Earlier today, it was announced that Britain has left the European Union making it the first nation to do so in the EU’s history.
This has raised the panic levels across Europe as there have been various effects of the exit.
The pound Sterling has already dipped and many investors have been selling off anything pound related. There have been reports that Scotland and Northern Ireland could also hold a referendum of their own to break away from the United Kingdom.
But what does all this mean for Nigeria?
According to a report by SB Morgen, it could affect Nigeria politically and even help the IPOB realise their dreams of their own nation.
The report reads in part; Politically, Westminster has always been a strong supporter of Abuja. This will not change. However, the strength of that support will wane. This will give some impetus to separatist movements within
Nigeria.
For a start, the Indigenous People of Biafra, far and away the loudest separatist movement in Nigeria today, has a very large diaspora support in the UK. Should the political efects of the Brexit happen and the UK eventually disintegrate, IPOB, and its supporters will only get louder in their demands for a similar
referendum here, and England, the
only part of the UK that may
maintain an interest in meddling in Nigerian afairs will nolonger be in a position to offer unconditional
support to Abuja.
The case for self-determinationwould have been
made stronger, and Nigeria may end up having to conduct referendums of its own, with uncertain results.
Another issue highlighted in the report was that of immigration. Nigeria has a large population over there with over 200,000 Nigerians currently in Britain. Seeing as the migrant crisis in Europe was one of the reasons for their exit from the EU it has been speculated that procuring visas for travel could also be very difficult.
The exit of Britain is big on its own, but it could well turn out to be a storm that encapsulates the entire world.