Biafra officially became a Republic

On This Day In 1967, Biafra Officially became a Republic.

Biafra was a secessionist state in West Africa that existed from 1967 to 1970. It was formed by the IGBO people, who largely inhabited the southeastern region of Nigeria. The Biafran War (1967-1970) was a conflict between the Nigerian government and the secessionist state of Biafra, which ended with the defeat of Biafra and its reintegration into Nigeria.

The Biafran flag is a symbol of the movement and features a horizontal tricolor of red, yellow, and green, with a rising sun in the center. The flag is still used by some groups and individuals as a symbol of Biafran identity and nationalism.

Following a series of widespread ethnic violence that erupted after the July 29, 1966 countercoup which installed General Yakubu Gowon, as head of state, which led to the massacre of Igbo people in northern Nigeria, (by September 1966, approximately 30,000 Igbo civilians were killed in the north).

Ojukwu declared the Eastern region a sovereign and independent republic under the name of 'Republic of Biafra' on the 30th of May 1967. General Yakubu Gowon, the leader of the Federal Government of Nigeria, refused to recognize Biafra’s secession.

Biafra was formally recognised by Gabon, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Tanzania,  and Zambia.

The Republic of Biafra comprised over 29,848 square miles (77,310 km2) of land, with terrestrial borders shared with Nigeria to the north and west, and with Cameroon to the east. Its coast was on the Gulf of Guinea of the South Atlantic Ocean in the south.

Three major rivers flow from Biafra into the Gulf of Guinea: the Imo River, the Cross River and the Niger River.

The Bank of Biafra, accomplished under "Decree No. 3 of 1967" carried out all economic and central banking functions including the administration of foreign exchange and the management of the public debt of the Republic.

The secession led to the genocide that claimed the lives of over 3.5 million Igbo people plus that of ethnic groups from the Eastern region.

WE WILL NEVER FORGET.

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