Marginalisation of south-east fuelling increased agitations for Biafra, says Philip Effiong

Philip Effiong, son of Philip Effiong, the second-in-command of the defunct Biafra Republic, says his father predicted a resurgence of Biafran agitation if Nigeria failed to treat the south-east region equitably.

Speaking in an interview with Rudolf Okonkwo on 90MinutesAfrica, Effiong, a professor at Michigan State University, linked the current push for Biafra’s revival by groups like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to the marginalisation of people from the region.

“My father said at the war’s end that if Nigeria doesn’t treat former Biafrans justly, they will rise again to demand their rights. That’s what we’re seeing today,” he said, referring to the civil war that ended in 1970.

Effiong expressed support for the right to self-determination and condemned the federal government’s violent response to pro-Biafra groups.

He said the rise of new groups advocating for the revival of the Biafra Republic stems from issues of marginalisation and exclusion rather than solely a desire for secession.

“They are agitating because they feel they don’t have a place in the country,” Effiong said.

“Even though the word Biafra is included, what these young people are saying is that they are marginalised and need to be included.

“Nobody seems to be investing in their lives, so they are seeking their own space.”

He noted that the movement reflects a broader demand for equity and inclusion, beyond just the call for Biafra.

Effiong expressed concern over the internal conflicts among pro-Biafra factions and their disagreements with Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation.

“If we are like this now when we haven’t gotten our country, how are we going to manage that country if it is eventually achieved?” he questioned.

He also criticised the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, describing it as “unjust.”