First of all, throughout the article in question, Dr. Aneke failed to describe for his readers any factual situation as related to the 1954 incident at the Western House of Assembly that suggested that Awo "is the undisputed father of micro-ethnic politics in Nigeria." He failed to go beyond the usual obfuscated mantra of the Igbo politicians of Nnamidi Azikwe genre that Awo "is a tribalist because of the carpet crossing of some members in the Western House of Assembly". This kind of approach makes it possible for them to perpetuate their lies about that event and be able to continue to appeal to the primordial loyalty of average innocent Igbo for political gains. It is paradoxical that the Igbo people who gave so much loyalty and support to Nnamdi Azikwe and his clique could not finger anything of importance bequeathed to them as a result of Zik's leadership. Therefore, to sustain the loyalty of the needy Igbo people to a failed leadership by Zik, there has to be a permanent enemy, real or imagined, and Awo was a perfect scapegoat. A.M.A Akinloye who led the cross carpeting was not good enough for obvious reasons. He Akinloye could easily go to town to reveal the deal Zik refused to accept. To force Zik apologists to contend with the factual situations of that 1954 event is to expose their shrouded lies and rob them of an effective tool of political control over the over exploited Igbo people. To tear down this cocoon of Zik's failed leadership is to encourage the Igbo people to seek alternative political leadership. Nevertheless, that we must do, because "you can fool some people some of the time, but not all the people all of the time."

Zik was truly the grandfather of tribalism in Nigeria. Otherwise, instead of going back to the East to manipulate the emotions and the primordial sentiments of the Igbos, why did he not stay in the West and fight Awo for his every penny? He ought to have stayed in the West and fight it out. Moreso, at this time, Awo was not even a household name in Yorubaland. For example, my people in Ijeshaland were die hard NCNC followers for several years until they, like other NCNC faithfuls in Yorubaland were abandoned by the "Grest Zik'! If Zik was not to pave way for ethnic politics in Nigeria he should not have forced Eyo Ita out and malign Chief Awolowo for being able to give and take.

Awo wanted Zik to be the Prime Minister of Nigeria! He offered to serve under Zik as the Federal Finance Minister at Independence, in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. Is this how a tribalist behaves? That Awolowo did this was not out of character, giving up his ambition for the good of the country by asking Zik to assume leadership of the federal government. But rather Zik chose to become a powerless ceremonial head of state! In the late 1940s he (Awo) had enraged Prince (later Odemo of Ishara) Samuel Akinsanya (who came from the same local government as Awo) by supporting an Igboman against him as the Secretary of the Nigerian Youth Movement. What a tribalist indeed!

One has no choice but to once again point out the selective honesty of Dr. Aneke. Dr. Aneke was proud to mention the fulani mayor of Enugu and Eyo Ita an Efik. If the Yorubas did not show the same example how come Nnamdi Azikwe found himself an elected member of the Yoruba dominated Western House of Assembly? Did Dr. Aneke's selective memory failed to recall that Azikwe was not the only non-Yoruba elected into the Western House? [/b]May be Dr. Aneke's history teacher forgot to teach him that before the[b] self- government trial of the fifties non- Yorubas have been elected into the Lagos House of Assembly before Azikwe introduced tribalism into the Nigerian politics as an excuse for his own failed political leadership?

Please permit me again, to mention briefly, two personal experiences of my life, which inform my strong position on Ndigbo and Nigeria. My Father, Sir Odumegwu Ojukwu lived in Lagos, invested in Lagos and contributed to the economic and political growth of Nigeria for which he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Enugu in 1956. He loved Nigeria and he was an Igbo man to the core and he raised me as such. My Uncle, Chief Felix Okonkwo, popularly known as "Okonkwo Kano" lived in Kano, invested in Kano and was a member of the Northern Legislative House. He loved Kano and he also was an Igbo man to the core. He brought me up to respect the North and Northerners. Why then must we, their children, do less for ourselves and for Nigeria? This is why I continue to say to Ndigbo, that we must march forward in Nigeria, without any fears whatsoever, because it is our God-given country, doing what is right and proper, and protecting ourselves and our rights in Nigeria because we are bona fide citizens of Nigeria. I shall say no more.

Katsumoto:

Please tell us Ziks achievements either for Eastern Nigeria or Nigeria as a whole. The compare them with Awo's.

rhymz:

Lol @ Tewmuch's statement, abeg stop amusing me, see as i dey in the middle of the night, disturbing everyone.
Education indeed. . .
Katsumoto
i dont remember saying Zik was the best Leader Nigeria and Africa ever had. And am not the one to glorify silly tribal allegiance.
Seriously, mekusxx has cunningly turned You and Safego to tribalists with you guys realizing it. Lately, I ve notice the trend, you are always on the defensive while Safego comes up with counter arguements to win in every thread steeped with tribal bigotory. Why now? I remember Safgo use to gist about schools in the UK and US and how they impart knowledge, I used to like him then but these days. . Mehn . . Anyway sha, una get time. .  

bk/babe97:

(in Dede1's voice):

Umm, err, this is arrant inderictesy and total nonsense . The fact of which cannot be spewed intellektuali for you undesiders and uneducateful Yoruba masses. Ok, here goes: Mr Zik fled Biafra for the comforts of Yoruba Country, Mr Awolowo changed the currency and starved us to death. The bas.tard! Only a mitigating fellow with a total lack of comprehensing simplifieyd would comapre this lackey to the ingenous and superbly glorific Mr Zik!

rhymz:

Lol @ Tewmuch's statement, abeg stop amusing me, see as i dey in the middle of the night, disturbing everyone.
Education indeed. . .
Katsumoto
i dont remember saying Zik was the best Leader Nigeria and Africa ever had. And am not the one to glorify silly tribal allegiance.
Seriously, mekusxx has cunningly turned You and Safego to tribalists with you guys realizing it. Lately, I ve notice the trend, you are always on the defensive while Safego comes up with counter arguements to win in every thread steeped with tribal bigotory. Why now? I remember Safgo use to gist about schools in the UK and US and how they impart knowledge, I used to like him then but these days. . Mehn . . Anyway sha, una get time. .  

rhymz:

You guyz are right though but you don't have to be combative all the time. I see a lot of these threads, I just read them and move on, I don't have to take a side and I don't think being neutral is bad in this case any cos after all there is equal and opposite action and reaction. At least, one can safely say for every Mekusxx and Andre Ukwa or so there is Katsumoto and Safego. . Lol. . No need causing any inbalances. . It is sad mehn. . Nobody discusses real issues again, i mean, where are the beaf, ibime, Afam, Londerner, Aloy emeka, Sagamite and co., ppl with grasp of issues. . All of them don dey run finish becoz of the tribal roforofo wey threads dey easily turn to,  . Guyz abeg make una change strategy, nobody is learning anything from all these bigotry. . At least you can start by creating intelligent topic that are not self-serving or that will lead to bigotry.

The aim of a leader should be the welfare of the people whom he leads. I have used 'welfare' to denote the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of the people. With this aim fixed unflinchingly and unchangeably before my eyes I consider it my duty to Yoruba people in particular and to Nigerians in general, to place four imperatives before you this morning. Two of them are categorical and two are conditional. Only a peaceful solution must be found to arrest the present worsening stalemate and restore normalcy. The Eastern Region must be encouraged to remain part of the Federation. If the Eastern Region is allowed by acts of omission or commission to secede from or opt out of Nigeria, then the Western Region and Lagos must also stay out of the Federation. The people of Western Nigeria and Lagos should participate in the ad hoc committee or any similar body only on the basis of absolute equality with the other regions of the Federation.

They have to remove the local govt from the constitution.

Even if they have to create state. Only 6 state. 4 for the south and two to the north to balance power. Since the south is more populated the north. 21 state in the south and 21 state in the north.

While Abuja state, Igalla/Idoma state, Ibadan state, Akure state, Coastal (delta) and Eko state from lagos. While everything below the Ikeja bridge remain part of eko state. And Every thing above the Ikeja bridge up to abeokuta in ogun state ( egba area ) as lagos state. While the ijebu area and Remo area to remain ogun state.

akigbemaru:

@ Rhymz,
The issues at hands are nothing to Yoruba, we don't care what your perception is about us. The plot of this drama can be changed if Ibos, can voluntarily or wholeheartedly remove that recital lullaby that became a costom to every onyebo household in the East; which portrays Sage Awolowo as traitor. It makes me cringed, when Ibo's kids who were born in 80's and 90's start their usual mudsling about Awolowo. At one point, " I asked how did you know Awolowo as traitor, they say it's part of their upbringing, their parents tell them about how Awolowo betrayed them and didn't let them actualize the Biafran Mission. I may call a spade a spade, not a digging spoon. Awolowo was the best friend Ibos ever had. He was so munificent and compassionate about Ibos, either you like it or not, his policies were either direct or roundabout about benefited you up till today. Plus, if Awolowo would have let you secede, your chickens may have come home to roast quick, because Ijaws and Efiks are not Ibos; but simply because of oil Oyel, you want to force strange bedfellows. Ijaws are 16 million strong today and Ibos are around 19 million, and you think you can subdue them?

After moribund Oil Oyel, what did your  little part of Eastern region has to contribute to naija?
They colluded with our Western Region families, so that they can put their heads under ther f.ucking hyperplasia scrotums.
Check out the"Yeye Biafailed land mass," even in square kilometers, Biafran landmass not up to 30, 000 square kilometers not to talk of 30, 000 square miles. Another conspiracy theory in making.

This is what constitutes Igboland:
Anambra (4,844km²)
Enugu state (7,161 km2)
Imo state (5,530 km²)
Abia state (6,320km²)
Ebonyi state (5,530 km²)
Total is (29, 385 km²) not up to Kogi  state (29,833 km²) talkless of Kwara state (36,825 km²)




Then,Efiks, Bekwara, Ibibio and Ejagham (own Cross river and Akwa Ibom) and they are 5 million strong    

Cross river (20,215km²)
Akwa Ibom  (7,081km²)
Total landmass is (27,296km²)

Then, Ijaw and Annago
Delta state (17,698 km²)
River state (14,201 km²)
Bayelsa state (10,773 km²)
Total landmass is (42, 672km²) if you add Edo (17,802 km²)
Total is (60,474km²) more than times two of the whole Bia-failed nation. Damn it, y’all just got donk son!  

That is why, I always take my time to educate every last one of Ibos out there about sage Pa. Awlowo.
Like they say, " To be fore warned is to be fore fore armed." Read below, what Awolowo advised you people before you rushed into abysmal war of no returns.

By sage Awolowo:

Musiwa,:

Why do you people so much care about what happened in the part. You should talk about the future. The satellite pictures are out. and you people have been cheating us and we do not want it to continue period.

Yes we forgot you for what happen for 50 years. But we want till to stop now and we all move on.  While to avoid war. we go away.

Onlytruth:

Na you go fight the war?

FL Gators:

Why not? Doesnt he have the maps?

Onlytruth:

This slowpoke is regurgitating this fairytale as if we still live in the 50s and 60s. Today, I can sit in my living room here in the US and accurately measure every inch of Nigeria. 

The truth though is that Nigeria would never allow an opportunity for Ndigbo to decide whether to remain in Nigeria or not, because frankly Ndigbo would likely vote for secession even if the land is only 5,000 square meters.

Hence, those of us who are trapped in Nigeria have decided to remain, buy lands and wait for that day when these same folks would get fed up and try to secede, then we would show them.
This country will not turn out as you are planning it. Lies can't endure for ever.

Tuyis:


How do you intend to "show them" when your money is heavily invested in immovable properties across Yorubaland and Nigeria in general?

Don't you think you have more to lose in terms of your investments?

Onlytruth:

Exactly my point! The more y'all scheme to keep us in Nigeria on your own terms, the more you are entangled in its contradictions.

Who told you the Igbo would abandon their properties for a seceding Yoruba?

By "show them", I meant a little of the dose they dished out to Biafra.

SEFAGO:

Please get Onlytruth to explain his logic because me myself I am confused lol