{"id":37091,"date":"2019-05-03T06:53:42","date_gmt":"2019-05-03T10:53:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=37091"},"modified":"2019-05-03T06:56:54","modified_gmt":"2019-05-03T10:56:54","slug":"the-dream-of-biafra-lives-on-in-underground-nigerian-radio-broadcasts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/the-dream-of-biafra-lives-on-in-underground-nigerian-radio-broadcasts\/","title":{"rendered":"“The dream of Biafra lives on in underground Nigerian radio broadcasts”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)<\/p><\/div>\n

Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, Ed, who shares the following story about Radio Biafra from the LA Times<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Every evening as 5 o\u2019clock approaches, the clogged, perpetually dusty streets of this industrial city in southeastern Nigeria begin to empty.<\/p>\n

Groups of men just off work go inside, shut their doors and tune their radios to 102.1 FM.<\/p>\n

Then an anthem begins to play, and a voice says \u201cKedu\u201d \u00ad \u201chow are you\u201d in the Igbo language \u00ad to welcome listeners to the daily broadcast of Radio Biafra.<\/p>\n

For the next 90 minutes, hosts and various guests proselytize for the revival of an old dream: the creation of an independent state called Biafra.<\/p>\n

The broadcasts, conducted live from an undisclosed location in Nigeria, are illegal, and the group behind them \u00ad the Indigenous People of Biafra, or IPOB \u00ad has been classified by the government as a terrorist organization since 2017. Its leaders say they eschew violence and want a peaceful settlement of the issue through a national referendum.<\/p>\n

Activists say people caught listening to the station have been arrested or beaten. But many residents here say they are willing to take the risk.<\/p>\n

Radio Biafra is a daily reminder of the bloody civil war that ravaged Nigeria between 1967 and 1970. The conflict started when a Nigerian military general, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, declared an independent state of Biafra. It ended after more than a million deaths, mostly from starvation after the government imposed a food blockade on the region.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the rebels surrendered and the area was reintegrated into Nigeria under the government motto \u201cNo victor, no vanquished.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the memory of the brutal war looms large in Aba, feeding enthusiasm for the broadcasts despite extremely long odds that Biafra will ever come to be.[…]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Click here to read the full story at the LA Times.<\/a><\/p>\n

Radio Biafra has also been elusive and rare DX for radio listeners. Click here to read more Radio Biafra posts in our archive<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ed, who shares the following story about Radio Biafra from the LA Times: Every evening as 5 o\u2019clock approaches, the clogged, perpetually dusty streets of this industrial city in southeastern Nigeria begin to empty. Groups of men just off work go inside, shut their doors and tune their radios […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[869,3,43],"tags":[870,237,7748,3559,4201,34],"class_list":["post-37091","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-clandestine","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-clandestine-radio","tag-clandestine-stations","tag-la-times","tag-nigeria","tag-radio-biafra","tag-shortwave"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-9Ef","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14732,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/shortwave-radio-recordings-radio-biafra\/","url_meta":{"origin":37091,"position":0},"title":"Shortwave Radio Recordings: Radio Biafra","author":"Thomas","date":"September 10, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week, I received a tip from SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson:\u00a0Radio Biafra, a new clandestine station, was audible on 15,560 kHz via the Universite Twente Web SDR. Despite miserable propagation conditions, I tuned my receiver\u00a0to 15,560 kHz and was surprised to hear a weak signal from Radio Biafra, here\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Clandestine"","block_context":{"text":"Clandestine","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/clandestine\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"RadioBiafra","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/RadioBiafra-300x293.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":50386,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/radio-waves-skyworks-acquires-silicon-labs-drm-response-to-rw-article-cnn-finds-radio-biafra-and-free-online-foundation-course\/","url_meta":{"origin":37091,"position":1},"title":"Radio Waves: Skyworks Acquires Silicon Labs, DRM Response to RW Article, CNN finds Radio Biafra, and Free Online Foundation Course","author":"Thomas","date":"September 28, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Radio Waves:\u00a0 Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Because I keep my ear to the waves, as well as receive many tips from others who do the same, I find myself privy to radio-related stories that might interest\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0readers.\u00a0 To that end:\u00a0Welcome to the\u00a0SWLing Post\u2019s Radio Waves, a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Tecsun-PL-310ET.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Tecsun-PL-310ET.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Tecsun-PL-310ET.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":33823,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/guest-post-possible-last-remaining-direct-biafra-qsl-emerges\/","url_meta":{"origin":37091,"position":2},"title":"Guest Post: Possible Last Remaining Direct Biafra QSL Emerges","author":"Thomas","date":"August 31, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Robinson who shares this fascinating story about what has to be \"one of the most important occurrences involving a SWBC station that no longer exists -- the Voice of Biafra\": Biafra: One of the rarest of SWBC QSLs by Dan Robinson Many SWLing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DX"","block_context":{"text":"DX","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/dx\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Biafra-QSL-Ebay-e1535663270127.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Biafra-QSL-Ebay-e1535663270127.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Biafra-QSL-Ebay-e1535663270127.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Biafra-QSL-Ebay-e1535663270127.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":57739,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/09\/yoruba-nation-radio-tv-new-clandestine-station-on-hf\/","url_meta":{"origin":37091,"position":3},"title":"Yoruba Nation Radio\/TV: New Clandestine Station on HF","author":"Thomas","date":"September 11, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who notes that a new clandestine station called Yoruba Nation Radio has been broadcasting on shortwave since August 5, 2023. Here's one of their first announcements about the broadcasts: On the 5th of August 2023, Yoruba\u00a0Nation\u00a0Shortwave\u00a0Radio will start broadcasting live. Share this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Clandestine"","block_context":{"text":"Clandestine","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/clandestine\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Yoruba-Nation-RadioTV.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":51166,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/12\/carlos-shortwave-art-and-recording-of-clandestine-republic-of-yemen-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":37091,"position":4},"title":"Carlos\u2019 Shortwave Art and Recording of Clandestine Republic of Yemen Radio","author":"Thomas","date":"December 13, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor and noted political cartoonist,\u00a0Carlos Latuff, who shares another example\u00a0of his radio log art, this time for clandestine station, Republic of Yemen Radio. Carlos notes: Republic of Yemen Radio, 11860 kHz, Saudi Arabia's clandestine broadcaster broadcasting political propaganda to Yemen, a country that has been undergoing Saudi\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art"","block_context":{"text":"Art","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/art-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Carlos-Latuff-Saudi-e1639362789654.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Carlos-Latuff-Saudi-e1639362789654.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Carlos-Latuff-Saudi-e1639362789654.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Carlos-Latuff-Saudi-e1639362789654.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Carlos-Latuff-Saudi-e1639362789654.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6323,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/04\/al-jazeera-radio-free-sarawak-offers-alternative-voice-ahead-of-elections\/","url_meta":{"origin":37091,"position":5},"title":"Al Jazeera: Radio Free Sarawak offers alternative voice ahead of elections","author":"Thomas","date":"April 24, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Clandestine station, Radio Free Sarawak, offers an alternative voice in Malaysia\u00a0ahead of elections next week. For those living in remote jungle communities--places where the Internet is not readily available--Radio Free Sarawak can be heard on shortwave radio. Al Jazeera's Florence Looi reports from a village in Sarawak: Added to other\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37091","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37091"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37091\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}