Deadlytruth:


I have already addressed in another thread most of the arguments you have raised above, and I don't want to repeat myself. But I will only repeat that all who came after Ironsi sustained and deepened Ironsi's unitary system as a veritable tool in eradication of the perceived Igbo domination agenda which had been foreshadowed by Zik's criss crossing of regions seeking premiership, Nzeogwu and co's announcement of their quest to strengthen the centre and weaken the regions after the coup, which Ironsi's final Unification, Anti-seccession and Anti-tribal Associations Decrees finally confirmed.

For introducing military rule at all into a perfectly working democracy, Ironsi deserves no credit except you are of the belief that the worst military regime is better than the best civilian regime.

You didn't address anything, you just excused yourself by bringing narratives based on the perceptions of the northerners towards "an Igbo agenda".

T9ksy:




Be ni o!!! That kind of STUPIDITY should be and was rightly punishable by death. As a matter of fact, Ironsi was simply a

pawn in the hands of the extant ibo political elite at the time. They just "used his head to break the coconut pod". He was their (ibo's) sacrificial

lamb to facilitate their (long-awaited and prophesied) eventual domination of the new nation. Unfortunately, things didn't work out as their

childish pranks intended and consequently they lost everything as their HUNTER suddenly morph into the HUNTED hence the cry of biafra

afterwards. They believed in One Nigeria when their homeboy had forced himself on us as HOS albeit through the back door and without much

ado, embarked on enacting decrees that can only benefit his fellow ibo people.

He surrounded himself with fellow ibo advisers who convinced him that he' doing the right thing and nigeria as a whole will eventually appreciate

him. Meanwhile he STUPIDLY chose to ignore opposition voices from the other regions, especially the most affected- the northern region.


In fact, Ironsi's level of STUPIDITY ought to be criminalised...............omo go, eni ko ma ku, ko ma run, kini otete pa omo bi ago?

Some afonja and envy is like shit and maggot.

Cowards.

Barren points. Just rants borne out of hate and envy.

ofai:


You didn't address anything, you just excused yourself by bringing narratives based on the perceptions of the northerners towards "an Igbo agenda".

But then those perceptions inspired the revenge through which Ironsi lost his life and Nigeria veered off its rapid development track for the past 52 years. As long as the conscience of man is invisible to the external world, then perception is everything.
Therefore a serious government must take perception very seriously. This perception is called public opinion in formal language.

Deadlytruth:


But then those perceptions inspired the revenge through which Ironsi lost his life and Nigeria veered off its rapid development track for the past 52 years. As long as the conscience of man is invisible to the external world, then perception is everything.
Therefore a serious government must take perception very seriously. This perception is called public opinion in formal language.

A responsible government should never tske a onesided percerption seriously. What the north perceives isnt necessarily what nigeria perceives.

Blaming Ironside for the country's 52 years of misfortune shows a serious lack of reason

S3xxy:


Aguiyi was a head of government and head of state. Military head of state. Zik was only a figurehead. In a parliamentary govt, the head of government is the prime minister. The president is just ceremonial. Tafawa Balewa was the head of government.

You cannot be more ignorant than the above junk. I guess it takes more thorough academic torture to educate certain moronic dingbats in Nigeria. It is funny that certain nitwits in the shithole do not know that a government can be terminated while the country stands. In a parliamentary govt., the president is the Head of State and Commandeer-in-Chief of the armed forces of the country. The president has the power to appoint prime minister and dissolve the government on the on the advise of ministerial executive council.

ofai:


By economic indices he was one the best.

Nigeria's politics was still very young so even all the leaders after him were inexperienced at that time in military government.

No military leader was BETTER than Ironside. He didn't want to execute the 5 majors because the western press and Nigerians were sympathetic to them.

Adaka boro's life was spared because of the eastern sentiments ironsi had for boro, this made non Easterners feel he was too tribalistic. Ironside was in a tight corner, any leader too would have been.

The economic indeces that defined his regime were actually inherited from the superlative performance of the regional premiers pre-independence and the not too bad governance of Balewa in the first six years post independence.

As per the bolded; we were not actually the first people on earth to embark on nation building. Other nations' experiences were already there for us to learn from, thus we did not need to reinvent the wheel. So I don't buy into your theory that it was an experimentation stage. All we needed were knowledgeable and sincere leaders who could have brought their knowledge of other nations' experiences to bear on the business of governance.
People like Enahoro, Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa and Awolowo already knew from studying that unitary system was dangerous to a heterogeneous society hence they gave several warnings, wrote books, made proposals, etc to that effect. While Awolowo described Nigeria as a mere geographical expression where progress can only be made if true federalism is adhered to, Enahoro proposed secession clause for the constitution with the purview to instill in all the future leaders the fear of the consequences of misgovernance, and while Ahmadu Bello warned against unmoderated cross cultural interferences, Tafawa Balewa described Nigeria as a British Enterprise which will take time to become a truly Nigerians' project. Only Zik and his admirers like Ironsi refused to acknowledge the reality but continued chanting and believing in "One Nigeria" and unitary system despite the preponderance of evidences to the contrary.

As for the execution of the five majors, of what help was the assumed Western press and Nigerians' sympathy to him when the counter coupists from the north came calling? Is justice based on sentiments or established guilt versus innocence?
Were Nigerians and the Southern press not sympathetic to Okar and Vatsa? Did that stop IBB from executing them according to military laws? Did that prevent IBB from being loved by even a lot of Southerners till tomorrow?
It is believed that Murtala Mohammed's regime is the best of all military dictatorship despite the fact that it was shorter than Ironsi's.

If Ironsi truly had the Eastern sympathy for Adaka Boro, then why jail him at all while he was releasing Northerners?

ofai:


A responsible government should never tske a onesided percerption seriously. What the north perceives isnt necessarily what nigeria perceives.

Blaming Ironside for the country's 52 years of misfortune shows a serious lack of reason

The fear of Igbo domination was not a one-sided perception. Ahmadu Bello had begun to express it on behalf of the Northern Region as far back as 1952 as recorded in the currently trending online video. Akintola too had on behalf of the Western Region made it clear that his rivalry against Awolowo was built on the latter's indifference to Igbos' increasing presence and gradual taking over of the Western Region civil service and Assembly. That was contained in his "Yoruba e ronu" message delivered in the thick of the Western Region internal power struggle between AG and it's breakaway faction.
So where did you get the one-sidedness notion from?

Well, can we also employ your logic that Igbos are devoid of reason for their 51 year old blaming of Awolowo, Enahoro, Philip Chukwuemeka Asiodu, Azikiwe, etc for the loss of Biafra Eldorado?
Blame game doesn't just end on its own. It only ends when the government makes genuine efforts to address all the injustices of the past be it 1 million years ago.

EvilChild:

He lasted longer than your dad who's a 10 seconds man, rubbish.
Igbo can never rule Nigeria again.
We the Fulanis own this nation, there's nothing any one of you can do about it

This is an ill-informed outburst due to silly juvenile exuberance. Please inform one Fulani who commanded a Davison of Nigerian army during Nigeria/Biafra war? Fulani suddenly owned Nigeria because a loafer in Muhamadu Buhari has been elected the president of the glorified shithole called Nigeria.

Ddaji:
Continue to rest in hell. The evil man that destroyed our regional system due to his greediness,the evil that conspired with other Ibos elite and killed northern and western leaders. The genesis of all problems that we are in today as a nation.

Only a class of dumbass goons in your kind can rest in hell. When he was power, the four regional government were functional. However, when the idiotic Gowon and his clown mates took over the central government, he replaced the regional form of government with the states. Please read the correct history of Nigeria.

DerideGull:


Only a class of dumbass goons in your kind can rest in hell. When he was power, the four regional government were functional. However, when the idiotic Gowon and his clown mates took over the central government, he replaced the regional form of government with the states. Please read the correct history of Nigeria.

As per the bolded; Ironsi centralized the civil service immediately he got to power. Now, could you kindly explain how the regions remained functional with their civil service structures taken away from them to the center?
Recall that the civil service is the engine of any government and the only legal institution through which the government exercises all its governing powers.
Waiting for your response.

Deadlytruth:


The economic indeces that defined his regime were actually inherited from the superlative performance of the regional premiers pre-independence and the not too bad governance of Balewa in the first six years post independence.

As per the bolded; we were not actually the first people on earth to embark on nation building. Other nations' experiences were already there for us to learn from, thus we did not need to reinvent the wheel. So I don't buy into your theory that it was an experimentation stage. All we needed were knowledgeable and sincere leaders who could have brought their knowledge of other nations' experiences to bear on the business of governance.
People like Enahoro, Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa and Awolowo already knew from studying that unitary system was dangerous to a heterogeneous society hence they gave several warnings, wrote books, made proposals, etc to that effect. While Awolowo described Nigeria as a mere geographical expression where progress can only be made if true federalism is adhered to, Enahoro proposed secession clause for the constitution with the purview to instill in all the future leaders the fear of the consequences of misgovernance, and while Ahmadu Bello warned against unmoderated cross cultural interferences, Tafawa Balewa described Nigeria as a British Enterprise which will take time to become a truly Nigerians' project. Only Zik and his admirers like Ironsi refused to acknowledge the reality but continued chanting and believing in "One Nigeria" and unitary system despite the preponderance of evidences to the contrary.

As for the execution of the five majors, of what help was the assumed Western press and Nigerians' sympathy to him when the counter coupists from the north came calling? Is justice based on sentiments or established guilt versus innocence?
Were Nigerians and the Southern press not sympathetic to Okar and Vatsa? Did that stop IBB from executing them according to military laws? Did that prevent IBB from being loved by even a lot of Southerners till tomorrow?
It is believed that Murtala Mohammed's regime is the best of all military dictatorship despite the fact that it was shorter than Ironsi's.

If Ironsi truly had the Eastern sympathy for Adaka Boro, then why jail him at all while he was releasing Northerners?

Ironsi's government did not interfere with the economic policies already laid out by the regional governments, so he should be credited for his economic non-interference. Those after him tampered with the regional economic policies.

Nation building is usually experimental particularly for emerging countries, no country in the world jump-passed this stage. If enahoro, awolowo ahmadu bello and co put the secession clause before independence, why didn't they include it in their reviewed constitution after the war knowing fully well that it was in their view in Nigeria's best interest? Were they not among the constitutional drafting committee? Trying to blame zik or Igbos by extension is always a futile attempt.

All the plum jobs before 1966 was gotten mainly by merit and hard work. It was only the clannish nature of awo and Ahmad bello that disfavoured it because the Igbo were excelling in every facet of Nigeria.

Killing adaka boro wouldn't have solved the issue, after all the same adaka was killed by the same Nigerian troop he was fighting for and his people are still agitating till today. Thank God Ironside didn't kill boro, I respect ironsi for that. ... Just as the same hypocritical Nigerian government used and killed boro, that was how they killed sarowiwa too.

Ddaji:
Continue to rest in hell. The evil man that destroyed our regional system due to his greediness,the evil that conspired with other Ibos elite and killed northern and western leaders. The genesis of all problems that we are in today as a nation.

aguiyi ironsi and kadunaa ezeugo are the true hero of one nigeria, although am a yoruba and an afonja. if the sardauna of kaduna late sir ahmadu bello was not killed we will all be slaves in the southern nigeria. ahmadu bello made a statement after independence that nigeria is a conquered estate of usmanu dan fodio, that southerners will never rule over the north, southerners will never have control over there future and they will not stop until they throw quran into atlaantic oceaan and install emirs around.

ofai:


Ironsi's government did not interfere with the economic policies already laid out by the regional governments, so he should be credited for his economic non-interference. Those after him tampered with the regional economic policies.

Nation building is usually experimental particularly for emerging countries, no country in the world jump-passed this stage. If enahoro, awolowo ahmadu bello and co put the secession clause before independence, why didn't they include it in their reviewed constitution after the war knowing fully well that it was in their view in Nigeria's best interest? Were they not among the constitutional drafting committee? Trying to blame zik or Igbos by extension is always a futile attempt.

All the plum jobs before 1966 was gotten mainly by merit and hard work. It was only the clannish nature of awo and Ahmad bello that disfavoured it because the Igbo were excelling in every facet of Nigeria.

Killing adaka boro wouldn't have solved the issue, after all the same adaka was killed by the same Nigerian troop he was fighting for and his people are still agitating till today. Thank God Ironside didn't kill boro, I respect ironsi for that. ... Just as the same hypocritical Nigerian government used and killed boro, that was how they killed sarowiwa too.

In what better way can a regional government's economy be interfered with than striping it of its civil service commission as Ironsi did?
Consider yourself the governor of your state with your civil service suddenly no longer answerable to you but to Abuja, thus all taxes and revenues generated in your domain get redirected to Abuja leaving you with practically no funds or man power to implement your economic policies or prepare budgets. In what way better than that can an economy be interfered with and destroyed? By centralizing the civil service Ironsi left dummies as regions.
What defined the regionalism then was not the regions' physical boundaries but the extent of their autonomy which Ironsi's civil service restructuring eroded 100℅. That they have regions in the UK does not automatically translate to federalism. We know they practice unitary system because those regions are not autonomous.
The assumption that it was Gowon's creation of states that killed federalism is a very lame one because the creation of new the regions had already started under the civilians with the Midwest coming first and having the regional autonomy in place trickling down to it automatically. So it would have been with all the other new regions or states to be created after the Midwest.
Did the creation of the Midwest from the West take away the latter's autonomy when the constitution was yet intact? So how could Gowon's breakdown of the regions have taken autonomy away if Ironsi had left the constitution intact?

The US, which stands tall as the best example of nation building, did not ever experiment with unitary system because critical and honest reasoning intuitively inspired in them the understanding that unitary system would be antithetical to their diversity. The likes of Awolowo, Enahoro, Ahmadu Bello and Balewa who had the gift of critical reasoning and intuition cautioned against unitary system in Nigeria but got mocked and labelled as tribalists by Zik and his myopic admirers.
It is the same myopic mindset you too have just demonstrated here by accusing Awolowo, Enahoro and Ahmadu Bello of tribalistic leanings for their unwavering belief in federalism.
It is very easy to confuse federalism with tribalism since the former seeks, in principle, to allow for self assertion by each tribe. This explains why Zik and his Igbo cheerleaders misinterpreted Awo's and Bello's pro-federalist stance as tribalistic leanings while living in the illusional assumption that they were nationalists just because they were selfishly rooting for an unworkable centrist arrangement within a diversity.
As for the secession clause: When Enahoro first initiated the idea and got the support of Ahmadu Bello, it was Zik that instigated the colonial masters into threatening them with treasonable felony charges if they refused to back down. Ironically, in less than ten years afterwards, the same Zik began to ask for "separation in peace and not in pieces". He would later lead his kinsmen in the quest for secession in another three years thereafter.
Common sense therefore dictated that when constitutional conference opportunity popped up in 1979, the first time after the war, the burden of fighting for the inclusion of the secession clause was that of Igbos who's earlier rejection of it later cost them 3 million lives. Ironically, they refused to champion that cause during the said constitution review. Then who exactly were they expecting to carry their own cross for them?

Hmmm! So you really believe that before 1966, all the plum jobs were being gotten by merit? Then how come no Northerner or Westerner was brilliant enough to get a plum job in the Eastern Region? I laugh in Swahili. Even Ahmadu Bello, in the currently trending online video, rhetorically asked whether any Northerner was employed in the Southern Civil Service, and the journalist could not answer him. I guess all Northerners who applied for jobs in the South back then were dullards, right? In actual fact what we had then was a strictly regional arrangement where each regional government was by law mandated to give priority to the natives over aliens. That is one of the hallmarks of true federalism which you erroneously take as tribalism. If you are now demanding a return to true federalism/resource control and you are not prepared for tribalism, then you don't yet know what you are asking for. No wonder the confused Zik, despite all his degrees and certificates, kept on seeking "One-Nigeria" and an end to "tribalism" under a strictly federal structure.

On Adaka Boro: Only revisionists try to implicate the Nigerian side. Common sense dictates that he was killed by Biafran soldiers for "betraying" Ojukwu. However, whoever eventually killed him is not as guilty as Ironsi and Ojukwu who frustrated his Niger Delta Republic dream which if they had allowed him realize, he would have been in his own separate country at the time Nigeria and Biafra fought, hence would not have been involved at all let alone being killed by either side. Moreover, he alone, and not his tribe, was killed for defending "One-Nigeria" unlike Ojukwu whose over 3 million kinsmen were later killed right before his eyes by the very "One-Nigeria" in whose interest he had earlier on crushed Isaac Boro's Niger Delta Republic. Who lost more to One-Nigeria between Boro and Saro Wiwa on one hand, and Ojukwu and Ironsi on the other?
No doubt, Ojukwu, like any sane person, would have preferred to, like Adaka Boro, be killed so that his kinsmen might be spared than how it happened the other way round in reality. So give and take Ojukwu, Ironsi and Igbos lost far more for ever defending "One-Nigeria" than Isaac Boro and Saro Wiwa lost for doing same.

Deadlytruth:


In what better way can a regional government's economy be interfered with than striping it of its civil service commission as Ironsi did?
Consider yourself the governor of your state with your civil service suddenly no longer answerable to you but to Abuja, thus all taxes and revenues generated in your domain get redirected to Abuja leaving you with practically no funds or man power to implement your economic policies or prepare budgets. In what way better than that can an economy be interfered with and destroyed? By centralizing the civil service Ironsi left dummies as regions.
What defined the regionalism then was not the regions' physical boundaries but the extent of their autonomy which Ironsi's civil service restructuring eroded 100℅. That they have regions in the UK does not automatically translate to federalism. We know they practice unitary system because those regions are not autonomous.
The assumption that it was Gowon's creation of states that killed federalism is a very lame one because the creation of new the regions had already started under the civilians with the Midwest coming first and having the regional autonomy in place trickling down to it automatically. So it would have been with all the other new regions or states to be created after the Midwest.
Did the creation of the Midwest from the West take away the latter's autonomy when the constitution was yet intact? So how could Gowon's breakdown of the regions have taken autonomy away if Ironsi had left the constitution intact?

The US, which stands tall as the best example of nation building, did not ever experiment with unitary system because critical and honest reasoning intuitively inspired in them the understanding that unitary system would be antithetical to their diversity. The likes of Awolowo, Enahoro, Ahmadu Bello and Balewa who had the gift of critical reasoning and intuition cautioned against unitary system in Nigeria but got mocked and labelled as tribalists by Zik and his myopic admirers.
It is the same myopic mindset you too have just demonstrated here by accusing Awolowo, Enahoro and Ahmadu Bello of tribalistic leanings for their unwavering belief in federalism.
It is very easy to confuse federalism with tribalism since the former seeks, in principle, to allow for self assertion by each tribe. This explains why Zik and his Igbo cheerleaders misinterpreted Awo's and Bello's pro-federalist stance as tribalistic leanings while living in the illusional assumption that they were nationalists just because they were selfishly rooting for an unworkable centrist arrangement within a diversity.
As for the secession clause: When Enahoro first initiated the idea and got the support of Ahmadu Bello, it was Zik that instigated the colonial masters into threatening them with treasonable felony charges if they refused to back down. Ironically, in less than ten years afterwards, the same Zik began to ask for "separation in peace and not in pieces". He would later lead his kinsmen in the quest for secession in another three years thereafter.
Common sense therefore dictated that when constitutional conference opportunity popped up in 1979, the first time after the war, the burden of fighting for the inclusion of the secession clause was that of Igbos who's earlier rejection of it later cost them 3 million lives. Ironically, they refused to champion that cause during the said constitution review. Then who exactly were they expecting to carry their own cross for them?

Hmmm! So you really believe that before 1966, all the plum jobs were being gotten by merit? Then how come no Northerner or Westerner was brilliant enough to get a plum job in the Eastern Region? I laugh in Swahili. Even Ahmadu Bello, in the currently trending online video, rhetorically asked whether any Northerner was employed in the Southern Civil Service, and the journalist could not answer him. I guess all Northerners who applied for jobs in the South back then were dullards, right? In actual fact what we had then was a strictly regional arrangement where each regional government was by law mandated to give priority to the natives over aliens. That is one of the hallmarks of true federalism which you erroneously take as tribalism. If you are now demanding a return to true federalism/resource control and you are not prepared for tribalism, then you don't yet know what you are asking for. No wonder the confused Zik, despite all his degrees and certificates, kept on seeking "One-Nigeria" and an end to "tribalism" under a strictly federal structure.

On Adaka Boro: Only revisionists try to implicate the Nigerian side. Common sense dictates that he was killed by Biafran soldiers for "betraying" Ojukwu. However, whoever eventually killed him is not as guilty as Ironsi and Ojukwu who frustrated his Niger Delta Republic dream which if they had allowed him realize, he would have been in his own separate country at the time Nigeria and Biafra fought, hence would not have been involved at all let alone being killed by either side. Moreover, he alone, and not his tribe, was killed for defending "One-Nigeria" unlike Ojukwu whose over 3 million kinsmen were later killed right before his eyes by the very "One-Nigeria" in whose interest he had earlier on crushed Isaac Boro's Niger Delta Republic. Who lost more to One-Nigeria between Boro and Saro Wiwa on one hand, and Ojukwu and Ironsi on the other?
No doubt, Ojukwu, like any sane person, would have preferred to, like Adaka Boro, be killed so that his kinsmen might be spared than how it happened the other way round in reality. So give and take Ojukwu, Ironsi and Igbos lost far more for ever defending "One-Nigeria" than Isaac Boro and Saro Wiwa lost for doing same.

So long a letter.

Structural changes had NOTHING to do with economic policies, you don't have write an epistle trying to force the lame point you are asserting. Even historians agree that Ironside didn't tamper with the economic policies being implemented.

Before 1966, jobs were on merit, even the American government referred Igbos as west African "Jews" because they were envied and hated for their collective hardwork, industry and intelligence.

Awo, the north and co had the opportunity to include the seccesion clause in the new constitution. They didn't. Q.E.D. it speaks of their actual intentions.

On boro and sarowiwa, the point you are trying to make is dead on arrival. Even wiwa apologized to ojukwu and acknowledged his naivity in dealing with Nigeria. Boro was ambushed by his Nigerian ally, I wonder where you get your information from.

I know am "myopic" and you are "foresighted", but chips on ground proves that Ironside NEVER tampered with economic policies and the free press. Your long impotent revisionism won't change that.

santricedupas:



aguiyi ironsi and kadunaa ezeugo are the true hero of one nigeria, although am a yoruba and an afonja. if the sardauna of kaduna late sir ahmadu bello was not killed we will all be slaves in the southern nigeria. ahmadu bello made a statement after independence that nigeria is a conquered estate of usmanu dan fodio, that southerners will never rule over the north, southerners will never have control over there future and they will not stop until they throw quran into atlaantic oceaan and install emirs around.

Well, I am neither Yoruba nor Igbo but from the SS.
You seem to have a good argument. However there is a weakness somewhere in it.
Before independence, the North had already began chanting born-to-rule and were killing Southerners, mostly Igbos, in large numbers at the slightest provocations. Their quest to dip the Quran into the Atlantic Ocean was already being rightly or wrongly perceived.
At the end of the 1959 federal elections the southern parties together with their Middle Belt allies had more votes than Ahmadu Bello's party and could therefore have thrown up a Southerner as prime minister thereby crushing the North's born-to-rule and Atlantic Ocean agenda in the mud. But unfortunately, a Southerner known as Nnamdi Azikiwe broke the proposed all-Southern parties coalition aimed at achieving just that, and rather aligned with Ahmadu Bello's party thereby giving power to the North to entrench achieve those two agenda. The same Zik once again sold out in the attempt by UPGA (another all-South alliance with same objectives as the initial one).
Don't you therefore think that any Southern soldier who genuinely wanted to address the issue as a hero should have by all means first killed that habitual Southern sell out before touching any Northerner if at all it was necessary? Why did these "heros" go ahead with the coup despite being fully aware that the main cause of the problem they were trying to address had escaped?
I don't share the sentiment that it was a genuine concern about the Atlantic Ocean agenda that inspired the coup because a lot of things don't add up to it.

Deadlytruth:


Well, I am neither Yoruba nor Igbo but from the SS.
You seem to have a good argument. However there is a weakness somewhere in it.
Before independence, the North had already began chanting born-to-rule and were killing Southerners, mostly Igbos, in large numbers at the slightest provocations. Their quest to dip the Quran into the Atlantic Ocean was already being rightly or wrongly perceived.
At the end of the 1959 federal elections the southern parties together with their Middle Belt allies had more votes than Ahmadu Bello's party and could therefore have thrown up a Southerner as prime minister thereby crushing the North's born-to-rule and Atlantic Ocean agenda in the mud. But unfortunately, a Southerner known as Nnamdi Azikiwe broke the proposed all-Southern parties coalition aimed at achieving just that, and rather aligned with Ahmadu Bello's party thereby giving power to the North to entrench achieve those two agenda. The same Zik once again sold out in the attempt by UPGA (another all-South alliance with same objectives as the initial one).
Don't you therefore think that any Southern soldier who genuinely wanted to address the issue as a hero should have by all means first killed that habitual Southern sell out before touching any Northerner if at all it was necessary? Why did these "heros" go ahead with the coup despite being fully aware that the main cause of the problem they were trying to address had escaped?
I don't share the sentiment that it was a genuine concern about the Atlantic Ocean agenda that inspired the coup because a lot of things don't add up to it.

There is no ethnicity called south-south. State your ethnicity.

ofai:


So long a letter.

Structural changes had NOTHING to do with economic policies, you don't have write an epistle trying to force the lame point you are asserting. Even historians agree that Ironside didn't tamper with the economic policies being implemented.

Before 1966, jobs were on merit, even the American government referred Igbos as west African "Jews" because they were envied and hated for their collective hardwork, industry and intelligence.

Awo, the north and co had the opportunity to include the seccesion clause in the new constitution. They didn't. Q.E.D. it speaks of their actual intentions.

On boro and sarowiwa, the point you are trying to make is dead on arrival. Even wiwa apologized to ojukwu and acknowledged his naivity in dealing with Nigeria. Boro was ambushed by his Nigerian ally, I wonder where you get your information from.

I know am "myopic" and you are "foresighted", but chips on ground proves that Ironside NEVER tampered with economic policies and the free press. Your long impotent revisionism won't change that.

Yes my letter had to be long as a detailed analytical response to your false assertions.

Please find below an extraction from Ironsi's speech made on May 24 1966:


THE FEDERAL MILITARY GOVERNMENT hereby decrees as follows:
Subject to the provisions of this Decree, Nigeria shall on 24th May 1966 (in this decree referred to as ‘the appointed day’) cease to be a Federation and shall accordingly as from that day be a Republic, by the name of the Republic of Nigeria, consisting of the whole of the territory which immediately before that day was comprised in the Federation
2.
As from the appointed day—
the Federal Military Government and the Federal Executive Council shall be known respectively as the National Military Government and The Executive Council;
the Federal territory shall be known as the Capital territory;
the provinces, including Kaduna capital territory, in schedule 1 of this Decree which immediately before the appointed day were respectively comprised in Northern Nigeria, Eastern Nigeria, Western Nigeria and Mid-Western Nigeria shall be known respectively as the Northern group of Provinces, the Eastern group of Provinces, the Western group of Provinces and the Mid-Western group of Provinces;
for the purpose of administration each group of provinces shall subject to the authority of the Head of the National Military Government, be under the general direction and control of a Military Governor appointed by the Head of the National Military Government;.
Act No. 20 of 1963 (that is to say the Constitution of the Federation) may be cited as the Constitution of the Republic.
- https://dawodu.com/decree34.htm

Your reference to Americans' description of Igbos as whatever does not answer my question as to why No Northerners or Westerners got any jobs in the Eastern Region back then. Were their applicants all dunces?

If Enahoro, Awolowo, Balewa and Bello could, based on foresight, push for secession clause, then how was it their fault that Igbos now blessed with hindsight in 1979 could not? In 1979 in had become clear to all and sundry that Igbos needed it more than anyone else. Or was it that after the war Igbos totally "forgave" One Nigeria and swore never to demand secession again? If that was the case, then why are they falling for Kanu's moves again?
On the part of Enahoro and Awolowo, Zik's frustration of their first attempts got them into the mood of once beaten twice shy. Moreover Ironsi's Anti-secession Decree made with Ojukwu's moral support and the later irony of the same Ojukwu's demand for secession just 15 months later painted Igbos as inconsistent enough to im 1979 constitutional conference repeat what Zik did when the secession was first proposed.

Please can you post links of where Saro Wiwa apologized to Ojukwu?
This is the biggest joke of the century. Did Saro Wiwa and Ojukwu ever meet again after he was arrested by Abacha's government and his travails started? If he so apologized, then how come the average Ogoni man still remains strongly anti-Biafra in orientation?

ofai:


There is no ethnicity called south-south. State your ethnicity.

Nigeria's current regions are called geopolitical regions not geo-ethnic regions. Please can you mention any perfectly homogeneous regions ethnically among the current six? Even your SE Region has native Igalas in Anambra. So what's your point?

Deadlytruth:


Yes my letter had to be long as a detailed analytical response to your false assertions.

Please find below an extraction from Ironsi's speech made on May 24 1966:


THE FEDERAL MILITARY GOVERNMENT hereby decrees as follows:
Subject to the provisions of this Decree, Nigeria shall on 24th May 1966 (in this decree referred to as ‘the appointed day’) cease to be a Federation and shall accordingly as from that day be a Republic, by the name of the Republic of Nigeria, consisting of the whole of the territory which immediately before that day was comprised in the Federation
2.
As from the appointed day—
the Federal Military Government and the Federal Executive Council shall be known respectively as the National Military Government and The Executive Council;
the Federal territory shall be known as the Capital territory;
the provinces, including Kaduna capital territory, in schedule 1 of this Decree which immediately before the appointed day were respectively comprised in Northern Nigeria, Eastern Nigeria, Western Nigeria and Mid-Western Nigeria shall be known respectively as the Northern group of Provinces, the Eastern group of Provinces, the Western group of Provinces and the Mid-Western group of Provinces;
for the purpose of administration each group of provinces shall subject to the authority of the Head of the National Military Government, be under the general direction and control of a Military Governor appointed by the Head of the National Military Government;.
Act No. 20 of 1963 (that is to say the Constitution of the Federation) may be cited as the Constitution of the Republic.
- https://dawodu.com/decree34.htm

Your reference to Americans' description of Igbos as whatever does not answer my question as to why No Northerners or Westerners got any jobs in the Eastern Region back then. Were their applicants all dunces?

If Enahoro, Awolowo, Balewa and Bello could, based on foresight, push for secession clause, then how was it their fault that Igbos now blessed with hindsight in 1979 could not? In 1979 in had become clear to all and sundry that Igbos needed it more than anyone else. Or was it that after the war Igbos totally "forgave" One Nigeria and swore never to demand secession again? If that was the case, then why are they falling for Kanu's moves again?
On the part of Enahoro and Awolowo, Zik's frustration of their first attempts got them into the mood of once beaten twice shy. Moreover Ironsi's Anti-secession Decree made with Ojukwu's moral support and the later irony of the same Ojukwu's demand for secession just 15 months later painted Igbos as inconsistent enough to im 1979 constitutional conference repeat what Zik did when the secession was first proposed.

Please can you post links of where Saro Wiwa apologized to Ojukwu?
This is the biggest joke of the century. Did Saro Wiwa and Ojukwu ever meet again after he was arrested by Abacha's government and his travails started? If he so apologized, then how come the average Ogoni man still remains strongly anti-Biafra in orientation?

How does a change in government affect economic policy? Show me where ironsi interfered with Nigeria's economic policies.

You try so hard to sound intellectual but still, the incoherence of your points expose your ignorance.

Since awo and co had opportunities change the constitution in favor of seccession clause, WHY DIDNT THEY CHANGE IT? stop perambulating.

You post lengthy voids that makes no point.

If you are from Edo state I won't be surprised.

Deadlytruth:


Nigeria's current regions are called geopolitical regions not geo-ethnic regions. Please can you mention any perfectly homogeneous regions ethnically among the current six? Even your SE Region has native Igalas in Anambra. So what's your point?

Oga, you said you were neither Igbo nor Yoruba... But from "south-south". Is "south-south" now an ethnicity? Why not be proud of your ethnicity?

ofai:


How does a change in government affect economic policy? Show me where ironsi interfered with Nigeria's economic policies.

You try so hard to sound intellectual but still, the incoherence of your points expose your ignorance.

Since awo and co had opportunities change the constitution in favor of seccession clause, WHY DIDNT THEY CHANGE IT? stop perambulating.

You post lengthy voids that makes no point.

If you are from Edo state I won't be surprised.

But why would Awolowo and Enahoro be the ones to help Igbos ask for what they (Igbos) had come to need more badly than others? Are you just kidding?
And moreover, were only the votes of Awolowo and Enahoro all that was needed to put secession clause in the 1979 constitution? Were Igbo delegates not in attendance in that conference? Did they themselves propose it there and Awolowo and Enahoro rejected it? Must Igbos always be spoon-fed? I thought you just claimed they were the most intelligent and progressive tribe? So why wait for "dullard" tribes to float a bill which the most intelligent tribe was supposed to champion?

The truth remains that you got all my arguments but keep playing the devil's advocate just to save face.
I thought you asked for my ethnicity? So Edo State is now an ethnicity? Wonders will never really end.
What you lots don't understand is that Edos and Deltans are the South-South's naturally most outspoken people and don't pretend to like what they hate.
These two states resent Igbos more than even the Yorubas whom you call Afonja because they have not gotten over Ojukwu's Midwest invasion which they still view as an act of foreign aggression.

Yes I am from Edo State and very proud of it. That is the state that houses the most powerful pre-colonial kingdom in black Africa. It is the state with the richest culture in Nigeria. The only state to have simultaneously produced the national chairmen of the two largest Nigerian parties in one political dispensation (SDP and NRC). The emblem of the federal ministry of culture and tourism has three icons out of which two are taken from Edo State and the third one is for all the other 35 states put together. The only state whose people's artefacts so rivalled their European counterparts in beauty and craftsmanship that the Europeans themselves fell for the temptation to loot them. The most strategically located state in the country, the only state that has a fair share of almost all the different mineral resources found in the country. The only state that hosts the two largest Nigerian companies in a particular industry - Okomu and Presco, the state that hosts the first Polytechnic in Nigeria, The State that first established LCDAs and houses the first State owned University in Nigeria, The home state of the man that first foresaw the bleak future of Nigeria and proposed secession clause to forestall it, the state of the people whose boundaries remain the only legally created entity together with Delta State in the country's history. I can go on and on. In fact had Ironsi left our federal structure intact, an eventually created Edo State would have been the California equivalent of Nigeria. Under this unproductive unitary system Edo ranks 4th in GDP per capita despite being among the bottom 10 in federal allocation receipts. Just imagine where it would be under true federalism.
That simply explains why we so much detest Ironsi, Zik and Ojukwu who deceived people with one-Nigeria in their dubious quest to impose unitary system. You can take that to the bank.

Each time you claim that Igbos are competitive, industrious and hardworking, I don't get it. How could a genuinely industrious and competition-loving people have rooted rooted for unitary system (disguised as one Nigeria) which inspires laziness, elicits redundancy, encourages the culture of over dependence on handouts from the center, kills initiative and creativity, kills industriousness, etc; at a time all other tribes were asking for federalism which really inspires healthy competition that results in rapid industrialization?
You people just make claims that diverge from logic.
Your actions and preferences in the formative years of Nigeria put you people across as not really competition loving or industrious.
Action speak louder than words.

ofai:


Oga, you said you were neither Igbo nor Yoruba... But from "south-south". Is "south-south" now an ethnicity? Why not be proud of your ethnicity?

Neither is Your own South-East an ethnicity. Why are you having headache over the composition of the SS which is not your region? You just labelled Enahoro and others as tribalists for focusing on their regions which were multi-ethnic. Ironically you, supposedly a "nationalist" are now curious about the specific ethnicities of the SS. What an interesting irony!

ofai:


Oga, you said you were neither Igbo nor Yoruba... But from "south-south". Is "south-south" now an ethnicity? Why not be proud of your ethnicity?

Neither is Your own South-East an ethnicity. Why are you having headache over the composition of the SS which is not your region? You just labelled Enahoro and others as tribalists for focusing on their regions which were multi-ethnic. Ironically you, supposedly a "nationalist" are now probing with severe curiosity the specific ethnicities and tribes the SS people. Have you too become a tribalist? What an interesting irony!

Deadlytruth:


Neither is Your own South-East an ethnicity. Why are you having headache over the composition of the SS which is not your region? You just labelled Enahoro and others as tribalists for focusing on their regions which were multi-ethnic. Ironically you, supposedly a "nationalist" are now probing with severe curiosity the specific ethnicities and tribes the SS people. Have you too become a tribalist? What an interesting irony!

You keep ridiculing yourself with all due respect. You were the one who said you were neither Yoruba nor Igbo, that you were "south-south" and then I asked, is south-south an ethnicity? Rather than correcting yourself and stating your ethnicity, you keep ignoring the obvious. This is ridiculous.

Sorry.

ofai:


You keep ridiculing yourself with all due respect. You were the one who said you were neither Yoruba nor Igbo, that you were "south-south" and then I asked, is south-south an ethnicity? Rather than correcting yourself and stating your ethnicity, you keep ignoring the obvious. This is ridiculous.

Sorry.

You must be able to tell me if your own SE is an ethnicity before answer you whether SS is an ethnicity. And by the way how many ethnicities do you even think you know about the SS?
And what exactly has your question got to do with the issue I was responding to? I don't even get it.
The SS people see themselves as one people defined as non-wazobians irrespective of their ethnic diversities. So when they call themselves SS it speaks of their commitment to their non-wazobian identity before any other thing. In the SS we don't lay unnecessary emphasis on ethnicity because we don't suspect and hate one another as it is with WAZOBIANS.

Deadlytruth:


But why would Awolowo and Enahoro be the ones to help Igbos ask for what they (Igbos) had come to need more badly than others? Are you just kidding?
And moreover, were only the votes of Awolowo and Enahoro all that was needed to put secession clause in the 1979 constitution? Were Igbo delegates not in attendance in that conference? Did they themselves propose it there and Awolowo and Enahoro rejected it? Must Igbos always be spoon-fed? I thought you just claimed they were the most intelligent and progressive tribe? So why wait for "dullard" tribes to float a bill which the most intelligent tribe was supposed to champion?

The truth remains that you got all my arguments but keep playing the devil's advocate just to save face.
I thought you asked for my ethnicity? So Edo State is now an ethnicity? Wonders will never really end.
What you lots don't understand is that Edos and Deltans are the South-South's naturally most outspoken people and don't pretend to like what they hate.
These two states resent Igbos more than even the Yorubas whom you call Afonja because they have not gotten over Ojukwu's Midwest invasion which they still view as an act of foreign aggression.

Yes I am from Edo State and very proud of it. That is the state that houses the most powerful pre-colonial kingdom in black Africa. It is the state with the richest culture in Nigeria. The only state to have simultaneously produced the national chairmen of the two largest Nigerian parties in one political dispensation (SDP and NRC). The emblem of the federal ministry of culture and tourism has three icons out of which two are taken from Edo State and the third one is for all the other 35 states put together. The only state whose people's artefacts so rivalled their European counterparts in beauty and craftsmanship that the Europeans themselves fell for the temptation to loot them. The most strategically located state in the country, the only state that has a fair share of almost all the different mineral resources found in the country. The only state that hosts the two largest Nigerian companies in a particular industry - Okomu and Presco, the state that hosts the first Polytechnic in Nigeria, The State that first established LCDAs and houses the first State owned University in Nigeria, The home state of the man that first foresaw the bleak future of Nigeria and proposed secession clause to forestall it, the state of the people whose boundaries remain the only legally created entity together with Delta State in the country's history. I can go on and on. In fact had Ironsi left our federal structure intact, an eventually created Edo State would have been the California equivalent of Nigeria. Under this unproductive unitary system Edo ranks 4th in GDP per capita despite being among the bottom 10 in federal allocation receipts. Just imagine where it would be under true federalism.
That simply explains why we so much detest Ironsi, Zik and Ojukwu who deceived people with one-Nigeria in their dubious quest to impose unitary system. You can take that to the bank.

Each time you claim that Igbos are competitive and hardworking I don't get it. How could a genuinely competition-loving people have rooted rooted for unitary system (disguised as one Nigeria) which inspires laziness, reliance on handouts from the center, kills initiative and creativity, etc; at a time all other tribes were asking for federalism which really inspires healthy competition that results in rapid industrialization?
You people just make claims that diverge from logic.

When did you start speaking for all the ethnicities in delta state? Who made you their mouthpiece? Are you from Delta state? Are you Urhobo, Isoko, Igbo, itshekiri or ijaw? Why not be open about your ethnicity in Edo state?

You hate Igbo, simple. Don't rope others into your biase. Unfortunately for you, we Igbos care less.

By the way, I rightly guessed that you are from Edo state, yet I don't know your ethnicity. Are you ashamed of telling us your ethnicity? You reek of inferiority complex.

Now I know why you have been so antagonistic against ironsi. Its a shame. Leave igbos alone. We are not your mate.

Okay, you have now known I am from Edo State even though you assume Edo is an ethnicity. So what next?

Deadlytruth:


You must be able to tell me if your own SE is an ethnicity before answer you whether SS is an ethnicity. And by the way how many ethnicities do you even think you know about the SS?
And what exactly has your question got to do with the issue I was responding to? I don't even get it.
The SS people see themselves as one people defined as non-wazobians irrespective of their ethnic diversities. So when they call themselves SS it speaks of their commitment to their non-wazobian identity before any other thing. In the SS we don't lay unnecessary emphasis on ethnicity because we don't suspect and hate one another as it is with WAZOBIANS.

Dude, igbos are indigenous to Delta state too. Stop speaking for okocha, okonjo-iweala, col. Achuzia, asagba of asaba, tony elumelu, Herbert wigwe, and my cousins in ugwuashi-ukwu, etc...they are proud igbos in the so-called south-south. Face your Edo, but please be bold enough to state your ethnicity.

Deadlytruth:
Okay, you have now known I am from Edo State even though you assume Edo is an ethnicity. So what next?

Edo is NOT an ethnicity. State your ethnicity and stop making a mess of yourself here.

Deadlytruth:
Okay, you have now known I am from Edo State even though you assume Edo is an ethnicity. So what next?

Mumu, who said Edo is an ethnicity? I just stated that you were from that state, but I don't know your ethnicity? So I keep asking, why are you ashamed of your ethnicity? What is your ethnicity?

You are a waste of time.

ofai:




When did you start speaking for all the ethnicities in delta state? Who made you their mouthpiece? Are you from Delta state? Are you Urhobo, Isoko, Igbo, itshekiri or ijaw? Why not be open about your ethnicity in Edo state?

You hate Igbo, simple. Don't rope others into your biase. Unfortunately, we Igbos care less.

By the way, I rightly guessed that you are from Edo state, yet I don't know your ethnicity. Are you ashamed of telling us your ethnicity? You reek of inferiority complex.

Now I know why you have been so antagonistic against ironsi. Its a shame. Leave igbos alone. We are not your mate.

So what now qualifies an Igbo man above an Edo person in speaking for Urhobos, Ijaw, Itshekiri, Isoko, etc? I have all these tribes in my state of Edo while you don't have them in yours. So who between you and me is qualified to speak for them?

Do you even know what ethnicity means? Why not tell us your own specific ethnicity in Igbo land? Or you think we don't know that Igbos have ethnicities too?
It is exactly you that reeks of inferiority complex. Tell us which Igbo ethnicity you are if you are not ashamed of it.
Only Igbos are always so crazy about other people's ethnicities because they feel inferior, yet they easily accuse others of being tribalistic.

If you could rightly guess that I am from Edo State, then why can't you also rightly guess my ethnicity since you are so good at guessing? Why is your guessing gift failing when it comes to ethnicity?
Is your right guessing ability selective?

Yes, I am happy you now seem to understand that Edo people are the most resentful and antagonistic of Ironsi because we were actually the hardest hit by his asinine and preposterous Unification Decree.
You hate Awolowo for allegedly causing the loss of your most cherished Biafra dream, yet you want us to love Ironsi who likewise caused our loss of fulfilment of our potential greatness as a Nigerian State or independent country. Double standards.
Ironsi decided to hold others back with his useless decrees because he saw clearly the enormous developmental speed with which the other regions would overtake his own.

I think this is the worst Igbo leader ever...(followed by zik). If not for their stupidity and belief in one Nigeria, we wouldn't hve lost all we gained. We were miles ahead of others. Education, science, economy, army, you name it. The lousy (no vex o) papa took northerners and made them his bodyguards trying to please the north( a people tht can nvr accept us). Even when he was warned numerous times of an impending coup, my guy dey form good luck Jonathan. They finished the guy like chicken. Now look what his stupidity landed nwafors into. Him and zik. Wonder why we ddnt hve an ojukwu take over after that first coup. Infact it was Igbo's (ojukwu inclusive), that scuttled it. Yet it's still branded an Igbo coup. We only celebrate ppl that lifted Igbo's, in certain ways. This guy was the most powerful man in Africa. Abegggggggy