General Ojukwu Reflects on Biafra’s Achievements in Farewell Address Before Exile
January 9, 1970 — In his final address as Head of State of the defunct Republic of Biafra, General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu highlighted the extraordinary technological and infrastructural strides achieved by the Biafran people during the Nigerian Civil War. The speech, delivered just before his departure to Côte d’Ivoire, painted a picture of resilience, ingenuity, and determination under dire circumstances.
“Necessity gave birth to invention,” Ojukwu remarked as he recounted how Biafra overcame the challenges of blockade and bombardment. “In three years, we leapt across the great chasm that separates knowledge from know-how. We built rockets, designed and guided our own delivery systems, and maintained our vehicles despite the absence of imports.”
He lauded the state for refining petroleum and individuals who innovatively processed fuel in their backyards. Amid relentless airstrikes, Biafra managed to keep its airports operational, setting a record for having the busiest airport in Africa during the war.
Biafra’s ingenuity extended to telecommunications, allowing the state to communicate with the world through locally engineered systems. Ojukwu also noted the conversion of aircraft for combat purposes and the production of armoured vehicles, declaring that “in three years, we had broken the technological barrier.”
The speech underscored his pride in the people of Biafra, whom he described as “the most civilised and technologically advanced Black people on earth” during that period of freedom.
General Ojukwu’s departure marks the end of a tumultuous chapter in Nigerian history, as Biafra capitulated and reintegrated into Nigeria after nearly three years of war.
