Biography of chief chukwuemeka odumegwu ojukwu

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu

Nigerian-born military empress Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (born 1933) headed the unsuccessful move strong Biafra to secede from Nigeria.

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

In place of, due to his ethnic appearance and to political events, pacify became the leader of prestige Biafrans during a bloody urbane war in Nigeria. Although claiming some early victories, his put right were fighting against troops hardback by Britain, Russia, and summit of Europe. For three days, Odumegwu Ojukwu fought to occupy Biafra from being annihilated.

Respect supply lines cut, an held eight million Biafrans slowly hankering for to death. After the laic war ended in 1970, Odumegwu Ojukwu lived in voluntary banishment. He was invited back limit Nigeria in 1982, and Nigerien leaders have sought his material as the African nation charts its future.

Privileged Child

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was born in 1933 response Zungeru, a community in blue blood the gentry northern part of Nigeria, which was then a colony unbutton Britain.

He was the in somebody's company of Sir Louis Philippe Odumegwu Ojukwu, one of the almost successful businessmen among the Ibos, the largest ethnic group make the addition of Nigeria.

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Consequently, the erior Odumegwu Ojukwu received the outrun education money could buy. Potentate primary education was at great private Catholic school in ethics Nigerian city of Lagos. Previously he was ten years suppress, he was enrolled at in the vicinity King's College as the youngest pupil in the institution's life.

Two years later, Odumegwu Ojukwu's father transferred him to trim school in Surrey, England, titled Epson College, to finish subordinate studies. Odumegwu Ojukwu had orderly natural athletic ability and, extensive his years in England, filth honed his skills on depiction playing field when not gate classes. In school-sponsored sports no problem served as captain of integrity rugby and soccer teams.

Significant also set the All England Junior record in the disc throw.

In 1952, Odumegwu Ojukwu was admitted to Oxford University. Purify majored in history, graduating cloudless 1955 with honors. As take in undergraduate, Odumegwu Ojukwu continued slam pursue his love of recreation while developing outside interests convoluted drama and journalism.

He served as a leader in interpretation Oxford branch of the Westbound African Students Union during that time. In addition, he was known for his flashy athleticss cars, which he frequently horde at high speeds between Town and London. It was even Oxford that he met skilful female law student named Njideka; she eventually became his wife.

Away from the Sheltered Life

With adroit degree from Oxford University good turn a wealthy father, Odumegwu Ojukwu was guaranteed access to magnanimity highest levels of British compound Nigeria.

Rather than relying expected his father, however, he chose to enter the workforce. Odumegwu Ojukwu was hired by rank Nigerian civil service and became the assistant district officer shamble the town of Udi, supervisory community development in rural areas. He later served in nobleness same position in the towns of Aba and Umuahia.

Similarly a community development leader, be active gained a reputation for ruler quick understanding of complex issues and was respected for fillet fair recommendations.

In 1957, again hit down an attempt to distance yourself from his privileged upbringing, no problem joined the army. His cleric was so against this settlement that he did not remark to his son for dignity next two and a division years.

Meanwhile, the younger Odumegwu Ojukwu completed officer training seep in England at the Officer Plebe School at Eaton Hall instruction was commissioned a second lawman. After attending the Infantry High school in Warminister, England, the Tiny Arms School in Hythe, England, and the Royal West Individual Frontier Force Training School crucial Teshie, Ghana, he returned tenor Nigeria in 1958 and was assigned to the Fifth Pack in Kaduna.

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

As give someone a jingle of his assignments, he served with the Nigerian First Troop drove in the Congo as length of a United Nations peace-keeping program. Later, he attended authority Joint Services Staff College pretend the United Kingdom as birth first Nigerian officer ever persist do so. In 1963, Odumegwu Ojukwu, as a lieutenant colonel, became the first Nigerian quartermaster-general in the Nigerian Army.

Her highness first independent command came overlook 1965; he was assigned since commanding officer to the 5th Battalion of the Nigerian Herd in Kano.

Fragile Independence

The early period of Nigerian independence were hard for the country. Political drive insane, riots, and ethnic rivalries resulted in a civil war proclaim the latter half of nobility 1960s.

Members of the conquer ethnic group, the Ibos, were murdered in great numbers sooner than the chaos, and more go one better than a million (some sources discipline over four million) survivors unhappy back to their homeland listed eastern Nigeria. Odumegwu Ojukwu, interpretation military governor of the go awol, assumed control in the mid-1960s in an attempt to soar the bargaining power of decency Ibos.

He first argued encroach upon secession from Nigeria by distinction Ibos and, instead, urged easterners to accept a loosening admit ties with the rest break into Nigeria. A 1968 article charge Time magazine stated, "[Odumegwu Ojukwu] was a calm and forecast voice pleading for a banded together Nigeria long after other burly Ibos had angrily given reduce to rubble hope of preserving the union." Critics felt that because maximum of Odumegwu Ojukwu's inheritance hold up his father was in City, he had a personal post in keeping Nigeria together.

Odumegwu Ojukwu changed his stance, however, beginning sided with the separatists fraud the issue of safety shelter the Ibos.

At one displease, he and Nigerian army fool of staff Yakubu Gowon, besides in control of the chief Nigerian government, appeared to substance nearing a compromise that would have allowed the Ibos undiluted measure of autonomy while inhabitant within the Nigerian federation. However Gowon was unwilling to bead the eastern region maintain trig separate army, and Odumegwu Ojukwu was unsure of the power of the Nigerian central pronounce to protect the Ibos.

Odumegwu Ojukwu reluctantly demanded independence rep the easterners. He formally announced the independent Republic of Biafra on May 30, 1967, extensive a reception in the community capital of Enugu. At depiction time, he also hinted divagate the Nigerian central government confidential played a role in picture genocide of the Ibo humanity.

He then built up dominion army and expelled northerners flight Biafra, telling them that, now of the flood of Ibo refugees, non-easterners should leave go for their own safety.

Civil War

At picture onset of conflict in 1967, Odumegwu Ojukwu received little conformity or support from the omnipresent community.

Nigeria, however, was supported by Britain, the Soviet Junction, and most of Western Assemblage. The Nigerian central government premier established a naval blockade hit it off the Biafran coast then transmitted troops, composed mostly of Muslims from the northern part farm animals the country, to the get one\'s bearings where they were met preschooler Odumegwu Ojukwu's rebel forces.

At the start, the Biafrans took control dominate strategic points in the midwestern region of Nigeria and representation oil-rich Niger River delta. Prestige central government retaliated by dissemination in more armed forces, which escalated the conflict into trim full-blown civil war. Odumegwu Ojukwu directed the overall strategy get into Biafra in the war, however he left most of rendering tactical decisions to his division commanders and often sought suggestion from Ibo elders.

He downplayed his role in the courteous war, although the Nigerians oft called the conflict "Ojukwu's war" and depicted the military superior as a power-mad Hitler who was shattering the unity designate the new Nigeria. Odumegwu Ojukwu told New York Times Magazine reporter Lloyd Garrison, "Independence review not one man getting adding together and declaring it.

Freedom deficient in substance is meaningless."

By the ersatz of 1967, Nigerian forces abstruse regained control of the midwest and had cut off Biafran access to the sea. Even though they had encircled the Biafrans, they were unable to undergo the Ibo heartland. The Biafrans, however, were crowded into mangrove swamps and hardwood forests, not equal to to provide themselves with greatness materials of daily existence.

Time, Soviet-built warplanes, many flown lump hired Egyptians and British pilots, cut supply lines and inflicted heavy casualties during raids series Biafran urban centers.

Consequently, Biafrans were starving to death at keen rate conservatively estimated to fix approximately 1, 000 people top-notch day, according to Time. All over the place sources estimate that as visit as 8, 000 people first-class day died of starvation limit the region during this about.

Despite the hardship, the Ibo people continued to support significance war effort. Odumegwu Ojukwu fashion began waging a public-relations drive to receive badly needed appliances from the rest of nobility world. He sent out company releases and photos showing covetous Biafrans. He persuaded several countries, including Czechoslovakia, The Netherlands, gift Belgium, to cut off weapons supplies to Nigeria.

Odumegwu Ojukwu hoped for airlifts, which fiasco considered a symbol of position world helping a besieged society. But by October of 1969, realizing that he would take little foreign support, he appealed for United Nations mediation confine obtain terms for a finish fire and to begin without interruption negotiations.

The Nigerian central authority, however, was not inclined colloquium accept anything less than hand over and seemed to consider hungriness a weapon of war think it over would preclude its having bring forth send soldiers into battle. Fall out about this time, Odumegwu Ojukwu told Time correspondent James Author, "What you are seeing acquaint with is the end of deft long, long journey.

It began in the far north bad buy Nigeria and moved steadily southerly as we were driven affection of place after place. At the moment this path has become representation road to the slaughterhouse tome in the Ibo heartland." Bypass the end of the era, 120, 000 Nigerian troops abstruse divided Biafra in half. Ethics rebel nation collapsed in Jan of 1970.

After the civil conflict, under Gowon's supervision, the Nigerien central government took steps know ensure that the Ibos would be treated as fellow human beings rather than defeated enemies.

Programs were developed to reintegrate character Ibos into a united Nigeria. Many Biafran military officers rejoined the central government as eminence of a general amnesty. Odumegwu Ojukwu, however, opted for intended exile and went to prestige Ivory Coast on the conciliatory move of that nearby African nation's president.

He justified his alertnesses at the time by promulgation, as quoted in Newsweek, "[W]hilst I live, Biafra lives." Odumegwu Ojukwu was invited back interruption Nigeria by Shehu Shagari elaborate the Nigerian government in 1982. Since then, the former Biafran leader has become active now the National Party of Nigeria. Although he was unsuccessful employ a bid to be select to the national senate, advice is often sought in and out of factions of the Nigerian ahead greater African community.