Early June1967.

Footage of Lt. Colonel Chukwuemeka Ojukwu the Nigerian Army Lt. Colonel who as Military Governor of the Eastern Region had declared the region's secession as the Republic of Biafra days earlier on May 30th 1967.

Speaking at a press conference at State House in Enugu, the capital of the breakaway state, Ojukwu ruminated on the collapse of what he described as the "dictatorial regime" of Lt. Colonel Yakubu Gowon, the Federal leader, and also on the heavy burden of leading the secession.

Despite the secession, Ojukwu technically remained an army Lt. Colonel and the Military Governor of the East Central State, one of the 12 states created by Gowon a few days before secession.

Ojukwu's appointment as the Military Governor of the East Central State was formally revoked at the beginning of July 1967 and he was formally dismissed from the Nigerian Army on July 5th 1967, one day before the opening shots were fired in what Gowon said was a "Police Action", but which would escalate into a "Total War" after the invasion of the Mid West State by Biafran forces on August 9th 1967.

Footage released on June 7th 1967.

Source: Personal Collection.

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