I read this piece and it threw some light on some issues that are usually argued on Nairaland on the issues that happened among Zik, Awo and Balewa in the First Republic, cross-carpeting, etc. And it is written by a Yoruba man. What do u think about the issues raised?


By Duro Onabule(duroonabule@gmail.com)


It is only fair to pay this well-deserved tribute to the memory of one of Nigeria’s founding fathers, Obafemi Awolowo. Despite all his ups and downs in the struggle for national leadership and even, after losing out, there was never, (repeat never) a time Awolowo accused his only major rivals, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Tafawa Balewa of conspiring against him.

Ahmadu Bello, the late premier of the defunct northern region did not aspire to Nigeria’s national leadership. Why therefore is this political reminiscence?
Not long ago, law teacher Itse Sagay stirred avoidable controversy when he strayed from an ordinary interview with a Lagos newspaper and pointedly accused former (ceremonial) president Nnamdi Azikiwe and Nigeria’s first (so far only) Prime Minister, the late Tafawa Balewa of conspiring against their political contemporary, Obafemi Awolowo.
The alleged conspiracy, as specified by Itse Sagay, arose from the eventual outcome of the 1962 crisis in the banned Action Group – the tussle for the west regional premiership, whether at the end of the emergency rule, Chief S.L. Akintola was to be restored to office or whether there should be fresh general elections in the West.

The Federal Supreme Court in Lagos ruled that Chief Akintola at the end of emergency rule, should be restored as west regional premier but the Privy Council in London ruled in favour of rival claimant that the emergency rule should be followed by fresh elections. In the face of the potential political/constitutional crisis, instead of complying with the Privy Council ruling, Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa maintained his support for Chief Akintola, rushed through parliament an amendment to the constitution abolishing appeals to the Privy Council in London and backdated it to October 1st, 1960. Adegbenro’s legal victory at Privy Council instantly became a nullity.

Conspiracy against Obafemi Awolowo? Would he have done anything less if in Tafawa Balewa’s position? Better still, what was the record before then? History will prove who started such political tactics against Nnamdi Azikiwe/NCNC. The truth, however, was that Obafemi Awolowo in 1962 was simply met in his game.
The (1962) crisis in the Action Group was simply a cut-throat struggle for supremacy between Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola, and such was not unprecedented in Nigeria. As far back as 1941, there was the crisis in Nigerian Youth Movement over the party’s candidate for a by-election to the Old Legislative Council. Obafemi Awolowo supported Ernest Ikoli, strictly in line with the movement’s constitution that once the president expressed interest in such an election, his candidacy would be unopposed.

On the other hand, Zik supported the candidacy of Samuel Akinsanya (later Odemo of Ishara) to express his (Zik’s) distaste of the derogatory remarks of Lagos members who derided the prospects of an Ijebu man contesting election in Lagos as that would make it impossible for non-Lagosians to contest in future.
With equally matched arguments, the election held and Ernest Ikoli won, thereby vindicating Awolowo’s stand. It was therefore to be expected that when Zik faced the same problem in the NCNC after the 1951 elections in western region which then extended to Lagos, if Awolowo did not support Nnamdi Azikiwe, he (Zik) should at least be left alone to solve his party’s internal crisis. But what happened?

Nnamdi Azikiwe’s party, NCNC cleared all Lagos seats with the following candidates in this order – Ibiyinka Olorunnimbe (then Mayor of Lagos) Prince Adeleke Adedoyin, Nnamdi Azikiwe, TOS Benson and ex-union leader H.P. Adebola. By that victory, the NCNC was to send an elected member to the legislative council and Zik as the party’s leader, supported by Benson and Adebola was to go. That of course, would put Zik as NCNC leader ahead of Awolowo in political prospects.

Action Group under Awolowo completely incited Ibiyinka Olorunnimbe and Adeleke Adedoyin to resist Zik’s ambition. Purely circumstantial evidence? Ibiyinka Olorunnimbe’s erstwhile rising political prospect crashed and sent him to complete oblivion. If Awolowo merited any doubt, such disappeared when Adeleke Adedoyin, an NCNC elected member for Lagos crossed from NCNC to the Action Group on the floor of the house of assembly and was instantly elected the first speaker of Western House of Assembly.
The plot against Zik to induce NCNC members to cross the floor to Action Group was later conceded by Action Group’s federal secretary Ayo Rosiji in his biography. Even the late Bola Ige, in one of his books, admitted that it was unfair for the Action Group to have blocked Zik from going to the old legislative council.

It was even amusing reading the late AMA Akinloye in 1994, on Zik’s ninetieth birthday, virtually apologizing on behalf of his fellow NCNC members who crossed to Action Group. Akinloye’s explanation in newspaper advertisements in 1990? Zik was not deserted as an Igbo but that they (who crossed to Action Group (Speaker Adeleke Adedoyin, Finance Minister F.O. Awosika, Agriculture Minister Akinloye) only wanted a Yoruba man to rule the West. Difference between six and half a dozen? There is also the long gap between 1951 when Zik was blocked and 1963 when Awolowo’s protégé, D.S. Adegbenro was blocked.

And if conspiracy was the word, then, there had been many in the mid-years. In 1953, Awolowo (despite the Lagos legislative council and western region carpet-crossing episodes) would still not let off Zik. There was the McPherson constitution which Zik, as NCNC leader considered unsuitable for an ideal federation especially with lop-sided allocation of seats to the House of Representatives in Lagos.
The NCNC, under Zik, therefore directed its federal ministers – Alfred Chuku Nwapa, Okoi Arikpo and E.M.L. Endely to cabinet posts. The three NCNC ministers in defiance of their party’s directive, refused to quit and became notorious as “sit-tight ministers.” A purely political party’s internal conflict, but who openly backed the rebellious ministers against Zik? Obafemi Awolowo and the Action Group. Was that a conspiracy against Zik? As to be expected the three ministers were expelled from the NCNC.

A fall-out of the 1953 sit-tight ministers’ crisis in the NCNC is often mischievously cited against Zik for allegedly unseating Eyo Ita as a non-Igbo leader of government business in Eastern region. While the sit-tight ministers crisis rocked the NCNC and the dissidents (admittedly for political purposes) were supported by Awolowo against Zik, a supposed leader of (NCNC) government business (as regional premiers were then known) Professor Eyo Ita openly supported the sit-tight ministers against their party led by Zik.

At that stage, a show-down was inevitable to test Eyo Ita’s popularity if he was supported by NCNC members in Eastern House of Assembly. A vote of no confidence in his continued leadership (of government business in the East) was moved on the floor of the house and almost unanimously carried except opposition from Action Group members of the House.

Zik had to assume leadership to restore party discipline and political stability. No other party members could have successfully undertaken that assignment.
By the way, when Chief Akintola, nine years later, was similarly accused of not supporting (Action Group) party policy, there was the same attempt to impeach him on the floor of the House Assembly in Ibadan except that his party was more divided than the NCNC (in 1953) and violence erupted in the legislature leading eventually to declaration of emergency.
When the 1962 crisis in the Action Group was rightly or wrongly handled or mishandled, the region-wide violence in the West led to the January 1966 military coup.
Another fall-out of the 1953 sit-tight ministers NCNC crisis was that after their expulsion from the party, one of them, E.M.L. Endeley from Southern Cameroons, formed a new party which was instantly embraced in an alliance by Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group. Was that a conspiracy against Zik?
There was the Foster-Sutton inquiry into African Continental Bank on deposits of East regional government funds in the bank founded by Zik. The star witness (perhaps the chief prosecution witness) was Chief Effiong O Eyo, an ex-confidant of Zik. For the expected political execution, Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group secured, for E.O. Eyo, the services of a British Queens Counsel, Christopher Shawcross.

Was that a conspiracy against Zik?
A leading Nigerian lawyer, Udo Udoma was an associate of Zik and of course member of the NCNC. Down the line and as a constitutional right, he had to pursue immediate group interests in the Calabar Ogoja Rivers (COR) state movement.
Instantly, Udo Udoma’s (COR) state movement was wooed by and fell for an alliance with Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group. That could easily have been considered a conspiracy against Zik.
Even though Premier Ahmadu Bello limited his personal political aspirations to the north, yet, his Northern People’s Congress (later Nigerian People’s Congress) did not escape internal squabbles. Hence, a member, Ibrahim Imam broke away and formed Borno Youth Movement. Readily, a political ally was found in Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group.

Could that be interpreted or did any NPC sympathizer deem it as a conspiracy against Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa?
In contrast, in1956, the first minister of Education in Western region, Stephen Awokoya, disagreed with Obafemi Awolowo, resigned accordingly from the Action Group and formed his Nigerian Peoples’ Party. None of Zik, Ahmadu Bello or Tafawa Balewa supported Awokoya in any alliance against Obafemi Awolowo/Action Group, and this accounted for Awokoya’s failure to win a single seat in the 1956 west regional elections.

Again, in 1958, another revolt led by Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe broke out against Nnamdi Azikiwe’s leadership in the NCNC. Mbadiwe was egged on by Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group. Collapse of Mbadiwe’s challenge led to his expulsion from NCNC. He then formed Democratic Party of Nigeria and the Cameroon. (DPNC). Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group hurried an alliance with Mbadiwe for the 1959 elections. Was that a conspiracy against Zik?
When Joseph Tarka led masses’ revolt in Middle Belt, his major ally was Awolowo’s Action Group. Nobody grumbled a conspiracy against Ahmadu Bello.

All the events occurred before 1963. If therefore for once, (at least, for purposes of political argument) Zik and Tafawa Balewa supported Ladoke Akintola against Obafemi Awolowo, it could not be any political conspiracy. Or if it was a conspiracy, it was only a clone of the tactics tested from Action Group all along.
Was it ever considered a conspiracy when others were on the receiving end of convenient alliances/political expediencies, all introduced into Nigerian politics by the Action Group, why the alarm and whining when others, with the same tactics, had the upper hand?

Deplorable as the 1963 rushed amendment of Nigerian Constitution dating back to October 1st 1960 was, it was not the first retroactive legislation in Nigeria. Tafawa Balewa only copied what the Action Group regime in the West, led by Obafemi Awolowo started in 1955 in the Olubadan Chieftaincy succession crisis to nullify Adegoke Adelabu’s installation of his own candidate as Olubadan of Ibadan.

With the 1955 amendment to the western region’s chief’s law and backdated, it became a criminal offence for anybody to install a traditional ruler without government’s approval or for anybody to allow himself to be appointed a traditional ruler without government’s approval.
The retroactive legislation in the west served its intended political purpose as both Adegoke Adelabu and his Olubadan-elect were robbed of their effort.

This is a very educative article that stared the revisionists at the face. It must recall there was no time Zik and NCNC embarked on any endeavor to politically undermine Awolowo or encourage any form of anti-party activities by the members of Action Group as Awolow did severally.

Dede1:

This is a very educative article that stared the revisionists at the face. It must recall there was no time Zik and NCNC embarked on any endeavor to politically undermine Awolowo or encourage any form of ant-party activities by the members of Action Group as Awolow did severally.

Miniaturized Reasoning. Typical Dede always swapping the goal post. @OP completely stuupeed Post.

seanet02:

Miniaturized Reasoning. Typical Dede always swapping the goal post. @OP completely stuupeed Post.

Seanet02, the Wise man of Nairaland, let it be noted that without any provocation you were the one who started hurling insults at people on this thread.

Why is the post stuupeed? Because it runs contrary to your beliefs which are already cast in stone? Sorry!

One would think that since you are not stuupeed, you would give solid points to counter those made by Mr Onabule in this write-up. Thank God, Mr Onabule is a Yoruba man giving his perspective on national issues.

So if you don't have something to say, just waka pass plssssssssss!

seanet02:

Miniaturized Reasoning. Typical Dede always swapping the goal post. @OP completely stuupeed Post.

I guess you meant applied reasoning and keeping the goal post where it was measured. Did you check out the author of the article?

JProspero:

Seanet02, the Wise man of Nairaland, let it be noted that without any provocation you were the one who started hurling insults at people on this thread.

Why is the post stuupeed? Because it runs contrary to your beliefs which are already cast in stone? Sorry!

One would think that since you are not stuupeed, you would give solid points to counter those made by Mr Onabule in this write-up. Thank God, Mr Onabule is a Yoruba man giving his perspective on national issues.

So if you don't have something to say, just waka pass plssssssssss!

Did you notice the manner of desertion from the post by the revisionists?

Interesting.

Dede1:


Did you notice the manner of desertion from the post by the revisionists?

thank God M.C Ajuluchukwu and Effiong are ibos. They simply take ojukwu to the cleaners. Didnt M.C Ajuluchukwu said zik conspire against AWOLOWO? Funny ibos. Always beating about the bush. RABBITS

seanet02:

thank God M.C Ajuluchukwu and Effiong are ibos. They simply take ojukwu to the cleaners. Didnt M.C Ajuluchukwu said zik conspire against AWOLOWO? Funny ibos. Always beating about the bush. RABBITS

Link to this?

Anyway, the way Nigeria was set up with the 3 individual regions, it sort of makes sense that you'd conspire to weaken your neighbor. It wasn't like Nigeria was founded with the leadership of each respective region as best friends

Contrast this with the founding of the US, where the 13 colonies fought a war to gain independence and to a large extent the leadership was on the same page.

eku_bear:

Link to this?

Anyway, the way Nigeria was set up with the 3 individual regions, it sort of makes sense that you'd conspire to weaken your neighbor. It wasn't like Nigeria was founded with the leadership of each respective region as best friends

Contrast this with the founding of the US, where the 13 colonies fought a war to gain independence and to a large extent the leadership was on the same page.

one of the reasons why colonial founded african subsaharan countries will always struggle.fighting itself.

effiong is not igbo.

seanet02:

thank God M.C Ajuluchukwu and Effiong are ibos. They simply take ojukwu to the cleaners. Didnt M.C Ajuluchukwu said zik conspire against AWOLOWO? Funny ibos. Always beating about the bush. RABBITS

Have you noticed that you are the only one insulting other people's ethnic group on this thread. It says a lot about you. Meanwhile you have not countered one single point made by Duro Onabule in his write-up.

JProspero:

Have you noticed that you are the only one insulting other people's ethnic group on this thread. It says a lot about you. Meanwhile you have not countered one single point made by Duro Onabule in his write-up.

utter crass. na you sabi. It is not my job to counter dead bra***.

^^^^^
truth is bitter son.

By the way, when Chief Akintola, nine years later, was similarly accused of not supporting (Action Group) party policy, there was the same attempt to impeach him on the floor of the House Assembly in Ibadan except that his party was more divided than the NCNC (in 1953) and violence erupted in the legislature leading eventually to declaration of emergency.

This is slanted and dishonest.


They (the Akintola faction) were undoubtedly going to lose and as a result, they (the Akintola faction) resorted to violence. That Bello and Balewa didn't do the right thing and that NCNC members like Fani Kayode or Zik just stood by (actually Remi Fani-Kayode was even pro-Akintola) while they did the wrong thing is not somehow excused by referring to the fact that Awolowo's AG had worked to undermine the other two major political parties.


As for the rest, the efforts to undermine the other political parties were not somehow unique to the Action group. Using the logic by which the AG's actions can be termed "conspiracies," the NCNC (and later the NPC) were in a perpetual "conspiracy" against the AG and Awolowo from 1952 to 1963 with regard to the creation of the Midwestern region.

I guess the point of this write-up was that there should have been no opposing and antagonistic political parties and there should have just been one super-alliance of political parties or one all-powerful political party.    That worked out quite awfully for Ghana under Nkrumah.