Signs that the Nigerian state may cave in have become too ominous to ignore.
The growing demand by South-East groups to have a separate state, Biafra, and the ultimatum issued by Northern youths on Ndigbo to vacate the North on or before October 1, 2017, has left many discerning minds asking if the United States’ prediction of imminent break up of Nigeria will come to pass under President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
Presently, a number of Nigerians, following the situation in the country, have argued that except and unless the country is restructured there may be nothing stopping it from heading to doom.
These prominent Nigerians and groups which include Chief Kalu Idika Kalu, Edwin Clark, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, among several others, have continued to call for true federalism as panacea to the likely doom looming over the continued existence of the country.
According to Musa, Nigeria’s continued existence depends largely on the grace of God as the country is fast moving towards a failed state.
In 2006, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was reported to have predicted that Nigeria would no longer be in existence by 2015.
However, 2015 came and passed and Nigeria failed to break up as allegedly predicted by the US. But as many believed, the timely conceding of defeat by then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan to President Buhari before official announcement of the election results, did much to avert the dooms day prediction.
Nonetheless, two years after surviving the 2015 prediction of a possible break up, Nigeria is at the moment faced with a serious threat which if not properly handled, will eventually lead to the fulfillment of the prediction it escaped in 2015.
Biafra, a real threat
Since the emergence of Buhari, a Muslim from the North two years ago, the demand for the restoration of Biafra, which though preceded his administration, by different groups and people from the South-Eastern part of Nigeria has continued to gather momentum at an alarming level, both locally and internationally.
Biafra separated from Nigeria and existed for three years between 1967 and 1970 before it was reintegrated into the country following defeat in the civil war that ensued as a result of the separation.
Except as witnessed in 1967, the agitation for the separation of Biafra from Nigeria has taken on a more vociferous nature by South easterners, who are now hinging the reasons for the agitation on marginalization, neglect, underdevelopment and short change of the region.
While the arrest and detention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, for about a year and six months may have contributed in fueling the agitation, the
