Which was a greater source for the Nigerian civil war also called the Biafran war: Amalgamation or Tribalism?

Essay by KeirCollege, Undergraduate March 2005

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A: Plan of investigation

Which was a greater source for the Nigerian civil war also called the Biafran war, Amalgamation or Tribalism?The war took place at the 'blight of biafra' and was between the Nigerian armed forces and the Biafran soldiers. The Biafrans were initially a part of Nigeria until, May 30 19671 when the leader of the eastern part of Nigeria, citing the northern massacres and fearing genocide proclaimed a seccession of the south-eastern region from Nigeria as a Republic of Biafra. The head of the Federal Military Government in Nigeria then attacked the southern and eastern region therefore the Biafran war.

This has always been blamed on the amalgamation of the country as citizens of the country have always complained that the British, knowing nothing of the cultural and ethnic groups simply drew lines and borders and gave those regions surrounded by those borders names and expected them to be a country2.

The civilians of 'Niger area' as it was called complained that that was a big misunderstanding made by the British. However, the purpose of my essay is to seek another possible reason for the Nigerian civil war, that is other than the amalgamtion of the country which is tribalism. With the help of a book called " The making of a nation-Biafra" by Arthur A. Nwankwo and Ifejika Samuel, I aim to point out that perhaps the British are not the only ones to blame for the conflict but also the inhabitants of the country played an important role in enhancing the hatred amongst one another.

B: Summary of Evidence

1. The creation of Nigeria.

Nigeria had been a British colony from 1914-1960 1. British had come into Africa for trade but began to leave during the 1950s and in 1960 it decided to...