One of the first-hand witnesses to the end of the Nigerian civil war tells his story to inspire generations and encourage global peace. His story is educational and a great contribution to world history.

*Support the book project: A Child's Nigerian Civil War Report And His Inspirational Therapeutic Hymnal soothe "All Hail Biafra (Cry of A Biafran Child)"*. We must use all available non-lethal tools, including music, documentaries and books to end armed conflicts in the world. I sang as a child at the end of the Nigerian civil war also known as Biafran war to soothe sorrows, calm minds and heal wounds. I am now as an adult and statesman writing a book on my Biafran war experiences. I need your moral and financial support in accomplishing this task. Posterity demands my voice on the Nigerian civil war while still strong, alive and healthy. The Lord our Creator in His infinite mercy has kept me on earth up to this time to tell my story.

*FORWARD*

My book is a report on the Nigerian civil war (Biafran war). In the book I will discuss events I witnessed running from place to place with my parents and siblings. We were in Okporo Orlu when the Biafran curtain was drawn and was one of the firsthand witnesses to the end of the war. My report on the day Biafra surrendered will bring tears to readers of my book.

According to God's Design and Glory l have lived to survive life threatening incidents and major local/world catastrophies in my life time. I suffered as a child in Biafra during the Biafran war and was in the last Biafran stronghold that surrendered to end the war. I narrowly escaped d...th along with my parents and siblings. I had in one incident of ar...ed robbery escaped miraculously with a pi...ol three inches to my head. In another incident I equally escaped with a pi...ol four inches to my head.

On September 11, 2001 I escaped d...th by the whiskers driving through the rocky mountains in Denver, Colorado. It is noteworthy that September 11, 2001 (aka 9-11 or September 11) was the day terrorists attacked U.S. On another 9-11, September 11, 2017 I narrowly escaped d...th at Ubakala army checkpoint in Umuahia local government area of Abia State, Nigeria. Many miracles have happened in my life that are beyond the scope of my proposed book. I can discuss them in interviews or personally. If there is any need to contact me, I can be reached by email at [email redacted]

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HISTORY OF "ALL HAIL BIAFRA (Cry of A Biafran Child)" [ Narration by Amb Chief Charles O. Okereke ]

All Hail Biafra was a song that came to my lips as a child (14 years old) in Okporo, Orlu on January 12, 1970, the second federal troops ceased the strangle-neck sh...g of last Biafran stronghold, about seven minutes after General Philip Effiong commenced his surrender speech on Voice of Biafra. There was peace and short-lived silence as the bombardment of the town/enclave ceased as most that took cover on the ground from fear of deafening artillery rose in tears. Everyone around me was weeping presumably because of the unquantifiable human suffering and b...bath in the course of the war that resulted to nothing but an unconditional surrender. I was so moved, refrained from crying but in tears, repeatedly inspirationally sang "All Hail Biafra; Land of the rising sun, we love and cherish; We have vanquished our enemies; All Hail Biafra." Over the next few months, I sang the partial song in my dream until it came to me as a full two verse hymn (song). The third verse came to me later, still a child. The song became very popular over the years. It is all over on the Internet and different groups both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora sing the song on special occasions. Some even refer to it as the "Biafran National Anthem", "New Biafran Anthem" or "Biafra Patriotic Song". The truth is that the composer and history of the song remained a mystery until recently. 

My first public pronouncement of authorship of the song was at the colloquium on Ahiara Declaration, January 17, 2012, one of frontlines of activities commemorating the life of late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. I sang All Hail Biafra at the end of my speech to a spellbound Igbo elite, Nigerian and international sympathizers. A handful of people approached me at the end of the event wondering why I sang of Biafra at such sensitive occasion. I explained to them that there was nothing wrong with people singing nor talking about their history, which they agreed with. I made it known to them that the song, composed by me, was therapeutic as it gave a sense of strength and victory to the losers of the war.

All Hail Biafra can simply be described as a child's cry for his people's wanton b...shed and persecution in a world that did nothing to unimaginable human catastrophe. The hymn sooths the soul, heals the wounds and scars, and courageously drives away fears. Leaders will learn the lesson that a child witnessing human rights abuses might be writing or singing about them and one day the world may read or listen to music about the abuses. I would also have sung if the violence was meted out to any other group or tribe in Nigeria. The same thing would have been the case if it were animals that were being abused and k...d. It is about humanism and love of God's creation. People must be accorded their fundamental human rights. Do not be afraid to demand or defend them. Power to the people!

More revelations would be made on "All Hail Biafra" in my forthcoming book on Biafra. These will include names of those that contributed to the success of the recording of the song in 2003 and disclosure on a 4th verse that was not included on the CD because it was not part of the original composition. Track no. 6 on the CD "Newstalk Symphony" is my recreation of the background music of Okoko Ndem's Newstalk on Voice of Biafra. Almost everybody I interviewed, with exception of two, said they could not recollect any music in the background of the newstalk broadcast. The tune whether an inspiration (just like All Hail Biafra) or reality, was on my lips over the years (just like All Hail Biafra) until its recreation and recording in 2003.

I will never forget January 12, 1970, the day the war ended, because there was intense and sustained shelling of Orlu and environ. Millions of helpless civilians and soldiers were holed up in the enclave. Our entire family, my parents, myself and siblings were in the encirclement. Voice of Biafra was only playing instrumental Church hymns with intermittent announcements that "there would be a special announcement" at 2.00 pm" as our world was heavily bombarded. Our world turned around, we shivered. We listened to the radio for the announcement as we lay face-down on the floor under cover. I will never forget General Effiong's voice coming in much later after 2.00 pm to broadcast the surrender announcement. Federal troops stopped shelling the enclave about seven minutes into Effiong's speech. When the dust settled, I looked at an old wrist watch my father gave me and the time was 4.11 pm. During the course of the war I used table salt as money to repair the watch. During the war, salt was scarce and difficult to come by, hence readily acceptable as means of payment for goods and services.

This song is dedicated to the memory of three of my grandparents who lost their lives as a result of the Biafran war, and to all those who died in Biafra. Rest in peace till we meet again to part no more.

May God grant us peace.

Amb Chief Charles O. Okereke 

ALL HAIL BIAFRA LYRICS 

1. All hail Biafra

Land of the rising sun, we love and cherish

We have vanquished our enemies, all hail Biafra

God Bless Biafra, in Him we trust

Shout it sing it, all hail Biafra 

2. God bless Biafra

We have emerged triumphant, from all our foes

Through the crucible unscathed, we passed victorious

Our trumpets pealing, the glorious song

Play it, sing it, all hail Biafra 

3. Oh hail Biafra

We shall always remember, all that perished,

In the struggle for our freedom, all hail our heroes

Our prayers shall bemoan, both day and night

Say them always, all hail Biafra 

SELECTED QUOTES BY AMB CHIEF OKEREKE

(1) - "The cross of grief and pain from predators and oppressors in disguise as leaders or liberators ceases with age, but the people live from age to age through generations. Eventually, the nation reverts to the people. Time on your side." 

(2) - "Peace and justice are of prosperity, human rights and freedom. These are the main elements of humanism, which is not of tribe, race, group or section, but of God’s love and human conscience. Music and media guided by His Grace are vehicles of everlasting peace and justice." 

(3) - "Let the g...s implode, the wooden barrels decompose to fertilize a vibrant agriculture, and the metallic barrels and structures melted for industrialization. Let the ensuing abundance fill up the greedy and the rest of society for the complete healing of Africa." 

(4) - "Troubled path is not always from the devil. God may use thorns and people against you in blessing you towards his design for you on earth. You may be painfully poked, hated, ridiculed and isolated into the path set for the fulfillment of your destiny. People around you may be vehicles in the attainment of your destiny, so worship Him above and let people say and do what they like." 

(5) - "Words of mouth is not doing, only time tells its truthfulness. It is easy to say words in times of need be it vote, money, love and almost all our personal desires. Our guide is trust and track record of the sayer, so listen with measured reason so you may not be deceived."