Biafra: Real reason IPOB, MASSOB emerged – Prof. Onwudiwe

An economist and a political scientist, Prof. Ebere Onwudiwe, who was part of those that put together the conference on “Memory & Nation Building, Biafra: 50 Years After”, recently held at the Yar’Adua Center in Abuja, has given reasons why the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and the Movement for the Actualization of a Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, two leading pro-Biafra groups, emerged.

According to Prof. Onwudiwe, the failure of the 3 Rs (Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reconciliation, a government policy after the civil war), was responsible for the emergence of the pro-Biafra group.

Onwudiwe noted that it would be a grave mistake for Nigeria to try to sweep under that carpet the events that took place during the Civil War or pretend they never happened.

While fielding questions from Sun, the professor said, “Biafra is a historical fact. Mentioning the word Biafra or even discussing it as we did at the conference should not be done under the table.