There are interesting developments between Japan and the former Biafra. For a long time Nnewi and Aba of the former Biafra have been described as the Japan of Africa. Japan, just like Biafra, is known as the land of the rising sun and the Biafran flag is symbolised by half of a yellow sun.

The late Biafran Leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, was born on November 4, 1933 – just like Charles Kao, Physicist, Nobel Prize Winner and winner of the 12th Japanese Prize. Also November 4, 1933 saw the launching of the famed Japanese Destroyer, Hatsushimo, by the Imperial Japanese Navy which saw action in World War II.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu died on November 26, 2011, two days before the anniversary of the death of the U.S. Physicist, and Nobel Laureate, Enrico Fermi, who won the war against the Japanese for the U.S. President Harry S. Truman. It was Japan versus U.S. and Nigeria versus Biafra.

Taking the place of Fermi on the Nigerian side versus Biafra for the Nigerian Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, was Obafemi Awolowo described as the chief strategist of the Nigerian Civil War. Whilst Fermi was called the Pope, Awolowo was called the Sage. Whilst Fermi was as good a theoretician as well as an experimentalist, Awolowo was a political theoretician as well as being a practical economist. Thousands of harmless Japanese died as a result of the atomic bomb as developed by the U.S. Millions of harmless Biafrans died due to hunger.

Japan rose like the phoenix from the ashes of World War II – thanks to the Marshal Plan. Would there be a Marshal plan for the former Biafra? Only time would tell.

***

Condi Rice and Ngozi Okonjo Iweala

Condi Rice and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala both made the list of Forbes Most Powerful Women.

They are both Ph.D holders in Social Sciences. They were both born in 1954.

Condi Rice was Secretary of State of the United State of America. Relatedly, Okonjo-Iweala served as Foreign Affairs Minister of Nigeria.

Condi Rice and Okonjo-Iweala have both been tipped for the position of President of the U.S. and Nigeria respectively.

•COINCIDENCES is a weekly column that appears on Wednesdays. The columnist, Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth, is based in England, Britain, but can be reached via e-mail through atogonub@hotmail.co.uk or info@newsexpressngr.com

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