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United States Policy in the Nigerian Civil War Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Master's Theses Graduate College 8-1-1975 United States Policy in the Nigerian Civil War C. Onokata Idisi Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses Part of the International Law Commons, and the International Relations Commons Recommended Citation Idisi, C. Onokata, "United States Policy in the Nigerian Civil War" (1975). Master's Theses. 2474. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/2474 This Masters Thesis-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. UNITED STATES POLICY IN THE NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR by C. Onokata I d is i A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College in partial fulfillment o f the Degree of Master of Arts Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan August 1, 1975 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. I INFORMATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the original submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or patterns which may appear on this reproduction. 1.The sign or "target" for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Missing Page(s)". If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. 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The majority of users indicate that the textual content is of greatest value, however, a somewhat higher quality reproduction could be made from "photographs" if essential to the understanding of the dissertation. Silver prints of "photographs" may be ordered at additional charge by writing the Order Department, giving the catalog number, title, author and specific pages you wish reproduced. 5. PLEASE NOTE: Some pages may have indistinct print. Filmed as received. Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. MASTERS THESIS M-7776 IDISI, Christiana Onokata UNITED STATES POLICY IN THE NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR. Western Michigan U niversity,M.A., 1975 Political Science, international law and rela ti ons Xerox University Microfilms,Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I BACKGROUND OF THE NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR .... 1 The People and Tribes of N igeria ........ 1 The Fulani-Hausas ............................................................... 1 The I b o s ................................................................. 3 The Y o ru b a s .......................................................... 4 Population Distribution in Nigeria .... 5 British Colonization of Nigeria ............................ 6 Parliamentary Democracy in Nigeria .... 7 Tribal Politics ............................................................... 11 John Aguiyi-Ironsi Heads First Military Government in Nigeria .................................................. 14 Yakubu Gowon Heads Second M ilita ry Government in Nigeria .................................................. 17 I I UNITED STATES PRE-CIVIL WAR RELATIONS WITH NIGERIA ................................................................. 28 United States Representatives Visit N i g e r i a .......................................................... 28 The United States Expressed Optimism about Independent Nigeria .................................................. 30 The United S tates O ffered N igeria Economic and Related A ssistance .......................................... 31 The United S tates and N igeria E stablished • Diplomatic Relations .................................................. 38 Trade Between Nigeria and America .... 40 American Private Investments in Nigeria . 44 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS C o n t in u e d CHAPTER PAGE II The African-American Institute: Other Private United States Assistance to Nigeria ................................................................ 45 I I I AMERICAN REACTIONS TO THE BIAFRAN- NIGERIAN WAR............................................................................. 47 The American News M e d i a ................................................. 47 American Responses to Starvationin Biafra . 51 Business Investors Supported Nigeria .... 56 IV UNITED STATES POLICY IN THE NIGERIAN WAR ................................................................................................ 60 The S tate Department and United S tates Policy in theNigerian Civil War .... 61 Congress and United States Policy in the N igerian C iv il War ........................................................ 65 The Executive Branch and the N igerian C iv il W a r ............................................................................. 74 V REASONS FOR UNITED STATES DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA .... 78 Factors Indicating United States Support of N igeria ........................................................ 78 The United States Supports Nigeria to Protect Its Investments .................................. 81 Britain and America Collaborated to Support N i g e r i a .................................................................................... 83 The pro-Nigerian Position of the Organization of African Unity Affected American Policy ............................................................... 87 American Policy Neutralized the Role of the Soviet Union in the Nigerian C iv il W a r ............................................................................. 88 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Continued CHAPTER PAGE VI EPILOGUE.................................................................................. 95 BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................. 103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS During the 1967-70 Nigerian Civil War, most observers, including this writer, believed, on mere speculation, that the United States government favored Biafra. This belief was held because Americans appeared to be sympathetically pro-Biafra. A close examination of o f f i c i a l American p o licy , however, shows th a t P resid en ts Johnson and Nixon as well as the United States Department of State decided to maintain the pre-civil war relationship, namely, a non-military but friendly policy with Nigeria.^ This decision was based partly on tradition or an adherence to, and continuation of an established policy o f minimum involvement in N igerian a f f a i r s . There were tremendous pressures on American decision makers at the time. These pressures were exerted by the mass media, interest groups such as businessmen whose petroleum production was affected by the war, religious organizations whose doctrines supposedly justified their assisting fellow Biafran Christians even though the issue of the war was areligious,^ and a sizeable segment of the American public whose basic concern was overwhelmingly emotional. In addition, the situation was complicated by Congressmen who were critical of American policy. The pro-Biafran ^-See John R. Sullivan, Breadless Biafra. Dayton, Ohio: Pflaum Press, 1969. ^The civil war has been attributed to a tribal power-struggle between the Fulani-Hausas and the Ibos rather than conflicting religious beliefs. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. position of most of these groups, however, did not change the administration’s pro-Nigerian policy. This study is an examination of the Nigerian Civil War, con­ centrating on American policy. It seeks to examine why the U.S. government decided to maintain its relations with the Federal government of Nigeria while American opinion appeared to want a change.1 It is mainly a library thesis which relies on books, newspapers, scholarly journals, and other related primary sources. Several people have assisted in the realization of this project. I am grateful to Professors Lawrence Ziring and Ernest Rossi for serving as major
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