Where the rain began to beat us

By Owei Lakemfa

AS we mark the fiftieth year of our flag independence, many Nigerians are despondent believing that our lingering problems are because we are cursed.

This is incorrect, rather, our problems are foundational as typified by our founding Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. He was a school teacher when the colonialists spotted his talent as a “House Nigger”. In January 1947 he was appointed into the Northern House of Assembly and two months later into the Legislative Council (National Assembly) Balewa was of low esteem; he felt inferior to the White man, was grateful to have been colonised, was an unapologetic agent of colonialism, was ready and willing to do the bidding of the British, and did not believe in the unity of Nigeria.

To the colonialists, this was the perfect person to invest in and promote to lead Nigeria. To mitigate any controversy, let me reproduce excerpts of his first speeches at the two legislative houses as published by his friend/master and official biographer, Trevor Clark in the book, A Right Honourable Gentleman: The Life and times of Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

At the Northern House of Assembly, Balewa submitted: “We are fortunate in having the British here as our guides and teachers. They are great colonial administrators and they have great experience in developing and administering many tropical dependencies. I want all our British officers to realise that now is the time when we, as their pupils, need all their patience and courage, and the use of their knowledge and experience. If ever the Northern provinces change, as I know they must, I want them to change into modern Northern Nigeria, but not into some sort of artificial civilization which is not either European or African. The Northern provinces are now facing a great danger.

Evil ideas are creeping into the North from outside sources. In all countries of the world you find men who thirst for power, who agitate the government and disrupt the happiness of the people for the satisfaction of their own personal ambitions. I understand we have such a class of people in Nigeria. I do not know what right those people have to claim to be the voice of the North. We must do something soon in the North to show Britain and the world that these self-styled leaders do not and cannot in any matter or in any way represent us. We have our own leaders whom we have chosen”.

At the inaugural meeting of the National Assembly, Balewa declared: “We are still far from one country, despite the railway train and the motorcar which have created the opportunity of understanding among ourselves.

This alone is not enough. We here are representatives of different communities, to discuss our common problems and to establish our future destinies. The success or failure of the Richards Constitution lies mainly with the unofficial members. We should not close our eyes to the fact that the Yorubas, the Igbos and the Hausas, who are the predominant tribes in the country, do not see eye(to eye).

“…Among the needs of the Northern provinces are mass literacy, and for the education of our boys and girls to go side by side. We have only one secondary school – we ask for five more, three for boys and two for girls. In the awards of scholarships, the Northern provinces should have more places, because the Western and Eastern provinces have been enjoying those opportunities for a long time. Now the time has come for the North, and we should like to make up for what we have lost. We are glad that it has come to the notice of government that the Northern provinces have not been receiving the use of their full share from the Nigerian government.

Well, we do not want to lose utterly, and we ask for the development of the North absorbing the greater portion of the funds allotted to Nigeria from the colonial development, so as to make up their losses from the revenue. We ask for improvement in villages which have remained in the same places as before the British occupation, and for better prices for the farm produce, which means raising the standard of living. Agriculture alone cannot save us, there must be industrialisation. …As to native authorities – we should like the position of our emirs and chiefs, as rulers of their own people, to be clearly defined. Most are men of experience. Their experience and knowledge of their own people and of the local conditions carry great weight.

“… The doctor’s care is still badly needed, but it should be remembered that the child is now fast reaching years of discretion, and he is now asking to be given an opportunity for a quicker growth. Our mistakes could be corrected easily because we should always have the advice and guidance of our British officers…

“There are some people in Nigeria who have taken upon themselves the responsibility of speaking for the whole country as one. A delegation of these people (made up of Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Michael Imoudu) toured parts of the Northern provinces. We did not then understand the real intention of that tour, and we naturally mistook it for one of friendship.

We had never dreamed that it could ever possibly happen that these people could have thought of becoming our mouthpiece. We should like the world to know that in the North we have got our own leaders, whom we have chosen ourselves, to be our rulers and our voice. We do not want our Southern neighbours to interfere in our development. We have never associated ourselves with the activities of these people. We do not know them, we do not recognise them, and we share no responsibility in their actions.

“We shall demand our rights when the time is ripe. If the British quitted Nigeria now at this stage, the Northern people would continue their uninterrupted conquest to the sea”.

Immediately after this speech, on the parliamentary floor, colonial governor, Sir Arthur Richards scribbled Balewa a congratulatory note!

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/09/where-the-rain-began-to-beat-us/

We have never associated ourselves with the activities of these people. We do not know them, we do not recognise them, and we share no responsibility in their actions.

The guy spoke about fellow Nigerians as if they were aliens! lmao!

How did we even become one country?

Or rather WHY?

Chineke ekwela ihe ojo!

Onlytruth:

Where the rain began to beat us

“We shall demand our rights when the time is ripe. If the British quitted Nigeria now at this stage, the Northern people would continue their uninterrupted conquest to the sea”.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/09/where-the-rain-began-to-beat-us/

Chineke!

Balewa was a smart man indeed. Can you blame him for wanting this for his people? People should look out for their own people first and foremost before worrying about others.

And it doesn't surprise me that he would utter such words.

I'm truly baffled that someone who reasoned like that would be considered a Nigerian in any sense. To think that the guy is mentioned in the same places as the Ziks, the Herbert Macaulays and the Michael Imoudus is really a historical farce. He and those guys never shared the same psychology, philosophy or vision.

They had no business belonging to the same country in any way shape or form.

How did he make it into our national monuments like naira notes, etc?

The guy may even be fuming in his grave that people have destroyed his true legacy and beliefs.

Onlytruth,

But the fact in the matter is that Balewa was a true Northern leader. We as southerners may find his words crude, but the man was a leader. If only Nnamdi Azikiwe who I consider an idealist thought like this. The man is perfectly clear in what he wants, and that is northern hegemony and the modernization of the north.

Awolowo also thought like this. Nnamdi Azikiwe & Herbert Macaulay are the only people who could be considered true Nigerians.

“There are some people in Nigeria who have taken upon themselves the responsibility of speaking for the whole country as one. A delegation of these people (made up of Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Michael Imoudu) toured parts of the Northern provinces. We did not then understand the real intention of that tour, and we naturally mistook it for one of friendship.

We had never dreamed that it could ever possibly happen that these people could have thought of becoming our mouthpiece. We should like the world to know that in the North we have got our own leaders, whom we have chosen ourselves, to be our rulers and our voice. We do not want our Southern neighbours to interfere in our development. We have never associated ourselves with the activities of these people. We do not know them, we do not recognise them, and we share no responsibility in their actions.

“We shall demand our rights when the time is ripe. If the British quitted Nigeria now at this stage, the Northern people would continue their uninterrupted conquest to the sea”.

I can only denounce the man as a fool after reading the above. Nigeria has produced leaders who are fit only for the trash can. What a tribalistic bastar'd!

MaziUche0:

Onlytruth,

But the fact in the matter is that Balewa was a true Northern leader. We as southerners may find his words crude, but the man was a leader. If only Nnamdi Azikiwe who I consider an idealist thought like this. The man is perfectly clear in what he wants, and that is northern hegemony and the modernization of the north.

Awolowo also thought like this. Nnamdi Azikiwe & Herbert Macaulay are the only people who could be considered true Nigerians.

Nna eh, to think that Zik somehow managed to form a government with this guy is one of the biggest puzzles I have ever seen in history!

The guy was not a Nigerian, he was a Northerner. He was NEVER a Nigerian.
How did Zik manage to bundle him into a national leadership?

Onlytruth:

How did Zik manage to bundle him into a national leadership?

Um, Cause Zik was a typical Ibo man: GREEDY and UNBELIEVABLY SELFISH!!!!

MaziUche0:

Onlytruth,

But the fact in the matter is that Balewa was a true Northern leader. We as southerners may find his words crude, but the man was a leader. If only Nnamdi Azikiwe who I consider an idealist thought like this. The man is perfectly clear in what he wants, and that is northern hegemony and the modernization of the north.

Awolowo also thought like this. Nnamdi Azikiwe & Herbert Macaulay are the only people who could be considered true Nigerians.

Maybe they should have thought like that also, I always wonder about the minds of those who did not think that way in the dying days of Colonial-West Africa.  I mean, we had all those British made nation-contraptions with people who hardly understood themselves or share the same cultural or philosophical worldview,  to make the whole scenario worse, they were basically forced to stay together.

So I agree with your assessment of Balewa, viewed through the prism of regional leadership, he pushed for the needful. Maybe he did so because he saw the folly of fighting for a poorly defined nation -a foreign creation that was ultimatley doomed for failure. But there is nothing wrong with negotiating for your our self interest, especially when you are scared and suspicious of those around you.

I wish they all saw that -all of our leaders from Macaulay to Okpara. maybe we would have been able to work out a better Nigeria under more autonomous regions as opposed to the pseudo-autonomous regions we had.

Now, I understand 60s Pan-Africanists like Nkrumah to some extent, at least they were not just fixated on Country, their vision was for a United Africa. But even Nkrumah failed to adequately convince  the people to share his vision, when he pushed for his socialist themed development projects, regional bickering's and ethnic suspicions led to turmoil, and of course, Imperialists were always ready to add petrol to the fire.

So I sympathise with those leaders who pushed for purely regional interests especially those who had a live and let live agenda (not sure about Balewa's ultimate intentions though).

My personal assessment of why they all failed and what we need to do;

I fault that part of our culture that allowed us to give too much power and reverence to individuals who abrogated the position of power and leadership to themselves, Colonialism dealt us very heavy blows, the biggest punch for me was that they used our culture against us while tweaking the rules.

I believe our people still feared and respected their leaders as their culture demanded, but the cultural tools that would have allowed us to checkmake their excesses were rubbished and made inconsequential by the European systems of government, laws, religion and philosophy which we all bought into or should I say; were forced into.

I still think we can learn and salvage something out of all these, after 50 years of coexisting we can't exactly say we don't collectively enjoy Eba-gaari, or salivate at the thoughts of a well spiced edikaikong soup served with cold Zobo

What I'm saying is we have a lot more in common now than before but we need to negotiate a new Nigeria where individual Nigerian citizens will believe that their interests comes first before any Cultural, religious, class or ethnic consideration.

The key is in individual liberties spiced with Africa themed egalitarianism. The Ranka Dedes and Oga Sir have to give way first or reworked to fit a new Society. Our people need their dignity back for our Country to work.

Make una Forgive my rant, na 50th anniversary thoughts cause am.

Kilode?!:

Maybe they should have thought like that also, I always wonder about the minds of those who did not think that way in the dying days of Colonial-West Africa.  I mean, we had all those British made nation-contraptions with people who hardly understood themselves or share the same cultural or philosophical worldview,  to make the whole scenario worse, they were basically forced to stay together.

So I agree with your assessment of Balewa, viewed through the prism of regional leadership, he pushed for the needful. Maybe he did so because he saw the folly of fighting for a poorly defined nation -a foreign creation that was ultimatley doomed for failure. But there is nothing wrong with negotiating for your our self interest, especially when you are scared and suspicious of those around you.

I wish they all saw that -all of our leaders from Macaulay to Okpara. maybe we would have been able to work out a better Nigeria under more autonomous regions as opposed to the pseudo-autonomous regions we had.

Now, I understand 60s Pan-Africanists like Nkrumah to some extent, at least they were not just fixated on Country, their vision was for a United Africa. But even Nkrumah failed to adequately convince  the people to share his vision, when he pushed for his socialist themed development projects, regional bickering's and ethnic suspicions led to turmoil, and of course, Imperialists were always ready to add petrol to the fire.

So I sympathise with those leaders who pushed for purely regional interests especially those who had a live and let live agenda (not sure about Balewa's ultimate intentions though).

As to my personal assessment of why they all failed;

I fault that part of our culture that allowed us to give too much power and reverence to individuals who abrogated the position of power and leadership to themselves, Colonialism dealt us very heavy blows, the biggest punch for me was that they used our culture against us while tweaking the rules.

I believe our people still feared and respected their leaders as their culture demanded, but the cultural tools that would have allowed us to checkmake their excesses were rubbished and made inconsequential by the European systems of government, laws, religion and philosophy which we all bought into or should I say; were forced into.

I still think we can learn and salvage something out of all these, after 50 years of coexisting we can't exactly say we don't collectively enjoy Eba-gaari, or salivate at the thoughts of a well spiced edikaikong soup served with cold Zobo

What I'm saying is we have a lot more in common now than before but we need to negotiate a new Nigeria where individual Nigerian citizens will believe that their interests comes first before any Cultural, religious, class or ethnic consideration.

The key is in individual liberties spiced with Africa themed egalitarianism. The Ranka Dedes and Oga Sir have to give way first or reworked to fit a new Society. Our people need their dignity back for our Country to work.

Make una Forgive my rant, na 50th anniversary thoughts cause am.

You did great in your assessment. It is by no means a rant.

Onlytruth:

You did great in your assessment. It is by no means a rant.

Thank you bro, I appreciate!

Hopefully we'll all get there together, or at least co-exist respectfully as Africans in different nations. The choice is our Generation's.

Kilode?!:

Maybe they should have thought like that also, I always wonder about the minds of those who did not think that way in the dying days of Colonial-West Africa.  I mean, we had all those British made nation-contraptions with people who hardly understood themselves or share the same cultural or philosophical worldview,  to make the whole scenario worse, they were basically forced to stay together.

So I agree with your assessment of Balewa, viewed through the prism of regional leadership, he pushed for the needful. Maybe he did so because he saw the folly of fighting for a poorly defined nation -a foreign creation that was ultimatley doomed for failure. But there is nothing wrong with negotiating for your our self interest, especially when you are scared and suspicious of those around you.

I wish they all saw that -all of our leaders from Macaulay to Okpara. maybe we would have been able to work out a better Nigeria under more autonomous regions as opposed to the pseudo-autonomous regions we had.

Now, I understand 60s Pan-Africanists like Nkrumah to some extent, at least they were not just fixated on Country, their vision was for a United Africa. But even Nkrumah failed to adequately convince  the people to share his vision, when he pushed for his socialist themed development projects, regional bickering's and ethnic suspicions led to turmoil, and of course, Imperialists were always ready to add petrol to the fire.

So I sympathise with those leaders who pushed for purely regional interests especially those who had a live and let live agenda (not sure about Balewa's ultimate intentions though).

My personal assessment of why they all failed and what we need to do;

I fault that part of our culture that allowed us to give too much power and reverence to individuals who abrogated the position of power and leadership to themselves, Colonialism dealt us very heavy blows, the biggest punch for me was that they used our culture against us while tweaking the rules.

I believe our people still feared and respected their leaders as their culture demanded, but the cultural tools that would have allowed us to checkmake their excesses were rubbished and made inconsequential by the European systems of government, laws, religion and philosophy which we all bought into or should I say; were forced into.

I still think we can learn and salvage something out of all these, after 50 years of coexisting we can't exactly say we don't collectively enjoy Eba-gaari, or salivate at the thoughts of a well spiced edikaikong soup served with cold Zobo

What I'm saying is we have a lot more in common now than before but we need to negotiate a new Nigeria where individual Nigerian citizens will believe that their interests comes first before any Cultural, religious, class or ethnic consideration.

The key is in individual liberties spiced with Africa themed egalitarianism. The Ranka Dedes and Oga Sir have to give way first or reworked to fit a new Society. Our people need their dignity back for our Country to work.

Make una Forgive my rant, na 50th anniversary thoughts cause am.

Nicely put. Well thought out assessment. This was not a rant, but your true feelings.

I do not see anything wrong with either the political mindset of Tafawa Balewa in particular or northern regional politicians and soldiers in general. They never regarded themselves as Nigerians.

I have always said this b4 that the great Zik of Africa should not be equated with these tribal leaders when it comes to mentioning nationalists, but the reverse is the case in Nigeria of today, where Awolowo and Tafawa Balewa are now cojoined with zik as nationalists.

Zik was busy fighting for the unity of Nigeria at the detriment of developing Igboland even with his connections and high profile attributes, whereas the likes of Awolowo and Tafawa Balewa were taking care of their region and thinking of them first, so on what basis are we calling these 3 men nationalists, if not for federal character that has always enshrined mediocrity. The truth be told only Herbert Macaulay and zik deserves National honour, the rest are regional heroes and should so be called.

No wonder Igbos respect Ojukwu, Michael okpara more than zik. why bc they are our regional heroes. Yorubas respect Awolowo, why bc he is their regional hero, likewise the Hausa. so equating zik, HM, Awo,TB together simply shows the level of our untruthfulness as Nigerians. i rest my case.

I like how Zik is being insulted for being modern, patriotic, civilized, and selfless in his want for a better nigeria and not just his backyard to blossom


then everyone is speaking of taf like a visionary cause he spewed barbaric tribalistic medieval jargon about repressing others and forcing dominance over nigeria.

the same ppl calling zik a fool will wonder why nigeria, a country full of ppl like them, and run by ppl like them, is suffering. LOL.


I guess Zik should apologize for giving you a country to call your own right. oops. smh.


LMAO though, im not falling for this article cause it's a bias smear campaign against Taf though. Nice try.

Shell v.1.0.20959.21121
, BBC Media Player v.2.26.20677.21220
, BBC Media Player v.2.26.20573.21118 (Legacy player)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11399156

Do you think this man has any fear whatesoever? Look at his eyes, listen well to his straight English. Neger please, no one in your entire state can't still spaek english like this. So shut F up.

Gayigaskia:

Shell v.1.0.20959.21121
, BBC Media Player v.2.26.20677.21220
, BBC Media Player v.2.26.20573.21118 (Legacy player)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11399156

Do you think this man has any fear whatesoever? Look at his eyes, listen well to his straight English. Neger please, n[b]o one in your entire state can't still spaek english like this. So shut F up.[/b]

It would have been nice if you learnt how to spell and spaek English from him, but you didn't.

Fine i agree you are a genius right i don't know how to write "speak"

Kilode?!:

Maybe they should have thought like that also, I always wonder about the minds of those who did not think that way in the dying days of Colonial-West Africa.  I mean, we had all those British made nation-contraptions with people who hardly understood themselves or share the same cultural or philosophical worldview,  to make the whole scenario worse, they were basically forced to stay together.

So I agree with your assessment of Balewa, viewed through the prism of regional leadership, he pushed for the needful. Maybe he did so because he saw the folly of fighting for a poorly defined nation -a foreign creation that was ultimatley doomed for failure. But there is nothing wrong with negotiating for your our self interest, especially when you are scared and suspicious of those around you.

I wish they all saw that -all of our leaders from Macaulay to Okpara. maybe we would have been able to work out a better Nigeria under more autonomous regions as opposed to the pseudo-autonomous regions we had.

Now, I understand 60s Pan-Africanists like Nkrumah to some extent, at least they were not just fixated on Country, their vision was for a United Africa. But even Nkrumah failed to adequately convince  the people to share his vision, when he pushed for his socialist themed development projects, regional bickering's and ethnic suspicions led to turmoil, and of course, Imperialists were always ready to add petrol to the fire.

So I sympathise with those leaders who pushed for purely regional interests especially those who had a live and let live agenda (not sure about Balewa's ultimate intentions though).

My personal assessment of why they all failed and what we need to do; 

I fault that part of our culture that allowed us to give too much power and reverence to individuals who abrogated the position of power and leadership to themselves, Colonialism dealt us very heavy blows, the biggest punch for me was that they used our culture against us while tweaking the rules.

I believe our people still feared and respected their leaders as their culture demanded, but the cultural tools that would have allowed us to checkmake their excesses were rubbished and made inconsequential by the European systems of government, laws, religion and philosophy which we all bought into or should I say; were forced into.

I still think we can learn and salvage something out of all these, after 50 years of coexisting we can't exactly say we don't collectively enjoy Eba-gaari, or salivate at the thoughts of a well spiced edikaikong soup served with cold Zobo

What I'm saying is we have a lot more in common now than before but we need to negotiate a new Nigeria where individual Nigerian citizens will believe that their interests comes first before any Cultural, religious, class or ethnic consideration.

The key is in individual liberties spiced with Africa themed egalitarianism. The Ranka Dedes and Oga Sir have to give way first or reworked to fit a new Society. Our people need their dignity back for our Country to work.

Make una Forgive my rant, na 50th anniversary thoughts cause am.

Enough of the excuses. Our greatest threat in Nigeria is the mindset of the present and future generation and not the bigoted past generation. Many countries across the globe had bigoted ancestors who supported slavery, rape, cannibalism, etc and they were able to navigate away from that and realize that their forefathers were blind but the reverse is the case in Nigeria. Tell a Northerner that Balewa was bigoted and he will cut off your head and it doesn't matter whether you present facts to him that he vehemently resisted Azikiwe and Macaulay who were trying to bring unity. Tell a Yorubaman that Awolowo was a tribal bigot and a scum of the earth whom I prefer to call Africa's Adolf Hitler and the Yorubaman will flip and give you 10,000 reasons why you are wrong and foolish at that; Tell an Igbo man that Kaduna Nzeogwu planned a bigoted coup and he will list the names of Yoruba soldiers who participated in the coup without considering whether those Yoruba soldiers participated because they were misled into believing the coup was for a cause or may be they didn't have any option of defecting knowing how the military is. Their families may have been hostages during the coup.

Bottom line, we place tribal integrity above human values. It doesn't matter if all of us are roasting in hunger and pain as long as the supremacy of our tribes remains in tact. That sort of thinking was what Azikiwe gave in his 1952 Speech at Lincoln university and then he allayed it as one of his fears that at the rate we are going, Africans will be more absorbed with tribal superiority than the value of their own lives and it is a pity.

So, our greatest threat is our retrogressive mind and not how our ancestors erred. Since we are able to identify these flaws, what is holding us from correcting them?

Aloy+Emeka:

Enough of the excuses. Our greatest threat in Nigeria is the mindset of the present and future generation and not the bigoted past generation. Many countries across the globe had bigoted ancestors who supported slavery, despoil, cannibalism, etc and they were able to navigate away from that and realize that their forefathers were blind but the reverse is the case in Nigeria. Tell a Northerner that Balewa was bigoted and he will cut off your head and it doesn't matter whether you present facts to him that he vehemently resisted Azikiwe and Macaulay who were trying to bring unity. Tell a Yorubaman that Awolowo was a tribal bigot and a scum of the earth whom I prefer to call Africa's Adolf Hitler and the Yorubaman will flip and give you 10,000 reasons why you are wrong and foolish at that; Tell an Igbo man that Kaduna Nzeogwu planned a bigoted coup and he will list the names of Yoruba soldiers who participated in the coup without considering whether those Yoruba soldiers participated because they were misled into believing the coup was for a cause or may be they didn't have any option of defecting knowing how the military is. Their families may have been hostages during the coup.

Bottom line, we place tribal integrity above human values. It doesn't matter if all of us are roasting in hunger and pain as long as the supremacy of our tribes remains in tact. That sort of thinking was what Azikiwe gave in his 1952 Speech at Lincoln university and then he allayed it as one of his fears that at the rate we are going, Africans will be more absorbed with tribal superiority than the value of their own lives and it is a pity.

So, our greatest threat is our retrogressive mind and not how our ancestors erred. Since we are able to identify these flaws, what is holding us from correcting them?

A rational post at last . .

yeswecan:

A rational post at last . .

I absolutely agree and i 'm just wishing that all Nigerians have the same thinking.

Aloy+Emeka:

Enough of the excuses. Our greatest threat in Nigeria is the mindset of the present and future generation and not the bigoted past generation. Many countries across the globe had bigoted ancestors who supported slavery, despoil, cannibalism, etc and they were able to navigate away from that and realize that their forefathers were blind but the reverse is the case in Nigeria. Tell a Northerner that Balewa was bigoted and he will cut off your head and it doesn't matter whether you present facts to him that he vehemently resisted Azikiwe and Macaulay who were trying to bring unity. Tell a Yorubaman that Awolowo was a tribal bigot and a scum of the earth whom I prefer to call Africa's Adolf Hitler and the Yorubaman will flip and give you 10,000 reasons why you are wrong and foolish at that; Tell an Igbo man that Kaduna Nzeogwu planned a bigoted coup and he will list the names of Yoruba soldiers who participated in the coup without considering whether those Yoruba soldiers participated because they were misled into believing the coup was for a cause or may be they didn't have any option of defecting knowing how the military is. Their families may have been hostages during the coup.

Bottom line, we place tribal integrity above human values. It doesn't matter if all of us are roasting in hunger and pain as long as the supremacy of our tribes remains in tact. That sort of thinking was what Azikiwe gave in his 1952 Speech at Lincoln university and then he allayed it as one of his fears that at the rate we are going, Africans will be more absorbed with tribal superiority than the value of their own lives and it is a pity.

So, our greatest threat is our retrogressive mind and not how our ancestors erred. Since we are able to identify these flaws, what is holding us from correcting them?

There are no unnecessary "excuses" in my post, certainly not for bad leadership.

I agree with most of what you wrote, but we look to history for guidance so we can limit the repetition of past errors.

I hold no brief for Balewa, Awolowo or even Azikiwe. I maintain that you cannot compare the "Nationalism" of people who were born before Nigeria was formed to that of You and I who have now lived in Nigeria all our lives.

They negotiated based on their fears and what they were familiar with, those people were more British then they were Nigerians, after the British left, It was sensible for them to ask what is in this new arrangement for us (me and my people)?

I wish they were able to have more trust in each other, but unfortunately that did not happen.

Now, for the present generation, our reactions to and approach towards protecting what we perceive to be our collective interests will definitely be different, we've inter-married, we've developed similar tastes in music, food, religion, language and other areas, we should be able to negotiate better, that was the basis of my analysis. I think that agrees with your conclusions also.


Now I will not assume that all Nigerians share the same national values, but I'll say we can work towards making it so for the majority. That is where the work should be. We need to address those foundational issues that will give every Nigerian a sense of belonging.

I see little wrong with ethnic allegiances in the absence of a cohesive, national set of values that can bind us together. The British couldn't do it because frankly it was none of their business, they came here to exploit and enrich themselves.

Our leaders failed to do it, either due to ignorance or the the sheer weight of the responsibility, I fault them too, but I can understand the dynamics of that period. The union was not of their choosing, and they did not collectively plan it or agree to it like the Americans did. There was a third party that messed the synergy up

Now, it is our responsibily to get it right. I totally agree with you on that.

So, I think a more egalitarian system of laws and governance, pushed by leaders who believe in Freedom, Liberty and the Rights of the individual over those of regions, cultures, religions, e.t.c, is the way to go. Those are the foundational issues that we have to address. Nations where those values are now practised effectively had to overcome and deal with those foundational issues also.

So, Looking back at history is not an exercise in seeking-excuses. I believe we need to do a lot more of that actually.

Aloy+Emeka:

Enough of the excuses. Our greatest threat in Nigeria is the mindset of the present and future generation and not the bigoted past generation. Many countries across the globe had bigoted ancestors who supported slavery, despoil, cannibalism, etc and they were able to navigate away from that and realize that their forefathers were blind but the reverse is the case in Nigeria. Tell a Northerner that Balewa was bigoted and he will cut off your head and it doesn't matter whether you present facts to him that he vehemently resisted Azikiwe and Macaulay who were trying to bring unity. Tell a Yorubaman that Awolowo was a tribal bigot and a scum of the earth whom I prefer to call Africa's Adolf Hitler and the Yorubaman will flip and give you 10,000 reasons why you are wrong and foolish at that; Tell an Igbo man that Kaduna Nzeogwu planned a bigoted coup and he will list the names of Yoruba soldiers who participated in the coup without considering whether those Yoruba soldiers participated because they were misled into believing the coup was for a cause or may be they didn't have any option of defecting knowing how the military is. Their families may have been hostages during the coup.

Bottom line, we place tribal integrity above human values. It doesn't matter if all of us are roasting in hunger and pain as long as the supremacy of our tribes remains in tact. That sort of thinking was what Azikiwe gave in his 1952 Speech at Lincoln university and then he allayed it as one of his fears that at the rate we are going, Africans will be more absorbed with tribal superiority than the value of their own lives and it is a pity.

So, our greatest threat is our retrogressive mind and not how our ancestors erred. Since we are able to identify these flaws, what is holding us from correcting them?

Great Post. If the abuse of our elders is modified to constructive criticism I suggest it should be copied and pasted on the Nigeria at 50 website

Kilode?!:

There are no unnecessary "excuses" in my post, certainly not for bad leadership.

I agree with most of what you wrote, but we look to history for guidance so we can limit the repetition of past errors.

I hold no brief for Balewa, Awolowo or even Azikiwe. I maintain that you cannot compare the "Nationalism" of people who were born before Nigeria was formed to that of You and I who have now lived in Nigeria all our lives.

They negotiated based on their fears and what they were familiar with, those people were more British then they were Nigerians, after the British left, It was sensible for them to ask what is in this new arrangement for us (me and my people)?

I wish they were able to have more trust in each other, but unfortunately that did not happen.

Now, for the present generation, our reactions to and approach towards protecting what we perceive to be our collective interests will definitely be different, we've inter-married, we've developed similar tastes in music, food, religion, language and other areas, we should be able to negotiate better, that was the basis of my analysis. I think that agrees with your conclusions also.


Now I will not assume that all Nigerians share the same national values, but I'll say we can work towards making it so for the majority. That is where the work should be. We need to address those foundational issues that will give every Nigerian a sense of belonging.

I see little wrong with ethnic allegiances in the absence of a cohesive, national set of values that can bind us together. The British couldn't do it because frankly it was none of their business, they came here to exploit and enrich themselves.

Our leaders failed to do it, either due to ignorance or the the sheer weight of the responsibility, I fault them too, but I can understand the dynamics of that period. The union was not of their choosing, and they did not collectively plan it or agree to it like the Americans did. There was a third party that messed the synergy up

Now, it is our responsibily to get it right. I totally agree with you on that.

So, I think a more egalitarian system of laws and governance, pushed by leaders who believe in Freedom, Liberty and the Rights of the individual over those of regions, cultures, religions, e.t.c, is the way to go. Those are the foundational issues that we have to address. Nations where those values are now practised effectively had to overcome and deal with those foundational issues also.

So, Looking back at history is not an exercise in seeking-excuses. I believe we need to do a lot more of that actually.

True!!

interesting speech.

Considering the circumstances of the time (a new nation just being formed), it is not out of place for the leaders at that time to display some sense of sectionalism. The feeeling and believing in "one nation" is supposed to be felt naturally after a considerable amount of interaction among the nationalities. It's like starting a business by 2 friends. There will be some amount of suspicion on either or both sides until they both have reasons to trust and have confidence in one another. This will only happen after due considerations.

I personally do not see the fuss about what the guy said or did. He was a sectional leader and he acted in a manner favourable to his people. End of.

I beg my people, let’s stop kidding ourselves even if others are wont of doing so. Zik was no nationalist. At least, the ilk of TB and Awo says it like it is however Zik with his oratory skills chose to take us “down the garden path”. I won’t even attempt to ascribe the following idiom to only Yoruba culture as am sure most other cultures ( inc. europeans’) do have it in one form or the other,too. “Charity they say, begins at home”. How can you unify a whole group of people when your own family is in discord? How can Zik in that prevailing climate still be hampering on about nationalism? Unless he has an ulterior motive. Was this not the same Zik that killed a “nationalist” party like the NYM only to then proceed to form a sectional party called the NCNC? Was this not the same Zik who said in 1947 (or thereabout) that it seems the great Lord has chosen the igbos to be the liberator of the black race? Was this not the same zik who went on to play second fiddle in TB’s feudalist govt? It was under this guise of nationalist govt that Zik attempt to become governor in yorubaland? Zik's actions belies his rhetorics.Some nationalist indeed! Zik’s notion of nationalism is igbo hegemony in Nigeria. At least, TB did not bother to conceal his intention about the new nation, ditto Awo but not Zik. Typical, isn't it? have to be clever, by halves. How can any rational person contemplate “nationalism” is such an ambience where everyone is watchful of his neighbour’s actions/motives? Now we hear the igbos bragging of owning 70% of Abuja!!!

Someone here refers to zik as an idealist but I say, that’s too complimentary jo. The man is not an idealist rather he’s slimy tribalist who duplicitously adorn himself in a garb of nationalism to mislead his opponents. Thankfully, the ilk of Awo, Enahoro and others saw through his fraudulence in time. No wonder he started off as “Zik of Africa” but however went on to meet his maker as “Nnewi of Onitsha”.


Back to this pseudo-One Nigeria. Were we one before the colonialists came into our midst? No. Is it not truism that the brits merged us into One Nigeria for (their) ease of administrative purposes? Had the brits not done so, would we be debating merging into One country after independence? Hell no! Even after half a century of our independent one Nigeria, can we really say with all conviction that we are one country? No. So it smacks of utter deceitfulness that the great (?) zik could be expending so much energy then campaigning for One Nigeria. Bottomline is, we ‘ll never be One. There is too much to separate us than to unite us.

T9ksy:

I beg my people, let’s stop kidding ourselves even if others are wont of doing so. Zik was no nationalist. At least, the ilk of TB and Awo says it like it is however Zik with his oratory skills chose to take us “down the garden path”. I won’t even attempt to ascribe the following idiom to only Yoruba culture as am sure most other cultures ( inc. europeans’) do have it in one form or the other,too. “Charity they say, begins at home”. How can you unify a whole group of people when your own family is in discord? How can Zik in that prevailing climate still be hampering on about nationalism? Unless he has an ulterior motive. Was this not the same Zik that killed a “nationalist” party like the NYM only to then proceed to form a sectional party called the NCNC? Was this not the same Zik who said in 1947 (or thereabout) that it seems the great Lord has chosen the igbos to be the liberator of the black race? Was this not the same zik who went on to play second fiddle in TB’s feudalist govt? It was under this guise of nationalist govt that Zik attempt to become governor in yorubaland? Zik's actions belies his rhetorics.Some nationalist indeed! Zik’s notion of nationalism is igbo hegemony in Nigeria. At least, TB did not bother to conceal his intention about the new nation, ditto Awo but not Zik. Typical, isn't it? have to be clever, by halves. How can any rational person contemplate “nationalism” is such an ambience where everyone is watchful of his neighbour’s actions/motives? Now we hear the igbos bragging of owning 70% of Abuja!!!

Someone here refers to zik as an idealist but I say, that’s too complimentary jo. The man is not an idealist rather he’s slimy tribalist who duplicitously adorn himself in a garb of nationalism to mislead his opponents. Thankfully, the ilk of Awo, Enahoro and others saw through his fraudulence in time. No wonder he started off as “Zik of Africa” but however went on to meet his maker as “Nnewi of Onitsha”.


Back to this pseudo-One Nigeria. Were we one before the colonialists came into our midst? No. Is it not truism that the brits merged us into One Nigeria for (their) ease of administrative purposes? Had the brits not done so, would we be debating merging into One country after independence? Hell no! Even after half a century of our independent one Nigeria, can we really say with all conviction that we are one country? No. So it smacks of utter deceitfulness that the great (?) zik could be expending so much energy then campaigning for One Nigeria. Bottomline is, we ‘ll never be One. There is too much to separate us than to unite us.

I can not believe you navigated to this thread with your off-the-wall markers loaded with ill-informed thoughts just to haul scurrilous diatribes against the erudite personality of Azikiwe. I am not writing this post to hold brief for Azikiwe but it amounts to intellectual dishonesty to label Zik as a tribal irredentist. Would you have still-nerves if Zik had written great lord have chosen Yoruba to lead the black race? In 1947 there was nothing such as Nigeria and the inhabitants of what is referred as Nigeria were known by their ethnic make-up. In addition, I guess Zik decided to join issues against the backdrop of loud noises from Yoruba politicians and juju musicians who kept drumming about unfounded Yoruba greatness.

I could not believe a person who would have been seated among literati would blow such an ignorant trumpet. Zik did not kill NYM (National Youth Movement) to form NCNC. I think it is a plain disingenuous act to accuse Zik of harboring ill-informed motives to governor western region of Nigeria which I may add was not exclusively Yoruba land. The last time I checked though, the defunct western region of Nigeria included Yoruba, Urhobo, Edo, Itsekiri, Ijo, Esan and yours truly Igbo lands.

It is unfortunate you have decided to descend to a depthless low to haul insult on the persons of “Great Zik of Africa”. I hope GEJ catches you while you still on the act. If you really understood the mechanics of parliamentary government, you will rebuke yourself for accusing Zik of running second fiddle to Tafawa Balewa.

I had thought you were better than ordinary market women who would readily avail themselves with silly rumors and innuendos. If I can recall correctly, it was alleged that EL Rufai, the former minister for FCT, had insinuated Ndigbo owned 73% of landed property in Abuja. When did Ndigbo brag about Abuja talk less of the owning certain percentage of the properties in the city?

Again, whether Zik was idealist or not, I suggest time will bear his poor soul witness. As for “Great Zik of Africa”, I think it was within the realms of Zik’s personal achievements that propelled his peers to profoundly call him “Great Zik of Africa” because Africa, Zik and some of his peers preceded the colonial contraption called Nigeria. So it was more appropriate Zik’s peers chose to call him Great Zik of Africa than the junk known as Nigeria. There were absolutely nothing duplicitous or tribal about Zik’s endeavors. He has been castigated in certain quarters for giving his children Yoruba-sounding names. 

You got it right when you described Nigeria as pseudo-Nigeria. Also, there is nothing about oneness in the area before the colonialists arrived. However, I guess you are historically myopic or allow recorded events to punk you when you included Zik among those who had expanded energy in the madness called one-Nigeria. Zik campaigned for Nigeria under federalism where regional governments exercise measured constituted authorities. Should you be reminded that Gowon, northern region, betrayal artists and backstabbers from southern Nigeria introduced the madness known as one-Nigeria?

I just think the history of the 'nationalist' movement in Nigeria is as fractured as the country and maybe one can say obviously. The Nigerian nationalist movement is quite a broad term, reason why secondary school textbooks cannot delve into deeper points of Nigerian nationalism because it will expose the cracks and fractures that stumbled and wumbled unto independence.

Balewa came from a strand in Northern nationalism that used quite well Azikiwe's democratic ideals to push for equal representation in the affairs of Nigeria but while pushing for regional autonomy(1946 constitution). This strand was doubtful of southern Nigerians intention to properly represent the North along their cultural norms and when they saw the rising potential domination by southern politicians they quickly used strong democratic sentiments to push up their political power in the equation while though they were less educated wanted 50% of all federal seats in the House of Rep or legislative council while knowing that the south was fractured secured unity through anti-southern sentiments among the Northern fulani trado-elites and set the ball rolling for political success at the center even though there were the late comers in the nationalism movement. Their nationalism was less emphatic than Zik and Awo and focused on two strands, reform within the emirate system but acquiensce to the fulani emirate leadership (led by Balewa, sa'ad Zungur and Bello) and reform of the emirate system and revolution of the traditional hierarchy led by Aminu Kano. It was this subtle acquiesce that led to the emergence of Bello over Balewa or even Zungur in Northern leadership.

On Nationalism and in fairness to Zik. He was Nigeria's first true modern nationalist in the modern usage of the word. Albeit, truth be told, what a lot of people don't know is that the original elements of nationalism in Nigeria was scattered and idealist in outlook. It's proponets were foreigners, some indigenous foreigners sometimes controversial in their statements or outlook and unyielding in many cased to opponents who share a common goal. One was Edward Blyden, one was John Payne Jackson, Marcus Garvey and another was Macaulay. Blyden was the first African nationalist to have significant supporters in what is termed Nigeria. He was a proponent of race conscious nationalism, black and white so to say. And, he believed in promoting our cultures and ethnic identity, some say a father of Pan Africanism. Jackson focused on power and politics. He felt Africans needed to remove the Europeans from active civil and political post in other to ensure emancipation. Garvey's influence stems from the fact that he was influential within the West African Student Union and later nationalists came through the British educational system and American coloured universities were Garvey's writings were influential. If you doubt the importance of this man. Truth be told, many of Nigerian nationalist used Garvey militant styles in the 1930s and 1940s and his words were very much common in their speeches. Macaulay was a thorn in the British administration and a great mobilizer, he was also militant had had lots of enemies. He can be described as the first giant of Nigerian politics or I would say stereotypical black politics in Nigeria. A little bit harsh in dealing with opponents but had wide following among the market women, artisans and illiterates in Lagos while also a major force in the ruling house of Lagos (the House of Docemo). It is not surprising that Azikiwe, Awolowo and Balewa used this harsh style,  crude, unyielding and sometimes tyrannical in their grip on the groups (maybe with the exception of Balewa).

Nnewi of onitsha

T9sky is the above meant to be a joke?

@Twy, great contribution, I don't want to repost the whole thing, but your comments on Blyden is educative. I know the name but not too familiar with his history I'll look it up promptly, Garvey i'm very familiar with. But I'm not sure about the reasons why we don't teach Nigerian students these aspects of history. I believe they will understand it if we labour to teach.

Successive governments had managed Ill-advisedly to ignore certain aspects of our history, I think it's a shame, we rubbed ourselves of critical discussions in the classrooms that would have presented a clearer picture of what our nation is or could be. The years of military rule and their interest in forging a pseudo-united front for political control reasons didn't help either. I believe it's not too late.

Kilode?!:


So, I think a more egalitarian system of laws and governance, pushed by leaders who believe in Freedom, Liberty and the Rights of the individual over those of regions, cultures, religions, e.t.c, is the way to go. Those are the foundational issues that we have to address. Nations where those values are now practised effectively had to overcome and deal with those foundational issues also.

So, Looking back at history is not an exercise in seeking-excuses. I believe we need to do a lot more of that actually.

Shouldn't we work towards emancipating the mind first because even if we vote Ronald Regan as Nigeria's president today, he will never succeed with the frame of mind the citizens find themselves in. The government should set the ball rolling by launching an aggressive media campaign against tribalism for a sustained number of years and the newer generation will begin to see that their problem is not the man/woman from the next village, rather it is their own kinsmen who steal from them in the name of ethnic and religious politics.