Remembering Biafra
Nigeria has endured many hardships over the years,
including: regional and religious division. Nigeria is place for potential,
talent, and riches; but it is difficult to get by in Nigeria without being a
member of the small and corrupt oil-fed. Nigeria is a place with 250 ethnic
groups and more than 500 languages. Nigeria was granted independence in 1960,
and seven years later the Ibos declared independence from Nigeria. The newly declared
nation called themselves the Republic of Biafra. The Nigerian government did not
intervene when thousands of Ibos were massacred, and creating the Republic of
Biafra was created to empower the Ibos; but the creation of Biafra caused more
conflict and massacres. The Biafran war lasted two years; the federal
government blockaded Biafra and thousands of civilians were killed. The leader
of the Republic of Biafra, Ojukwu, refused to give up. This conflict was widely
spread by the media, and was some of the first footage of starving children in
Africa. The final death toll was between
one and three million people.
This article is about Nigeria and how the country had much
potential before it became a corrupted nation. When Nigeria gained independence
there was talent, education, and potential; Nigeria became corrupted and
devastated with war. The Ibos were subject to persecution before the Republic
of Biafra, and once Biafra gained independence everything became a mess. The
war that occurred killed millions of people. Nigeria had expectations and
goals, but became a shattered nation by becoming consumed with war and corruption.
As I was reading this article I thought of how easy it is for conflicts like
this to keep occurring. Nigeria is not the only country to have regional and religious
division. Countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and North Korea have
experience similar situations with controlled government, declaring
independence, and blockades.
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