₦airaland Forum

Getsaved:
Why should a Restructured Nigeria Be so Choleric to the North?

editorAugust 21, 2020 3:02 Am

Ignatius’Nat Muotoh argues that the only guarantee for peace and development in Nigeria is to restructure the country

To some Nigerians, the word Restructure is so scary a word that they’ll rather plunge the nation to ruination, than jettison this unworkable, and warped system that has been the bane of this nation for far too long. This selfish and irrational choice is inexplicable, and a case of “No turkey ever votes for Christmas.” On the other hand, I’ll add that, “No ram ever votes for Sallah.”

But peace, development and growth can only be achieved when both the turkey or the ram have that notion of freedom and independence. That freedom to decide how to live and interact with each other.

Nigeria, being a creation of the British in January 1914 under the tutelage of Sir Frederick Lugard, was not really designed to be a successful nation as some of us were made to believe. The amalgamation of the Northern and the Southern Protectorate was simply for commercial purposes rather than creating a nation in the true sense of the word. This was simply the aim of British ‘ab initio’, in order to keep and maintain her influence post independence. Nigeria was not designed to work as a peaceful nation for the benefit of the people of Nigeria.

The European Experience

Events in Europe following the end of the 2nd World War in 1945, triggered the collapse of numerous multi-ethnic states in both Eastern and Western Europe. Multi-ethnic European nations that were once held together by powerful dictators, disintegrated along ethnic lines. A closer look at European nations today, show very clearly that there’s no single multi-ethnic state where one group is positioned to dominate the other that have not disintegrated or broken into pieces. Not one.

They’ve all broken up along ethnic lines.

The German attempt to dominate the rest of Europe, led to the 2nd World War. While Europe was the main theatre of the war, one will not be wrong to refer to that war as the 2nd European Ethnic War. Colonies of Africa and Asia were virtually sucked into that war by virtue of being the colonies of either Britain, France,or Italy.

East and West Germans that are ethnically of the same people and share the same language; were split along the lines of communism and capitalism by the victorious Russian and the Western Alliance at the end of WW II. These two German nations, eventually reunited into one Federal Republic of Germany in 1990. Such is the power of an ethnic identity. It is interesting to note that prior to the 1st and 2nd World Wars, the Roman Empire dominated Europe until its eventual collapse which historians have agreed, was also as a result of ethnic resistances against the Romans domination.

Communist Russia experimented on uniting multi-ethnic nations by dividing societies into capitalists and the proletariats. Thus deluding themselves that ethnicity can effectively be swept under the carpet. But this is what followed later?

The Communist edifices in Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and the big brother USSR, eventually collapsed as a result of the same multi-ethnic frictions that reared its ugly heads in 1993.

The nation state of Czechoslovakia was originally made up of two ethnic groups- the Czech and the Slovaks. These two ethnic groups, separated peacefully on the 1st January 1993. The former, is comprised of 10.6 million people and the latter 5.4 million people. Added together, they’re not up to the total population of Lagos State. Yet, as a result of the powers of ethnic nationalism, they split for peace since there can not be two masters in the same house.

Yugoslavia with a population of 23.2 million in 1991, and barely more than the population of Lagos today, eventually broke up into six countries the same year, and all along ethnic lines, namely: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.

Between June 1991 and April 1992, four of the republics declared independence (only Serbia and Montenegro remained federated), but the status of ethnic Serbs outside Serbia and Montenegro, and that of ethnic Croats outside Croatia, remained unsolved as we speak.

This again, show the problems encountered in multi-ethnic nations with different languages and cultures.

The USSR has since been broken along ethnic lines identified by their respective languages. In the decades after it was established, the Russian- dominated Soviet Union grew into one of the world’s most powerful and influential states and eventually encompassed into 15 republics namely-Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Belorussia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Latvia, Chechen, Lithuania.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the process of internal disintegration within the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR). It began in the late 1980s with growing unrest within the various constituent republics, and ended under the rule of Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev on December 26, 1991, when the Supreme Soviet voted the USSR (itself) out of existence.

In Europe; the two best examples of fairly stable multi-ethnic states, are the United Kingdom and Switzerland. The former is led by reasonable men and women, who permitted regional autonomy to the other ethnic groups comprising the Irish, Scots and the Welsh. The English only dominate Westminster, while giving the other ethnic groups complete regional autonomies. They know that the consequences of dominating the others through centralising the powers of the British regions to London, will lead to a demand from the Wales , Scotland and the Northern Ireland for a full independence.

The latter country Switzerland, has four ethnic groups. Each of them rotates the presidency annually through seven cantons that constitute the federating units. All the four languages (German, French, Italian and Romansh) of the four ethnic groups are recognized as official languages. Now, let’s turn our attention to Canada to see how that country manages her ethnic nationalities.

Quebec is the only full French-speaking province, aside from a little section of New Brunswick, while the other seven provinces in Canada are English-speaking. Yet, Canada maintains a bilingual status for the sake of Quebec. Furthermore, each of the provinces is largely self-governing.

It is therefore remarkable to state that what we call ethnic groups in Nigeria, are actually known and treated as independent ethnic nations in Europe.

I’ll then argue that, it is those who seem to have no political savvy about a multi-ethnic nation like Nigeria that are optimistic on believing that Nigeria will work and develop peacefully. May I here remind the reader that, there’s nowhere in the developed world (Western democracies), that the white man accepts domination by another white man.

The Big Question

The question then is; how can Nigeria, a multi-ethnic developing nation, with over 500 languages spoken; be expected to succeed, live in peace and in harmony, when such experiments have failed in more advanced and developed nations of Europe.

Such success will be miraculous.

Political pundits are still busy working, and believing that Nigeria with her multi-ethnic nationalities will be the exception, and by that succeed where advanced European nations have failed.

Finally; for those clamouring for a true Restructured Nigeria which is of course the best of the worst scenario, I’ll argue; based on the experiences of the European multi-ethnic nations, that a restructured Nigeria, is better than a disintegrated Nigeria.

A restructured Nigeria is ‘the minimum’ requirement for achieving peace and harmony that have eluded the nation since the amalgamation. It is the ‘half loaf that is better than no loaf’.

There’s no doubt that the proponents of Federal System, currently in place, have no political savvy about Nigeria. They have utterly failed to come up with solutions to stop the current genocide carried out by the Boko Haram and the Herdsmen on Nigerians. Not minding the illegal but officially condoned arms in the hands of killer herdsmen roaming the country.

They have failed to understand that Nigeria has been undergoing the strains of a forced union, and that the country must be peacefully and properly restructured in other for all the component units to know peace. Failing that, Nigeria may be heading towards an avoidable and very nasty disintegration.

Europe Solutions to the problems of multi-ethnic nationalism, is what those who understand the problems with Nigeria, are asking for. That’s not too much to ask for.

Not surprising though, there are those who are trying to ‘re-invent the wheel’. Those are the ones trying to prove that Europe solutions in solving Multi-ethnic frictions were flawed, and that a federating system will succeed in Nigeria. Those are the ‘turkeys’ that will not vote for Christmas.

Again, why will they if they’re amongst those political elites, allegedly earning over seventeen million Naira (N17 million) monthly as renumeration.

Ironically, the current federal system practiced in Nigeria, is a mix of both the American and the British democratic systems. But here, one is unable to show you in Britain or in America, where one ethnic group is allowed to dominate the others. The fifty-two federating states in America are totally independent from Washington. There is a similar arrangement here in the United Kingdom with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland having control over their affairs.

But here in Nigeria; there are people still arguing vehemently that a decrepit, structurally-flawed, and crisis-prone artificial contraption of the British, only needs the support of every Nigerian to make it work.

To these dreamers, and those who seem to have no political savvy about Nigeria and her multi-ethnic population, I will only say “Wake Up and be real”.

Source:: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/08/21/why-should-a-restructured-nigeria-be-so-choleric-to-the-north/

Great write-up the only solutions to nigeria's problems is truly to get it restructured or it will disintegrates voilently.

Hoppeyemmy22:
FESTUS KEYAMO DROPS THE MOTHER OF ALL BOMBS

Who are you calling dictator?

Ex- President Obasanjo removed Senate Presidents at will, removed any opposing voice, removed Fayose for a small insult, removed Ladoja with thugs in Ibadan. Who are you calling “DICTATOR”? BUHARI
Ex-President Obasanjo withheld Lagos State fund for 3 years, not minding how Lagosians would eat, Yaradua got there and released the fund.

NASS members were abusing President Buhari openly, messing up everything at will; Gov. Fayose has been abusing President Buhari for 4 year
now.

Not a single State in Nigeria �� has been denied their constitutional rights because of politics till date, all their funds, Paris fund and bail out, FAAC etc. But who is the DICTATOR? BUHARI.
Ex-President Jonathan ensured that NASS opposition members were locked out including Tambuwal the Speaker of the house �. They had to climb gate to gain access.

Jonathan empowered OPCs in Lagos and they were destroying anything in Ikorodu to Ojota that looked like opposition
party.

Orga of DSS was used to invade APC secretariat, Journalist arrested and Newspapers � siezed, we forgot all these….

Ekiti was militarised, Fayose was given power from Aso rock to order Military guys at will. Fayemi the incumbent at that moment was rendered powerless
that he was shouting when Police � commissioner was used by PDP and a guy was shot

All these videos � and pictures are still here (google is your friend). But who is the dictator? BUHARI.


Ex-President Jonathan met FX+ECA at $62 billion+. He DEPLETED it to less than $30 Billio
...n in 5 years Jonathan sold crude oil � for 5 years at an average of $100 per barrel of 2.2 million daily (2010-2014). Did he add a DIME to Nigeria �� purse in 5 years? NO.
Buhari the ILLITERATE sold oil � at an average of $50 of less than 700,000 barrel at some points because of militancy, yet had moved that FX to $47 Billion in 3 years.

Don’t say how much did he borrow if you don’t even have the figure borrowed between 2010-2015 without adding
dime to FX.

Who is the ILLITERATE? BUHARIIII. Jide Omokore, Aluko and oil goddess Alinson made an oil deal of N1 trillion and chose not to remit to Nigeria under GEJ. Did anyone raise eyebrow?

INTEL of Ex-Vice President Atiku refused to remit to Nigeria
Ports Authority (NPA), not until last year that “ordinary” Hadiza the NPA boss challenged INTEL and insisted the funds must be remitted.

A Christian Professor had been leading JAMB all through Obasanjo to Jonathan yet for 40 years of JAMB; only N52 Million was remitted to FG.
A Muslim Professor who was appointed just in two years of handling JAMB remitted over N15 Billion. FIFTEEN BILLION. So who is following after righteousness?
For five years of Okonjo Iweala was paying over 45,000 ghost workers unabated, yet just within 3 years, “ordinary” Kemi Adeosun removed such nonsense…I ask again who is more effective?

Ordinary Abuja metro lane took 11 years from OBJ period that he INITIATED it…Ordinary
intra-city metro lane o, but President Buhari that finished it within 3 years is the failure abi?

“Which project did President Buhari INITIATE and COMPLETE in 3 years yen-yen-yen”.

Mention any major project INITIATED AND COMPLETED in 3 years of Ex-President Obasanjo, or
Ex-President Jonathan?

So on what parameters are you using to judge 3 years of President Buhari INITIATING AND COMPLETING? Even PDP can’t finish their own secretariat let alone that which belong to NIGERIA
Lagos-Ibadan road since Ex-President Obasanjo era till Ex-President Jonathan could not be finished.

In 3 years of President Buhari, the road is receiving serious attention. Ask those who ply that road and those who go for Holy Ghost Congress monthly about
the difference in pace
of work.

Wait, even Otuoke road in Bayelsa had to wait till President Buhari now starts to do the road. Who is the failure? Can it be BUHARIIII.

What about “Almajiri School in the North? WHERE exactly are these Schools SITUATED in the North? OK, show us the picture.
Emm, 2nd Niger Bridge? Lol, they completed it on the MAP, yet Fashola is on it PHYSICALLY now.
Who was the President during Jos crisis, herdsmen killing people in Zamfara in 2013, Odi massacre, Kaduna crisis?

You think death suddenly started because President Buhari was a Fulani man?
January 1, 2018 in Omoku, Rivers State, Christians were coming from Church; cultists from the South South killed their own people.

You know why there was no serious noise by CAN and you? You could not link it to President Buhari’s herdsmen or Fulani herdsmen.
The same WIKE that did not drop a million to support the families of those bereaved in his constituency (State) went to Benue State to donate N20 Milliion and you hailed him.
Kidnapping of School � children in Lagos; Badoo issue in Lagos; Crisis in Kaduna. Who did you call on? Ambode the Governor of Lagos and El-Rufai of Kaduna.

When crisis happened in River State and Benue State, who did you shout about? President Buhari the herdsmen.
What about your Bishops, Pastors and Imans that made Aso Rock their abode between 2010-2015?

What did they negotiate for the body of Christ or common citizens? Yes, they got their jets; they got waivers and Universities all PERSONAL.
Now that the tap to fuel their jets and lifestyles had stopped, all they tell you from the pulpit is “LIES and Prophelying“. Your anointed ones keep saying ANNOYING THINGS, yet you can’t query their lies?
Under your hero, several young Nigerians were SCAMMED by Boro collecting money from them for Job, in the process killing many young Nigerians. Ex-President Jonathan cannot even sack him.
...So what do you want the families of those who died when Ex-President Jonathan scammed them of Jobs to do? Stop crying and face life.

For your information, all those lies about “hidden agenda” can only fly on you because they know you are biblically illiterate.
Festus Keyamo SAN

WE STAND WITH MUHAMMADU BUHARI A MAN � OF HONOR, and Character.

He will always still be remembered as a comfirmed bloodthirsty terrorist who enjoys seeing thausands of people who are not from his entnic group and islamic faith mercilessly massacred.

Rossikk:
Folks keep asking why the army and police are more brutal with IPOB than perpetrators of violence further up north, such as in southern Kaduna, and among Fulani herdsmen. I think the reason is simple. And it goes beyond ethnic favouritism.

IPOB are essentially fighting to DESTROY Nigeria. They are seeking to seize Nigeria's oil and gas resources which provide nearly 70% of the FG's revenue.

Thus the FG is literally fighting for its life by confronting IPOB.

An analogy would be if an assailant pointed a dagger at your legs, and tried to stab you there, you would react to stop him, but not as viciously as you would if his dagger was aiming for your neck, in which case you will try to seize that dagger and cut off his head instead.

One more thing. The FG would not be so alarmed if IPOB were to secede with their landlocked homeland alone. Their attempt to rope in the delta region in their agenda even against the will of the latter, amounts to subtle theft of the nation's resources, which again, the FG will not permit in any circumstances. Thank you.

But the north is boasting that they are the ones feeding the whole nigeria they even recently claimed to have discovered huge deposits of oil and gas in the north east why then are they so obsessed with the resources in biafraland? Does this mean that the north will starve to death when oil becomes totally useless in the international market in few years or when nigeria is eventually restructured?
The nigerian state need to stop the continuous massacre of innocent people because of crude oil which is now even available in almost every country nobody is going to war again because of oil.

helinues:
Bro in this case, drop your emotions somewhere and let's face this basic things

IPOBS are currently proscribed by FG as a terrorist group ( Any gathering is illegal)

Nigeria security forces are animal in human skin.... Undisputed fact.

So how can a sane mind congregate in an illegal gathering without expecting security officers action?

You are very correct nmk is partly to be blamed for the continuous deaths of our vibrant Igbo youths how can he insists that ipob meetings should continue to hold in Nigeria after the proscription by the federal government without making provisions for arms to defend themselves against the bloodthirsty nigerian military? Am a full blooded Igbo but I can never join such a foolish orgernization this is not how our fore father's gallantly fought the biafran war.

The reasons why I don't like ipob and their method is because they are just too weak and boastful how can u fight the military with sticks? This Is why i respect the niger delta militants u can't try this type of rubbish with them i can't join this kind of agitation where I will allow myself to be killed without having any weapons to take down some of my enemies with me.

No names or pictures of the dead dss officers?

Atigba:
Igbos are trying to turn history upside down, when they discovered that their people are actually immigrants from Igodomigodo.

The south east as we know it today is historically inhabited by Eri who they said is the progenitor of Igbo race. Eri is a descendant of Idu in Igodomigodo, he founded the oldest Igbo kingdom Nri kingdom in 9 century AD. You can easily recognize this because all the villages and towns Idu descendants reside are prefixed with Idu. Hence you have Idu Obu Gad in Aguleri.

All other inhabitants of Anambra, like the Nnewi, Onitcha Ado Na Idu etc are all migrants from Igodomigodo.

The Oru people in Imo State, Oguta and other inhabitants are all Imigrants from Igodomigodo.

Enugu Ezike in Enugu state are all imigrants from Igodomigodo, they however meant the Igalas there same with Onitcha Ado na Idu.

The most aggressive group that migrated from Igodomigodo were Ohofia, Alayi, Igbele, Nkalu Itu, Arochukwu, Ututu, Abam etc group. When they reached the southern part of Igboland, Abia State in around 16 century. They meant the Efik and Ibibio, as you can see ''Aba" is not an Igbo word.

Again, if you listen to Ohofia war dance it depicts migrants from Idu Igodomigodo land.

So where did you get your fake history from that people in the south east migrated to the south south historically. After your fake Jewish story origin no longer sell you result to this.

Can you proof all these with facts and references like the op we are just tired of hearing all these fairytales? Ur old strategy of dividing the igbos by distorting their rich history have since expired u guys should try another method.

frankdoz:
THE RETURN OF SOME IGBOS THAT MIGRATED TO IDU/IGODOMIGODO AND IDAH BEFORE 800AD.

Recently I have heard a few of people who say some igbo speakers who also bear igbo native names are not igbos , some claim they came from either Benin or igala .Or some self acclaimed historians claim igbos are not of same ancestors.Some even went ahead to say igbo was imposed on them.There is a saying that a lie repeated too often will be assumed to be true.This article is to address some of the misconceptions and prove that igbos are one people, same ancestor wether your migration story is from Idu(Benin) or igala. .

1.Idah and igodomigodo/idu are part of the earliest sphere of igbo migration before 8th century AD. Migration is part of human evolution and humans are not static. Igbos have always moved from one location to the other in search of greener pastures and arable land for farming from prehistoric times and igbos are known for that even till today.

2.According to Nancy C.Neaher(awka who travel) ,the igbo area of southeastern Nigeria is one of the most populous region of sub-saharan Africa ,with a human density of 1,000 per square mile.In addition, in the book,cambridge history of Africa before 1600AD,it stated that the population distribution of eastern Nigeria is a high density belt.So it's not surprising that igbos from prehistoric times had migrated to Idah and Delta-Benin environs due to high population density in search for arable virgin land for farming which was there major occupation .This movement is estimated to have occurred before 8th century AD, long before the advent of kingdoms in idah and Benin which subsequently led to the recoil of these igbos back to the eastern region.

3.Igbos have formed part of the nucleus of the multiethnic population at Idah before the settling of igalas and advent of igala kingdom. Its on record, as documented by G,T BASDEN(among the igbos of Nigeria) and Nancy C.Neaher(awka who travel) that the awka blacksmithers travel beyond the borders of ibo country ,north into igala, ibaji, idoma,warri and beyond, casting bronze,brass iron bells,hoes,according to specifications.Most times awka blacksmithers spend months and years away from igboland plying there trade and the possibility of establishing igbo settlements at these distant places can not be ruled out.This trade is estimated to have begun before 8th century AD (igbo ukwu bronzes) but however it became apparent in the 14th century AD following excavations made at awka (D.D HARTLE, 1966 page 26),GENERAL HISTORY OF AFRICA (Africa from 7th -11th century AD page 522.

4.Awka Smith always worked alongside Nri priest(patron and founder of the Ozo title) and they made and fabricated the ozor staff(ofor) ,iron bells and other ritual staves for the Nri priest. It's on record that the Nri Influence extended beyond the igbo sphere into southern igala where igbos had earlier migrated and Idu/igodomigodo which later became Benin ,Nancy C.Neaher(awka who travel).

5.Nri Influence (9AD) extended beyond the shores of igboland into south of igala and igodomigodo(igbanke igbos in present Edo state) all of which igbos had earlier migrated in prehistoric times,(according to a book GENERAL HISTORY OF AFRICA (Africa from 7th -11th century AD by M.El Fasi) .On the west of Niger River,Nri priests along side Awka blacksmithers Made Ofor wands(staffs) for igbos along that axis(from Anioma down to Benin(igbanke igbos).Ichi facial scarification were also Noted among igbos in Delta and eastern side.They maintained ties of loyalty with Nri priestly cult by cleansing grave social infractions and abominations and conferring of rights of leadership (interesting narratives of olaudah equano 1745AD and Nancy C.Neaher(awka who travel) .So there was a prehistoric movement of igbos up north (idah) ,followed by migration and drift downward of igala from Wakuri in Taraba (Attah of igala HRH Dr Michael Idakwo-punch 2017) and migration of some igala into northern igboland to seek refuge due to raids in the extreme north of igala by sokoto jihadists in 1834 (igbo-igala borderlands by Austin.J.Shelton page 18).Igala later(late 1800) imperial Influence on northern igboland was kept in check by activities of the Aro.

In an interview granted to Obi agbogidi chukwunwike anyasi of odumuje-unor kingdom, delta state,he clearly stated that Nri priests performed rituals at the palace of Oba of Benin (genesis of migration of Ezechima to Benin from igboland) and this point was further supported by M.D W Jeffrey in his book Oreli mask Nigerian field, volume 10.He noted that Nri priests were performing certain ritual functions at the installation of a new oba of Benin.

6.As noted by Nancy Neaher,Nri Influence extended beyond northern igboland into idah where igbo settlements had earlier dispersed(ibaji,akpanya, olamaboro) from prehistoric times before the establishment of igala kingdom .Nri priests,along side Awka blacksmithers made iron bells, hoes,armlets,leg bands in igala and took over production (Boston 1964). R.N Henderson noted in the book GENERAL HISTORY OF AFRICA (Africa from 7th -11th century AD ) that royal bells made by awka blacksmithers were included in the burial of igala kings.In exchange for the services rendered, the awka blacksmithers brought back dried fish,maize,yams,elephant hair necklaces and horses which they used for sacrifice Alusi (Nancy Neaher ). The true igala/Benin migrants Into igboland are few and mostly located at the igbo-igala ,Benin-igbanke igbos borderlands and those migrants met existing igbo settlements on ground.

7. Its important to note that the subsequent rise of igala kingdom in the north and Benin empire in south led to the decline of Nri Influence in the igbo country that span from the borders of Benin (igbanke igbos in present Edo state ) down south and akpotos(igala/idah) up north and ijaw being there closest neighbours in the Delta borders (G.T BASDEN "among the ibos of Nigeria) page 28.

8.With the rise of Benin kingdom in the south and hostilities in the kingdom, many of these igbos that had migrated there prior to this time (Ezechima, Akalaka etc) began to return home.There deliberate migration towards the east, crossing the Niger river back to Onitsha shows they knew where they came from.As already noted in the book, cambridge history of Africa before 1600AD,page 273,the density of population in eastern region was already high before 1600AD when Ezechima and family is said to have left Idu/igodomigodo. So migrating in reverse, against an already densely populated area must be a deliberate move heading home and its unlikely they arrived onitsha a virgin land.

9.Thesame recoil event Also happened with igbos already spread up north to idah.The igala kingdom and subsequent hostilities,many of these igbos returned back to Nsuka,Enugu Ezike northern igbo borders. please note.non of the said igbos that returned from Benin or idah spoke any other language on arrival to igboland except igbo.They all had igbo names and spoke igbo on arrival to igboland. No history book documented they spoke any other language other than igbo.This further proves that they had already migrated there in prehistoric times and only returned back home.As igbos have always been decentralized societies,with the priestly cult of Nri widely known and fulfilling the needs of igbos at that time all over igboland, the system of government is not military. it's not surprising if the history of early kings of agbor are from Benin. origin of kingship is not always origin of a people. The rise of igala or Benin kingdom may have Imposed some conventions among igbos within there sphere, but that doesn't take away the fact they have always been there and retained there igbo identity.

10.So contrary to what some believe that some igbos are not of same ancestor, igbos have always been one and ancestral in there land.wether your migration story says your ancestors migrated from around Benin or igala, igbos have always been igbos and those that migrated to distant places only returned back home because archaeological findings have shown igbos are aboriginal occupants of southern Nigeria with settlements dating since 3000BC.(Thurstan Shaw-Radiocabon dating in Nigeria, 1968.

By professor Ofoegbu R.N with contributions from Dr Benson and Dr Opone.C

Dated 28/7/2020.
REFERENCES:
1.G.T BASDEN "among the ibos of Nigeria ,first published 1921.
2.Cambridge history of Africa from 1600AD to 1790,first edited by Rìchard Gray,by J.D Fage.
3.GENERAL HISTORY OF AFRICA (Africa from 7th -11th century AD by M.El Fasi)
4. HRH,Obi agbogidi chukwunwike Anyasi of odumuje-unor kingdom, delta state,
5.Interesting narratives of the life of Olaudah Equano 1745AD.
6.Nancy C.Neaher(awka who travel,Itinerant metalsmiths of southern Nigeria.
7.Oral tradition of UmuEri clan on the founding of igala by Eri.
8.(igbo-igala borderlands by Austin.J.Shelton page 18).

Courtesy Chris Uniman

This is a well detailed write-up with reference not the usual hate filled propaganda we normally read from people who never wished anything good for the Igbo nation. We know their ultimate aim is to deliberately distort and destroy the history of the igbos so that they will never be United politically to challenge their political hold on power in Nigeria.

Omooba77:
Some aggrieved indigenes of Southern Kaduna on Saturday agreed on a peace deal, in a bid to put an end to the protracted crisis in the area.

The peace deal was reached during a meeting between the Atyap, Fulani and Hausa communities in the area.

The meeting was convened by His Highness, the Agwatyap, Dominic Gambo Yahaya at the Mariyamu and Yakubu Event Centre in Ungwan Wakili.

Participants at the meeting condemned the killings and the destruction witnessed in the communities.


In a 14-point resolution, all warring members of the communities cautioned residents of Atyap Chiefdom not to take laws into their hands.

It was agreed that aggrieved members of the community should always report their grievances to lawful authorities.

The communique reads, “The meeting appreciated the fact that all Nigerians have the constitutional or fundamental rights to move and reside anywhere in Nigeria, including Atyap Chiefdom, without any fear, molestation or harassment from anybody or any source whatsoever.

NEWS: 2023: Why Tinubu will perform better than Buhari if he becomes president - Tanko Yakassai

“The summit, therefore, calls on the authorities to facilitate the return of displaced persons.

“It recommended the establishment of a standing peace committee that should comprise of Hausa, Fulani and Atyap and their youth to organise robust engagement/dialogue on security issues from time to time with a view to sustaining peaceful coexistence.”

Present at the meeting were the President of Southern Kaduna People’s Union, Jonathan Asake, and spokesperson of the group, Luka Binniyat.

https://dailypost.ng/2020/08/22/breaking-southern-kaduna-fulani-hausa-atyap-agree-to-peace-deal/

This NBA withdrawal invitation is doing wonders.

Mistakemaker:
Let's stop deceiving ourselves.. Owerri is no where at present more beautiful than Enugu, Abakaliki and Awka.. Maybe it should be dragging with umuahia.. I'm from imo but I need to be objective.. Owerri used to be very beautiful in the early and middle 2000s but not anymore.. They're no roads in owerri and no street lights.. How can a city be beautiful without this, the presence of hotels everywhere shouldn't confuse one biko.. I'm sad at the present situation in owerri, is now a centre of prostitution and numerous jobless yahoo boys, as bad as it is.. I can even see part of the demolished freedom Park and Akachi, I really wish the present governor can work on the roads and also work on employment of the Youths.. Then we can beat our chest and be proud we've arrived.. But for now owerri is still far from being beautiful again

You are absolutely correct am also from imo I couldn't believe the rot I personally saw with my eyes the last time I visited owerri the whole place just look like an abandoned city rochas is the worst thing to ever happen to imo state since her creation.

nairalandankrah:
By FAROOQ KPEROGI
On Aug 22, 2020

The rescission of the invitation extended to Governor Nasir El-Rufai to speak at the annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) as a consequence of sustained social media pressures from people who are discomfited by his history of intolerance and verbal terrorism against his own people will inflict tremendous violence on the governor’s psychic wellbeing.


You see, there is nothing El-Rufai fhankers after more than the approval of the intellectual, media, and cultural elites of Nigeria’s Southwest. He lives for and basks in their plaudits and strives excessively hard to avoid inviting their disapprobation.

I had always known this, but I developed a heightened awareness of it when a fellow northern Nigerian Muslim called my attention to it in his disagreement with a social media update I wrote on August 18 about El-Rufai’s visceral anti-Southern Kaduna bigotry.


“Why does El-Rufai hate and despise the people of Southern Kaduna with such unnaturally infernal intensity?”

“He strains hard, often too hard, to be seen as ‘cosmopolitan’ when he relates with Southern Christians. Why can’t he even pretend to be prepared to get along with the people of Southern Kaduna? I don’t get it.”


His disdain for and murderous rage toward the people of Southern Kaduna is on apar with, or even less vicious than, his attitude toward Shiites with whom he shares the same religion.

He added that El-Rufai’s contempt for the people of Southern Kaduna may be magnified by his self-conscious nurturing of the [b]historical memory of the enslavement of the ancestors of the people of Southern Kaduna by his ancestors [/b]but that he is an equal-opportunity rhetorical pisser on everyday northern Nigerians.


El-Rufai cherishes the illusion that he is the undisputed champion of the North. He thinks he is the region’s nonpareil centre fielder and regards most northerners as beneath him.

The only people who humble him and whose approbation he perpetually seeks—obviously for transactional and opportunistic reasons—are the elites of Nigeria’s Southwest.

On the surface, this sounds like a cheap, conspiratorial whispering campaign until you step back and gaze at the facts.


Let’s start from the obvious.

El-Rufai’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication who issues press statements on his behalf is some guy called Muyiwa Adekeye, although there are scores of competent media personalities from Kaduna who can do that job.

Ordinarily, I would have applauded El-Rufai’s cosmopolitanism in appointing a “non-indigene” to be his spokesperson, but he didn’t appoint Adekeye as his spokesperson as a testament to his broadmindedness; he did so because the only constituency whose opinions of him he truly cares about are those of the elites of the Southwest, and only an Adekeye can effectively communicate his self-presentation to that constituency.


El-Rufai also has a slew of well-paid “social media influencers” as his “social media consultants” (which is a polite term for visceral and vicious social media attack dogs), all of whom are from the Southwest.

He, of course, also throws a few miserly crumbs to hordes of hungry northern Nigerian social media users to defend him, but he really doesn’t care what the North, or even Kaduna State, thinks of him.

Recall, too, that the annual Kaduna Book and Arts Festival, also informally known as KABAFEST or KADAFEST, which El-Rufai finances, is largely powered by the Lagos literary elite, even though, on paper, it is supposed to be a “celebration and promotion of creatives in the Northern region of Nigeria.”


When he ventured into newspaper publishing in 2004 by founding NEXT, El-Rufai hired members of the Lagos media elite.

The paper was also headquartered in Lagos, not Kaduna or Abuja. And he has a substantial financial stake in a prominent digital-native newspaper that is also run by members of the Lagos media elite.

I am not saying this to disparage or begrudge the media, intellectual, and cultural elites of Southwest Nigeria but to show that El-Rufai’s politics of ethnic and religious supremacy isn’t blind and unbridled.


It is carefully circumscribed. It is nurtured by his warrant less contempt for northern Nigerians and delimited by the profound inferiority complex he feels before the elites of Southwest Nigeria whose admiration he lives for.

That is precisely why his humiliation by the NBA will rankle him intensely and tear his self-esteem into shreds.

The greatest gift in this saga for northern Nigerian victims of El-Rufai’s bigotry and disdain is that they now know where to go when they want to get at him.

https://tribuneonlineng.com

With all el rufai acclaimed educational background and degrees he still ended up to be a religious and tribal extremist I will rather prefers someone like ikpeazu than him any day.

bbbabes:
A Nigerian man identified as Fortune has taken to Twitter to narrate how he was allegedly assaulted sexually by another man and his girlfriend in Ibadan.

According to the male model, he was stranded at a point in the city and requested for a lift from the couple who were going his way.

In his narration, he wrote on how the lady who appeared to be drunk tried to touch him some few minutes into the ride. His rejection led to the alleged assault by the lady and her partner, who was sitting at the passenger's side of the vehicle in the front.

He wrote:



https://twitter.com/BodilawFortune/status/1296781338507382786

He is even very lucky that they are not skull miners.

So these lawyers are only interested on who will speak in the conference than focusing on how to end the daily massacres of innocent people in southern kaduna?

GboyegaD:
Even the learned ones are playing the religious card. I don't see a greater Nigeria until we stop the religious presence and focus on hardworking and national unity.

No amount of education can change the mentality of a muslim.

There are some aspects of the law that makes sense but I will never trust this buhari's regime that is well known for religious extremism to be fair in it's implementation.

The apc have no chance of winning any free and fair election in nigeria their only hope is using thugs and the security agencies to rig their way to victory.

idumarase:
He want to feel important where he is not. Can a goat tell lion in his face you can't do anything?

Can you imagine.

This man will surely be worse than buhari in extremist ideologies if ever he gets the opportunity to becomes nigeria's president.

The powers that be might just frame this man up and jail him in order to shut him up for ever.

onajo2000:
"I Will Never Forgive Buhari For Killing My Brother’ - Nkem Owoh


Nollywood actor, Nkem Owoh has spoken about a very painful subject regarding the death of his younger brother Bartholomew Owoh. Bartholomew Owoh was one of the three young Nigerians executed by General Buhari for an offence that allegedly did not carry the death penalty. Bernard Ogedengbe (29), Bartholomew Owoh (26) and Lawal Ojuolape (30) were publicly executed by General Buhari


According to a source close to the Nollywood actor who spoke with Breaking Times, Nkem Owoh and the rest of his family have not recovered from the trauma of the cold-blooded killing of the three young men, particularly their brother and son, Bartholomew Owoh.


The laws of Nigeria at the time the offence was committed did not prescribe the death penalty. When Buhari took over power, he insisted the young men should be executed and they were killed publicly by the firing squad.


According to the source, “Nkem Owoh and his family have not forgiven Buhari for killing their brother at the young age of 26.

Every time Nkem Owoh sees Buhari on TV, he weeps bitterly over his brother. He can’t even believe that Buhari has the nerve to seek re-election as President”. Bartholomew Owoh and others were allegedly arrested for peddling cocaine and convicted for that crime.


A little intro of the comic veteran actor: 

He was born in October 1958, in Amagu Village, Udi town, Enugu state, Nigeria, and is now 58 years old. When he finished his primary and secondary education, he got admitted to the University of Ilorin to study for a B.Eng in Electrical Engineering. While in the University, he started his acting career. He was also a newscaster in the NTA network news Enugu, during the early 80s.


He has acted hundreds of Movies like Things Fall Apart back in 1987 (This is one of his first major movies. He starred this movie alongside the veteran actor, Pete Edochie), Ukwa, back in the year 2000 (This movie gave him the popular nickname “Ukwa”). The movie is about a funny village man Ukwa who travels to the city to meet his rich elder brother, and gets shocked when he is made an ordinary driver. This movie is packed with lots of interesting scenes.

Culled from
https://lk.phx.ninja/2KoP

The man is no doubt a very wicked man that's someone who committed treason by plotting a coup to overthrew a democratically elected civilian govt a crime punishable by death but yet he was forgiven and spared from execution.

Nksleek:
The Department of State Services, DSS has extended an invitation to Tony Kabaka and other top APC thugs to account for allegations bothering on illegal possession of firearms in the run up to the September 19th gubernatorial election.

The invitation was extended to the Chief Thug & his fellow Tax Collectors a.k.a agberos after the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shuaibu raised an alarm that former Governor and suspended National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole has been sharing guns to them to wreck havoc during the polls.

Among those invited are; Osakpamwa Eriyo, RTEAN leader, Ehis Adams, APC leader Oredo, Osaro Idahosa, Okunbor Roberts and other top thugs.

See the letter below;

Source: https://focusnaija.com.ng/2020/08/21/breaking-edo-apc-thug-tony-kabaka-lands-in-dss-net-over-illegal-firearms-possession/

I really doubt if buhari will allow a free and fair election in edo. Obaseki should just prepare for the very worst, the apc will definitely use their thugs to disrupt and cancel results in obaseki strongholds just like they did in kogi and osun governorship elections.

Samunique:
You see why we are in a big mess in this country ?

Someone has just Linked this NBA and El Rufai saga with hatred for Islam.

Nigeria is in big trouble, and with this kind of mentality I don't think there's any end on sight.

There's absolutely no end in sight until we all decides to tell ourselves the bitter truth that it's not just possible for us to live together and progress in peace as one undivided nigeria.

adenigga:
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has urged lawyers of northern extraction to boycott the annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over the withdrawal of the invitation extended to Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai to speak at the event billed for next week.

The NBA had removed the name of El-Rufai from the list of speakers over protest from some lawyers who had threatened to boycott the event.

Reacting to the development, MURIC in a statement on Friday by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, described NBA’s action as parochial, myopic and jejune.

“MURIC calls on all lawyers from the North to boycott NBA’s AGC in protest against this open declaration of war on Northern Kaduna. Every little action of injustice must spark a reaction if tyranny is to be stopped in the world,” Akintola said.
“NBA has crossed the red line in human relations and conflict management. No single lawyer from the North should participate in the AGC either as a resource person or as a participant unless NBA rescinds its decision to drop El-Rufai from the list of speakers. Injury to one is injury to all.

Akintola said by dropping El-Rufai, NBA has declared war on the other side in the Southern Kaduna crisis and has lost a golden chance to be part of the solution to the conflict, adding that the association has further been elected to be part of the problem.

He said, “The fact that NBA took the ill-advised step on account of a petition written by a group, Open Bar Initiative whose main fear is expressed as ‘One can be sure that he will also use the given platform to advance his conflated narrative, designed to deceive and confuse the nation on the real causes of the killings’ exposes NBA’s impatience, intolerance and self-conceit.

“Is it not better to hear him out than to lock him out? Is it not better to jaw-jaw than to war-war? The departure of the ambassador, they say, is the beginning of war.

“Was it not Jane Goodall who said, ‘Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don’t believe is right’? Change cannot come through rejection and exclusion.

“How justifiable is NBA’s decision to exclude Governor El-Rufai from the virtual conference when people like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo of Odi and Zaki Biam fame and Governor Nyesom Wike are among the speakers? Who bulldozed the hotels of innocent people despite court orders? Who visited unspeakable violence on political opponents? Should NBA hobnob with people linked to genocide and undemocratic practices? So why demonise El-Rufai where killers of innocent people and enemies of democracy are idolised?”

By Sodiq Omolaoye, Abuja
21 August 2020 | 10:05 am

Guardian Newspapers

Only northern fulani muslim lawyers will boycott the conference. Will lawyers from persecuted places like southern kaduna agree to boycott the conference?

HappyNigerian:
Youth wing of the apex Igbo social cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, elder statesman, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu as well as the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) have pushed for a youth from Igbo land to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

In separate interviews with the Igbo youths by Daily Sun in Owerri, yesterday, they all revealed same interest, preferring youths to the older generation of leaders in the country, just as they maintained that the older generation has failed.


Ohanaeze Ndigbo (youth wing) National Publicity Secretary, Osmond Nkeoma, said if youths can excel as presidents in western countries, they can do better in Nigeria.

He said the youths are ready and willing to take responsibility of administering the country, just as he claimed the old generation leaders does not have what it takes to manage the country, especially meeting up with digital challenges.


“Igbo youths are ready and capable of administering the country. How old was Odumegwu Ojukwu when he became a leader, how old was General Yakubu and even Buhari when he became the head of state?


“Moreover, when you go to the western world like Ireland, the prime minister is a youth, even Canada and France, youths can do it better, older ones have failed us, with older ones, there’s no hope for this nation, we cannot afford to have a president who cannot talk about a digital economy, any old man from 55 above should be ignored,” Nkeoma said.


His COSEYL counterpart, Goodluck Egwu, who is the president general of the Igbo group, said the older generation leaders have not done well to deserve being at the helms of affair again in the country.


“We have so many youths that is eminently qualified in the South East, the older ones have failed us, we have not faired well under them and that is why we are clamouring for a change,” Egwu said.


Also, elder statesman, Iwuanyanwu, said any aspirant above 69 should not contest the presidential seat.


“I think the constitution has defined the age limit, from my own opinion, anybody up to 70 should not contest because the job of a president is very demanding, in fact, the younger the better,” Iwuanyanwu said

https://www.inform.ng/post/2023-igbo-groups-begin-search-for-youthful-southeast-candidate

These people won't just get it nigeria as it's currently structured is totally irredeemable and hopeless, it's not about the age but about the character and the kind of idealogical path the president have chosen to thread upon. We have youthful politicians who are either former or current governors who have failed their states.
What nigeria needs right now is a radical selfless leader wether military or civilian who is either ready to restructure or even dismember nigeria if restructuring becomes impossible.
The root cause of nigeria's problems is rooted in religion that's simply why it lacks cohesion and collective vision since the day it gained it's Independence from Britain. I don't know of any country in this planet where majority christains and muslims are happily living together and progressing in peace it's either they are majority christains, muslims etc. Nigeria will continue going round in circles and it will always be a place for corrupt evil politicians to continue to easily loot billions without any repercussions until the nigerian people and leaders decides to come together to do the needful.

GMBuhari:
they want to engage russian hackers for edo election ?

how stupid can people be

They probably wants to use it to water the ground for 2023 presidential elections.

Abdulazeez99:
http://saharareporters.com/2020/08/20/another-man-chained-father-30-years-rescued-kano

Fear north.

Anago55:
. Remove Tinubu,he is too corrupt to rule a new Nigeria

Too corrupt if he eventually becomes president of nigeria he will definitely take corruption to another level. He will probably be using trailers to loot money from the CBN.

Coming from a fellow coupist who overthrew a democratically elected govt in 1983.

Coming from a fellow coupist who overthrew a democratically elected govt in 1983.

GamalNasser:
Buhari gave over 4 billion military contract to his Nigerien brother ... If you have ever attempted to do a huge military contract with the MOD you know you know your company and all the directors have to serious security clearance from the NSA before you even proceed ..Getting that clearance is not easy so how did this Nigerien man get it ?

We are talking about half a billion dollars here not mere #4b go read the write up again.