CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The country Nigeria began evolving in 1885. There were several forces which led to the moves for the evolution of Nigeria. However, following the rise of industrial revolution in Europe, It became necessary for the European powers to begin to look on Africa for raw materials to support their home industries. The federation of Nigeria has never really been one homogenous country, thus, this obvious fact not withstanding, the former colonial masters decided to keep the country one in order to effectively control her vital resources for their economic interests. Thus for administrative convenience, the northern and southern Nigeria were amalgamated in 1914 and having the name of the country (Nigeria) as the only thing they shared in common, since each side had different administrative set up, culture and languages.2This alone was an insufficient basis for true unity.
The amalgamation ought to have brought the various peoples together establishing closer cultural, social, religious and linguistic ties vital for true unity among the people, rather it resulted to division, hatred, unhealthy, rivalry and pronounced disparity in development. Therefore parties were formed based on ethnic rather than national interests. These therefore had no unifying effect on the peoples against the colonial master. Rather it was the people themselves who were the victims of the political struggles which were supposed to be aimed at removing foreign domination.3
At independence Nigeria became a federation and remained one country. Soon afterwards the battle to consolidate the legacy of political and military dominance of a section of Nigeria over the rest of the federation began with increased intensity.4 Events which led to the civil war were firstly, the general census conducted in 1962 was alleged to be riddled with malpractices and inflation of figures of such astronomical proportions that the Eastern region refused to accept the result. Secondly, the general elections of 1964 were said to be neither free nor fair and this resulted to the breakdown of law and order which led to the coup of January 1966, a coup alleged to be staged by people of Eastern region. A counter coup was staged by the northern military officers on 29 July 1966; the lack of planning and revengeful, intentions of the second coup manifested itself in the chaos, confusion and the scale of unnecessary killings of the easterners throughout the country and this led to the outbreak of the civil war5
This paper therefore examines the secessionist aspirations in Nigeria, a case study of MASSOB, which is the direct result of the civil war and the continuation of aspirations of Biafra in the past.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The end of the cold war brought about new secessionist aspirations and the strengthening and re-awakening of existing or dormant separatist claims in nearly all regions of the world.6 Prior to 1966, Nigeria witnessed fluctuating peaceful atmosphere for political development. However, the coup of 1966 triggered Nigeria into crisis of different dimension. The development of political intolerance, marginalization and the lackadaisical attitude of the government to the needs of the people especially the people of the South East, Niger Delta Region can be traceable to the secessionist aspirations of the movement for the actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB) from Nigeria. To what extent has MASSOB achieved its plans.? How has the Nigerian government responded to this development.
It is against this background that the research is set to give an account of these developments and to give recommendations to the solution of these problems.
AIMS AND PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This research work has as its aim to highlight the aims and objectives of the movement for the actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB); its programmes, its effects on the evolution of the Nigerian State and the methods it is using to achieve its goal namely, the actualization of a sovereign state of Biafra through secession.