389. Memorandum for the Record1
SUBJECT
- Meeting with Nigerian Chief Enahoro, Minister of Information and Labor in the Federal Military Government (June 28–10:30 AM)
Enahoro had requested a meeting with the President to present a “personal message” from General Gowon. He was persuaded that the message would reach the President if he gave it to me and to Nick Katzenbach, whom he saw later in the day.2
There was no written text to Enahoro’s message. The points he made were as follows:
- 1.
- General Gowon feels “let down” by the USG. As the defender of Nigerian unity, he believes he deserves a more sympathetic and understanding attitude from us.
- 2.
- The USG should take steps to keep the United States from being used as a base for Biafran activity—either propaganda or money-raising. Several Nigerians and Americans are now carrying on such operations here; the State Department knows who they are. As demonstrated in the case of Katanga, the USG does have the legal means to suppress this sort of thing if it has the will.
- 3.
- Payments of royalties and taxes by foreign oil companies operating in Nigeria must continue to be made to the FMG, notwithstanding the recent Biafran decree that companies operating in the East must pay the Biafran government.
- 4.
- Some Americans seem to have accepted the notion that the FMG is a bloodthirsty leviathan bent on annihilating the gallant and peace-loving Easterners. The truth is that the FMG bears no malice towards the citizens of Eastern Nigeria, and it intends to use no more force than is necessary to maintain Nigerian unity. If the situation evolves to the point where civilians deal with civilians, there is no doubt in Gowon’s mind that the secession would end and peaceful unity be restored.
I did not attempt to argue the specifics of Enahoro’s case. I questioned him at several points to clarify his argument, but left detailed response to Under Secretary Katzenbach. I did remark that we are most hopeful that a peaceful solution to Nigeria’s difficulties could be found, and that it is very difficult for us to be helpful in a family quarrel.