₦airaland Forum

War drums in N’ Delta over Jonathan
By Daniel Alabrah (Lagos) & Lucky Nwankwere (Abuja)
Sunday, November 29, 2009


Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Furious reactions have trailed the reported pressure on the Vice President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, to sign an undated resignation letter in the event of President Umaru Yar’Adua’s inability to continue in office as a result of his health condition.
Jonathan is reportedly under intense from some hawks in the Presidency said to have the backing of some key Northern politicians.

The plot was said to have been hatched to forestall a situation where the Presidency would return to the South just two years after another Southerner, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, left the office.
The Presidency has, however, described the alleged plot reported in a national newspaper yesterday as not only false, but also meant to cause panic and tension in the country.
Sunday Sun learnt yesterday that already tension is mounting in the Niger Delta, where Jonathan hails from, with the Ijaw nation warning that they would not “take lightly” any threat or pressure on Jonathan.

Coordinator of the Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG), Comrade Joseph Evah, who spoke to Sunday Sun yesterday evening on the telephone, said the Ijaw nation is on the alert over the alleged plot.
Said Evah: “We (Ijaw nation) will not take lightly any threat to undermine Jonathan or his office. We have heard of the plot and we are watching the situation.

“We are particularly worried that the President’s aide presented the 2010 budget to the National Assembly while the Vice President is said to be in charge. We believe that is part of the plot and the Niger Delta is alert. There is a clique working against the Vice President and let us see how those plotting such evil will undermine the Constitution.
“We are not saying that Jonathan should take over, after all the President is not dead. Indeed, we are praying for Yar’Adua and the Ijaw nation and the whole of Niger Delta people do not wish him dead.

“But we are disturbed that this is happening again now that the President is ill. The other time the President traveled to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment, a group, Northern Liberation Front, vowed to resist any move for Jonathan to assume the presidency. It even threatened to give him the (MKO) Abiola treatment.

“Also, a PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) chieftain from the North, Godwin Daboh, had said the North would not accept Jonathan if anything happened to Yar’Adua. What did the SSS (State Security Service) do when these national security threats were issued? We believe they are agents of a clique trying to foment trouble in Nigeria, and this time around we will not take it lightly.
“Those around Jonathan, I mean his advisers and aides, must realize that he is not representing his family. He represents a region just like the President is representing the North. So his office is important to the Niger Delta and we will do everything to protect it otherwise our children in generations to come would ask us what we did when a Niger Deltan for the first time in the history of Nigeria occupied that office.”

Another group, United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS), equally warned that the Niger Delta might secede over the plot against Jonathan.
UNDEDSS’ Secretary General, Mr Tony Uranta, in a terse statement issued yesterday via SMS, called on Nigerians to remain law abiding but warned against any action that would undermine the 1999 Constitution.
The statement read: “UNDEDSS is calling all Nigerians to remain law abiding as citizens under the 1999 Constitution. Should any section of the nation decide to overthrow due process, every other section should immediately withdraw from the nationhood space. God is just and rights must never be trifle with.”

The Presidency has however moved to douse the tension, saying there is no truth whatsoever in the report that Jonathan is under pressure to resign following the hospitalization of President Yar’Adua for acute pericarditis.
The Presidency described the report as not only false in its entirety, but also sheer mischief designed to create unnecessary panic and tension in the country.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications, Mr Ima Niboro, said in a statement made available to State House correspondents in Abuja yesterday that it was an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians, including the Vice President for anyone to come up with such a suggestion.
“The newspaper failed to state clearly who or what body was bringing this pressure to bear, but went ahead to insult the sensibilities of Nigerians, including the vice president himself by suggesting that Dr Jonathan is to be made to sign an undated letter of resignation, “which can become binding in the event that the president is unable to continue in office””, he further stated.
The vice president’s aide urged the public to discountenance the story, which, according to him, “dwells entirely in the imagination of its authors, their sponsors and co-travellers” and continue to support the Yar’Adua administration in its effort to reposition the country.

Niboro’s statement reads: “We have read with considerable dismay the story of The Punch published today, November 28, and wish to point out straightaway that it is false in its entirety, and designed to create unnecessary panic and tension in the country. This story, we must add, is sheer mischief, and dwells entirely in the imagination of its authors, their sponsors and co-travellers.
“For the benefit of those who did not read (the story), the newspaper in its lead story claimed that as a fallout of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s slight indisposition, which by the way has been blown out of all proportions in the media, Vice President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is under pressure to resign.

“The newspaper failed to state clearly who or what body was bringing this pressure to bear, but went ahead to insult the sensibilities of Nigerians, including the vice president himself, by suggesting that Dr Jonathan is to be made to sign an undated letter of resignation, “which can become binding in the event that the president is unable to continue in office.”
“…We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to continue to give support to the President Yar’Adua administration. As the vice president noted yesterday, and was widely reported in the media, the president is okay, and there is no cause for alarm.”

illusion2:
Donald Duke in 8 years vs Fashola in 2.5 years ? haba !

C/river with 2 million(mainly 2 tribes) vs Lagos with 17 million(with almost all tribes in at least their thousands?) .

Lets always leave sentiments & face facts. The thread is about Jonathan resigning,you can start another one titled Duke vs Fashola

Cross River has more than 10 tribes. Go to the North of that state and see things for yourself. I think we are giving Turai to much credit and Jonathan is definitely under-rated. Let it be known that Yaradua is really incapable and you will see Jonathan's real self.

Sjeeezy8,

Fasola will not win in the North without rotational presidency

The militancy in the ND and the ability of the militants to hold the FGN to a battle has changed the equation for good. Either the North abide by rotational presidency or they face the liquidation of Nigeria.

naijaking1:
Back to Jonathan, why should somebody ask him to resign?

Looks more like rumour. Yaradua is not dead yet

Fasola is completely wrong to deport fellow Nigerians and I will wager that those he deported, their family members and indeed any constitutionally-minded Nigerian will not support anyone who vagrantly violates their right to lead them. He is over and done with in Lagos. He will never be a president in the present day Nigeria, and as somebody mentoned, except via Rotational president when it is SW's turn. Sorry for digressing, this is not about Fasola.

The best thing is OUTRIGHT separation and the earlier the better.

Kobojunkie:
Why change the entire constitution? What part of the current constitution really needs to be changed? I want to vote for Rotational but considering what we have seen in the past 10 years of our democracy, I am not willing to place my bet on the same for the next 6 or so more years. Why? Because it is clear at this point that as long as power remains in the hands of the few, it will continue to be manipulated as it has ,
a) Leadership will be based more and more on what region a potential leader is from and not on brilliance or qualification. We have an example in Yar adua. There was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING qualifying that man for the position to start with but in the name of rotational presidency, he was selected as the candidate with the least criminal past for the job
b) The power or chances of the people to regain power will continue to diminish with time
c) Criminals in government will continue to get away with crimes committed against the people

Think about it for a minute. Folks are out there calling for people like Fashola to get a go at the seat but guess what, he is likely never to get a go if we continue this rotational system.
Hmmm . . . .

It takes more than leading Lagos to be a nationally-acceptable president. Moreover Fasola sealed his fate by deporting fellow Nigerians from Nigeria. If you are one of the deportees, would you vote for him?

SapeleGuy:
Nchara - I posted in response to the the highlighted portion of mekusxxx post. Thanks

I know but you will agree that those provisions will have to change if we bring in rotational presidency, since it means one region will produce the president in a complete 8-year period?

afam4eva:
Is it the highest in the country?

Yes, followed by Cross River

SapeleGuy,

We know that aspect of the constitution but it has nothing to do with rotational presidency which mekusxxx says should be inserted and fine-tuned in a new constitution.

It is actually healthy that Igbos are able to check each other. It is good

Soludo has not told anypne he is contesting the presidency in 2015 although he has a right to do so as a Nigerian. So Dele Cole is a sectionalist looking to give advantage of 2015 to the south south. We have seen through his gameplan and we will match him. The CBN governor does not know the economy more than the minister of finance. Now remember that Adamu Ciroma was minister of finance and then contested for the presidency.
Clement Isong was also a former CBN gov and contested and won election as gov of Cross River State. Where was Dele Cole then?

Cole was a PDP bigwig. He is from the Niger Delta and Igbo or Niger Delta are expected to produce the next president in 2015. Na waoh!

Should Soludo run for Governor? By Dr Dele Cole
Author: Dr Dele Cole |
Culled from The Guardian, Thursday, 18 Novemebr 2009

THE candidature of Dr. Charles Soludo, former Governor of the Central Bank, raises important questions about propriety in public service. There has to be some decorum and a sense of what is proper and improper in politics and the pursuit of political positions. One would imagine that having attained the level of Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Charles Soludo should have realised that the very last thing he should want to do, is to contest election, any election even that of a local government councillor.

The office conveys to the holder not only international status but an unrivalled information about our economy, the top bankers, and a slew of information which may be of such sensitive nature that it is dishonest for any holder to want to be in the political arena. His candidature will now force people to look at all he did from a jaundiced political standard. Most people dealing with the Governor of Central Bank would have looked at his action as governed by fairness, dignity, impartiality and governed by nothing short of the national interest. If the person who holds that post is suspected to have political ambitions then the reaction to his activities would be looked at entirely differently. How can we prove that his action when he was in office was not guided by his now revealed political ambitions?

Part of the problem is the structure of the PDP in allowing permanent secretaries, heads of parastatals etc as members of the PDP conventions - the idea being that the convention and the congresses are a loaded dice favouring the incumbent President or Governor or indeed - Local Government Chairmen. Nobody who is not in the good books of the State Governor or President can ever win primaries. Hence Charles Soludo's victory was predetermined long before the primaries.

Anybody who is politically savvy knows that politics is a very expensive business; the implication is that only exceedingly wealthy people can win primaries and elections. Even if Charles Soludo was not corrupt in office, people have the right to ask about where he got the money to be able to win the primaries. The point here is not that he was corrupt in office - I did not say so. But it does open the question about his stewardship at the CBN. Political crystal ball gazers have understood that Soludo's candidacy is part of an Igbo agenda which goes something like this. In 2015, the presidency is supposed to rotate to the South. If so, the Igbo should have somebody who would be presidential material; hence Charles Soludo. No sooner does one put these ideas to paper for the ridiculousness of the proposal to emerge.

It puts the Igbos in an unenviable position, pitting all non-Igbos against Igbos. There are obvious consequences to such scenario. In any case where did the Igbos meet to have chosen Charles Soludo to be the presidential candidate? Is there such a shortage of Igbo persons that they cannot find another candidate?

The issue of a rotation is a PDP understanding. Are we to follow the arrogance of the PDP? The other parties are not bound by the understanding of rotation. Who says no other party can win election in Nigeria? Can we have a Zuma/Mbeki political situation in Nigeria?

Let us return to the original point in this piece - are there jobs which once held preclude the holder from political aspirations? I believe that this is the issue to be addressed. As it is today, Maurice Iwu can, after he leaves INEC, contest election. Mr. Justice Uwais can similarly theoretically stand election. Is that the kind of country we want?

It may be retorted that Clement Isong, also a former Governor of the Central Bank, stood election and became the Governor of Cross River State. The argument raised above equally applied in that case as in the case of Charles Soludo. In the case of Clement Isong there was a period between when he was CBN Governor and when he became Cross River State Governor. I believe that early in the U.S., one Supreme Court Judge resigned and contested election. But never again. It is now a convention for certain office holders not to run for office. The point is that a convention has now been well established and in many cases conventions have become sometimes stronger than law.

I believe that it is impossible to contemplate Alan Greenspan, Paul Volker or Bernaike to want to join a party and go for electoral office. As stated earlier, Charles Soludo's candidature demeans the office of the Governor of Central Bank; it opens all his decisions to political interpretations. If he succeeds, no governor of the Central Bank will even be free from the taint that all his actions are political and therefore suspect.


Dr. Cole is a Consultant to The Guardian Editorial Board, and Nigeria's former Ambassador to Brazil.


Response

Soludo and Cole's lowly road
By C. Don Adinuba

CHUKWUMA Soludo, immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has not done anything to show that being Nigeria's president in 2015 or any other year is on his radar screen. All everyone knows is that he is keenly interested in contesting the February 6, 2010 gubernatorial vote in Anambra State, for which the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thoughtfully chosen him as the flag bearer. It is, therefore, a conundrum that Dele Cole, editorial consultant to The Guardian newspapers, should launch a frontal assault on Soludo's imagined presidential ambitions, as he did in "Should Soludo run for governor?" (The Guardian, Thursday, November 19, 2009).

 
The article is marked by deep-seated prejudices, preconceived notions and intolerable contradictions. It is difficult to reconcile the thrust and arguments of the piece with Cole's status as someone who has been a good student of history, technocrat, chief executive of Daily Times, ambassador to Brazil, and now administrator of the Ibru Ecumenical Centre. He asserts forcefully that Soludo's involvement in the Anambra gubernatorial race is "part of the Igbo agenda" to ensure that there is "Igbo presidential material" in 2015 when the office of the president is expected to rotate to the southern part of Nigeria. Knowing full well the falsity of this assertion, Cole himself wonders if the Igbo had ever met to draft Soludo into seeking elective office. "When did the Igbo meet to have chosen Charles Soludo to be the presidential candidate?" he queries.

Cole's reasoning is, to put it mildly, extremely difficult to follow. He blows hot and cold simultaneously, or, to borrow an expression lawyers are fond of, he approbates and reprobates. In one breadth he claims Soludo's political participation is driven by a surreptitious Igbo agenda, and in another he states there has been no such meeting or understanding to this effect. The article is riddled with contradictions and illogicalities, but also sentiments which constitute an imminent danger to national security, national cohesion, peace and stability. On the supposed ambitions of the Igbo to have one of their number as Nigeria's president someday, Cole writes without any sense of embarrassment: "No sooner does one put these ideas to paper for the ridiculousness of the proposal to emerge. It puts the Igbos in an unenviable position, pitting the non-Igbos against the Igbos". It would be nice to know why it is asinine for an Igbo to entertain the idea that he could be Nigeria's president but a great idea for all other Nigerian citizens to think that the Nigerian president could come from their own midst.

Cole headed the PDP panel or committee which in 1999 looked into the credentials and qualifications of various aspirants seeking the party's presidential nomination. One of the major qualifications was that each aspirant must deliver not just his local government area but also the state to the party. Dr. Alex Ekwueme exceeded this requirement as the whole of the Southeast voted as one man just for his sake. But Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was well defeated all the way. Yet, he was not disqualified. This is the genesis of the reputation which the PDP has since cut: a party that does not abide by even its own rules. Cole, in case you have forgotten, was a key member of the Peoples Democratic Movement that spared no resources to railroad Obasanjo into Nigeria's leadership, a colossal price the whole nation will pay for long.

Cole's argument that Soludo, having enjoyed local and international status as the CBN Governor, is morally disqualified from seeking any office in the land is utterly strange. There is no office in the world which precludes the occupant from seeking another. Kurt Waldheim ran a high profile tenure as the United Nations Secretary General for two terms, still he successfully sought to be the leader of his small native country, Austria, a medium-sized European economy.

Cole gives the impression that there is perhaps no office in the land which enables the occupant to have as much information on the country as that of the Central Governor, hence the argument that whoever has held it should not seek any other post. This is fallacious. The Finance Minister probably has more information on the country's economic health. Yet, many finance ministers have become the presidents and prime ministers of various countries. No one in Nigeria or elsewhere raised an objection in the late 1970s when Clement Isong sought to be the Cross River State Governor. Cole's argument that years had elapsed between the time Isong served as the CBN Governor and the time he became the Cross River Governor makes little difference. No sooner did Adamu Ciroma complete his tenure as the CBN Governor than he went into politics through the Constituent Assembly and later contested for the presidential nomination of the National Party of Nigeria in 1978. Cole as the Daily Times chief executive then had access to the media, yet he raised no objections in the public space. But with Soludo seeking to be the Anambra State Governor, Cole has become a furious activist. There is certainly more to it than meets the eyes.

To repeat ourselves, there is no post in Nigeria or elsewhere which prohibits the holder from seeking another public office. Bola Ige's Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice between 1979 and 1983 when he was the Oyo State Governor was the late Adewale Thompson, a retired judge. The candidate of the opposition Unity Party of Nigeria for the office of the Senate President who lost to Joseph Wayas on the Senate floor in 1979 was Franklin Atake, a retired judge. Since the restoration of democracy in 1999, we have seen retired intelligence chiefs like Nuhu Aliyu, a former Deputy Inspector General of Police, in the Senate. In Russia, a former intelligence operative, Vladimir Putin, is now the prime minister; his presidency rescued Russia from the vice grip of the oligarchs, and the country has been having it so good ever since - to the chagrin of the West.

If we allow ourselves to be persuaded by Cole's facile polemic that a Central Bank Governor or any person who has ever held a position which made so much classified information and data available to him should not be allowed to contest an election, then, no president should be re-elected because he is a politician who has tremendous information at his disposal which could be used against opponents. Nor should any person who has been the Minister of Interior or even the Minister of Justice in any country be allowed to contest. It is curious that an informed person like Cole should be bringing up an argument like this in a country where a number of erstwhile intelligence chiefs but also ex-Heads of State are in politics. If, all of a sudden, the office of the CBN Governor now looms large in our collective imagination it is precisely because Soludo took it to heights hitherto unimaginable. Prior to his era, the CBN Governor was almost just another public servant. The impression Cole has tried to convey that a person who has been a Central Bank Governor anywhere is above partisan politics is awfully misleading. Is he blissfully ignorant that both Allan Greenspan and Ben Bernanke of the United States are Republican?

Cole has carried his prejudice against Soludo too far. He insists on calling the erstwhile CBN boss Charles rather than Chukwuma, which has been his preferred first name in the last two or three years, just as Cole now likes to be called Dele, instead of his European name of Patrick. As the cliche goes, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. There is no furtive agenda in the Soludo quest for the governorship of Anambra State. If there is any secret agenda anywhere, it may well be Cole's write-up in The Guardian under review. Cole ordinarily engages in elevated arguments and postulations. The blistering attack on Soludo is different. It is a lowly road to take. I have read the article twice and it is far from elegant.


Adinuba is head of Discovery Consulting, Lagos.

Tharma,

Igbo and North which is nearer to the coast?

Igbo muslims are fake. My cousin became a muslim when he wanted to get something from a northern big man. After 5 years and achieving all he wanted in full measures, he relocated to the south and became a christian (at least a church goer) again. As Aloy Emeka said, only 0.00000001% of Igbos are muslims and even those are fake.

To what?

Donjon jumps queue, beats up DHL Chairman?

LG chairman in trouble for assaulting DHL boss
Tunde Oyekola, Osogbo - 24.11.2009

The Chairman of Ilesa-West Local Government Area of Osun State, Mr. Ibukun Fadipe Olokaloko, has been questioned by men of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Osun State Police Command, for allegedly assaulting the chairman, DHL Limited, Chief Ade Komolafe.


Komolafe was attacked at a petrol station in Imo area of Ilesa by people suspected to be political thugs working for Fadipe. Fadipe drove in an unmarked private car and attempted to jump the queue at the petrol station when Komolafe and others who had been waiting for hours on the queue resisted him.


Eyewitness accounts said that Fadipe ignored the protest by Komolafe and other motorists, and insisted on being served immediately. It was learnt that the insistence of Komolafe and other motorists who were unaware that he was the chairman of the council infuriated Fadipe.


He was said to have left the filling station only to resurface again some minutes later, with a retinue of people suspected to be political thugs, who descended heavily on Komolafe and others and unleashed terror on them.


The hoodlums, in the course of the attack, smashed Komolafe’s SUV Jeep. Komolafe lost one of his front teeth to the attack, as several blows were pumped into his head.


The attack on Komolafe took place in the presence of his wife and other members of his family who were returning from Ifewara, where the wife was honoured with a chieftaincy title.

1. Abolishing of the obnoxious federal character
1. Creation of state police

If he can achieve these things, especially point one, then he can be forgiven for his past mistakes; but he has only between 2011 and 2015 only to achieve this, because an Igbo man or a Niger Deltan must take over in 2015.

Again, IBB opposes Federal Character
From Adibe Emenyonu in Benin, 11.23.2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Nigeria’s former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, has again called for the abolition of “federal character”, describing it as no longer fashionable in the country’s socio-economic and political system.

Section 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution states: “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.”

But in an address at the conferment of a fellowship award on him by the Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State, at the weekend, he argued that the constitutional provision was no longer tenable.

The former military leader, whose administration took over Auchi Polytechnic from the state government and made it a federal institution in 1993, said the rationale behind the introduction of federal character had been defeated.

Babangida, whose address was delivered by Major-General Idada Ikponmwen (rtd), observed: “The concept of federal character as enshrined in our constitution in my humble view appears to be out of fashion. Reason: the rationale that motivated its introduction in the first place has been defeated.

“With growing sophistication in our educational pursuit and coupled with collegiate interactions at different levels of our lives, our attention should be geared towards sustaining the ideals of national integration in the spirit of one Nigeria and not encourage provisions that tend to undermine our nationality,” he said.

He also advocated the allocation of more responsibilities and power to the state and local governments to enhance efficiency in the act of governance under a truly federal structure.

Babangida noted that with the rising cases of crime, the need for the introduction of state police was becoming more convincing.

He said: “With reports of kidnappings, abduction and armed robbery every day, the suggestion for the introduction of state police to complement the federal police is more and more compelling.”

Babangida had last September canvassed a similar position at the third United Nations Peace Day, organised by the Abdulsalami Abubakar Institute of Peace and Sustainable Development Studies and Pan-African Strategic and Policy Research Group, in conjunction with the Niger State government.

,
IBB advocates creation of State Police
By Simon Ebegbulem
Monday, November 23, 2009
BENIN—FORMER Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, has described as frightening the high rate of violent crimes in the country, advocating the creation of state police to complement efforts of federal police.









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Besides, the former President said as the nation marched towards democratic maturity, the concept of Federal character, as currently enshrined in the constitution, was old fashioned, reasoning that the rationale for its introduction in the first place had been defeated.


General Babangida, who was represented by the former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brig.Gen. Idada Ikpomnwen, at the 17th Convocation Ceremony of Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, weekend, where he was conferred with the Fellowship Award of the Polytechnic, stated that with the growing concerns about the poor security situation across the country, with reports of kidnappings, abduction and armed robbery, the suggestion for the introduction of state police had become inevitable.


According to him, “under a truly federal structure, more fiscal responsibilities should be accorded to state and local governments to enable the Federal Government concentrate on such issues as defence, foreign policy and economy.”


“As it stands today, there is apparently over concentration of power at the center. We just have to grow with the global trends as we commit some of the issues to mind in trying to fashion out solutions to address the challenges of development and growth of our fatherland”.


On the need to scrap the concept of Federal character, Gen.Babangida said “ with the growing sophistication in our educational pursuit, coupled with collegiate interactions at different levels of our lives, our attention should be geared towards sustaining the ideals of national integration in the spirit of one Nigeria and not encourage provisions that tend to undermine our nationality”.


Recalling the manner Adams Oshoomhole became governor of Edo State, the former president asserted that “ I am one of those who believes strongly that he has the capacity to take the state to the next level through positive governance, inclusive participation and compassionate approach to governance.


“As a Comrade in the true sense of the word, he was a nemesis to many administrators and also championed the struggle for better deal for workers in the country”.


Babangida urged the people of Edo State to give him the needed support to succeed, saying “ from what we have seen so far, there are signs that Edo State is already on the right track”.


The former president commended the Board and members of the Polytechnic under the leadership of the rector, Mrs Philipa Idogho, for the award conferred on him, assuring that he would continue to support the growth of technical education in the country.


Speaking also on the occasion, Governor Oshiomhole, who was special guest of honour, disclosed that the state government would offer employment to the best graduating students of the polytechnic.


He reiterated the preparedness of government to ensure that youths in the state were offered employment to prevent crime in the society.

At the event in Minna, the state capital, he said federalism as currently practised in Nigeria, had made the centre “too powerful” and asked for devolution of powers from the centre to the states and local governments.

He said he saw no wisdom in the federal government’s continued running of secondary education, maintaining that such a responsibility should be delegated to the states and local governments.

He said the federal government should now concentrate on the issue of foreign policy formulation and economic management.

Babangida who described himself as a born again “as far as the issue of state and local police is concerned”, said allowing the states to have their own police would “strenghten our efforts in the maintenance of law and order”.

He also said at the Minna event that he saw no reason why a senatorial election would be held in a state only for the result to be announced in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

All you anti Igbo elements,

What the poster is talking about is not much different from the warning given by OPC recently in the North. Only a fool will sit by and allow himself to be slaughtered for no just cause.

Naijababe, read this quotefrom your own post:

According to G.O. Olusanya, non-Igbo members became suspicious. "They reasoned that if the Igbos continued the policy of closing ranks on issues while the others remained divided, it was only a question of time before the Igbo dominated the rest."

From the above quote, it would appear that the authors are also quoting Olusanya, a Yoruba, and probably a supporter of Awo.

Can you provide a link to your articles so that I can see for myself who the authors are? Thanks.

FACE:
Eze Wogu mounted the throne of his fathers in 1976. Since then, he has ruled as the paramount traditional ruler of Umuahia, including Ibeku, Umuokpara, Olokoro, Ubakala and other communities in the Abia State capital.

Absolute nonsense. He is probably the Eze of Olokoro and Old Umuahia since they are all children of Uvoma.

Ubakala is the adjacent town and they have always had their own traditional ruler. (Uba)

Now the one that pains me the most is the claim that he is a paramount ruler of areas including Umuokpara and Ibeku. Total nonsense. Ibeku and Umuokpara are related and Umuokpara have their own traditional ruler.

Ibeku had seven boys, patriarchs of the 7 clans (Egwu Asaa). Although there are several autonomous communities in Ibeku, the paramount traditional ruler of Ibeku is 'Ogurube Ibeku' and has always been. All other Ezes in Ibeku answer to him. A bia na Umuahia, Ibeku na ebu uzo achi oke before any other community including Uvoma.

I am a fiercely proud onye Afara-Ibeku and I wont take kindly to any misinformation, especially from people that should know better.

Phew ! That off my chest, you can now continue with your topic. Good luck.

Thanks. Your answer lies at a look at the name of the reporter (a Tope Adeboye). Now tell me how much a non indigene knows about the history of a ''foreign'' land? He has probably lived in Umuahia for a few months and he is already changing the history.

Now can we get back to th etopic?

A monarch’s heartache: God, when will govt return my properties?
By TOPE ADEBOBOYE

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

He lives in a magnificent palace, dons colourful traditional attires and presides over the affairs of his people in the Abia State capital. He’s blessed with children and grandchildren, all of who are doing quite well in their respective professions. Add that to the good health he enjoys even at the grand age of 82, and you’ll think His Royal Majesty, Eze (Sir) Mac U. Wogu, lives his days in utter fulfilment, with absolutely no worries troubling his octogenarian mind.


But you would be wrong.


In spite of his privileged position and pedigree, the Eze-Ohanyerugo and paramount traditional ruler of Umuahia has a big ache assailing his heart. Each day, a question traumatizes his soul, yet he can’t come up with an answer. The respected monarch is saddened that almost four decades after the conclusion of the Nigeria/Biafra war, items of his property seized by the Nigerian government are yet to be returned.

The monarch isn’t the only one enduring this pathetic fate. Many others have silently borne their pains since they were deprived of their land, homes, offices and other items of property after the civil war.


This Saturday morning, without a prior appointment, the reporter saunters into Eze Wogu’s palace courts in Umuobutu village in Old Umuahia. A casually attired palace aide takes the reporter’s card to the ruler, and Eze Wogu promptly invites the journalist into the king’s waiting room. Moments later, the royal father saunters slowly into the room and invites the reporter over. A little plate containing kola nuts, bitter kola and garden eggs materializes, and the Eze offers some prayers to God and the ancestors. And as the mouths munch the nuts, the king unburdens his mind to his impromptu, much younger guest.


According to the Eze, he has had no access to his jetty, warehouses and the other items of property he left in Oron, while fleeing from the war. Similar stories are told daily by many other Igbo men and women whose property, tagged ‘abandoned property’, have since been taken over by the Nigerian state.

And, indeed, in the minds of many people, the continued possession by the Nigerian government of buildings belonging to those on the other side in that war has ensured that the memories of the 30-month war perpetually linger like the pains of an open, festering sore.


The king speaks slowly, softly; but his words flow forth with power and passion. “I was in Umuahia during the civil war. Before the war, I was at Oron in Cross River. Then, one morning, there were booms of gun and a clatter of shots and everybody ran away. It is generally taken that the war is over; no victor no vanquished. But those of us who left our property and ran for our lives have since been denied of such property. That is why, this question of abandoned property, I will appeal to Mr. President to review it.”


“The Nigerian government took over the property. They were regarded as abandoned property, so when the war ended, people found it difficult to repossess their property. The current Senate President, David Mark, was, I think, the officer in charge of resettlement of war victims. And the abandoned property, most of us lost many things. You know when the Igbo man goes out, he builds there. Even if he has no house at home, he wants to settle down where he is, do his business and make money. Most of us, the investments we made, it’s like they all went down the drain.”


But the Eze is very pleased with the Federal Government’s amnesty for the militants in the Niger-Delta region. In his words, that initiative has drastically reduced the tension in the entire country. But he wants the amnesty expanded beyond the South-South.


“Some of us feel that the amnesty should be extended,” the Eze says. “We want the government to extend the amnesty to those of us whose houses, land and other items were seized during the civil war. That incident of abandoned property is a scar of the civil war which has not healed and disappeared. It is one of those things people look at when they are talking of marginalisation. That is why you still find some people talking of Movement for Biafra, saying they want Biafra again. So, I think Mr. President should, in the same spirit that the militants got the amnesty and they are now referred to as freedom fighters, in the same spirit, he should order that the abandoned property be returned to their owners in whatever state they are now. If our buildings are returned, it will go a long way in assuaging the victims of the war.”


Eze Wogu recalls that the issue of abandoned property has been raised several times in the past with no tangible result. “I know that the late Sam Mbakwe pleaded with the government, but nothing came out of it, “he says.


“I worked with a firm, GBO, for 17 years as an area supervisor in charge of Oron, Eket and a few other places. During the indigenisation, when the UAC was leaving, they handed over their buildings and the remnants of their tenancy to a family in Calabar with whom I was very friendly. And the family sold the place to me. But the Oron people said no, I should recognise them as the land owners. Eventually, I recognised them and continued to do my business there. But we had to leave at the beginning of the war.”

Eze Wogu mounted the throne of his fathers in 1976. Since then, he has ruled as the paramount traditional ruler of Umuahia, including Ibeku, Umuokpara, Olokoro, Ubakala and other communities in the Abia State capital.


The Nigerian government may be holding on to his buildings in Oron, but Eze Wogu’s mind harbours no bitterness against Nigeria’s rulers. Contrary to the thinking of a vast majority of Nigerians, the king believes President Yar’Adua isn’t doing too badly. In fact, the Eze-Ohanyerugo insists that the president is steadily tackling Nigeria’s problems.


“I like the president,” he asserts. “He seems very sincere. I’m very happy with this amnesty for the Niger Delta militants. But we are appealing to him to also look into this issue of abandoned property.”

Naijababe,

the points you highlighted were the opinions of the writer of the article that can hardly pass for a universal concensus. Zik supported a Yoruba and the walk out was from people across ethnic lines. This is more of personal brouhaha between ZIK and AWO than tribalism. If it was tribalism, Zik would prop up and be supporting an Igbo.

What is the official proof other than this one from the author of the article that Zik walked out because Akinsanya was Ijebu?

So the Yoruba who supported the Ijaw man instead of their tribesman which was because Awo (their g/father) was involved, would you also call them tribalists? Remember that the man who resigned was Yoruba and there could be a need to replace him as such (with another Yoruba)

Folks,
is it not surprising that the same Igbos who were viewed by the author as closing ranks are the same people who NEVER close ranks on any political matter (Igbo presidency and Anambra are good examples) compared to Yorubas who now close ranks even for the slightest thing (e.g., ditching AD party in support of Obasanjo in 2003)?

Who dash monkey banana?

Negro_Ntns:
What a speculation! Of course rivals desire for their opponents to be weak and appealing. I dont like when I face a rival with strong personality like myself. . .thats not a mystery that Awo was hated in the East. He is a strong leader for the rival. Zik is loved in the West because he is a weak leader for the rival. Nonetheless, You did not address the political conscience. . I want you to do that in your response. Here it is again. . .

On what basis is Zik weak to the rival? Somebody who won an election right under the rival's nose?

Negro_Ntns:
I am yet to hear Igbo question the action of Zik.  I am thankful to Awo for proclaiming and defending the Yoruba identity, to the detriment of other tribes.  Thats what a leader of a people is supposed to do.  If your leader did not do that on your behalf, shame on him.

So how am I expected to love somebody who defended his people to my own detriment? Little wonder then that Awo has no respect outside Yorubaland. Zik is even more loved in Yoruba than a million Awo in Igboland. Zik also had no problem with the North, unlike Awo. I doubt if you can find any Igbo man that loves Awo.

Awo allowed his personally political competition with Zik to LARGELY determine how he treated Igbos. On the other hand, many Igbos use Awo as a yardstick to determine how they relate with the Yoruba. We learn from history to chart the future and at this point I think we should not allow the acrimony that existed between dead people to continue to pull us apart. The alternative will be separation from each other so that each can chart their own path and follow their destiny unhindered by the other.

SEFAGO:
that i didnt know, could explain more how he hatched the plan, and how he introduced tribalism. I am actually interested in learning, and not for arguing senselessly sake-you seem to be one of the few people who actually tell things as they are.

Legacy
Among others, Chief Awolowo is remembered for  coining the name "Naira" for Nigeria's currency (formerly known as the Nigerian Pound) as the Federal Commissioner of Finance under the Military Government of General Yakubu Gowon. Today, he is remembered by many Nigerians and non-Nigerians as the best Nigerian president that never ruled. And though often ignored, Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the de facto Vice President to General Yakubu Gowon when he was Vice President of the Supreme Federal Executive Council under Gowon contrary to the view popularly held about the position of Vice Admiral J. E. A. Wey. It could be considered one of the contradictions of that era.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obafemi_Awolowo

On tribalism, please read up on the carpet crossing that Awo introduced when Zik won the elections in Lagos. That made Zik to return to the East and caused his own tribalism (abi na selfishness) by removing the Calabar man that was ruling the entire East then.

Ngwa people of Abia State are spoiling the broth. Most of the kidnapping in Abia State happen in in the Ngwa areas

WilyWily:
Good thing indeed.
The Propertises in Lagos was theirs and they took it back, it wasn't a gift.
But remember, some you gave them (20)pounds to go and Die

Remii:
Those properties in Kaduna and Port Harcourt that were not given back are not theirs, abi,?

The 20 pounds for money in banks was Federal law not Yoruba making.

It is good that Nigerians of all hue can work together, especially the Igbo and Yoruba, the two tribes I consider most important in Nigeria. However, we should not defend what is wrong. On the bolded part, who is federal govt that made the federal law? Was Awo not the defacto VP and finance minister who hatched the idea to decimate Igbo finances? Yoruba should learn to look beyond Awo and work with others. The tribalism that Awo introduced into the system has remained the root cause of Nigeria's problems till date. No hard feelings, though