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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 (1338 Views)
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Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by odumorun1: 9:07pm On Sep 14, 2012 |
The most enduring accusation against Obafemi Awolowo, particularly by many Ibo pundits was his refusal to support the Biafran secession, as he had allegedly promised its Leader Emeka Ojukwu, by taking the west out of the British contraption called Nigeria at the same time as the eastern secession This accusation has become so embedded in the political history of the country, that one thing which seems to be ignored by both its pro and antagonists is whether the Yoruba leader actually had any power at the time to secede with the west. In a way this is a compliment to the colossal political impact of a man whose support amongst the masses of his region on account not of his charisma but his centre left polices is unrivalled for its sustained fervour in the nation’s history. The fact that he was adjudged powerful enough to remove the west from the federation merely by willing it. But in politics will is crystallised in reality through the structures of the state.and in 1966 Awolow was in control of nothing beyond his own compound All revolutionaries or radical change seekers might have the best and most noble ideas, the greatest vision but without being in control of political power it remains just that a vision. Gani Fawehinmi was probably more principled than Awolowo, more passionate, but his inability to muster his undoubted popularity into a force capable of galvanising the people and himself to a position where he could actually practise what he preached, something Awolowo did at;east in the western region, means Awolowo would always be the greater historical figure even if Gani can be adjudged possibly the more ethical man. But in 1966 during the araba riots in the north which led to the Civil war Awolowo who had just been relapsed from prison by the Gowon regime had no political control in the western region, so how could he have seceded with the west even if he wanted to. The only regional governor killed in the July 1966 coup was the western region Governor, Lt Col Adekunle Fajuyi. An Awolowo supporting officer who sacrificed his life defending his boss and Ibo head of state – Aguyi-Ironsi. Having lost two leaders in 6 months to violent coups, the west after the July 1966 coup was leaderless. Awolowo was still popular, but how could a man who did not control a single civil service stenographer or government clerk actually secede. How practically would that have been done? what civil servant would have prepared the speech, who would have done the million practical things required to effect a new state, from paying the invoice for the new flag, to changing all government letter heads, not to talk of effecting the normal procees of government. Ojukwu could secede because he had political control in the east, not because he was any braver than Awolowo. The new Governor in the west Col Adebayo was the first in a long line of Yoruba military officers who would go on to make a fortune by pandering to the feudal north. Unlike fajuyi he had no truck with progressive ideas. Infact by the end of the civil war all the most progressive Yoruba officers, most of whom hated the Northern oligarchy and its local satrapies, Banjo, Ademoyega, Oyewole and fajuyi were either dead or marginalised. Let’s be honest there would have been no shortage of ambitious Ibo military officers who would have accepted his post on the terms of the north. So So the question is how in practical terms could Awolowo have seceded like Ojukwu did when he had no political control over his region. |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by ayobase(m): 9:18pm On Sep 14, 2012 |
Another e-gidigbo is gonna be pulling off soon....Awolowo Vs Ojukwu....dis matter can never be resolved walahi! . Allow them to rest or otherwise, and lets c how we can move this Nation forward....Im tired of the tossing and turning, up and down, helter skelter, to and fro....enough of e-gidigbo over this matter! |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by Yeske2(m): 9:24pm On Sep 14, 2012 |
Topic dead on arrival. @OP, abeg park well. 1 Like |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by 2mch(m): 9:33pm On Sep 14, 2012 |
Alj Harem, get a life. |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by oturugo(m): 10:00pm On Sep 14, 2012 |
This writer must be a big fool for his continuous usage of Ibo instead of Igbo. |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by CyberG: 11:06pm On Sep 14, 2012 |
oturugo: This writer must be a big fool for his continuous usage of Ibo instead of Igbo. It is only "ibo" you saw in the entire write-up you tribalist man? Do you know ibo is the correct word used all over? I am not here to pick an argument over pedantic issues like you raised but do you know there are tons of literature using words like ibos, eeboes, Igbos, eibos? Anyway, it doesn't really matter because most of you here are still mad at the loss of your stoopid war and you blame everyone else for it, deliberately mis-spelling their names! |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by odumorun1: 11:12pm On Sep 14, 2012 |
"This writer must be a big fool for his continuous usage of Ibo instead of Igbo" Semantics idiot, although I suppose its easier talking about that than discussing the real issues. For the mentally indolent, trivia like this is understandably far more stimulating. Regarding the other posters, on this issue who have adopted the tone of exasperated indifference to a suppossedly overflogged issue - it shows how far we have to travel. You see that is our history and until we make sense of it, yes and that can only be achived through intellectual conflict no mater how difficult that might be. We won't move forward. A war was fought and whether we like it or not the issues that led to that war being fought are still with us today and even if they weren't - every serious society constantly studies and asseses its history. There is no advanced country in the world today, The United States, the Uited Kingdom, Russia, China or japan where major flashpoints in its history are not studied and debated oer again and again. The french revolution is as topical in France today as it was when it occurred 200 years ago, the British never tire of debating the second world war, the Chinese, the achivements and mistakes of Mao. That is what great countries do, that is how they develop. they don't white wash history, they don't ignore it, they constantly investigate and study it and that is done through debate. I know it might be mentally tasking, but for those fearful of such exertion I know there is a Nololywood section somewhere on this site, direct your attentions there. Of course debates on nigeria arouse passions, anger and partisanship. TWell that's how the truth emerges. As a popular yoruba saying goes, if two brothers always emerge from their discussions wreathed in smiles they have said everything to each other apart from the truth. If this country is going to develop if we are going to provide a tomorrow better for our kids than our today, we have to discuss the mistakes of our fathers and learn from it. The only way the human race has developed to do this is through debate. You cant stabnd the heat - get out of the kitchen |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by ilawal850gmail: 11:48pm On Sep 14, 2012 |
Lambs Can Cry ....... It took me less than 25 minutes, to drive from my home in VGC, to the Lekki "Admiralty Plaza", and then another hour, before I could enter my offices at Maroko. Yet, I will soon have to endure that experience, at least 4 times, in a day. Just another day, in the life of a tax paying, hard working Lagosian..... Today the 10th day of September, makes it 99 days to the 1st year anniversary of the formalisation of our enslavement, by those who pretend to love us, even as they pillage our commonwealth. I speak of the 1st year anniversary of the biggest edifice, that this government has bestowed on the Lekki-Epe axis. The tollgate otherwise cheek-in-tongue referred to as the "Admiralty Plaza" Neither our darling Action Gov, nor our venerable Asiwaju has seen fit to build a single hospital in the Ajah-Lekki axis, they have also not interested themselves in the construction of roads, schools, health centres, markets, or any of the other things governments are expected to do for its citizens, in saner nations. We live surrounded by water, yet, the entire Lekki-Ajah axis, is not serviced by a single linear metre of public water pipes. Unless of course, if you live in their well planned ghetto, tagged, Lekki phase 1, or you are privileged to live in one of the private estates. There are several settlements and villages, who have never been blighted by the presence of Nepa, epileptic, as that might be. I will not buy the E-Pass being touted by the LCC and this decision has caused me to spend several minutes, queuing to hand over my hard earned money, to those who have stolen more than their generations may ever need, but whose gluttony leads them to keep up the wicked acts that impoverish our people. I choose to queue when I get to their tollgate because I recognise the tollgate for what it represents: it is an assault on my rights as a citizen, a sharp rebuke for the lies we've told ourselves, and the easy choices made, and a reminder, that "when the wise, forsake governance, they must of necessity, suffer the ignominy of being ruled by fools" Lekki-Epe residents travel compulsorily. The public secondary schools, are all located adjacent to the Mobil head office, in Victoria Island. 15 years of their hegemony has not delivered a single secondary school in our entire senatorial district, if you must attend government-funded secondary schools, you must travel into Victoria Island, and adequacy or quality is not the issue, it is all about a clear lack of choice. NOW we must pay toll to get to those schools!! I can afford the E-Pass, but I shall not buy one. The time spent in the traffic to pay the toll, will be spent, remembering, and weeping for the loss of my citizenship, and commencement of my colonisation. But a small price to pay, for my lack of courage. As we mark the 1st anniversary of that day of ignominy, pls be reminded, they have also exerted a lot of energy, ensuring the completion of the second toll plaza at Chevron roundabout! Another reminder, of our lost sovereignty. They need our money to rebuild the road they've stolen from us, so that we and our generations, might pay them and their generations, for the kind and wonderful services, they are rendering to us today. Poor Awolowo, whose name and philosophy, they have so gratuitously appropriated, did not earn his reputation, and his place in the pantheon, by stealing. Barefaced, shameless theft, of our common patrimony! The silence of the lamb, is directly responsible for its slaughter, had the lamb acquired the capacity and will, to scream all the way to the slaughter slab, perhaps, the inconvenience of its noise, might have persuaded its executioners, to reconsider their burial plans, for the hapless lamb. This lamb must begin its wails in earnest. We invite you to join us at................ as we, together, begin the countdown to the day of infamy, the 18th day of December, 2012, the 1st year anniversary of our recolonisation, even as we await, the safe delivery of our brand new, toll-plaza. The hospitals, schools, roads, drainages, pipe-borne water, etcetera etcetera, shall follow in due course. Eko onii baje o! Lolzzzzz...... 1 Like |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by oturugo(m): 11:56pm On Sep 14, 2012 |
CyberG:Lil niggi, you are an aszhole, upon all your useless education that awo gave you all, yet you do not know the diff between Igbo and Ibo. This thread is dead as there is nothing new to be discussed. Thread is nonsensical. |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by CyberG: 2:13am On Sep 15, 2012 |
oturugo: You make no sense cos you have no brains really. Try again illiterate loser...lolz |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by sheyguy: 7:18am On Sep 15, 2012 |
Awolowo was in no position to secede yet they blame him for not being a rebel with no just reason . . . |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by Maxymilliano(m): 8:49am On Sep 15, 2012 |
Op can't you just let a sleeping dog lie? |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by Afam4eva(m): 10:06am On Sep 15, 2012 |
I would want to align my school of thought to those of the article which postulates that Awolowo didn't have the power the power to cecede considering that unlike the eastern region where Ojukwu was the alpha and Omega, the west was almost completely conrolled by the federal government, so Awolowo couldn't have had the power to cecede. Infact the mere thought of it would have had it brains blown up by the FG. |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by T9ksy(m): 11:30am On Sep 15, 2012 |
sheyguy: Awolowo was in no position to secede yet they blame him for not being a rebel with no just reason . . . Of course, they blame Awo for everything. Just as they lay the genesis of tribalism (in the country) at awo's feet because of a phantom election success in yorubaland which till date none of them has been able to produce any evidence to buttress their allegation.We even had one telling us the "proof" is in his g/mother's library in their village. Guess, he hasn't visited his poor lonely g/mother in ages |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by nku5: 11:42am On Sep 15, 2012 |
Interesting question OP. A question over what his modus operandi was I believe was revealed in the famous statement that "if the east is allowed to secede, the west will also secede". If as you have asked he really did mean to secede, he must have planned for a scenario where once the east left the nation, the basis for a one nigeria on lugards terms would have no justification to continue. The issue of resistance from the north would have in such a scenario been settled or of little consequence. My two kobo |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by Nobody: 12:37pm On Sep 15, 2012 |
ayobase: Another e-gidigbo is gonna be pulling off soon....Awolowo Vs Ojukwu....dis matter can never be resolved walahi!you have said it all! A very matured comment from you.Awo and Ojukwu must be sighing in their graves for nairalanders who enjoy talking trash about them! Quit this tribal posts and allow their souls to rest in peace! 1 Like |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by Dede1(m): 4:52pm On Sep 15, 2012 |
odumorun 1: The most enduring accusation against Obafemi Awolowo, particularly by many Ibo pundits was his refusal to support the Biafran secession, as he had allegedly promised its Leader Emeka Ojukwu, by taking the west out of the British contraption called Nigeria at the same time as the eastern secession I stopped reading and declared the above post as a piece of conjectural crap at the instance of “The only regional governor killed in the July 1966 coup was the western region Governor, Lt Col Adekunle Fajuyi. An Awolowo supporting officer who sacrificed his life defending his boss and Ibo head of state – Aguyi-Ironsi”. The mere insinuation that Lt Col F Fajuiyi sacrificed his life defending his boss and Ibo head of state is one of most idiotic nonsense and laughable joke I have ever heard. Does the silly and ignorant author of this junk understand the manifestation of coup? In what manner did Fajuiyi and with which command defend his boss? I guess the act of telling deliberate falsehood is inherent. 3 Likes |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by T9ksy(m): 5:25pm On Sep 15, 2012 |
Dede1: Coming from you "Prof", that's rich! |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by Dede1(m): 6:33pm On Sep 15, 2012 |
T9ksy: I have issues with people who formulate unnecessary and deliberate falsehood. I can overlook the instances of a misinformed kid’s indulgence in false story about bombs raining on Onipanu and Jibowu in Lagos State but Fajuiyi’s sacrifice while defending his boss. |
Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by Nobody: 11:16pm On Sep 15, 2012 |
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Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by Nobody: 11:24pm On Sep 15, 2012 |
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Re: Even If He Wanted To How Could Awolowo Have Seceded With The West In 1967 by T9ksy(m): 11:56am On Sep 16, 2012 |
Dede1: Revisionism is your trademark here on this site. You are notorious for it! And what exactly are you willing to overlook? That ojukwu and his BLF didn't dropped bombs on lagos mainland at the onset of the civil war? |
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