Nigeria should let Biafra Go - UK SUN advocates

Nigeria should let Biafra Go - UK SUN advocates

This article which was published on London Sun Times Newspaper on November 7th, 2015 is making its rounds on Nigerian news forums and Social media. While some see such article as a possible indicator of changing attitudes, the British Government has remained mute over this matter. 

This does not mean that because Britain was the colonial administrator of Nigeria and actually the originator of forming the nation called Nigeria by merging the Northern, and Southern protectorates, that the decision on this matter would be made by Britain. Far from that.

As in cases before this, the United Nations plays a greater role in such situations as was the case in Southern Sudan recently. But the fact of the matter is that Nigerians would have to make this decision by themselves. There are demands for Biafra independence by IPOB and MASSOB and othesr, there are also demands for separation being pushed by Odua for the West and even in the Niger Delta there are building sentiments on this matter as well. Some in the north have called for the formation of Arewa Republic different from Boko Haram that wants to form an Islamic Caliphate in the northeast region of Nigeria.

Protests have enveloped the entire land of Biafra

It appears that many Nigerians are now more open to this question. Everyone seems to agree that Nigeria will not fight any more wars as was the case from 1967-1970 during the Nigeria-Biafra war when estimated 1-2 million lives perished largely due to hunger and malnutrition. Many people particularly older generation of Nigerians are still traumatized by that war fatigue experience. The immediate trigger and resurgence of the Biafra independence was the result of the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu which created a rallying cause for many people particularly in the South East and South South regions. Of all these groups Biafra group seem to have gone further in this push for independence than other groups, and already have Flags, National colors and even a National anthem.

-Africa Business World