Nigerian MiGs were trying to shoot us down
A whole lot of things comes to my mind [when I think about the Nigerian Biafran War]. The main thing would be working on the airlift when we used to […]
Author Archives: biafranwarmemories
When rocket was sounding
My name is Mary Doris Akabueze. I don’t remember how old I was at that time when the war was fought. I am 50 years [this is a rough estimate; […]
Hide inside trees and bananas
Okay. I am Chief Christopher Ayogu. Knight of Saint Paul, KSP. I was born December 24, 1947, in this Okpuje [in present-day Enugu State]. This Okpuje Ani village, in Okpuje […]
I drink my piss…I shit maggots
My name is Donatus Nsionu. Dem born me 1933 for Awkuzu here [a town in Anambra State]. You no sey the time wey dem born us, everywhere neva open like […]
The road will kill you
Kenneth Ezenifite. 85 years old. Born here in Awkuzu [a town in Anambra State, Nigeria]. I was at home. I was going to farm when the war started. I was […]
When we got home, there was nothing
My name is Mrs. Alexinia Oforchebe. [I was born in] 1939 in this Awkuzu [a town in Anambra State, Nigeria]. I was married then [when the war started]. I had […]
I was married to a Biafran
I was born in New York. My name is Rina Okonkwo. I grew up in the US and I moved to Nigeria in 1973. Em, well, I lived in New […]
Uli airport was what made us survive
My name is Venerable Professor Jacob Ukwuchukwu Onyechi. I was born in October 18, 1951. I was born in Awka, Nigeria. That’s in the present Anambra State. Old Anambra. It’s […]
I found grenades in her handbag
My name is Uba Idris. I was born in Dan Hassan village in Kura local government [in Kano State, Nigeria.] It has been about seventy two years ago. What I […]
Hiding themselves like everyone else was
Cecelia Anizoba. [I was born in] 1935. It was in Awkuzu [a town in Anambra State, Nigeria] that they gave birth to me. I was in Awkuzu [when the war […]
The ordinary man in the east saw hell
We had a terrible civil war [in Nigeria] and purely built on mundane things like ‘oh, you are an Igbo man. You should not have this,’ or ‘you are a […]
Judgment is left to be done by God
Eh, Sergeant Garba. No, put Mada instead. Yeah, because no one really knows me by the other name [Garba]. I was born in Zamfara state. I am seventy eight years […]
Give us gun, we are all angry
I am called Dr., my surname, Nwakire. My first name, Onuzuruike. My father’s, Nwagwu. I was born fifth of November 1950. I studied at Government College, Umuahia. I was […]
I was very proud to be a Biafran
Yes, my name is Gordon J. E. Nwosu, Gordon J. Enyogu Nwosu. I live in New Rochelle, New York. I am retired from teaching mathematics. I was born July 1947 in […]
It was sounding GBAH!
My name is Agnes Ndife. I was born here in Awkuzu. Tell her [the interviewee] that I am 85 years old. We were in Awkuzu when the war started. I […]
Just run and never look back
My name is Theresa Igbenagwo. What I know is that I am 87 years old. I was born in Awkuzu [Anambra State, Nigeria]. I was in Onitsha [in 1967 when […]
I used my eyes to see
My name is Monica Ubianuju Nwannakwe. 1957 [ I was born], in Awkuzu [in Anambra State, Nigeria]. [I was with my mother when the war started]. I am the only […]
I was a student-turned-soldier overnight
My name is Nnamdi Onwualu. I was born in 1952…1952. December 1952. I was born in the northern part of Nigeria in a town they call Bakori. It’s in Katsina […]
It was bad enough
My name is Elizabeth Ugonwa Anyakoha. I was born June 18, 1948 in Imo State. Arondinzuogu is the town. Yes. Ehm, 1966, I was 17 or 18 years. I just […]
Death was around the corner
What comes to mind is sheer terror, the constant and incessant appearance of military jets, Nigerian military jets that would just show up with little notice and at all hours […]
We leave everything and run
My name is Patrick Obute. I was born when just a few individuals went to school. When I started working for the government, my name was written as David. I […]
They planned to destroy us
My name is Hajiya Hauwa Muhammad. I should be almost 50, 60 [years old]. [I don’t know the year I was born]. You know this age thing and how complex […]
The beginning of the catastrophe
My name is Nduka Agbim, a resident of Georgia in the US. I was born 1951, December twenty-first. So the war is called Nigeria Biafra War of 1967 to 1970. Of […]
They were forced to dig their grave
Okay, my name is Christian Enechukwu. I was born in Ishiagu, Ivo local government, Ebonyi state, on the fifteenth of March, 1955. I’m 63 now. I schooled at St. Anthony’s Primary […]
It was headed for a terrible tragedy
Well, my name is Dr. Herbert Ausubel. I am an American trained at Harvard Medical School. I trained in history before I entered Harvard Medical School and in fact I […]
They fire me through the window
My name is Ali Yahaya. I was born 1950, January eighth, 1950. [In] Enugu. Egweti Barrack. My father was a soldier. [In] 1966 [when the coup and the killings happened], I was […]
Daddy, what are we going to do?
My name is Elder Macpat Chike Emerike. I was born 1950. The twenty-first, August. I was born at Amaokwe Item [in Abia State]. Yes, I witnessed it. I witnessed it all the […]
People threw away their children
My name is Roselyn Ukerele. I was born in Amizi, Umuahia in 1944. August. When the war started I was in Amizi, Umuahia with my mother and my two brethen, […]
I put grass in my mouth
My name is Mrs. Amauche Egwuonwu. I was born at 8th July, 1940 at a place called Eha Amufu [Enugu State]. [But my town is Item in Abia State.] When the war started, I […]
Bullets Raining Like Water
Okay, my name is Dr. Ngwu. Leonard Ngwu. I was born on third September, 1951. Third September, 1951. In the first place, I worked as the personal secretary to his Honorable, his Excellency, Honorable Dr. Nnamdi […]
We formed the Biafra Students Association of North America
My name is Professor Ihechukwu Madubuike. I come from Isuochi, source of Imo River, the great Imo River in Abia state. I live in Abuja. I have served this country […]
The Igbos were being killed
My name is Evangelist Musa Paul-Gindiri. I was born here in the city of Jos in 1962 and I have always been here except for the few times I […]
Marketplace is a war target
I am Evangelist Timothy Ayuba. My father’s name is Pastor Ayuba. I was born at Panyam District, present Mangu Local Government, formerly Pangshing division during the colonial rule, during the […]
They forced people to join
My name is Sunday Ezenwa. I am 50, eh, I am 55 years or thereabouts. Actually, what I remember about the [Nigerian-Biafran Civil War] was as at then I was […]
One Calabar man we buried alive
Samuel is my name. Samuel. Ajamekwe. I am 65. First, I fought in the Nsukka sector. From Nsukka sector to Eha Amufu, from Ihamufu to Calabar sector. Eha Amufu. It is […]
We did so much injustice to ourselves
My name is Medina Dauda. I was born on the twenty fifth of October, 1958 in Kaduna, precisely in Unguwan Shanu of Kaduna north and I started my- would I […]
Igbos were saved
I am Dr. Bulama Mali Gubio. I was born in Kararam village of Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State in July 1952. But in my infancy, my parents moved […]
If you die, you say ‘bye bye’
I am Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence O. Akpu. I am one of the disabled veterans of Biafra, quartered at Okigwe in Imo state. 1966, I was at Lafia [in present day […]
We jumped the fence and ran to the woods
My name is Dr. Emmanuel Oduah. I was born at Odekpe, Ogbaru Local Government, Anambra State. December 24, 1954. December 26, 1954. When the war broke out, I was at […]
You know what they do to that boy?
I was born in Nigeria in Port Harcourt, Rivers State now in 1947. The eighth of April. [My name is] Christiana Ofiaeli. When the war started, I was in England. […]
We heard the sound of death
Okie dokie. My name is Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa, otherwise known as Charly Boy. I was born in a little town in Imo State called Oguta. It’s called the Blue Lake […]
They allowed children to be decimated
My name is His Royal Highness Igwe Christopher Chukwumeka Ejiofor. I am the traditional ruler of Oyofo Kingdom in Ezeagu Local Government Area in Enugu State. My title is Ezekwesili […]
The war delayed our marriage
I am Mrs. Joy Onubogu. I am from Ogidi in Anambra State. I was born in 1944. I am 73 years old. I live in Jos [in Plateau State, Nigeria] […]
They said women should not be killed
My name is Hamsatu Allamin. In fact, I was born in 1958 in Nguru. Then, my father was a civil servant working there. Nguru is in Yobe state bordering […]
It was a very slow death
My name is Okey Eweani. I am from Enugu-Agidi in Anambra State, Nigeria. I was born in Jos, Plateau State in 1958. What comes to my mind [about the war] […]
They had opened her stomach, taken the baby
Okay, I’m Enuma Okoro. I was born in 1946 and I experienced the war for a short period of time in Enugu before I left for the states in 1968. […]
So people must die
My name, it’s Elizabeth but when I got married to my husband he gave me Habiba as my name. Okay? I am 63 years old. When I was born at […]
Them kill am, then shoot am
My name is Esther. My father’s name is Imagosie. Esther Imasogie. I am 92 years old and 10 months. I was born in 1924. During the [Nigerian Biafran] war, I […]
When dawn broke
My name is Sulei Usman. I was born in Bauchi. We moved here to Maiduguri [Borno State] in 1966. Our father brought us. I was thirteen at the time. We […]
My father…they butchered him
My name is Laura Nwando Onwualu. I was born 1954 in northern Nigeria, Plateau State, Kura Falls. I don’t remember much about the Nigerian-Biafran War but I remember then I […]
Every young man was eager to fight
My names are Engr. Mark Chijioke Uchendu. I am from Ihitte Uboma in Imo State of Nigeria. I am born in the same Local Government, born in Okigwe town. 1960. […]
Starving out a population
My name is Joyce Barnathan. I think I was in maybe early high school days. I’m trying to remember if it was high school or junior high school. There was […]
The Igbos were molesting us
My name is Bala Mohammed. I was born here in Kaduna, 1947 on the ninth of May. I attended my elementary here in Kaduna. Later in the year 1967, […]
People were eating rats
My name is Theresa Nwakaego Nsionu. I was born in 1941. What I remember is that war was so severe. People suffer it well. Well, we were in Jos, […]
They take my husband by force
My name is Irene Okeke. I don’t remember what year I was born. I don forget all. My husband dey die. So since then, I no dey remember anything […]
I lost my four brothers
Alright, I’m Jacob Francis one of the war veterans, disabled veterans who fought for Biafra. I was born in 1951. My own family, I have about 8 children. I was born […]
We buried the skeletons
I am Obum Okeke from Anambra state. I was born in 1960. The Biafran war. I was about six getting to seven, there about. I was in a primary school […]
Their rocket got me
My name is Gideon Njoku. I was born 1951. I entered the war as a Biafra soldier in 1968. I got an injury in 1969, August 12. I volunteered to […]
The bombs shook the ground
My name. Louis Odiha. I’m 57-years-old. I’m from Eke, in the local government area of Enugu state. I should be, I think ten. 10 years old then [when the war broke […]
We saw one Igbo guy killed
I am Hajiya Amina. Ibrahim, that is my father’s name, Gambo, my husband. I was born on the thirty-first of December 1949 in Adamawa Song Local Government in a small […]
I woke up, there were soldiers
I’m Chief Mrs. Edith Daniyan and I’m from Delta. My dad is Urohobo, while my mom is Edo. So I’m from the old Bendel state in Nigeria. I’m 70 years […]
Biafran War Memories 