Descripción
The album is bound in the distinctive green and white stripes of the Nigerian flag, with the Nigerian coat of arms bearing the motto "Unity and Faith" in gilt to the upper board. Opening the album both pastedowns have been decorated with marbled paper, a programme of events, inscribed by Yakubu Gowon and dated 31.03.69, has been attached to the first page and there follows 39 photographs mounted on black paper with spiders web embossed protective tissue guards. The photographs measure either 21cm by 19cm or 24cm by 19cm and document the visit chronologically, beginning with Wilson's arrival at Ikeja Airport. Several photographs feature people protesting against the Nigerian civil war and the messages on their banners are as good a reminder of the background to the visit as any, they read: "No stalemate in Nigeria War", "No genocide against Ibos" and, most pertinently, "Wilson's Britain Blessing or Bane?". Britain had ostensibly been advocating a peaceful settlement to the conflict between Nigeria's Federal Military Government(headed by Yakubu Gowon) and the would be independent state of Biafra, whilst supplying a prodigious quantity of arms and assistance, covert or otherwise, to the FMG. Papers released years later reveal that Britain's actions were dictated by financial rather than moral obligations, the decision having been made that Britain's interests were best served by Nigeria remaining a single united state, as there was no guarantee that a future Biafran state would grant such favourable terms to Shell/BP in accessing oil in the Eastern region, and that even should they do this there was no guarantee that trade would continue smoothly between east and west. Britain also had geopolitical concerns, holding the view that a strong united Nigera as a major African power was desirable, as a break up of the Federation would allow France and its allies to exercise greater influence in the region. Similarly to recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Wilson was challenged frequently in the House of Commons on the legitimacy and extent of Britain's involvement in the conflict, his responses are impressively adroit in their prevarication, occasionally veering across the fine line of truth. A fascinating emblem of the difficult decisions faced by a succession of financially crippled British Governments during the immediate post-war/post-colonial period, as well as a reminder of how adept, persuasive and intelligent Harold Wilson was as a statesman. Although Wilson would later write of the toll that this statecraft took on him, revealing that Nigeria: "took up far more of my time, and that of ministerial colleagues, and far more moral wear and tear than any other issue.". The album was kept by Harold Wilson throughout the remainder of his life and subsequently by his wife, Lady Mary Wilson and comes from the collection of Harold and Mary Wilson. N° de ref. del artículo 5866
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