The Politics of Biafra and the Future of Nigeria

The Politics of Biafra and the Future of Nigeria is a reflection on the importance of history in addressing present realities and the future of coexistance of Nigeria’s multi ethnic society. It analyses the ideological struggles and conflict in Biafra during the war with Nigeria from 1967-1970, the impact of the war and the relevance of those struggles to the current agitations for a new state of Biafra. In this historical and analytical work, the author observes that nearly fifty years after the end of the Nigerian-Biafra war in 1970, Nigeria is still grappling with the Biafran dilemma. No matter its pretensions, Nigeria will at some point have to reform its present pseudo federal arrangement to create a more inclusive, equitable and proper federal structure. If not, the country will continue to face epileptic developmental thrusts, militancy in the Niger Delta and a ruinous intensifying clamour for self-determination by disadvantaged ethnic groups, especially the Igbo.

The author argues that in the world, in the era of technology inspired globalisation, it is impossible to hold an unwilling people hostage in any country without negative consequences. He makes a case for a new order in Nigeria, expressing the view that Nigeria is caught in a vicious circle of graft and instability and nothing will change until Nigeria finds the proper foundational matrix to galvanise the talents and resources of the people and create a productive economy.