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Political significance

The Nigerian-Biafran War began on July 6, 1967 and lasted until January 15, 1970.^[7] The war broke out due to political and ethnic struggles, partly caused by the numerous attempts of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria to secede and form the Republic of Biafra. Political conflict between the Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and Fulani people erupted into two deadly military coups. The Igbo tried to breakaway from Nigeria to become the Republic of Biafra, but was met with little support. From 1968 onward, the war fell into a form of deadlock, with Nigerian forces unable to make significant advances into the remaining areas of Biafran control. Nigeria cut off humanitarian aid to Biafra, resulting in hundreds of thousands of civilians dying from starvation and disease. Many lives and resources were lost during the war; and even today there are still tensions between the different ethnic and religious groups of Nigeria.

The story in Half a Yellow Sun is centered around the war. The author has stated she believes that many of the issues that caused the war remain today. She further commented that the war is very talked about "in uninformed and unimaginative ways," and that the war is as important to the Igbo people her book features today as it was then.^[8] Because none of the major political events were changed in the book, Adichie said that the book contained "emotional truth," and that the book showed the war had a significant impact upon the people of Nigeria.^[8]