Question 8
- List any threecountries that gave support to Biafra during the Civil War.
- Identify any fourfactors that prolonged the Nigerian Civil War.
Observation
This was a fairlypopular question and was attempted by the candidates. The points involved were ignored by the candidates but gave very brief answers without elaboration. Generally, candidates were expected to mention the following points in order to get good marks:
- (i) Zambia
(ii) Tanzania
(iii) Gabon
(iv) Ivory Coast
(v) Haiti
(vi) Israel
(vii) France
(viii) Spain
(ix) Portugal
- (i) Biafra army had a committed leadership.
(ii) The dynamic personality of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
(iii) The massacre of the Igbo in the North sustained the zeal of Biafrans to fight for independence.
(iv) Biafra had sympathy from some nations and international organizations e.g. Red Cross and Caritas.
(v) There was a well-organized propaganda within and outside Biafra.
(vi) Outside interference from nations who supplied arms to both sides.
(vii) Nigeria took the war for granted at the initial stage.
(viii) Biafra resilience and resourcefulness e.g. the ability to produce military weapons.