TewMuch:

You mean in a country separated by regions it made sense for Zik who was non yoruba to contest in the Yoruba region and win? . Even if you are trying to say ZIK  was influenced by his American experience, you must be delusional becuse in the 60's that  would have been almost impossible if Nigeria's type of government was the system of government in America. Your argument is strange and am sure you know it, but you would love to be the antagonist as usual, just for the sake of argument

Onlytruth:

Bros Dede1, you better believe what you read from that two faced character. I don't know what he knows about the USA, but he fails to see that President Obama was born in Hawaii but contested for US Senate and presidency from Illinois; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is from Texas, but represented New York in Senate. I can go on.

The formative era of the Nigerian nation namely the 50s was a time the US was emerging a truly egalitarian society, and Zik being a product of the US education system wanted the best for Nigeria. He wanted a Nigeria where Nigerians can contest elections in areas of domicile. In the US, it takes one year to establish domicile. If there is any Nigerian that truly was ahead of his peers (at least in the ideals of forming a federal system of government) it was Zik. None other.

I hope you see why I keep saying that Awolowo destroyed southern Nigerian unity for ever. With the likes of Katsumoto who wants to eat their cakes and have it, forming a nation between Yoruba and Igbo is almost an impossibility. Which is why we have an arrested development.

I ask again, there are many scots living in england, why has not one contested in England? Also why don't the english contest in Scotland? [size=15pt]What you should be doing is citing many examples of people who have contested and won elections in places outside their regions of origin. [/size]

Onlytruth:

Bros Dede1, you better believe what you read from that two faced character. I don't know what he knows about the USA, but he fails to see that President Obama was born in Hawaii but contested for US Senate and presidency from Illinois; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is from Texas, but represented New York in Senate. I can go on.

The formative era of the Nigerian nation namely the 50s was a time the US was emerging a truly egalitarian society, and Zik being a product of the US education system wanted the best for Nigeria. He wanted a Nigeria where Nigerians can contest elections in areas of domicile. In the US, it takes one year to establish domicile. If there is any Nigerian that truly was ahead of his peers (at least in the ideals of forming a federal system of government) it was Zik. None other.

I hope you see why I keep saying that Awolowo destroyed southern Nigerian unity for ever. With the likes of Katsumoto who wants to eat their cakes and have it, forming a nation between Yoruba and Igbo is almost an impossibility. Which is why we have an arrested development.

Justcash:

[b]Let the truth be said;

Was Awolowo a pro-developmental leader?

Answer: Oh yes! One of the most developmental leaders of any tribe in Nigeria. His developmental Foresight, educational provisions and general stride with technological advancement were true evidence of my assertion.

Was Awolowo a Nationalistic leader?

Answer: Hell no! He was more concerned about his ethnic group than Nigeria as a whole. His developmental efforts were directed to the benefit of his ethnic group and region, with little to show for national development. It is a well known fact that he was a symbol of the Yoruba's political might in the post-colonial days.

Was Awolowo the greatest leader in Nigeria?

Answer: Nope! If you are talking about Nigeria as a whole, he is not. He is the greatest leader of his tribe and region not Nigeria as a whole. The north would claim that Tafawa balewa/Ahmaedu bello and other northern leaders were the greatest leaders in Nigeria. The Igbos would claim that about Ojukwu. So it is not surprising that Yorubas see Awolowo as the greatest leader Nigeria has ever had. However, he is not. In terms of nationalistic leadership qualities, Nnamdi Azikiwe was a better leader than Awolowo. This is why many Igbos including me don't like him. Igbos feel that he was a fool by sacrificing alot for Nigeria's unity, while his mates were standing for their ethnic groups and region.

Was Awolowo an important  player in Nigeria's unity?

Answer: Oh yes! He was. When he refused to declare a separate country for the western region, and instead decided to forgive the people that imprisoned him against the people that released him, he actually preserved Nigeria as a country. He was however seen as a "Coward" and "Ungrateful" individual by the Igbos after that event. However, he helped to keep Nigeria one by doing that.

Was Awolowo a Bad or Good man?

Answer: It is relative. To the Yorubas and Hausa/fulanis, he was a Sweetheart and a symbol of a true leader.  To the Igbos and most eastern tribes, he was a Coward, a saboteur and a devil in the making. Nothing can change these perceptions, no matter how much you argue.

I am Igbo, So you should know how I feel about him. That being said, the truth has to be told.[/b]

TewMuch:

You mean in a country separated by regions it made sense for Zik who was non yoruba to contest in the Yoruba region and win? . Even if you are trying to say ZIK  was influenced by his American experience, you must be delusional becuse in the 60's that  would have been almost impossible if Nigeria's type of government was the system of government in America. Your argument is strange and am sure you know it, but you would love to be the antagonist as usual, just for the sake of argument

Justcash:

[b]Let the truth be said;

Was Awolowo a pro-developmental leader?

Answer: Oh yes! One of the most developmental leaders of any tribe in Nigeria. His developmental Foresight, educational provisions and general stride with technological advancement were true evidence of my assertion.

Was Awolowo a Nationalistic leader?

Answer: Hell no! He was more concerned about his ethnic group than Nigeria as a whole. His developmental efforts were directed to the benefit of his ethnic group and region, with little to show for national development. It is a well known fact that he was a symbol of the Yoruba's political might in the post-colonial days.

Was Awolowo the greatest leader in Nigeria?

Answer: Nope! If you are talking about Nigeria as a whole, he is not. He is the greatest leader of his tribe and region not Nigeria as a whole. The north would claim that Tafawa balewa/Ahmaedu bello and other northern leaders were the greatest leaders in Nigeria. The Igbos would claim that about Ojukwu. So it is not surprising that Yorubas see Awolowo as the greatest leader Nigeria has ever had. However, he is not. In terms of nationalistic leadership qualities, Nnamdi Azikiwe was a better leader than Awolowo. This is why many Igbos including me don't like him. Igbos feel that he was a fool by sacrificing alot for Nigeria's unity, while his mates were standing for their ethnic groups and region.

Was Awolowo an important  player in Nigeria's unity?

Answer: Oh yes! He was. When he refused to declare a separate country for the western region, and instead decided to forgive the people that imprisoned him against the people that released him, he actually preserved Nigeria as a country. He was however seen as a "Coward" and "Ungrateful" individual by the Igbos after that event. However, he helped to keep Nigeria one by doing that.

Was Awolowo a Bad or Good man?

Answer: It is relative. To the Yorubas and Hausa/fulanis, he was a Sweetheart and a symbol of a true leader.  To the Igbos and most eastern tribes, he was a Coward, a saboteur and a devil in the making. Nothing can change these perceptions, no matter how much you argue.

I am Igbo, So you should know how I feel about him. That being said, the truth has to be told.[/b]

Katsumoto:

How could Awo have developed other regions if he had no power over them? We can judge him on the region that he led and he had no equal in Nigeria. His achievements are there for all to see. If Awo was president of Nigeria and only developed the West, then I will accept the argument that he was a tribalist. But the fact is that he was not, he was the premier of the Western region and he did his job well, especially when compared with the other leaders.

TewMuch:

[b]If awolowo is all these things then why did your Igbo people accept free education and benefit from it? [/b]You guys love to revise history anfd throw blame when things dont work your way. [b]The idea of maintining Nigeria as one was ZIK's bright idea, so stop lying there. [/b]You people should exhume his body and beat him up if you are that upset. As you say, Awolowo wanted the best for his people but Zik was canvassing to rule everyone in any way possible. [b]IEven to the extent that he didnt mind being a figurehead head of state to people of very low intelligence compared to him. If you ask me, those are attributes of a greedy person and a coward. [/b]You have not told the whole truth, but how can i blame you. If you hear lies repeatedly over a period of time you begin to believe it. All the anger of the Igbo's today was self created, and they tried to run away when all didnt go as planned. [b]Who told you Yoruba's wanted one Nigeria? [/b]When our region was light years ahead of others? you must be dreaming.

Justcash:

Your 1st statement in Bold: Only Nigerians in the Western region benefited from it. There was really no way he would have separated other ethnic groups from benefiting from his good educational incentive and innovation. Any Igbo that benefited from it actually traveled to the West to do so. Awolowo Never had Nigeria as a whole in mind while implementing his developmental plans. His Tribe and "Region" were his concern. However, other ethnic nationals in the region benefited. That does not make him a national leader, rather it points to the fact that he was more tribalistic and regional in his plan.

Katsumoto:

[b]How could Awo have developed other regions if he had no power over them? [/b]We can judge him on the region that he led and he had no equal in Nigeria. His achievements are there for all to see. If Awo was president of Nigeria and only developed the West, then I will accept the argument that he was a tribalist. But the fact is that he was not, he was the premier of the Western region and he did his job well, especially when compared with the other leaders.

Justcash:


Exactly my point. He was only able to develop the western region, because he had the chance. Is that a basis for calling him the greatest leader ever in Nigeria when he made no impact in the lives of the Nigerians in other regions? Like you said, if he was a Nigerian head of state, and performed that credibly, I'd admit that he was the greatest. But my friend, he never had the chance to show his developmental ability over a very complex Nigerian state, so must not be given an unnecessary credit as being the best Leader NIGERIA ever had!
He was the best leader that the WEST ever had! To me Sam Mbakwe of Imo state is by far a better leader than Awolowo because I felt his impact. He did what Awolowo never had the chance to do for Imo state (My home state). That does not mean that I should call him the best leader Nigeria ever had.
Going by what you imply, it is your personal view, so must not be forced on the personal view of others.

Katsumoto:

Place of residence to determine where to contest. I ask again, there are many scots living in england, why has not one contested in England? Also why don't the english contest in Scotland? What you should be doing is citing many examples of people who have contested and won elections in places outside their regions of origin. Instead you are postulating some utopian fantasy. Did we not learn democracy from the British? Why should Nigerians suddenly develop a political maturity that our teachers and other more mature democracies have not developed in several centuries? Please stop this silly argument. Perhaps you can say this because Awo or TOS Benson were not seeking to be premiers in the East and please forget this place of residence bull.sh.i.t.

Besides, I am not a fan of the central system introduced by Gowon. I believe in true federalism or confederationism. Nigeria needs strong regions based on a collective will and a weak centre. Why should an Easterner be the premier in the East and the West and Northerner the premier in the North? Are you suggesting that there were no credible leaders in the west? Being a westerner I want a westerner to be my leader. That westerners were accommodating should not be misconstrued as them been mugus. If a man from Zamfara born in Anambra and residing in Anambra decides to run for governor of Anambra (or the state you are from) will you vote for him? Zik was born in Zungeru in the North, why did he not contest for the premiership there? Residing in Lagos was not enough for him to have contested the premiership of the West.

Katsumoto:

I never asserted that Awo was the greatest leader Nigeria ever had. I was only responding to your comment that since he only developed the west, he was a tribalistic leader.

Katsumoto:

I never asserted that Awo was the greatest leader Nigeria ever had. I was only responding to your comment that since he only developed the west, he was a tribalistic leader.

~Sauron~:

Awolowo was the greatest leader Nigeria ever had.
If anyone says otherwise, i will piss in his face. Just because he didn't dance to the tunes of the Biafra drums doesn't make him a villain.
Awolowo couldn't sacrifice Yorubaland to be used as a battle ground at the expense of Ojukwu's selfish wet-dreams.

What are we talking about here? Awolowo never ruled the Nigerian State as a whole.
He was just a leader of the Western Region and if we compare the South West to the other parts of Nigeria(until IBB developed Abuja), the people in the East and those in the North will feel short-changed.

The development and the industrialization in the West were heads and shoulders above the rest of the country.
He educated everyone willing to go to school in the West and that included the Igbos and the Hausas/Fulanis staying in the West.
What else do these Igbo men want from him? His lungs?

Dede1:

I could not believe you are bent on drawing unparallel analogy between Nigeria and the political arrangement that involves Scotland and England. The last time I check though, Scotland had football team that represented it as a country in a sport competition played amongst nations. Scotland had qualified as one the countries to participate in World Cup.

However, the political entities known as regions were not consider as a nation or nation state. As far as I am concerned, Scotland is a nation state with loose federation with England and another entity to form Great Britain. It is very unfortunate you are drawing such comparison.

The loose federation that existed in Great Britain can not compared with the federalism in USA.

Katsumoto:

Bros I agree with you. However, the greatest Nigerian leader is always a subjective issue and for obvious reasons, Ndigbo will never accept that.

Justcash:

That Awolowo was tribalistic and regional in his approach is not an insult to him. It shows that with his position, he had to be so, in order to make the right impact and deliver to the prople he is responsible to. The west was known to be Yoruba land. He operated with that at the back of his head. He dint care If other national benefited, his sole aim was to ensure the development of yoruba land and people.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was more concerned about leading Nigeria as whole, even at the detriment of his tribe and people. He actually saw Nigeria as a whole, and could actually answer Nigeria than Igboland when asked where he was from. This explains why he even fought to be a political figure in Yorubaland. If Zik had Igbos at the back of his head, he would have concentrated on Igboland and competed to become the political figure head there, in order to represent them and compete for development. These were what Awolowo never Ignored.

~Sauron~:

Awolowo was the greatest leader Nigeria ever had.
If anyone says otherwise, i will piss in his face. Just because he didn't dance to the tunes of the Biafra drums doesn't make him a villain.
Awolowo couldn't sacrifice Yorubaland to be used as a battle ground at the expense of Ojukwu's selfish wet-dreams.

What are we talking about here? Awolowo never ruled the Nigerian State as a whole.
He was just a leader of the Western Region and if we compare the South West to the other parts of Nigeria(until IBB developed Abuja), the people in the East and those in the North will feel short-changed.

The development and the industrialization in the West were heads and shoulders above the rest of the country.
He educated everyone willing to go to school in the West and that included the Igbos and the Hausas/Fulanis staying in the West.
What else do these Igbo men want from him? His lungs?

Justcash:

LOL! Mr Sauron: That is your point of view.

My point of view is that Awolowo was no where near Sam Mbakwe and Okpara in purposeful leadership.

A child in it's mother's stomach thinks that the size of it's mother's stomach is the size of the world.

Justcash:

Your 1st statement in Bold: Only Nigerians in the Western region benefited from it. There was really no way he would have separated other ethnic groups from benefiting from his good educational incentive and innovation. Any Igbo that benefited from it actually traveled to the West to do so. Awolowo Never had Nigeria as a whole in mind while implementing his developmental plans. His Tribe and "Region" were his concern. However, other ethnic nationals in the region benefited. That does not make him a national leader, rather it points to the fact that he was more tribalistic and regional in his plan.

Your second statement in bold: Shows that you were thinking with your heart than your head. Pls point out where I said that ZIk kept Nigeria as one? Can you check up the meaning of being "Nationalistic" in leadership? If you don't know, pls research to avoid spewing out your ignorance.

Your third statement in bold: Your statement could actually be true. The question is, in his greediness, was his Nationalistic? Think again!

Your fourth statement in bold: Don't let Awolowo, Obasanjo and co to hear you! They'll be angry that you think that they wasted their time and effort! Who plotted the starvation strategy that left Biafra handicapped? Who accepted the surrender of Biafra? Go and do a proper research my dear friend. If the Yorubas dint want one Nigeria, alot of things would have been different now. I still ponder why the sacrificed so much for it?

Orikinla:

What the great Ọbáfẹ́mi Awólọ́wọ̀ achieved as Premier of Western Nigeria in one year is what Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has failed to achieve as the head of state of Nigeria. Since Ọbáfẹ́mi Awólọ́wọ̀ passed away, the Yoruba nation no longer has a leader.

orisebawo:

Are you for real, I am a yoruba man and I respect Awolowo very well but your assertion that he had no equal is nothing but a fallacy, the Awolowo I know was a tribal leader i.e a local champion and he was never denied the presidency, he just didnt have the skills needed, he failed to evolve from a yoruba man to a Nigerian, he promoted tribalism by implying that the yoruba tribe was the best . When I read about Yoruba leaders still going to Ikenne to meet with Awolowo's wife, it further buttresses my point that the Awolowo's are just trying to remain in the limelight and not really after any development and apparently not making any impact.

The Awolowo's should leave the younger generation to lead, afterall how old was Awolowo when he was the premier of the western region.

I respect him for what he did in western nigeria but that is where it ends, he was not a true Nigerian like Abiola, who was recognised all over Nigeria and is the only man that was denied the presidency.

I am not slighting him I am only saying the truth.

Katsumoto:

If I remember correctly, Scottish MPS sit in the House of parliament and are allowed to vote on certain issues. Scotland may have a football team but the last I remember, all scots, Northern Irish, Welsh, and English carry British passports. I can also draw parallels because Nigeria received its independence from great britain.

Onlytruth:

It was not in the 60s. I'm talking about the incidence of the early 1950s when Nigeria was still trying to create a national character, when we could have emerged a beautifully united country at independence. Awo killed all that, such that when independence came, it was a damaged good - a product of chicanery and deceit.

Yes, Nigeria could have emerged a completely different country.

~Sauron~:

Of course. . . . . . .
Sam Mbakwe built 2000 Universities for his people. . . . . .He also implemented free education but those boys in Aba refused.
What didn't he do? He is even greater than Nelson Mandela of South Africa.
How anyone can tell me a secessionist like Mbakwe deserves a mention borders on LUNACY. . . .

Mbakwe and Gbenga Daniels have the same level of credibility in Nigerian Politics and that's about it.

orisebawo:

Are you for real, I am a yoruba man and I respect Awolowo very well but your assertion that  he had no equal is nothing but a fallacy, the Awolowo I know was a tribal leader i.e a local champion and he was never denied the presidency, he just didnt have the skills needed, he failed to evolve from a yoruba man to a Nigerian, he promoted tribalism by implying that the yoruba tribe was the best . When I read about Yoruba  leaders still going to Ikenne to meet with Awolowo's wife, it further buttresses my point that the Awolowo's are just trying to remain in the limelight and not really after any development and apparently not making any impact.

The Awolowo's should leave the younger generation to lead, afterall how old was Awolowo when he was the premier of the western region.
I respect him for what he did in western nigeria but that is where it ends, he was not a true Nigerian like Abiola, who was recognised all over Nigeria and is the only man that was denied the presidency.
I am not slighting him I am only saying the truth.

Justcash:

Just As Obafemi Awolowo is the same as a Son of a naughty woman, A coward, an ungrateful F-oo-l and a complete saboteur to me.

orisebawo:

Are you for real, I am a yoruba man and I respect Awolowo very well but your assertion that  he had no equal is nothing but a fallacy, the Awolowo I know was a tribal leader i.e a local champion and he was never denied the presidency, he just didnt have the skills needed, he failed to evolve from a yoruba man to a Nigerian, he promoted tribalism by implying that the yoruba tribe was the best . When I read about Yoruba  leaders still going to Ikenne to meet with Awolowo's wife, it further buttresses my point that the Awolowo's are just trying to remain in the limelight and not really after any development and apparently not making any impact.

The Awolowo's should leave the younger generation to lead, afterall how old was Awolowo when he was the premier of the western region.

I respect him for what he did in western nigeria but that is where it ends, he was not a true Nigerian like Abiola, who was recognised all over Nigeria and is the only man that was denied the presidency.

I am not slighting him I am only saying the truth.

Justcash:



Just As [b]Nnamdi Azikiwe(you mean?) is the same as a Son of a naughty woman, A coward, an ungrateful F-oo-l and a complete saboteur to me.[/b]

babapupa:

Do you guys even read the ridiculous and absurd nonsense you type?