Afrigather 
Enumerating inhabitants is a difficult train, particularly in creating nations the place sure elements are absent to supply a reputable foundation for cheap estimates. However the challenges, nations need to be related and recognized with a inhabitants.
The advantages of correct or cheap inhabitants estimates are to help in planning by grouping the info into segments for numerous analyses. With out belaboriing numerous methods to conduct inhabitants estimates, I’ve typically puzzled how folks died throughout Nigeria-Biafra Civil Conflict?
Whereas Igbos unduly really feel they suffered essentially the most, it was not an Igbo battle however battle of secession by Japanese Nigeria, which was not all Igbos.
Japanese Nigeria then is now 9 states – Abia, Akwa Ibiom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers, out of every 5 are geographically thought of core Igbo states. Then Japanese Nigeria was 33 Divisions with provinces. The general inhabitants of Japanese Nigeria was far lower than 15 million.
There have been hardly cities or cities, Enugu, Calabar, PH, Aba, Onitsha that had 1,000,000 folks in them.
Now, with this common overview, it’s onerous to digest that 3m Japanese Nigerians majority Igbos received killed in the course of the 30-month rebellion referred to as battle.
When the quantity that’s alleged to have been killed or died is split by the battle period, it overwhelms what in statistical jargon is seen as inconceivable.
There aren’t any mass graves in Japanese Nigeria the place folks have been buried as a result of battle. No Igbo/Japanese Nigeria village or city can produce an inventory of individuals in tons of or tens of 1000’s that died who’re natives to that exact city or village.
My father represented Awgu Division within the Biafra Consultative Meeting, which changed Japanese Nigeria Home of Chiefs.
Awgu Division was made up of 21 cities – there gained’t be information help to again or justify that in every city, 1,000 of their natives died in the course of the battle. I’ll problem any Igbo to go to their village and produce quantity remotely shut.
With this in thoughts, I’ll say unequivocally that far lower than a million Easterners died in the course of the battle with majority Igbos.
The opposite numbers put out are largely bogus and exaggerated for public consumption to induce heightened ache.
I’m not making an attempt to undermine or downplay the painful losses.
I’m simply assured that thousands and thousands didn’t die as Nigerians have been made to assume.
Since Nigerians are given to exaggeration then and now, even the present inhabitants of 200m Nigerians is simply nearly as good as believing Sahara Desert is a rainforest.
Now shoot after chewing on this.
Ejike E. Okpa World Affairs Analyst.
