A former Anambra governorship aspirant and elder statesman, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, has stated that the late Biafran leader, Ikemba Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, never intended to lead the Eastern Region into the 1967 civil war.
In an interview with DAILY POST, Obidigbo asserted that Ojukwu made every effort to prevent the war but was forced into conflict after Lt-Colonel Yakubu Gowon, the Nigerian leader at the time, reneged on the Aburi Accord.
“Ojukwu didn’t want that war. He did everything possible to stop it,” Obidigbo said. “He had two key reasons—first, the region was not militarily prepared, and second, the Igbo are naturally itinerant and thrive in a larger environment like Nigeria.”
He further alleged that a post-war strategy was devised to weaken the Igbo economy by shutting down seaports in the region, forcing trade to flow through Lagos.
“The agreement that favored the Yoruba was to close all ports bordering Igbo land after the war, compelling businesses to operate through Lagos and boosting the Western economy,” Obidigbo claimed.
He called for a fair economic landscape, emphasizing the need for equal opportunities for all Nigerians.
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