₦airaland Forum

Katsumoto:
Baba agba
If we must harshly criticise anyone on these forums, it is best to direct it at those individuals who are constantly swimming in idiocy and ethnic jingoism. Azuka O is not one of such people; he has behaved, constantly, in a civil manner on these forums. Personally, I think your tone was a bit harsh. If your tone was directed at wilywily, mekusxxx, and mental-gong, I wouldn't bat an eyelid.  

Accepted-

I just didn't get the Gani angle.

He shouldn't be peddling that Gani angle, talk about the ultimate apple and orange comparison.

@ Azuka O, good to know you're not part of the loony crew, please accept my unconditional apology.

Ndo,

Fashola is evil for trying to give you and your kids a better life?


Some of you no dey even make sense no more,

Andre Uweh:
He is entitled to his own opinions. No need pushing him to the extreme for example, you wrote that you will recommend Seun to ban him. Do you think Seun will take you serious, do you think Seun does not read through all the arguments. How are you sure that Seun will not ban you first before him?. Be sensible.

Opinion cuts both ways, the thread starter did not put a gun to your head or force posters in this thread to accept his summations and if my Seun jab is giving you sleepless nights, swallow some sleeping pills. It was just a jab, get over it.

I used to be cordial to many of these irrational folks, but it's getting more and more difficult to take them seriously, their aim has never been good exchange of intellectual views and ideas. Needlessly trashing other people is no good discuss and I'm sick and tired of their silly and mindless rants.

We've sat here and read tons of their hate filled and bigoted rants with zero response, Enough is enough jare,

It is of course obvious that you do not know the meaning or proper definition for the word insult, highlight the insult and lets address it.

Babapupa and Azuka O

In all debates, it is imperative to understand the boundaries of such debates otherwise, conflict can easily arise. If you follow the writer in the first paragraph through to the second paragraph, you will observe that he clearly sets the tone for the article. See below

"Most of all
he had vision, and was a nice and decent human being! Yes, Chief Awolowo had his shortcomings. He was not a saint. However, his failings and missteps were far fewer and less injurious than those of his contemporaries. Within the context of Nigerian, and indeed within African politics, Awolowo had no equal. None!



He towered above his contemporaries. Not only that -- all the leaders we’ve had since his exit from government and politics have been political dwarfs. One would be hard-pressed to name a political leader in Nigeria -- since the second-half of the twentieth century – who did more for his people and for his country than Awolowo.

Awolowo was not a President. He was the Premier of the Western Region of Nigeria from October 1, 1954 until December 15, 1959. Nonetheless, his accomplishments dwarf the combined achievements of the last five heads of government Nigeria has had. And so from now until eternity his contribution to Nigeria’s socioeconomic and political life will be remembered and appreciated by discerning minds. As a federal minister under General Yakubu Gowon from June 12, 1967 to June 30 1971, he saved Nigeria from self immolation.
"


In that context, in my honest opinion, it would be wrong to include personalities who neither held political office nor led in one way or the other. I understand that Gani formed a political party but he didn't have much success with that. He was famous for being a human rights activist and defender of social justice. If the thread is about the greatest Nigerian ever, then Gani can not be discounted in any way.

It was a silly attempt o his part to negate and discount Awolowo.

Katsumoto:
Herbert Macaulay founded NCNC

They'll try anything to needlessly embellish.

[quote author=Azuka.O link=topic=456203.msg6185568#msg6185568 date=1276132874]The paragraph of the quote you refered to says: "Within the context of Nigerian, and indeed within African politics, Awolowo had no equal. He towered above his colleagues. To truly appreciate his greatness, all you need do is to take a look at the men and women who now dot, and have dotted our public estate and public space. Do so and you’d be hard-pressed to name a political leader in Nigeria, in the last 50 years, who did more for his people and for his country than Awolowo."[/

Gani Fawehinmi lived in Nigeria's public estate and public space in the last 50 years. He also led a political party called NCP. So I compared his contributions to Nigeria vis-a-vis Awo's contributions to Nigeria and Gani beat Awo in my estimation.


King Solomon, pls get it into your great brain that no Igbo man gives excuses for Zik because of his pan-African view. I hope you don't have comprehension problem: I said that the reason Igbos do not venerate Zik was because he didn't take Igbo issues to heart like Awo and Bello did. That does not mean that when Zik was premier of Eastern Region that he did not do anything in the East. I mentioned some projects he started including the first indigenous Nigerian university. But Igbos felt sad that he talked more about Nig and Africa than Igbo land, even after he was no longer the premier.

Note too that Awo was not Premier of Western Nigeria all his life. He was a minister of finance during the Civil War and after. He held no political post many years of his life. But he was still an opinion moulder in Nigerian affairs until his death. So his job descriptions were never to take care of Western Nigeria alone.

Note too, Wise King Solomon, that Igbos or Hausas never complain when you praise your leaders to high heavens as you claim. (I said in my first post that Awo was great.) They only complain when you tell them to their faces that your leader was better than theirs. And I tell you that in human relations, try hard as you like, no Igbo man or Hausa man or Ijaw man will accept that your leader is better than his leader. It is not possible. No matter the 'facts' you peddle.

Note too that one's strengths can also be the source of one's weakness. Have you asked yourself why despite the great leadership qualities of Awo, he could not win elections outside Western Region? Why was it that an Abiola that was not held in high esteem at home (WEST) was able to sweep votes in all regions, while Awo with his political sagacity and managerial skills could not?

Now look at this: In 1998, the AD had a choice to make between Olu Falae and Bola Ige as a presidential candidate. It is clear to all that Ige was wiser, more intelligent, more charismatic, a better speaker, a better manager, a better leader than Falae. But why did AD choose Falae? Because they knew that Bola Ige had an image of a core Afenifere man, who "may" be perceived as being more concerned about Yoruba issues than Nigeria. Mind you, I said 'may' - it was just a matter of perception. Despite Ige's sterling qualities over Falae, still AD chose Falae because they felt it would be easier to sell him to Nigerians than Ige. So there are so many factors you consider when you say that someone is "better."

Another example: Rev Jesse Jackson and other Black crusaders who came out for elections in the US had no fighting chance because of perception. But Obama who was accused of not belonging to mainstream Black movement or cause (who had a White mother and a Black father) suceeded where others failed.

And I still advise you show good breeding by controlling the way you insult people. I will not descend low to join you in that, no matter the insults you heap on me or Igbos. An adult should be able to argue his point without dragging himself in the mud. But if you think because you use a pseudonym on the internet, there is nothing to fear, you can go on. It merely reduces the regard readers have for you.[/quote]Seun should really ban you for flagrant waste of space and bandwidth with this worthless and pointless crap.

Saying Awolowo was the greatest was really a no brainer and we didn't claim what the rest of the world don't know about or yet to claim. Same claim was made inside and outside Nigeria, even folks within Igbo community made the same claim, the man you claim Awolowo betrayed made the same claim that Awolowo was the greatest and the best president Nigeria never had.

Awolowo excelled as a premier and finance minister. As Nigeria's Finance minister, Awolow didn't borrow 1 kobo to prosecute the civil war, a fit unheard of on earth's surface till this very second. He was a man of integrity, he stood  his ground and went to jail for his belief.  He ran the most disciplined, incorruptible and productive administration in the history of Nigeria, so what's your point again?

Was the lives of millions of people ever placed in Gani's hands to manage and administrate? Was Gani ever a public office holder?

Quit the silly and childish ignorant comparison.


Time magazine compiled a list of six black African leaders and Awolowo's name showed up, not ZIk's.

So, are we wrong for claiming the truth and what the rest of Nigeria, Black Africa and the world is claiming? I don't think so.


Unfortunately for you and with all the pan african and all the other nonsense you guys try to fool people with,  when they talk about leaders of Black Africa, they don't mention ZIK's. Feel free to checkout the bolded lines, ZIK was described as a demagogic buried under financial scandal while Awolowo was described as a man of integrity.

And before you come up with some yeye excuse, Yoruba folks didn't write all that.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo, 49, of the powerful Yoruba tribe, dedicated, teetotaling Prime Minister of the Western Region of Nigeria who began as a barrister, has gradually emerged as a statesman of integrity in a land where charges of corruption are the political order of the day. His fellow Prime Minister to the more populous but primitive north, the Sardauna of Sokoto, is a haughty Moslem nobleman out of another century. [b]Nigeria's other regional Prime Minister, the demagogic, U.S.-educated Nnamdi ["Zik"] Azikiwe of the Ibo tribe to the east, lives under a cloud as a result of a financial scandal in his administration. So rent by divisions (250 tribes speaking 400 languages), Nigeria has a compromise federal Prime Minister, Abubakar Balewa, a northerner. "To many of us," says Awolowo, "Britain is our second home. We have thrown no stones, fired no shot, and we have not shed a drop of British blood. We are attaining independence by peaceful, orderly and democratic methods."
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,894174,00.html

[quote author=Azuka.O link=topic=456203.msg6185355#msg6185355 date=1276127609]Oga, the speed at which you go personal says a lot about you. Your love for insults really cheapens you.

Talking about understanding the thread, I think you should be the one I should ask if you have a problem comprehending me.

The post says: "Awo had no equal." And I respond thus: "I disagree; Awo has a superior in Gani. Gani Fawehinmi was better than he or any other Nigerian past or present."

Why is it too difficult for you to accept that I have a right to have my choice?[/quote]Ask yourself,

Was Gani the premier of the western region? Was he the premier of the eastern region? Was he the premier of the northern region?


The thread starter asserted the quote below as the main contentions and body of his summation,

Within the context of Nigerian, and indeed within African politics, Awolowo had no equal. He towered above his colleagues.

So, was Gani a politician?

Was Gani a political colleague of Awolowo?

They didn't ask you to compare apples and oranges.

Obviously, your reading and comprehension skill betrayed you?

[quote author=Azuka.O link=topic=456203.msg6185204#msg6185204 date=1276125081]Pls let's make this clear: Judging which among Awo, Zik and Sardauna as regional premiers achieved most for his people is clearly different from 'Awo has no equal'. If what you said was the thrust of the argument, no Igbo man would claim that Zik did more for the Igbos than Awo or Bello. The reason why Igbos don't venerate Zik like the Yorubas and Hausas venerate Awo and Bello is that while the other two made it clear that they were out to take care of the interest of their people, Zik was more concerned about Nigeria and Africa. Example: When Zik founded Nigeria's first indigenous university, he called it University of Nigeria, Nsukka. When Awo founded his, he called it University of Ife, while Sardauna called his University of Zaria.  Zik founded a bank and called it African Continental Bank. Zik founded a neswpaper and called it the West African Pilot. He founded a party and called it NCNC -National Congress of Nigerian Citizens - at a time some others named theirs after their regions, etc

Igbos don't see Zik as an Igbo leader. They see him as a Nigerian leader. The people they see as Igbo leaders are Ojukwu, M.I. Okpara. Hausas don't see Balewa as Hausa leader; their eternal leader was/is Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto).[/quote]Abeg stop this shallow and irrelevant nonsense.

Do you even know anything about job discriprion?

Awolowo's main job, the job he swore oath to perform was to lead the western region, to look out for and take care of the western region, not federal republic of Nigeria or the African continent.


If Zik derelict and go do what they didn't ask him to do and shortchanged is people in the process, that one na Zik's problem and the people wey hire or appoint him.

Zik was the president of Nigeria and Awo was the premier of THE WESTERN REGION. Get it trough your thick skull,

I try hard not to laugh at Igbo people's sense of reasoning and sad ways of letting Zik off the hook. They say things like, oh, he did not do anything because he was a pan africanist, he was for a united Nigeria. WTF has that got to do with you job? Wtf has tat got to do with taking care of your people? Was he trying to build a bridge across africa and call it pan african bridge?

Was he appointed or elected to be a pan africanist or what ever sorry a/s/s labels you guys affix to his shortcomings.


You guys really need to go peddle that redundant pan african nonsense elsewhere,


And if Igbo people don't have any pride in their leaders and can not highlight their achievements, that's your problem and if Yoruba people wanna yell Awolowo till eternity, that's their prerogative, so why are you Igbo people running around as if your birthrights got taken away?

Of course, it's all about your backward ways of thinking and communal insecurities.  [quote author=Azuka.O link=topic=456203.msg6185355#msg6185355 date=1276127609]Oga, the speed at which you go personal says a lot about you. Your love for insults really cheapens you.

Talking about understanding the thread, I think you should be the one I should ask if you have a problem comprehending me.

The post says: "Awo had no equal." And I respond thus: "I disagree; Awo has a superior in Gani. Gani Fawehinmi was better than he or any other Nigerian past or present."

Why is it too difficult for you to accept that I have a right to have my choice?[/quote]Again, this is about Awolowo, not Gani.

[quote author=Azuka.O link=topic=456203.msg6185026#msg6185026 date=1276122980]@ babapupa and Akingbemaru

I actually thought I was discussing with gentlemen, people who could discuss without a siege mentality that everyone with a dissenting voice is an enemy. I am appalled and disgusted by your comments on my choice of Gani as my greatest Nigerian. I guess in your ethnic-infested view of life, you were shocked that an Igbo man could rate a Yoruba man as the greatest Nigerian. But what a pity! I don’t reason the way you do. What trips you is not what trips me.

Even though you insulted me the first time and I did not respond, you still went ahead to heap more insults on someone that has not insulted you in any way or attacked your point of view. Because I had a choice different from yours, you resorted to personal attacks and insults. That was a shame. I wish your children or younger ones could hear you display such low-road mentality. That type of dictatorial attitude to divergent view is the stuff people like Abacha and IBB are known.   And it is clear you would be worse than they if you were a military ruler. God save us from people like you who will kill anybody who disagrees with them.

So the only way to make you happy is if all Nigerians agree with you that Awo was the greatest Nigerian? Sorry we no longer live under dictatorship.  You chose Awo and I did not call you names; I made my own choice (who is not even from Igboland), and you went berserk.

Talking about not comparing a human rights activist and politician, was Mahatma Gandhi a political ruler? Is he not rated the No 1 in India and rated highly across the world? Was Martin Luther King Jnr a governor, senator or president in the ? Is he not rated higher than the majority of American presidents? What is this childish way of reasoning that as human rights activist cannot be compared to a politician?

For you, Awo is the greatest. I have no problem with that. For me, Gani Fawehinmi is my choice. QED. If you don’t like my view, you can buy yourself a beautiful heart attack. That is your business. It won’t remove a strand of hair from my head.

I had stated it before in a subtle way but it seems some people didn’t understand it. So let me put it now bluntly: Anybody who forces others to accept by “superior facts and argument” that his mother is better than their mothers is an irredeemable fool. Anybody who wants to force others to accept that his religion or ethnic group, or language, or culture, or party, or party leader, or sports club, etc is superior to others’ is a BIG FOOL to be pitied. Life does not work like that.  Even if those men accept it at gunpoint, they will call you a fool in their hearts and wait until they are free. So save your breath. Dale Carnegie said:  “Be smarter than others, if you can, but never tell them so.” They will never accept that you are smarter, neither will they respect you or like you. I rest my case.[/quote]Is this a case of inability to read and comprehend or just flapping your fingers because you have cheap access to the internet?


Onece again, the tread is titled Awo had no equal, not Gani had no equal.

Gani was a great man, but we are not talking about Gani today and if Gani is it for you today, go and start your own thread and title it Gani had no equal. I'll stop by and contribute gan sef.

For now, clear road abeg.

Dede1:
I still maintain that Nigeria should be disintegrated in order to allow seed to germinate where it may. I have to blame the freedom to play stupidity on Internet that provided avenue for moronic imbeciles to grow unfounded conjectures on the web.

Thank goodness there exist some rudimentary pointers in Nigeria that reveal the level of education or lack thereof in certain section of the country. If Ndigbo in particular and eastern region in general had been found floundering in area of academic, few loudmouths would have posited that Awolowo offered to help Ndigbo and eastern region of Nigeria in academic through the worthless free education but Azikiwe or Ojukwu slept on such wonderful proposal.

This senseless and pointless rubbish is an obvious reflection of the level of  insecurities and lack of self worth and assurance prevalent within the Igbo community.

2010 Style campaign, 

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Obafemi Awolowo museum. Epe, Lagos. This is what we do to our heroes, we honor them




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Kobojunkie:
Huh? They did submit a petition to the assembly. That is why there is a probe going on now.

There's probe going on? You and your ignorant rubbish as usual.

Attention:::


Do not post in this thread/support ignorance and stupidity, keep away.

Andre Uweh:
D.Kalu, the above is just unlike you. Please show respect to Zik. Yes he was Owelle of Onitsha because his people accorded him that recognition. Ahmadu Bello was also accorded Sarduana of Sokoto. Ojukwu is the Ikemba of Nnewi, Igbinedion is the Usama of Benin. Zik was an Africanist, do not take that away from him. He was Nigerian as well as Onitsha man of Igbo heritage. Please desist from insulting Azikiwe as I do not usually warn people twice.

This is very laughable. Respect is a 2 way street, respect other people before demanding respect from the same other people.

Charity begins at home my friend.


And about the Onitsha thing, it was not an original statement, he basically quoted a writer. It's all about reading and comprehension my friend,

[quote author=Azuka.O link=topic=456203.msg6177224#msg6177224 date=1276025892]Gani was in a class of his own. To me, no Nigerian comes close to him. Everyone thinks of self first, but Gani thinks of the Nigerian people first before his safety.

When the dreaded Abacha banned Nigerians from forming political parties, Gani defied him to form the National Conscience Party. Police and soldiers waited for him here and then to prevent him. He went ahead to form the party publicly.

When armoured tanks faced demonstrators at Yaba during the June 12 protests, Gani stood before the armoured tanks and dared them to kill him. Everyone thought the end had come. The security men held their fire and watched the man in disbelief. If it were in Tiananmen Square (China), it would have been on the front page of Time, Newsweek and other mags and dailies and hyped on CNN, BBC, Sky News, etc.

Gani was an asthmatic patient who required special care, yet he never tired of saying or doing things that got him arrested. There was no terrible prison that the evil-minded IBB and Abacha did not put him in. They baited him with money and appointments, he refused. They arrested and arrested him and got tired.

When the law establishment threatened to debar him about the publishing of Nig Law Reports, he went to court and won.

When Abacha’s henchman al-Mustafa was arrested by OBJ in 1999, he asked Gani to defend him but Gani told him that although as a lawyer he was bound to defend anybody who required his services, friends or foes, yet given the evil al-Mustafa and his principal Abacha committed against the Nigerian people, his conscience would not allow him to defend him.

We usually venerate politicians more than those who don’t hold political posts. That is why Bill Gates will currently be in Nigeria fighting polio, etc, with his well-earned money and it won’t be hot news, but if Secretary of State of the US or even George Bush Jnr or Robert Mugabe comes into Nigeria, it becomes hot news.


Gani was the Bomb. That was a Nigerian par excellence. When will another come?[/quote]Gani was def' a great man, but what's Gani got to do with Awolowo? Both men served the country and their people in different capacities and if I might add, we're are talking about Awolowo as an appointed/elected leader, not a human rights activist.

You wont even answer my questions because deep down the depth of your heart, hatred and tribalism reigns supreme.

Try what ever that excites you, but this thread remains about Awolowo, so forget about your pointless distraction and diversion.

Onlytruth:
Do you have proof of these claims?

Do you know that many African countries were already fully established and functional even in the 1800s (before Nigeria was ever dreamed of)?

What in the world are you talking?

You've already established your own ignorance, limitations and minimality, no need to keep re-asserting it.

Why waste my time?

afam4eva:
I don't think anyone on this thread has denied the fact that Awolowo achieved great things for his people. But that does not qualify him to be the best leader Nigeria has ever produced, that's ludicrous man.

But you did not answer my questions?

Is having the 1st TV station in Africa, even before a lot of European countries not a good thing for Nigerian and Nigerians in general?

Is having the fist modern stadium in Africa not a good thing for Nigeria and Nigerians in general?


The fact that these historic achievements were sited in the west doesn't alter the term 1st in Africa and Nigeria. Refusing to acknowledge and take pride in that obviously reflects your own worse tribal affliction.

Onlytruth:
I think that in the whole 22 pages of this debate, the most interesting quote was someone who said this:

"To the ant on the table, the earth is flat".

lmao!  

Unfortunately for you, we are not talking about ants or what ever ignorant nonsense and quotes you may have, we are talking about Awolowo having no equal and till this very second and after 22 pages, we don't have any equal.

You can not substitute facts with silly quotes and meaningless grins.

sjeezy8:
[size=15pt]The topic isnt about whether Awolowo was a nationalist or whether he was liked by most Nigerians-

The topic is about him not having any equal in terms of his vision and his concrete achievements[/size]

I still havent seen anyone post concrete evidence of a person who headed their region better than Awolowo.

Simply put "Awolowo had no equal".

It is perfectly safe to reach and re-assert that conclusion if after 22 pages and still zero equal.

afam4eva:
In terms of development, he leads in that regard but when it comes to fostering national united, he failed woefully.

In what way? I really need to know.


And as the premier of the western region, Awolowo was charged to work for and look out for the western region and he did a great job. He was never arrogated the responsibility to lead the country even though he tried so many times to play that role.

Also as a federal minister, he served his country excellently and if because he refused to compromise his principles, refused to betray his constituent and his conscience and also refused to bow to the whims of the colonialist. In addition, he refused to obey orders given by Dodan Barracks = what ever absurd labels you subscribe to, so be it because I even admire him more for that.

Wat was there to unite under a corrupt system and how do you make changes if you're not in the driver's seat? Was it his fault that other people didn't want to make the necessary sacrifices to better their own country? Must he sell out his conscience and  people, the same people he took oath to serve and protect just to appease a corrupt system? It was basically a matter of "fine, I'll take care of my people if you want to keep your head buried in the sand.

Some of the comments and statements by many of you lacks sound and rational seasoning and if I might add, little or no understanding of your own country's troubled history and events.

afam4eva:
I don't think anyone on this thread has denied the fact that Awolowo achieved great things for his people. But that does not qualify him to be the best leader Nigeria has ever produced, that's ludicrous man.

You can not blame me or the thread starter for you and other's insecurities, the topic clearly says Awo Had No Equal in reference to his achievements as a leader. In your mind if there's any equal, go ahead and name them and lets compare notes.

Who equaled him?

afam4eva:
Azuka, you have said it all. When will people learn to accept that whatever is best for them might not necessarily be good for someone else.

Is having the 1st TV station in Africa, even before a lot of European countries not a good thing for Nigerian and Nigerians in general?

Is having the fist modern stadium in Africa not a good thing for Nigeria and Nigerians in general.

Does it even make sense to deny yourself a notable achievement and sense of pride because of tribal sentiments?


I seriously wonder about some of you with your shallow, self defeatist and backward ways of thinking.

abadaba:
@Seanet02: You grey-haired slowpoke is indirectly informing nairalanders that you were Awo's secretary during his lifetime. You should be primarily concerned with your miserable life than other people's achievements. Have you not bothered how you can improve the life of that your one-eyed mother in the village.
Are you not concerned that your brother who is in the police college has started collecting bribe when he has not completed his course yet.
How about the shame of your father who died through necklace treatment by Lagos mobs. Why are you not so ahamed of your under-achieving family?.
Move back to the zoo where your following mohican animals are waiting for you. This is not a place for a smelly mouse like you. Mohican monkey, come catch banana.

Instead of firing back with the usual trash talk, why don't you counter his claim with your own if you have any?

[quote author=Azuka.O link=topic=456203.msg6173899#msg6173899 date=1275994025]Otunba Bupapupa, could you be clear and direct. I didn't get what you were driving at in your reaction to my comment.

Meanwhile, I take your insult as a compliment. As you may have noticed, no matter the provocation, I don't get involved in bashing of people, because I believe that even though this is the internet where people hide under pseudonyms and don't see face-to-face, yet people bashing or ethnic and religious bashing is not a sign of good breeding.[/quote]Awolowo had no equal as the the thread/poster asserted simply referenced his achievements as a leader regardless of who, where and what he led.


Also, regardless of who, where and what he led, we expect our leaders to lead with vision and great sense of duty, we expect them to deliver and become true public servant, we expect them to make positive social, economic and environmental changes per the lives of the people we charge them to lead and Awolowo did all that within 5 years.

What the man achieved within 5 years is still a record in terms of leadership and development.

And to say the man did not impact other parts of the country is just plain ignorance and utter stupidity because the facts on the ground states otherwise.

The man led the country in terms of infrastructural development and governance and his industrial estate remains the economic heartbeat of Nigeria, the place employs people from all over the country including your people and goods and services from the same place finds it's way to every corner of Nigeria so you are impacted.

What is Nigeria economically without Ikeja and Ilupeju Industrial?

Within 5 years, the man introduced so many first not only in Nigeria, but in the whole of Africa and I think every Nigeria regardless of regional affiliation should be proud of his accomplishments. The man did what Nigeria itself as country could not do?

When Awolowo established the first television station in black Africa in Ibadan, there were no television stations in many European countries talk less in Northern/Eastern Nigeria.

Obafemi Awolowo was the first political leader in Nigeria to pay minimum wage

Though a christian, Awolowo was still being remembered for the establishment of the first Pilgrims Welfare Board in Nigeria to assist Muslims in the observance of their annual pilgrimage to Mecca.


He introduced the First and only free medical service to children below the age of 18 years, something even the US still can not do in 2010.

He established the Nigerian  Tribune  newspaper  which is now the oldest surviving private newspaper.


Harold Wilson, a Labour Party Prime Minister of Britain once said “Awolowo is brilliant enough to be the prime minister of Britain or the President of the United States of America.”

My question to you now is, who equaled all that?  

Some of you can huff and puff against because of your tribal hatreds, but he had no equal.

Saying the man's achievements is confined to the west/Yoruba people not only sounds retarded, it defies truth and facts on the ground in brick and mortar, it's also foolish and Ignorant. The man set benchmark for new leaders in Nigeria and folks like Fashola are returning to and embracing Awolowo's vision and ideals.

And we are not claiming what's not/never been claimed by folks inside and outside Nigeria.

Cyprian Ekwensi had this to say about Chief Awolowo and his followers: "The Awoists almost deified Awo. The factor which led to this state of hero-worship are made up of Awo's vision for Nigeria, his consistency of promise and delivery, his planning strategy, his dedication to making good life available to all, the visible and provable transformation of the standards of those who embraced his philosophy and practised his own exemplary self denial and modest style, his mystic and ascetic life bordering on the occult and his unselfishness".


As we speak, a team of researchers comprising seasoned actors, theater practitioners, academicians and journalists has been set up to oversee the packaging of an epic film in honor of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. “The film is also meant to put the thoughts and glowing infrastructure achievements  of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in proper shape and in excellent stead. A team of researchers drawn from NANTAP, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and supported by a retinue of actors from home and abroad, will make this epic film an indelible mark on the local and international arena,” says the statement.



Like I said, I do understand the need to every once in a while say stuff because of tribal affiliations, but repeating ignorant statements means you are ignorant per the subject at hand and incapable of reasoning beyond your tribal lens.

otukpo:
In terms of what?

What else but his unduplicated achievements?

[quote author=Azuka.O link=topic=456203.msg6167248#msg6167248 date=1275907186]Was Awo great? Yes.

Was he the greatest to the Yorubas? Yes.

Was he the greatest to other Nigerians? Big No. [/quote]It's sometimes acceptable to carelessly spew nonsense because of misguided tribal or regional pride, but to keep repeating the same garbage clearly displays the saddest collective ignorance and zero knowledge of your own history.

[quote author=bk/babe97 link=topic=456203.msg6170389#msg6170389 date=1275937564]. . . and "Educated" folks  that spell "their" as "there"!!![/quote]Talk about olodo teacher don't teach me nonsense,



lmao,

To the ant on the table, the world is flat ! Lack of broad world view can only lead to ignorant statements/declarations.

Yoruba people revere Awolowo, and maybe rightly so in their opinion because he impacted on their lives thus : University in Ife, First TV stations in Africa, Liberty Stadium, Ikeja industrial estate,  and most of all, free primary education.

While all those achievements are laudable, declaring Awo the best Nigerian leader would be akin to the World series games in America where only American teams participate and are crowned world champions. 

Like for like, he was matched or even outshined by other regions at the time.

First TV Station : Yes, but in quick pursuit were Northern Nigeria TV by Ahmadu Bello and ENBC/TV by Okpara.

OAU: Before OAU, There was UNN. OAU showed up in 1962 alongside ABU and Eastern Region University (defunct after the civil war and now known as Forestry Research institute of Nigeria Umuahia.)

Liberty stadium : Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Tafawa Balewa Stadium (Altho not built by the regional govt). Enugu stadium developed from Railway playing fields.

Ikeja industrial Estate (Yaba and Apapa were built by the FG): In the east, there were industrial centres in Aba, Enugu and trans Amadi Industrial Layout in PH. Golden Guinea Breweries and Ceramics industry in Umuahia, Nkalagu Cement and erstwhile Calabar Cement factory were all legacies of Michael Okpara. I do not know about Bello, but he might have done something similar in the north too.

Free education: short lived, albeit commendable. It was only at primary level and was his prerogative.  The north should have followed suit in that regard, but the eastern region embraced western education with both arms and since people went to school in any case, the regional govt found it more important to channel their resources elsewhere. The records show that they did not lag behind in education as result of not following suit with free education.

In mordern times, did Awo really surpass Jakande ? Well, he did not surpass Mbakwe for sure.

Mbakwe to Imo and Abians was a god. In terms of layout and design, only Abuja beats Owerri. The streets are straight as graph. I don't know of any other City in Nigeria (apart from Umuahia to an extent) with a network of underground sewer system, which link all the drainage (gutters) in the city centre. The second state University (after Anambra) and initiative to self-tax and build Imo airport to mention a few, were all part of Mbakwe's legacies.

Yes, Awolowo was your god, but he can't be god to all.


To all those talking about contesting election elsewhere and using UK as an example, all I can say is that you shot yourselves on the foot. Tony Blair for instance was born in Scotland and represented an English constituency. Michael Howard was born in Wales to a Romanian father, represented an English constituency, was tory leader and could have become the Premier had the tories won. Examples abound and ignorance is no longer bliss.

All you did was assert the same thing we've been saying. You basically confirmed that Awolowo was a leader, he showed and paved the way for the rest of Nigeria. All the yeye in quick pursuit basically = follow follow.

pursuit = somebody with superior brains, intellect and strong leader dey ahead of you and your leaders.

Obviously, the man was ahead of Nigeria itself talk less of your villages back east.

He impacted the rest of the country because the rest of the country followed him and duplicated his achievements like you clueless pointed out.

He impacted your life because you just stated that your leaders pursued and duplicated his achievements. I don't know about some of you head in the sand Igbo people, it's either you're slow or just bipolar.

It beats me how some of you just dey talk with little or no common sense.


Jakande himself go slap you for putting his name ahead of Awolowo,

lol @ Igbo standing up to Hausa folks,


I wonder why den pick race and ran back east like sissy flies when thousands of them got slaughtered up north in the 60s. I even wonder if they took their mud houses with them back east.

Igbos are very known for running, they are weak and can't fight. Ojukwu was coward and he ran like a baby, Zik took off  like a weak leader that he was,


Some of y'all really need to keep quiet for real,

Dede1:
I am not surprise that certain trolls from the jungle called Nigeria would throttle to any length to twist history in order to ascribe unworthy accolade to impostors. I lived in Lagos for considerable years and never heard that Lagos was not capital of Nigeria but Lagos Island. What a condemnable fallacy.

From the so-called Lagos Island to Mainland, the federal ministry responsible for Lagos as a capital territory took charge. When it comes to citing National Stadium, National Theater, MMA, Industrial Estates, Parastatals, National Training Institutes and Infrastructures of international repute, Lagos, then capital of Nigeria and known today as Lagos State, was the domain of federal government of Nigeria.

I can not stop laughing at the jackasses that insist that Awolowo built everything in Lagos but Ibadan. It must be recalled that Ibadan was the capital of western region of Nigeria and Awolowo was premier for mere three years (3). In fact, if by any known chance that Awolowo, as premier of western region of Nigeria, accomplished all the feats few trolls would want us to believe, I say Awolowo is the greatest magician ever.  However, the deplorable state of Ibadan, the regional capital and seat of Awolowo’s abrakatabra, vehemently refused to accept such unfounded fallacy. Have you being to Ibadan lately?

This Lagos tin dey pain you hard sha,

Onlytruth:
It is not delusion. It is happening as we speak and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.

I do agree with you. It is happening as we speak. It is happening inside your head.


Ndo,

Onlytruth:
Let me help you figure Igbo thinking here a little. A famous writer -Mark Twain -said, "Buy lands, for they ain't making more of it".

When we are done with your land, we then turn to ours.  

I addressed your delusions already,

Like I asked,

Is it by force not to apply common sense when you speak?