Biafra Remembrance Day reawakens the vulnerabilities of the Federation

Nigeria

Published on Tuesday, 6 June 2017 Back to articles

The flag of the former Republic of Biafra

A sit-at-home protest call — where residents are ordered to stay indoors as a form of political protest — was staged by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) on 30 May. This was to mark the 50th anniversary declaration of the state of Biafra, and was widely implemented in most major towns in the South East and parts of South South geopolitical zones (see Nigeria Politics & Security 30.05.17). Major towns in the South East, including: Owerri, Enugu, Aba, Onitsha, and parts of Port Harcourt in the South South — which also has a prominent Igbo population — were on lock down in compliance with the protest.

Not a single street protest was reported and so, despite security presence, there were no reports of any killings, unlike the protest in last year’s Biafra Remembrance Day which, according to Amnesty International, accounted for 60 deaths and another 70 injured.

IPOB later claimed that the sit-at-home protest was not only observed in the South East zone but in 75 countries all over the world. While this claim has probably been inflated, it should be recognised that there is an increasing degree of sympathy for the pro-Biafra movement among the Igbo people in Nigeria, the greater diaspora, and international sympathisers. In Lagos City for example, many Igbo shops did not close in compliance with the order, but expressed their sympathy for the separatist cause.

The government’s approach thus far has been to forcefully suppress the pro-Biafra movement, hoping that this would discourage the protest. But what the 30 May sit-at home order has shown is that this issue is deeply rooted into the Igbo society and it will continue unless some form of resolution is reached between major stakeholders from the government, IPOB, and MASSOB. It is clear that the government’s use of force is entrenching the pro-Biafra movement and will likely radicalise the larger moderate support.

A religious dimension has been thrown into the pro-Biafra movement by IPOB’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu. The latter is becoming prophesised among social media and the local diaspora in the South East zone where there are claims that he has been sent by God to liberate the people of the South East from the Nigerian State. While this perception has many sceptics, it has received a lot of local support at the grassroots level. … [article continues] …

This is an excerpt from an article in our weekly Nigeria Politics & Security publication.

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