Surviving the Iron Curtain: A Microscopic View of What Life Was Like Inside a War-Torn Region [Paperback]

Chief Uche Jim Ojiaku (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 26, 2007

The NIGERIA-BIAFRA war started in mid 1967 when a tiny region of Nigeria seceded from Nigeria to become Biafra. With the complete support of the British government, Nigeria instituted a very powerful and effective blockade on Biafra. The only communication that Biafra had with the rest of the world was through the RED CROSS and CARITAS relief flights that were flown into Biafra at nights under heavy attacks from Nigerian forces. Some of the planes were shot down. With no powerful nation backing Biafra, coupled with the blockade and the consequent lack of food and medicine, surviving in Biafra became a matter of improvisements for both Biafran forces and citizens. In an area that was replete with diseases like malaria, typhoid and kwashiorkor, this book explains how the Biafran citizens were able to survive for almost three years until Biafra was defeated in January 1970.

Product Details

• Paperback: 191 pages
• Publisher: PublishAmerica (March 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1424170702
• ISBN-13: 978-1424170708
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,390,149 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read book on surviving in Biafra, May 6, 2007

By 

Chike Uka (Kenilworth, NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Surviving the Iron Curtain: A Microscopic View of What Life Was Like Inside a War-Torn Region (Paperback)

Chief Jim Ojiaku has written a fantastic and excellent expose' of the events of the Nigerian civil war from the home perspective. The rendition of his experiences, his free style of writing, enabled him to compress a large volume of facts with eloquence and details, thus, reminding the reader about why 'war is raw'. Chief Ojiaku wrote from the heart--a testament of the originality that would be a point of reference for future writers, hence there were no bibliographical references. The book portrayed how a determined people (Biafrans) courageously persevered over a thirty-month bloody civil war in the face of adversity perpetrated by world super-powers who coerced the international community to look away while they helped the Federal Government of Nigeria in its failed effort to win the war in forty-eight hours, then resorted to blockade and blanket the Biafrans both by sea, air, and land and executed the blood-letting and starvation that led to an eventual surrender to peace in 1970.
Chief Ojiaku indicated that although the battle ended in the war front, the war rages on as people from the Biafran side continue to be marginalized in almost all aspects of Nigerian life--politics, university admissions, road constructions and what have you! This book showed that Chief Jim Ojiaku can successfully make use of good advice. Thanks to his brother in law--Professor Joe Akunna who sincerely advised him to put down his thoughts in black and white.
Surviving the iron curtain exemplified how Biafra was killed in a genocidal civil unrest, but the people refused to die. The planned extermination of the Biafrans from the surface of the earth--how civilians were tortured and starved, the poor state of Biafra, how ill-equipped young people joined the war to save their people, how the Biafrans used improvises to fight valiantly as the Biblical David against Goliath. Chief Uche Jim Ojiaku did not forget the benevolence of the Red Cross and other relief organizations in breaking the iron curtain despite enemy attack. Worst still was the only twenty pounds which Biafrans received from the Nigerian Government who had any bank account in Biafran banks--being the only rehabilitation received since after the war.
Chief Jim Ojiaku deliberately refused to deal with the blame game that characterizes every war. He was right to blame both sides in order to allow the reader to understand his reason for writing the book. Finally Biafra surrendered through the courage and bravery of Colonel Philip Effiong who helped to salvage the human skull that was left of Biafra--in 1970. I strongly recommend this book to all who profess to the Biafran cause-both old and young--a reminder of the indelible scar--that was Biafra.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surviving the iron curtain by Chief Uche Jim Ojiaku, April 22, 2007

By 

Oikins (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Surviving the Iron Curtain: A Microscopic View of What Life Was Like Inside a War-Torn Region (Paperback)

In reading Chief Uche Jim Ojiaku's book I learned a piece of history that needs to be read by everyone and the world needs to remember the horrors of the war between Nigeria and The Republic Of Biafra and a war that tore apart a country.
He tells of one story about his brother Emmanuel who is killed at the front at the young age of 19 and the beautiful touching letter his father writes to his dead son, "An Epitath To Lt. Emmanuel Ojiaku."

This letter is heart breaking and no one would forget reading it. He writes very lovingly about his mother, father, brothers and sisters and especially about his love for his people. He brings forth in his book many beautiful photographs and diagrams on the many foods in his region and explains in great detail on each food and how they're prepared.

This book is a must read. Jim brings forth the great love he has for his people, his family and most of all his great country.

I give Chief Uche Jim Ojiaku five stars ***** for a book well written.

Joseph Frank Baraba

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Totally Inadequate, March 7, 2008

By 

Coco - See all my reviews

This review is from: Surviving the Iron Curtain: A Microscopic View of What Life Was Like Inside a War-Torn Region (Paperback)

This book was very unorganized and unedited. This is not at all a good way to learn about the Biafra war. I couldn't believe that anyone would allow this book to be published.