Causes and the road to war
The crises of 1966, including two coups, and the steps that led to the declaration of Biafra in 1967.
Planned. This module is part of the plan and is not written yet.Handled with care: read the note under Practicalities before using this module.
Why it matters
Many Nigerian families have grandparents who lived through the war of 1967–1970, and its causes are still debated today. Learning to set out the evidence calmly, and to hear more than one side, helps us talk about it with care.
Draft outline · in review- For
- Level 9–11 · JSS 3 (BECE) to SSS 2
- Inside
- 6 lessons and a test · about 110 minutes
- Topic
- The Nigerian Civil War, 1967–1970 · core, 2 of 4
Inside the module.
6 lessons in order, about 110 minutes in all, then a short test. Learners go at their own pace; the minutes are a guide, not a timetable.
Draft outline · in review
Lesson 1: A federation under strain
How independence in 1960 left large regions competing for power at the centre, and how disputed census results and elections between 1962 and 1965 deepened mistrust.
Explain20 min, from minute 0
Lesson 2: The crises of 1966
The January coup, in which the Prime Minister and two regional premiers were killed; the July counter-coup that brought Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon to power; the violence against Igbo and other Easterners living in the North that drove many to return east; and why people in different regions saw these events so differently.
Explain20 min, from minute 20
Lesson 3: Aburi and its two meanings
Read short extracts about the meeting of military leaders at Aburi, Ghana, in January 1967, and see how each side came away with a different understanding of what had been agreed.
Investigate20 min, from minute 40
Lesson 4: From twelve states to Biafra
Order the events of May to July 1967: the creation of twelve states, the declaration of the Republic of Biafra by Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, and the start of the fighting.
Practice15 min, from minute 60
Lesson 5: Many perspectives
Led by the facilitator: how did the federal government, Biafran leaders and the minority peoples of the East each see these events? Learners listen to every view with respect, and anyone may opt out.
Discussion25 min, from minute 75
Lesson 6: Review
Mixed questions on causes, chronology and perspectives, with feedback on each.
Review10 min, from minute 100
End-of-module test
Explain the main causes of the war, put the key events of 1966–67 in order, and explain why different groups describe the road to war differently.
Mastered at 85% or more. Retake it until you pass; nothing is lost, and each try gives feedback.
Already know it? A Challenge Test (planned) clears the whole module: 90% overall, no objective below 75%.
Last stageafter about 110 min
Practicalities
Draft outline · in reviewHandle with care
For facilitators: this module is age-gated, and its discussions are led by you in person, not left to the screen. Some learners' families may have lived through these events. Anyone may opt out of a discussion without giving a reason; check in with them quietly afterwards and offer support.The Nigerian Civil War, 1967–1970: conflict, famine and loss of life. Families may have lived through it. Not shown below Level 9. Will come with a facilitator note. To be reviewed by people from the communities concerned.
Built to run offline
Planned to run on the Lantern's own computer, with no internet needed.
Beyond the screen
With the facilitator
Languages
Planned first in English; every module aims to reach all of the Lantern's languages.
Try a question.
One question from the module, as a learner would meet it. Have a go, then open the worked solution a step at a time.
Draft outline · in review
Put these events in the order they happened.
- AA: Biafra declares independence.
- BB: Military leaders meet at Aburi, Ghana.
- CC: The first military coup.
- DD: The counter-coup that brought Yakubu Gowon to power.
Particulars
Where it sits
History · Nigerian history · The Nigerian Civil War, 1967–1970
What a learner can do after it
- Explain the long-term and short-term causes of the Nigeria–Biafra war, from the regional strains of the First Republic to the crises of 1966–67.
- Build an accurate chronology of the main events from January 1966 to July 1967.
- Compare how the federal government, Biafran leaders and the minority peoples of the East explained the road to war, and why their accounts differ.
Needs first
This module has no prerequisites of its own. Like every first step, it assumes the Digital skills gateway: the first module on using a computer, which a Challenge Test clears in minutes.
Unlocks
Nothing requires this module yet.
Level
Level 9–11 · JSS 3 (BECE) to SSS 2
Level mappings are approximate. A qualified teacher or lecturer in each country must check them before they appear in the app.
Difficulty for its level
2 of 4 · Core
Time
About 110 minutes
Alignments
None drafted yet.
Alignment in review until a qualified teacher or lecturer checks it. No exam body, university or vendor endorses us; learners still sit the real exam.
Challenge Test
Planned: a Challenge Test to prove you know it and skip it. Pass at 90% overall, with no objective below 75%.
University courses it previews
History and International Studies, Political Science
The route here.
Everything this module builds on, drawn as a route from its foundations. Solid lanes must be mastered first, or cleared by a Challenge Test; dashed lanes are suggestions that never lock anything.
This module has no prerequisites of its own. Like every first step, it assumes the Digital skills gateway: the first module on using a computer, which a Challenge Test clears in minutes.
Help light the room where this is learned.
Every route on this map starts in a classroom with 24 stations, a tutor that works offline and a facilitator upstairs. Four are planned and waiting for light.