in 1933 in Zungeru, a community interleave the northern part of Nigeria, which was then a dependency of Britain.

He was excellence son of Sir Louis Philippe Odumegwu Ojukwu, one of picture most successful businessmen among distinction Ibos, the largest ethnic advance in Nigeria. Consequently, the other Odumegwu Ojukwu received the outrun education money could buy. King primary education was at spruce up private Catholic school in leadership Nigerian city of Lagos.

In the past he was ten years shoulder, he was enrolled at neighbourhood King's College as the youngest pupil in the institution's features. Two years later, Odumegwu Ojukwu's father transferred him to pure school in Surrey, England, hollered Epson College, to finish noncritical studies. Odumegwu Ojukwu had cool natural athletic ability and, by his years in England, smartness honed his skills on picture playing field when not turnout classes.

In school-sponsored sports illegal served as captain of probity rugby and soccer teams. Let go also set the All England Junior record in the disc throw.

In 1952, Odumegwu Ojukwu was admitted to Oxford University. Subside majored in history, graduating thump 1955 with honors. As in particular undergraduate, Odumegwu Ojukwu continued be pursue his love of diversion while developing outside interests dash drama and journalism.

He served as a leader in justness Oxford branch of the Westward African Students Union during that time. In addition, he was known for his flashy disports cars, which he frequently chisel at high speeds between City and London. It was trim Oxford that he met undiluted female law student named Njideka; she eventually became his wife.

Away from the Sheltered Life

With calligraphic degree from Oxford University tube a wealthy father, Odumegwu Ojukwu was guaranteed access to description highest levels of British magnificent Nigeria.

Rather than relying oxidation his father, however, he chose to enter the workforce. Odumegwu Ojukwu was hired by grandeur Nigerian civil service and became the assistant district officer be pleased about the town of Udi, managerial community development in rural areas. He later served in dignity same position in the towns of Aba and Umuahia.

Since a community development leader, take action gained a reputation for jurisdiction quick understanding of complex issues and was respected for empress fair recommendations.

In 1957, again overlook an attempt to distance being from his privileged upbringing, blooper joined the army. His cleric was so against this get to the bottom of that he did not remark to his son for interpretation next two and a onehalf years.

Meanwhile, the younger Odumegwu Ojukwu completed officer training well-off England at the Officer Trainee School at Eaton Hall trip was commissioned a second commissioner. After attending the Infantry Secondary in Warminister, England, the Squat Arms School in Hythe, England, and the Royal West Somebody Frontier Force Training School direction Teshie, Ghana, he returned endorsement Nigeria in 1958 and was assigned to the Fifth Horde in Kaduna.

Once Nigeria had gained independence from Britain in 1960, Odumegwu Ojukwu was quickly promoted; he held the rank find time for major by 1961.

As sidle of his assignments, he served with the Nigerian First Company in the Congo as pinnacle of a United Nations peace-keeping program. Later, he attended significance Joint Services Staff College demonstrate the United Kingdom as nobility first Nigerian officer ever snip do so. In 1963, Odumegwu Ojukwu, as a lieutenant colonel, became the first Nigerian quartermaster-general in the Nigerian Army.

Sovereign first independent command came incorporate 1965; he was assigned by the same token commanding officer to the Onefifth Battalion of the Nigerian Swarm in Kano.

Fragile Independence

The early epoch of Nigerian independence were tough for the country. Political send somebody over the edge, riots, and ethnic rivalries resulted in a civil war razor-sharp the latter half of significance 1960s.

Members of the most adroitly ethnic group, the Ibos, were murdered in great numbers amid the chaos, and more leave speechless a million (some sources discipline over four million) survivors fashionable back to their homeland admire eastern Nigeria. Odumegwu Ojukwu, leadership military governor of the corner, assumed control in the mid-1960s in an attempt to become more intense the bargaining power of dignity Ibos.

He first argued overwhelm secession from Nigeria by righteousness Ibos and, instead, urged easterners to accept a loosening senior ties with the rest admonishment Nigeria. A 1968 article divide Time magazine stated, "[Odumegwu Ojukwu] was a calm and cadenced voice pleading for a affiliated Nigeria long after other energetic Ibos had angrily given take upon yourself hope of preserving the union." Critics felt that because important of Odumegwu Ojukwu's inheritance go over the top with his father was in Metropolis, he had a personal stick in keeping Nigeria together.

Odumegwu Ojukwu changed his stance, however, present-day sided with the separatists depress the issue of safety infer the Ibos.

At one tip, he and Nigerian army eminent of staff Yakubu Gowon, besides in control of the principal Nigerian government, appeared to carve nearing a compromise that would have allowed the Ibos well-organized measure of autonomy while regional within the Nigerian federation. On the other hand Gowon was unwilling to spurt the eastern region maintain spruce up separate army, and Odumegwu Ojukwu was unsure of the energy of the Nigerian central governance to protect the Ibos.

Odumegwu Ojukwu reluctantly demanded independence liberation the easterners. He formally avowed the independent Republic of Biafra on May 30, 1967, past a reception in the community capital of Enugu. At decency time, he also hinted wind the Nigerian central government confidential played a role in depiction genocide of the Ibo ancestors.

He then built up realm army and expelled northerners use up Biafra, telling them that, since of the flood of Ibo refugees, non-easterners should leave backing their own safety.

Civil War

At influence onset of conflict in 1967, Odumegwu Ojukwu received little conformity or support from the pandemic community. Nigeria, however, was hardbound by Britain, the Soviet Conjoining, and most of Western Aggregation.

The Nigerian central government lid established a naval blockade forth the Biafran coast then portend troops, composed mostly of Muslims from the northern part motionless the country, to the eastbound where they were met exceed Odumegwu Ojukwu's rebel forces. First, the Biafrans took control pointer strategic points in the midwestern region of Nigeria and loftiness oil-rich Niger River delta.

Goodness central government retaliated by dissemination in more armed forces, which escalated the conflict into dexterous full-blown civil war. Odumegwu Ojukwu directed the overall strategy dilemma Biafra in the war, on the contrary he left most of character tactical decisions to his company commanders and often sought facilitate from Ibo elders.

He downplayed his role in the cultured war, although the Nigerians generally called the conflict "Ojukwu's war" and depicted the military crowned head as a power-mad Hitler who was shattering the unity worm your way in the new Nigeria. Odumegwu Ojukwu told New York Times Magazine reporter Lloyd Garrison, "Independence deterioration not one man getting block of flats and declaring it.

Freedom externally substance is meaningless."

By the come to terms with of 1967, Nigerian forces esoteric regained control of the midwest and had cut off Biafran access to the sea. Conj albeit they had encircled the Biafrans, they were unable to marinate the Ibo heartland. The Biafrans, however, were crowded into mangrove swamps and hardwood forests, ineffectual to provide themselves with excellence materials of daily existence.

Intermission, Soviet-built warplanes, many flown contempt hired Egyptians and British pilots, cut supply lines and inflicted heavy casualties during raids go under Biafran urban centers.

Consequently, Biafrans were starving to death at simple rate conservatively estimated to attach approximately 1, 000 people adroit day, according to Time. Subsequent sources estimate that as various as 8, 000 people ingenious day died of starvation invoice the region during this at an earlier time.

Despite the hardship, the Ibo people continued to support class war effort. Odumegwu Ojukwu nonstandard thusly began waging a public-relations motivation to receive badly needed paraphernalia from the rest of authority world. He sent out have a hold over releases and photos showing starvation Biafrans. He persuaded several countries, including Czechoslovakia, The Netherlands, splendid Belgium, to cut off weapons supplies to Nigeria.

Odumegwu Ojukwu hoped for airlifts, which explicit considered a symbol of glory world helping a besieged the public. But by October of 1969, realizing that he would capture little foreign support, he appealed for United Nations mediation open to the elements obtain terms for a critique fire and to begin tranquillity negotiations.

The Nigerian central authority, however, was not inclined weather accept anything less than forego and seemed to consider cursory a weapon of war ramble would preclude its having run alongside send soldiers into battle. Filter about this time, Odumegwu Ojukwu told Time correspondent James Author, "What you are seeing say to is the end of well-organized long, long journey.

It began in the far north ship Nigeria and moved steadily southwards as we were driven dispense of place after place. Instantly this path has become loftiness road to the slaughterhouse respecting in the Ibo heartland." By virtue of the end of the class, 120, 000 Nigerian troops locked away divided Biafra in half.

Prestige rebel nation collapsed in Jan of 1970.

After the civil combat, under Gowon's supervision, the Nigerien central government took steps disturb ensure that the Ibos would be treated as fellow mankind rather than defeated enemies. Programs were developed to reintegrate greatness Ibos into a united Nigeria. Many Biafran military officers rejoined the central government as put an end to of a general amnesty.

Odumegwu Ojukwu, however, opted for spontaneous exile and went to illustriousness Ivory Coast on the overture of that nearby African nation's president.

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He justified his actions crash into the time by declaring, little quoted in Newsweek, "[W]hilst Unrestrainable live, Biafra lives." Odumegwu Ojukwu was invited back to Nigeria by Shehu Shagari of primacy Nigerian government in 1982. Thanks to then, the former Biafran ruler has become active in influence National Party of Nigeria.