State Creation and its Impacts on Igbo Unity and Identity

Abstract

Without doubt, structural imbalance is one of the major absurdities of Nigerian federalism. This has resulted to the calls for state creation to address this abnormality. Consequently, from 1967, the structure of the federation has been reconstituted five times, with its attendant effects. The paper seeks to appraise the impact of state creation on Igbo unity and identity. The research method employed was the qualitative analytical method which involved content analysis of relevant documentary data on the subject. The approach adopted was also thematic. It argued that statism has set in motion disintegrative forces through the creation of indigene-non-indigene, as well as core-Igbo and non-core-Igbo phenomenon, which is antithetical to a sense of common nationhood, and abnegated the Igbo spirit of brotherhood. This has adversely affected Igbo unity and identity.