₦airaland Forum

By Douglas Anele

Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the dominant political parties that emerged in Nigeria before independence and played prominent roles in defining the direction of her future political evolution were largely regional parties. For instance, in northern Nigeria, the political landscape was dominated by the Northern People’s Congress (NPC), whose catchphrase “One North, One People,” accurately encapsulates its core agenda.

It was unabashedly a political organisation specifically set up to cater for the concerns of northern region alone, particularly the interests of the domineering feudalist conservative elite, to the extent that it refused to present candidates for elections in the south. Interestingly, NPC leaders were surprised that its gesture of separateness was not reciprocated by political parties in the south.

Consequently, they strongly resisted efforts by parties in southern Nigeria to field candidates in the north, which Balewa saw as appropriate to response to the “invasion” of northern region by southerners, and considered southern politicians campaigning in northern Nigeria an unwelcome challenge to north’s territorial sovereignty. Action Group (AG) was the major party in western Nigeria, whereas the first truly national political party was the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), although it eventually mutated into a regional party called the National Council of Nigerian Citizens dominated by the Igbo.

Given this tripartite regional political configuration, two scenarios were inevitable. One, although the NPC was dominant because of British preferential treatment and the north’s huge land mass compared to the other two regions in the south, none of the parties could govern Nigeria without forming a coalition with at least one other party. Two, because the three main parties were established along ethnic lines (except for NCNC which in its earlier stages was truly nationalistic in outlook) ethnic rivalries and mutual suspicion created a fertile soil for inter-ethnic conflicts.

The first indication that post-independent Nigeria would be problematic was in 1953 when, through Anthony Enahoro, the AG and NCNC tabled a motion in the federal House of Representatives calling for Nigeria’s independence in 1956. But the NPC led by Ahmadu Bello, for whom independence on that date was “an invitation [for the north] to commit suicide,” objected, claiming, correctly, that the north did not have adequate administrative machinery and educated personnel to run a modern democratic government independently of Britain.

That was why, when northerners who were majority in the House diluted Enahoro’s motion by recommending that independence should be attained when it is practicable to do so, they were heckled and jeered at by crowds in Lagos for foot-dragging on the independence issue. Some key members of the northern establishment and a broad section of northerners neither forgot nor forgave the south for that embarrassment.

Most Nigerians do not know that Britain had already made up her mind to hand over power to northerners by October 1, 1960, thereby laying the foundation for caliphate colonialism, despite the huge educational gap between the north and the south, the economic dependence of the former on the latter, and reluctance of prominent northern leaders to key into the quest for self governance.

That was why the British colonial office abruptly brought Sir James Robertson from Sudan as the last expatriate governor-general of Nigeria to conduct the 1959 elections, which he manipulated to favour the NPC. Ordinarily, in the interest of merit, fairness and justice, Sir Robertson and his cohorts ought to have worked hard to ensure that the first set of leaders for indepemdent Nigeria emerged from a
free and fair election.

Of course, that is wishful thinking: the colonial master was not interested in transferring power to the most competent Nigerians or in building a strong and viable black nation that would eventually explode the white supremacist myth that black peoples are incapable of managing their own affairs without the guidance of whitemen. Besides, northerners preferred British rule to what they imagined as the dangers of being dominated by the south. Their leader, Sir Ahmadu Bello, expressed this fear: “A sudden grouping of the eastern and western parties (with a few members from the north opposed to our party) might take power and so endanger the north.”

Thus, aside from wanting to reward the north for its pro-British stance, Britain rigged Nigeria’s independence elections so that its compliant friends in the north, such as Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa, would win power, dominate the country and serve British interests after independence. This is in line with the psychology of oppressors and colonilalists identified by the psychiatrist and poli
tical political philosopher, Frantz Fanon, who posits that colonial masters invariably prefer stooges as their successors, those who would depend on them and who they can easily manipulate.

Chinweizu reports that Sir Robertson named Balewa as Prime Minister in 1957 inspite of the fact that the NPC controlled only one region and a third of the ministers in the federal executive council whereas the NCNC members were dominant in the east and west and had two-thirds of the ministers at the federal level. There is a personal angle to this brazen unfairness as well: the British Man Friday confessed that he became “very close” to Sir Tafawa Balewa to the extent that they could discuss virtually everything, including Balewa’s “difficulties with noisy southerners who seemed to take all their squabbles and troubles to him.”

As I pointed out earlier, Sir James Robertson was seconded to Nigeria from Sudan, a country dominated by muslims. Therefore, since like old soldiers old habits die hard, he was more comfortable handing over power to a muslim school teacher who the western world had hyperbolically and cynically propped up as a great statesman rather than to Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, leader of the NCNC and a brilliant political philosopher with a doctorate degree from Lincoln University, United States.

At independence, the incendiary plan of British colonial administrators was successful. Sir Balewa became Prime Minister while Sir Ahmadu Bello decided to remain Premier of northern Nigeria. Aside from Britain’s complicity in the process of northern entrenchment at the centre, two critical observations must be made at this point. First, before independence most prominent northern politicians preferred the north to the entire country, and they did not change their obsessive fixation with the region even after independence.

Sir Ahmadu Bello’s arrogant and insensitive remark that “I would rather be called Sultan of Sokoto than President of Nigeria” sums up the attitude of key members of the northern ruling elite to the idea of a united Nigeria as a sovereign geopolitical entity. Therefore, when Nigerian leaders from the north claim that Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable, as if notherners are more patriotic than their southern compatriots, theyujnn must be reminded that Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa and most of the prominent northerne unjnrs assassinated in the first military coup of January 15, 1966, and whose deaths were avenged by northern soldiers and civilians who murdered and maimed tens of thousands of Ndigbo, including many senior Igbo military officers, never really believed in or worked for Nigerian unity.

Instead, they used threats of separation and violence to armtwist wily British colonial j and squabbling disunited southern politicians to get concessions favourable to the conservative ruling elements in the north. The change from threats of secession by Ahmadu Bello and his cohorts to morbid obsession with Nigerian unity by successive northern military dicatators and prominent politicians was motivated by the ideology of caliphate colonialism set forth shortly after independence by Sir Ahmadu Bello himself: “The new called Nigerina should be an estate of our great-grandfather, Uthman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We use minorities of the north as willing tools and the south as a conquered territory and never allow them to rule over us, and never allow them to have control over their own future.”

In other words, Sir Ahmadu Bello proposed that external colonisation by Britain should be replaced after independence with internal caliphate colonialism by muslim northerners so that Nigeria would remain perpetually the inheritance of the arch jihadist, Uthman Dan Fodio. In my opinion, no single pronouncement by any Nigerian explains better the fixation of the dominant faction of the northern ruling power bloc to our feudalistic federalism and irrational quest for political power at the centre.

Ambode versus Chaplain...

The media is reporting that Ogbeni Ambode fired a Chaplain for not anointing his wife first or something to that effect. I haven't seen Ambode's denial or clarification. I haven't heard his own side of the story. We also haven't heard from Mrs. Ambode.

If the available and, as yet, uncontested version of this story is true, it is a case of Gambari pa Fulani. I don't see why ordinary Nigerians should be unduly exercised, expending valuable energy on a family affair between Nigerian Christendom and power. Go and spend your energy on coping with recession and stop trying to take sides between Ambode and a Pastor.
What exactly does Nigerian Christendom expect from a Frankenstein she has created and nursed since the 80s? I've been criticized for writing that Christianity died in Nigeria somewhere before the mid-80s.
The beginning of polygamy for Nigerian Christendom. Unable to divorce from the Bible, Nigerian Christianity took a second wife: the politician, the man of power.

First wife - the Bible.
Second wife - the politician.

Well, you know how the new wife is treated and how the old wife is treated in polygamy. Nigerian Christianity has been pampering this new wife since they got married, completely neglecting the old wife.
Growing up, the sight of specially-designed Italian leather sofas in the front row, reserved for Daddy GO, Mommy GO, politicians, and rich men of power was unthinkable!

The closest that my generation and those older knew about special seating arrangements in the Nigerian church was on ojo ikore, Thanksgiving Day, when the
"alaga" of the day sat on a special chair.

Today, sofa apartheid is standard in the church, the quality of your front row sofa determined by the size and regularity of your tithe and the importance of your position in power.

Nigerian Christendom has been grooming the new bride with privileges, preferential treatment, and spatial apartheid in the church. Nigerian Christendom has been stopping in the middle of sermons and ministration to "recognize the presence of Senator Lagbaja and Governor Tamedun."
Nigerian Christendom has made a colossal contribution to deepening class apartheid in Nigeria by separating rich and powerful men from the masses in Church.

It has been give and take, this relationship.
Nigerian Christendom has received import waivers.
Nigerian Christendom has received its own share of the looted commonwealth in the shape of tithes and other donations.

I used to even think that the rot in Nigerian Christianity was limited to prosperity Pentecostal Churches until Senator Ike Ekweremadu built a church in his state and donated it to the Anglican Communion and the Anglican Church accepted the expensive gift without bothering about the source of the riches of that member of the filthy National Assembly.

When, as Christianity, you have spent nearly three decades grooming Nigerian big men and their wives as special and different from the rest in the context of a class apartheid you created, what exactly do you expect if you depart from the script?
The slighted politician will take a coconut and crack it on your head.

If Ambode's story is true, it is a warning to Nigerian Christianity. You wrote the script. You created the class apartheid in Church. Live with the monster you created. Depart from the script and a coconut will be cracked on your head.

When a politician cracks a coconut on the head of a Nigerian pastor, I have no dog in the fight. It is a family affair. I have never been invited to their sharing of the spoils of the Nigerian state. Why should their quarrel be my headache?

It is ordinary people taking sides between politician and pastor that I pity. The politician and the chaplain will kiss and make up eventually.

The tithing of the Pastor will resume.
The privileged sitting arrangements of the politician and his wife will resume.

You will be told that God will answer your own prayer by fire one day.

Aduraaaaaa!!!

I am yoruba and I'm fully in support of Bi**** agitation.

Useless politicians. Where's their fucking humility?

Dem don see work. Kidnappers full town to chase dem no go for dem. *hiss

...You people should quit the scare mongering. lm certain she's aware of the wider ramifications of this broadcast and I think she did perfectly well to put it on air....

Sure she will be invited but anyone thinks she's not aware of that fact? Messed up as the damn country is, there's still due process at work.
All I see up there are the rantings of a wussy soldier. A real soldier won't threaten civilians but then its the martial signature of the average useless Nigerian soldier who are experts at macho-ing and beasting on the common man they swore to protect....

Vivian, keep your work going, your ass's covered.

op, based on forex exchange then and now, its about the same.

1984 $1 = N1
2017 $1= N400

You'll get around same figures.

This is just my simple analogy, not an economist, but I think it makes a little sense. However things can never ever be compared now to those days in whatever way, form or shape.

People don't be fooled. They run their mouth when they are seeking votes. Its clear as the day this thieving crook wants another shot at Aso Rock. Once there, the story is bound to change. Don't be fooled.

#e be like say dem wan to tell us another story again o....

Now im really worried. To even think ther'd still be gullible Nigerians with all the atrocities these guys keep piling on us day in and out....

That guys head yaf scattered there o, (ori bobo yen ti fonka sibe)....

Your not just a product of a good home, your also full of wisdom and for this God will dash you bountiful wisdom even more....

JuneOctober:
Yeah. Like you said, it's your opinion.
Good day,
First, I believe every woman should be able to take care of herself adequately. And your post was centred on money! Money!! Money!!! Why? You didn't even take into consideration the characters of a good man. In other words, whether good character or not, they should surrender themselves to a rich man that will carry all their financial burdens. If you really do care about women empowerment, you'd teach them first how to be stable on their own, financially independent rather than looking for a rich man to do that for them and of course, be of good behaviour.

True, people who are broke need to work hard and that is what some are doing! They are doing their best just that things aren't in their favour. Don't be quick to castigate someone because he isn't rich right now. Poor today, rich tomorrow...

If you are as a lady can adequately, I mean ADEQUATELY take care good care of yourself, then you can decide to go with your class. Don't be lazy and go about looking for a rich man.

What about those who decided to do nothing and marry a rich man and then later the man dies suddenly (I don't pray for this)... So you'd run around looking for another man to carry your responsibility, especially those with children. Don't just encourage the male gender to work hard, encourage the females too. There is more to a woman than her body or sex.

Finally, Everyone should be hardworking, be of good character, help one another. No gender should be a liability.
I'd drop my pen now.

Thank you

Wrong move on their part if you ask me. Genuine recipients will only be made to suffer. These scumbags know how to route their scam money from one country to another before finally getting to them.

blueseacats:
There's is a call going around now to ban western union to Nigeria. Every well meaning Nigerian should support this effort until the government finds a way to sanitize the society.

For Nigerians in diaspora they know exactly how to send their loved ones money. But the effort is to curb the inflow of scam money into Nigeria.

For those who does not know how dark Nigeria's name is in the international scene please don't quote me.

Disturbing stuff. Make I kuku add my own. Lost my modem with sim so I went into this gloworld office for a replacement. Fulfilled all righteousness, time for me to pay and oga tells me, your money is N2,200.

Me: What? Goodness me!
Oga Glo; this is 4g sim I'm giving you
Me; oga, I don't have that type of cash on me
Oga Glo; how much do u hav
Me; I hav less than N1k for....
Oga Glo; how much do u hav?
Me; 700

I left after paying N700. From N2,200 to N700....smh

Nigeria truly needs divine intercession....

I can relate. Michael Aondoakaa comes to mind here....

nerodenero:
As for Kyari Abba, he makes the politicking interesting and such people when the time is right will be made useless, irrelevant and forgotten in the scheme of things in Nigeria. History won't remember him again.

Yes he can but he wont, for apparent or not too apparent reasons.

We aren't headed, its already here with us. No thanks to the gambaris. They are everything wrong with the zoo.
May God deliver us...

Who are those seperating them and why are they doing that? They should let them scatter their already battered image.... Cretins!

Seems someone in high office, like us rest is sounding exasperated!

Useless lot!

Awon werey gbogbo... bastards!

Pathetic innit. Same weird reason we've been whinning about the role of Britain even after over 50 years of independence....

I just continue to wonder the kind of people we are.... smh

Nne5:
It's 2years and everybody's still talking Jonathan.
Omg

I love this thread/ post. Can personally relate to it. Op, welldone!

A bit more excerpts from Vilars' satire....

"The book argues that, contrary to common feminist and women’s rights rhetoric, women in industrialized cultures are not oppressed, but rather exploit a well-established system of manipulating men.

Vilar writes, “Men have been trained and conditioned by women, not unlike the way Pavlov conditioned his dogs, into becoming their slaves. As compensation for their labours men are given periodic use of a woman’s vagina.” The book contends that young boys are encouraged to associate their masculinity with their ability to be sexually intimate with a woman, and that a woman can control a man by socially empowering herself to be the gate-keeper to his sense of masculinity. In addition, Vilar states that this has happened and has been going on for some time.

The author says that social definitions and norms, such as the idea that women are weak, are constructed by women with their needs in mind . Vilar explains how it works; if women are viewed as weak, less is expected of them therefore they are given more leeway in society than men. The concept of “gold-diggers” is referenced, with Vilar stating that is a fundamental trait of women as a whole. Furthermore, that to help control men praise is only given to a man when a woman’s needs are met in some way.

Vilar claims that women can control their emotional reactions whereas men cannot, and that women create overly-dramatized emotional reactions to attempt to control men and get their way. She says that
women “blackmail” men, with emotion blackmail being their most common tactic, and use sex as a tool.

The book argues that women use traditions and concepts of love and romance, which are seen more positively than sex, to control men’s sexual lives. Vilar writes that men gain nothing from marriage and that women, who are out to get men’s money, coerce them into marriage under the pretense that it is romantic.

The book closes with Vilar stating that it would be difficult to change the situation, as women are unsympathetic to the plight of men along with not wanting to give up their comfortable position in society and that men need to see past the deception and emotional blackmail and call it out before any meaningful changes can occur.”

Thought Nigeria is said to be out of recession. I was automatically moved out of this plan and won't allow me back in....

Anyone experiencing same?

But I think 2014 still better....

We say a big no no to #borntorule...

Bullshyt from selfish chopping politicians as usual...

Cheers bro, im real flattered. I appreciate u back many folds...

Xkalaban:
I give u kudos bro. U seem to have a good head on ur shoulders. That's what we need on NL. Ppl who talk sensibly.

Likely the share hasnt been activated. Try again using *777# to unshare then reshare....