Nigeria’s civil war was fought for oil, not unity.
Engr Damian Okafor, Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Leader worldwide, has said that the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970) was fought not to unite the country, but to grab control of crude oil deposits in the Eastern Region, which was mostly controlled by the Igbo people.
According to the IGBO Youth Leader, the battle was staged to subdue the Igbos and transfer control of these riches to the northern region, with Britain playing a key role in the process. “The true objective was never unity,” he said, dismissing the war’s official narrative as a fight for national cohesion.
“Are we united today, 54 years after the so-called oil war masquerading as the Nigerian-Biafran war?” The answer is no; our divisions are deeper than ever.”
Okafor criticised General Yakubu Gowon, the wartime Head of State, calling him a “coward and clueless opportunist.” He accused Gowon and northern military officers of killing Igbo colleagues and citizens around Nigeria without cause. In fear of retaliation, he alleged, Gowon initially relocated the Central Bank of Nigeria to the North and planned to enact “Code Araba,” a plan for northern secession.
According to Okafor, Britain interfered, advising Gowon not to settle for secession but to strive for complete control over the country and its resources. “Britain asked Gowon, ‘Why settle for half when you can have all?'” he stated, saying that this shifted Gowon’s perspective, prompting him to use unification as a pretext to preserve control over the oil-rich eastern province.
He emphasised that, despite the conclusion of the conflict, oil income is still concentrated in the hands of northern elites, leaving the Niger Delta and other southern regions marginalised. “The North owns all of the oil wells, which contain no crude oil. They hold prominent positions in the NNPC, whereas others battle for scraps,” he concluded.
His statement questions the traditional narrative of the Nigerian Civil War, emphasising the importance of oil, foreign interests, and regional power dynamics in Nigeria’s history.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Leader worldwide, Engr Damian Okafor
