The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: a Crack on Nigeria's National
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Social Sciences 2020; 9(1): 40-44 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ss doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15 ISSN: 2326-9863 (Print); ISSN: 2326-988X (Online) The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration Jacob Uche Henry, Nwobi Isaac Obiora, Igboji Chikezirim David Department of History and International Relations, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria Email address: To cite this article: Jacob Uche Henry, Nwobi Isaac Obiora, Igboji Chikezirim David. The Biafran State & the Rise of IPOB: A Crack on Nigeria’s National Integration. Social Sciences. Vol. 9, No. 1, 2020, pp. 40-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20200901.15 Received : November 22, 2019; Accepted : December 17, 2019; Published : March 2, 2020 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. Keywords: National Integration, Indigenous People of Biafra, Nigeria, Policies, Secessionists other attempts have been made in recent times including the 1. Introduction national conference of 2014 as well as the Yoruba summit The birth of Nigeria in 1914 created a heterogeneous land communiqué of 2017. However, all these seems to have with widespread diversities in terms of religion, language, amounted to nothing, as most of the agreements reached or caste, tribe, race, and regions. Hence, from creation, the issues discussed in these conferences haves not been taken achievement of national integration became very essential for serious or effectively implemented. all-round development and prosperity of the nation. With the dawn of independence in 1960, the country was However, the bunching together of the North and South in faced with the challenge of nurturing a new born nation, but the amalgamation of 1914 have so far demanded for a more regrettably it was in no time faced with series of challenges, critical review due to the inability of the various groups to ranging from political crises to ethno-religious killings, fuse properly together. Many attempts have been made since military coup d’états, and finally the civil war which was as a amalgamation; to arrive at a certain agreement on how the result of minority secession. All these have negatively nation and its populace will move forward together. One of impacted the growth and development of the country in the front-liners of these attempts is the national conference of general, and the integration of the various ethnic nationalities 1945, followed by the regional conference of 1950. Many in particular. The end of the war however, initiated a new Social Sciences 2020; 9(1): 40-44 41 effort towards achieving national unity. The military and nation in all aspects of thought and action and helps it sink civilian governments that have risen from that time till now and transcend all differences, individual, parochial, religious have made certain moves in pursuit of national unity, but the or linguistic whenever confronted with vital national failure of these moves is clearly seen in the rise of some pro- problems [3]. secessionist groups like the Oduduwa People’s Congress The great ideologist and writer Myron Weiner sees (OPC), Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta national integration as “avoidance of divisive movements (MEND), as well as Movement for the Actualization of the that would balkanize the nation and presence of attitudes Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Biafran Zionist throughout the society that give preference to national and Movement (BZM), both of which laid the foundation for the public interest as distinct from parochial interest” [4]. His rise of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). view posits national integration as a sentiment which reflects With the return of civilian rule, and the inception of the solidarity or patriotism among the people belonging to a fourth republic, the Obasanjo led government of 1999-2007 nation. Its aim is to foster a common identity amongst the viewed national integration as one of the nation’s biggest citizens of a country making them feel they are all one. challenge, and therefore set into action power rotation In the words of Shona Khurana, “national integration is the strategy otherwise known as the zoning system in a bid to awareness of a common identity amongst the citizens of a create a political power distribution that will strengthen country. It means that while people may belong to different democracy and national integration. He strongly castes, religions and regions as well speak different implemented policies like federal character principle, fiscal languages, however, it should be recognized that unity of federalism, and concept of zoning, rotational presidency as purpose engenders progress and national cohesion” [5]. well as power sharing system. In all, these principles Also, Ogunjenite adds that national integration relates to apportioned major political positions to individuals within the building of nation-states out of disparate socio-economic, the six geopolitical zones of the country [1]. However, these religious, ethnic and geographical elements. According to policies were not improved, neither were they followed up, him, this entails the translation of diffuse and unorganized leading to the rebirth of voices clamouring for secession, the sentiments of nationalism into the spirit of citizenship loudest being that of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), through the creation of state institutions that can translate and cutting up holes on the already torn fabric of national into policy and programmes in line with the aspirations of the unity. Fifty nine (59) years after independence, Nigeria is citizenry. Stated in another way, national integration means still battling with challenging issues anchoring on the efforts to weld together a plural society to enhance national question, and if not tackled immediately and development but without necessarily jeopardizing ethnic expertly, the consequences may be disintegration or another identity [6]. Thus, national integration is a serious and civil war. purposeful endeavour, the failure of which has grave consequences. It is no wonder, therefore, that 2. Conceptualizing National Integration Chukewuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu sees it also as ‘active nation-building’ which means “forging out a nation out of our National integration also referred to as nation-building, diverse ethnic groups.” He also contends that the failure to national unity, national cohesion, national loyalty or national achieve this in respect of Nigeria is that: “Today, the result is question goes beyond a particular definition, as many that tribalism and ethnicity has become a potent source of scholars and writers have variously defined this term from friction, rather than diminish in the face of an emergent, varying angles. According to Jega, national integration virile and modern nation” [7]. involves a situation in which citizens of a country increasingly see themselves as one people, bound by shared 3. The Rise of IPOB historical experiences and common values, and imbued by the spirit of patriotism and unity, which transcends IPOB, is an acronym for the Indigenous People of Biafra, traditional, primordial diverse tendencies [2]. it is a group leading the call for the secession of Biafra from National integration is the feeling of togetherness or Nigeria. Founded in 2012, the group is a reformation of the oneness towards one’s own country irrespective of their already weakened pro-secessionist groups of Movement for individual