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PROCLAMATION
OF THE REPUBLIC OF BIAFRA
PROCLAMATION
OF THE REPUBLIC OF BIAFRA
1967
IT IS RIGHT and
just that we of this generation of Eastern Nigerians, should record
for the benefit of posterity, some of the reasons for the momentous
decision we have taken at this crucial time in the history of
our people.
The Military Government
of Eastern Nigeria has, in a series of publications, traced the
evils and injustices of the Nigerian political association through
the decades, stating also the case and standpoint of Eastern Nigeria
in the recent crisis.
Throughout the
period of Nigeria’s precarious, existence as a single political
entity Eastern Nigerians have always believed in fundamental
human rights and principles as they are accepted and enjoyed in
civilized communities. Impelled by their belief in these rights
arid principles and in their common citizenship with other Nigerians
after Amalgamation, Eastern Nigerians employed their ideas and
skills, their resourcefulness and dynamism in the development
of areas of Nigeria outside the East. Eastern Nigerians opened
up avenues of trade and industry throughout the country; overlooked
the neglect of their homeland in the disposition of national institutions,
projects and utilities; made available their own natural resources
to the rest of the country; and confidently invested in the general
economic and social development of Nigeria. Politically Eastern
Nigerians advocated a strong, united Nigeria; for ONE COUNTRY,
ONE CONSTITUTION, ONE DESTINY. Eastern Nigerians were in the vanguard
of the struggle for national independence and made sacrifices
and concessions for the cause of national unity. . They conceded
the inauguration of a Federal instead of a Unitary system of Government
in Nigeria.
Leaders of Northern
Nigeria have told us several times that what our former colonial
masters made into “NIGERIA" consisted of an agglomeration
of peoples, distinct in ‘every way except in the colour of
their skins, and organized as a unit for their own commercial
interests” and administrative convenience. The name “Nigeria”.
was regarded by many as a mere “geographical expression”.
In course of time,
the peoples of the other parts of Southern Nigeria found that
they possessed many things in common with those of Eastern Nigeria,
and while the colonial master made adjustments to accommodate
these common ties between the Southern inhabitants, the peoples
of the North insisted on maintaining their separateness.
On October 1, 1960,
independence was granted to the peoples of Nigeria in a form of
“federation”, based on artificially made units. The
Nigerian Constitution installed the North in, perpetual dominance
over Nigeria The Federation was predicated on the perpetual rule
by One unit over the others. The Constitution itself contained
provisions which negatived the fundamental human freedoms which
it purported to guarantee for the citizens. Thus were sown, by
design or by default, the seeds of factionalism and hate, of struggle
for power at the Centre, and of the worst types of political chicanery
and abuse of power. .One of two situations was bound to result
from that arrangement either perpetual domination of the rest
of the country by the North, not by consent, but by force and
fraud, or a dissolution of the federating bond. National independence
was followed by successive crises each leading to near disintegration
of the country. Some of the major events which are directly
attributable to the defective and inadequate Constitution may
here be mentioned.
In 1962, an emergency
was imposed on Western Nigeria Jurists agree that the imposition
was unconstitutional; it was a ruse to remove certain elements
in Western Nigeria known to have taken a firm stand against the
misuse of political, power. A puppet of the North was manoeuvred
into power in Western Nigeria.
Also in 1962, and
again in 1963, Nigerians tried for the first time to count themselves.
What should ordinarily be a statistical and dull exercise was,
because of the nature of the Constitution, turned into a fierce
political struggle. The official figures established by these
censuses have been discredited.Federal elections followed in December,
1964—elections which have been described as the most farcical
in our history. Candidates were either kidnapped, killed or forced
to withdraw from the elections. Results announced were in direct
opposition to the actual facts. The Southern parties had boycotted
the election, and the deadlock which followed brought the country
near to dissolution. The situation was patched up; the conflagration
was brought under control, but its embers lay smouldering.
On October 11,
1965, elections were held to the Western House of Assembly.
The puppet Government of that Region existed, not by the will
of the people of Western Nigeria, but because of the combined
power of the Federal Government and the Northern Nigeria Government
which installed it. The electorate of Western Nigeria was not
permitted to declare its will in the elections. Fraud, foul play
and murder were committed with impunity. The smouldering embers
of the recent past erupted with unquenchable virulence. The irate
electorate showed its resentment in its own way. Complete disorder
followed. Yet, the Federal Government dominated by the North fiddled
with the issue and even refused to recognize what the whole world
had known, namely, that Nigeria was on the brink of disaster.
Only the Armed
Forces remained politically uncommitted and non-partisan. Some
of their officers and men revolted against the injustices which
were perpetrated before their very eyes and attempted to overthrow
.The. Federal Government and Regional Governments. In desperation;
the Ministers of the Federal Government handed over power to the
Armed Forces under the Supreme command of Major-General J. T.
U. Aguiyi-Ironsi.
The Military administration
under Major-General Aguiyi-Ironsi made the first real attempt
to unite the country and its peoples. The Northerners saw in his
efforts the possibility of losing their control of the affairs
of the country. So while its leaders paid lip service to unity,
they laid plans for making sure that it could never be achieved.
Major-General Aguiyi-Ironsi was, of course, an Easterner, but
the majority of the individuals at the head of affairs were not.
At no time under the civilian rule did Eastern Nigerians hold
a dominating position in the government of the Federation.
On May 24, 1966,
the Military Government issued a. decree designed to provide a
more unified administration in keeping with the military command.
The people of Northern Nigeria protested against the decree
and on May 29,1966, thousands of Easterners residing in the North,
were massacred by Northern civilians They looted their property
The Supreme Military Council set up a tribunal to look into the
causes of these unprovoked acts at murder and pillage and determine
what compensations might be paid to the victims. The Northern
Emirs declared their intention to pull Northern Nigeria out of
the Federation rather than face the tribunal . But
the Supreme Military Council justly decided that the tribunal
must do its duty.
Then on July 29,
1966, two months after the May murders and despoliation, and four
days before the tribunal was due to commence its sitting, the
real pogrom against Eastern Nigerians residing in
the Federation began. Major-General Aguiyi-Ironsi and his host,
Lt-Col. Francis Fajuyi,, were kidnapped at Ibadan and murdered.This
time Northern soldiers acted in concert with Northern civilians.
Defenceless men, women, and children were shot down or hacked
to death; some were burnt, and some buried alive. Women and young
girls were ravished with unprecedented bestiality; unborn children
were torn out of the womb of their mothers.
Again on September
29, 1966, the pogrom was resumed Thirty thousand Eastern Nigerians
are known to have been killed by Northerners. They were killed
in the North, in Western Nigeria, in Lagos; some Eastern
soldiers detention at Benin were forcibly removed from prison
by Northern soldiers and murdered.
At the time of
the incident, millions of Eastern Nigerians resided outside the
East and persons from other parts of the country lived in this
Region . While Eastern Nigerians who assembled at Northern airports,
railway stations and motor parks, were set upon by Northern soldiers
and civilians armed with machine guns, rifles, daggers and poisoned
arrows, the Army and Police in the East were specifically instructed
to shoot at sight any Eastern Nigerian found molesting non-Easterners
living in the Region. By early October, the sight of mutilated
refugees, orphaned children, widowed mothers and decapitated corpses
of Eastern Nigerians arriving at our airports and railway stations
inflamed passions to such an extent that it was found necessary
to ask all non-Easterners to leave the region in their own interest.
Since the events of July, 1966, there has been a mass movement
of population in this country. Nigerian society has undergone
a fundamental change; it is no longer possible for Eastern
Nigerians to live outside the Region without fear of loss of life
or of property.
Two facts emerge
from the events described above. The widespread nature of
the massacre and its periodicity—29th May, 29th July, and
29th September—show firstly, that they were premeditated
and planned, and secondly, that Eastern Nigerians are no longer
wanted as equal partners in the Federation of Nigeria. It must
be recalled that this was the fourth in a series of massacres
of Eastern Nigerians in the last two decades.
At the early stages
of the crisis, the world was told that it was a conflict between
the North and the East. That pretence collapsed when it became
clear that Northern soldiers moved into Western Nigeria and Lagos
as another step in Northern Nigeria’s bid to continue her
so-called conquest to the sea. Belatedly, it was generally accepted
that the fundamental issue was not a struggle between the East
and the North, but one involving the very existence of Nigeria
as one political entity. Throughout the Nigerian crises, some
of the indegenious judges have been found quite unequal to their
calling by reason of their involvement in partisan politics.
People soon lost faith in them, and would not go to their courts
for redress. In some measure, they were responsible for the
collapse of the rule of law in certain parts of Nigeria.
Providence has spared us in the East from this terrible calamity.
It is now, necessary
to summarise the attempts of the Government and people of Eastern
Nigeria to solve the crisis, and of the bad faith with which these
attempts have been received.
On August 9, 1966,
representatives of the Military Governors meeting in Lagos made
decisions for restoring peace and for clearing the way for constitutional
talks notably the decision that troops be all repatriated to their
region of origin. These decisions were not fully implemented.
On September 12,
the Ad Hoc Constitutional Conference consisting of delegates representing
all the Governments of the Federation met in Lagos, and for three
weeks sought to discover a form of association best suited to
Nigeria having regard to the prevailing circumstances and their
causes, and future possibilities. This Conference was unilaterally
dismissed by Lt.-Col. Gowon, the Head of the Lagos Government.
It had become
then impossible for the Supreme Military Council, the highest
governing body in the Federation, to meet on Nigerian soil. As
long as Northern troops were in Lagos and the West, no venue
could be found acceptable to all the Military Governors for a
meeting of the Supreme Military Council in Nigeria. It met
at Aburi in Ghana on 4th and 5th January, 1967, on the basis of
an agenda previously determined by the official of the Governments
of the country and adopted by the Supreme Military Council. Decisions
reached at the meeting were ignored by .Lt.-Col.. Gowon ,and .the
North. In the interest of this Region and of the whole Country
the East stood firmly by those decisions, and, warned that
they would be applied to Eastern Nigeria if steps were not taken
by the Lagos Government to apply them generally. The East rejected
all measures which did not reflect the decisions at Aburi.
The Aburi accord
was not implemented by the Lagos Government. All the meetings
of Military Leaders held since Aburi were held without the East.
All the decisions taken by Lagos were taken without comment
and concurrence from the East.
It became evident
that each time Nigerians came close to a realistic solution to
the current crisis by moving towards a loose form of association
or confederation, Lt-Col. Gowon unilaterally frustrated
their efforts . When the representatives of the Military Governors
decided on August 9 that troops be repatriated to their Regions
of origin, and it appeared to him that this would, lead
to confederation, he unilaterally refused to fully implement
that decisjon. When jn September the Ad HOC Constitutional
Conferençe appeared near agreement an a loose Federation,
he unilaterally dismissed them indefinitely. When
in January 1967, the Military Leaders agreed at Aburi on
what the Federal Permanent Secretaries correctly interpreted
as confederation he unilaterally rejected the Agreement to Which
he had, voluntarily subscribed. When in May, 1967, all the
Southern Military Governors and the Leaders of Thought of their
Regions spoke out in favour of Confederation, he
dismissed the Supreme Military Council and proclaimed himself
the dictator of Nigeria—an act which, to say the least, is
treasonable.
Following the pogrom
of 1966, some two million Eastern Nigerians have returned from
other Regions, refugees in their own Country. Money was needed
to care for them—not to give them mere relief but to rehabilitate
them and, in time, restore their outraged feelings. The Lagos
Government was urged to give the Eastern Nigeria Government its
share of the statutory revenues. Lt.-Col. Gowon refused
to do so in the hope that the weight of the burden would lead
to the economic collapse of Eastern Nigeria.
Ultimately, and
beginning from April 1, 1967, steps were taken to recover what
was due to Eastern Nigeria and to enable this Region and her people
to survive. These are the “Survival Edicts”: The Revenue
Collection Edict, the Legal Education (Eastern Nigeria) Edict,
the Statutory Bodies Edict and the Court of Appeal Edict.
At each stage during
the crisis, in accordance with the democratic and republican spirit
of Eastern Nigerians, the people were fully consulted for their
advice and guidance.
On August 31, 1966,
the First Consultative Assembly and the Advisory Committee of
Chiefs and Elders consisting of four representatives from
each administrative division and other interests were summoned
and the facts relating to the crisis put before them. Their advice
was as follows:
Be it resolved
as follows:—
1. We, the representatives
of the various communities in Eastern Nigeria gathered in this
Consultative Assembly, hereby declare our implicit confidence
in the MIilitary Governor for Eastern Nigeria, Lt.-Col. Odumegwu
Ojukwu, in all the actions he has so far taken to deal with the
situation which has arisen in Nigeria since May 29, 1966.
2. In view
of the grave threat to our survival as ‘a unit in the Republic
of Nigeria, we. hereby urge and empower/advise him to take all
such actions that might be necessary to protect the integrity
of Eastern Nigeria and the lives and property of its inhabitants.
3. We advise
constant consultation by His Excellency with the Consultative
Assembly.
4. In view of the
gravity of the present situation we affirm complete faith
in and urge the need for solidarity of Eastern Nigeria as a unit.
5. In view
of the present situation of things no delegates be sent to Lagos
for any constitutional talks unless the safety of the delegates
is guaranteed.”
After the adjournment
of the Ad Hoc Constitutional Conference, these bodies, now enlarged
to consist of ten representatives from each administrative division
in Eastern Nigeria and other sectors of the community were summoned.
The delegates to the Ad Hoc Constitutional Conference placed
a full report before them, and by a resolution dated October 7,
1966, the Consultative, Assembly and the Advisory Committee of
Chiefs and Elders advised as follows:
1. PLACES
on - record its. deep gratitude to, the Eastern Nigeria Delegation
to the Constitutional Conference in Lagos for the diligent and
faithful way in which, under conditions of severe strain, tension
and fear, they carried out the mandate given to them by the Consultative
Assembly and the, Chiefs and Elders of Eastern Nigeria.
2. ENDORSES
the stand of the Eastern Delegation it the Lagos Constitutional
Conference.
3. URGES that
as an interim measure, a beginning be made to implement
those aspects of the recommendations as relate to the Armed
Forces at least to the extent of returning to their Regions of
origin and vesting the operational control of the regional contingents
in the respective Military Governors.
4. RE-AFFIRMS
its acceptance of the Report of the Committee on the Pattern
of Constitution for Eastern Nigeria within the Federation of Nigeria
and the additional suggestions proposed by the Graham -Douglas
Constitutional Committee regarding the legislative
and executive functions to be devolved upon the Provincial
Units and urges that the Constitutional Committee should
forthwith study the details of the scheme with particular reference
to the number and size of provinces, the distribution of functions
between the Provinces and the Regional Government financial arrangements
and the method and tuning of implementation.
5. ENDORSES
both the principle of the creation of more states in Nigeria and
the statement of the Eastern Delegation to the Lagos Constitutional
Conference to the effect that the splitting up of the country
at this stage is not what is needed to normalize the conditions
of life in the country and provide a sense of security for its
inhabitants, that immediate constitutional arrangements for the
country as a whole should be made on the basis of the existing
regions in order to save the country from impending disintegration.
6. SINCE the
issue of the creation of more states is a vital and
inevitable item on the Agenda of the Lagos Constitutional
Conference, RECCOMENDS the following as the conditions
upon which , the creation of states should proceed:-
(a) The basis
for the creation of states must be mutually agreed upon beforehand
and must be uniformly and consistently applied throughout the
country.
(b) The creation
of states must take place simultaneously throughout the country.
(c) The creation
of any new state must be based upon the consent of the people
of the area which is to be included in the proposed state and
where two or more distinct tribal groupings are comprised
within such area the wishes of each such grouping must be separately
ascertained and respected.
(d) The population,
area and economic resources of any new state which it is proposed
to create must be reasonably commensurate to the enormous functions
which the states will be expected to perform under the new constitutional
arrangements envisaged for Nigeria.
7. IN VIEW of the
fact that the desire on the part of the minority groups for self-determination
is the active force behind the demand for the creation of
more states and since in the context of present-day Nigeria
minorities are defined by reference to tribe, AFFIRMS its belief
that the best hope for a satisfactory solution to the problems
of Nigeria lies in the recognition and preservation of the separate
identity of the various tribal or linguistic groupings and their
right to develop each along its own line and at its own pace accordingly.
RECOMMENDS that
the creation of states throughout Nigeria should be on the basis
of tribal or linguistic groupings or mutual consent between the
linguistic groupings.
8. ADVISES
that, until the agreements, reached by the personal representatives
of the Military Governors on August 8 and 9 are fully implemented,
and until immediate compensation is paid by the Federal Military
Government for the lives and property of Easterners lost in the
disturbed areas of Nigeria, the Eastern Nigeria Delegation should
no longer participate in future Constitutional Conference.
9. SATISFIED
that the interim report of the Constitutional Conference
has been completely overtaken by the most recent events in the
country, ADVISES that the only possible and logical solution to
the problem of political association for Nigeria lies in the organization
and running of common services.
A. IK0KU Chairman
DATED 7th October,
1966.
On November 23,
1966, they met again to consider the progress of the crisis. They
resolved as follows:—
RECALLING the atrocious
murders of persons of Eastern Nigeria origin and other acts of
barbarism and inhumanity committed ‘against us in other parts
of Nigeria by fellow countrymen among whom they lawfully resided;
AWARE of the planned
and determined effort to exclude Eastern Nigeria and her people
from the public affairs and public offices of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria;
CONSCIOUS of the
attempt made and being made, by the Government and people of Eastern
Nigeria, in spite of the wrongs done to Eastern Nigeria to promote
peace and salvage what is left of Nigeria and her honour;
DETERMINED to protect
and defend the integrity of Eastern Nigeria and the dignity of
her people;
CONFIRMING the
mandate given by us to our Delegates to the Ad hoc Constitutional
Conference, and our confidence in them, and having noted
with regret the indefinite adjournment of the meeting of the Ad
Hoc Constitutional Conference by Lt -Col Yakubu Gowon for
alleged inability to agree upon the venue of the meeting as well
as according to him, because of other difficulties which
he has not named;
OBSERVING that,
even though the decision to appoint the Ad Hoc Constitutional
Conference was a unanimous agreement of the Governments of the
Federation, yet the adjournment was made without consultation
with or consent by the Eastern Nigeria Government;
HAVING also noted
the many acts of bad faith on the part of the Gowon Government
and its inability to fulfil promises or implement agreements unanimously
reached,
FINDING now that
there is a plot hatched up by certain civil servants and other
officials with the active involvement of Lt.-Col. Yakubu Gowon
to impose a constitution and certain other measures on Nigeria;
RE-AFFIRMING the
implicit ‘confidence of the people of Eastern Nigeria in
His Excellency, Lt.-Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu and assuring him of the
solidarity of Eastern Nigeria and their support and admiration
for the way he has handled the present crisis facing Nigeria;
ALSO ASSURING His
Excellency of the admiration of the people of Eastern Nigeria
in the Military Government of Eastern Nigeria and their desire
for its continued administration until it has achieved its objective
of creating a new society in Eastern Nigeria;
WE DO HEREBY RESOLVE
that our Military Governor be advised as follows:—
(1) To take any
measures he considers appropriate for the defence
and protection of the integrity of Eastern Nigeria, the lives
and property of its inhabitants.
(2) To maintain
utmost vigilance against subversion of the Government of Eastern
Nigeria not only from outside the Region, but also from within
and to deal ruthlessly with anybody, high or low, engaged in subversion.
(3) To resist the
imposition on the people of Eastern Nigeria of any constitutional,
administrative or legislative measures taken without prior consultation
and agreement.
(4) To reject
any solution which will undermine the economic and industrial
progress and prosperity of Eastern Nigeria or which will tend
to sow the seeds of future friction among the Regions of this
Country.
(5) To continue
with the good progress made so far in the rehabilitation of refugees.
(6) To speed
up the implementation of Provincial Administration with legislative
and executive powers, and the re-establishment of Customary
Courts.
(7) To spare
no efforts at the right time to purge former holders of public
offices of corrupt practices so as to set a shining example for
the youths of this Region, and inculcate into the people the spirit
of honesty,. integrity, fair-play, mutual trust and a feeling
of oneness which will provide the basis for our future progress.
(8) To continue
Your Excellency’s efforts to bring about a meeting of Military
Leaders and the reconvening of the Ad Hoc Constitutional Conference
under conditions of adequate security satisfactory to Your Excellency.
(9) To ensure
that only men and women of integrity and merit are appointed to
public offices, in the Region and that a code of conduct for public
officers be drawn up for Eastern Nigeria.
LASTLY, we
assure Your Excellency that no Eastern Nigerian, whether living
inside or outside this Region, has the mandate or support of the
people of this Region to speak for or represent them UNLESS appointed
with the recommendation and approval of Your Excellency acting
on behalf of Eastern Nigeria.
Dated 23rd November,
1966
A. IKOKU
Chairman
Eastern Nigeria
Consultative Assembly Meeting
Since that date
matters had become worse; sanctions had been imposed on Eastern
Nigeria, warlike preparations made against her; her isolation
was complete. Men and women in the Region, jncensed
by the treatment meted out to them by an unrepentant Lagos and
the North, called for the, declaration of Eastern Nigeria as a
sovereign independent state.
In these circumstances
the joint meeting of the Consultative Assembly and
the Advisory Committee of Chiefs and Elders was reconvened for
a clear statement on the future course of action. After an appraisal
of the development in the Nigerian crises past and present
had been presented to the joint session, a telegram just received
from the Lagos, Government was read. The full text is as
follows:-
“FURTHER
MY TELEX OF.TWENTIETH MAY X I HAVE JUST RECEIVED YOUR LETTER
PG/0897/11 OF MAY 16, 1967 X AS YOU ARE AWARE ECONOMIC .
MEASURES COMPLAINED OF WERE LIFTED IN RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATIONS
OF NATIONAL CONCILIATION COMMITTEE WITH EFFECT FROM MAY 23 X THEREFORE
DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU HAVE NOT RESPONDED POSITIVELY
X IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO COMMENCE MEASURES TO RESOLVE CRISIS WITHOUT
BLOODSHED AND KEEP THE COUNTRY TOGETHER X.
IT IS DESIRABLE
YOU DECLARE YOUR AGREEMENT WITH POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAMME
RECENTLY PROCLAIMED BY THE SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL X THIS YOU
WILL RECALL REQUIRES THE URGENT CREATION OF STATES SIMULTANEOUSLY
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO REMOVE THREAT OF DOMINATION, PREPARATION
OF NEW CONSTITUTION ON THEIR BAS1S X NEW CONSTITUTION CAN PROVIDE
ALL SAFEGUARDS CONSIDERED NECESSARY FOR STATES GOVERNMENTS X ALSO
PROGRAMME ENVISAGES IMMEDIATE APPOINTMENT OF A REVENUE ALLOCATION
COMMISSION TO FIND NEW FORMULA ON BASIS OF PRINCIPLE OF DERIVATION
AND NEED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE FUNDS FOR ESSENTIAL CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
FUNCTIONS X PROGRAMME’ WILL ENSURE FAIR PLAY AND JUSTICE
FOR ALL SECTIONS OF THE COUNTRY X.
THEREFORE I EARNESTLY
APPEAL TO YOU TO COOPERATE TO ARREST FURTHER DRIFT INTO DISINTEGRATION
X ON THE BASIS OF THE FOREGOING REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL GOVERNMENTS
CAN MEET WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY TO PLAN FOR SMOOTH IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAMME ADOPTED BY ALL YOUR
COLLEAGUES OF THE SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL X MOST IMMEDIATE”
On the evening
of Saturday, May 27th, 1967 the joint session of the enlarged
Consultative Assembly and the Advisory Committee of Chiefs and
Elders, after full deliberation, passed a resolution the text
of which is as follows:
“WE, THE CHIEFS,
Elders and Representatives of Eastern Nigeria, gathered at this
Joint Meeting of the Advisory Committee of Chiefs and Elders and
the Consultative Assembly do solemnly declare as follows:
“WHEREAS we
have been in the vanguard of the national movement for the
building of a strong, united and prosperous Nigeria where no man
will be oppressed and have devoted our efforts, talents and resources
to this end;
“WHEREAS we
cherish certain inalienable human rights and state obligations
such as the right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness; the
right to acquire, possess and defend property; the provision of
security; and the establishment of good and just government based
on the consent of the governed;
“WHEREAS in
practical demonstration of these beliefs, our people settled in
other parts of Nigeria, served their country in many capacities,
and contributed immensely to the growth and development of
Nigeria;
“WHEREAS
we are living witnesses of injustices and atrocities committed
against Eastern Nigeria, among which are the premeditated
murder of over 30,000 of our innocent men, women and children
by Northern Nigerians, the calculated destruction of the property
of our sons and daughters, the shameless Conversion of two million
Eastern Nigerians into refugees in their own country, all this
without remorse;
“WHEREAS in
consequence of these and other acts of discrimination and
injustice, we have painfully realized that the Federation of Nigeria
has ‘failed, and has given us no protection;
“WHEREAS in
spite of these fads, the Government and people of Eastern Nigeria
have persisted in’ their efforts to find a practical and
just solution that would preserve the continued existence of Nigeria
as one corporate unit and restore peace and confidence as demonstrated
by the initiative of our Military Governor in getting all the
military leaders together at Aburi, Ghana;
“WHEREAS
the hopes which the Abüri Agreement engendered
have proved to be misplaced and have been destroyed by a series
of acts of bad faith and distortions and finally by a refusal
on the part of the “Lagos Government” to implement these
and other Agreements notwithstanding the fact that they were freely
and voluntarily entered into;
WHEREAS the Federation
of Nigeria has forfeited any ‘claim to our allegiance
by these acts and by the economic, political, and diplomatic
sanctions imposed against us by the Federal Government.
“AND WHEREAS
the object of government is the good of governed and the will
of the people its ultimate sanction;
Now, THEREFORE,
in consideration of these arid other facts and injustices, we,
the Chiefs, Elders and Representatives of all the Twenty
Provinces of Eastern Nigeria, assembled in this JointMeeting of
the Advisory Committee of Chiefs ‘and Elders and the Consultative
Assembly, at Enugu this 27th day of May, 1967, we: hereby solemnly:
(a)MANDATE His
Excellency Lt.- Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Military
Governor of Eastern Nigeria to declare at the earliest practicable
date Eastern Nigeria a free, sovereign and independent state by
the name and title of the REPUBLIC OF BIAFRA.
(b) RESOLVE that
the new REPUBLIC OF BIAFRA shall have the full and absolute powers
of a sovereign state, and shall establish, commerce, levy war,
conclude peace, enter into diplomatic relations, and carry out,
as of right, other sovereign responsibilities.
(c)DIRECT that
the REPUBLIC OF BIAFRA may enter into arrangement with any
sovereign unit or units in what remains of Nigeria or in any part
of Africa desirous of association with us for the purpose of running
a common services organization and for the establishment of economic
ties.
(d) RECOMMEND that
the REPUBLIC OF BIAFRA should become a member of the Commonwealth
of Nations, the Organization of African Unity and
the United Nations Organization
(e) RECOMMEND the
adoption of a Federal Constitution based on the new provincial
units
(f) RE-AFFIRM HIS
Excellency’s assurance of protection for the persons, properties
and businesses of foreign nationals in our territory.
(g) DECLARE our
unqualified confidence in the Military Governor of Eastern Nigeria,
Lt.-Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, and assure him of our unreserved
support for the way and manner he had handled the crisis in the
country.
“So help us
God.”
THE DECLARATION
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 posterity;
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, that 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—
(1) all political
ties between us and the Federal Republic of Nigeria are hereby
totally dissolved;
(ii) 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 ant 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 convenants thereof shall,
subject to this Declaration be performed by the parties according
to their tenor;
(iii) 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;
(iv) Eastern Nigeria’s
due share of all subsisting international debts and obligations
entered into by the Government of the Republic of Nigeria on behalf
of the Federation of Nigeria shall be honored and respected;
(v) 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;
(vi) 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;
(vii) we shall
keep the door open for association with, and would welcome, any
sovereign unit or units in the former Federation of Nigeria
Or in 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;
(viii) 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;
(ix) we shall
faithfully adhere to the charter of the Organization of African
Unity and of the United Nations Organization;
(x) 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 WHO LIVE IN HER!!
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