On October 1, 2017, a very brief post lightly circulated on Facebook. I didn’t really take it seriously even though I made some comprehensive comments under some two different names that carried it. However, as days went by, I kept seeing the post re-circulated and shared to the extent of meeting it again in a Whatsapp group.

Initially, I was overwhelmed by the volume of ignorant takes that trailed the post. In fact, in one of the posts where I commented in my effort to educate folks, I was ridiculed but I was firm enough to engage the disagreeing interlocutors and argue my points out.

The said post goes thus:

“If zik was born 1904, Awolowo 1909, Ahmadu Bello 1910, Tafawa Belewa 1912, M. Okpara 1920 who agreed and signed 1914 amalgamation?”

To this, there were two groups of reactionaries. The first were youths in their 20s and 30s — people of my generation. They were expressing surprise and awe at such a “smart” question which nobody can decode or would be a hard nut to crack. Immediately, I saw the devastating effect of their poverty of historical knowledge and consciousness ably facilitated by the Nigeria Establishment over the years through direct and indirect cancelling out of history studies in our formative stages. The second group included middle-aged people who have some appreciable knowledge or answer to the question but are insistent on knowing the “signatories” at the amalgamation. As a teacher, I have the habit of never taking any question for granted or useless because there might be that one person in the crowd struggling taciturnly to know and understand something that might illuminate his/her mind in the process. So, I’m making a few points—mainly to raise more discussions rather than lump my takes—as regards that post in the interest of those who don’t know but are interested in knowing or augmenting the clarity of what they know.

1. “Nigeria” – as a word or a place – was never instituted with the consent of our forefathers when it came into being at the dawn of 19th century (remember the Berlin Conference of 1885-6 that officially gave British the geographical dominance) as well as the beginning of 20th century (creation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates in 1900). Note also that the present core North was formerly called “Western Soudan” until 1900. The people presently answering and have answered “Nigerians” up till today merely inherited a business/colonial empire belonging to the British people and were forced to make a “nation” out of it unlike, say, Americans that wiped off their colonial legacy and were fully involved in renegotiating their country to what THEY WANT! Ever notice how America has quietly yanked off anything “British” in their march through history such that many young Africans are always surprised to learn that the same Britain that colonized them colonized America too?!

2. It is funny how many Nigerian folks see Zik, Awo and Bello as some “old” forefathers. Hello, these men were born at the beginning of 20th century—not so long ago! They were just of the generation of my grandfather and uncles. Such persons need to realize that Nnamdi Azikiwe’s father was a clerk to the British masters who never allowed them acquire education beyond what is equivalent to today’s Primary school studies. Even Zik’s father and his generation (born in the 19th century) didn’t fully appreciate what “amalgamation” implied as they were merely servants of their British masters who were running a business for the Colonial Office in London using a large field called “Nigeria”. By 1920s, Zik himself began to understand the complexity of the world around him and it took him many years between the 1920s and 1930s to acquire the weapon to fight the Establishment. Then another round of 20 years between the 1940s and 1960 to consummate that dream. Same can be said of Obafemi Awolowo. Slightly, same can be said of Bello for he was only a product of the “British affection” for the ‘loyal North’ that doesn’t want to threaten its religious institutions with the influx of Western civilization. One must note that all the British officers who served in the North were all men who had served in the Malayan and Strait States where Islamism was the core culture/religion. They were carefully selected to perpetuate the servility and docility of the Northern Islamic culture in the ‘future interest’ of the British—that is today’s Fulani Hegemony in the Nigerian Political power matrix.

3. There were only 28 persons involved in the so-called “amalgamation” of January, 1914. While 6 persons were Nigerians, the rest were British including Frederick Lord Lugard himself, Lewis Harcourt (the secretary of state for the colonies whose name Port-Harcourt city took after leaving the original “Igweocha/Obumotu”) and other European officers in charge of the two Protectorates. The following were the ONLY “Nigerians” officially involved in the amalgamation signage:

• A lawyer, Sir Kitoyi Ajasa (representing the African community in Lagos as a Legislative Council member of the Colony since 1902). Lagos was mainly for the British. Then the rest were summed up as “African community” which included the returnee slaves of Sierra-Leone, Nigerians themselves, Ghanaians, etc.
• His Highness, Oladugbolu (Alaafin of Oyo)
• Hon. R Henshaw (Obong of Calabar)
• Hon. Maiturare (Sarkin Mussulumi and Sultan of Sokoto)
• Hon. Abubakar (Shehu of Borno)
• Hon. Usuman (Emir of Kano)

Note, from the above, that there was no Igbo traditional ruler involved. Not even the Eze Chima of Onicha those days. The Aro Expedition that was the final conquest of Igboland had happened 12 years earlier between 1901 and 1902 as the British Indirect treachery had been fiercely resisted by the Igbo people in the late 19th century. Again, note that there was more Fulani/Northern presence than any other “Nigerians” in the signage. The “pact” between the British and the Northern Oligarchy had been sealed for over a century and what we complain of today should never be a surprise to anyone who knows history. We are merely slaves living out the dreams and arrangement of unconcerned bourgeoisies—by sheer force!

4. By the time Zik had acquired enough weapons to lead the war against the British continued imperialism in the so-called Nigeria, the whole moribund arrangement had existed for more than 30 years. How many persons had been educated enough at that time? Only a few! Michael Okpara was even just a very young man at the time. The only visible result they could make out of the whole complication was Independence. Today, that Independence is only 57 years old {with over 50 years of nothing to show and 3 years of war from it all}.

5. In conclusion, those who see Zik, Awo, Bello, Balewa, Okpara, etc as some ancestral forefathers and architects of this whole impossible behemoth should realize that these men met an arrangement that had existed for about 40 years—an arrangement far older than them. They spent the rest of their lives trying to make sense of it. That’s all! When people of Nigeria say “I love Nigeria” and all the attendant shallow emotional similarities, do they really know what they love? Do they know its form, origin, the pacts of its workings and its future? Certainly not! No honest person who appreciates these things easily proclaims love for Nigeria. S/he, at best, remains silent. The Colonial Machine it is, has been and still continues. I hope this gives some answer and clarity to the above post and the needless but instructive contentions that trailed it.

©Chijioke Ngobili

Igbos were excluded from the important decisions that gave birth to Nigeria. Now I know why they are fighting hard to leave.

It was signed by Sarrki and Omenka was the only witness.

Saw this on Biafra page weeks ago

The aabokiis were key in the birth of this charade called a country; they will also be key in its dismemberment when they are satisfied with the senselessness of the entire idea.

Ok

Mynd44, Lalasticlala, Seun. Kindly move this topic to homepage. Thanks

misterawo:
On October 1, 2017, a very brief post lightly circulated on Facebook. I didn’t really take it seriously even though I made some comprehensive comments under some two different names that carried it. However, as days went by, I kept seeing the post re-circulated and shared to the extent of meeting it again in a Whatsapp group.

Initially, I was overwhelmed by the volume of ignorant takes that trailed the post. In fact, in one of the posts where I commented in my effort to educate folks, I was ridiculed but I was firm enough to engage the disagreeing interlocutors and argue my points out.

The said post goes thus:

“If zik was born 1904, Awolowo 1909, Ahmadu Bello 1910, Tafawa Belewa 1912, M. Okpara 1920 who agreed and signed 1914 amalgamation?”

To this, there were two groups of reactionaries. The first were youths in their 20s and 30s — people of my generation. They were expressing surprise and awe at such a “smart” question which nobody can decode or would be a hard nut to crack. Immediately, I saw the devastating effect of their poverty of historical knowledge and consciousness ably facilitated by the Nigeria Establishment over the years through direct and indirect cancelling out of history studies in our formative stages. The second group included middle-aged people who have some appreciable knowledge or answer to the question but are insistent on knowing the “signatories” at the amalgamation. As a teacher, I have the habit of never taking any question for granted or useless because there might be that one person in the crowd struggling taciturnly to know and understand something that might illuminate his/her mind in the process. So, I’m making a few points—mainly to raise more discussions rather than lump my takes—as regards that post in the interest of those who don’t know but are interested in knowing or augmenting the clarity of what they know.

1. “Nigeria” – as a word or a place – was never instituted with the consent of our forefathers when it came into being at the dawn of 19th century (remember the Berlin Conference of 1885-6 that officially gave British the geographical dominance) as well as the beginning of 20th century (creation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates in 1900). Note also that the present core North was formerly called “Western Soudan” until 1900. The people presently answering and have answered “Nigerians” up till today merely inherited a business/colonial empire belonging to the British people and were forced to make a “nation” out of it unlike, say, Americans that wiped off their colonial legacy and were fully involved in renegotiating their country to what THEY WANT! Ever notice how America has quietly yanked off anything “British” in their march through history such that many young Africans are always surprised to learn that the same Britain that colonized them colonized America too?!

2. It is funny how many Nigerian folks see Zik, Awo and Bello as some “old” forefathers. Hello, these men were born at the beginning of 20th century—not so long ago! They were just of the generation of my grandfather and uncles. Such persons need to realize that Nnamdi Azikiwe’s father was a clerk to the British masters who never allowed them acquire education beyond what is equivalent to today’s Primary school studies. Even Zik’s father and his generation (born in the 19th century) didn’t fully appreciate what “amalgamation” implied as they were merely servants of their British masters who were running a business for the Colonial Office in London using a large field called “Nigeria”. By 1920s, Zik himself began to understand the complexity of the world around him and it took him many years between the 1920s and 1930s to acquire the weapon to fight the Establishment. Then another round of 20 years between the 1940s and 1960 to consummate that dream. Same can be said of Obafemi Awolowo. Slightly, same can be said of Bello for he was only a product of the “British affection” for the ‘loyal North’ that doesn’t want to threaten its religious institutions with the influx of Western civilization. One must note that all the British officers who served in the North were all men who had served in the Malayan and Strait States where Islamism was the core culture/religion. They were carefully selected to perpetuate the servility and docility of the Northern Islamic culture in the ‘future interest’ of the British—that is today’s Fulani Hegemony in the Nigerian Political power matrix.

3. There were only 28 persons involved in the so-called “amalgamation” of January, 1914. While 6 persons were Nigerians, the rest were British including Frederick Lord Lugard himself, Lewis Harcourt (the secretary of state for the colonies whose name Port-Harcourt city took after leaving the original “Igweocha/Obumotu”) and other European officers in charge of the two Protectorates. The following were the ONLY “Nigerians” officially involved in the amalgamation signage:

• A lawyer, Sir Kitoyi Ajasa (representing the African community in Lagos as a Legislative Council member of the Colony since 1902). Lagos was mainly for the British. Then the rest were summed up as “African community” which included the returnee slaves of Sierra-Leone, Nigerians themselves, Ghanaians, etc.
• His Highness, Oladugbolu (Alaafin of Oyo)
• Hon. R Henshaw (Obong of Calabar)
• Hon. Maiturare (Sarkin Mussulumi and Sultan of Sokoto)
• Hon. Abubakar (Shehu of Borno)
• Hon. Usuman (Emir of Kano)

Note, from the above, that there was no Igbo traditional ruler involved. Not even the Eze Chima of Onicha those days. The Aro Expedition that was the final conquest of Igboland had happened 12 years earlier between 1901 and 1902 as the British Indirect treachery had been fiercely resisted by the Igbo people in the late 19th century. Again, note that there was more Fulani/Northern presence than any other “Nigerians” in the signage. The “pact” between the British and the Northern Oligarchy had been sealed for over a century and what we complain of today should never be a surprise to anyone who knows history. We are merely slaves living out the dreams and arrangement of unconcerned bourgeoisies—by sheer force!

4. By the time Zik had acquired enough weapons to lead the war against the British continued imperialism in the so-called Nigeria, the whole moribund arrangement had existed for more than 30 years. How many persons had been educated enough at that time? Only a few! Michael Okpara was even just a very young man at the time. The only visible result they could make out of the whole complication was Independence. Today, that Independence is only 57 years old {with over 50 years of nothing to show and 3 years of war from it all}.

5. In conclusion, those who see Zik, Awo, Bello, Balewa, Okpara, etc as some ancestral forefathers and architects of this whole impossible behemoth should realize that these men met an arrangement that had existed for about 40 years—an arrangement far older than them. They spent the rest of their lives trying to make sense of it. That’s all! When people of Nigeria say “I love Nigeria” and all the attendant shallow emotional similarities, do they really know what they love? Do they know its form, origin, the pacts of its workings and its future? Certainly not! No honest person who appreciates these things easily proclaims love for Nigeria. S/he, at best, remains silent. The Colonial Machine it is, has been and still continues. I hope this gives some answer and clarity to the above post and the needless but instructive contentions that trailed it.

©Chijioke Ngobili

reference

Nice piece Chijoke,I don't blame the disjointed historians

I'm a Yoruba man to the core, but if this piece is true then we need a REFERENDUM!!!

I always knew Igbos can never be part of this nonsense called Nigeria...it's a DNA thingy.

No Ijaw leader took part.

No Tiv leader took part.

The only Yoruba leader that took part was Alaafin of Oyo. Not even Ooni of Ife.

We must renegotiate this arrangement.

If only your writing was rendered in readable English...
You made salient points, however.

Pappyjim:
I'm a Yoruba man to the core, but if this piece is true then we need a REFERENDUM!!!

You have only chosen to be gullible. I am a Yoruba and 1000% in support of referendum but Igbo would not dictate terms and conditions of the referendum. They can do that only when an Igbo man is the president in essence if they chose to break up Nigeria then it would be their loss. You read tru the article but did not read tru the deceit of the writer. Do not let any senseless Igbo hoodwink you into hating the northerners.

If you must hate let that be on your own accord. Igbo are born with hate and will perish by it. It is impossible for the British to merge three nation without any representation from a part. It is not possible. If you read through the formation of Isreal as unfair as the British were they still insisted on certain rights for the Arabs which was what led to their persecution by the Jews Zionist till they hurriedly left the catastrophe they created for the USA to take over.

NEVER BELIEVE A THING FROM ANY IGBO PREACHING HATE ANGER DISDAIN AGAINST OTHER TRIBES. IT IS THE POLITICS THEY KNOW HOW TO PLAY. IGBOS WERE NEVER INCLUDED YET AZIKWE DELAYED OUR INDEPENDENCE FOR THREE YEAR SO THE HAUSA FULANI CAN BE A PART OF NIGERIA HE INTENDS TO RULE.

Daalu Chijioke Ngobili, nwanne mmadu.

He that forget history will definitely lose out.. I wish they can return history back to school.

Tolexander:
reference

Sampson
Oduche

IBO LAND — 1860-1960
A century of Contact with the British
S.N Nwabara

TRADE AND IMPERIALISM IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA 1881-1916
By Walter Ofonagoro

BRITISH ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA 1900-1950
A Nigerian view by Isaac Okonjo

These three or any of them can go a long way to help.

Homeboiy:
Saw this on Biafra page weeks ago

Not true. This is an original article served hot today by Chijioke Ngobili.

Ballmer:


You have only chosen to be gullible. I am a Yoruba and 1000% in support of referendum but Igbo would not dictate terms and conditions of the referendum. They can do that only when an Igbo man is the president in essence if they chose to break up Nigeria then it would be their loss. You read tru the article but did not read tru the deceit of the writer. Do not let any senseless Igbo hoodwink you into hating the northerners.

If you must hate let that be on your own accord. Igbo are born with hate and will perish by it. It is impossible for the British to merge three nation without any representation from a part. It is not possible. If you read through the formation of Isreal as unfair as the British were they still insisted on certain rights for the Arabs which was what led to their persecution by the Jews Zionist till they hurriedly left the catastrophe they created for the USA to take over.

NEVER BELIEVE A THING FROM ANY IGBO PREACHING HATE ANGER DISDAIN AGAINST OTHER TRIBES. IT IS THE POLITICS THEY KNOW HOW TO PLAY. IGBOS WERE NEVER INCLUDED YET AZIKWE DELAYED OUR INDEPENDENCE FOR THREE YEAR SO THE HAUSA FULANI CAN BE A PART OF NIGERIA HE INTENDS TO RULE.

why not debunk any of his fallacious assertions instead of crying like a rat on menstration.

Rephrasing that famous superstory quote....

"We are nothing but pins attracted to every Nigerian magnet; good, bad, ugly"

Besides, no one is even talking of vision 2020.

The igbos have been playing the victim card all their lives. Yet they produced the first president in an independent Nigeria. Carried out the first coup that ended the first republic kept a straight face and claimed the chief coupist kaduna Nzeogwu was more hausa than igbo. Agreed but another igbo man benefited from the same coup that indirectly led to the civil war and clamour for an igbo sovereign nation.
Yes igbos have reasons to complain about been schemed out of things and only when they produce another igbo president which i support whole heartedly will this sense of exclusion can ever be curtailed to some extent.
But igbos created the problems for themselves when they started playing the power game with the north in the 60s and lost out. Since then the north have successfully found ways to combine with the yorubas to solidify their position at the center. which any sensible group would do in an imbalanced system such as ours.
I hear a lot of bear parlour argument about an igbo man declaring biafra as soon as presidency shifts to the south east. I laugh in different voices because a lot of folks do not understand the power and the huge benefits any group in control of abuja can accrue to themselves and their supporters. who owns a ferrari and throws it a way for a piece of keke maruwa in name of getting a sovereign nation.
Some of these things will answer the biafran question and make Nigeria a better union for the years to come.
1. Lets restructure how the national cake is shared. I mean the center should have the lesser share. States should control what they make.
2. One more state in the south east.
3. State of emergency on basic education in the north.
4. An igbo president by 2019 or latest 2023
5. Every part of the country should come up with a 10 year development plan that suits them to be pursued vigorously.
Lets not deceive ourselves Nigeria is a poor country with terrible leaders across all tribes. Without Biafra what has the south east leaders done within the current system. Are there no governors in the south east.? Abi do you think its not this same group of guys that have under performed that will lead a sovereign Biafra without handouts from big daddy in abuja?

The writer is perfectly correct but silent on important aspect that also need to be noted. 1. Amalgamation intention is not to form a country but for administrative convenience of colonial master. 2. At Independence it was throw open if we should go together or individually, zik vote along with Tafawa Balewa for one Nigeria while Awolowo was against. First Republic political alliance said it all.

Hofbrauhaus:
I always knew Igbos can never be part of this nonsense called Nigeria...it's a DNA thingy.

Wikipedia did not agree with you a quote from the book.. .

@ op, I wish I had time. Your write-up is just like someone that selects bones of his choice among a complete set of human bones and create his own being, all for the purpose of condemning and desecreating Nigeria. It would have been fine if you only stated facts and not laced them with your imagination.

So we were forced to be one ?

What a reasonable question... Buh chief Awolowo has always bn an intelligent man with a strong foresight... Ipodbshouid stop complaining, we should av parted ways easily buh one of their kinsmen sold them out to the fukani/hausa

hmmm

misterawo:
Igbos were excluded from the important decisions that gave birth to Nigeria. Now I know why they are fighting hard to leave.

that is the punishment for being kingless.

leofab:
why not debunk only of his fallacious assertions instead of crying like a rat on menstration.

for one iin 1957 when discussing Nigeria's indepedence the issue of our continued existence as a nation was discussed. The Igbos,represented by the NCNC, were the one's who fought the Yorubas, represented by the AC, tooth and nail for the continuance of Nigeria as a nation. After the AC submitted another proposition was made by the AC; inclusion of a succession clause in the constitution. The same NCNC threatened to report the leadership of the AC to the British on charges of treason. Years later it's the same myopic fooz disturbing the peace all over shouting contraption contraption. If there's a people in Nigeria that should complain about the creation of Nigeria it's the Benins a people who ruled almost the entire SS, get tributes from the SE and controlled some f the SW before the British but were reduced to only one state because they fought the British.
misterawo blaqoracle AburoBuhari Histrings08 daveP iamchybs ib0221 muykem Hofbrauhaus policy12 Reski Tolexander

leofab:
why not debunk only of his fallacious assertions instead of crying like a rat on menstration.

haba is nor fair, hw can ekute be on menses.

leofab:
why not debunk only of his fallacious assertions instead of crying like a rat on menstration.

Aunty if you read through what you quoted without bias you'd have seen the debunking, a simple cogent point that invalidated all the nonsense he wrote and that's coming from me who is not an historian. At the height of the agitation by the colonies the British decided colonies that demanded for Independence should be granted and that was why Ghana independence was granted in 1957.

The singular reason Nigeria independence was delayed till 1960 was because Azikwe demanded unified southern and northern protectorate should be granted independence together as a country. Awo & Zik led the agitation with the northerners not even interested. It took 3 yrs for the British and Zik to convince them to be a part of the Nigeria project so how the moronic idiotic Igbo twisted history on it's head claiming there was no Igbo at the table to sign the amalgamation is shocking.

A blind bigoted Igbo girl like you will not see that but rather accuse those who counter the lies as a rat on mensuration. Even a monkey would decipher that without fact or explanation but Igbo would not be able to because of bigotry and stupidity like you exhibited.