₦airaland Forum

At 50, Nigeria Has Not Done Too Badly, Say Gowon, Shonekan


AS the nation counts down to its 50th independence anniversary, two of the country’s past leaders have declared that looking back, the nation has indeed not fared too badly and can only get better.
Speaking with The Guardian during the formal public presentation of former governor of Lagos State, Brigadier General Mobolaji Johnson’s (rtd) book, ‘Lagos State –My Life of Service With Integrity’, General Yakubu Gowon, the civil war Head of State who governed the country from 1966 to 75, said if for nothing, Nigerians should thank God for the peace in the country.
His words: “Well, at least there is peace and the nation is still one and together. Whatever may be the deficiencies, these are the things we have”.
He said the country also has to ensure it works tirelessly to do away with its deficiencies. “But the important thing is that the nation must remain one and united. So I wish Nigeria well at 50, and I am delighted that one was able to keep this nation together as one, and that we are able to celebrate 50 years, ” he added.
On his part, Shonekan, the former Head of the 88-day Interim National Government put in place by former military President Ibrahim Babangida after the crisis generated by the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, remains positive that the next 50 years of the nation will bring much joy to Nigerians.
He said: “I believe we have achieved quite a lot within these 50 years. We have had quite a lot of challenges, but we have been able to surmount all of those challenges without any third party trying to resolve them for us. We thank God for that. I think what we need to do is to try as much as possible to learn from the mistakes of the past and prepare ahead for the challenges of the future”.
Sonekan said he believes very strongly that “the almighty God will see us through. This is our time, and the almighty God has blessed us; we are 50 percent of the total population of the ECOWAS sub-region. We have 50 percent of the GDP; God has given us a lot of potentials with which we should develop and lead the whole of Africa.
I think this is the time we must endeavour to make it happen.”

http://ww2.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23444:at-50-nigeria-has-not-done-too-badly-say-gowon-shonekan-&catid=1:national&Itemid=559#comments

NWAYIRIUWA: The leader of the 1929 Aba women Revolution.

Jarus:
And they are also far more educated and brilliant. Yar'adua, Buhari, Shagari, Ahmadu Bello, Sanusi, Buhari etc are all fulani

Am not sure that Yar'adua and Buhari are not HAUSAS.

netotse:
why now? im dey share money?

Nigerians and love of money, na wa.
Mekusxxx's post are more meaningful than all the crap you see on nairaland politics section daily.
I boldly call for his return. Moderators over to you.

M Cork:
Just Loook at his face, He is IBO!!! he must be! (no oofeinse)

Remember, I never supported the idea of releasing you from Aro mental institute. Now that the authorities have realised their mistakes, I think, they should send you back there. Monkey displaying the skills of his father the senior monkey.

What of Egun language spoken in Lagos state.

@The Moderators; would you at this time P.M Mekusxyz or Mekusxxx to return to Nairaland?.

Gwam gwam gwam, ihe na etigbu nwata n'ihu nne na nna ya.---Aguru.

However, Odili should do more to drive home his Igbo identity like other worthy Rivers Igbo sons E.g Wanodi Okogbule, Obi Wali, Francis Ellah, Chibudom Nwuche and father, Celestine Omehia, Julius Agwu, etc.
He had every opportunity to tell the world that he is an Igbo man from Rivers state at the 2006 and 2007 World Igbo Congress in America but he did not show up.
Even here in Nairaland, Igbo boy from Rivers state has represented well. God bless you Igbo Boy.

Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Aku fechaa odara awo. The termite will still fall for the toad.

Balewa, M. Muhammed, Abacha and Yar'adua died while still on the throne.

Etiti has a very long history of Inter community football competitions. Most trophies been contested in Etiti were donated by E.D.S Anyanwu, Eze Ovuike, Chief Francis Anamekwe, Chief L.O Agu, Chief Nwaoku etc.
Later successive chairmen became the donors.
But recently wealthy individuals such as Jude Ofoegbu etc have become donors as well.
Umuowusuoshie-Obowu swept almost everything in the early 1980's, followed by Zebra f.c of Umuezegwu, and later Sprinters of Umuihi.
In the early 1990's, Wipers of Amainyi ruled the town and later topled by Umuihi.
Now, there is no clear winners in Ihitte Uboma. It has been rotated between Umuihi x3, Amakohia x2, Umuderim x1 and Ikperejere x1.

The pastor in question here deserves to die.

Nwamaka--child is precious.
Nwabude--child is one's fame.
Akuanata--Wealth has returned.
Nneka--mother is great.
Obiageli--she has come to enjoy.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-301408.0.html

Check out this link above.

Welldone Olubadan. That was just a Greek gift.

The actual dowry also varies from one community to another. It could be:
50 tubers of yam
Bags of rice.
Wrapper--holandis or george materials.
cooking utensils.
Box of matches.
Cigaretes.
STAY TUNED.

@ The poster, it is worthy to let you know that Igbo custom demands that mere agreeing on the the bride price does not seal the marital agreement. One could pay the bride price but without paying 'Ego ebum okwu'-the money that terminates and seals any further discussion on the bride price. The person could be called any day to come any day to come and take back his money (bride price). In effect, the parents of the girl could give her out in marriage to any other suitor, although this is a dying culture.

Igbo people value their daughters a lot. They spend a lot to raise their daughters and as a result, bride price has gone higher than what was obtainable in the olden days. It varies from community to community.

The essence of bride price in Igbo culture is to ensure that the prospective husband can maintain his family and defend his family for a man is a man only if he can cater for his family and defend his family (Ezi na Ulo).
Initially the amount is expressed in symbols. Sticks of broom or in some cases, the grains of solid waste (faeces) of a young she-goat that has not given birth are in use to denote certain amount of money. The solid waste of a young she-goat symbolises that the young girl in question is a virgin (rarely obtainable now). If the middle man on the part part of the prospective father-in-law wants to start with say N2000:00, he would display ten grains of the solid waste on the floor and tell the middleman on the other side, that is, the parternal family of the prospective groom that each grain represents N200:00. The parternal family of the prospective groom would continue to 'remove and put back' some of the grains until eventually they (the two families) agree on a fixed amount represented by the number of grains left. It is necessary to point out again that the bride price, no matter the amount, is not given direct to the father-in-law. It is given to him through the middle-man on his side; so also is 'okuko onu muo' (cock given as present during new yam festival.
In some Igbo communities, only sticks of broom are in use. The sticks of broom are put inside 'okwa'-small cooking utensil for pounding and grinding things like pepper. The cultural interpretation for using the okwa is to wishthe two prospects good luck.
Again in some Igbo communities where the bride price is fixed traditionally, the bride price includes exchange of gifts such as dried meat and palm wine between the two families.

Dede1:
Bros, I have nothing against Ohanaeze but heard it is strictly regulated by membership clause. Does it mean any Igbo person is a member? If membership clause exists in Ohanaeze which to my knowledge I am not a member and do not contribute to its deliberations, how could it dictate to me which candidate to cast my vote?

Individuals do not affiliate to Ohanaeze but LGA and states. Assuming you are from Mbaitolu or Ikeduru, the delegate from your LGA and State represents you in Ohanaeze.
Nevertherless, you can still vote conntrary to their wishes.
But believe me their resolution counts a lot at this time of uncertainty.

Aigbofa:
I produced the facts, you responded with insults. Azikiwe was a demagogue. It was written by his peer Awolowo using Zik's own words as an evidence. Moreover, it was corroborated by a reputable foreign magazine, which you falsely accused of being an agents colonialism.
You are a liar, and a stupi.d one at that. You started the insults because you obviously have nothing to counter the fact that your Hero was a garden variety bigot.

Quit insulting.

KnowAll:
[size=14pt]The Igbo's would not clinch any Presidency at anytime in our history if they chose to play politics as if they are in relay race. Passing the baton Poltics is unheard off and stuff of Kindergaten or pre-school politics, that Bullsh*t that IBB is saying is inconceivable and inpracticaible.

Does the Igbo think the Yoruba's, Edo's, Igala's,Hausa/Fulani's and the Beroms would fold their arms while the most coveted sit in the nation is giving to them on a platter of gold without a fight, unless the Igbo's can come out with a clean and sincere candidate who have not gotten a corruption plague hanging over his neck, it is then one can think of that possiblity, that kind of personalty is thin on the ground in the SE, WHY hand over the Presidency to ANYONE of those established rogues parading themselves as a potential VP to IBB.

What the Igbo's should do is look for someone savvy enough that can play politics the way guile and smart politicians have played politics all over the world. This cry baby attitude would not cut it in Nigeria now or in the future. The Igbo's had better learn to walk, playing the victim in a war is not good enough reason why every other tribe in the land would put their own and collective ambition of their people on hold so as to appease the Igbo's.

The Igbo's can climb the roof top and shout out to all that Biafra is the only way out for them since they have being denied the Presidency, that would not move anyone, they should learn to play poltics the way it has always being played one day it would be their turn being obsess with the Presidency would not cut it.

Ribadu is not a Yoruba man and I can categorically say he would get more votes amongst the Younger Yorubas if he runs head to head against Jonathan. Why is he popular in the SW, BECAUSE he is passionate about a cause which a lot of people can identify themselves with.[/size]

So you really have the time to type the above voluminous rubbish.

slap1:
(1)Nwoke na anyu mamiri ji ihe n'aka. (2) Ihe nwoke na eme jide amu ya aka siri ike. (3) O buru na amu anwughi osiso, o ga eririri ihe gbara aji.

Biko ejim Chineke ayo gi, atuzili udi ilua.

Aigbofa:
It means you are dumber than I thought. Simply put.

Ku, ku, kuru, uku, ku.

Those guys deserve lengthy prison sentences.

EzeUche22:
I am so confused o!

I abstain from the voting.

Ohanaeze please take a stand. We need you guidance!

Well said Uchenna.

chyz:
Please do take offense, but its Igbos like you who always eff it up for the masses and have us looking like fools across nigeria.what is wrong with moving as one full front? U ask why we should wait for Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo to dictate which candidate we should go for, one thing you have to understand is that they have access to information that we dont.another thing is they are the ones who have face to face discussions with these people.Also, As u can see by whats been going on for the past months, Igbo forums/groups have been claiming the SE is for GEJ while others are saying the SE is for IBB. Theres no clear stand for Igbos when going down that route. It serves us better to have one group that everybody will know when they speak it is the real deal.

It serves us no good for you to campaign against the decision they make. Put away you sentiments and remember its not about you or your feelings,its about your people.

Word of a wise man. Onye nwe anyi nonyere gi.