When she entered the house, she observed an unusual quietness.  Her mother was sitting on the sofa; “all alone mummy, where are the rest”? She asked.  “Thank God Victoria, I was just praying for you to return in good time”.  “But where are my brothers” Victoria inquired, “Uncle Tommy, your father’s elder brother, who is a merchant in Gabon flew off with Alex and Emma aboard the Gabonese Airline, this morning.  You were supposed to be on that flight Vicky.  But you were not around at departure time.  Uncle Tommy had to leave your ticket behind.  Your name is on tomorrow’s flight schedule.” “Where is daddy? Victoria inquired.

 

“Your dad, returned from duty last night, to tell me that, he was moving to Port Harcourt with colonel Achuzia.  You know, they were pals, in their standard school days.  He said the colonel need, the best men to defend Port Harcourt against the federal troops, advancing with an amphibious division.  Before he left, he hug me and kiss me.  I was worried.  But he assured me, he could take care of himself. I have learnt not to question his actions.  And I think I quite agree with his last words that anything we do now, is in honour of Biafra – our father land………… I am happy that you are here now.  You see, we have a lot to arrange; I just got a call from the director of the Medical Corps Stationed at Enugu to come down immediately to help his emergency team.  You see he has respect for my capability as a staff nurse.  According to the roaster he sent me, I am supposed to be on night duty tomorrow.  So I just have to leave early tomorrow morning, so as to catch some rest before night.  And besides, I have to take you to the airport before I head for the military base”

 

 

Victoria examined the flight ticket on the table, “Please mum send it back to Uncle Tommy.  ‘You see mum’, if I were a man, I’d go out there and fight.  But not the less, as an Ibo girl, I must contribute my quota; ‘In honour of my fatherland.’  One of the boys in the party last night had the opportunity to go to London.  But he discarded it.  He preferred to die, fighting for the cause of Biafra, than being a refugee in London”.

 

“Well, do what you like, my daughter.  God be with us.  And long live the republic of Biafra.” (the next day, she went to the local Red cross unit and enlisted as a volunteer).

 

The federal troops, advanced from three major fronts.  From the Delta in the Mid-Western region, they besiege the oil city of Port Harcourt.  From Idah in the middle belt, they liberated the University town of Nsukka.  From Benin-City in the mid-west they motivated their attack through Asaba eastern axis and through Ishan land as they advance on to Onitsha.  From where they began liberating the hinterland.

 

They were superior in terms of men and arms.  Nevertheless, the Biafra army gave them a stubborn resistance.  The young heroes fought gallantly, and distinguished themselves at the front.  But they did not count on the in exhaustible number of men at the federals disposal.  Apart from having every eligible young man in their area of jurisdiction enlist in its army, they had a flock of volunteers from the Hausa tribes of other nations, thronging into Nigeria for enlistment.  These men came from – Benin republic, Togo, Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Mali.  Most of them were fanatics.  Who were ready and happy to die?  They were the type of men, who comprised the bulk of Colonel Benjamin Adekunle’s 3rd Marine commando.

 

After the capture of Nsukka and the fall of Onitsha, they began to encircle Biafra for the final onslaught.  As they closed in from the three major fronts, Biafra began to crumble.  With the vanquished people in every federal liberated town or village, shouting one Nigeria! – The only slogan the federal troops respect. Saying something different was like asking for a bullet in your guts.

 

When Port Harcourt finally fell, after the final assault by the Black scorpion – (Colonel Benjamin Adekunle’s) 3rd Marine Commando, Victoria, who had been an ardent supporter of the Biafra cause, began to change her mind.  In her opinion, the Biafra Radio ought to change its name to voice of propaganda, because 90% of its news was junk.

 

At the battle front, she rescued so many souls, at the risk of her life.  She did her best to save every wounded Biafra Soldier she encountered.  She began to notice a gradual decline in the Biafra rank and file.  “Oh my God!” she wondered, “Somebody ought to tell general Ojukwu, it’s time to call off his bluff.”  She felt so sad within, as she reflected on events of the immediate past.  So many souls have perished and the survivors, undergoing incarceration.

 

Eventually, Nigeria perfected the air and sea blockade.  And with the co-operation of Cameroon, they succeeded to seal Biafra’s main link line of supply.  The masses began to Languish.  Hunger was the order of the day.  Children began to die of starvation.  Countless epidemics stuck the people.  From Kwashiorkor to Cholera and Yellow Fever, just to mention a few.

 

On various occasions, she had cause to donate her personal ration to starving children. Her passion for these children prompted her to succumb to the overtures of a Nigeria army colonel.  Initially, she thought he was going to be the demanding type.  But to her amazement, it was the opposite.  This kanuri officer, a devout Muslim, believe that a soldier put a jinx on his life, if he made love at the war front.

 

As often as he could snatch some time off the brigade’s operation zone; He drove down to the Red Cross Camp to pick Victoria.  They take a short ride in his jeep, stop in a quiet place near his brigade’s base.  Then, holding her closely to himself-, he fondle her nipples gently with his right hand, while using his left hand to slightly brush her hair.  Fully aroused, he would unzip his pants and expose his manhood.  “Hold it for me darling, at least for a few minutes”.  (He would say).  In less than three minutes, of ecstatic gyration while she held his stiff organ, he would ejaculate.  “Thank you darling.  I am O.K now.  The nerves are quiet.  Let’s go back to base”.

 

He then, drive’s back to the military base.  Before coming out from the Jeep, he would inscribe some list of items on a plain sheet, and as soon as he step’s out of the Jeep, he gives it to his aide-de-camp, who comes marching and saluting with a full attention.  The A.D.C, takes the note, and beckons to his batman.  And they would begin to load the Jeep with assorted foodstuff and essential commodity.  They would thereafter, drive her to the Red Cross Base.  Most of the food and medicine went to the starving and dying children of Biafra.  While the remainder, went to the Biafra soldiers of attrition, via a special intelligence courier.