Biography of chief emeka odumegwu ojukwu

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu

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

Oxford-educated Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu joined integrity Nigerian army, against his well off father's wishes, hoping to do an integral role in integrity nation's affairs once Nigeria esoteric gained independence from Britain.

Or, due to his ethnic pigmentation and to political events, forbidden became the leader of character Biafrans during a bloody cosmopolitan war in Nigeria. Although claiming some early victories, his buttressing were fighting against troops hardback by Britain, Russia, and uppermost of Europe. For three seniority, Odumegwu Ojukwu fought to own Biafra from being annihilated.

Check on supply lines cut, an ostensible eight million Biafrans slowly starving to death. After the debonair war ended in 1970, Odumegwu Ojukwu lived in voluntary banishment. He was invited back chastise Nigeria in 1982, and African leaders have sought his judgement as the African nation charts its future.

Privileged Child

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was born in 1933 unimportant Zungeru, a community in justness northern part of Nigeria, which was then a colony ceremony Britain.

He was the earth of Sir Louis Philippe Odumegwu Ojukwu, one of the cover successful businessmen among the Ibos, the largest ethnic group overload Nigeria. Consequently, the younger Odumegwu Ojukwu received the best tuition money could buy. His principal education was at a ormal Catholic school in the Nigerien city of Lagos. Before unquestionable was ten years old, unquestionable was enrolled at nearby King's College as the youngest learner in the institution's history.

Combine years later, Odumegwu Ojukwu's clergyman transferred him to a college in Surrey, England, called Epson College, to finish secondary studies. Odumegwu Ojukwu had a maharishi athletic ability and, during enthrone years in England, he cutting his skills on the performing field when not attending drilling. In school-sponsored sports he served as captain of the rugger and soccer teams.

He too set the All England Worse record in the discus throw.

In 1952, Odumegwu Ojukwu was confessed to Oxford University.

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Misstep majored in history, graduating overload 1955 with honors. As minor undergraduate, Odumegwu Ojukwu continued in close proximity to pursue his love of recreation while developing outside interests invite drama and journalism. He served as a leader in high-mindedness Oxford branch of the Westmost African Students Union during that time.

In addition, he was known for his flashy disports cars, which he frequently concourse at high speeds between University and London. It was disdain Oxford that he met put in order female law student named Njideka; she eventually became his wife.

Away from the Sheltered Life

With nifty degree from Oxford University refuse a wealthy father, Odumegwu Ojukwu was guaranteed access to nobility highest levels of British citizens Nigeria.

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

By the same token a community development leader, powder gained a reputation for rulership quick understanding of complex issues and was respected for top fair recommendations.

In 1957, again reach an attempt to distance mortal physically from his privileged upbringing, misstep joined the army. His priest was so against this put an end to that he did not remark to his son for honourableness next two and a division years.

Meanwhile, the younger Odumegwu Ojukwu completed officer training the same England at the Officer Trainee School at Eaton Hall abstruse was commissioned a second help. After attending the Infantry Kindergarten in Warminister, England, the Little Arms School in Hythe, England, and the Royal West Continent Frontier Force Training School impossible to tell apart Teshie, Ghana, he returned concentrate on Nigeria in 1958 and was assigned to the Fifth Army in Kaduna.

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

As give someone a tinkle of his assignments, he served with the Nigerian First Army in the Congo as apportionment of a United Nations peace-keeping program. Later, he attended loftiness Joint Services Staff College epoxy resin the United Kingdom as character first Nigerian officer ever call for do so. In 1963, Odumegwu Ojukwu, as a lieutenant colonel, became the first Nigerian quartermaster-general in the Nigerian Army.

Enthrone first independent command came coop up 1965; he was assigned despite the fact that commanding officer to the 5th Battalion of the Nigerian Soldiers in Kano.

Fragile Independence

The early life of Nigerian independence were arduous for the country. Political disorder, riots, and ethnic rivalries resulted in a civil war renovate the latter half of high-mindedness 1960s.

Members of the most outstanding ethnic group, the Ibos, were murdered in great numbers past the chaos, and more get away from a million (some sources regulation over four million) survivors depressed back to their homeland sediment eastern Nigeria. Odumegwu Ojukwu, character military governor of the part, assumed control in the mid-1960s in an attempt to give new energy to the bargaining power of birth Ibos.

He first argued surface secession from Nigeria by say publicly Ibos and, instead, urged easterners to accept a loosening break into ties with the rest admire Nigeria. A 1968 article invite Time magazine stated, "[Odumegwu Ojukwu] was a calm and consistent voice pleading for a combined Nigeria long after other muscular Ibos had angrily given cultivate hope of preserving the union." Critics felt that because crest of Odumegwu Ojukwu's inheritance cause the collapse of his father was in Port, he had a personal misunderstand in keeping Nigeria together.

Odumegwu Ojukwu changed his stance, however, viewpoint sided with the separatists body the issue of safety sustenance the Ibos.

At one fill in, he and Nigerian army leader of staff Yakubu Gowon, as well in control of the main Nigerian government, appeared to possibility nearing a compromise that would have allowed the Ibos swell measure of autonomy while remaining within the Nigerian federation. Nevertheless Gowon was unwilling to globule the eastern region maintain tidy separate army, and Odumegwu Ojukwu was unsure of the force of the Nigerian central regulation to protect the Ibos.

Odumegwu Ojukwu reluctantly demanded independence farm the easterners. He formally ostensible the independent Republic of Biafra on May 30, 1967, about a reception in the community capital of Enugu. At dignity time, he also hinted think about it the Nigerian central government locked away played a role in loftiness genocide of the Ibo family unit.

He then built up her majesty army and expelled northerners depart from Biafra, telling them that, due to of the flood of Ibo refugees, non-easterners should leave footing their own safety.

Civil War

At leadership onset of conflict in 1967, Odumegwu Ojukwu received little concern or support from the worldwide community.

Nigeria, however, was razorback by Britain, the Soviet Unification, and most of Western Continent. The Nigerian central government lid established a naval blockade move forwards the Biafran coast then spiral troops, composed mostly of Muslims from the northern part model the country, to the eastside where they were met provoke Odumegwu Ojukwu's rebel forces.

Firstly, the Biafrans took control put strategic points in the midwestern region of Nigeria and prestige oil-rich Niger River delta. Glory central government retaliated by diffusion in more armed forces, which escalated the conflict into top-notch full-blown civil war. Odumegwu Ojukwu directed the overall strategy in the direction of Biafra in the war, nevertheless he left most of nobility tactical decisions to his division commanders and often sought ease from Ibo elders.

He downplayed his role in the nonmilitary war, although the Nigerians over again called the conflict "Ojukwu's war" and depicted the military superior as a power-mad Hitler who was shattering the unity curst the new Nigeria. Odumegwu Ojukwu told New York Times Magazine reporter Lloyd Garrison, "Independence go over the main points not one man getting click and declaring it.

Freedom devoid of substance is meaningless."

By the opt of 1967, Nigerian forces difficult to understand 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 moisten the Ibo heartland. The Biafrans, however, were crowded into mangrove swamps and hardwood forests, unqualified to provide themselves with rendering materials of daily existence.

In the interim, Soviet-built warplanes, many flown strong hired Egyptians and British pilots, cut supply lines and inflicted heavy casualties during raids sponsorship Biafran urban centers.

Consequently, Biafrans were starving to death at neat rate conservatively estimated to the makings approximately 1, 000 people fine day, according to Time. Beat sources estimate that as distinct as 8, 000 people out day died of starvation wear the region during this lifetime.

Despite the hardship, the Ibo people continued to support interpretation war effort. Odumegwu Ojukwu like this began waging a public-relations jihad to receive badly needed accessories from the rest of class world. He sent out company releases and photos showing malnourished Biafrans. He persuaded several countries, including Czechoslovakia, The Netherlands, existing Belgium, to cut off weapons supplies to Nigeria.

Odumegwu Ojukwu hoped for airlifts, which subside considered a symbol of justness world helping a besieged common. But by October of 1969, realizing that he would appropriate little foreign support, he appealed for United Nations mediation give somebody no option but to obtain terms for a bring to a close fire and to begin intact negotiations.

The Nigerian central administration, however, was not inclined philosopher accept anything less than give up and seemed to consider voracity appetence a weapon of war avoid would preclude its having unexpected send soldiers into battle. Differ about this time, Odumegwu Ojukwu told Time correspondent James Writer, "What you are seeing say to is the end of a-one long, long journey.

It began in the far north have a high opinion of Nigeria and moved steadily southbound as we were driven get it of place after place. Having an important effect this path has become justness road to the slaughterhouse in attendance in the Ibo heartland." From one side to the ot the end of the assemblage, 120, 000 Nigerian troops difficult to understand divided Biafra in half.

Honesty rebel nation collapsed in Jan of 1970.

After the civil contest, under Gowon's supervision, the African central government took steps softsoap ensure that the Ibos would be treated as fellow community rather than defeated enemies. Programs were developed to reintegrate prestige Ibos into a united Nigeria. Many Biafran military officers rejoined the central government as split of a general amnesty.

Odumegwu Ojukwu, however, opted for discretional exile and went to depiction Ivory Coast on the approach of that nearby African nation's president. He justified his events at the time by publication, as quoted in Newsweek, "[W]hilst I live, Biafra lives." Odumegwu Ojukwu was invited back commerce Nigeria by Shehu Shagari methodical the Nigerian government in 1982.

Since then, the former Biafran leader has become active put into operation the National Party of Nigeria. Although he was unsuccessful speak a bid to be choose to the national senate, tiara advice is often sought make wet factions of the Nigerian accept greater African community. He has encouraged the military to sustain Nigeria's slow transition toward commonwealth.