₦airaland Forum

I wish he phrased it as “Credible Candidates Will Foster Political Stability”. If Goodluck Jonathan runs under PDP as against section (7-2C) of the party’s constitution, he will less than credible candidate.

omamokta: Forty-four years after, the controversy over how Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa died may have been finally laid to rest.
Contrary to the widely-held belief, Nigerian soldiers did not kill the country’s first Commander- in-Chief in the bloody coup of 1966. Rather, Prime Minister Balewa succumbed to asthma, according to a key player in his government. He reportedly died while soldiers were taking him out of Lagos in the aftermath of the putsch.
Nigeria’s first High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and one of only three surviving members of the first Federal cabinet, Dr. Mathew Taiwo Mbu made this known to The Nation in an exclusive interview in Lagos.
Prime Minister Balewa died as a result of an asthmatic attack while he was being driven to Calabar by soldiers under the command of Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna who arrested him, Mbu said. Veteran journalist Chief Segun Osoba, who led the Police to the bodies of the late Prime Minister and his Finance Minister, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, could not be reached last night for a corroboration.
Previous accounts of what actually happened on the night of January 15, 1966 have been hazy. Even BBC archive reports on the day of infamy only spoke of a kidnapping of the Prime Minister by soldiers.
Most on-site acccounts to date, only reported that the body of the late Prime Minister was found in a seating position by a tree, in a plantation, on the road to Abeokuta, near Ifo, some 35 kilometres from his Ikoyi residence where he was arrested by soldiers on the night of January 15, 1966. The Prime Minister’s body was found beside the bullet-riddled body of Chief Okotie-Eboh, Nigeria’s first Minister of Finance.
No report of the macabre events of January 15, 1966, has been categorical that the Prime Minister was shot death; and no autopsies were carried out on the bodies discovered several days after the two had been reported kidnapped from their official residences by soldiers.
But Dr. Mbu, who was a close confidant of the late Prime Minister, recounted a momentous encounter 44 years ago, with the late poet Christopher Okigbo, one of the last people to see the late Prime Minister alive before he was arrested by the coup plotters.
He said Christopher Okigbo, who was also a close friend of Major Ifeajuna, who led the coupists in Lagos, recounted the arrest of the Prime Minister to him first hand. Okigbo and Ifeajuna themselves were killed in action during the Nigerian civil war.
Mbu, who many also regarded as Tafawa Balewa’s de-facto foreign minister, was ironically sent out to India for a State funeral by the Prime Minister, only hours before the coup. He had warned the late Prime Minister of an impending coup just days earlier.
He said he was reliably informed that Prime Minister Balewa had been accosted by the soldiers who first gave him the salute due to a Commander-in-Chief before informing him that they were effecting a change of government. They allowed him to say his Islamic prayers before taking him in a car.
The plans of the putschists according to Mbu’s account, did not include killing the Prime Minister. He was to be taken to Calabar and forced to release and handover power to Chief Obafemi Awolowo, then in prison for treasonable felony.
Balewa unfortunately did not make it out of Lagos. He reportedly suffered an asthmatic attack and died in the car. The announcement by the Army chief, General Aguiyi Ironsi of a failed coup, led to the dumping of the late Prime Minister’s body in the forest off the road to Abeokuta.
Okotie-Eboh, against whom the military high command then, had the most serious of the allegations of bribery and corruption the Balewa regime was accused of, was apparently executed at close range in the forest, leading to speculations that the Prime Minister too was shot to death. The several days that lapsed before the bodies were discovered must have made it difficult to find out the real cause of the Prime Minister’s death. His body was taken to Bauchi for burial.
Mbu spoke with The Nation Databank, in one of several interviews the country’s premier private digital archive conducted with senior Nigerian citizens and elderstatesmen. The interviews, on historical and contemporary events in Nigeria over the last 50 years, are to be packaged in special video and data discs to mark Nigeria’s golden jubilee independence anniversary. Two million copies of the discs, coming as the Nigeria’s premier national e-Reference ,will be given out FREE to Nigerians, particularly Nigerian youths.

http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/12210.html

This article lost the flavor of truthfulness when the author included the bolded section as part of this conjectural crap. The fact was Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa was never Commander-in-Chief of Nigerian armed forces.

I pray death to all Nigerian leaders who have denied the right of self-defense to the good people of Nigeria. This rubbish could not have happened in Enyimba city before the civil war.

Ibime:
I always maintained that invasion of midwest was a tactical move to keep on the offensive through to Lagos rather than fight a defensive war. All military strategists know that the only reason France lost to the German Panzas was due to their defensive stance behind the Maginot line.

Can you correct the erroneous notion of some Biafrans that the aim of invading midwest was to "collect their Igbo brothers". There are many other tribes in Biafra who also need their brothers "collected from midwest" so if Biafrans keep trumping this story, they would look hypocritical.

The move through Midwestern region was brilliant and surprise strategic plan but the tactics employed by the supreme commander of Biafran army left much to be desired. The moment Biafran offensive tactics was halted by Banjo, the entire initial Brafran strategy of the war collapsed.

By the way, I can not fathom where you pulled this idea Biafra was collecting kinsmen from Midwestern region. The Igbo boys from Midwestern region were field commanders in Biafra already.

Ibime:
^^^Biafra invaded midwest to collect their Igbo brothers.

Did they invade midwest to also collect our Ijaw brothers to join us?

No wonder some people say Biafra is an Igbo thing.

Whats good for the goose is also good for the gander.

This is the delight of funny notion and misinformed gesture. I never new Midwestern region was separate country from Nigeria. If Nigerian army had to station soldiers in Forcados and Escrovos, Biafra had every reason to move into Midwestern region and beyond.

EzeUche22:
My very own father fought valiantly during the siege of Onitsha so you are using only antedotal evidence. Yes, the Ohafia/Abam warriors are known far and wide, but we were not in the leadershjip positions, of course we could not tap into our true potential.

The biggest lesson of Biafra is that in times of peace, we should prepare for war, and in times of war, we should prepare for peace. We should never have invaded the midwest region and we should of focused on the Niger Delta. Not pacifying the Eastern Ijaw was our BIGGEST mistake. We should of handled Adaka Boro when we had the chance.

In any war, there are strategy and tactics. Biafra should not be blamed for the moves through Midwestern region into Western region. How could Biafra fail to show presence in Midwestern region when most of its commanders were from Midwestern region and Nigerian side was already occupying certain sections of the region? The best move Biafra made during the war period was a surprise raid into western region. Unfortunately, the best move was saddled with a bad personal choice of commander.   

What failed Biafra was a tactics born out of personal ego. I hope we can help the young generation of Ndigbo by updating the history so they can avoid complacence in their modus-operandi and realize it is an honor to be an Igbo. It must be recall that against all formidable odds such as Nigerian numerical strength, the might of British empire, the power of USSR, resources of Arab league and collaboration of some African leaders, tinny Biafra was enable to hold them at bay for considerable time.

EzeUche22:
Onlytruth,

Then I call into question why the Igbos from Nnewi have hijacked the leadership of the Ndi Igbo. There is a need for a change in leadership then, no offense to you Nnewi Igbos.

We need a new shift on the way Igbos think. Why not allow the Igbo clans who understand the ways of war and diplomacy. Yes, I am saying the Aro, Ohafia, Abiriba and Abam Igbos should lead the way. For far too long we Igbos have been pushed around, yet people are still screaming diplomacy.

The time for diplomacy is over. We must look for our own interest. From the realist point of view, another groups gain is our loss. The Ijaws gain is our losss. It is as simple as that.

And you discuss my Ibibio roots. Remember that the Ibibio have remained a stalwart allies of the Ndi Igbo. The same cannot be said of the Ijaw. As long as they honor Adaka Boro who fought against us, there can be no peace amongst the Igbo and the Ijaw. This is a blood feud. Do you think I lost sleep over Odi? I seen it as retribution.

Bros, I understand your beef correctly. However, our people say “it is better that a chicken found the dead body of dog than the dog locating the dead body of chicken because all the accusing fingers will be directed to dog as cause of chicken death”.

Ibime:
hehehehe. . . . you for talk this one from start instead of claiming here, there and everywhere.

Pesin say MIGHT MAKES RIGHT and Ijaw live by that code. We no dey look face.

Ibime, my bros, you know my take on this issue of Igbo and Ijo. Let me make it categorically clear that Alaigbo is not landlocked. Now, the simple factual fact about any war in Nigeria remains that Ndigbo are formidable formation worthy of recognition by adversaries. I do not think the next round of spiral of arms in Nigeria will mirror the first war.

After the Nigeria-Biafra war, one of Ojukwu’s personal physicians who hailed from Yenegoa was asked about eastern Ijo switch of allegiance to Nigeria. He said that Ijo is just a grass that being blown by two powerful winds which tends to bend toward dictate of the wind with greater force at a given moment.

Asari Dokubo is not a bigger fool than Goodluck Jonathan who is apparently showing sign of disregarding the party constitution that brought him to power and cross masses of Nigerians who seem to support him. Why should anybody obey any statutory code in Nigeria when the so-called leader of executive branch in Nigeria could not abide tby he constitution of his political party?

When foreign personalities look upon Nigerians as fools, majority of the inhabitants of the geographical expression tends to get twisted out of human form. Goodluck Jonathan who appeared to be making rubbish of his own house rules is regarded as a leader. I guess reasonable human beings say “charity begins at home”.

I must vote against the candidature of Goodluck Jonathan if he contests the 2011 Nigerian presidential election under PDP.

I had to comment Nigeria will never continue in the manner it is presently constituted. There is no doubt Nigeria will see disintegration either through peaceful agreement or total war of attrition. I am leaning towards war as the answer to Nigerian issue and hope that Ndigbo have developed such mindset and intestinal fortitude to be extremely aggressive and swift in their actions. Ndigbo must avoid mistakes accrued through individual egocentrism of yesteryears.

We must not forget the lessons the history had thought us. I am very familiar with areas south of Aba. It is unfortunate that few Ndigbo are still preaching compromise with certain neighbors of Ndigbo. Ndigbo bent backward to accommodate our neighbors in eastern region only to be stabbed at the back by some of the neighbors. For example, Obigbo is now Oyigbo courtesy of Ijo-led administration of Rivers State.

I shall go out on the my limb to advocate that Ndigbo MUST maintain close relationship with the Ibibio, Ogoni, Ananng, Atama, Ekoi and few Ijo of eastern region. My allusion was informed by the events transpired before, during and after Nigeria-Biafra civil war. There were majority of people from these ethnicities that stood tall and firm with the mainstay of Biafra. Such personalities included but not limited to Kogbara, kobani (Ogoni), Okilo, Opigo (Ijo), M.T. Mbu (Atama/Ekoi), Effiong, Asoya, Akpan, Bassy and Udofia (Ibibio/Annang). 

I am not sure the way to Opobo must go through Ogoni, Annang, Ibibio or Ijo. There were Ikot Abak and Igwe Nga. Although some revisionists would want us to believe that Igwe Nga is also Ikot Abak (Abasi). Traveling from Aba to Opobo will reveal that both sides of the roads do not belong to Ibibio or Annang people. Also traveling from Obiehie (Obuehie) junction along Aba-Port Harcourt road through Akwete/Ndoki/Azumini/Ohambele/Akirika/Igwe Nga to Opobo reveals the track to Opobo does not exclusive fall to Ogoni. Also, from Obigbo/Afam road through Umuagbai to Opobo is not exclusive domain of Ogoni.

I do not think Ndigbo had to negotiate its way to the Atlantic ocean in case of war-driven disintegration of Nigeria. Alaigbo is not landlocked as goofy punks would want us to believe.  However if Alaigbo is landlocked, Ndigbo had no better option than to fight their way to the sea.

seanet03:
exactly what we are talking about!!! living under the ROCK will not let you see the light of the day. the truth is there is TENS OF NIGERIAN POLITICAL PARTIES THAT HAVE NEVER CAME SECOND IN AN ELECTION NOT TO EVEN TALK OF WINNING A SINGLE ONE

I am of the view that living under the rock is better than cow-towing with political philosophy of a deluded man such as Anthony Enehoro. Based on your responses, I can safely say you are more confused than Anthony Enahoro.

[quote author=~Bluetooth link=topic=508034.msg6693122#msg6693122 date=1283535441]LWKMD. . .what exactly do you mean ?[/quote]I hope you have not suddenly relapsed to your usual ignorant ways. I meant your once-a-while meaningful comment about a political party that can not produce a local councilor anywhere in the jungle called Nigeria.

[quote author=~Bluetooth link=topic=508034.msg6690277#msg6690277 date=1283504813]A party that can't even produce a councillor !!![/quote]I can not believe you are capable of meaningful expression. It is obvious that human beings can be rehabilitated. Does such a political party exist?

mens dept:
I should write my name lol. Well its Dede1. I'm not from Obingwa, and if you were from there, you'll know that the name Emeka, originated chiefly among Anambara dialect groups and not Ngwa

See, presenting "orji" can be learned on Youtube. You could bet I wont write page after page online about the true extent of the kola nut, despite the fact that it's an important symbol for various groups in West Africa, particularly Igbo. Your post just adds to the delusion that Igbo people still continue to have in the scheme of things. Today we are talking the true extent of Igboland, when you can't comfortably get from "Obingwa" to Umuahia without fear of armed robbery. So let's include the serious and relevant with the fantasy and "feel good".

I thought you were a person of recommendable intellect. If you had to depend on “Youtube” to learn the first rudimentary education you should have received from your parents and family, then you are entitled to your silly display on this thread.

In one of your goofy drivels, you pointed out how we “can not comfortably get from "Obingwa" to Umuahia without fear of armed robbery”. Do we have to remind you that a former governor of one of numerous states in Nigeria died of heart failure after a bout with armed robbers? The incident did not happen in Alaigbo and had absolutely nothing to do with extent or the need to know the boundaries of Alaigbo. I am of the view you can not even recognize a world-class city if you were shown one talk less of developing such a city when you are starkly ignorance of Alaigbo.

Look pal, it is your prerogative to be stupid but to flaunt it in public domain such as Internet under the auspices of Onyeigbo is unacceptable.

mens dept:
My dear these are traits found among responsible people. Looking at what you posted, I can perhaps generalize the Arabs, Indians, Chinese, and Europeans as having these traits. As for Igbo, maybe before the war. So if you are trying to REMIND Igbo that this is how they once were as a group, or ought to be, then I salute you.

It is very funny you spent much of the Internet bandwidth without convincing anybody about the source of the headache you had with this thread. You almost stumbled onto the truth when you wrote “As for Igbo, maybe before the war”. I had expected you to write that the civil war is yet to be concluded and as a true blue blooded Igbo person you are getting ready while encouraging novices such as you to know the extent of Igboland shrunk through adoptation of punitive boundary adjustment implemented your good friends.

I bet you do not even know how to present ordinary kolanut as required by the doctrines of Igbo culture and tradition. I honestly do not think that Igbo would ever achieve solidarity with a goofy whiner such as you. You wrote about hailing from Obingwa LGA and I seriously doubt such arrogation since you could not write your name. There is no doubt that your presents did not name you Emeka.

Onlytruth:
You meant "Ngwangwa or Ngwa ngwa" (hurry).

Yes Bros. Thanks for your scholarly correction.

Besides the fact that Awo had overflowing admires among the stock of his people, I relatively noticed few achievements to his name without government coffers. Yet many deluded individuals would want us to believe otherwise.

@OP

Please get your facts straight or I suggest you stick with your bogus satellite maps.


@Post
Nigerians are funny people indeed. Biafrans and the generations of those Nigerians who fought them during Nigeria-Biafra civil war shall remain mortal enemies even if Nigeria is transformed into heaven tomorrow. Benjamin Adekunle is an enemy of Biafrans and hero of Nigerians.

Before anybody casts stone on ChinenyeN, he or she must understand that Ngwa is nothing more than Ohunhu and Isuama trivial classification of Igbo people. The source of my historical knowledge only allowed me to understand that Uratta, Asa, Ndoki, Eche and Ikwerri were brothers of the same mother who migrated southward from the valleys of Udi hills and plains of the Rivers later known as Niger, Imo, Urashi, Qua and Anambra.  The word Ngwa is derived from “Ngwangwa” (hurry).

It will amount to irresponsible ignorance for anybody to think that either Ikwerri or Ngwa is ethnicity. Also, it is unfortunate that few shameless Ikwerri people who shout about Ikwerri ethnic nationality do not understand the meaning of Ikwerri.

I have not been to Yenegoa lately but in about late 70s, the city of Yenegoa is typical Canoe House city. Most people were living in Canoe houses and one has to move from one house to another in small canoe. As at the period, Yenegoa was only reachable through ship, steamer, outboard engine boat or helicopter. I travelled in a helicopter.

@ow11


I have no intention to make mockery of any group or groups of people in Nigeria. However, I have to make sure that history is used to confront those persons who are bent in distortion of recorded events to suit their ridiculous ends.

Fact: There was no ethnic group called Ijo. The Portuguese had described certain people they met at the islands of Rio Real as Jos. This Jos, people of the river, metamorphosed into Ijo.

Fact: Kalabari is not Igbo, Ijo, Ibibio, Ogoni, Annang or Efik. It is a derivative of Portuguese name of Calabarie given to section of Rio Real. Calabarie later became Calabar and New Calabar respectively. The migrants from Obu Amafo founded Elem Calabarie (Elem Kalabari) also known as New Calabar.

Fact: Ende and Opu-koro-ye jointly founded Elem Kalabari (New Calabar) or New Calabarie. Today Emdeme and Korome wards survived in Kabalari. King Kamalu emerged from korome house and was survived by his son King Owerre Daba.

Fact: There was no group of people original called Brass. However, Europeans called the island brass because of brass sheet used by indigenes in making of salt.

Fact: The canoe people are porters to the European explorers and settled in Rio Real. The so-called Ijo language had been associated with Ga people of lower Volta region in Gold Coast.

Fact: Ubani=Culeba=Bani=Bony was founded by people from Azuogo, Ndoki-Azumini. The people was led by Alagbara anglicized Nwagbara.

@Ibime

I understand your desperate defense of the present day inhanbitants of Ubani = Culeba = Unbany = Bani = Bonny as Ijo. As indicated in my previous post, there was nothing such as Ijo tribe or ethnicity. However about the end of 15th century, the Portuguese had called the inhabitants of Rio Real as Jos, the people of the river. It was the Jos that gave rise to Ijo. The same nomenclatural scheme also gave rise to Brass named after a brass sheet of metal used for making salt. Salt production was major occupation of the inhabitants of Rio Real. The entire estuaries of Rivers Niger, Imo, Urashi and Qua Ibo were called Rio Real by the Portuguese. The pattern of language spoken by Ijo of Nigeria was found among the people of River Volta delta.

I guess you are also a victim of scheme that gave rise to denial of ancestral lineage. If your great grandfather was Igbo, I guess your grandfather was Igbo based on paternal claim of inheritance unless Ijo has adopted the Ashanti, Ga and Fante maternal scheme. Now, could you furnish us when it is convenient to change tribal allegiance from Igbo to Ijo? I could not fathom the change of ethnicity when someone’s great grandfather was Igbo.

Please, I would want you to inform certain girl that Ibani was not language but coined from a name of slave girl in King Fubra house named Ibani burufigha. It was unfortunate you listed King Azumini (Asimini) under Pepple dynasty. It was Perekule (Captain Pepple) who started Pepple dynasty after Okpara Azumini (King Asimini).

The people who founded Ubani migrated from Azuogo village in Ndoki- Azumini led by Alagbara bastardized Nwagbara. Even today, the king of Ndoki-Azumin has Nwagbara as the surname. The first son of Alagbara (Nwagbara) became the first King of Ubani. He was Okpara Ndoli. I guess “Okpara” title is Ijo. Okpara Ndoli was succeeded by Opu Amakuba who was succeeded by his son Okpara Azumini. Okpara Azumini (Asimini) was succeeded by Okpara Edimini (Hippo).

This is the height of the wastefulness of human endeavor by delusional Africans.

This nonsensical name-calling is politically worthless. The members of the 12-man group mentioned in the post must be taken seriously if the historical accounts of Nigeria mean anything to anybody. I am surprise that the name of Solomon Lar appeared as one of the members since his name has been invoked as one of idiotic and senseless voices that are willing deny the northern region of Nigeria its conventionally agreed merit of governance.

Accoding to my source, the Ubani was founded by people from Azuogo, Ndoki-Azumini. The Portuguese called it Culeba and English called it Bonny. As for Ijo, this was not a tribe but what the Portuguese called Jos, people of the river, whom they met at Rio Real. In fact, the main occupations of these people were salt making and copper smiting. The Jos gave rise to Ijo and plain brass sheet used in making salt gave rise to Brass in Bayelsa.

The first king of Ubani was Alagbarie anglicized Alagbara. The second King of Ubani, Okpara Ndoli, was the first son of Alagbara. Okpara Ndoli was succeeded by Opu Amakuba (Amakubu) and was succeeded by Okpara Azumini (Asimini) 

Down the line of king's lineage, one would found names of kings such as Azumini, Edimini(Hippo) and Edi Abali (Bear).

The same thing could be said about Calabarie (Kalabari) whose founders migrated from Obu Amafo. The referenced place of Obu Amafo could have metamorphosed into Obuama of Ikwerre land.

[quote author=ijaw_girl link=topic=500126.msg6647170#msg6647170 date=1282865040]

If Ibani is/was never our language
Why do we bear ibani names?[/quote]It is because your people are delusional. As I indicated in my previous post, Ibaniburufia (Ibani) was a slave girl in Fubra's house. It is unfortunate you do not know iota of hints about so-called ethnic group.

Ibime:
Rabid sectarian revisionism espoused by the likes of Dede1 is laughable at best and only fit for comedy shows.


In 1605 when Bonny fought its first war with Okrika, some of the people calling us foreigners today were still trekking in from Cameroun!

I guess you are being hilarious with the comedy stuff. Okirika was dormant during the era of Canoe House struggle for power and did not make too much noise.

The main principal players were Bile, Calabarie (Kalabari), Ubani (Bonny) and Andoni.