u guys don`t get it, Awo did not starve Biafran kids, Biafran administrators did. They made the choice of giving limited food to soldiers instead of kids. This bad treatment of children is still very common in Nigeria today. Did the Biafran soldiers die of starvation? of course not. If u can`t feed yourself and u fight the people feeding u, u have to expect food shortage. It`s then up to u, to either stop fighting or continue until their is no more food. The choice is still yours to fight and starve or stop fighting and eat. When food was running low y did Ojukwu continue to fight when he knew it would lead to starvation. He chose to starve the kids instead of stopping the war. So sad some of us are beyond reason.

from IGWE USA
To brush you U up a little bit, I called Zik a Nationalist because he didnt support the war and always called for peace. I called Awolowo a TRIBALIST because he strongly supported and aligned with a particular faction. His monetary exchange and starvation policy against the east says it all.

Dear Igwe,
Zic initially supported Biafra both later changed his mind and wanted Ojukwu to stop the war. Awolowo also wanted Ojukwu to stop the war. They were both on the same fence, to end the war and breakup of the country, that is what a nationalist will do. The £20 given to every Ibo man regardless of what the person had in the bank before the war was wrong. The starvation policy is another ploy to shift blame on Awo for the fall of Biafra. Does it make sense to u, to fight people that are feeding u and then expect them to still continue feeding u. Have u not heard the saying, do not bite the finger that feeds u, because if u do the finger will not be able to feed u anymore. Ethnic prejudice is so ingrained in u I think it`s almost impossible for u to be objective. If a non Ibo had a problem with an Ibo person, it`s obvious who will be found guilty in your eyes, if u were the presiding judge.

from IGWE USA
      I'm pertubed that you are still dillusioned with your tribalistic alignment. What do you mean by " the igbo plotters of the coup". So only the ibos planned and carried out the coup in Nigeria.

Dear Igwe,
I am not from a tribe nor have any tribal alignment, my alignment is with the up liftment of the black race regardless of ethnicity, religion or creed.  The majority of the first Nigerian coup plotters were Ibo`s and the most of the politicians they killed  were non Ibo`s hence the reason people refer to the coup as an Ibo one. I was only presenting an historical fact.  I will try and be more clear this time, can u tell us y Ironsi failed to put the coup plotter on trial for murder and treason? Knowing that the coup was seen by the country as a sectarian one that favours Ibo`s and the fact that most of the leaders of the coup were Ibo`s just like himself.
"you are still diillusioned with your tribalistic alignment" this ur quote,  is u in a nut shell. Ibo = right, Non Ibo`s = wrong

@*Osisi*; « #163 on: Yesterday at 04:39:32 AM »

The question is who awo was.
Awo in Igbo is toad.
His Royal Tribalist is dead and gone
He belongs exactly where the likes of Abacha,Hitler and Saddam Hussein belong.
end of story

And Ariel Sharon, and co, do, too.
Benjamin "slimy mouth" nateyanhu and group are in this evil company, except that they are not comatose or dead, yet. But in time, they will grow old, and helpless and die off. And they will be toads, and their royal tribalist will be dead and gone, and join their evil comrades, like Pharaoh who perished in the sea! They belong in the same evil group.

okunoba:

from IGWE USA
I'm pertubed that you are still dillusioned with your tribalistic alignment. What do you mean by " the igbo plotters of the coup". So only the ibos planned and carried out the coup in Nigeria.

Dear Igwe,
I am not from a tribe nor have any tribal alignment, my alignment is with the up liftment of the black race regardless of ethnicity, religion or creed. The majority of the first Nigerian coup plotters were Ibo`s and the most of the politicians they killed were non Ibo`s hence the reason people refer to the coup as an Ibo one. I was only presenting an historical fact. I will try and be more clear this time, can u tell us y Ironsi failed to put the coup plotter on trial for murder and treason? Knowing that the coup was seen by the country as a sectarian one that favours Ibo`s and the fact that most of the leaders of the coup were Ibo`s just like himself.
"you are still diillusioned with your tribalistic alignment" this ur quote, is u in a nut shell. Ibo = right, Non Ibo`s = wrong

@ Okunoba
U are a tribal die hard.

I have seen how you would work for the upliftment of Nigerian[black race], with all your lies and tribalistic rantings.

okunoba:

from IGWE USA
To brush you U up a little bit, I called Zik a Nationalist because he didnt support the war and always called for peace. I called Awolowo a TRIBALIST because he strongly supported and aligned with a particular faction. His monetary exchange and starvation policy against the east says it all.

Dear Igwe,
Zic initially supported Biafra both later changed his mind and wanted Ojukwu to stop the war. Awolowo also wanted Ojukwu to stop the war. They were both on the same fence, to end the war and breakup of the country, that is what a nationalist will do. The £20 given to every Ibo man regardless of what the person had in the bank before the war was wrong. The starvation policy is another ploy to shift blame on Awo for the fall of Biafra. Does it make sense to u, to fight people that are feeding u and then expect them to still continue feeding u. Have u not heard the saying, do not bite the finger that feeds u, because if u do the finger will not be able to feed u anymore. Ethnic prejudice is so ingrained in u I think it`s almost impossible for u to be objective. If a non Ibo had a problem with an Ibo person, it`s obvious who will be found guilty in your eyes, if u were the presiding judge.

        @ Okunoba
                        Lets avoid beating around the bush.
                   Simple and short, does the actions of Awolowo resemble that of a nationalist ?
                     
              Just turn off ur defensive mode , and think outside the box for once.


      However, HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Awolowo is a villain and a tribalist. But he took care of his own people unlike Zik who ran back to sip wine and tea with the same men responsible for killing his own people.

Zik is a controversial figure in Igbo land / East and never was an Igbo leader unless it was for his own benefit. Example, instead of staying in the East he ran to the West to run for election when he should more concerned with Efik, Igbos, Ogoja people in the East, When the tribalist Awolowo reminded him that he is IGBO he then ran back to the East to commit the same offense he accused of Awo of committing against Eyo Ita and dragging Igbos into it.  Igbos were too gullible back then because I'm sure if it was now they woulda seen his nonsense and simply shunned him. But I'm glad they shunned him when he started another nonsense with Effiong in Biafra. Eyo Ita and Effiong represented Igbos and eastern minorities more than Zik did. When he was in the West he wasn't representing us but relied on us as a cushion to fall back on when Awolowo pushed him back.

Awolowo is a DEVIL.
Zik is TRAITOR.

Both men deserve to rot in hell.

Asha,

It's called reparation.  He did not have to do that.  In war the loosing side owe the victorious a reparation for the cost of war and not the other way around.  That gesture was generous.  He could alternately have given a couple of million pounds sterling to the Igbo elders and require that they distribute it in denomination of 20 pounds per person or household or whatever but, you can never give enough to recover and rehabilitate victims of war, never.  The little you do is worth more than nothing at all. 

In North, the properties of the Igbos - their homes, lands, shops - were distributed among Hausas and never returned to the rightful owners after the war.  There are many Hausas sitting as landlords on homes and lands today that was owned by Igbos before the war.  You need to ask why the Igbo councils never addressed those injustices and seek redress, it's not too late. 

I am not sure the Igbos are ready for another war because there are so many gaps in their planning even now that I fear another war will result like the last one.   

 


Mr Negro nts,get your facts right before telling blatant lies on the internet and sound like a big fool.
My family lives all over northern Nigeria.
They fled the war and their homes were occupied by the indigenes.
They like most all other Igbos in northern Nigeria got their homes back after the war.
I say most because there's a chance that some families may have all perished and none came to claim their property.
Stop telling silly lies just to justify the evil machinations of Awolowo that failed woefully.

Those who fled homes in Lagos  and other parts of Yorubaland returned to reclaim their property,thanks to the indigenes.

Most  Igbos that lost property lost them in Port Harcourt to lazy Ijaw and Ikwerre indigenes who preferred to reap where they did not sow.
They declared people's hard earned property "abandoned property' and moved in and colonized them like blood sucking parasites
An aunt of mine finally got her fathers property in Borokiri just some few years ago after a drawn out court battle.

The 20 pounds scheme was a well thought out scheme by an evil finance minister Mr Obafemi Awolowo who then turned around to make open sale of shares in Nigerian companies knowing fully well $20 could not buy a thing.
He essentially wanted Yorubas to have an upper hand in Nigeria's financial system having incapacitated the Igbos since he knew northerners were more interested in eating gworo.
That was his plan
But you ought to ask yourself if he succeeded or failed.
Bank accounts don't change names so there's no reason why a man would lose his money in the bank because his region was at war moreover it sounds wicked and strange to steal money from people you fought to remain one with, what would be the motive?


Igbos are obviously not the worse of in Nigeria by any stretch so Awolowo and his scheme failed.
Are Yorubas not running away from the same soured agidi called Nigeria as much as Igbos?
whatever success his evil machinations achieved was temporal and have been eroded with time
Like we say in Igboland,after the race,we'll calculate the mileage

Osisi said it right. Awolowo failed because with only 20 pounds Igbos and others were still able to bounce back. Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, Aba town recovered after all the destruction. Imo pp; built their own Airport. With 20 pounds our parents went back to work, opened businesses and now have properties accross Nigeria. WE still dominate in many places. Businesses, education, entertainment, movies and even music. U just can't KILL THE STRONG SPIRIT OF OUR PEOPLE.

udezue:

Osisi said it right. Awolowo failed because with only 20 pounds Igbos and others were still able to bounce back. Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, Aba town recovered after all the destruction. Imo pp; built their own Airport. With 20 pounds our parents went back to work, opened businesses and now have properties accross Nigeria. WE still dominate in many places. Businesses, education, entertainment, movies and even music. U just can't KILL THE STRONG SPIRIT OF OUR PEOPLE.

If you know any of those producers in Upper Iweka and hear how they started out you'll marvel at what these guys did.
Practically built wealth out of nothing.
The business mind of an average Igboman is phenomenal too bad some deviants amongst us via off the criminal way and still manage to do it "intelligently".
Look at the so called aba made products?
Who would think that people would become millionaires by selling ordinary okirika ?
Second hand clothing,rejected goods basically.
Come and see the ware houses in North and South Carolina where these guys operate from,you'll marvel.
All those naija "boutiques" are basically okirika
the proprietors in Lagos and Abuja know the truth but they won't tell .
Okirika and payless shoes
let me keep quiet sef

I was baffled by Negro's nonsensical drivel. It was  almost like someone logged in with his ID. It's amazing how people pull information out of thin air, mix it with their own brand of ethnic antagonism and parade them as facts. Looks like a leopard can never alter his spots. . . This Negro guy used to parade himself as one the "detribalized" and "Objective" Nairalanders, now he is bombarding us with comments that are reasonable only in the diseased imagination of a delirious mind.



To the Igbo, Awolowo will always remain a toad (Awo) who is popping spicy champagne in the deepest depths of hell with Ekwensu(Satan). People need to deal with that and stop trying to force their views on others. Trying to convince the Igbo to see him as the Angel Gabriel with  white wings is more difficult than converting Osama Bin Laden to a Bible wielding-Jesus professing  pentecostal pastor.

He's a hero to some and the vilest villain to others. I don't see the big deal here.

lol Nna Osisi,

Some years ago I was reading some article and Igbos were mentioned as one of the few groups of ppl out there who recovered so quick after major genocides and defeat in a war.
Too proud of my people abeg. Bleep what any idiot got to say. I also noticed that the least anti Igbo groups / states in the East are doing a whole lot better than the ones who still remain bitter and hateful and they are the ones still poor, lazy and loud. If you can't beat us join. Rather than try to kill all us off just learn from Igbos or better find that talent in you and use it to uplift your people instead of hating and betraying Igbos/East and thinking that will you will be rewarded by the North.

*osisi*:




Mr Negro nts,get your facts right before telling blatant lies on the internet and sound like a big fool.
My family lives all over northern Nigeria.
They fled the war and their homes were occupied by the indigenes.
They like most all other Igbos in northern Nigeria got their homes back after the war.
I say most because there's a chance that some families may have all perished and none came to claim their property.
Stop telling silly lies just to justify the evil machinations of Awolowo that failed woefully.

Those who fled homes in Lagos and other parts of Yorubaland returned to reclaim their property,thanks to the indigenes.

Most Igbos that lost property lost them in Port Harcourt to lazy Ijaw and Ikwerre indigenes who preferred to reap where they did not sow.
They declared people's hard earned property "abandoned property' and moved in and colonized them like blood sucking parasites
An aunt of mine finally got her fathers property in Borokiri just some few years ago after a drawn out court battle.

The 20 pounds scheme was a well thought out scheme by an evil finance minister Mr Obafemi Awolowo who then turned around to make open sale of shares in Nigerian companies knowing fully well $20 could not buy a thing.
He essentially wanted Yorubas to have an upper hand in Nigeria's financial system having incapacitated the Igbos since he knew northerners were more interested in eating gworo.
That was his plan
But you ought to ask yourself if he succeeded or failed.
Bank accounts don't change names so there's no reason why a man would lose his money in the bank because his region was at war moreover it sounds wicked and strange to steal money from people you fought to remain one with, what would be the motive?


Igbos are obviously not the worse of in Nigeria by any stretch so Awolowo and his scheme failed.
Are Yorubas not running away from the same soured agidi called Nigeria as much as Igbos?
whatever success his evil machinations achieved was temporal and have been eroded with time
Like we say in Igboland,after the race,we'll calculate the mileage

@okosisi
Dede okosis
WELL SAID


Happy NEW YEAR !

Osisi, kai walahi i go bex am por u now. How u go dey yab am por bauche say na only gworo im dey interested in when Awo and co dey loot in the name of national interest (see cocacola, leventis, apapa and all, )? Other area of interest to mutanen arewa includes "fresidents", "gominas", "chairmans", "Managing Directors" and all apex spots where other will toil with their brains and sweat,

, but AWO na billain (billionaire?), chikeina!

Sai Anjinma!

Quote from Udezue
"Awolowo failed because with only 20 pounds Igbos and others were still able to bounce back. WE still dominate in many places. Businesses, education, entertainment, movies and even music"

Y do blacks that complain about being dominated and treated badly take pride in dominating others or wanting to dominate their fellow black brothers. This is the problem of Black Africa. If a German wrote this, it would be considered racist. Can we not work for the common good of all, instead of wanting to dominate others. Statements like this wins no friends but creates a divide. Please lets embrace the Obama spirit of working together for the common good of all instead of an Ndibgo Domination.

Okunoba,

does it pain you that after all the ethnic cleansing Nigerians committed against Igbos we still bounced back yes yes yes to dominate in many sectors that many of you thought that with only 20 pounds they will amount nothing but mere beggars? Thank God that never happened like Awo and the rest of the devils leading Nigeria planned. Igbos and other progressive Easterners are not dominating anyone. WE are simply good at what ever we work hard to do so please quit whining about racism. If it hurts you please go learn how its done and join those Igbos instead of hating and envying Igbos. That is the reason why Nigeria never made use of those talented Biafrans that could have improved al ot of things instead they are in other countries doing it. By the end of the day who is losing? NIGERIA.

Udezue, Awo is the greatest nigerian ever lived, there is no other nigerian that have ever made impact on the life of nigerian than awo, that why we are still talking about him till today. how many website do you see them talking so much about zik or belewa the way they talk about awo.

Give it to awo, he was the greatest that ever live on the soil of nigeria.

@Udezeu
Ethnic cleansing of Ibo`s? Sorry mate, if that was the case millions would have been killed after Biafra surrendered since they didn`t have the means to defend themselves against the federalist. The fact is their was a civil war and the federalist won, similar to the American civil war in which the confederates lost to the federal side. Do u hear historians calling the war, ethnic cleansing of southerners, because they lost.
I am saddened to see black people take pride in wanting to dominate their fellow black brothers. If feeling Superior to your fellow Nigerian brothers is what makes u happy then u are definitely sad. The Nigeria and Africa that we should be working towards is one where life is better for all, regardless of ethnic affiliation. I don`t want Yoruba domination of Nigeria, what I want is a good and fair country where we can all have a good life. I could easily lay claim to such stupid assertion that Yoruba`s dominate Nigeria, just like u did about Ibo`s but what good will that bring to the millions of Nigerian that are living in object poverty. U obviously want and take pride in the Ibo race dominating other groups in the federation. U are at least open with your ethnic bigotry. Don`t dish out what u can`t take, because it may come back to hunt u. At the end of the day we are all seen as underdeveloped and poor wether u are Ibo, Hausa, Yoruba or Kanuri. Lets work for the common good of the black race and indeed this world at large.
Bless Africa

Mr Negro nts,get your facts right before telling blatant lies on the internet and sound like a big fool. Stop telling silly lies just to justify the evil machinations of Awolowo that failed woefully.

Talk intelligently and stop frothing in the mouth with dissipated anger. Don't let your hatred for Awo and Yoruba men generally affect your health and emotional well being. Your blood is boiling with anger. Calm down.

My family lives all over northern Nigeria.

. . . and ?

They fled the war and their homes were occupied by the indigenes.
They like most all other Igbos in northern Nigeria got their homes back after the war.
I say most because there's a chance that some families may have all perished and none came to claim their property.

Here, let me detail the truth for you. . .
My statement is based on a Kano State paper documents dated 1978 detailing accounts of homes and other properties in dispute of ownership. I will tell you the specific area where the homes were located. The owners were not dead they came back for their homes and it led to dispute in court. The land deed had been converted to Arabic and had to be re-translated back into english. But. . .I see that you are already emotionally roused so let me help you intensify your blood temperature. Igbos that owned land properties in the following zones in Kano forfeited much of it in spoils of war re-distribution to Hausa indigenes. The stretch of properties along Airport road from the intersection of Ahmadu Bello Way to the old Polo grounds. Properties along Murtala Muhammed road bordering on both sides from the intersection of Kofar Nassarawa to Ado Bayero road. There is numerous zoneswith similar claims of dispute in the Fagge District.

If you still don't believe, then simply go to Kano State department of land and survey and review deeds around this time period and compare documented ownerships before and after the war.

Take it or leave it Awo was a regional leader and he will forever be remebered as stateman form yorubal extraction.

We caused Awo/Akintola crisis
Monday, January 12, 2009

Prof. Sam Aluko, renowned economist and chairman, National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC), under General Sani Abacha, has given another insight into the crisis that rocked the defunct Action Group (AG), in the early 60s.


•Prof Aluko
Photo: Sun News Publishing

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The crisis had pitched Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the first premier of the old Western Region, against his successor, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, and ultimately led to the civil unrest that earned the west, the acronym ‘wild, wild west.’

Aluko revealed to Daily Sun that Awolowo’s economic advisers were actually the principal architects of the Awolowo/Akintola crisis in the First Republic.

“In fact, it was we who caused the problem between Akintola and Awolowo. There was a group in the university then led by Professor Oyenuga as chairman and known as Committee of Civil Liberty. It had Professors Odumosu, Wole Soyinka, some Europeans and myself as members. We said the way things were going, we need to have an ideology guiding us…(Akintola had become the premier then).

“He said why should Awolowo be organising people to write philosophy for the party. That when Awolowo was premier, they were writing for him; and since he (Akintola) had assumed premiership, they should be writing for him. He felt that Awolowo was out to undermine him.”

In this concluding part of the exclusive interview with Aluko, he also spoke on how he first met Awo, his relationship with Awo and Shagari, how Abacha contacted him, Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Yar’Adua Government, and the global economic meltdown.

Excerpts:

How I met Awo

I once wrote that it was because of Awolowo’s interest in human beings that I came in contact with him. When he was premier, his government instituted scholarship programme and I was the only one in this region that had intermediate B.Sc degree. When we applied for scholarship to go and complete the B.Sc in England, I was not given, while somebody with school certificate was approved to go and study Economics in London School of Economics. This was because that person has a relation in the cabinet. So I didn’t bother. I wrote a protest letter but I don’t think Awolowo saw it.

I continued to study and I got a B.Sc honorary degree by private study. I was the secretary-general when we formed Ekiti Peoples Party and I contested election. I became chairman of Ado District Council. At this time, we defeated AG, but later aligned with AG. It was there that Chief Awolowo asked his Minister of Education, ‘this chap where did he get his degree?” They later sent the form to me that I should apply for scholarship to go and do the M.Sc at the London School of Economics. And when I was there, I got a distinction and while I was at that school I was criticising Awo’s economic budget and some people were not happy about that. Before I even finished the programme, they said I must return to Nigeria to become a civil servant. That was a ploy to stop me from criticising government’s budget.

My scholarship was later withdrawn. But because I got a distinction, the school decided to give me a scholarship. When I told my supervisor that my government said I must return home, the school wrote them a letter that I got a distinction and that if they insisted that I returned home, they could hold their scholarship and send them the bill. I think that was what Chief Awolowo saw and he was not happy that such was happening in his government. He made them cancel the letter of withdrawal and in its place, they wrote a letter of congratulation and he (Awo) made a speech in Parliament in the House of Assembly at Ibadan, to congratulate me.

So when they came for the Constitutional Conference in 1957, he asked his secretary to write to me to have dinner with him. When I got to him, he said he was sorry for what government had done and that he was not aware of it and that when I finish my Ph.D, that even if I didn’t want to be a civil servant, he would allow me go anywhere I want. And that if I have any view about the problems in the country I should send him notes and memos. That was how we became friends till he died. It was through his initiative. I don’t know how many governors today, many of whom you cannot even reach, will invite a student to come and have dinner with him.

Experience with Awo

Economists do not have answer to everything. It is just that they have answers to some things. You cannot advise an empty mind. Somebody you want to advise must know faintly or clearly what you want to do, even if he wants to have a second opinion or additional opinion to add to what he thinks he should do. In other words, he is someone that has vision. This is one area that Chief Obafemi Awolowo excelled in. He would have done his homework, consulted widely and so on. It is very easy to advise such people.

Mind you, economists prefer the word ‘thank you’. Economics is a science of alternatives. If we do it this way what will likely be the results and if we do it that way, what will likely be the results. If we build a factory in my own village in Ekiti, instead of Lagos, what are the problems, what are the advantages? If we build in Ode, in Ekiti, we are going to provide a generating set, construct road because there is need for it to transport our goods, and we will need to provide market. But if it is Lagos, all these things are already there so no need to go into additional cost. So the cost of putting the factory in Ode vis-à-vis putting it in Lagos will be obvious. If the factory is in Lagos it can still benefit the people in Ode, but the reverse will not be so. And once they see that your advice is a bit better than theirs, they take it. These are the kind of people that are easy to work with.

But if the person being advised is an empty mind and somebody comes to say don’t mind him, put it in Ode, and without thinking of the options, he goes ahead and follow the advice, well, we have a problem here. They can even tell him not to put it in either Lagos or Ode, instead let it be built by private people. That is why we say in economics that the empty mind does things of the last person that he sees before he goes to bed.

As an adviser to Awo, Abacha, Abudusalami, who among them took advice and who didn’t?

The best of them was Awolowo, followed by Abacha. Chief Adekunle Ajasin, ex-governor of old Ondo State between 1979 and 1983, was good at taking advice but people told him, look, who is the governor here - you or Aluko? So, because of this, sometimes, he would say, ‘well, Professor, I think what you have said is right but you see these people…’ Let me give you an example, when we were to build a glass factory in Igbokoda and the governor called me. The cost at that time was N65 million. Remember, the naira was still strong at the time. I think it was N1 to a dollar. So I said, Your Excellency, instead of investing N65 million in one factory, I would set up 13 with N5 million each.

These would be small industries. They would be in 13 locations in the state, and they would mean more employment that is evenly spread. Secondly, I said the glass factory you wanted to set up in Okitipupa, the demand and transportation were lacking. The factory was the old type. Glass changes from time to time. Initially, he was pleased with the advice. But later, some politicians went to him at night and said don’t mind him, he is a politician and has never been a businessman. That was how they killed the advice and built the Okitipupa Glass Factory. Today, the factory has collapsed and the technology of glass has changed. Thus, it became a white elephant project. They even forced the people to buy shares in the project, which all went down the drain.

The problem I had with Abacha was not the same as I had with Awolowo because Abacha did not pretend. He said, “Professor, I am a soldier, what is good, we will try it. In 99 out of 100, things that I advised Abacha, he did. He told people that his committee was opposed to the increase in fuel price. If you remember, he only increased fuel price once during his time. I told him that since the Provisional Ruling Council has taken the decision to increase the prices of petroleum, whatever we get as excess, let us put it into a development fund for infrastructure. That was how he developed the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). People were able to benefit from this fund as it actually helped the country. This was the first thing that Obasanjo abolished when he came into power. When we came into governance the dollar was $1 to N60.

Then the naira had been devalued. I told Abacha that I don’t see what has happened to our economy that our naira has now devalued. I now told him that well, we should go back to parity. I agreed that we should peg the naira at N21 and said we must continue to peg it until we get to N5. Really, in fairness to Babangida, when he devalued the naira, they told him that it would not be more than N6 to the dollar. So when he saw that it rose above that, he called them and they told him not to worry that it would stabilise. It was Abacha who stabilised it at N21 to a dollar. IMF, World Bank and their collaborators tried to force us to devalue and he said, ‘Professor, what do you think?’ I said, ‘don’t listen to them.’

When we wanted to introduce VAT, we did all the stories and it was recommended that we gave it to a committee, which I didn’t support. The Federal Inland Revenue Service is already collecting tax, which we agreed was capable of handling the VAT. The people in the cabinet said, ‘no, we cannot run VAT. People will go on riot, thinking that it is additional tax. We won’t get money. IMF has told finance minister that unless we make it 17.5percent like England, we will not make profit.’

All sorts of things were coming from the cabinet, led by my good friend, Prof. Jerry Gana. Abacha asked and I said, ‘VAT at 5%, – because I believed Nigerians are good consumers – we will make profit.’ Abacha agreed and asked what we could get from it and I said about N8.5 to N13 billion in the first year.

He agreed that we try it for one year and that if it did not work, we could reverse it. You know that VAT is the second revenue the government gets apart from oil. Throughout when we introduced VAT, he did not allow World Bank to interfere because I told him that the greatest enemy of any country’s economy is World Bank and IMF. He did not see them till he died. When he died the same people came on and they misled the government.

Did you have such experience with Awo?

No, we argued and disagreed on certain issues but it was okay. You know he was a democrat. First of all he would have discussed it with his cabinet and if there was anything, he would call us. He would say ‘go and get me a paper.’ We would discuss. Every two weeks I used to go to Ikenne. I criticised him and at times he criticised us. Some of us were in the UPN cabinet then even when we were not card-carrying members of the UPN. That was how some of us became members. We contributed to development. At times he would say, ‘Sam and your group what do you think?’ When there was going to be a major decision on any issue, he would not take decision until we contributed.

Awo and Shagari

We read economic trends, journals, market surveys etc. And with this, Chief Awolowo was always in contact with us. At that time, when the oil price fell in 1981, we wrote a paper for him. We used to meet every fortnight in my house in Ife. So we wrote a paper for him. We said, ‘look, with the downturn in oil price, the budget of government was likely to be affected adversely and with the extravagant manner the government was being run then, where we had 62 ministers, the economy was doomed, unless he reverse a lot of things.’ Chief Awolowo, very impressed with what he heard, made a statement, that the way government’s economy is being run, we are bound to falter. We contributed an idea to him and he was bold enough to repeat what we said. You know that he also studied Economics. He was a graduate in Commerce.

The Akintola/Awo crisis

In fact, it was we, who caused the problem between Akintola and Awolowo. There was a group in the university then, led by Prof. Oyenuga. He was chairman of the Committee of Civil Liberty at that time. We had Prof. Odumosu, Prof. Wole Soyinka, some Europeans and myself. We said, as a group, the way things were going, we must have an ideology guiding us. Some were saying at that time that what the people were doing was only to take care of the rich, giving them big cars, staying in government houses, enjoying themselves except Awolowo who was living in his own house. So, we thought we had to have a guiding principle.

One, to plan the economy. Two, to inform government what individuals in government must do. So, we had what we called democratic socialism, which now became the policy of the Action Group. So, Awo said this democratic socialism we must try it, which he did into concrete programmes like agriculture, health, roads etc.

So, we were writing papers for him in Oke-Ado, Ibadan every two weeks. So, those were the papers that Awolowo then took to the party and Akintola was opposed to it. Akintola said if a man had agbada, he must not have buba. If he had buba, he must not have sokoto. That was exactly what caused their problem. Akintola had become premier by then, so he said why should Awolowo be organising people to write philosophy for the party. That when Awo was premier, they were writing for him as premier and that since he (Akintola) had assumed the premiership, they should be writing for him. He felt that Awo was out to undermine him, and said no, things could not continue like that. The major thing that caused the rift was that Akintola didn’t like democratic socialism. We were not the main problem though, but we were part of the problem. He had wanted the NPC’s capitalistic elitist way of government, which we opposed.

How did Abacha get in contact with you?

One night in February 1994, the military governor of Ondo State at that time, Ahmed Usman came and was knocking at my door. My wife woke up and asked who the person was? He said he had a message for Prof. Aluko. My wife told him to come back the next day. When my wife opened the window he said he was Ondo State governor and that he had a special message for professor. The door was opened for him and they came to call me. He came in and said you have message from the Chief of Staff, Diya, that they wanted me to come and help them in economic affairs. Earlier on, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Head of the Interim National Government, (ING) had offered that I become a minister, but I said no, that if they get up any committee where I can be useful, that I would be ready to serve but not as a minister.

That was that. So when they set up this appointment. I said well, if it was purely economic affairs, I would not object, and that I would be willing to advise. Mind you, they had a very good budget that year, where they said government was going to intervene in the economy. I was pleased with that budget. After the meeting with the governor, he went and came back after a week and said that they had decided to set up an economic intelligence committee to monitor the budget until they handed over. I said if that was the case, who were the other members of the committee? They said no, that I was going to advise government on the choice of other members. I said no, that I didn’t want to advise anybody. They said okay, but that I would be chairman. They chose 14 of us. Diya and myself were very close when he was in government. He was a fine gentleman, fine officer, with good character.

Relationship with Abdulsalami Abubakar

Immediately Abacha died, I had already decided that well, I was unhappy about the plan to make him stay and I told him that the day you announce that you are not going to leave government, that I was going to leave government. Because when a head of state makes a promise to the country he is leading, he must keep it. Even some of our top men in AG and UPN came to me and asked why was I opposed to Abacha’s stay, that he was the only person that could handle NADECO. So, I said what if he died, would that stop the government from running?

They said, no, he could not die and I said how could you say any human being could not die? I told them that I was only opposed to his insincerity, and that I told him that these people were going to kill you by saying you are the only person who could run the government effectively. He said, ‘Professor, I won’t stay.’ But they kept on deceiving him. Oh, it’s so sad, really sad, but when he died, I was a bit relieved, though I didn’t want him to die. So, I packed my luggage and left.

It was after that, that Abdulsalami called me on phone. Then I was with Bishop Gbonigi when the call came in that he wanted to see me. He said that I was not going to leave government until he left. So, he said I should come back to Abuja immediately. I told him that I had a meeting and couldn’t come immediately. I added that I could only make it on Tuesday following the weekend. So, he said okay. He said when I came on Tuesday that I should meet him at the Presidential Lodge and I said I don’t know where it was. He was shocked. He said so all the time I had been coming to Abuja, I had never been to the Presidential Lodge? He then said he was going to send his private secretary to come to my house in Abuja and bring me. That was the first and the last time I visited the Presidential Lodge.

I didn’t know Abacha’s wife. I never met her. I only see her on television up till now. Our appointment was strictly to forge an economic master plan to set the national economy on an even keel. There was a time Abacha said I should not be coming to Abuja by road from Akure, that he was going to make his jet available to me and I said what would I be doing with a jet? I am not a soldier, please leave things as they were and I’d be just fine. So, that is how I stayed till 1999 when Abdulsalami left.

Global economic crisis

When the Soviet Union collapsed, the Western economy was very happy. They said that was the end of socialism, end of state intervention. They said it collapsed because they didn’t allow the private people to do business; that they used government intervention in the economy. All sorts of things were said. They even said that the private people were the engine of growth, which was what Obasanjo got from them. The private people are getting richer and richer, the banks are getting bigger and bigger. The only thing the banks do is to lend money.

They don’t lend money to build industries or develop agriculture. Rather, they lend you money to buy house and oil your credit cards, thereby helping you to live above your income – clearly potent economic crime. Someone, who has no job, they give him loan to go and look for job. They buy big cars, saying they want to use the cars to be looking for job. If you continue to do that, the economy will burn.

China took over. They did a lot of construction during the sports competition. When it ended and they stopped construction and expansion of hotels and stadia and so on, we knew the price of oil was going to fall.

America was engaged in a foolish war in Iraq, spending billions of dollars daily and government was pumping money into war. Of course, America was the world economy, but they were living on a bubble. So, they continued to give money to people who could not pay back. They later discovered that these people could not pay back to the bank. In Nigeria today, all nooks and crannies of the city have one bank or the other. They no longer finance industries or agriculture. The bubble has to burst. People they lend money could not pay back. Banks collapsed. That is why most of our investments abroad have collapsed. You will see some people who will travel round the world on credit. So, the banks became over-capitalised, over-managed, over-lent. They became so big that they could no longer be managed.

That is why Germany was the least affected of them because the country allowed state banks. So, when the big banks in Germany collapsed, the small banks were able to survive.

If Obasanjo had continued his third term, he wanted only 10 banks. We are not yet in the global economy, we are only peripheral to it. Let us develop our industries, agriculture and other yielding ventures. Let us plan our economy. You see, when they say government should not interfere, it is the same government that is now bailing them out. The way out is to have a nuclear economy. Government cannot run it alone. Private sector cannot run it alone. All this public-private partnership, how do you partner with somebody and you want to force the person to do what he does not like? The best thing is to have more efficient government to establish more efficient economy and allow private persons do what they want to do and control them. You can see America is now regulating the private sector.

Effects on Nigeria

When the CBN governor said there was no cause for alarm, it is good to say that because part of the problem we have with the economy today is fear. You see, when you have a factory, fear doesn’t affect that factory because you see it. But when you go to a bank, unless you have no trust in that bank, you go and withdraw your money from there. If you have to do that, then something is wrong with your bank. So you quickly run to take your money from the bank because you have no confidence in that bank. So, fear is one of the things that destroy the financial bubble. So, it is your duty to convince the people that the financial system is okay.

Otherwise, people will run to their banks and all the banks will collapse. Let us use our money to build industries, agriculture, roads, instead of putting the money in foreign banks, which as we can see now, when they collapse, it affects us. Not only the financial system has collapsed; the world price of oil has collapse. So, what Soludo is doing is good. You have to encourage the people that everything is okay. The income of Nigeria is derivable 75 per cent from oil, which is not supposed to be. The common man doesn’t pay tax; even the rich people don’t pay tax. What we get from tax is little. During the good years, we should have been building industries, refineries. Today, we need at least, 10 to 15 refineries in Nigeria. No private person would want to build a refinery because he would not want to tie down his money. It is only government that can build refineries because they get money every year. We are a global economy, so there is no way the crisis would not affect us, and it is not only going to affect us, it will actually affect the government budget.

And that is why the government will have to tighten its own belt. Extravagant spending is over. If this is not taken seriously, you find more riots, armed robbery because we are not generating employment.

They talk of poverty alleviation. They want to convert everyone to entrepreneur. You give money to an unemployed graduate to go and do business. What skill does he have in running a business? Government should have been creating employment. It is not possible to make everybody an entrepreneur. If you give somebody N2 million, he would go and pay his children’s school fees, buy a new car. They are not realistic and when you tell them, they say, your economic policy is old. You can’t buy experience.

Yar’Adua government

I have been away for six months, so I have not been in communication with the Yar’Adua government. I was in America and I gave a talk. I said the cliché, ‘In God we trust,’ has now become, ‘In gun we trust.’ You are fighting too many wars, living above your income. You are bound to crash.

I think the president means well. You don’t use a 7-point agenda to move the country forward. Awolowo went for one particular programme – Free Education. He had a four-cardinal programme, education, health. Yar’Adua didn’t plan to be president.

Obasanjo forced him on Nigerians. There is nothing in that 7-point agenda. It is better to have one or two things and do them well. Even, if it is power alone and he says I am going to make sure that we have regular power supply. That alone would be something. If he takes care of power, every other thing will follow. If there is power, industries will spring up. Apart from the 7-point agenda, they have NEEDS, MDS, and NEPAD. Now, which do we follow? I told them that in order to harmonize all these programmes. You need a development plan. When I settle down, I will send my own idea to the president, because he means well.

The president’s Supreme Court victory

It didn’t come to me as a surprise. After the first appeal by Awolowo in 1983, I told him, I said, don’t go to any court because once election result is announced at the federal level, it is dominant. The same thing happened in America between President Bush and Al Gore. So, I wasn’t surprise that they gave it to Yar’Adua. In fact, I was even surprised that it was 4 -3. I was expecting that it would be unanimous. Once the opposition cannot prevent rigging at the national level, I don’t see how it can win. In the election of Ajasin, we prevented rigging at every level. That was why they had to go and announce on the radio. If the election were free and fair, the PDP could still have won, but not at the level they won. I don’t know why they went to that extent, because they did not need to win so many states to get 60 per cent of the votes.

Ribadu

I am quite unhappy the way Ribadu put it on himself to just behave like a dictator when he was EFCC chairman. There is a saying, which says, ‘On your way up, be nice to people because you may meet them on your way down.’ You cannot just be taking governors who were elected and putting them in prison. He was not elected, mind you. He was behaving like a czar. This will teach others that when you are in a position of authority, you must use your authority with discretion. You can still be firm and fair. He was firm, but not fair. He was not fair. I wish he had spent a lot of time in reforming the police system because the problem we have today is the police.

And there is a lot to do in reforming the police. He would have done this rather than harassing the politicians. There is nothing you can do. The politicians will always be corrupt. They spend money to contest election. There is no way you can remove corruption from the Third World countries. Don’t let us deceive ourselves. When I was in government, I used to tell them. I know you will steal because everybody comes to your house to eat, but when you steal, invest the money in Nigeria. That is what we call in economics, productive corruption. When you build a factory, nobody will say the factory was built with corrupt money.

Don’t go and put the money in America, in Europe. They steal there too. They loot and invest it there. The governor of Massachusetts, when I was in America in 1962, he took a bribe in an underground garage and when he wanted to seek for second term, the attorney general who was a woman said, ‘Don’t vote for him because he took bribe.’ The governor said, ‘No, I didn’t take bribe; I took a gift’. $6million. He invested it back into the American economy. Did you know that he won the election for a second term?

Relaxation

I watch television. I am a football fan. I watch all the games. I watch tennis and I read. When I am not watching, then I read. I don’t attend marriage or burial ceremonies. When my father died, the second day, I buried him. When my mother died, the second day, I buried her. I didn’t invite anybody. I took good care of them and they blessed me. When Jesus Christ died, he was buried the same day. That is why I like the Muslims. When somebody dies, they bury the person the same day. But in our case, when somebody dies, they go and put him in fridge, somebody who was not sleeping in air condition when he was alive.

They pay thousands and people eat from burial to burial. It is sheer waste of money. Nigerians are too extravagant. Taking titles here and there. When I married I didn’t invite anybody. We were only five. We have been together for 50-something years now. Best marriage. I didn’t take a kobo from anybody to marry. When my son got married, we were only 30 people. In 1982, when my daughter got married, it was Tai Solarin and co that came. I was in government at the time and I didn’t invite anybody in government.















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Udezue, Awo is the greatest nigerian ever lived, there is no other nigerian that have ever made impact on the life of nigerian than awo, that why we are still talking about him till today. how many website do you see them talking so much about zik or belewa the way they talk about awo.

Give it to awo, he was the greatest that ever live on the soil of nigeria.

@Becomerich
hmmmm, I will give it to Awolowo cos he waz as bad as the condition of nigeria!

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Igbo woes must be blamed on leadership –Varsity Don

From UZOR EMMANUEL UZOR; Abakaliki

OVER the years, the cry of marginalization has taken another dimension as it has affected virtually all the tribes in the country with Igbos of South East extraction claiming to be the most affected.
Speaking to National Daily in Aba , Abia State , a university don, Professor Rex Ugorji attributed the problems of Ndigbo to the type of leadership they have.

He maintained that such poor leadership had contributed to what he described as ''the woes of the Igbos,'' pointing out that the leaders of the South East '' lack the will and potentials.''

The former commissioner in the old Abia state also blamed the governors of South East States for not concentrating on developmental projects that ''will bring development to the door steps of their people, but rather are facing their own personal aggrandizements.

“Even the Governors are not focused, what they are busy doing is embarking on projects that are not development - oriented and divert all other funds into their pockets,'' he said

He quickly pointed out that, ''unless such attitudes are jettisoned, I am afraid, Ndigbo will continue to cry foul in Nigeria without achieving any thing.”

Awolowo is the number one tribalist in the country, he started tribalism in Nigeria. Heis a yoruba hero. he can never a national hero.

Awolowo is the number one tribalist in the country, he started tribalism in Nigeria.He can never b a national hero.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo is undoubtedly a hero. In fact, he is a Nigerian hero although a few of my fellow Nigerians from the eastern part of Nigeria might want to query my second statement.

His impact was felt more in the western part of Nigeria; but that is expected given that he was only able to govern in that part of the country.

During his time, there was free education at all level, there was free healthcare and he rein in on corruption. He was a rare politician who loved the working class and dislike politicians that exploited the people.  

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Obafemi Awolowo: The man with a plan

By

Bola Ige

Fourteen years ago yesterday, Obafemi Awolowo passed on to higher service. Two months and three days earlier, at his seventieth birthday anniversary celebration, he had spoken prophetically about the imminence of his transition, about the fact that he had not been allowed to achieve his highest ambition of serving the people of Nigeria, about how he was satisfied that he was going for a greater and higher service, and of a life after life. Only few of his listeners at Ikenne on that March 6, 1987 comprehended fully what he was talking about. That was why all of us, friends and foes alike, were stunned and devastated when he moved on from this mortal plane. The greatest Nigerian ideologue so far, and the main issue in Nigerian politics during the previous fifty years, as General Ibrahim Babangida had described him earlier, left us.

Since the beginning of this year when, for over three months, my foes and friends, for good and bad reasons, made me the centre of political controversy in Nigeria, I have had, in my efforts at self-criticism and objective self-critical appraisal, to turn to the mental spiritual and political guidelines which Awo bequeathed to all of us who confess that we are his disciples. For obvious reasons, I will not write about the mental and spiritual lessons he taught me. But I drew upon the guidelines of mental magnitude that he prescribed, and I read, once again, his seminal writings in which one can find his clear thoughts and analysis on the problems of Nigeria. I have once again read, marked and inwardly digested, his main writings: (1) Path to Nigerian Freedom (ii) Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution; (iii) The People's Republic and (iv) Strategy and Tactics of the People's Republic.

In the last few weeks, our country has been agog with the news of political activities of persons and groups who seem to want to be of relevance or who are groping for ways to bring about some sort of realignment of forces. The scenario is unfolding and Nigeria's political temporary contraptions called political parties and the desire of political theoreticians, who have no real winnable constituencies, to configure for us Nigeria's political landscape. It is for these and other reasons that it is desirable, at the end of the second seven-year cycle and the beginning of the third seven-year cycle, that we should once again remind ourselves about Awo's thoughts on a few important issues like (a) the national question; (b) federalism; (c) the unity of Nigeria and (d) constitution making. I doubt whether anybody in Nigeria has written cogently on the national question more than Obafemi Awolowo. He posited and demonstrated lucidly how the proper resolution of the national question is fundamental to a viable and prosperous Nigerian polity. Because of the various and different histories and cultures of our various nationalities, and the various and different stages of our modern and social and political development, he recommended a federation of Nigeria of not more than eighteen states based largely on ethnic affiliation and language.

I am glad I have never deviated from Awo's principled position. And from what we are seeing of and in the six Yoruba States, in the five Igbo States and the six Hausa States, and from the nationalism that imbues organizations like AFENIFERE, OHANAEZE and the militant youth organizations among the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa and Izon, objective observers can see the futility of breaking up of our nationalities into miniscule states which have been emasculated in power, prosperity and progress. One thing I know: the day is almost here in Yorubaland when the Alajobi will be the Garibaldi that will write Yorubaland once again, and we will flourish once again, like we did under Awo.

Because I have no mandate of the Igbo, Izon and the Hausa, for example, I cannot speak authoritatively as I can for Yorubaland. But the signs are Unmistakable. Thirty years after the Biafran civil war, the Igbos are realizing that creating five states out of Igboland does not empower them to move forward or even to take needed meaningful steps to heal the scars of the civil war. As for the Hausa-Fulani, Sharianisation as a potent political weapon of ethnic nationalism is being fashioned and sharpened. Which leads me to the postulations of Awo concerning federalism. For Awo, the Nigerian federation is to be a federal republic of states (large and small) who have come together on certain basic agreed terms reached and sealed in a constitution that would guarantee every state the rights and resources to manage its affairs in those areas assigned to it, and which would enable the state to make MAN the centre, the subject and object, and the raison d'etre of all development, whether at federal, state or local government level.

I have read almost everything Awo wrote, and for more than 25 years, I was directly under his tutelage. Not once and nowhere did Awo advocate the break-up of Nigeria, or that Yorubaland should break away from Nigeria. His first book designed the path of the freedom of Nigeria, not Yorubaland only; his People's Republic was about the Federal Republic of Nigeria; his thoughts on the constitution was for the Federal Republic of Nigeria; and when he called us of the Committee of Friends to sit with him in Park Lane, Apapa, to work out strategy and tactics, they were to be how to capture power not in Yorubaland alone, but throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria, so that the best welfare of the people could be more easily and more comprehensively catered for.

Awo, of course, wanted Yorubaland to be strong and prosperous, but not for any selfish end. The prosperity and well-being of the Yoruba nation was to be a benchmark for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As Awo used to say, he could not be a good Nigerian, if he was not a good Yorubaman! One can recall Awo's rebuke of my friend, brother and colleague, Chief Bisi Onabanjo, when in 1983, following the NPN rigging of elections, he called for a confederation. He gave him political spanking and that publicity . I am aware of course, that not only has Awo been vilified by Zik and other unitarists as a tribalist and apostle of balkanisation of Nigeria, quite a few Yoruba concerned nationalists have also queried why Awo did not lead Yorubaland out of Nigeria during the Civil War. Chief Emeka Ojukwu's grouse, and that of some of his misguided cronies, was that they were encouraged in their secessionist bid by the motion which was passed by Yoruba leaders in the Western Hall, Ibadan, about April 1967.

I know much about that motion because I was part of the group that crafted it, and I actually moved it. It was this:

"If by any act of omission or commission the Eastern Region secedes, Western Region will opt out" (of the Federation of Nigeria)

Only a daft person can read an invitation or encouragement to secede in that resolution. Yoruba want to be part of Nigeria, unless pushed out or not wanted.

And when secession was being prepared in Eastern Region, Awo led a delegation which included Chief Jereton Mariere, that charismatic leader of the Urhobos and erstwhile governor of Midwestern Nigeria, to persuade Emeka Ojukwu not to secede, but join in working out a truly federal constitution for Nigeria.

I was an unofficial adviser to the delegation from Western Nigeria to the ad-hoc Constitutional Conference convened by General Gowon in September and October 1966. Nowhere in our presentation did the West advocate secession or even confederation. These things need to be recalled so that our people must know the strategy to adopt in the present circumstance.

Which leads me to the last point. What was Awo's reaction to discussions about constitution-making. Awo was never passive, and he never advocated non-participation in any discussions, however much he knew that they would not yield the results he wanted.

Fortunately, there are quite a few Nigerian leaders who are alive and can bear testimony to Awo's robust and all-embracing nationalism for Yorubaland, and unalloyed patriotism for Nigeria, all his life: Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief Rotimi Williams, SAN, Chief Chris Ogunbanjo, Hon. Effiong Ononopkono, Chief Felix Ibru, Chief J.A.O. Odebiyi, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, and Alhaji Maitama Sule for example, not to talk of Senator Abraham Adesanya, and three people who have known him longer than most of us. Mr. Justice Adewole Thompson, Ven. E.O. Alayande and Awo's jewel of inestimable value, our beloved Mama, Chief (Mrs) H.I.D Awolowo. I wish great leaders like Chief Wenike Briggs, Senator J. S. Tarka, and Ken Saro-Wiwa, to mention a few, were alive to add their voices.

And so, on this fourteenth anniversary of Awo's transition, we who are his devotees must learn and study him anew, in order not to lose focus and chase shadows and false doctrines which cannot stand the test of political rigours and constitutional engineering. I thank my creator for this genius of a man whose political principles cannot fail and by which I immovably stand.

Long live Obafemi Awolowo.

Chief Awolowo's Speech to Western leaders of thought
IN IBADAN , MAY 1 1967





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.

I would like to comment briefly on these four imperatives. There
has, of late, been a good deal of sabre rattling in some parts of the
country. Those who advocate the use force for the settlement of our
present problems should stop a little and reflect. I can see no vital and
abiding principle involved in any war between the North and the East. If
the East attacked the North, it would be for purpose of revenge pure and
simple. Any claim to the contrary would be untenable. If it is claimed
that such a war is being waged for the purpose of recovering the real and
personal properties left behind in the North by Easterners two insuperable
points are obvious. Firstly, the personal effects left behind by
Easterners have been wholly looted or destroyed, and can no longer be
physically recovered. Secondly, since the real properties are immovable in
case of recovery of them can only be by means of forcible military
occupation of those parts of the North in which these properties are
situated. On the other hand, if the North attacked the East, it could only
be for the purpose of further strengthening and entrenching its position
of dominance in the country.

If it is claimed that an attack on the East is going to be
launched by the Federal Government and not by the North as such and that
it is designed to ensure the unity and integrity of the Federation, two
other insuperable points also become obvious. First, if a war against the
East becomes a necessity it must be agreed to unanimously by the remaining
units of the Federation. In this connection, the West, Mid- West and Lagos
have declared their implacable opposition to the use of force in solving
the present problem. In the face of such declarations by three out of
remaining four territories of Nigeria, a war against the East could only
be a war favoured by the North alone. Second, if the true purpose of such
a war is to preserve the unity and integrity of the Federation, then these
ends can be achieved by the very simple devices of implementing the
recommendation of the committee which met on August 9 1966, as reaffirmed
by a decision of the military leaders at Aburi on January 5 1967 as well
as by accepting such of the demands of the East, West, Mid-West and Lagos
as are manifestly reasonable, and essential for assuring harmonious
relationships and peaceful co-existence between them and their brothers
and sisters in the North.

Some knowledgeable persons have likened an attack on the East to
Lincoln's war against the southern states in America. Two vital factors
distinguish Lincoln's campaign from the one now being contemplated in
Nigeria. The first is that the American civil war was aimed at the
abolition of slavery - that is the liberation of millions of Negroes who
were then still being used as chattels and worse than domestic animals.
The second factor is that Lincoln and others in the northern states were
English-speaking people waging a war of good conscience and humanity
against their fellow nationals who were also English speaking. A war
against the East in which Northern soldiers are predominant, will only
unite the Easterners or the Ibos against their attackers, strengthen them
in their belief that they are not wanted by the majority of their
fellow-Nigerians, and finally push them out of the Federation.

We have been told that an act of secession on the part of the East
would be a signal, in the first instance, for the creation of the COR
state by decree, which would be backed, if need be, by the use of force.
With great respect, I have some dissenting observations to make on this
declaration. There are 11 national or linguistic groups in the COR areas
with a total population of 5.3 millions. These national groups are as
distinct from one another as the Ibos are distinct from them or from the
Yorubas or Hausas. Of the 11, the Efik/Ibibio/Annang national group are
3.2 million strong as against the Ijaws who are only about 700,000 strong.
Ostensibly, the remaining nine national group number 1.4 millions. But
when you have subtracted the Ibo inhabitants from among them, what is left
ranges from the Ngennis who number only 8,000 to the Ogonis who are
220,000 strong. A decree creating a COR state without a plebiscite to
ascertain the wishes of the peoples in the area, would only amount to
subordinating the minority national groups in the state to the dominance
of the Efik/Ibibio/Annang national group. It would be perfectly in order
to create a Calabar state or a Rivers state by decree, and without a
plebiscite. Each is a homogeneous national unit. But before you lump
distinct and diverse national units together in one state, the consent of
each of them is indispensable. Otherwise, the seed of social disquilibrium
in the new state would have been sown.

On the other hand, if the COR State is created by decree after the
Eastern Region shall have made its severance from Nigeria effective, we
should then be waging an unjust war against a foreign state. It would be
an unjust war, because the purpose of it would be to remove 10 minorities
in the East from the dominance of the Ibos only to subordinate them to the
dominance of the Efik/Ibibio/Annang national group. I think I have said
enough to demonstrate that any war against the East, or vice versa, on any
count whatsoever, would be an unholy crusade, for which it would be most
unjustifiable to shed a drop of Nigerian blood. Therefore, only a peaceful
solution must be found, and quickly too to arrest the present rapidly
deteriorating stalemate and restore normalcy.

With regard to the second categorical imperative, it is my
considered view that whilst some of the demands of the East are excessive
within the context of a Nigerian union, most of such demands are not only
wellfounded, but are designed for smooth and steady association amongst
the various national units of Nigeria.

The dependence of the Federal Government on financial
contributions from the regions? These and other such like demands I do not
support. Demands such as these, if accepted, will lead surely to the
complete disintegration of the Federation which is not in the interest of
our people. But I wholeheartedly support the following demands among
others, which we consider reasonable and most of which are already
embodied in our memoranda to the Ad Hoc Committee,

That revenue should be allocated strictly on the basis of
derivation; that is to say after the Federal Government has deducted its
own share for its own services the rest should be allocated to the regions
to which they are attributable.

That the existing public debt of the Federation should become the
responsibility of the regions on the basis of the location of the projects
in respect of each debt whether internal or external.

That each region should have and control its own
militia and police force.

That, with immediate effect, all military personnel should be
posted to their regions of origin,

If we are to live in harmony one with another as Nigerians it is
imperative that these demands and others which are not related, should be
met without further delay by those who have hitherto resisted them. To
those who may argue that the acceptance of these demands will amount to
transforming Nigeria into a federation with a weak central government, my
comment is that any link however tenuous, which keeps the East in the
Nigerian union, is better in my view than no link at all.

Before the Western delegates went to Lagos to attend the meetings
of the ad hoc committee, they were given a clear mandate that if any
region should opt out of the Federation of Nigeria, then the Federation
should be considered to be at an end, and that the Western Region and
Lagos should also opt out of it. It would then be up to Western Nigeria
and Lagos as an independent sovereign state to enter into association with
any of the Nigerian units of its own choosing, and on terms mutually
acceptable to them. I see no reason for departing from this mandate. If
any region in Nigeria considers itself strong enough to compel us to enter
into association with it on its own terms, I would only wish such a region
luck. But such luck, I must warn, will, in the long run be no better than
that which has attended the doings of all colonial powers down the ages.
This much I must say in addition, on this point. We have neither military
might nor the overwhelming advantage of numbers here in Western Nigeria
and Lagos. But we have justice of a noble and imperishable cause on our
side, namely: the right of a people to unfettered self-determination. If
this is so, then God is on our side, and if God is with us then we have
nothing whatsoever in this world to fear.

The fourth imperative, and the second conditional one has been
fully dealt with in my recent letter to the Military Governor of Western
Nigeria, Col. Robert Adebayo, and in the representation which your
deputation made last year to the head of the Federal Military Government,
Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon. As a matter of fact, as far back as November last
year a smaller meeting of leaders of thought in this Region decided that
unless certain things were done, we would no longer participate in the
meeting of the ad hoc committee. But since then, not even one of our
legitimate requests has been granted. I will, therefore, take no more of
your time in making further comments on a point with which you are well
familiar. As soon as our humble and earnest requests are met, I shall be
ready to take my place on the ad hoc committee. But certainly, not before.

In closing, I have this piece of advice to give. In order to resolve
amiably and in the best interests of all Nigerians certain attributes are
required on the part of Nigerian leaders, military as well as non-military
leaders alike, namely: vision, realism and unselfishness. But above all ,
what will keep Nigerian leaders in the North and East unwaveringly in the
path of wisdom, realism and moderation is courage and steadfastness on the
part of Yoruba people in the course of what they sincerely believe to be
right, equitable and just. In the past five years we in the West and Lagos
have shown that we possess these qualities in a large measure. If we
demonstrate them again as we did in the past, calmly and heroically, we
will save Nigeria from further bloodshed and imminent wreck and, at the
same time, preserve our freedom and self-respect into the bargain.

May God rule and guide our deliberations here, and endow all the
Nigerian leaders with the vision, realism, and unselfishness as well as
courage and steadfastness in the course of truth, which the present
circumstances demand. "


(Culled from Daily Times, 2 May 1967) and quoted in "Crisis and Conflict in Nigeria (Volume 1), January 1966-July 1971" by A.H. M. Kirk-Greene)





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Awolowo is a great man indeed, infact he is the greates nigerian that ever lived when it comes to Racism.

BIAFRA: Ojukwu frustrated Zik, says AC chieftain
•Urges Atiku to join Yar’Adua’s govt
By: RAZAQ BAMIDELE
Thursday, January 22, 2009



More Stories on this Section
About 41 years after Nigeria was plunged into a civil war, former Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate in Enugu State, Prince Matthew Agu, has described fratricidal war as needless and a frustration of diplomatic efforts by the late president Nnamdi Azikiwe and other eminent Igbos.

The AC chieftain in an exclusive interview with Daily Sun, faulted claims by the Biafran leader, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu that he led a sovereign state, stressing that Biafra was only a figment of the imagination Ojukwu and his cohorts.

Agu praised the high profile international diplomatic efforts of the late Owelle of Onitsha, Dr Azikiwe, which, he said, did not resonate the drums of war, being beaten by Ojukwu.
Speaking further on current political issues, Agu kicked against any alliance between AC presidential standard-bearer, Atiku Abubakar and his All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) counterpart, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, Buhari was yet to drop his military mentality towards governance. "Buhari is too rigid for political development. He is much of a military personification to fit into Nigeria’s political whirlwind," the chieftain remarked.

Rather than pitch his tent with Buhari, Agu counseled Atiku to return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and work with President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. After all, he argued, "he (Atiku) is founding member of the PDP."

Agu also spoke on other issues. Excerpts of the interview below:

Is your party AC still in existence in Enugu State?
Really any party that has a national outlook could claim to be existing in all the states of the federation. AC is existing. The structures are there because you have the state executives.

What is the level of your party participation in Enugu State?
You know we challenged this election strongly at the court and that was purely on principles because we advocated that Nigerians should have a say in who rules them. That was why we were so strong in challenging the election of Governor Sullivan Chime and having done with the election, we have forgotten everything about it.

How do you assess the administration of the government?
I will start by saying that the government of Barr. Chime is a government that I will ascribe as masses-oriented. Sullivan’s governance of Enugu State appeals to my conscience because there has been clear departure from the old order. It touches my heart, I am a human being, I have a right of such opinion and that is that the governor means well for the people of the state and should be encouraged. What are we talking about, we were all angling to govern Enugu State and when we see somebody we felt that has done what we could have done, there’s no gain denying the fact that the person is doing well and should be encouraged. That is my opinion about Enugu State as today. The young man has clearly shown a genuine determination to move the place forward. He is doing very, very well, he thinks well for the people of the state.

What are those things he has not done well?
However there should always be room for further development. Like Enugu and else where in Nigeria. I am of the opinion that a lot should be done to encourage industrialization, to attract massive employment of the unemployed and healthcare delivery.

A lot has to be done especially in the rural areas. Impact of the governance is not being felt in the rural areas as it is in the urban areas that is an observation, which I have seen and I am attributing this to the existing arrangement between the state government and the local government system, which, I think, there is some loose ends that need to be tightened.

Would you then want the local government scrapped as being canvassed by some people?
When local government performs, I ascribe it to the state government. If the state allows the local government to steal money that is their business. But I think the state can monitor the local government effectively to ensure that the resources of the local government are properly utilized to affect the lives of the rural dwellers. But when the state appears to be unmindful of what happens in the local government areas, then the local government could be turned to a bazaar where the money is shared among the officials.

How would you assess President Yar’Adua’s government?
My candid opinion about Yar’Adua’s administration is that he inherited a turbulent legacy from Obasanjo’s administration and it will not be a gloss over issue. He has to take his time, but I will advise him to be a little bit bolder, If I were to be his Chief of Staff, I will advice that a bolder step be taken because the place was in a mess. Obasanjo’s administration was more or less a gangsterism. So Yar’Adua with his decent posturing will have a lot of problem. He needs to be a little bolder to be able to confront the challenges posed by the previous rascality of Obasanjo’s administration.

Over dependence on the rule of law as it is today will cripple the nation. The rule of law as we interpret it is dangerous. For instance, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should be empowered to fight corruption and in so doing we must interpret this rule of law to suit our circumstances.

That is my position. All over the world, once you want to insist on technical rule of law, you can never achieve anything, which is why we have special tribunals, special courts to look into special areas. Crimes and corruption have become issues that should be given special judicial attention, not to be handled by regular general courts.

Yar’Adua means well for Nigeria but he is being tele-guided by forces that need to be challenged by entire Nigerians and I want to be part of those Nigerians to challenge these forces that are hindering the movement of Yar’Adua. He is under strong impediments. For this country to move forward, corruption should have a different judicial system. Under the present set up, nobody can function well as the EFCC chairman with the present judicial system. Nobody will perform miracle, with laws that seem to be protective because we always try to utilize every opportunity in a negative form. I will advocate a different approach even if it means Yar’Adua being labeled an autocratic leader. He has to apply autocracy to fight corruption in Nigeria. Otherwise, we are not going anywhere.

What is your impression of former EFCC boss in his fight against corruption?
Ribadu was never fighting corruption. I am being honest with you. Those who think that he was fighting corruption are people who are against Yar’Adua’s administration. He was not fighting corruption because I have few examples like Bode George’s case. In fact, he was just out to arrest and hang anybody that Obasanjo wanted him harangued and that is not how to fight corruption. He was so selective so I have no sympathy for him in his present predicament. I even want him prosecuted for corruption.

AC presidential flag-bearer, Atiku Abubakar is being wooed by his former party PDP, are you comfortable with the situation?
If I have to advise my former presidential candidate, sincerely I will advise him to join Yar’Adua right now before it is too late, because of his late elder brother, Shehu Yar’Adua who gave him political tutelage to assist his younger brother who is in dire need of such national assistance. Atiku is a very strong human being and I respect him a lot.

I don’t like his not joining his political brother. I will encourage it anywhere. The two of them should work together to move Nigeria forward. He has a lot to contribute to this country and I don’t want him staying outside this government that means well for Nigeria.

Would you also want him to work with Buhari?
Buhari is too rigid for political development. He is much of a military personification to fit into Nigeria political whirlwind. So Buhari should be forgotten. He is not a politician and I don’t look at him as one. A lot of tributes have been poured on him for reasons I don’t know but when he was the Head of State, he didn’t show us the ability to lead. It was rather the late Tunde Idiagbon that held sway. He has no word of his own.

I don’t know what people saw in him that should make people think he is something else. He maybe honest and humble but he has no capacity to rule this country. The only person I know that can steer the ship of this country to the promise land is Atiku Abubakar. That is why I insist that he works with Yar’Adua. After all he is a founding member of PDP. What stops him from joining his family. All of us were in PDP but left because of the way Obasanjo tormented us. Now that he is out, what stops us from going back to the party we built.

What is your opinion about the proposed amendment of the Constitution and areas you wish should be amended?
That is why I said that Yar’Adua should be bold. He is the chief executive of Nigeria, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, he should be bold and write his name in gold in the history of Nigeria. He should be decisive. More states should be created. For instance, my senatorial district Nsukka is the only old province that has not attained the status of a state. Adada should be created and more states created in Nigeria. State is the only method through which an area could easily be developed. Look at what Ebonyi State is today. Yar’Adua should be bold and create more states. He should amend those areas that are impediments to the development of Nigeria.

There are so many areas that should be looked into and amended. The members of the National Assembly are our representatives and empowered by our Constitution. Whatever the constitution asks them to do, they should go ahead and do it immediately. He should take decisions as he deems fit and with the Supreme Court ruling, Yar’Adua is the bona-fide President of Nigeria.

Reformation of our electoral process, what are your views?
Any reformation without strong leadership will amount to nothing. Yar’Adua should decide to bequeath us with a wonderful electoral system. I know the man meant well for Nigeria. All I need from him is to be bold. Even if you reform the electoral system without the willingness to ‘practicalise’ it, we will go back to square one. We urge Yar’Adua to insist that we have free and fair elections during his tenure. If the leadership does not wish we have free and fair election, no matter the amount of reformation, we will still go where we are. Democracy is all about rule of law, you either get through the ballot boxes or through court, even in America whenever there is electoral problem, the law takes its course. Now that the court has confirmed him as the president of Nigeria, let him now usher in those democracy dividends, which include amendment of our constitution and reliable electoral system.

Are you worried by the economic situation?
Economy? Nigeria is operating on a paper economy. I am not surprised that the Naira is devalued. What are we producing? What are we known for? We import everything including baby napkins. It is known that the states do not operate industries but should encourage industrialization. Look at what happened in America where it budgets several billions of dollars to support industrial growth, industrial stability and employment stability that shows that it is not all about capitalism rather it is capitalism blended in socialist tendency. The country should emulate America before it is too late and encourage industrialization, which brings about employment. We must also think about how to sustain our economy internally. We are operating over dependent economy. Atiku should be consulted to come in and advise the Federal Government.

What do you have to say about the team appointed by the president?
You mean the 12 wise men that included I think Chief Ohuabunwa and the Lagos State Governor, along with the Edo and Kano governors. I think that will further the thinking horizon of the Presidency. But I would have expected the presidency to include more professional experts from the institutions of higher learning and some Nigerians with proven talents on economics, history and politics at the advanced levels. People like Prof. Aluko, Dr. Aloy Okolie of UNN Political Science Department.

Southeast problem?
We lack leadership and it worries me. We thrive on individualism. That is the problem we have in the Southeast. Everybody wants to be seen as the richest Iboman in the midst of poverty. Believe me, every man in Ibo land wants to be worshipped. Those patriotic nationalists are no longer there. Everybody is looking for what he gets, that is why people like ignoring personal enterprise to see what we can do to better the place. We need to be resolute, united in fighting for our rights. I wonder why the Ibos should be given five states when others have six. Our mode of operation should change. The new generation of Ibos will not and cannot tolerate this state any longer. Without much angling we are entitled to our dues in Nigeria.

Will you propose another war to correct the ills?
There are several interpretations of what constitutes a war. You have military war and social war and we are going to embark on what I may term a social warfare on the Nigerian state. To answer that, we have absolute faith in the definition of Prof. W Green of America who posits that peace is absolute understanding. We want justice and equity participation and development so that the future will be worth living. Some well-meaning Ibos are incorporating a pressure movement, Southeast of Nigeria United Congress. This body with inbuilt components has mainly legal and human relationship department and also the international contact, pursue a programme aimed at bringing the issue of southeast at the front burner in the national discourse through the judiciary at both the domestic and external levels.

Was Biafra war then a mistake?
To me, I will say there may have been some reasons for the disturbances but not for a full-scale war as we witnessed which lasted for about three years.

Why did it fail?
In the first place, there shouldn’t have been full-scale war of that magnitude and secondly, the war could not achieve much because the state of Biafra never existed as a sovereign. Biafra was Col. Emeka Ojukwu and the other personalities were synonymous with each other. So, the pursuit was not about the survival of a state but what an individual’s perception of survival is. The high ranking international diplomacy initiated by some eminent Ibos, led by the late Owelle, Zik of Africa, Nnamdi Azikiwe were frustrated simply for not resonating the position of Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Message to Nigerians
Nigerians are so cheap to rule and that is the problem Nigerians have. We take whatever we see. In the morning, if there is no bread on the streets, Nigerians will take it, when there is no food, Nigerians will take it. Nigerians should learn to really understand the essence of social contract theory. That will make the states to know their duties and responsibilities and even fight corruption.

They take what is supposed to go to the people and put into their pocket and allow the masses to suffer hunger and diseases and die untimely. Nigerians should understand to say ‘no’ when they are supposed to say ‘no’. They are supposed to encourage when they are supposed to encourage. They should be awake to their responsibilities.

okunoba:

@Udezeu
Ethnic cleansing of Ibo`s? Sorry mate, if that was the case millions would have been killed after Biafra surrendered since they didn`t have the means to defend themselves against the federalist. The fact is their was a civil war and the federalist won, similar to the American civil war in which the confederates lost to the federal side. Do u hear historians calling the war, ethnic cleansing of southerners, because they lost.
I am saddened to see black people take pride in wanting to dominate their fellow black brothers. If feeling Superior to your fellow Nigerian brothers is what makes u happy then u are definitely sad. The Nigeria and Africa that we should be working towards is one where life is better for all, regardless of ethnic affiliation. I don`t want Yoruba domination of Nigeria, what I want is a good and fair country where we can all have a good life. I could easily lay claim to such stupid assertion that Yoruba`s dominate Nigeria, just like u did about Ibo`s but what good will that bring to the millions of Nigerian that are living in object poverty. U obviously want and take pride in the Ibo race dominating other groups in the federation. U are at least open with your ethnic bigotry. Don`t dish out what u can`t take, because it may come back to hunt u. At the end of the day we are all seen as underdeveloped and poor wether u are Ibo, Hausa, Yoruba or Kanuri. Lets work for the common good of the black race and indeed this world at large.
Bless Africa

You can read this account and be convinced: You uninformed tribalist


From The Sunday Times
October 19, 2008
Bodies stacked in street as genocide grips Biafra
May 12, 1968: Frederick Forsyth, at this time a freelance reporter, finds the breakaway region is now a charnel house
From the archive

THE war raging between Nigeria and her breakaway eastern region of Biafra has just ended its 10th and bloodiest month. After 10 weeks in the bush with the Biafran army commandos, I have emerged sickened by the senseless violence that this war has wreaked upon a west African nation that could have been an example of harmonious progress to the whole of the continent.

The most disturbing aspect is that inside 10 months it has deteriorated steadily from a war in which the original motivation was the reincorporation of the breakaway east into Nigeria into a spectacle of racial hatred run amok.

General Yakubu Gowon, the head of the federal government, in unleashing a war that he thought could be ended within 48 hours, has let loose forces that white men do not understand and that the Nigerians cannot control.

The Lagos government, to judge from its public utterances, seems blandly unaware of just how far its own army is out of its control.

When one hears what Lagos says about the rehabilitation of the Ibos of Biafra, about non-discrimination, about equal job opportunity and so forth, and then one sees what is actually going on at the battle fronts and behind them, one must come to the conclusion that either Lagos is lying or it has lost control.

In six forays behind Nigerian lines, I was able to observe Nigerian-occupied Biafra. It is being turned into a charnel house of gutted hamlets and rotting corpses.

From the bush a timorous Ibo native emerges to explain what happened when “Hausa man come”. The descriptions tally so closely that they are almost standardised: the menfolk lined up against the wall of the biggest building and machinegunned, the women raped to the accompaniment of the all-too-ritualistic mutilations, the children spitted on machete knives.

Genocide is an ugly word and an even uglier reality. I do not use it lightly, but my judgment that it really could be the extermination of an entire race does not go unsupported.

The two papal delegates who visited both sides in the conflict submitted a report to the Pope which caused the latter to condemn the war for its “strong genocidal overtones”.

I spoke to nearly 100 Nigerian prisoners of war and, once their Ibo captors had been sent out of earshot, they spoke quite freely. All admitted that they had not volunteered but had been conscripted by no-nonsense recruiting sergeants on street corners and in market places. After a week’s training they were sent up to the front with a rifle and a pouch of ammunition. These new soldiers loot, rape, kill and torture.

At Onitsha, under siege from the federal troops, the 300-strong congregation of the Apostolic church decided to stay on while others fled and to pray for deliverance. The Second Division found them in the church, dragged them out, tied their hands behind their backs and executed them. Three hours later, entering Onitsha, I found the corpses stacked in the road.

It is the Biafrans’ firm belief, which seemed to be supported by a lot of evidence, that the great majority of the weapons in Nigerian hands are being supplied by the British. British government spokesmen, both in parliament and elsewhere, have been remarkably evasive about just what has been sent to Nigeria.

The Biafrans vigorously reject Britain’s claim that she is obliged to support Gowon’s war because he is the legal government of Nigeria. The Biafran leader, Lieutenant-Colonel Emeka Ojukwu, points out that Britain does not always feel obliged to arm military regimes, particularly when the use to which the weapons might be put is dubious in the extreme.

His attitude is, as usual, moderate compared with that of his more emotional countrymen. The hatred of Britain has steadily grown as 80,000 Biafrans, more than 65,000 of them civilians, have died. Now they believe that just about everything being thrown at them is of British origin – including bombs and rockets.

Time is running short, as the Biafrans are squeezed ever more tightly into the centre of the ring, with a vengeful Nigerian army seeking its pound of flesh for its own 35,000 casualties. Negotiation is one road; the other leads to the biggest bloodbath the Commonwealth has ever seen.

The Biafra secession was finally crushed in January 1970