Pages
In this publication
Search this Site and the Web
Saturday, March 21, 2026
THE FORGOTTEN CHAMPION
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
THE YORUBAS DON'T WANT THE IGBOS TO BREAKAWAY FROM NIGERIA
Tom Biggar: The Ojukwu Half-Brother Who Served Biafra In Silence
Source: The Nsibidi Collective.
When the story of Biafra is told, one name stands above the rest, and that name is Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Head of State of the Biafran Republic during the Nigerian Civil War. His leadership defined the political and military direction of Biafra between 1967 and 1970.
However, historical records also show that he was not the only member of his family connected to the Biafran cause.
Ojukwu was the son of Sir Louis Ojukwu, one of the wealthiest businessmen of his era. Sir Louis had children from different relationships, and among them was Tom Biggar, Ojukwu’s half-brother. They shared the same father but had different mothers. Tom Biggar’s mother was Scottish, which accounts for his surname.
During the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), Tom Biggar served Biafra in a medical capacity. He was a trained doctor and worked within the Biafran system, contributing to the treatment of wounded soldiers and civilians at a time when medical supplies were scarce and conditions were extremely harsh.
Unlike his half-brother, Tom Biggar did not occupy a political office or military command position. His contribution was professional rather than strategic. As a result, his name did not become prominent in public discourse or post-war political narratives.
The involvement of Tom Biggar adds depth to the understanding of the Ojukwu family during the Biafran period. While one brother led the Biafran Republic at the highest level, another served within the same cause through medical service.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Why Awolowo picked an Igbo man as running mate in 1979 presidential election
By Rasheed Audu, 19th October, 2025
Credit: Ethnic African Stories
Umeadi, an Igbo man from Anambra State.
Monday, September 30, 2024
The economy of the former Eastern Region was planned from ground up by the US consulting firm Arthur D. Little
The economy of the former Eastern Region was planned from ground up by the US consulting firm Arthur D. Little
Dr. Azikiwe brought them and they worked with M I Okpara at first, then with Sam Otti and later Eluwa who headed the Civil Service and later with Sir Louis Phillip Odumegwu Ojukwu who at the time was the Chairman of the Eastern Nigerian Development Corporation (ENDC) and also the Chairman of the Eastern Nigeria Commodities Board (ENCB)
Louis Phillip Odumegwu Ojukwu also sat as Chairman of 15 multinational companies at the time - John Holt, PZ, Michelin, Costain, Thomas Wyatt, Guinness, GB Ollivant etc
He was so rich that he single handedly funded the establishment of the Lagos Stock Exchange but refused to list his company there for fear of losing control
His photo still hangs proudly on the floor of that exchange as its first chairman
Arthur D Little also worked with a coterie of young Eastern Nigerian economists at the time - Pius Okigbo (PhD Northwestern), Ukwu I. Ukwu (PhD Cambridge), Chukwu Sunday Okongwu (PhD Harvard). These young men in their early twenties worked with Arthur D Little to plan our economy from scratch
I know this because Ukwu I Ukwu taught me at Nsukka and I also worked in Dr Chu SP Okongwu's economic planning firm right during and after grad school in Nigeria.
Arthur D. Little recommended the setting up of a university in the East to produce key skills needed to drive economic growth as most of those skills were not being taught in Ibadan at the time
THE IGBO RANT
BIBLICAL TRADITIONS OF NDI IGBO BEFORE THE MISSIONARIES CAME TO AFRICA* IGBO 101.
THE IGBO TRIBE AND ITS FEAR OF EXTINCTION
RT. HON. DR. NNAMDI AZIKIWE TO DR. CHUBA OKADIGBO (1981)
The Igbo: We die for causes, not for personalities
Written by Emeka Maduewesi
~on fb. 28th September, 2016.
The Igbo will never die for anyone. We will not even riot for anyone. But the Igbo will die for any cause they believe in because the Igbo have a true sense of justice and a determination to obtain it.
The Igbo will not riot because one of their own lost an election. Operation Wetie was the Western response to a massively rigged 1965 election. The Yoruba doused fellow Yorubas in petrol and burnt them alife. Properties were burnt with occupants. The Igbo will never do this.
In 1983, the Yoruba went on a rampage again over the massive rigging by NPN. Lifes were lost and properties destroyed. The riots were over personalities.
Contrast that with Anambra State where Chief Emeka Ojukwu was rigged out by his own NPN, who also rigged out Chief Jim Nwobodo. The Igbo did not protest because the goat's head is still in the goat's bag.
In the North, ba muso was the battle cry when Sultan Dasuki was imposed on the Sokoto Caliphate. The riot and protest lasted for days and crippled economic activities.
The Igbo will riot over issues and causes. The Aba Women Riot was over Tax. The Enugu coal mine riot was about conditions of service. The Ekumeku Uprising was over British colonialization.
Those of "Ekumeku" ancestry - Umu Eze Chima and Umu Nri - were at the forefront of the struggles for Nigerian independence, with people like Dr. A A Nwafor Orizu and Chief Osita Agwuna serving prison terms. Any struggles the parents could not conclude is continued by the children by other means.
The Biafran war was a response to the genocide. The war in fact was brought upon us. The battlefield was Eastern Region. The war ended in 1970 but the issues and causes were not resolved. That is where we are today.
The Igbo will also jointly rise to fight evil in their midst. They did it in Onitsha in the 1980's, Owerri in the 90's, and with Bakkassi in the 2000.
The Igbo will not die for any man. But the Igbo will stand by any man who symbolizes their cause and their pursuit of justice. Even if the man dies, the struggle continues, and like the Ekumeku warriors, the children will pick up the baton from their parents.
This is the Igbo I know, the Igbo I am, and the Igbo we are. This is my story. Feel free to tell yours.
Biafra Videos: Explosive secret about Biafra...
Popular Posts
-
First published on Aka-Ikenga.com: 3/6/2007, 1:18 PM Western African Time By Duru, Blessing .O. Who are the Ndigbo? One who does n...
-
By Joy June 9, 20210 It is a vague fact that the Igalas have a close tie to the Igbos, just how close is this tie? In almost every Igbo stat...
-
By Professor Obi Nwakanma INTERESTING The current Igbo are "inferior Igbo." - Obi Nwakanma. Nwanna, Many years ago, the Gene...
-
By C. XRYDZ-EYUTCHAE It was Professor Anta Diop of Senegal who observed that ethnic groups often do not realize the extent to which they s...
-
Written by Rev. Fr. Francis Anekwe Oborji, Pontifical Urban University, Vatican City (Rome) Email: anekwe.oborji@gmail.com Monday, July 10, ...