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THE BIAFRAN WAR: Hunger As A Weapon Of War

on January 15, 2020

Biafra Essay Nigeria The Pogrom

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Biafra: 50 Years Of War That Made Famine A Weapon

on January 15, 2020

Biafra Essay Nigeria The Pogrom

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January 15, 1970, The End Of The Biafra War: The Dream Of Revenge

on January 15, 2020

Biafra Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu France Nigeria

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No Going Back On Amotekun- Soyinka

on January 15, 2020

Nigeria The News Wole Soyinka

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'I Looked For Death But I Couldn't Find It,' A Nigerian Town Relives The Brutal Civil War, 50 Years After It Ended

on January 15, 2020

Biafra Essay Nigeria The Pogrom

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Nigerians Mark 50 Years Of End Of Bloody Civil War

on January 15, 2020

Al Jazeera Biafra Essay Nigeria The Pogrom

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Nigeria Is Haunted By Its Civil War

on January 15, 2020

Biafra Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu New York Times Nigeria The Pogrom

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Rights Group Says China Is Trying To Silence Critics Abroad

on January 14, 2020

Abbey Wemimo AP Human Rights Society

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SYMPOSIUM: BIAFRA: 50 Years After: Let’s Revisit Issues That Caused The Civil War

on January 13, 2020

Biafra Nigeria Symposium The Pogrom Vanguard

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NIGERIA: January 15, 1966 To General Abacha

on January 13, 2020

BiafraNigeriaWorld Chukwuma Nzeogwu Essay Igbo The Pogrom

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Judge Refuses To Second-Guess Family Separations At Border

on January 13, 2020

Associated Press Immigrants News Desk Society

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California Governor's 'Homelessness Tour' Seeks Money, Solutions To Crisis On Streets

on January 13, 2020

California Gavin Newsom Los Angeles Newsroom Reuters

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On The Hunt With Central Africa’s ‘Lost’ Shark-Toothed Pygmy Tribe

on January 11, 2020

Africa Essay jungle

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Igbo Journal Review

Culture and Ideas for the Igbo Nation

Popular Posts

My Family Lived The Horrors Of Native American Boarding Schools – Why Biden’s Apology Doesn’t Go Far Enough

First- and second-grade students sit in a classroom at the former Genoa Indian Industrial School in Genoa, Neb. Researchers are now trying to locate the bodies of more than 80 Native American children buried near the school. National Archives/AP BY ROSALYN R. LAPIER PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN I am a direct descendant of family members that were forced as children to attend either a U.S. government-operated or church-run Indian boarding school. They include my mother, all four of my grandparents and the majority of my great-grandparents. On Oct. 25, 2024, Joe Biden, the first U.S. president to formally apologize for the policy of sending Native American children to Indian boarding schools, called it one of the most “ horrific chapters” in U.S. history and “a mark of shame.” But he did not call it a genocide. Yet, over the past 10 years, many historians and Indigenous scholars have said that what happened at the Indian boarding schools “ meets the

What Is African Ancestral Studies?

BY TOYIN FALOLA My decision to write this piece could not have come more opportune. First, I gave four well-received lectures in Ghana on African Ancestral Studies and the variety of knowledge connected with them. Its intellectual demonstration was applied to land, politics, and festivals. The set of these papers will be upgraded into a book. Then comes the second motive: the practical demonstration of ancestral knowledge in a significant film. The Nollywood (now on Netflix) movie, “Lisabi: The Uprising,” was released only a few weeks ago following scintillating publicity that left the audience thirsting for more from the streaming giant. Since its debut, the movie has received mixed reviews, with ratings as high as ten out of ten and as low as three. I will not comment on my opinion here as that is merely a distraction from the point. In Lisabi and all the other Nollywood historical movies that have held the Nigerian entertainment world captive lies evidence of a renaissance in the re

Many Wealthy Members Of Congress Are Descendants Of Rich Slaveholders − New Study Demonstrates The Enduring Legacy Of Slavery

Legislators in the House of Representatives debate the abolition of the 1836 gag rule, which prevented discussion of any laws concerning slavery. MPI/Getty Images AUTHORS: NEIL KR SEHGAL PH.D CANDIDATE IN COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCE UN IVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA ASHWINI SEHGAL PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY The legacy of slavery in America remains a divisive issue, with sharp political divides. Some argue that slavery still contributes to modern economic inequalities . Others believe its effects have largely faded . One way to measure the legacy of slavery is to determine whether the disproportionate riches of slaveholders have been passed down to their present-day descendants. Connecting the wealth of a slaveholder in the 1860s to today’s economic conditions is not easy. Doing so requires unearthing data for a large number of people on slaveholder ancestry, current wealth and other factors such as age and education. But in a

Global Culture Crossroads: Okonkwo Vs Idris Elba

BY FEMI AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON Idris Elba is a name synonymous with global stardom. Whether it is his nuanced performance as Nelson Mandela in ‘Long Walk to Freedom’, or his chilling portrayal of Commandant in ‘Beasts of No Nation’, the actor has proven himself capable of embodying larger-than-life characters. But can he do justice to the towering figure of Okonkwo, the tragic protagonist of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart? That question has stirred a storm of controversy, reflecting broader concerns about cultural authenticity, representation, and Hollywood’s expanding influence on global narratives. Achebe’s 1958 novel remains one of the most pivotal works in African literature, dissecting the cataclysmic encounter between the indigenous Igbo people of Nigeria and British colonialism. Okonkwo stands at the heart of this narrative, a man so tethered to his cultural identity that the forces of change render him a tragic relic of a dying era. Bringing such a character to life on the silver

The Truths We Hold: An American Journey – Kamala Harris

BY TIASUNEP AIER Kamala Harris, now the Vice President of the United States, reflects on her life and career in The Truths We Hold. First published on January 8, 2019, this memoir chronicles her journey from the daughter of immigrants to a top lawmaker. It focuses on her values of justice, equality, and integrity, presenting Harris’s political vision while showcasing key moments from her career as a prosecutor and U.S. Senator. The book covers Harris’s childhood in Oakland, California, her time as District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General of California, and her role as a U.S. Senator. Harris reflects on her work in criminal justice reform, immigration, and civil rights, weaving personal stories with her policy positions. The overarching themes of justice and fairness serve as the foundation for her political philosophy. One of the book’s strengths lies in Harris’s ability to blend personal anecdotes with policy discussions, making her political ideas more accessible. Her ded

Taiwan Rejects South African Demand To Move Its Representative Office From Capital

FILE- A rainbow forms over the Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File) BY CHRISTOPHER BODEEN TAIPEI, TAIWAN (AP) — Taiwan has rejected South Africa’s demand that it move its representative office in the country from the capital, Pretoria, to the commercial center of Johannesburg, in the latest attempt by the self-governing island republic to push back against Chinese moves to diplomatically isolate it. Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jeff Liu said at a news conference on Tuesday that the demand to move or shut the office violated a 1997 agreement between the sides on the location of their mutual representative offices following the severing of formal diplomatic relations. “Facing this kind of unreasonable demand, our side cannot grant our acceptance,” Liu said. South Africa maintains a liaison office in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, and the sides have a strong commercial relationship. The offices function as de-facto embassies

New Orleans Schools Still Separate And Unequal 70 Years After Brown V. Board Of Education

AUTHORS: CONNIE L. SCHAFFER PROFESSOR OF TEACHER EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA OMAHA MARTHA GRAHAM VIATOR ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF EDUCATION, ROWAN UNIVERSITY MEG WHITE PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION, STOCKTON UNIVERSITY Sixty-four years ago this November, public schools in New Orleans began to desegregate. School buildings once designated as “white” opened their doors to Black students. The integration process, which deeply divided the city, was led by four first-grade girls. Tessie Prevost, Leona Tate and Gail Etienne were the first Black students to attend the McDonogh 19 School. Ruby Bridges was assigned to the previously all-white William Frantz Public School. Newspapers worldwide ran photographs of the girls walking past protesters and entering the schools accompanied by federal marshals. When Prevost died in July 2024, she was lauded as a Civil Rights hero . Oprah Winfrey paid tribute to her at the Democratic National Convention. Prevost herself did not realize her role in

Guinea Authorities Dissolve Dozens Of Political Parties With No Election Date Set

Guinea's President Mamadi Doumbouya addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, September 21, 2023, (AP Photo/Richard Drew) DAKAR, SENEGAL (AP) — Guinea authorities dissolved dozens of political parties and placed two major opposition ones under observation late Monday, while the transitional government has yet to announce a date for elections. The West African country has been led by a military regime since soldiers ousted President Alpha Conde in 2021. The West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS has pushed for a return to civilian rule and elections are scheduled for 2025. The mass dissolution of 53 political parties and required observation of 54 others for three months is unprecedented in Guinea, which held its first democratic election in 2010 after decades of authoritarian rule. The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization announced the moves based on an evaluation of all political parties begun in June. The evaluation w

Rethinking Responses To Coups In West Africa

BY AISSATOU KANTE ECOWAS should use its special summit on regional integration in 2025 to reconsider its approach to managing coups. Recurrent coups since 2020 and the decision by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) reveal the region’s deep governance and democracy challenges. ECOWAS’ struggle to address these crises, along with perceptions of double standards in its handling of military coups vs. ‘constitutional’ coups perpetrated by elected governments, has damaged the organisation’s image in West Africa. The decision by ECOWAS heads of state to hold a Special Summit on the Future of Regional Integration in West Africa in 2025 presents an opportunity to resolve these issues. The summit will be inclusive and consultative and aims to strengthen ECOWAS, making it more efficient and reactive. West African leaders also called for a strategic review, including of ‘the relationships between electoral processes, democracy and d

Socially Distanced Layout Of The World’s Oldest Cities Helped Early Civilization Evade Diseases

Modern excavations at what was once Çatalhöyük, where inhabitants lived in mud-brick houses that weren’t separated by paths or streets. Murat Özsoy 1958/Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA BY R. ALEXANDER BENTLEY PROFESSOR OF ANTHROPOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE In my research focused on early farmers of Europe, I have often wondered about a curious pattern through time: Farmers lived in large dense villages, then dispersed for centuries, then later formed cities again, only to abandon those as well. Why? Archaeologists often explain what we call urban collapse in terms of climate change , overpopulation, social pressures or some combination of these . Each likely has been true at different points in time. But scientists have added a new hypothesis to the mix: disease. Living closely with animals led to zoonotic diseases that came to also infect humans. Outbreaks could have led dense settlements to be abandoned, at least until later generations found a way to organize their settlement layou

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: 2015: Leadership and Sins of Nd'Igbo

Click on image to read full story and analysis

FROM THE ARCHIVES: BIAFRA: Relative Discourses

I signed up because I had little experience in Africa, after having served in the United Nations forces in Congo. Also upset about what happened in Biafra and Czechoslovakia, I did not want to stand next to and just watch.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: INTERVIEW: JULIUS KPADUWA

The problems that confront Imo State are really not unique. It is the same problem that confronts almost every state in Nigeria, and it's one of economic development. The primary thing or my clear vision for the people of Imo State will be getting all the able-bodied men and women back to work, so that we can begin to have the quality of life that has so far eluded the people of Imo State.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Where We Met

But seeing a Nigeria headline on my screen it then occurred to him I must either be a Nigerian or perhaps a curious minded fellow who is reading to find out about the notorious Boko Haram, if they have captured more of their victims, or if there's an ongoing battle between the insurgents and the nation's security forces. Elevating my head up and starring at each other, I told him I was Igbo

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Otokoto Saga Interview

Now, the main question is about eleven year old Ikechukwu Anthony Okonkwo whose head was found dripping with blood with the convicted murderer Innocent Ekeanyanwu on a police tip-off inside a traveling commercial bus at Eziama in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: THE AMBROSE EHIRIM-CHIKA UNIGWE INTERVIEW

Every writer has to be able to live in the head of her characters. I had to make myself a blank blackboard for the characters to inscribe their lives on me. I had to wipe off that board every time a new character had to be created and totally surrender myself to that new character.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: INTERVIEW: THE SYLVESTER MENSAH STORY

The idea of writing a book had always engaged my thoughts based on reflections and the desire to share my experiences. The motivation was however triggered after reading the book of a gentleman l consider the busiest in Ghana, H. E. John Dramani Mahama

FROM THE ARCHIVES: INTERVIEW: DR. APOLLOS NWAUWA

Contrary to what many think, the Igbo Diaspora is not really a homogenous, coherent group. Like other ethnic nationalities in the USA, the Igbo Diaspora consists of peoples from all walks of life separated by everything and only united by the fact that they are all Igbo. Serious social class disparity exists between them; therefore, presenting a united front in influencing or engineering actions at home continues to be a challenge.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: INTERVIEW: OZO'S KENI SAINT GEORGE

It was indeed a very boisterous, purpose driven, well-to-do Royal family. I come from a lineage of Royals and a well groomed family unit. My Father, Chief George Ozuloke, was a Court Judge for all of 18 years. He was both a Christian and Animist. He had 7 wives of which my mother was the first. I went to St. Martins Primary School and later to a wonderful School – Abbot Secondary Grammar School in Ihiala, my town. I even did a stint in Ihiala Seminary trying to be a Catholic Priest

Sovereign National Conference: A Symposium

A sovereign nation is born when, out of civilization, any such populations of human assemblage pledge loyalty and confide their trust to a governing body which they elect to oversee to their security, welfare and yes, to their happiness. The ensuing system of governance thrives and becomes sustainable by the wishes of the people whose interests it caters for.

ARETHA FRANKLIN (1942-2018)

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Aburi Accord Plays On

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Nchamere Nd'Igbo: Evidence of Anti-Igbo Pogrom

Obafemi Awolowo's orchestrated "Economic Blockade" denies food and medicine to Children of Biafra during Yakubu Gowon's-led genocidal campaign against the Igbo Nation. CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW ALL PICTURES

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Inside Nigeria's Fourth Republic: Nothing But A Messy 14 Years

In the fourteen years of said democracy, things that never happened in the past - the way it had now turned out - started happening at an alarming rate and spooky by its nature.......Click on image to read full story

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