September 20, 1967: The Day That Killed The Republic Of Benin Created By Biafra
By
Obinna Michael
In history, we remember one of the most dramatic and shortest-lived chapters of the Nigerian Civil War.
In August 1967, just months after Gen Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu declared the independent Republic of Biafra on May 30, Biafran forces crossed into the Mid-Western Region. The Mid-West had declared itself neutral, refusing to allow federal troops to pass through to attack Biafra. To secure the region, Biafra took control and installed Dr. Albert Nwazu Okonkwo, an American-trained Igbo medical doctor from igbouzo present day Delta State, as its Military Administrator.
Initially, the occupation had mixed reactions. Our Igbo brothers in the Mid-West welcomed the Biafran presence, while our non-Igbo brothers in the old Bendel –the Binis, Urhobos, Isokos and others – were uneasy. The administration tried to win hearts through massive propaganda broadcasts about the plight of Igbos in Nigeria, but the strategy backfired and turned many non-Igbos firmly against the Biafran presence.
By mid-September 1967, the tide had turned. Federal troops under Col. Murtala Muhammed launched a powerful counter-offensive to retake the Mid-West. Dr. Okonkwo knew Benin City would fall. In a final desperate move to make history, he made a pre-recorded broadcast early on September 19, 1967, declaring a new nation – the REPUBLIC OF BENIN, named after Benin City.
He made it clear this Republic was meant to be separate from both Nigeria and Biafra, though it would support Biafra and immediately seek United Nations membership. The declaration was officially broadcast on September 20, 1967, even as federal forces were already entering the city.
It did not last. By 1pm on September 20, 1967, federal troops recaptured Benin City. The Republic of Benin ended after just over 24 hours, making it the shortest-lived state in African history. It ,That afternoon, Dr. Okonkwo and his cabinet fled across the River Niger back into Biafra.
This day reminds us that the quest for self-determination has always been complex, and history must be told truthfully.
OBINNA MICHAEL IS A WRITER AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST
