A compelling and thought-provoking contribution to the debate on Nigeria’s unity and internal contradictions, Identity Conflict: Shadows of Sovereignty – Nigeria’s Territorial Integrity and the Quest for Self-Determination in the South-East is the latest book authored by Nze Uche Okafor-Mefor, Convenor of the Indigenous People of Igbo Nation for South-East Self-determination (IPINS) and the Igbo-Biafra Nationalists (IBN). This landmark publication offers a sharp and informed analysis of the deep-seated identity crisis threatening Nigeria’s fragile territorial framework.
Structured into eight insightful chapters, the book opens with an Introduction to Nigeria’s Territorial Integrity, establishing the foundation of the country’s geopolitical makeup and the legal doctrines that have shaped its borders since independence. It moves into a focused analysis of The South-East Region: Historical and Socio-Political Landscape, detailing how the legacy of the Biafran War, economic exclusion, and ethnic profiling have shaped the region’s demand for justice and autonomy.
In The Principle of Territorial Integrity in Nigeria, Mefor interrogates the legal and constitutional arguments often used by the Nigerian state to silence internal dissent, showing how the idea of unity has often come at the cost of liberty. The Quest for Self-Determination in the South-East goes beyond ideology, documenting the voices, movements, and constitutional arguments put forward by the people of the region.
Bringing in global context, International Perspectives on Self-Determination evaluates how similar struggles have been handled in other parts of the world and what lessons Nigeria can draw from them. The sixth chapter, The Nigerian Government’s Response to South-East Agitations, is a sobering account of militarization, media repression, and political intolerance—revealing a pattern of state behavior that deepens mistrust and fuels further resistance.
The bulletin also considers The Role of International Actors and Civil Society, emphasizing how global human rights institutions, diaspora networks, and non-state actors are engaging with the South-East’s call for self-determination.
Finally, in Prospects for the Future: Navigating Sovereignty and Self-Determination, Mefor offers a visionary yet pragmatic roadmap—inviting dialogue on constitutional restructuring, regional autonomy, and the importance of justice in preserving peace.
With clarity, courage, and academic rigour, Identity Conflict: Shadows of Sovereignty is not just a book—it is a challenge to the conscience of a nation.
Download now and join the dialogue on Nigeria’s most urgent constitutional question.
