https://doi.org/10.1177/1750481318757778 Discourse & Communication 1–25 © The Author(s) 2018 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1750481318757778 journals.sagepub.com/home/dcm A nation divided against itself: Biafra and the conflicting online protest discourses Innocent Chiluwa Covenant University, Nigeria Abstract This research analyses media and online discourses produced by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a Nigerian separatist/secessionist group that seeks a referendum for the independence of the Igbo ethnic group of Nigeria. The research examines discourse structures, such as language use that clearly or implicitly produces propositions of conflict and war, tribalism and hate-speech. Discursive strategies such as labelling, exaggeration, metaphor and contradiction applied by the group to produce ideological discourses of outrage are also analysed. Moreover, conflicting discourses produced by the Igbo politicians and factions of IPOB and other Biafra campaign groups are analysed in terms of their political implications to the overall self-determination efforts of the Biafra nation. The study concludes that the pragmatic implications of discourses that reflect opposing views, as well as varied ideological perspectives by group members, suggest that Biafra is a nation divided against itself and are a people incapable of the separate nation that they seek. Keywords Biafra, conflict, discourse, Nigeria, protest, secessionist, separatist, social media, social movement Introduction: Activism and protest discourses The use of the Internet, especially social media, for the expressions of social and political tensions arising from shared interests and opinions is occurring frequently in many parts of the world. Individuals and groups who have access to the Internet can now mobilize each other to express grievances and make demands on governments and institutions. Corresponding author: Innocent Chiluwa, Department of Languages and General Studies, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria. Email: innocent.chiluwa@covenantuniversity.edu.ng; ichiluwa@gmail.com 757778DCM 0 0 10.1177/1750481318757778Discourse & CommunicationChiluwa research-article 2018 Article