The recent remarks by Mrs Kemi Badenoch, a prominent UK Conservative Party leader, provides a profound lens through which to examine the Nigerian socio-political structure. Her assertions of identifying more as Yoruba than broadly Nigerian highlights the deeply entrenched ethnic and cultural divides within the country, validating calls for self-determination movements like Biafra.

Badenoch’s disassociation from the broader Nigerian identity underscores a reality long argued by proponents of Biafra self-determination that Nigeria is more an artificial amalgamation of ethnic nationalities than a unified nation.

Created by and for British colonial interests in 1914 without the consent of its diverse peoples, Nigeria’s ethnic groups have struggled to coexist under one political framework. This “forced marriage” has often resulted in tension, mistrust, and outright hostility among regions, as seen in the brutal, genocidal war of 1967-70 and ongoing agitations of Biafra.

Her critique of northern Nigeria as a region characterized by radical islamism and the activities of Boko Haram further exposes the irreconcilable differences between Nigeria’s regions. This division mirrors the grievances of the Biafran people, who have long decried the marginalization, persecution, and cultural erosion experienced under a central government perceived as northern-dominated.

If a prominent figure like Badenoch in Britain feels no allegiance to the Nigerian state due to cultural and historical disconnections, it strengthens the argument that a one-size-fits-all nationhood cannot serve the aspirations of all its people. Just as Badenoch identifies more with her Yoruba ethnicity, many in the southeastern region of Nigeria (the Igbos and other Biafran neighboring ethnic groups) sees Biafra as their true identity. The current clamour for Biafra self-determination is not just about separation but a pursuit of dignity, self-determination, and the preservation of cultural and economic rights.

Biafra’s advocates can use this revelation to urge the global community to support their cause, emphasizing that Nigeria’s diversity, far from being a strength, often serves as a source of division and undoubtedly stagnation. Mrs Badenoch’s statement is a powerful reminder that ethnicity and cultural identity hold deeper sway than an imposed national identity.

In essence, the failure of Nigeria to forge a genuine national consciousness is evident. Badenoch’s sentiments reinforce the argument that Nigeria’s unity is not only artificial but unsustainable without structural changes, including granting ethnic groups the freedom to determine their future.

Family Writers Press International.