Imperialism In Nigeria

"The history of the world is a chronicle of oppression," declared General Ojukwu, an Igbo leader who fought for Biafran independence during the 1960s to the 1970s. He had to live in Nigeria during this period of oppression, which ultimately resulted in a civil war, known as the Nigeria-Biafran War. Prior to the war, Great Britain turned Nigeria into an artificial colony, consisted up of over 300 ethnic and religious groups who were shoved into one nation. The two largest and most conflicting of these groups were the Igbo and Hausa-Fulani. The Igbo, a Catholic and democratic group of people lived in the Southeastern region of Nigeria. The Hausa-Fulani, a Muslim and feudal group of people dominated the North. When Britain was in power, all of

Britain came into Nigeria and combined over 300 ethnic and religious groups. They were allowed to govern themselves, but the issue was that when they left, the groups fought for political power because it was unequally given to the Hausa-Fulani. In a letter to President Nixon written by American diplomat Henry Kissinger, who was stationed in Nigeria during the war stated, “The civil war is rooted in the failure of the first generation of British- tutored politicians to make something of independence and unity.” The goal of the British was to leave Nigeria with a fair and just government, but by leaving it in the hands of the Hausa-Fulani when there are over 300 other ethnic groups doesn’t show equitable rule! With the disregardance of religion, ethnic differences, race, etc., war was bound to happen if one group was prioritized over the

The Nigerian Counter Coup was a Northern military plan masterminded by a military leader named Murtala in order to take revenge on the Igbo for their actions of the first coup against the Northern Federal Government. This military plan resulted in Ironsi being assassinated. “Aguiyi-Ironsi was killed and widespread reprisals were unleashed against the Igbo. Fearing marginalization within the state, on May 30, 1967 the Igbo-majority province declared its independence as the Republic of Biafra.” The widespread reprisals erupted everywhere in Nigeria and lasted for months... No Igbo was safe from the Hausa-Fulani, causing the Igbo leaders to declare Biafra as their own independent state on May 30, 1967. Refusing to accept a state-split, the Hausa-Fulani and Igbo went into direct war to gain or demolish independence. To conclude, the three causes of the Nigeria-Biafran War was religious differences, British colonization, and most importantly, political controversies. The entirety of conflicts between the Igbo and Hausa-Fulani relate to the dissension in Rwanda. Two large ethnic groups, once colonized by a European country who creates tension between the groups, and eventually leading to violence/war. In both cases, the groups fought for political power, and ended with massacres of millions. The occurrences in Rwanda are a proven genocide, but