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Eric Reed Boucher (born June 17, 1958), known professionally as Jello Biafra, is an American singer, spoken word artist and political activist.He is the former lead singer and songwriter for the San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys.
Biafra (/ b i ˈ æ f r ə / bee-AF-rə), [4] officially the Republic of Biafra, [5] was a partially recognised state in West Africa [6] [7] that declared independence from Nigeria and existed from 1967 until 1970. [8] Its territory consisted of the former Eastern Region of Nigeria, predominantly inhabited by the Igbo ethnic group. [1]
Biafra began the war with only 230 soldiers at Enugu, which grew to two battalions by August 1967, which soon were expanded into two brigades, the 51st and 52nd which became the core of the Biafran Army. [132] By 1969, the Biafrans were to field 90,000 soldiers formed into five undermanned divisions together with a number of independent units ...
Radio Biafra has been met with mixed reactions. While some critics have criticized the station for "inciting war" through its programmes and "preaching hate messages" against Nigeria which it refers to as a “zoo”, [8] an editor for Sahara Reporters wrote in defence of the radio station after he compared Radio Biafra with the British Broadcasting Corporation Hausa service.
Biafra attracted a large amount of international attention from mid-1968, when images of starving Biafran children began to appear in the international press. [ 13 ] [ 14 ] Biafran propaganda compared Igbo to Jews and the blockade of Biafra to the Holocaust .
The invasion began on August 9 when 3,000 Biafran soldiers led by General Victor Banjo crossed the River Niger Bridge into Asaba. Upon reaching Agbor , the Biafrans split up. With the 12th Battalion moving west capturing Benin City and Ore, the 18th Battalion swung south, taking Warri , Sapele and Ughelli , while the 13th Battalion headed north ...
The Republic of Benin was a short-lived unrecognized secessionist state in West Africa that existed for seven hours in 1967. It was established on 19 September 1967 during the Nigerian Civil War as a puppet state of Biafra, following its occupation of Nigeria's Mid-Western Region, and named after its capital, Benin City, with Albert Nwazu Okonkwo as its head of government.
Relief aid into Biafra began arriving by land, sea, and air soon after the start of the Nigerian Civil War in 1967. Reports of widespread famine began emerging, many from NGOs participating in the relief aid efforts. Relief flights ramped up after Nigeria's land and sea blockade of Biafra became near-total in June 1968.