As U.S. President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his second inauguration on Jan. 20, thousands of miles away in Nigeria his return to power has reignited hope among Biafra secessionists. Some view him as a possible ally in their decades-long battle for autonomy – though at least one analyst thinks they should lower their expectations.
On the morning of Nov. 6, Odinaka Nwankwo, a retired footballer, sat on his porch in southeast Nigeria’s Anambra state listening to the results of the U.S. presidential election on his transistor radio.
After a few hours, the news broke that Republican candidate Donald Trump had defeated opponent Kamala Harris.
Nwankwo, a supporter of the Biafra secessionist movement, said jubilation immediately erupted.
"We know that Trump can go straight to them and tell them - resolve this issue of Biafra, if they want to be free, let them be free,” Nwankwo said. “I think that's the why the southeast is excited about his coming, not that he will give the southeast Biafra, but at least he [is] blunt about issues because he doesn't know how to play politics."
Trump won both the electoral college and popular vote to become the 47th U.S. president-elect.
Biafra's separatist communities are now expressing hope that Trump's presidency, which begins on Jan. 20, could be a turning point for their movement.
Ifeanyi Okoroafor is a resident of Imo State in southeast Nigeria.
"Marginalization is subjection and it will never end until secession comes,” Okoroafor said. “The world is talking about Trump coming in and because America is a force in world power they can dictate certain things that will happen elsewhere. It may not be that easy though. Trump because he's Republican and their manner of doing things is what the people are seeing."
The Biafra movement has sought independence from Nigeria for decades.
A 1967 secession attempt led to a brutal civil war that lasted three years and killed over 1 million people, mostly from starvation.
Critics say that when it comes to Trump, Biafran activists may be too optimistic.
Ahmed Buhari, a Nigerian political analyst, said that it’s unclear why Trump would be interested in the issue.
"Trump has clearly defined himself as that president who puts America first, so for him to support any mission, it will have to be clear how it's going to benefit the American people,” Buhari said. “Until that is properly defined, he might not be interested in having that conversation with the Biafran people."
But Biafra supporter and human rights lawyer Prince Mandela hopes Trump will put pressure on Nigeria’s authorities to address Biafra's concerns, including the release of activist leader Nnamdi Kanu, who's been held by authorities against court orders granting him bail.
"Donald Trump is someone that kicks against the breach of fundamental human rights,” Mandela said. “So, a man like Donald Trump coming to power might one way or the other … help reduce some of the persecutions."
During his first term, Trump queried then-Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari about violence against Christians in Nigeria — an issue Biafrans often frame as vital to their struggle.
Beyond that, Trump seemed to pay little attention to Nigeria or Africa as a whole. Biafran secessionists are hoping that this time around, their issue can make it onto Trump’s agenda.
