The BBC has found itself at the centre of a new storm over its handling of colonial history. A Grammy-winning director, whose documentary on the Biafran war has been lauded by the corporation, has used the platform to lay bare the brutal legacy of British rule in Nigeria.
The film, which premiered to a select audience in London last night, does not pull its punches. It traces the roots of the 1967-1970 conflict directly back to the partition of Africa by European powers. The director, speaking exclusively to this bureau, said: "The British didn't just leave. They set a trap. And we are still caught in it."
Whitehall sources are privately seething. The documentary comes at a sensitive time for the government. The Foreign Office is already grappling with demands for reparations from former colonies. A senior diplomat called the film "unhelpful" but stopped short of condemning it.
The BBC, for its part, is standing by the project. A spokesperson said: "This is a powerful and important work of journalism. It reflects the BBC's commitment to telling uncomfortable truths."
But the real story is in the reaction from the Nigerian diaspora. Leaked emails seen by this bureau show furious debate within the Nigerian High Commission. One official called the film "a distortion of history". Another warned that it could inflame tensions in the Niger Delta region.
The director is unrepentant. "The truth is the truth," he said. "If the British establishment doesn't like it, that's their problem."
This is a developing story. Expect more leaks from Whitehall in the coming hours.
