User:Ochiwar/sandbox
Ejike Ebenezer Obumneme Aghanya | |
---|---|
Born | Amawbia Anambra State Nigeria | 27 November 1932
Died | 3 July 2020 Atlanta Ga USA | (aged 87)
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() |
Service/ | ![]() ![]() |
Years of service | 1963-1970 |
Rank | Major (Nigerian Army) Colonel (Biafran Armed Forces) |
Service number | N/349[1] |
Commands | Commanding Officer Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers workshop (NAEME) Kaduna[2] Commanding Officer Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers workshop (NAEME) Army Headquarters Lagos Commanding Officer 44th Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Battalion[3] Chief of Staff Biafran Research and Production Agency (RAP) Commanding Officer 58th Brigade of 12th Division Biafran Army Commanding Officer Biafran Organisation of Freedom Fighters (BOFF) |
Battles/wars | First Invasion of Onitsha Siege of Owerri Second Invasion of Onitsha Fall of Enugu Operation OAU Operation Tailwind |
Alma mater | Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
Other work | Electrical Engineer |
Ejike Ebenezer Obumneme Aghanya (27 November 1932 - 3 July 2020) was a military officer and electrical engineer who served in the Nigerian Army and the Biafran Armed Forces, retiring as a Colonel. Accused of involvement in the 1966 Nigerian coup d'état he was arrested and imprisoned without trial until the outbreak of the nigerian civil war where he served on the side of Biafra, holding key positions in the Biafran Army. He was the head of the Biafran Agency for Research and Production (RAP) which produced bombs, ammunition, rockets, missiles, armored vehicles, telecommunication gadgets and petroleum refineries among others for the Biafran Armed Forces.[4] Later he was the commanding officer of the Biafran Freedom Fighters Organisation (BOFF) which was the guerrilla warfare and special operations arm of the Biafran Armed forces.[5] He also served as Brigade Commander of the 58th Brigade of 12th Division Biafran Army during the war.[6]
Education
Aghanya received his primary education at St Cyprian primary school Port Harcourt after which he attended Okrika Grammer School Okrika, Nigeria graduating in 1953. His first degree was in electrical engineering from Yaba College of Technology in 1957.He went for postgraduate studies at the London Polytechnic, later transferring to the Southampton College of Technology graduating in electrical and electronic engineering in 1960. He then joined the Nigerian Broadcasting Service where he became the president of the Nigerian Broadcasting Service Staff Union.[5]
Military career
In 1962 Aghanya was seconded to the Nigerian Army. He received basic training in the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) Kaduna and further attended officers course and special training at the School of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) under Major General Denis Redman at Arborfield Garrison United Kingdom from 1962-1963. He was commissioned into the Nigerian Army on 02.03.1963 with the service number N/349 with the rank of Captain. He served as Commanding Officer Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (NAEME) Kaduna from 1963-1964. in 1964 he was promoted to Major and served as Commanding Officer Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (NAEME) Army Headquarters Lagos becoming the first Nigerian to hold the command, taking over from the last British commanding officer Major Whittle.[7]
In the aftermath of the 1966 Nigerian coup d'état, Aghanya was arrested on 18 January 1966 and together with Lieutenant Colonel Victor Banjo accused of plotting to assassinate the military head of state Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi.[8][9] Aghanya was detained without trial at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison with others purportedly involved in the coup d'état. He was later transferred to Enugu and subsequently Abakaliki prisons.[10] In retrospect those actually involved in the planning and execution of the coup such as Major Adewale Ademoyega have confirmed the innocence of both Aghanya and Banjo in their memoirs.[11] After the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup in which Aguyi Ironsi was murdered, Aghanya was released from prison in March 1967 at the orders of the then governor of the eastern region Colonel (later General) Odumegwu Ojukwu defying the orders of new head of state Colonel (later General) Yakubu Gowon.[12] In response Gowon announced the release of Aghanya and others after the fact.[13]
Research and Production (RAP)
At the outbreak of hostilities in July 1967 that marked the beginning of the Nigerian Biafran war, Aghanya was commissioned into the Biafan Army with the rank of Colonel and appointed Commanding Officer of the Biafran Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps by the Chief of Staff Biafran Army, Brigadier Hillary Njoku. A few weeks into the conflict he was further appointed as head of the Biafran Agency for Research and Production (RAP) by General Ojukwu. In this position Aghanya was in charge of coordinating Biafran scientists, engineers and raw materials in a concerted effort at boosting the industrial production of war relevant materials for the Biafran government. Under his leadership, various scientific work groups were created to achieve specific goals. Priorities were weapons, ammunition and fuel. To this end he set up and supervised among others:
"The Anti-aircraft Rocket (Piom-Piom) Group headed by Engineer Seth Nwanagu; the Fuel or Petroleum Groups headed by Dr. Ogbuehi,Engineer Onyenso and Engineer Iteke; ‘Ogbunigwe’ Groups headed by Engineer Willy Achukwu, Engineer Austin Odiwe, Engineer Roy Umenyi, Engineer E. Kaine, Dr. Felix Oragwu; the Biological Groups headed by Prof. Njoku-Obi and Dr. Okafor; the Armoured Vehicle Groups headed by Engr. Iwobi and Engineer Dike; the Anti-tank war-head and Rocket Groups headed by Prof. Ezilo, Prof. Ezekwe, Dr. Felix Oragwu, Engineer Kaine, Capt. Ohaya etc; the food Preservation Groups headed by Prof. Njoku-Obi, Dr. Ene, etc; the Rocket-fuel Group headed by Dr. Akalonu (from America); the Hand-granade Groups headed by Mr. B. Nwogbo and Engineer Okafor of Dock yard, Port Harcourt; the Salt Groups headed by Prof. Agu Ogan, Dr. Obasi and Mr. Ekechukwu; the Matches and Candle Groups headed by Dr. Osisiogu, Dr. Caleb Wakama; the Vehicles Repair, Modification and Renovation Group Headed by Engineer Roy Umenyi, Engineer Onwubualili, Engineer Capt. Ohaya. The Telecommunication Equipment Modification Group, was headed by Prof. Chijioke. The Battery Reconditioning and Reproduction Group was headed by Dr. Mike Nwachukwu. The Finance and General Administration Group was headed by Dr. B.C. Nwosu."[14]
Under his command of RAP, the infamous Biafran Ogbunigwe weapons systems which included command detonation mines, improvised explosive devices, and rocket propelled missiles were designed and mass produced by the Republic of Biafra. According to Biafran government claims at the time, the RAP produced surface to air missile (Piom-Piom) was the first rocket to be wholly designed, developed, mass-produced and launched in Africa.[15] Aghanya was in charge of supervising the various scientific groups he set up, supply of raw materials needed for production as well as distribution of finished products to the troops. He was also in charge of training the troops in the use of the various home made weapons, bombs, grenades and missiles. To this end he created various Ogbunigwe squads which were distributed in fire brigade style to the various war fronts as the need arose. Initially posted to Port Harcourt to help defend that town from the advances of Benjamin Adekunle`s 3rd Marine Commando division with his Biafra made mines, shore batteries and missiles, he was later deployed with his Ogbunigwe troops to Onitsha by General Ojukwu to defend that town again attacks from Murtala Mohammed´s Second Division. Aghanya played a major role in the defense of Onitsha.[16][17] Aghanya and his Ogbunigwe troops also played major roles in the defense of the towns of Aba, Ikot Ekpene and Owerri.[18]
Biafran Organisation of Freedom Fighters (BOFF)
After the fall of some major Biafran towns such as Enugu, Abakaliki, Calabar, Ikot-Ekpene and Port Harcourt, it became increasingly obvious that Biafra could not defend herself using only conventional troops. Aghanya therefore approached General Ojukwu and the Biafran Army Chief of Staff Major General Madiebo with the proposal of setting up a guerrilla force in divisional strength, which was to operate behind enemy lines especially in the areas of Biafra occupied by federal troops. The force was to be made of of civilians, especially women, who after having been trained by the army in sabotage and the use of Biafran made explosive gadgets would infiltrate behind enemy lines. Aghanya was given the assignment of setting up, equipping and training the guerrilla force which was named Biafran Organisation of Freedom Fighters (BOFF). He got a team of South African instructors under Colonel Jan Breytenbach to train the BOFF troops in sabotage and counter insurgency.[5] Aghanya was made the commanding officer of this new branch of the armed forces with title of Chief of Staff.[19][20] Members of his staff included Chinua Achebe, Dr Ukwu I. Ukwu and Dr Okonjo[4] The headquarters of the BOFF Division was located at Umuahia.[21] Regarding the aims, objectives and modus operandi of BOFF, Ezenwa-Ohaeto quotes Aghanya as follows:
"The Biafrans did not have the fire power that could match the fire power of the other side, so it became necessary for us to plan and formulate our battles in terms of defence warfare. All the people who were thinking alike wanted to form an organisation that would achieve these aims. The primary aim was to drive the enemy out of the land of Biafra and not to capture strange lands. the organisation was to involve fellow Biafrans in captured areas to help in driving the enemy out. Since the regular army was there, there was the need to demarcate areas of operation. The regular army operated in front while the BOFF operated behind enemy lines. The aim was that as the regular army became weaker then the Freedom Fighters would become stronger."[22]
The BOFF was the most important fighting force in Biafra aside from the regular army.[23] In April 1968 they achieved a brief but spectacular feat by recapturing Asaba from the Nigerian Army Second Division, blocking of direct supply across the river Niger. They also effectively prevented the Nigerian Army Second Division from linking up with the First Division Headquarters at Enugu by blocking the Onitsha-Enugu road until the end of the war. By September 1968 they were operating extensively behind enemy lines, in the Mid-Western region and other areas of occupied Biafra.[24] The BOFF under Aghanya also played a major role in the recapture of Owerri in 1969.[25]
Private life
Aghanya was married to Miss Comfort Ifeoma Modebelu on 19 May 1962 in Birmingham United Kingdom. He was a Fellow,and founding member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (F.N.S.E), a member of Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (C.O.R.E.N), and a member of the British Institution of Electronic and Radio Engineers.[26] He was a member of the Igbo Chieftaincy Title Holders Association Nze na Ozo holding the title Ochiagha-Udo na Amawbia and a founding member of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).[27]
Notes
- ^ "Headquarters Royal Nigerian Army Commissions" (PDF). Federation of Nigeria Official Gazette. 50 (No 28 Vol 50): 613. 25 April 1963. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
{{cite journal}}
:|issue=
has extra text (help) - ^ Nigeria. Nigerian Army Chief Education Officer (1994). Nigerian Army Magazine, Band 2. Nigerian National Press. p. 77.
- ^ Njoku, Hillary (1987). A tragedy without heroes : the Nigeria-Biafra war. Fourth Dimension. p. 138. ISBN 9781562382.
- ^ a b Achebe, Chinua (2012). There was a country : a personal history of Biafra. Penguin. p. 156. ISBN 1101595981.
- ^ a b c Baxter, Peter (2015). Biafra : the Nigerian Civil War, 1967-1970. Helion and Company. p. 24. ISBN 1909982369.
- ^ "NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR:DIVISIONAL AND BRIGADE COMMANDERS OF THE "BIAFRAN" ARMY". Beegeagle's Blog. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- ^ Aghanya E.O. 2006, p.1.
- ^ Gbulie (1981) p.144
- ^ Siollun, Max (2009). Oil, politics and violence : Nigeria's military coup culture (1966-1976). Algora Pub. p. 85. ISBN 0875867103.
- ^ Gbulie, Ben (1981). Nigeria's Five Majors: Coup D'état of 15th January 1966, First Inside Account. Africana Educational Publishers (Nig),. p. 151.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ Ademoyaga, Adewale (1981). Why we struck : the story of the first Nigerian coup. Evans Bros. p. 108. ISBN 978167167X.
- ^ Aghanya E.O. 2006, p.58.
- ^ Consulate General of Nigeria (1967). "Federal Nigeria". 6–11. Consulate General of Nigeria: 21. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ Aghanya, Ejike Obumneme (2006). Behind the screen (2nd ed.). Springfield Publishers. pp. 75–76. ISBN 9788084621.
- ^ Okolo, Amechi (2010). The State of the American Mind: Stupor and Pathetic Docility Volume II. Xlibris Corporation. p. 715. ISBN 9781477179734.[self-published source]
- ^ Aghanya E.O. (2006) pp.111-125
- ^ Achuzia, Joe (1986). Requiem Biafra. Fourth Dimension Publishers. p. 125. ISBN 9781562560.
- ^ Madiebo, Alexander (1980). The Nigerian revolution and the Biafran war. Fourth Dimension Publishers. p. 241. ISBN 9781561173.
- ^ Ezenwa-Ohaeto (1997). Chinua Achebe : a biography. James Currey. p. 136. ISBN 0852555458.
- ^ Gould, Michael (2012). The Biafran War the struggle for modern Nigeria. I.B. Tauris. p. 107. ISBN 0857723529.
- ^ Arene, E.O (1997). The "Biafran" scientists : the development of an African indigenous technology. Arnet Ventures. p. 80. ISBN 9783392816.
- ^ Ezenwa-Ohaeto (1997) pp. 135-136
- ^ Fury, Daly, Samuel, Childs (2020). A history of the Republic of Bafra : law, crime, and the Nigerian Civil War. Cambridge University Press. p. 92. ISBN 1108840760.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ STAFFORD, Michael. "Quick Kill In Slow Motion: The Nigerian Civil War". Globalsecurityorg. Marine Corps Command and Staff College US Army (1984). Retrieved 16 July 2020.
- ^ Ezenwa-Ohaeto (1997) pp.136
- ^ The Journal of the British Institution of Radio Engineers, vol 23. British Institution of Radio Engineers. 1962. p. 34.
- ^ Aghanya (2006) pp.219-236
References
- Achebe Chinua, There was a country: a personal history of Biafra, Penguin (2012) ISBN 1101595981
- Achuzia Joe, Requiem Biafra. Fourth Dimension Publishers. (1986) ISBN 9781562560
- Ademoyaga, Adewale (1981). Why we struck : the story of the first Nigerian coup. Evans Bros ISBN 978167167X
- Aghanya E.O, Behind the screen (second edition), Springfield Publishers Ltd (2006) ISBN 9788084621
- Arene, E.O (1997). The "Biafran" scientists : the development of an African indigenous technology. Arnet Ventures. ISBN 9783392816
- Baxter, Peter, Biafra : The Nigerian Civil War, 1967-1970. Helion and Company. (2015). ISBN 1909982369
- Ezenwa-Ohaeto, Chinua Achebe : A biography (1997) James Currey. ISBN 0852555458
- Gbulie, Ben (1981). Nigeria's Five Majors: Coup D'état of 15th January 1966, First Inside Account. Africana Educational Publishers (Nig).
- Gould, Michael, The Biafran War the struggle for modern Nigeria. (2012) I.B. Tauris. p. 107. ISBN 0857723529
- Madiebo, Alexander, The Nigerian revolution and the Biafran war. (1980) Fourth Dimension Publishers. ISBN 9781561173
- Njoku, Hillary (1987). A tragedy without heroes : the Nigeria-Biafra war. Fourth Dimension. ISBN 9781562382
- Siollun, Max (2009). Oil, politics and violence : Nigeria's military coup culture (1966-1976). Algora Pub ISBN 0875867103