₦airaland Forum

Walkee:
so the coward is going to deny his own voice now? Your lord is not even a man. Imagine the coward your people are dying for, someone who is going to deny his own voice and shadow.
By the way, voice recordings are always material evidence everywhere in the world unless he's able to provide forensics evidence that the file has been tampered with no one is going to listen to his own denials in fact that will even be worse for him since he will be adding perjury to his already numerous charges.

It depends how it was obtained and the chain of custody. By the way, have you dealt with electronic material evidence?

ipobcannibals:
Buhari is just the president of Nigeria, but he is not a Nigerian citizen

Another idiotic and infantile stream of thought. Most Nigerians leap into silly analogies when there are no grounds for such actions.

Detuner:
Was it not the Red Army that handed the Nazi their first defeat in Operation Barborossa?

Was it not also the Red army that destroyed the strongest German Army and division; Army Group B and the 6th Panzer, in Stalingrad ?

Fact is, no nation contributed more to the defeat of Nazi Germany than Russia. US and British contributions are meagre and overrated by hollywood and western propaganda. The number of Russians that died during the siege of Leningrad alone, are more than the number of US and British deaths combined throughout the war. It was russia that single handedly wiped out the core of the German Army (Army Group A, B and C) in Battle of Kurtz, Stalingrad, and liberation of Leningrad, while British and US where dragging there feets about opening a second front, to "easen" the burden on Russia. Even Stalin was pissed-off and couldnt hide his frustration on why the allies for conveniently dragging its feets, at the detriment of russian lives. By the time the so-called allied invasion of Normandy occured, the Russians have successfully wiped out the core of the German Army. Sending a Nazi soldier to the russian front was every Nazi soldiers worst nightmare.

Fact is, it was Russia that did the bulk of the fighting with the Nazis, British and US just rode the wave thereafter. Infact, Neither British nor US posed a significant threat to Hitler. Hitler's biggest obstacle was Russia. He knew all he had to do was defeat russia; US and Britain would come to the negotiating table as France did. For he knows, unlike Russia, huge lost of lives would create great political turmoil in those two countries. And he's right. Had US or Britain lost a quarter of lives Russia lost, both countries would have waved the white flag or disintegrated. The fact that Communist russia saved "Democracy" from Nazi Germany is still a bitter pill to swallow. Hence, through propaganda and hollywood, US, British, and the "free world" contributions were grossly exaggerated, at the expense of Communist Russia.

It was mother nature and pressure exerted on the Nazi from the western front which saved St Petersburg. Russia was like Poland and other fallen European countries which could not withstand the speed of technologically advanced Nazi forces.

PassingShot:
You guys won't cease to amaze sane and intelligent people. No wonder the terrorist was able to recruit such large number of idiots as followers.

In any case, plenty evidences abound to nail him and the judge isn't unaware of his earlier trial where he never denied being the leader of IPOB. I thought he's fearless and brave as many of his fellow terrorists used to claim ni

Were dingbats such as posters on this forum present when Nnmadi Kanu registered as a member of IPOB or with him when publicly announced the birth of IPOB? The issue at the courts is legal one and procedural litigation must follow accordingly. If the foolish government led by Buhari believed Nnamdi Kanu is a member of IPOB, it must prove to the court with legal documents. The case is in court and beyond infantile imagination.

Mangekyo:
Would the west have had the audacity to move an Inch towards russia if Joseph Stalin was still alive? The current Russian strongman, Vladimir Putin is a hard man no doubt but he's child when. compared to Stalin; the man who dealt with Hitler and his lapdogs and still went on to end the world War 2.

Would they have contemplated taking actions that could provoke and undermine the security of the Russian people if Stalin was still alive today?

Cc; Emae009, seunny4lif

Would he have survived Hitler without the west?

Jangbajantis:
Even the line wey African VAR draw no straight.

There goes the respect.

Amah70:
Imo River was dammed in Amuro Okigwe for Okigwe regional surface water supply project.

Njaba or Orashi river was proposed by IMSG starting from Mbakwe administration to be dammed for Orlu regional surface water supply project.

Otamiri River was dammed for Owerri regional surface water supply project.

You seemed not to know the actual concept of dam. Are you talking about irrigation dam? Dams are not heard about in Imo State talk less seen. There is no structure in semblance to dam in Imo State. Dams are not constructed across streams. The so-called Imo River in Amuro Okigwe is a glorified stream. There is no dam in Imo State.

contigiency:
The first question the judge put to Nnamdi Kanu today was whether he is a member of IPOB. The guy man who has always boasted that he is not afraid of anything, did not even waist time to say no. He said, in fact, that he has never heard of anything called IPOB not to talk of associating himself with the organization.

Then, my question is, was it Buhari that formed IPOB to pursue Biafran republic?

You are a typical Nigerian who are not ashamed to flaunt ignorance. You were not even in the court.

Igbo people are greater than the useless church.

[quote author=MARKone post=109441845 ]Imagine, you have an Emergency, life threatening Emergency that requires immediate medical attention, and you cannot drive to the hospital or get a taxi, bike or keke that'll take you to the Hospital, even if you manage to get to the Hospital, nobody to attend to you because one Emma powerful, said people should sit at home, without making provisions for emergencies. If Emma powerful and his family, have similar emergency that Tuesday, or the Mondays as the case may be, he can easily get to the hospital, because he is not even in Nigeria talkless of being in South East. Umu Igbo just need to wake up.[/quote]Any country where the inhabitants depend on taxi, bike or keke to get to the hospital during life threating emergency is a glorified zoo.

AbijaJ:
Smh. How ipob as a group managed to subjugate, zombify and instill fear in an entire region peopled by a supposedly educated and exposed ethnic group needs to be studied. Dem try.

Only ill-educated stiff does not know that sit-at-home and sit-tight are components of agitation for self-determination.

I simply what Ndigbo to stay away from self-destructive shithole called Nigeria. Nothing will make my day like watching Nigeria disintegrate.

basilo101:
Asaba is pro Igbo. Asaba and Onitsha are twin cities. PH shot itself on the foot by going against igbos, today PH fun seekers troop to Owerri during the weekend, and make wholesale purchase from Aba

What the hell is Asaba pro Igbo? Asaba is Igbo!!!

udele1:
Asaba has now become the chosen destination for many igbo business people.

Many Igbo's who trade in onitsha have now migrated to live in Asaba.

Many have sited their warehouses in Asaba and have their shops in onitsha.

As the useless sit at home goes on In onitsha, they are able to supply goods to customers in Asaba.

The customers now stop in Asaba, feed in asaba, lodge in asaba, transport in Asaba etc.

They now have to pay for their warehouses in Asaba.

When there is sit at home on monday, trucks bringing goods to the east, spend the night in Asaba. The drivers sleep, and feed in Asaba.
or
All that spending goes to delta state government. They will pray for the foolish sit at home to continue in Igboland, let business activities be diverted.

What depth of delusion will accommodate the goon who posted the above junk? The last time I checked, Asaba is not a Yoruba or even Edo land.

The so-called supreme court of Nigeria overruled itself on the dismissal of appeal filed by GTB. How does this action equate to ruling in favor of GTB over Innoson?

olisaEze:
Politics in Nigeria is a 'winner takes all' affair. The igbos as astute in marketing as they are, don’t know how to market themselves in politics, that’s why. You can either be President or you can choose to keep fighting for a phantom country, but u can’t have both! "The Yoruba are snakes and come from a brown roof republic", "the Hausas are murderers", "the Middle-belters are Fulani enablers", "the South-South are living in Biafraland". You’ll always stand alone when ure a know it all, that’s a fact! If the Igbo want support from the rest of the country, let them build bridges and not cheer as MNK burns them to the ground.

Please keep this foolish characterization in your empty skull. Who in his/her right senses would want to market anything to Nigerians? Igbo are very result-oriented and do not want waste their time on shithole called Nigeria.

Any psychotic head who remotely claims Nigeria is under democracy should be shot at sight.

The same Kano pack of dingbats who shouted "Sai Baba".

tsephanyah:
They will now shout our "Oil money" Our. But human history shows the strongest takes what they like.
Our economic policy, I repeat, is determined solely by the interests of the Northern people. From this principle we shall never depart. If the rest of the world says: "War," I can only say: "Very well. I do not want war, but no one, however peaceable, can live in peace if his neighbor intends to force a quarrel."

The bolded is one of the most idiotic statements I have read on nairaland. When and how did the northern region become the strongest in the shithole called Nigeria? Anyway, I do not blame you but the goons from southern region who thought Igbo people constituted a problem for them.

Minjim:
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the 23 local government chairmen to provide a comprehensive list of illegal refineries and their operators within their jurisdiction.

Wike gave the ultimatum at a meeting with the council chairmen and heads of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air force, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police, the Directorate of State Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps at Government House on Friday.

The governor challenged the council chairmen to prove they were not complicit in the noxious business that had continued to threaten the health of Rivers people and the national economy.

The governor stated that as a responsible government, it would be unwise for them to fold their hands and do nothing to safeguard residents of the state from the death forced upon them by criminally-minded operators of artisanal refineries.

Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, stated this in a statement released to journalists in Port Harcourt.

“Now, every council chairman must go and identify where illegal refineries are taking place. If you identify one, you get N2m. So, go and identify as many as you can.
“I will pay N2m for each one. And I am going to fight against this. Our people are dying and we owe our people the responsibility to protect them, to save them from death they never caused.

“So, you must, and you’re given 48 hours to go and identify all illegal refineries sites, and those who are in charge of them,” Wike stated.

The governor emphasised that any of the council chairmen who was afraid to join in the fight against the criminals operating the illegal refineries should be ready to resign.

Wike, however, frowned on security agencies for the role some of their personnel had played in aiding and providing cover for the operators of the illegal refineries in the state.
The governor urged the State Police Commissioner, Eboka Friday, to redeploy out of the state a particular DPO in Emohua Local Government Area operating an illegal refinery in the area.

“It’s unfortunate for this country how security people will be involved in illegal bunkering. I can’t believe it. Mr. CP, I thank you for transferring the DPO in Rumuji, who owns a refinery. But the man must leave here, not transferred. He must leave this state.

“I can’t be governor here and security man owns an illegal refinery. No, it is not possible…the man has to go. Take him to wherever they allow bunkering,” Wuke stated.

Governor Wike directed the CP to immediately arrest Chief W. J. Wocha, Fubara Ohaka, and chief Promise Ezekwe, who have been fingered for operating illegal refineries deep inside the forest of Ibaa community in Emohua Local Government Area.

The governor further urged Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Rivers State command, to immediately transfer its personnel in charge of vandalization of pipelines in the State.

“Transfer the man, and tell him to leave. He is a complete saboteur. I mean, how can security men be the one involved in this. What kind of country are we?”


https://punchng.com/dpo-owns-illegal-refinery-in-rivers-says-wike/

Why would this dumbass fool give silly ultimatum to executive heads in Rivers State elected as he was equally elected? What form of democracy is run in the shithole called Nigeria? why do Africans in general and Nigerians in particular tend to get everything under Sun wrong?

Eastlink:
Only a demented old man will write the bolded. Edwin Clark should be reminded that his village was in the Western Region and not the Eastern Region. If he has any grouse with the underdevelopement in his community, he should blame the appropriate Premier. Zik and Okpara for all we know did well in the Eastern region. Okpara's achievements are still standing till today. The industrial estate from P/H & Enugu are still standing. The Palm, Cocoa, Cashew & Rubber plantations in Ikwerre, Ogoja, Ohaji/Egbema, Yenagoa, Calabar, Umuahia, Okigwe, Ikom, etc are still standing. UNN and UNICAL are still standing till today.

The international trade centres in Onitsha and Aba are still standing. The independent power plant in Aba & Oji-River Enugu are still there. The Nkalagu cement and car processing plant in Emene. And a host of laudable achievements. Despite the civil war, the footprints of Zik and Okpara are still visible in the old eastern region.

The stupid propaganda spread by lazy our oyel groups is no longer attainable. Let them bring something to the table and not lazying around shouting Asawana and looking for free gifts from the eastern government all because oyel was found somewhere. Baboons in the village of Abakiliki and Ikom cannot be working their ass in farms and some group of person will want special treatment all thanks to oyel found somewhere in Oloibiri. Someone should remind me again whether it was only Oloibiri that oil and natural resources was found in the old east. Oloibiri was not even part of Ijawland then and some clown used Oloibiri as an excuse to pick up arms. Enugu despite the government using their coal, Ebonyi despite their Limestones and Port-Harcourt despite using the seaports didn't cry for special treatment.


Pointing out at section 140 of the 1960 Constitution, Chief Clerk insisted that natural resources found in regions, were controlled by the people of the regions in the country.

“As a former Military Head of State of Nigeria, 1976-1979, and later a democratically elected President of the country, 1999-2007, I am certain Your Excellency knows that the principle of derivation, has always been top on the agenda of our national discourse, before and after the country’s Independence.”

Clark said, Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the the Western region and Sir Ahmadu Bello of the Northern region were able to develop their regions above the Eastern region
as a result of the practice of the principle of derivation.

“The Eastern Region did not progress like the other two regions. From the benefits of the practice of derivation principle, the Western Region introduced free education, built universities, the first Television in Africa, among other economic and social infrastructure, including hiring at the time, an Israeli Company, Soleh Bole, to develop roads and other infrastructure.”

He pointed out that the derivative principle continued till the discovery of oil in commercial quantity at Oloibiri in 1956 which the then Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, sent congratulatory message to the then Premier of the Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara.

This was the point and moment the hatred of the Ndigbo came to full-fledged.

Eastlink:
Only a demented old man will write the bolded. Edwin Clark should be reminded that his village was in the Western Region and not the Eastern Region. If he has any grouse with the underdevelopement in his community, he should blame the appropriate Premier. Zik and Okpara for all we know did well in the Eastern region. Okpara's achievements are still standing till today. The industrial estate from P/H & Enugu are still standing. The Palm, Cocoa, Cashew & Rubber plantations in Ikwerre, Ogoja, Ohaji/Egbema, Yenagoa, Calabar, Umuahia, Okigwe, Ikom, etc are still standing. UNN and UNICAL are still standing till today.

The international trade centres in Onitsha and Aba are still standing. The independent power plant in Aba & Oji-River Enugu are still there. The Nkalagu cement and car processing plant in Emene. And a host of laudable achievements. Despite the civil war, the footprints of Zik and Okpara are still visible in the old eastern region.

The stupid propaganda spread by lazy our oyel groups is no longer attainable. Let them bring something to the table and not lazying around shouting Asawana and looking for free gifts from the eastern government all because oyel was found somewhere. Baboons in the village of Abakiliki and Ikom cannot be working their ass in farms and some group of person will want special treatment all thanks to oyel found somewhere in Oloibiri. Someone should remind me again whether it was only Oloibiri that oil and natural resources was found in the old east. Oloibiri was not even part of Ijawland then and some clown used Oloibiri as an excuse to pick up arms. Enugu despite the government using their coal, Ebonyi despite their Limestones and Port-Harcourt despite using the seaports didn't cry for special treatment.


Pointing out at section 140 of the 1960 Constitution, Chief Clerk insisted that natural resources found in regions, were controlled by the people of the regions in the country.

“As a former Military Head of State of Nigeria, 1976-1979, and later a democratically elected President of the country, 1999-2007, I am certain Your Excellency knows that the principle of derivation, has always been top on the agenda of our national discourse, before and after the country’s Independence.”

Clark said, Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the the Western region and Sir Ahmadu Bello of the Northern region were able to develop their regions above the Eastern region
as a result of the practice of the principle of derivation.

“The Eastern Region did not progress like the other two regions. From the benefits of the practice of derivation principle, the Western Region introduced free education, built universities, the first Television in Africa, among other economic and social infrastructure, including hiring at the time, an Israeli Company, Soleh Bole, to develop roads and other infrastructure.”

He pointed out that the derivative principle continued till the discovery of oil in commercial quantity at Oloibiri in 1956 which the then Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, sent congratulatory message to the then Premier of the Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara.

This was the point and moment the hatred of the Ndigbo came to full fledged.

Not only agencies should be scrapped but ministries.

Amah70:
Talk is about the proposed surface water supply system for Orlu senatorial zone, similar to the Owerri zonal surface water supply system, not the borehole system you post that usually stops supply of water shortly after commissioning.

Similar surface water supply project was started in Okigwe by Mbakwe administration, and was completed by Udenwa administration. It went under like this Owerri water works during Ohakim administration. At Amuro-Okigwe, the multi billion Naira dam of Okigwe surface water supply system built by Mbakwe administration is now used by youths as swimming pool.

Which rivers were dammed?

pchukwudi:
[s][/s]

Young man, you are simply trying to interprete history from your current perspective without due regards to historic facts. You simply have no grasp of the facts. And your speculations do not appear so logical to me.

For starters, here are some facts and thoughts to ponder:

1. Contrary to your insinuation, the yorubas were not neutral during the war.

2. Lots of Yoruba soldiers fought on the Nigeria side, while some fought on the Biafra side.

3. The actual reason Yorubas did not alley with the easteners enmass was because of hate politics spread in the west in pre-67 elections, where akintola portrayed yorubas as economic victims to igbos whom he claimed dominated comnerce in lagos. He conviniently blamed this false yoruba victimization narative on Awolowo, who obviously was pro igbo at the time.

4. When akintola was killed during the coupe Awolowo had his chance to steer the west in the right direction but he had not the guts.

5. If the yorubas had solidly stood with the igbos on ojukwu's demands the north would not have had the morale to go into the war considering that the midwestern region was also a willing alley to the eastern region.

This is my last on this discurse.

The dude you responded with the above post has been a very poor student of Nigerian history especially in the department of Nigeria/Biafra war.

can you now see how inexperienced ojukwu was?

small boy. Mind you, Yorubas were neutral in the war.; D

One of the most idiotic statements on Nairaland.

MasterofNL:
Interestingly he always separated Lagos from Western Nigeria.

[size=16pt]Western Region and Lagos[/size]

He did separate Lagos and western region because Lagos was not integral part of western region as most goons on Nairaland would want us to believe otherwise.

davodyguy:
By Uhuru Times on May 12, 2016 No Comment
https://i2.wp.com/www.uhurutimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Chief-Obafemi-Awolowo.jpg?resize=701%2C981
By Obafemi Awolowo

The aim of a leader should be the welfare of the people whom he leads. I have used ‘welfare’ to denote the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of the people. With this aim fixed unflinchingly and unchangeably before my eyes I consider it my duty to Yoruba people in particular and to Nigerians in general, to place four imperatives before you this morning. Two of them are categorical and two are conditional. Only a peaceful solution must be found to arrest the present worsening stalemate and restore normalcy. The Eastern Region must be encouraged to remain part of the Federation. If the Eastern Region is allowed by acts of omission or commission to secede from or opt out of Nigeria, then the Western Region and Lagos must also stay out of the Federation. The people of Western Nigeria and Lagos should participate in the ad hoc committee or any similar body only on the basis of absolute equality with the other regions of the Federation.

I would like to comment briefly on these four imperatives. There has, of late, been a good deal of sabre rattling in some parts of the country. Those who advocate the use force for the settlement of our present problems should stop a little and reflect. I can see no vital and abiding principle involved in any war between the North and the East. If the East attacked the North, it would be for purpose of revenge pure and simple. Any claim to the contrary would be untenable. If it is claimed that such a war is being waged for the purpose of recovering the real and personal properties left behind in the North by Easterners two insuperable points are obvious. Firstly, the personal effects left behind by Easterners have been wholly looted or destroyed, and can no longer be physically recovered. Secondly, since the real properties are immovable in case of recovery of them can only be by means of forcible military occupation of those parts of the North in which these properties are situated. On the other hand, if the North attacked the East, it could only be for the purpose of further strengthening and entrenching its position of dominance in the country.

If it is claimed that an attack on the East is going to be launched by the Federal Government and not by the North as such and that it is designed to ensure the unity and integrity of the Federation, two other insuperable points also become obvious. First, if a war against the East becomes a necessity it must be agreed to unanimously by the remaining units of the Federation. In this connection, the West, Mid- West and Lagos have declared their implacable opposition to the use of force in solving the present problem. In the face of such declarations by three out of remaining four territories of Nigeria, a war against the East could only be a war favoured by the North alone. Second, if the true purpose of such a war is to preserve the unity and integrity of the Federation, then these ends can be achieved by the very simple devices of implementing the recommendation of the committee which met on August 9 1966, as reaffirmed by a decision of the military leaders at Aburi on January 5 1967 as well as by accepting such of the demands of the East, West, Mid-West and Lagos as are manifestly reasonable, and essential for assuring harmonious relationships and peaceful co-existence between them and their brothers and sisters in the North.

Some knowledgeable persons have likened an attack on the East to Lincoln’s war against the southern states in America. Two vital factors distinguish Lincoln’s campaign from the one now being contemplated in Nigeria. The first is that the American civil war was aimed at the abolition of slavery – that is the liberation of millions of Negroes who were then still being used as chattels and worse than domestic animals. The second factor is that Lincoln and others in the northern states were English-speaking people waging a war of good conscience and humanity against their fellow nationals who were also English speaking. A war against the East in which Northern soldiers are predominant, will only unite the Easterners or the Ibos against their attackers, strengthen them in their belief that they are not wanted by the majority of their fellow-Nigerians, and finally push them out of the Federation.

We have been told that an act of secession on the part of the East would be a signal, in the first instance, for the creation of the COR state by decree, which would be backed, if need be, by the use of force. With great respect, I have some dissenting observations to make on this declaration. There are 11 national or linguistic groups in the COR areas with a total population of 5.3 millions. These national groups are as distinct from one another as the Ibos are distinct from them or from the Yorubas or Hausas. Of the 11, the Efik/Ibibio/Annang national group are 3.2 million strong as against the Ijaws who are only about 700,000 strong. Ostensibly, the remaining nine national group number 1.4 millions. But when you have subtracted the Ibo inhabitants from among them, what is left ranges from the Ngennis who number only 8,000 to the Ogonis who are 220,000 strong. A decree creating a COR state without a plebiscite to ascertain the wishes of the peoples in the area, would only amount to subordinating the minority national groups in the state to the dominance of the Efik/Ibibio/Annang national group. It would be perfectly in order to create a Calabar state or a Rivers state by decree, and without a plebiscite. Each is a homogeneous national unit. But before you lump distinct and diverse national units together in one state, the consent of each of them is indispensable. Otherwise, the seed of social disquilibrium in the new state would have been sown.

On the other hand, if the COR State is created by decree after the Eastern Region shall have made its severance from Nigeria effective, we should then be waging an unjust war against a foreign state. It would be an unjust war, because the purpose of it would be to remove 10 minorities in the East from the dominance of the Ibos only to subordinate them to the dominance of the Efik/Ibibio/Annang national group. I think I have said enough to demonstrate that any war against the East, or vice versa, on any count whatsoever, would be an unholy crusade, for which it would be most unjustifiable to shed a drop of Nigerian blood. Therefore, only a peaceful solution must be found, and quickly too to arrest the present rapidly deteriorating stalemate and restore normalcy.

With regard to the second categorical imperative, it is my considered view that whilst some of the demands of the East are excessive within the context of a Nigerian union, most of such demands are not only well-founded, but are designed for smooth and steady association amongst the various national units of Nigeria.

The dependence of the Federal Government on financial contributions from the regions? These and other such like demands I do not support. Demands such as these, if accepted, will lead surely to the complete disintegration of the Federation which is not in the interest of our people. But I wholeheartedly support the following demands among others, which we consider reasonable and most of which are already embodied in our memoranda to the Ad Hoc Committee….

That revenue should be allocated strictly on the basis of derivation; that is to say after the Federal Government has deducted its own share for its own services the rest should be allocated to the regions to which they are attributable.

That the existing public debt of the Federation should become the responsibility of the regions on the basis of the location of the projects in respect of each debt whether internal or external.

That each region should have and control its own militia and police force.

That, with immediate effect, all military personnel should be posted to their regions of origin….

If we are to live in harmony one with another as Nigerians it is imperative that these demands and others which are not related, should be met without further delay by those who have hitherto resisted them. To those who may argue that the acceptance of these demands will amount to transforming Nigeria into a federation with a weak central government, my comment is that any link however tenuous, which keeps the East in the Nigerian union, is better in my view than no link at all.

Before the Western delegates went to Lagos to attend the meetings of the ad hoc committee, they were given a clear mandate that if any region should opt out of the Federation of Nigeria, then the Federation should be considered to be at an end, and that the Western Region and Lagos should also opt out of it. It would then be up to Western Nigeria and Lagos as an independent sovereign state to enter into association with any of the Nigerian units of its own choosing, and on terms mutually acceptable to them. I see no reason for departing from this mandate. If any region in Nigeria considers itself strong enough to compel us to enter into association with it on its own terms, I would only wish such a region luck. But such luck, I must warn, will, in the long run be no better than that which has attended the doings of all colonial powers down the ages. This much I must say in addition, on this point. We have neither military might nor the overwhelming advantage of numbers here in Western Nigeria and Lagos. But we have justice of a noble and imperishable cause on our side, namely: the right of a people to unfettered self-determination. If this is so, then God is on our side, and if God is with us then we have nothing whatsoever in this world to fear.

The fourth imperative, and the second conditional one has been fully dealt with in my recent letter to the Military Governor of Western Nigeria, Col. Robert Adebayo, and in the representation which your deputation made last year to the head of the Federal Military Government, Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon. As a matter of fact, as far back as November last year a smaller meeting of leaders of thought in this Region decided that unless certain things were done, we would no longer participate in the meeting of the ad hoc committee. But since then, not even one of our legitimate requests has been granted. I will, therefore, take no more of your time in making further comments on a point with which you are well familiar. As soon as our humble and earnest requests are met, I shall be ready to take my place on the ad hoc committee. But certainly, not before.

In closing, I have this piece of advice to give. In order to resolve amiably and in the best interests of all Nigerians certain attributes are required on the part of Nigerian leaders, military as well as non-military leaders alike, namely: vision, realism and unselfishness. But above all , what will keep Nigerian leaders in the North and East unwaveringly in the path of wisdom, realism and moderation is courage and steadfastness on the part of Yoruba people in the course of what they sincerely believe to be right, equitable and just. In the past five years we in the West and Lagos have shown that we possess these qualities in a large measure. If we demonstrate them again as we did in the past, calmly and heroically, we will save Nigeria from further bloodshed and imminent wreck and, at the same time, preserve our freedom and self-respect into the bargain.

May God rule and guide our deliberations here, and endow all the Nigerian leaders with the vision, realism, and unselfishness as well as courage and steadfastness in the course of truth, which the present circumstances demand.

——————–

Speech by Chief Obafemi Awolowo made to the Western leaders of thought, in Ibadan, 1 May 1967 (quoted in “Crisis and Conflict in Nigeria (Volume 1), January 1966-July 1971” by A. H. M. Kirk-Greene.

——————–

Culled from: http://ihuanedo.ning.com/group/wazobiaisalienotnigeria/forum/topics/complete-1967-awolowo-mapo-hall-speech-and-north-intimidation-of-

The talk is very cheap relatively to Yoruba. Loudmouth is of no use when it is matter of ultimate action. When caught my curious eyes are sentences in red from the above junk. A Col, a superior officer to Lt. Col, was subordinate to the junior officer. The serious decadence in today's Nigerian society stemmed from it.

IvarDboneless:
Which ever it is long as its takes us ton the promise land

The continuation of joke called democracy in Nigeria is fool's theory. Nigeria may see a foundation for progress if it adopts Jerry J. Rawlings method of cleansing.

There is absolutely nothing good about the shithole called Nigeria. It is not even a damn country.

BKayy:
Did Finima give any particular reasons for their autonomy?

I won't be happy if this was done as a bait for violence.

"They are complaining that Pepple is allowing Igbo to flourish in Bonny".