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Emeka
Frederick Forsyth is a best-selling popular novelist. He strongly and publicly supported the cause of Biafra in the Nigerian civil war, and covered the period as a war correspondent in Biafra. He had a fifteen-year association with the Igbo leader, Chukwuemeka Ojukwu. His biography of'Emeka' was published in 1982 with the full cooperation of the subject.It covers his youth, army training, the civil war, and his twelve-year exile. Still of great interest, the biography has now been revised.
- GenresHistory
Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
About the author
Frederick Forsyth
331 books4,414 followersFrederick Forsyth, CBE was a English author and occasional political commentator. He was best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan, and more recently, The Cobra and The Kill List.
The son of a furrier, he was born in Ashford, Kent, educated at Tonbridge School and later attended the University of Granada. He became one of the youngest pilots in the Royal Air Force at 19, where he served on National Service from 1956 to 1958. Becoming a journalist, he joined Reuters in 1961 and later the BBC in 1965, where he served as an assistant diplomatic correspondent. From July to September 1967, he served as a correspondent covering the Nigerian Civil War between the region of Biafra and Nigeria. He left the BBC in 1968 after controversy arose over his alleged bias towards the Biafran cause and accusations that he falsified segments of his reports. Returning to Biafra as a freelance reporter, Forsyth wrote his first book, The Biafra Story in 1969.
Forsyth decided to write a novel using similar research techniques to those used in journalism. His first full length novel, The Day of the Jackal, was published in 1971 and became an international bestseller and gained its author the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel. It was later made into a film of the same name.
The son of a furrier, he was born in Ashford, Kent, educated at Tonbridge School and later attended the University of Granada. He became one of the youngest pilots in the Royal Air Force at 19, where he served on National Service from 1956 to 1958. Becoming a journalist, he joined Reuters in 1961 and later the BBC in 1965, where he served as an assistant diplomatic correspondent. From July to September 1967, he served as a correspondent covering the Nigerian Civil War between the region of Biafra and Nigeria. He left the BBC in 1968 after controversy arose over his alleged bias towards the Biafran cause and accusations that he falsified segments of his reports. Returning to Biafra as a freelance reporter, Forsyth wrote his first book, The Biafra Story in 1969.
Forsyth decided to write a novel using similar research techniques to those used in journalism. His first full length novel, The Day of the Jackal, was published in 1971 and became an international bestseller and gained its author the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel. It was later made into a film of the same name.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 10, 2015
This is a short biography covering only a small portion of the subject's life. The author may be a bit biased, but freely admits it.
This is an intersting story of a good man in a very bad situation.
This is an intersting story of a good man in a very bad situation.
January 19, 2015
When one is faced with mass killings of one's ethnic group, there are too many options left in a choice of reaction.
I don't think it's best not to judge others if one cannot phantom how one would react in similar circumstances. Fredrick's piece on Emeka captures a good way to look at the man in the eye of the Biafran storm
I don't think it's best not to judge others if one cannot phantom how one would react in similar circumstances. Fredrick's piece on Emeka captures a good way to look at the man in the eye of the Biafran storm
January 21, 2018
i loved this story, Ojukwu is a great man no doubt. but this book was a worship to his name and an absolution of any blame for the civil war, which for me does history no good.
September 7, 2022
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. Emeka for short. In 1967 cub reporter Frederick Forsyth is sent to Nigeria by the BBC to report on the unrest in the nation. His job is to parrot the Official Government position, which he does not do. Instead he meets with the opposition, which is led by Emeka. Forsyth develops a serious mancrush on Emeka, and they stay friends for decades. Apparently this Emeka is a particularly remarkable man, but I only have Forsyth's word for that.
Emeka is the son of the richest man in Nigeria. He is sent to the best private schools in England and eventually Oxford. Where Emeka proves that he intends to be his own man, not the man his father chooses him to be. His father wants him to study law at Oxford, instead he studies history. His father wants him to work for the family trucking empire, Emeka joins the Civil Service. His father interferes with his career, so Emeka joins the military. His father prevents him from joining officer training school, so he joins as an enlisted man. His father influences the military to try and get Emeka to quit so Emeka spends months cleaning toilets. He doesn't quit and gets noticed by an officer and is ordered to apply for officer training school. He quickly rises through the ranks.
Emeka succeeds at everything he sets his mind to. He becomes leader of the Biafran area of Nigeria through talent alone in a place where everyone else buys their way to the top. He appears honest and incorruptible. When civil war erupts, he resists the call for war. He is already super rich and could easily have real political power but seems to really just want to work for the people. If all of this seems too good to be true, Emeka's actions after the war prove them beyond doubt. When exiled many leaders have lived in mansions amid luxury. Napoleon ruled Elba like a king. Others take to the bush and start a terror campaign against the government. In exile, Emeka took out a bank loan and started a trucking company. He avoided publicity, said little about the Nigerian government, and caused no problems. He really seems to be the real deal.
There are few men like Emeka in world history. He may be the African version of Simón Bolívar or George Washington. The only African I know of the is in any way similar is Nelson Mandela.
Emeka is the son of the richest man in Nigeria. He is sent to the best private schools in England and eventually Oxford. Where Emeka proves that he intends to be his own man, not the man his father chooses him to be. His father wants him to study law at Oxford, instead he studies history. His father wants him to work for the family trucking empire, Emeka joins the Civil Service. His father interferes with his career, so Emeka joins the military. His father prevents him from joining officer training school, so he joins as an enlisted man. His father influences the military to try and get Emeka to quit so Emeka spends months cleaning toilets. He doesn't quit and gets noticed by an officer and is ordered to apply for officer training school. He quickly rises through the ranks.
Emeka succeeds at everything he sets his mind to. He becomes leader of the Biafran area of Nigeria through talent alone in a place where everyone else buys their way to the top. He appears honest and incorruptible. When civil war erupts, he resists the call for war. He is already super rich and could easily have real political power but seems to really just want to work for the people. If all of this seems too good to be true, Emeka's actions after the war prove them beyond doubt. When exiled many leaders have lived in mansions amid luxury. Napoleon ruled Elba like a king. Others take to the bush and start a terror campaign against the government. In exile, Emeka took out a bank loan and started a trucking company. He avoided publicity, said little about the Nigerian government, and caused no problems. He really seems to be the real deal.
There are few men like Emeka in world history. He may be the African version of Simón Bolívar or George Washington. The only African I know of the is in any way similar is Nelson Mandela.
January 1, 2019
No one described the Biafran war lord so far from other pieces I've read.
June 28, 2019
Superb essay on a brilliant man, and an insightful synopsis of a key stage in world history. Recommended.
March 25, 2016
In a world where many are unable to measure up to the high ideals of self-respect and manliness, Ojukwu was very direct and ambitious; not willing to cow to tyranny at any cost. Of course he wasn't perfect. He had his own flaws. But when I look at this man and what he represents, I am inspired to be patriotic, selfless, visionary and determined. He's a true Nigerian in all sense of the word. Salute to a man who discharged his duty to his generation with dignity. Mr. Forsyth did a well-researched job as far as I am concerned.
April 18, 2015
Good account of Ikemba Nnewi stand, had a little reservation about saying how truthful the account is but it offers me one good side of the story about the Man Ojukwu and his struggle for Biafra Republic.
May 11, 2014
Generous and biased
August 11, 2015
good book.
would give you an insight into happening before and during the biafra war.
would give you an insight into happening before and during the biafra war.
June 2, 2015
super hard to remember that its not emeka talking about (justifying) himself in the third person.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews