The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration

Jacob Uche Henry; Nwobi Isaac Obiora; Igboji Chikezirim David

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15

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The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration

Jacob Uche Henry, Nwobi Isaac Obiora, Igboji Chikezirim David

Published in Social Sciences (Volume 9, Issue 1)

Received: 22 November 2019 Accepted: 17 December 2019 Published: 2 March 2020

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Abstract

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had recently joined other secessionist agitators in the South-east region of Nigeria to demand for Biafran independence. IPOB together with several other uprisings in Nigeria have greatly challenged the possibility of achieving national integration. These challenges are often attributed to the unsolicited amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914, which produced a geographical expression known today as Nigeria. Unsolicited in the sense that the colonial authorities at that time failed to seek the consent of the diverse ethnic nationalities that later became part of the federation. Indeed, it was the amalgamation of these diverse ethnic nationalities that created the present need for national integration, to help fuse together the multiple ethnicities in the new born nation. Thus, in the post-colonial years, there were policies and programs initiated by various administrations to help foster unity and true federalism among the various groups. Unfortunately, the unfolding events from 1960 leading to the civil war in 1967, and the war itself dealt a big blow on the unity of the young nation. The Nigeria-Biafra civil war which started as a result of the secession attempt of the Igbo dominated Eastern Nigeria ended in 1970, with Gowon and subsequent leaders initiating several policies and programs to rekindle the fire of national integration. Fifty nine years after the war, the unity of the country is still under serious threat. It appears that neither the 3R program of Gowon, nor the Federal Character policy of Shagari among others, have been able to effectively address the problems of federalism, which has left multiple cracks on national integration efforts. The thrust of this paper therefore, is to examine the rise of IPOB with the aim to understand why the federal government policies failed to address the increasing tempo of secessionist movements in the country. Also, the paper will analytically demonstrate how government failures contribute to the rise of IPOB and its attendant threats to national unity.

Published in	Social Sciences (Volume 9, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15
Page(s)	40-44
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

National Integration, Indigenous People of Biafra, Nigeria, Policies, Secessionists

References

[1]	Campbell J. (2011), ‘Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink’, Rowan and Littlefield Publishers, New York.
[2]	Jega, A. M. (2002) ‘Education, Democracy and National Integration in Nigeria in the 21st Century’ The African Symposium: An Online Education Research Journal, Vol. 2, No. 4.
[3]	Sachidananda (1970) ‘Sociology of National Integration’, Bulletin of the Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute Vol. 31/32, No. ½ pp. 193-201.
[4]	Aristide R. Zolberg, (1967) ‘Patterns of National Integration’. The Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 449-467, Cambridge University Press.
[5]	Shone Khurana, ‘National Integration: Complete Information on the MEANING, features and Promotion of National Integration in India. (Retrieved from http://www.preservearticles.com/201022717861/nationalintegration.html.
[6]	28 September 2016. "No Going Back on Biafra, Ikedife Tells Government." [Accessed 7th September, 2019].
[7]	Patrick A. Edewor, Yetunde A. Aluko, Sheriff F. Folarin (2004) ‘Managing Ethnic and Cultural Diversity for National Integration in Nigeria’.
[8]	Crawford James (2006), ‘The Creation of States in International Law’, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[9]	Haverland Christine (2000), ‘Secession’ in Rudolf Bernhardt (ed), Encyclopaedia of Public International Law, Vol. IV.
[10]	Thompson, O. O, C. C Ojukwu, and O. G. F Nwaorgu. June 2016. "United We Fall, Divided We Stand: Resuscitation of the Biafra State Secession and the National Question of Conundrum." Journal of Research in National Development, Vol. 14, No. 1, [Accessed 7th September, 2019].
[11]	Agence France-Presse (AFP) 31 May 2016. Joel Olatunde Agoi. "Nigeria: Ten Dead as Biafra Anniversary Turns Bloody." [Accessed 7th September, 2019].
[12]	Amnesty International (AI), 10 June 2016. "Nigeria: Killing of Unarmed Pro-Biafra Supporters by Military Must Be Urgently Investigated." [Accessed 7th September, 2019).
[13]	Kunle Olajide, a speech delivered at the Yoruba Summit Communiqué, Ibadan, 2017.

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Jacob Uche Henry, Nwobi Isaac Obiora, Igboji Chikezirim David. (2020). The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration. Social Sciences, 9(1), 40-44. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15

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ACS Style

Jacob Uche Henry; Nwobi Isaac Obiora; Igboji Chikezirim David. The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration. Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(1), 40-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15

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AMA Style

Jacob Uche Henry, Nwobi Isaac Obiora, Igboji Chikezirim David. The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration. Soc Sci. 2020;9(1):40-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15

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@article{10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15,
  author = {Jacob Uche Henry and Nwobi Isaac Obiora and Igboji Chikezirim David},
  title = {The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration},
  journal = {Social Sciences},
  volume = {9},
  number = {1},
  pages = {40-44},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20200901.15},
  abstract = {The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had recently joined other secessionist agitators in the South-east region of Nigeria to demand for Biafran independence. IPOB together with several other uprisings in Nigeria have greatly challenged the possibility of achieving national integration. These challenges are often attributed to the unsolicited amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914, which produced a geographical expression known today as Nigeria. Unsolicited in the sense that the colonial authorities at that time failed to seek the consent of the diverse ethnic nationalities that later became part of the federation. Indeed, it was the amalgamation of these diverse ethnic nationalities that created the present need for national integration, to help fuse together the multiple ethnicities in the new born nation. Thus, in the post-colonial years, there were policies and programs initiated by various administrations to help foster unity and true federalism among the various groups. Unfortunately, the unfolding events from 1960 leading to the civil war in 1967, and the war itself dealt a big blow on the unity of the young nation. The Nigeria-Biafra civil war which started as a result of the secession attempt of the Igbo dominated Eastern Nigeria ended in 1970, with Gowon and subsequent leaders initiating several policies and programs to rekindle the fire of national integration. Fifty nine years after the war, the unity of the country is still under serious threat. It appears that neither the 3R program of Gowon, nor the Federal Character policy of Shagari among others, have been able to effectively address the problems of federalism, which has left multiple cracks on national integration efforts. The thrust of this paper therefore, is to examine the rise of IPOB with the aim to understand why the federal government policies failed to address the increasing tempo of secessionist movements in the country. Also, the paper will analytically demonstrate how government failures contribute to the rise of IPOB and its attendant threats to national unity.},
 year = {2020}
}

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AU  - Jacob Uche Henry
AU  - Nwobi Isaac Obiora
AU  - Igboji Chikezirim David
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DO  - 10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15
T2  - Social Sciences
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PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2326-988X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15
AB  - The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had recently joined other secessionist agitators in the South-east region of Nigeria to demand for Biafran independence. IPOB together with several other uprisings in Nigeria have greatly challenged the possibility of achieving national integration. These challenges are often attributed to the unsolicited amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914, which produced a geographical expression known today as Nigeria. Unsolicited in the sense that the colonial authorities at that time failed to seek the consent of the diverse ethnic nationalities that later became part of the federation. Indeed, it was the amalgamation of these diverse ethnic nationalities that created the present need for national integration, to help fuse together the multiple ethnicities in the new born nation. Thus, in the post-colonial years, there were policies and programs initiated by various administrations to help foster unity and true federalism among the various groups. Unfortunately, the unfolding events from 1960 leading to the civil war in 1967, and the war itself dealt a big blow on the unity of the young nation. The Nigeria-Biafra civil war which started as a result of the secession attempt of the Igbo dominated Eastern Nigeria ended in 1970, with Gowon and subsequent leaders initiating several policies and programs to rekindle the fire of national integration. Fifty nine years after the war, the unity of the country is still under serious threat. It appears that neither the 3R program of Gowon, nor the Federal Character policy of Shagari among others, have been able to effectively address the problems of federalism, which has left multiple cracks on national integration efforts. The thrust of this paper therefore, is to examine the rise of IPOB with the aim to understand why the federal government policies failed to address the increasing tempo of secessionist movements in the country. Also, the paper will analytically demonstrate how government failures contribute to the rise of IPOB and its attendant threats to national unity.
VL  - 9
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Author Information

Jacob Uche Henry

Department of History and International Relations, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
Nwobi Isaac Obiora

Department of History and International Relations, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
Igboji Chikezirim David

Department of History and International Relations, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

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Jacob Uche Henry, Nwobi Isaac Obiora, Igboji Chikezirim David. (2020). The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration. Social Sciences, 9(1), 40-44. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15

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ACS Style

Jacob Uche Henry; Nwobi Isaac Obiora; Igboji Chikezirim David. The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration. Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(1), 40-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15

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AMA Style

Jacob Uche Henry, Nwobi Isaac Obiora, Igboji Chikezirim David. The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration. Soc Sci. 2020;9(1):40-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15

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@article{10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15,
  author = {Jacob Uche Henry and Nwobi Isaac Obiora and Igboji Chikezirim David},
  title = {The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration},
  journal = {Social Sciences},
  volume = {9},
  number = {1},
  pages = {40-44},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20200901.15},
  abstract = {The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had recently joined other secessionist agitators in the South-east region of Nigeria to demand for Biafran independence. IPOB together with several other uprisings in Nigeria have greatly challenged the possibility of achieving national integration. These challenges are often attributed to the unsolicited amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914, which produced a geographical expression known today as Nigeria. Unsolicited in the sense that the colonial authorities at that time failed to seek the consent of the diverse ethnic nationalities that later became part of the federation. Indeed, it was the amalgamation of these diverse ethnic nationalities that created the present need for national integration, to help fuse together the multiple ethnicities in the new born nation. Thus, in the post-colonial years, there were policies and programs initiated by various administrations to help foster unity and true federalism among the various groups. Unfortunately, the unfolding events from 1960 leading to the civil war in 1967, and the war itself dealt a big blow on the unity of the young nation. The Nigeria-Biafra civil war which started as a result of the secession attempt of the Igbo dominated Eastern Nigeria ended in 1970, with Gowon and subsequent leaders initiating several policies and programs to rekindle the fire of national integration. Fifty nine years after the war, the unity of the country is still under serious threat. It appears that neither the 3R program of Gowon, nor the Federal Character policy of Shagari among others, have been able to effectively address the problems of federalism, which has left multiple cracks on national integration efforts. The thrust of this paper therefore, is to examine the rise of IPOB with the aim to understand why the federal government policies failed to address the increasing tempo of secessionist movements in the country. Also, the paper will analytically demonstrate how government failures contribute to the rise of IPOB and its attendant threats to national unity.},
 year = {2020}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration
AU  - Jacob Uche Henry
AU  - Nwobi Isaac Obiora
AU  - Igboji Chikezirim David
Y1  - 2020/03/02
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15
DO  - 10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15
T2  - Social Sciences
JF  - Social Sciences
JO  - Social Sciences
SP  - 40
EP  - 44
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2326-988X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15
AB  - The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had recently joined other secessionist agitators in the South-east region of Nigeria to demand for Biafran independence. IPOB together with several other uprisings in Nigeria have greatly challenged the possibility of achieving national integration. These challenges are often attributed to the unsolicited amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914, which produced a geographical expression known today as Nigeria. Unsolicited in the sense that the colonial authorities at that time failed to seek the consent of the diverse ethnic nationalities that later became part of the federation. Indeed, it was the amalgamation of these diverse ethnic nationalities that created the present need for national integration, to help fuse together the multiple ethnicities in the new born nation. Thus, in the post-colonial years, there were policies and programs initiated by various administrations to help foster unity and true federalism among the various groups. Unfortunately, the unfolding events from 1960 leading to the civil war in 1967, and the war itself dealt a big blow on the unity of the young nation. The Nigeria-Biafra civil war which started as a result of the secession attempt of the Igbo dominated Eastern Nigeria ended in 1970, with Gowon and subsequent leaders initiating several policies and programs to rekindle the fire of national integration. Fifty nine years after the war, the unity of the country is still under serious threat. It appears that neither the 3R program of Gowon, nor the Federal Character policy of Shagari among others, have been able to effectively address the problems of federalism, which has left multiple cracks on national integration efforts. The thrust of this paper therefore, is to examine the rise of IPOB with the aim to understand why the federal government policies failed to address the increasing tempo of secessionist movements in the country. Also, the paper will analytically demonstrate how government failures contribute to the rise of IPOB and its attendant threats to national unity.
VL  - 9
IS  - 1
ER  -

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