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Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release - Politics (5) - Nairaland

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by Nobody: 3:11pm On Aug 11, 2018
phase1:


Go and pick Awolowo's autobiography. The title is Awo. He wrote it himself and published it before independence.
As evident in that book it was Awo who was envious of Igbos and their progressive lifestyle. From the nice hairstyle of his Igbo classmates to the Dr Zik Oratory skills and flamboyancy when he addressed university students at Ibadan (Awo was an unknown journalist them), he never tried for a moment to rein in his envy and jealousy of Zik and Igbos. It's all in the book.

Go grab it and see through the heart of Awo on what he thought about the Ibos pre-independence.

U don't need to waste ur energy replying all these I was born in lagos and I die in lagos....

Definitely he is a mix blood....not a pure breed.

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by Nobody: 3:13pm On Aug 11, 2018
[quote author=Ioannes post=70186778][/quote]


Truth pains.
Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by AndreUweh(m): 3:13pm On Aug 11, 2018
GreenCap:
i'm Igbo but this man is a sage.

Awo is the best visionary leader in black Africa.

he saw tomorrow. Britain knew it.

Zik would have been really envious of him.

prior to 1960 his motion to include secession in our constitution was turn down.

so Belewa and his co-travelers like Bello and Okpara did not want opposition.

no wonder they created Mid-West in 1963 to reduce AG influence in the West

but left the North and East intact by not creating Middle-Belt and CORE* region.

Calabar Ogoja Rivers provinces of Eastern*

as a federal prisoner, Ojukwu decided not to hold him back.

Awo built OAU at Ife outside of Ibadan

before Zik built UNN at Nsukka outside of Enugu

then Bello built ABU at Zaria outside of Kaduna.

he set the pace, others follow.

though he gave my mom and dad 20 Pounds each after the war,

nevertheless my respect goes to you Sir.

had it been Awolowo ruled Nigeria say from 1979 to 1983 this country would have endured just for 4 years and enjoy forever.

Biafra is a model of Awoism ideology

UNN was built before University of Ile Ife.

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by perryy(m): 3:15pm On Aug 11, 2018
Awo never knew Ironsi had his own cynical intention which led to the coup. Ironsi masterminded the coup and wouldn't release Awo because he knew Awo would come out and ask for a return to democracy.

8 Likes

Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by ololade5597: 3:17pm On Aug 11, 2018
Let’s leave history alone jawe...... or let’s do holocust for the Igbo that will be better at least oxygen will be sufficient ..... tongue tongue tongue

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by Nobody: 3:18pm On Aug 11, 2018
CROWNWEALTH019:

And he died of poison ... Great men don't commit suicide

You should have completed your statement. .. Great men don't commit suicide, wise men do. grin


And how are you sure he commited suicide just by the hear-Say ?


Great and wise men don't base their judgement on hear say, foolish ones do - William Shakespeare 1904


grin

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by Nobody: 3:20pm On Aug 11, 2018
ololade5597:
Let’s leave history alone jawe...... or let’s do holocust for the Igbo that will be better at least oxygen will be sufficient ..... tongue tongue tongue
May God start with your family
Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by Strikethem: 3:20pm On Aug 11, 2018
Juliusmalema:


I done tell u finish......just mind ur business as I mind mine.
Are you scared, I repeat, until your upside down brain comes to normal, I will keep exposing your stupidity. Let me see your worst.

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by sammytovic(m): 3:20pm On Aug 11, 2018
tyson99:

Sharap I am Yoruba and honestly this man led us to where we are today he could have allowed us to split then but greediness won't and he swindled money too so not moved




I am waiting for bashing
Awo was never greedy. He wanted nigeria unity

4 Likes

Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by legba1(m): 3:22pm On Aug 11, 2018
gasparpisciotta:
Hmmm! Blast from the past....lessons from the history class: Never abandon your colleagues in struggle!!!

Jah bless u jareh...unlike one kanu like that who left his co travellers in kuje...

And for those children of hate saying he was begging to be pardon...re-read that letter...this time slowly or ask your lesson teachers for help...thats one write up ojukwu and kanu combined can not write...true to fact...ironsi didnt grant the pardon cos he couldn't see beyond his accidental position.

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by Nobody: 3:24pm On Aug 11, 2018
Strikethem:
Are you scared, I repeat, until your upside down brain comes to normal, I will keep exposing your stupidity. Let me see your worst.

Is like u are that proverbial little bird Nza who after a heavy meal challenged his ancestors to a wrestling match.
Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by Strikethem: 3:24pm On Aug 11, 2018
[s]
phase1:


Go and pick Awolowo's autobiography. The title is Awo. He wrote it himself and published it before independence. I have a copy.
As evident in that book it was Awo who was envious of Igbos and their progressive lifestyle. From the nice hairstyle of his Igbo classmates to the Dr Zik oratory skills and flamboyancy when he addressed university students at Ibadan (Awo was an unknown journalist them), he never tried for a moment to rein in his envy and jealousy of Zik and Igbos. It's all in the book.

Go grab it and see through the heart of Awo on what he thought about the Ibos pre-independence.
[/s]Awoo was a premier, it was igbos that were jealous of him and his success. Why do you think igbo supported the creation of Midwest.

8 Likes

Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by snipernigga(m): 3:25pm On Aug 11, 2018
Anyway I'd like to know why despite this romantic letter Ironsi never released him, till Gowon did.[/quote]

It was Ojukwu that released him from Calabar prisons in the Eastern Nigeria then. After agreeing to form Oduduwa Republic he betrayed Ojukwu and joined Gowon to attack Ojukwu and the Eastern government then known as Biafra Republic. angry angry

1 Like 2 Shares

Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by ololade5597: 3:25pm On Aug 11, 2018
solasoulmusic:
May God start with your family


Guess u don’t know the meaning of holocaust ....... Hitler was right people like u don’t deserve life

1 Like

Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by RexTramadol1: 3:29pm On Aug 11, 2018
IntrovertedK:
my brother, their matter is out of this world. To even think they are now the major region supporting PDP is just too funny. Same PDP they hate with passion and left for SW for long. Really really confused. They are campaigning more for Atiku even more than his own kinsmen yet they'd always shout some people are slave bla bla. It's a shame my brother. Big shame on them. They'd forever remain underdog in Nigeria.




The igbos have a right to support whoever they want, that's not a reason to castigate anyone



You're so filled with bias that if they support Buhari they are smart, but anyone other than that they are underdogs



Even as a Yoruba man, if some of us are supporting Buhari, it's their right and choice, we have no reason to hate them or abuse them...... As some of us might choose someone else




Everyone has a right to choose whoever they want in any position




Ojukwu,Awo, Balewa, Zik are all parts of history whether good or bad





If we in this age want to be part of history, we need to work on unification that those ones could not accomplish



Instead of silly divisive comments.

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by phase1: 3:29pm On Aug 11, 2018
ololade5597:



Guess u don’t know the meaning of holocaust ....... Hitler was right people like u don’t deserve life

It is gays like you that should be sent
to a concentration camp in the desert and gassed into extinction.

2 Likes

Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by konoplyanka: 3:34pm On Aug 11, 2018
HypocriticalMod:

Argue with your beloved ewedu..

While you choke on your soured akpu.

7 Likes 1 Share

Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by ololade5597: 3:34pm On Aug 11, 2018
phase1:


It is gays like you that should be sent
to a concentration camp in the desert and gassed into extinction.


You know nothing as long as u don’t share hitler’s bloodline ....hey bitch ure gone that’s just wat I’m saying ure an abomination on my land .... holocust most be done on Lagos ....igbos must go ..... maybe they’ll stop saying Lagos is no man’s land
Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by Nobody: 3:36pm On Aug 11, 2018
Crafty old baštard grin
Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by Nobody: 3:37pm On Aug 11, 2018
Strikethem:
Shut your smelly akpu mouth. You just start. Your stupidity must be corrected. Keep bringing lies while I keep exposing your sorry ass.


A chicken who claims to be mad has not seen the drunken fox........be guided.
Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by GreenCap: 3:37pm On Aug 11, 2018
phase1:


Go and pick Awolowo's autobiography. The title is Awo. He wrote it himself and published it before independence.
As evident in that book it was Awo who was envious of Igbos and their progressive lifestyle. From the nice hairstyle of his Igbo classmates to the Dr Zik Oratory skills and flamboyancy when he addressed university students at Ibadan (Awo was an unknown journalist them), he never tried for a moment to rein in his envy and jealousy of Zik and Igbos. It's all in the book.

Go grab it and see through the heart of Awo on what he thought about the Ibos pre-independence.

nwanna, hapu ihe edere n'akwukwo.

in 1959 when Awo built Western Nigeria TV station some countries in Europe had no commercial television.

the East and the North were still reading newspapers like West African Pilot and listening to radio.

Zik formed alliance with Bello to fight Awo.

Sarduana of Sokoto asked Owelle of Onitsha to consider their religious and cultural differences

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by bjnice(m): 3:39pm On Aug 11, 2018
tyson99:

Sharap I am Yoruba and honestly this man led us to where we are today he could have allowed us to split then but greediness won't and he swindled money too so not moved




I am waiting for bashing

Seriously Pa Awo is the cause of our problem, deducing from ur statement. Maybe if you are in the Man shoe may have done other wise. Let me ask you He should have allow us to split with which Army's. Since u are Yoruba folk like me, are you aware or inform that Yoruba has the least of soldier in the file and rank, with just a handful officers of Yoruba origin.

How could going our separate ways be made possible. In addition to that Yoruba land that happened to house the capital of the nation has already been occupied by northerners soldiers.

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by striker07(m): 3:45pm On Aug 11, 2018
Awo was truly a great man,late sage as he is fondly called,the first television station in Africa even before France was one of his numerous achievement

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by GreenCap: 3:55pm On Aug 11, 2018
AndreUweh:

UNN was built before University of Ile Ife.
you're correct.
thanks for pointing out the mixup.
it's the tele-vision on my mind.
the first terrestial broadcast TV signal in Africa.
that's WNTS.
Western Nigeria Television Service
before the East and the North built theirs later

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by sykeng(m): 3:58pm On Aug 11, 2018
Ioannes:
They don't make them like this anymore.

This man called Awolowo was a great personality who lived before his time.

The best President Nigeria never had. Just compare his thoughts and ideology with that of present day politicians like Saraki, Dino and Obasanjo.

Lalasticlala this is history material for front page.
why exclude your certificateless mentor
Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by Nobody: 4:04pm On Aug 11, 2018
ololade5597:



Guess u don’t know the meaning of holocaust ....... Hitler was right people like u don’t deserve life

Who doesn’t know the meaning ? And you that do because what you come from a tribe free of sin your wishing it on people you don’t know

my friend will you understand that what you wish upon others will come upon you and your generation what have you done for your generation ? How have you inspired lives many times I say before it touches the life of innocent people you will be the first to taste it you are a disgrace to your tribe , your nation and even your name I am ashamed I even gave you a mention but doubt God and make sure you note the day and the time I told you this for future reference

People like me and my tribe survive through the threats of useless and ruthless racists like you who have no contribution for this generation but hate your parents left you in the form of a legacy at least if I die I leave a legacy of love but you a legacy of hatred and backwardness you can’t even spell it well to begin with you are the greatest mistake a woman has ever made


May all you wish for Ndi-Igbo start with your fathers compound and after that your mothers compound then you will realize that it’s not everyone that you lay a hand on

What did they do to you but show you that they are ambitious and not primitive in thinking to be doing all sorts of medicine to succeed

Touch not his anointed do his children no harm or face the wrath of the almighty. I met Henry Golde a survivor of the holocaust who came to speak to us in college and to be honest with you if you can wish that on other people you as well deserve the same fate double double Jigi Jigi !

you don’t even know the level of pain they went to but you are quick to say the same should happen to others

You just open your mouth and say rubbish Anuofia!

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by emmanuelex1(m): 4:07pm On Aug 11, 2018
Please can a president of a federal republic release a prisoner in a region he has no control at a particular time? I may not be Igbo but I think Ojukwu could have killed Awo if he wanted to.
IntrovertedK:
I see no difference between Igbo and the Moslem faith they have so much hatred for. You both are gullible. You get deceived easily, and you believe whatever they (Your Messiah) tell you. Reason Ojukwu wasted you lots and Kanu continue where he stop. Ojukwu doesn't even have power to release himself from Nigeria talk more of releasing a federal prisoner. Is you lots brain paining you?
Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by LBanks(m): 4:22pm On Aug 11, 2018
SirToby:

Thesame way my children will not read the history of a coward that ran away from war with his dangling joystick while his men were been slaughtered. He later came back shamelessly to beg for amnesty in a country he never wanted to be part of and out of his foolishness and stupidity, he contested for the number one position of the country he said it wasn't his own and lost woefully. what a shame!

At least he fought before he ran.

That history is better than the history of Brigadier Ogundipe who even peed on his pants for fear of his life when Ojukwu was advocating for him to succeed the assassinated Aguiyi-Ironsi, being the second highest ranking military officer then after Ironsi

Ogundipe is the biggest coward in the history of mankind, I wonder how such a person even got into the military in the first place with such cowardly tendencies

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by Baselm: 4:27pm On Aug 11, 2018
EazyMoh:
Chai e pain am o!
But the letter sounded like Awo was actually glad Tafawa Balewa and co were murdered he didn't make any attempt to condemn it no toppling of our young democracy. Or does it mean the first coup plotters and Ironsi were in cohorts?
Anyway I'd like to know why despite this romantic letter Ironsi never released him, till Gowon did.

Tafawa Balewa and co were the ones who imprisoned him for standing against the Northern Oligarchy. Ironsi(the GOC of the Nigerian Army) was a major beneficiary of the northern oligarchy and as a matter of fact was on the list of people to be arrested but escaped. so the opportunists( Ironsi, Ojukwu etc) who took power, weren't part of the revolutionists( Nzeogwu, Ademoyega, Ifeanjuwa etc) who planned and executed the coup ousting the Northern Oligarchy.

so u will see why Ironsi never released him, cos he was a part of the old govt,he even imprisoned all the revolutionists despite promising to include them in his govt as a term for Nzeogwu's surrender of the North which he captured.

This also explains why Ojukwu despite releasing the Revolutionists to fight for his Biafran side Killed Ifeanjuwa, Lt.col Banjo etc simply because they had different beliefs to his selfish, ill planned agenda. He never gave Nzeogwu the command of any troop and this led to his death at the hands of the Federal troops of his raids. he returned Ademoyega to Prison after just about a month out.

You can see the difference between the brave revolutionists and the Opportunists. The sad thing is that Nigeria has continually been ruled by opportunists who would rather maintain the status quo, eat their share of the national cake or chase selfish agendas.

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Re: Awolowo's Letter From Prison To Aguiyi Ironsi Pressing For His Release by madridsta007(m): 4:33pm On Aug 11, 2018
TooNoisy:
CONFIDENTIAL

28th March, 1966

The Supreme Commander and Head of the Federal Military Government, Lagos.

Thro: The Director of Prisons,

Prisons Headquarters Office,

Private Mail Bag 12522,

Lagos.

Sir:

PREROGATIVE OF MERCY: SECTION 101 (1) (a) OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERATION ACT 1963

1. I am writing this petition for FREE PARDON under Section 101 (1) (a) of the Constitution of the Federation Act 1963, on behalf of myself and some of my colleagues whose names are set out in the Annexe hereto.

2. Before I go further, I would like to stress that the reasons which I advance in support of this petition, in my own behalf, basically hold good for my said colleagues. For they share the same political beliefs with me, and have intense and unquenchable loyalty for the ideals espoused by the Party which I have the honour to lead.

3. There are many grounds which could be submitted for your consideration in support of this petition. But I venture to think that SEVEN of them are enough and it is to these that I confine myself.

(1) In the course of my evidence during my trial, I stated that my Party favoured and was actively working for alliance with the N.C.N.C. as a means, among other things, of solving what I described as ‘the problem of Nigeria’, and strengthening the unity of the Federation. In October 1963 (that is about a month after my conviction and while my appeal to the Supreme Court was still pending), a Peace Committee headed by the Chief Justice of the Federation, Sir Adetokunbo Ademola, made overtures to me through my friend Alhaji W. A. Elias to the effect that if I abandoned my intention to enter into alliance with the N.C.N.C. which, according to the Committee, was an Ibo Organisation, and agreed to dissolve the Action Group and, in co-operation with Chief Akintola (now deceased), form an all-embracing Yoruba political party which I would lead and which would go into alliance with the N.P.C., I would be released from prison before the end of that year. I turned down these terms because I was of the considered opinion that their acceptance would further widen and exacerbate inter-tribal differences, and gravely undermine the unity of the Federation.
TODAY, THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT, OF WHICH YOU ARE THE HEAD, LEAVES NO ONE IN ANY DOUBT THAT IT STANDS FOR NIGERIAN UNITY. BUT IT MUST BE EMPHASISED, IN THIS CONNECTION, THAT IF I HAD PRIZED MY PERSONAL FREEDOM ABOVE THE UNITY OF NIGERIA, I WOULD HAVE BEEN SET FREE IN 1963. IN THAT EVENT, THIS PETITION WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN NECESSARY, AND THE WORK OF CONSOLIDATING THE UNITY OF THE COUNTRY TO WHICH YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES NOW SET YOUR HANDS MIGHT HAVE BEEN MADE EXTREMELY MORE INTRACTABLE AND IRKSOME.

As recently as 20th December, 1965, identical peace terms (the only variant being that the alliance with the N.C.N.C. which was now a reality should be broken) were made to me here, in Calabar Prison, by a delegation representing another Peace Committee headed by the self-same Chief Justice of the Federation and purporting to have the blessing of the Prime Minister, with the unequivocal promise that if I accepted the terms my release would follow almost immediately. I rejected the terms for the reasons which I have outlined above.

(2) One of the monsters which menaced the public life of this country up to 14th January, this year is OPPORTUNISM with its attendant evils of jobbery, venality, corruption, and unabashed self-interest. From all accounts, you are inflexibly resolved to destroy this monster. That was precisely what my colleagues and I had tried to do before we were rendered hors de combat since 29th May, 1962.
On two different occasions I was offered, first the post of Deputy Prime Minister (before May 1962), and second that of Deputy Governor-General (in August 1962), if I would agree to fold up the Opposition and join in a National Government. I declined the two offers because they were designed exclusively to gratify my self-interest, with no thought of fostering any political moral principle which could benefit the people of Nigeria. The learned Judge who presided over the Treasonable Felony Trial, commented unfavourably on my non-acceptance of one of these posts and held that my action lent weight to the case of the Prosecution against me. I must say, however, that in all conscience, I felt and still feel that a truly public-spirited person should accept public office not for what he can get for himself — such as the profit and glamour of office — but for the opportunity which it offers him of serving his people to the best of his ability, by promoting their welfare and happiness. To me, the two aforementioned posts were sinecures, and were intended to immobilise my talents and stultify the role of watch-dog which the people of Nigeria looked upon me to play on their behalf, at that juncture in our political evolution.

(3) This leads me to the third ground. From newspaper reports, it would appear that you and your colleagues — like all well-meaning Nigerians — are anxious that on the termination of the present military rule, Nigeria should become a flourishing democracy. Now, democracy is a political doctrine which is very intimately dear to my heart. It was to the end that it might be accepted as a way of life in all parts of the Federation that I campaigned most vigorously and relentlessly in the Northern Provinces of Nigeria, from 1957 to 1962, to the implacable annoyance of some of my political adversaries. It was to the end that this doctrine might survive the severe onslaught of opportunist and mercenary politics that I refused to succumb to the temptation of the National Government. Many views — some of them well-considered and respectable — have been expressed about the value or disvalue of opposition as a feature of public life in a newly emergent African State. Speaking for my party, I submit that the Opposition which I led did, to all intents and purposes, justify its existence and was acclaimed by the masses of our people as essential and indispensable to rapid- national growth. This was so, because it was unexceptionably constructive. The abrogation of the Anglo-Nigeria Defence Pact was one of the feathers in its cap. Some of the policies which the Government of the day later adopted — such as the creation of a Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the introduction of drastic measures to correct our balance of payments deficit — were among those persistently and constructively urged by the Opposition inside and outside Parliament.
The point I wish to emphasise here is that it was not out of spite or hatred for any one that I chose to remain in Opposition instead of joining the much-talked-of National Government. I did so in order to serve our people to the best of my ability in the position in which their votes had placed my Party, and to ensure that the young plant of democracy grows into a sturdy flourishing tree in Nigeria.

(4) Since the declaration of emergency in the Western Region on 29th May, 1962, political tension has existed in Western Nigeria. My conviction on 11th September, 1963, together with the surrounding bizarre circumstances, has led not only to the heightening of that tension in Western Nigeria but also to its profuse and irrepressible percolation to the other parts of the Federation. The result is that it can be said, without much fear of contradiction, that today the majority of our people are passionately concerned about and fervently solicitous for the release of myself and my colleagues.
The work of reconstruction on which you and your colleagues have embarked demands that all the citizens of Nigeria in their respective callings should give of their maximum best. A state of psychological tension, however much it may be brought under control or repressed, does not and cannot conduce to maximum efficiency. In spite of themselves, people labouring under emotions which this kind of tension automatically generates are bound to make avoidable mistakes which in their turn have adverse effects on national progress.

It is, therefore, in the national interest that this tension should be relaxed, if possible, without further delay.

(5) A petition of this kind is, by its very nature, bound to be replete with self-adulation. I hope and trust that, in the circumstances, this is excusable. It is in this hope and trust that I assert that my colleagues and I have the qualifications and capacity to render invaluable services to our people and fatherland. Every day that we spend in prison, therefore, must be regarded as TWENTY-FOUR UNFORGIVING HOURS OF TRULY VALUABLE SERVICES LOST TO OUR YOUNG COUNTRY. Even my most inveterate enemies have given the following testimony about me: ‘AWOLOWO HAS STILL A GREAT DEAL TO GIVE TO THIS COUNTRY.’
No country however advanced and civilised can afford to waste any of its talents, be they ever so small. Nigeria is too young to bury some of her talents as she was compelled to do under the old regime.

It is within your power to restore my colleagues and me to a position where our fatherland can again rejoice at the contributions which we are capable of making to its progress, welfare and happiness.

(6) Nigeria is now SIXTY-SIX MONTHS old as an independent State. The final phase in the struggle for Nigeria’s independence was initiated by my Party in the historic Self-Government motion moved by Chief Anthony Enahoro and supported by me on 31st March, 1953. IT SHOULD BE REGARDED AS MORE THAN IRONICAL, AND AS PALPABLY TRAGIC, THAT TWO OF THE ARCHITECTS OF THAT INDEPENDENCE AND, INDEED, THE PACE-SETTERS AND ACCELERATORS OF ITS FINAL PHASE SHOULD BE UNFREE IN A FREE NIGERIA.
In precise terms, I have spent FORTY-SIX out of the SIXTY-SIX MONTHS of independence in one form of confinement or another. I happened to know that the leaders of the old civilian regime, in spite of themselves, did not feel quite easy in their conscience about the plight into which they had manoeuvred me in the scheme of things; and I dare to express the hope and belief that you, personally view my present confinement with concern and disapproval.

(7) It is usual — almost invariably the case — on the accession of a revolutionary regime, for political prisoners and, indeed, other prisoners of some note, to be released as a mark of disapproval of some of the doings of the old regime, or in token of the new dawn of freedom which comes in the wake of the new regime.
It would be invidious to quote unspecific instances. But in the case of my colleagues and myself, by courageously and adamantly opposing the evils which your regime now denounces in the former civilian administration, I think we are perfectly justified if we expect you to regard us as being in tune with your yearnings and aspirations for Nigeria, and therefore entitled to our personal freedoms under your dispensation.

4. In view of the foregoing reasons which clearly demonstrate

(i) that I have always and, under trying circumstances, steadfastly and unyieldingly

(a) stood for the UNITY OF NIGERIA,

(b) been opposed to POLITICAL OPPORTUNISM with its attendant evils,

(c) fostered the growth of DEMOCRACY in Nigeria;

(ii) that my incarceration

(a) has led to the heightening of political tension among Nigerians, which tension can only be relaxed by my release,

(b) has deprived our fatherland of invaluable services such as we have rendered before, and can still render now and in future, in greater measure; and

(iii) that the evils which my colleagues and I condemned and valiantly refused to compromise with in the old civilian government are what you now quite rightly denounce, and are taking active steps to remove in order to pave the way for national and beneficial reconstruction,

I most sincerely appeal to you to be good enough to exercise, in favour of myself and my colleagues, the prerogative of mercy vested in you by Section 10 (I) (i) (a) of the Constitution of the Federation Act 1963, by granting me as well as each of my colleagues A FREE PARDON. If you do, your action will be most warmly, heartily, and popularly applauded at home and abroad, and you will go down to history as soldier, statesmen, and humanitarian.

Yours truly,

OBAFEMI AWOLOWO

A. THOSE CONVICTED FOR TREASONABLE FELONY

1. THOSE STILL SERVING THEIR TERMS

1. Chief Obafemi Awolowo

2. Chief Anthony Enahoro

3. Mr. Lateef K. Jakande

4. Mr. Dapo Omisade

5. Mr. S.A. Onitiri

6. Mr. Gabby Sasore

7. Mr. Sunday Ebietoma

8. Mr. U.I. Nwaobiala

2. THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY SERVED THEIR TERMS

1. Mr. S.A. Otubanjo

2. Mr. S.J. Umoren

3. Mr. S. Oyesile

B. THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET BEEN TRIED

1. Mr. S.G. Ikoku

2. Mr. Ayo Adebanjo

3. Mr. James Aluko

— with Dr.Chukwuma Christopher Osaji, Taiwo Osunsanya, Bello Isiaka and 59 others.


https://ihuanedo.ning.com/m/group/discussion?id=2971192%3ATopic%3A65391


And people with jaundiced knowledge of history want us to ignore the militarization of the National Assembly so that we slid quicker into dictatorship.
Never again!

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