There was a Biafra before 1967which lost its sovereignty to colonial powers. “ Early modern maps of Africa from the 15th-19th centuries, drawn by European cartographers from accounts written by explorers and travellers, reveal that the original word used by the European travellers was not Biafra but Biafara, Biafar and sometimes also Biafares.” Now let me correct one impression about the meaning of Biafra as some believed it is a name given by Portuguese explorers.
Biafara people are already known and addressed as Biafara people before they came in contact with the first European merchants. The word Biafra has its generics from “Ephraim” as pointed out by Martin Simon Ukegbe (a religious activist who suggested that the new Republic of Biafra of 1967 be called the Christian Democratic Republic of B”Ephrayim) the B there signifies the bay or bight so the word Biafara or Biafar has its root from B”Ephraim but the Europeans at that time called it Biafar-Biafara or Biafares. Researchers hold the view that the region is inhabited by descendants of Ephraim. Mitchell map of 1839 stated that the important estuaries from where the rivers flow into the ocean is called Ephraim town which is located 60 miles from River Nun which is in the south-south Nigeria today. The river is named after Nun the father of Joshua of the tribe of Ephraim. Biblical meaning of the name “EPHRAIM” is “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction”. The question now is who are the most afflicted, deprived and mostly killed in the contraption called Nigeria “Biafra people” who are the most fruitful, blessed by nature and skills within the contraption called Nigeria “Biafra people
Before 1967-1970 genocide war against Biafran people they have been killed in their thousands by the Northerners and Westerners 1966, during the war, all the public facilities where completely destroyed, that includes Schools, Hospitals, Markets, Power plants, Churches, Post offices, Biafra land (south-east Nigeria and some part of South-south) where desolate with no life sustaining amenities, after the war in1970, Awolowo the finance minister gave £20 to every Biafra no matter the amount you have in your bank account, and declared all their properties outside Igbo land abandoned property, including Port Harcourt
Before the arrival of the europeans ,Biafra as a Nation has their own Musical instruments for Entertainments.
The Igbo people have a melodic music style into which they incorporate various percussion instruments; the Udu, which is essentially designed from a clay jug; an Ekwe, which is formed from a hollowed log; and the Ogene, a hand bell designed from forged iron.
Other instruments include Opi – a wind instrument similar to the flute; Igba, and Ichaka. They also have a style of music called Ikorodo, which involves a vocal performance accompanied by several musical instruments.
Another musical form among the Igbos is Highlife, which is a fusion of jazz and traditional music and widely popular in West Africa.
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We thank you for your visit and you can also leave a comment below to express your own opinion.
God bless you ,And God bless Biafra.
I really like this historic write-up,from what I've read so far, the name Biafra has it's roots from the Biblical Ephraim, but did they decide to answer that name based on the meaning of Ephraim, or was there at any point where the biblical Ephraim or any of his descendants settle in this blessed land?
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