If Ojukwu Hadn’t Declared Biafra, He Would Have Been Killed – Prof. ABC Nwosu

In a gripping recollection of his personal experience during the Nigerian Civil War, former Minister of Health, Professor ABC Nwosu, has revealed that the declaration of Biafra by the late General Odumegwu Ojukwu was not only inevitable but also crucial for his survival. Speaking in an interview, Nwosu, who left the University of Ibadan as an undergraduate to join the Biafran army, stated that had Ojukwu not responded militarily following the breakdown of the Aburi Accord and the attack at Gakem, Biafrans would have turned against him.

According to Prof. Nwosu, the war was not a one-man decision but a popular response by the Eastern people following widespread killings and betrayals. “If Ojukwu had failed to respond once the shots rang out at Gakem, people would have got rid of him,” he said. “The war was a very popular war on the Biafran side. If you were a man, you would join.”

Recalling his days as a soldier, Nwosu narrated how young men, particularly undergraduates, pleaded to enlist in the Biafran army. He joined voluntarily and served as an officer in what was called the Fearless Infantry Battalion. He sustained serious injuries during a mortar attack in which several fellow officers died. The wound damaged one of his lungs, and he has lived ever since with only one and a half. He credits his survival to the loyalty of his men, who shielded and evacuated him from the battlefield.

Nwosu also discussed a forthcoming book chronicling the origins and execution of the civil war. He is the lead author of the yet-to-be-released volume, which he said was commissioned by Ojukwu and includes contributions from seven notable individuals, including former Cross River State governor Clement Ebri and the late Prof. Sylvanus Kuki. The book, expected to be released within two years, reportedly contains previously unseen documents and is intended to present “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” especially for younger generations who might be misinformed about the war.

Speaking on the events that led to the war, Nwosu insisted that the conflict could have been avoided if the federal authorities had honored the Aburi Accord agreed upon in Ghana. He emphasized that the breach of the accord by the Nigerian side was the immediate trigger of the war. “The cause of the Nigeria-Biafra war was simply the inability of Nigeria, or the attempt by Nigeria to rewrite the Aburi Accord,” he said. “Without that, there would have been no war.”

He also debunked the narrative that the January 1966 coup was an Igbo-led insurrection, asserting that it was the brainchild of Major Ifeajuna and not Nzeogwu, who was recruited later. Nwosu praised former President Ibrahim Babangida for acknowledging in his writings that the coup was not ethnic in nature, describing Babangida’s perspective as courageous.

Drawing from personal experience and historical documents, Nwosu argued that the war should not be seen as Ojukwu’s war, but rather a collective response by a people under siege. He highlighted that many of the most outstanding Biafran officers were not Igbo, citing the example of Colonel Afahang Nsudo from Akwa Ibom. “The Biafrans were not a pushover at all,” he added.

On Nigeria’s broader role in Africa, Nwosu lamented that the country has drifted from its historical purpose of leading the African continent toward a renaissance. He reflected on how Nigerian students dominate top global universities and called for renewed national leadership focused on excellence, unity, and justice rather than ethnic advantage.