Biafraball

Republic of Biafraball : Repoblik Biafra
↓ ↓ 30 May 1967 – 15 January 1970
General information
Government	Republic
Language(s)	Igbo (Official), English
Capital	Enuguball
Religion	Christianity Protestantism Catholicism
Relations and opinions
Friends	Beninball (1967) Franceball Second Portuguese Republicball Francoist Spainball Chinaball Israelcube (before 1968)
Enemies	Nigeriaball Egyptball USAball UKball USSRball Nigerball Cameroonball Israelcube (after 1968)
Historical information
Preceded by	Nigeriaball
Succeeded by	Nigeriaball
Status
Dead

Biafraball was a historical countryball located in Africa.

History

In 1966, a military coup erupted where southern military officers executed 30 political officials, including the Nigerian Prime Minister and the northern premier. In revenge, northern military officers staged a counter-coup, killing the masterminds.

From June through October 1966, pogroms in the North killed an estimated 8,000 to 30,000 Igbo, half of them children, and caused more than a million to two million to flee to the Eastern Region. 29 September 1966, was considered the worst day; because of massacres, it was called 'Black Thursday'.

Ethnomusicologist Charles Keil, who was visiting Nigeriaball in 1966, recounted:

The Federal Military Government also laid the groundwork for the economic blockade of the Eastern Region which went into full effect in 1967.

Breakaway

On 27 May 1967, Gowon proclaimed the division of Nigeriaball into twelve states. This decree carved the Eastern Region in three parts: South Eastern State, Rivers State, and East Central State. Now the Igbos, concentrated in the East Central State, would lose control over most of the petroleum, located in the other two areas.

On May 30, a colonel of the Nigerian miitary and also a governor of the Eastern region, Odumegwu Ojukwu declared the independence of Biafraball from Nigeriaball, with himself as president.

The Federal Military Government immediately placed an embargo on all shipping to and from Biafra—but not on oil tankers. Biafraball quickly moved to collect oil royalties from oil companies doing business within its borders. When Shell-BP acquiesced to this request at the end of June, the Federal Government extended its blockade to include oil. The blockade, which most foreign actors accepted, played a decisive role in putting Biafraball at a disadvantage from the beginning of the war.

Although the very young nation had a chronic shortage of weapons to go to war, it was determined to defend itself. Although there was much sympathy in Europe and elsewhere, only five countries ( Tanzaniaball, Gabonball, Côte d'Ivoireball, Zambiaball, and Haitiball) officially recognised the new republic. Britain supplied amounts of heavy weapons and ammunition to the Nigerian side because of its desire to preserve the country it had created. The Biafra side received arms and ammunition from Franceball, even though the French government denied sponsoring Biafraball. An article in Paris Match of 20 November 1968 claimed that French arms were reaching Biafra through neighbouring countries such as Gabonball. The heavy supply of weapons by Britain was the biggest factor in determining the outcome of the war.

Several peace accords were held, with the most notable one held at Aburi, Ghanaball (the Aburi Accord). There were different accounts of what took place in Aburi. Ojukwu accused the federal government of going back on their promises while the federal government accused Ojukwu of distortion and half-truths. Ojukwu gained agreement to a confederation for Nigeriaball, rather than a federation. He was warned by its advisers that this reflected a failure of Gowon to understand the difference and, that being the case, predicted that it would be reneged upon.

When this happened, Ojukwu regarded it as both a failure by Gowon to keep to the spirit of the Aburi agreement and lack of integrity on the side of the Nigerian Military Government in the negotiations toward a united Nigeria. Gowon's advisers, to the contrary, felt that it had enacted as much as was politically feasible in fulfillment of the spirit of Aburi. The Eastern Region was very ill equipped for war, outmanned and outgunned by the Nigerians. Their advantages included fighting in their homeland, support of most Easterners, determination, and use of limited resources.

UKball, which still maintained the highest level of influence over Nigeriaball's highly valued oil industry through Shell-BP, and Soviet Unionball supported the Nigerian government, especially by military supplies.

The Nigerian Army in 1967 was completely unready for war. The Nigerian Army had no training or experience of war on the operational level, still being primarily an internal security force. Most Nigerian officers were more concerned with their social lives than military training, spending a disproportionate amount of their time on partying, drinking, hunting and playing games. Social status in the Army was extremely important and officers devoted an excessive amount of time to ensure their uniforms were always immaculate while there was a competition to own the most expensive automobiles and homes. The killings and purges perpetuated during the two coups of 1966 had killed most of the Sandhurst graduates as by July 1966 all of the officers holding the rank above colonel had been either killed or discharged while only 5 officers holding the rank of lieutenant colonel were still alive and on duty. Almost all of the junior officers had received their commissions after 1960 and most were heavily dependent the more experienced NCOs to provide the necessary leadership. The same problems that afflicted the Federal Army also affected the Biafran Army even more whose officer corps were based around former Federal Igbo officers. The shortage of experienced officers was a major problem for the Biafran Army, made worse by a climate of paranoia and suspicion within as Ojukwu believed that other former Federal officers were plotting against him.

Despite the Biafran Army being poorly trained and lack modern weapons, they're still determined to fight. Some European countries even supported Biafraball, most notably Franceball, who gave them German captured weapons from World War II and also supplies such as ammunition. Some Europeans fought as mercenaries, such as Rolf Steiner from Germany, who commanded the 4th Commando Brigade of Biafra.

However, the Nigerian Army began making offensives deep into Biafran territory. They also started a blockade, which starved the population, most notably children.

Relationships

Friends

• Franceball - Friend of mine sent me weapons and one of his dealers sold me a Douglas A-26 Invader with which I bombed Nigeriaball.
• Francoist Spainball - I support myself diplomatically
•  Union of South Africaball - You support and hate Nigeriaball but because you are racist.
• Rhodesiaball - He gave me help, but you are racist as South Africa.
• Second Portuguese Republicball - Just like anti-communist Spain, it supported me from its Angola colony and sent pilots and planes.
• Chinaball - Because of the Sino-Soviet split, he sent me a team of weapons to fight against Nigeria.
• West Germanyball - Also helped support the war against Nigeria.
• Czechoslovakiaball - (before 1968) He illegally sold me weapons and he supports me, too bad the USSR invaded you in 1968.

Netural

• Israelcube (before 1968) - I gave myself weapons but why did you ally yourself with my oppressor?

Enemies

• Nigeriaball - He starved me and my people! BLACK SEPTEMBER NEVER FORGET!!! I will be reborn! You hear?!
• Egyptball - You supported my invader and you bombed me with your aircraft.
• USAball Because if you were fighting against communism in Vietnam
• UKball You allied with my oppressor and invader for my oil wells
• USSRball You sold him weapons and with that he bombed me
• Israelcube (after 1968) Why did you do it if you hated communism and the Arab countries?

Gallery

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