Nigeria: Fifty Years After the Civil War

Abstract

The thrust of this article is Nigeria: 50 years after the civil war. The end of the war in January 1970 heralded an era of measures by successive governments at re-integrating the Igbo and forging national unity. As laudable as the measures are, there exist gaps in many of them between intent and practice. Many people continue to raise concern as to when the Igbo will be truly integrated into Nigeria and the centrifugal forces of ethnic and religious chauvinism tamed within Nigerian society. Using primary and secondary sources, this article concludes that true re-integration of the Igbo remains a mirage and to avert another civil war, successive leaders need to demonstrate genuine commitment to patriotism and national unity.