Retired Nigerian Army General and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu, has shared the reasons he supported a united Nigeria during the Civil War, instead of backing the Biafran secession movement.
Speaking on The Legacy Series, a programme that features reflections from prominent historical figures, Nwachukwu explained that his decision was influenced largely by his belief in national unity and his personal family background.
He revealed that his heritage shaped his outlook, saying he comes from a mixed family background with an Igbo father and a Hausa-Fulani mother, and that he was raised in Lagos. According to him, this blend of identities made the idea of a divided Nigeria unacceptable to him.
He said he did not support the idea of secession and strongly believed in a single, united country. In his words, he felt there was no reason for him to choose a side that would break the nation apart, given his upbringing and identity.
During the Nigerian Civil War, which began in 1967 after the declaration of the Republic of Biafra, many military officers of Igbo origin joined the secessionist forces led by Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. However, others like Nwachukwu remained loyal to the Nigerian federal government.
The war remains one of the most tragic and defining moments in Nigeria’s history, marked by deep ethnic tensions and heavy human loss.