BRITAIN AND BIAFRA’S PROPAGANDA DURING THE NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR, 1967-1970

Abstract

A strategic phenomenon that featured remarkably during the Nigerian Civil War, July 1967 to January 1970 was the use of propaganda by both sides involved in the conflict. The British involvement in the war was based on the preservation of Nigeria as one indivisible nation. Extant literature focused on the impact of Biafra’s propaganda to the neglect of the reactions of Britain to it. Britain’s reaction to Biafra’s propaganda was interrogated with a view to understanding the various countermeasures adopted in dealing with the Biafra’s propaganda. Historical Approaches were adopted, while primary and secondary sources were utilised. Primary sources were archival materials obtained from the National Archives, Ibadan and National Archives, Kew London. These included the Foreign and Commonwealth Office files, 1967-1970; Prime Minister’s Office papers; Cabinet papers; Overseas Development papers; Parliamentary Debates papers; and the British Ministry of Defence papers. Newspapers comprised Peace News; Evening News; Times; Observer; Markpress News Features Service news releases, 1968-1969 and Radio Biafra news items. Key informant interviews were conducted with 15 persons who experienced the war within Nigeria (four) and the defunct Republic of Biafra (11). Secondary sources included books, journals, periodicals and government publications, which were obtained from Brian McNeil Library, Austin Texas, United States; University libraries at Ibadan and Nsukka. Data were subjected to historical analysis. To achieve an effective propaganda exercise, the Biafran government established the Directorate of Propaganda in October, 1967, which was saddled with the responsibility of strengthening the will of the people in support of the war and ensuring the success of the propaganda overseas. Radio Biafra and Markpress News Features Service contributed immensely to the effectiveness of Biafra’s propaganda. From 1967 to 1970, Great Britain was the most strategic target of Biafra’s propaganda, which successfully penetrated the British populace through media outlets like the British Broadcasting Corporation and British newspapers. Biafra’s propaganda enhanced the effective coverage of the war. This was because it was the ready source of information available to the media in Britain. The fierce concern generated by massive coverage of the war, mostly on television, provoked public reactions in Britain. In addition, the British Parliament and public opinion mounted pressure for a decisive action on the war by the British government. To ensure fair reportage of the war and production of news reports favourable to her case, highly influential British journalists were commissioned by the British government. Biafra’s propaganda gained ground in Britain because of humanitarian dimension it took. The British government’s reaction to the propaganda was cautious toleration, because she wanted to prevent the misconstruing of her war policy, as having been one sided. To avoid further controversies, she disapproved the Nigerian government’s request for military aircrafts and proposed a British Minister’s visit to Republic of Biafra. Britain’s response to Biafra’s propaganda during the Nigerian Civil War was more reactionary than purposive, as she took countermeasures like the refusal of military aircraft to Nigeria and proposed peaceful negotiations. In spite of these, Biafra’s propaganda still held sway in Britain.