This stamp was issued in 1968 by the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra and printed by the Lisbon Mint. It formed part of a series of three stamps of different denominations commemorating Biafra’s declaration of independence on 30 May 1967, through which it also sought to extend its limited international recognition.
The design features a map of the outline of the Republic of Biafra, filled in with the tricolour national flag (red, black and green), with a golden eleven-rayed rising sun in the centre. The map serves as an emblem, with the sole purpose of affirming the continued existence of Biafra, its territory and its flag.
The choice of the two cities featured on the signs is no coincidence either. Enugu was the first capital declared by Biafra, and Port Harcourt was the country’s main port and oil centre. Together, the two pieces were intended to demonstrate the viability of their claim to statehood.
Biafra declared its independence from Nigeria in 1967, triggering the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War. Biafra was directly recognised by Tanzania, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia and Haiti, and also received military support from France, Israel, South Africa and Spain. On the opposing side, Nigeria enjoyed much broader support from the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, which led to the end of the Republic of Biafra on 15 January 1970.
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