Causes of Biafran war

47 years ago, on the 13th of January in
1970, was the day of signing of the
surrender of self-proclaimed republic of
Biafra which ended a bloody civil war
in Nigeria — one of the first major
confrontations on the African continent,
placed in the general context of the cold
war.

In the armed conflict that lasted two
and a half years were indirectly
involved not only warring forces within
the Nigeria — one of the largest
countries of Africa, but also a number
of other states, participating in the
information support, financing,
supplying weapons and mercenaries.
For the post-colonial world, the civil
war in Nigeria was a proof of crudity
and the artificiality of borders of the
remaining sovereign countries of Africa
after the departure of the colonialists.
War in Nigeria sounded like a wake-up
call for future armed conflicts.

Causes of Biafran war
Before speaking about the causes of
Biafra genocide and effects of the
Biafran war, it is necessary to dwell on
the prerequisites of the conflict
situation and to study the history of
Biafra.
This need brings us to the era of
colonization, when the land
subsequently incorporated in present-
day Nigeria, was conquered by the
British colonialists.
Colonialism as a main cause of the conflict
Britain began to show its interest in the
territory of modern Nigeria already in
XVI-XVII centuries, but at that times
Britain was mainly interested in slaves
which were exported from Nigeria.
Therefore, initially the British just
turned to the creation of trading posts
on the coast and did not intervene in
the internal affairs of the coastal states.
The situation began to change in the
second half of the 19th century. In 1861,
British colonisators captured Lagos, and
in 1885 they appropriated the entire
coast of the Gulf of Guinea from Lagos
to Cameroon, that lands were on the
territory of modern Southern Nigeria.
There was created Oil-Rivers
protectorate, in 1893 it was renamed as
the protectorate of the Niger Delta. Thus,
the British conquered the territory
inhabited by one of the largest nations
of the region - Yoruba nation.
In 1902, Confederation Haro,
representing a Union of the Igbo tribes,
another major group of people in
southern Nigerian had the same fate. In
1903, British troops entered the
territory of Northern Nigeria and
conquered Muslim Sultanate of Sokoto.
In 1914, all the British colonies on the
coast of the Gulf of Guinea were
combined into a single ownership called
"Nigeria".

Conflict of 3 nations
Thus, Nigeria became a completely
different ethno-cultural community.
Yoruba nation
The first is the Yoruba nation and close
to the ethnic groups inhabiting the
Western part of southern Nigeria. Our
country is currently home for about 30
million of Yoruba people. Most Yoruba
people (60%) are Christians, 30% are
Muslims, the remainder are adherents
of traditional cults.
Igbo nation
The second group is Igbo. They inhabit
the South East of Nigeria. Their number
in the country is 26 million. Unlike
Yoruba, Igbo are practically not
subjected to Islamization — they are
Christians with strong remnants of
traditional beliefs.
Islamized population
Finally, the third major group of the
population of Nigeria is Islamized
population of the North. These are
primarily representatives of Hausa and
the Fulani people. Both are closely
related, including family ties. These are
people with long and rich tradition of
their own state.
When in 1960 independence of Nigeria
was proclaimed, its population
consisted of 60 million people. The UK,
providing Nigeria's political
sovereignty, did not take into account
many differences between living in
Nigeria people and tribal groups. As a
result, from the first days of
independent existence, the country has
faced a number of serious internal
contradictions.
It should be noted that in 1947, 13 years
before independence, Nigeria was
divided by the British colonial
authorities in three regions:

North - Hausa-Fulani;
West - Yoruba;
East - Igbo.
Between them was observed certain
rivalry, especially for positions in the
Central government. Cultural
differences have also been seen from
North to South, between the Islamized
nations, Hausa and Fulani, christianized
members of South-Western and South-
Eastern Nigeria.
Development division between states
Northern Nigeria by the time of
decolonization was the most
underdeveloped cultural and economic
region of Nigeria. This was a result of
British colonial policy on preservation
of the way of life that was inherent to
northerners by the time of the
establishment of British rule. Indeed,
Northern Nigeria, at the moment of
decolonization, was represented as a
feudal society, ruled by the Sultan of
Sokoto and emirs, in which the huge
role was played by Islam. Western and
Eastern Nigeria were developed in a
completely different way. Yoruba and
Igbo nations rapidly assimilated
European culture, albeit adapted to local
conditions.
Unlike northerners, Yoruba and Igbo as
Christians have been actively involved
in public service in the colonial
administration, they also played an
important role in the economy of the
country. Accordingly, after the
decolonization of Nigeria, they had
great ambitions for leadership of the
state. Moreover, they had much more
reason to consider themselves able to
cope with the tasks of political and
economic governance.
In turn, immigrants from Northern
Nigeria have sought to dominate in the
country, as it was originally focused on
hierarchy and rigid vertical of power.
In Northern Nigeria there was a
tradition of great power of the Sultan.
After independence, Nigeria's political
elite Yoruba and Igbo sought to ensure
the development of the country's
westernized ways, presenting it as the
most modern and developed country in
West Africa. However, this required to
overcome the resistance of northerners
who did not want the dominance of
southern Christian components of the
political power of the country.
Oil as one of the factors stimulating Biafran
army
Niger Delta currently gives the country
95 percent of all its profits. Igbo nation
could have placed Biafra in the centre
of economic, industrial and political
development in the region for a few
years. It is no coincidence that in the
list of patrons of Biafra, there were such
countries, as: Israel, Rhodesia and South
Africa.
The requirement was so simple – to stop
feeding feudal Muslim North. For more
than 55% of the population in 1963,
there were less than 1/5 of all schools in
the state. Such "economic brick" on the
neck of the direct rival of Biafra –
ethnic Yoruba in the South-West of the
state, solved the problem of any
competition quite actively.
Federalization banning decree as hype for
Biafran soldiers
One of the decrees of major-General,
Ironsi, the leader of the revolt of Igbo in
1966, was the abolition of
federalization. The majority of the
population took this as a claim for the
primacy of Igbo. The North promptly
responded to this with the spontaneous
murders of any Igbo.

In 1966, a year before the outbreak of
hostilities, Igbo nation has suppressed
an attempt of federalization of the state.
The result was the following - a few
dozens of political murders directly
showed Biafran army complaints.
In July 1966, after the assassination of
Ironsi, all the power was taken by
Colonel Yakubu Gowon. The number of
dead Igbo at this time was estimated at
about a few thousand people. To the
territory of Biafra arrived two million
refugees. Odumegu Ojukwu, Igbo,
became the de facto ruler of Biafra.
In a last desperate attempt to keep the
state away from the crisis was to divide
the country into 12 States with the
expanded rights of local government,
but Odumegu Ojukwu regarded it as an
attempt to split the East into more
manageable parts.
Here you can see Biafran war map at different
periods of history of Biafra war:

Effects of the Biafran war
On the 30th of June in 1969, the
government of Nigeria forbade the Red
Cross assistance to the civilian
population of the self-proclaimed state
to strengthen economic and social effect
of the war against Biafra. By this time,
five million people — military and
civilians — remained on this territory.
The war in Biafra was the largest armed
conflict in West Africa in the 1960s. As
a result of military actions and Biafra
genocide of peaceful population, there
were killed up to two million people in
Eastern Nigeria, mainly representatives
of Igbo nation.
A great number of people died from
famine and various diseases.
Biafran war facts
Losses of the Federal forces
amounted to about 200,000 troops,
whereas Biafra losses are nearly 1
million people;
Eastern States have remained part of
Nigeria;
Central government continues to
maintain control over the oil fields;
The dominance in the country is in
the hands of Nigeria, Biafra was
defeated.

Biafra issue today
In the Eastern States of Nigeria the
Movement for the restoration of the
sovereign state of Biafra is currently
operating. It is collaborating with the
guerrilla movement for the
emancipation of the Niger Delta, which
represents the interests of the other
southern people, Ijo.
Growth of Islamic fundamentalism in
Northern Nigeria and strengthening of
the position of northerners in the
country as a whole, allowing them to
influence the policy of the Central
government. As well makes it possible to
revive separatist sentiments among the
Christian population of the South-
Eastern part of Nigeria.
The situation in the South-Eastern States
is complicated by the fact that the local
population is against the exploitation of
oil fields for the sake of Central
government and transnational
corporations.
The militants of the Movement for the
emancipation of the Niger Delta carry
out regular armed attacks on oil
facilities, clash with government troops
and police. However, the United States
and Britain aren’t very far. They do not
want the transition of the oil fields to
be in the hands of uncontrollable
separatists and prefer to deal with the
Central government.
So, hope that now you can see all the
real causes of Biafran war and Biafra
issue today.