Ojukwu's January 1967 Press Conference on Aburi Meeting The following was Lieutenant-Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, then the Military Governor of Eastern Nigeria, his Press Conference on Aburi Meeting. You are already aware that we have just ended the meeting of the Supreme Military Council in Ghana. It has come to my notice that the public is anxious to have more details of decisions taken. The meeting opened with a joint declaration by all of us, the military leaders, renouncing the use of force as a means of settling the present crisis in Nigeria and holding ourselves in honour bound by that declaration. That declaration also reaffirmed our faith in discussions and negotiations as the peaceful means of resolving the Nigerian crisis. Having regard to the great fear and suspicion on all parts about the use of force, we thought that this declaration should precede any other business; and I am sure that all Nigerians will welcome it as a source of great relief. The next important matter discussed, and upon which a lot of other things hinged, was the organization of the Nigerian army. Let me say here that our discussions right through went on in a calm atmosphere, understanding, and realism. We in the East have always felt that realism and understanding were lacking in the past in the approach to our problems, and it was very encouraging that our meetings on the two days showed the sincere determination by all to find realistic solutions to our problems. It was agreed that the army will be henceforth be governed by the Supreme Military Council, the chairman of which will be known as Commander-in-Chief and Head of the Federal Military Government. There is to be a military headquarters on which the regions will be equally represented and which will be headed by a Chief of Staff. There shall be an area command in each region under the charge of an area command in each region under the charge of an area commander -- the regions corresponding to the existing ones. There will be a Lagos garrison, which will include Ikeja. For the duration of the military government, military governors will have control over their area commands in matters of internal security. All matters of policy shall be dealt with by the Supreme Military Council. Any decision affecting the whole country must be determined by the Supreme Military Council, and when a meeting is not possible, such a matter must be referred to the military governors for comments and concurrence. Subject to the above arrangements, we felt that the existing governmental institutions, namely, the Supreme Military Council and the Federal Executive Council, as well as regional executive councils, are workable and should be retained. It was agreed that the Supreme Military Council must collectively approve appointments to the following offices: a) diplomatic consular posts; b) senior posts in the armed forces and the police; c) superscale federal corporation posts. This particular decision was made as a means of removing friction, it being our unfortunate experience that friction and misunderstanding had in the past bedevilled these appointments. What it means is that no one person will have the right and power to make these appointments alone in the future. Politically, it was unanimously agreed that it was in the interest of the safety of this nation that the regions should move slightly further apart than before. As a prelude to this, it was decided that all decrees and parts of decrees promulgated since the military regime, and which detracted from the previous powers of the regional governments, should be repealed by the twenty-first of this month. Once this is done and the agreements are implemented, the aim of allowing the regions to operate more independently and of ensuring fairness to all will be achieved. The question of displaced persons was exhaustively discussed. As regards civil servants and employees of government corporations who had to flee their places of work as a result of the current situation, it was decided that such people will be paid their full salaries up to the end of March this year, unless they have found alternative employment. On the question of other displaced persons, it was decided to set up a committee to look into the problems of rehabilitation and recovery of property. I took that opportunity to repeat my assurance that those non easterners who had to be ordered to leave the region in the interest of their own safety would be welcomed back as soon as conditions become more normal. I have hurried to make this statement to you because of the misgivings which I understand are prevalent in the region as a result of this meeting. I recall that just before my departure, when the public did not even know that our meeting was so close, students and other groups of individuals issued resolutions advising me against attending any meeting with my counterparts. You will now be convinced that this meeting was more than necessary and worthwhile. Our duty is to reduce or remove tension, in order to leave ourselves free to tackle the most urgent and constructive tasks of economic and social development, which cannot be possible in a state of tension and fear. I have no doubt that all of us who participated in the last discussions are determined to implement the agreements reached. Once this is done, we shall have gone a long way to relieving tension and banishing fear among us. It is our plan to meet again soon, this time in Nigeria, to consider other matters arising from our last discussions and those which were not touched. I want here to place on record my personal indebtedness to the government and people of Ghana for making a plane available to convey me to and from the meetings on the two days, and for making other arrangements to make this meeting possible. Provided our aims are achieved, we in this country will have cause to remain eternally grateful to Ghana for their constructive initiative. For our part in this country, we must keep calm and avoid actions or words which might create difficulties for our progress in the solution of our problems. God will certainly rescue this nation from collapse and perdition. That was Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s January 1967 Press Conference on Aburi Meeting at Government House, Enugu, Eastern Region. For General Yakubu Gowon refusing to announce the outcome of Aburi Accord decision, he knew very well that Lt. Odumegwu- Ojukwu would understand that there was no deal or there was no promise to honour the deal, even though the agreement was signed by all parties. Yakubu Gowon on the contrary anticipating Odumegwu Ojukwu may soon call for new Aburi talks. Lt. Odumegwu Ojukwu noticing that General Yakubu Gowon, his northerners and British stirrers were refusing the Aburi accord decision, at the same time waiting for his next move. Noticing or becoming aware that General Yakubu Gowon, his northerners and British instigators were refusing the signed Aburi accord decision, Odumegwu Ojukwu set to conclude his subsequent swipe. Determined not to be pushed aside, Lt. Odumegwu Ojukwu went to Calabar Prison which happened to be in the Eastern Region where Chief Obafemi Awolowo was held prisoner. Getting to Calabar prison, Odumegwu Ojukwu saw Chief Obafemi Awolwo where he had a meeting with him. During the attendance, Odumegwu Ojukwu informed Chief Obafemi Awolowo what he intended to do after Aburi accord had failed to be honoured by Yakubu Gowon and his group. Odumegwu-Ojukwu told Chief Obafemi Awolowo what the Eastern Region wanted, the region wished to have their own country. Odumegwu Ojukwu told Chief Obafemi Awolowo that he planned to declare Republic of Biafra on the 30th of May 1967. Chief Obafemi Awolowo repeated what he said before to Odumegwu Ojukwu that “if you declare your people Biafra, I will declare my people “Oduduwa.” Lt Odumegwu Ojukwu released Chief Obafemi Awolowo from Calabar prison to go and in secret inform his people and get his people ready to declare them Oduduwa once Biafra Republic is declared. Odumegwu Ojukwu had in mind that if Chief Obafemi Awolowo had declared his people Oduduwa, north had no option but to form their own northern government or own country in the north. Except, on the contrary they are still longing to fight Igbos, then Igbos would destroy the north – no problem there. On the other hand with Yoruba combining the north to fight Igbo, it might be a difficult task, Ojukwu reflected. Once Chief Obafemi Awolowo was freed, instead of Chief Awolowo to go back to his people to secretly inform them what is about to happen and getting them ready for the declaration, he went to General Yakubu Gowon to inform him what Odumegwu Ojukwu planned to do on the 30th May 1967. General Yakubu Gowon with such information at hand, he was thankful to Chief Awolowo. To reward Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and to get Yoruba people on his side for not joining Ojukwu to declare, General Yakubu Gowon appointed Awolowo the Finance Minister while promising him to be the next head of state after him. Getting Odumegwu Ojukwu’s secret agenda from Chief Obafemi Awolowo, General Yakubu Gowon expediently formulated a plan to hold Odumegwu Ojukwu back from declaring Biafra Republic on the 30th of May 1967. As a result, Yakubu Gowon thought of the obvious. General Yakubu Gowon believed changing regional system to states system would discourage Lt. Odumegwu Ojukwu from declaring Biafra. General Yakubu Gowon announced the changing of regional system to state system. On the 27th of May 1967, that is three days to go before Odumegwu Ojukwu declare for Biafra Republic, General Yakubu Gowon revealed the division of Eastern Region into 3 states. The creation of 3 states within the Eastern Region, as well as announcing the creation of other 9 states making a national total of 12 states for the country. Principally, the idea behind the creation of 12 states would be to break Eastern Region down into three places namely; South Eastern State, Rivers State and East Central State. This way, it will be impossible for Odumegwu Ojukwu to declare Biafra. Or else Odumegwu Ojukwu may only have one state to declare, so Gowon had thought. Gowon thought using South Eastern State and Rivers State would isolate East Central State which is where Yakubu Gowon anticipated that Odumegwu Ojukwu would declare Biafra Republic. Three days after the creation of the new states, Odumegwu Ojukwu declared an independent sovereign state, Republic of Biafra. On the 30th of May 1967, Lt. Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu declared Republic of Biafra, the area declared comprising the old Eastern Region by cancelling the new states created three days ago by General Yakubu Gowon. Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, then the Military Governor of Eastern Region made a speech that declared the sovereign state of Biafra and in the speech which brought about or resulted in the establishment of Republic of Biafra. The following address was Ojukwu’s speech during the announcement of sovereign state of Biafra. Ojukwu’s speech on sovereign state of Biafra Fellow countrymen and women, you, the people of Eastern Nigeria: Conscious of the supreme authority of Almighty God over all mankind, of your duty to yourselves and prosperity; Aware that you can no longer be protected in your lives and in your property by any Government based outside eastern Nigeria; Believing that you are born free and have certain inalienable rights which can best be preserved by yourselves; Unwilling to be unfree partners in any association of a political or economic nature; Rejecting the authority of any person or persons other than the Military Government of eastern Nigeria to make any imposition of whatever kind or nature upon you; Determined to dissolve all political and other ties between you and the former Federal Republic of Nigeria; Prepared to enter into such association, treaty or alliance with any sovereign state within the former Federal Republic of Nigeria and elsewhere on such terms and conditions as best to subserve your common good; Affirming your trust and confidence in me; Having mandated me to proclaim on your behalf and in your name the Eastern Nigeria be a sovereign independent Republic. Now Therefore I, Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Military Governor of Eastern Nigeria, by virtue of the authority, and pursuant to the principles recited above, do hereby solemnly proclaim that the territory and region known as and called Eastern Nigeria together with her continental shelf and territorial waters shall henceforth be an independent sovereign state of the name and title of The Republic of Biafra. And I Do Declare That: All political ties between us and the Federal Republic of Nigeria are hereby totally dissolved. All subsisting contractual obligations entered into by the Government of the federal republic of Nigeria or by any person, authority, organization or government acting on its behalf, with any person, authority or organization operating, or relating to any matter or thing, within the Republic of Biafra, shall henceforth be deemed to be entered into with the Military Governor of the Republic of Biafra for and on behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Biafra, and the covenants thereof shall, subject to this Declaration, be performed by the parties according to their tenor; All subsisting international treaties and obligations made on behalf of Eastern Nigeria by the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be honoured and respected; Eastern Nigeria’s due share of all subsisting international debts and obligations entered into by the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be honoured and respected; Steps will be taken to open discussions on the question of Eastern Nigeria’s due share of the assets of the Federation of Nigeria and personal properties of the citizens of Biafra throughout the Federation of Nigeria. The rights, privileges, pensions, etc., of all personnel of the Public Services, the Armed Forces and the Police now serving in any capacity within the Republic of Biafra are hereby guaranteed; We shall keep the door open for association with, and would welcome, any sovereign unit or units in the former Federation of Nigeria or any other parts of Africa desirous of association with us for the purposes of running a common services organization and for the establishment of economic ties; We shall protect the lives and property of all foreigners residing in Biafra, we shall extend the hand of friendship to those nations who respect our sovereignty, and shall repel any interference in our internal affairs; We shall faithfully adhere to the charter of the Organization of African Unity and of the United Nations Organization; It is our intention to remain a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations in our right as a sovereign, independent nation. Long live the Republic of Biafra! And may God protect all those who live in her. That was the Military Governor of Eastern Nigeria, Lieutenant-Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s speech declaring the sovereign state of Biafra. Following the announcement of Republic of Biafra, the Nigeria Federal military almost immediately began attacking Biafra. Despite the fact of being attacked by Nigeria soldiers, Biafra kept on protecting themselves. Most of the initial attacks were through bombing, using federal military jets to attack Biafra. At this stage Biafra engineers decide to do something about the jet bombers. Engineers in Biafra land then determined to build a toy plane although they call it “drone” now, but the toy plane had bombs attached to it which they controlled remotely that went and destroyed the federal fighter jets. Before long a full-blown civil war ensued. As from July 1967, a Full-scale civil war broke out. At the beginning of the war, Biafran soldiers didn’t have any weapons to fight the war with, all they had were locally made guns that can only fire one or two bullet at a time. What Biafra soldiers decided to do were to ambush Nigeria soldiers, kill them and collect their firearms and other military hardware from them. Soon Biafra soldiers had enough ammunition to prosecute the war. After many ambushes of Nigeria soldiers, Biafra soldiers had enough or many aminations to linger the war. Whilst as matter of urgency Biafra engineers were busy building new weapons. TO BE CONTINUED

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