₦airaland Forum

No, I am not biased. I do see things that bother my soul on both sides, the Hausas and the Igbos.

Yorubas do not need to go anywhere.  We are where we belong.  Others should leave and go where they want.  Now, is the federation working for us?  NOo!  To get out of the Federation couple of things ought to occur first.  The country as a whole need healing.  We need a Truth and Reconciliation council to address the various grievances and seek a way forward to dissolve the Federation.  

Okunoba, I agree.  From a non-tribal view and just from pure instinct as a human, the Igbos deserve the support of the rest of the tribes to rehabilitate and to heal.  This is why I say that they need to stop scaring everybody else with the cries of war and to put a human face to their bitterness and grievances so they can win sympathy and support.  Pride is a problem here.  They have the right to be proud but I believe the pride can be revealed with a cultural face and warmth.  War is cold, Biafra has a cold image and need to be buried for now.

There is no way, . . well, let me start all over.

Nigeria is not independent. Our ideologies and philosophies are tied to the success and advancement of Europeans and Americans, and lately China and other minor Asian countries. These people dictate the direction, up or down, of our economy. There is no way Britain or USA will give us the freedom of choice or control in our energy policy. If you carve Nigeria into different tribal groups, when it comes to which group will have the oil wells and the delta area, Europeans will darn make sure that at least three sub ethnic groups end up with it. They will then take the least educated and enlightened of the sub group and make him head and leader over the whole region. So the thought of MEND ending up with sole autonomy over Delta or oil deposits should be dismissed - it will not happen. They are destined to end up as minorities in an Igbo region. The Igbos will be wise to have a majority/minority power sharing structure that de-escalates tensions and encounters.

True. I sincerely believe, in my own opinion, that the Igbos should strive to export their culture and customs and tell the world who they are as a people. Leave war talk aside and develop a three-tiered 5 yr plan for cultural and social upliftment for your people. The name Biafra has been stained. Use a different name to market your region and your people first to the rest of us in the country and then to the world.

Well, the Igbos are fighting Biafra on his behalf, afterall he is included in the region they are carving into Biafra. So should he not be concerned about the well being of the Igbos instead of worrying himself about my response?

Asha,

It's called reparation.  He did not have to do that.  In war the loosing side owe the victorious a reparation for the cost of war and not the other way around.  That gesture was generous.  He could alternately have given a couple of million pounds sterling to the Igbo elders and require that they distribute it in denomination of 20 pounds per person or household or whatever but, you can never give enough to recover and rehabilitate victims of war, never.  The little you do is worth more than nothing at all.  

In North, the properties of the Igbos - their homes, lands, shops - were distributed among Hausas and never returned to the rightful owners after the war.  There are many Hausas sitting as landlords on homes and lands today that was owned by Igbos before the war.  You need to ask why the Igbo councils never addressed those injustices and seek redress, it's not too late.  

I am not sure the Igbos are ready for another war because there are so many gaps in their planning even now that I fear another war will result like the last one.

Hehehehe. . . . Dayo, you done catch am. . . . .upon all the big grammar him blow, he forgot to get the basics right. .

Negro, I am not satisfied with your riposte. . . . as far as I am aware, there was no push for Biafra before the pogroms. . . . infact, the Igbo were most enthusiastic about the new Nigeria; some fringe elements notwithstanding; as they believed they had all the tools in place to dominate the political and economic landscape. . . . it was the Hausa's who didn't want independence and asked the British to stay a bit longer. . . . infact, Awolowo and Akintola's legacy is built on their ability to carve out a strong identity for the Yoruba within Nigeria - as all and sundry feared that the Igbo would dominate the whole shabang.

Ibime,

The Hausas have continued to beat, maim and kill your people for over 30yrs. That is a serious shyit! That is a big problem and one that no ethnic group should endure. That gives me more concern than whether a response online is correct or wrong and I believe you should feel the same way. You are Igbo, I am not. I could care less what you and Hausa do to one another but there is a humanity aspect to it and this is what is bothersome to those of us non-Igbos. You lack perspective on your ethnic history and background. Everytime you talk about who you are as Igbo it's all circled around Biafra. You shout war, war but you can't fucking free your poeple from the clutches of Northern terror. Year after year, they go on rampage and chase you off the land, they subject you third class citizen treatment in your own country; but none of this weighs heavily on your mind, you are more watchful and concerned about the correctness of Negro's response. Well, I will give it to you.

Are you aware that Awolowo was falsely accused, tried and imprisoned for treason? Are you aware that Akintola was elected as Premier in a rigged election? Are you aware that this was the beginning of "wet e", where political opponents began to soak targeted individuals with petrol and setting them ablaze? Are you aware that all these were this was 1964 and not 1966?

Are you aware that Akintola was assassinated under the leadership of an Igbo man, Capt Nwobosi? Why was Akintola killed but Awolowo was spared? Why was Ahmadu Bello killed but Okpara was spared? Why was Nzeogwu, Ironsi, Okafor killed but Gowon was spared?

The war started in 67. The coup took place in 66. In 64 there had been political tensions threatening to divide the four year old country. In 60 the West and East were passionately angered and towards British for rewarding the North with more seats at Parliament. So you still believe the problems started in 66 when Biafra declared war? You need to think again. You need to get your history right and stop depending on white man to use google to define who you are. Go to your elders and get the story right. The problems started before Independence, the talks of division did not start in 66.

You may not know what your history in the East look like before 66 but I am from West and I know what my history is and I can tell it accurately. I come from a people that win wars. We put strategy and forbearance into planning wars. We don't wake up one day and decide we want to fight war. Most important, we don't let no stupid fuckers beat, maim and kill our people year after year for over 30yrs and not do something concrete to send a message of memorable impact to the opponent.

I want serious contributors as analysts and please back every information with facts.

When you start a topic that demands serious analysis, you should always start with your own analytical output. All you have done here is echo what the news said, you failed to give your own insightful opinion on the subject.

Also, I know a lot of people use google and wikipedia. That is good. Do not ask for factual information if you know the subject lacks authentic studies and report. You can ask for opinions and views as well as analysis. Do you know if any study has been done on your subject?

I have not heard this story before. Maybe you can shed light. Because The civil war happened way after Akintola, AHmadu Bello, Okotie-Eboh and Tafawa Balewa were murdered by Igbo soldiers.

So when did the call by Awolowo to be neutral come in ?

The quest for Biafra did not start in 1960. It started well before Independence and the tensions only grew stronger as the years went by. Many of you Igbos when discussing Biafra stay focused on the 3year period. The war started before 1967. Militarily the war ended but politically you are still at war. The Hausas have not stopped to harass and kill your people. Your grievances for going to war has not been resolved, it continues and I believe this is why the Igbos are bitter and more agitated.

This is why I said earlier that there is ideological gap. All discussions on Biafra is about war and oil. I will like to know about Biafra and its people in terms of human values and cultural richness. War is not all you are, there are other more magnanimous values to you and your people; share those. Win sympathies and support by putting a human face in your quest for independence. This is best done by marketing your culture and your historical traditions. You have spent 30years calling for war, your call has lost audience and people want to see the peaceful and human side of the Igbos. Nigerians of other tribes have no trust in your leadership. Its not that you are feared, your vulnerabilities are openly discernible, but when people think of Igbo the image of war is what immediately comes to mind. Only you can change that image and the perception.

If there is a military conflict today you will loose the war again. You are not prepared for it ideologically or materially, so focus on developing a cohesive ideology first. Claims that you are a lost tribe of the Jews or that your light complexion come from Ethiopia and that's why you are industrious are all vanities. Focus on Igbo people and culture and tell your own story with sweetness and flavor and richness. Ondo people are light complexioned, Ijebus are very industrious, Ile Ife has a spiritual obelisk that reminds of Axum and Egptian ancestral past but when Yorubas talk of their Nation the culture and the deities and the art and other historical traditions are projected strongly and forcefully and even exported on the international scene. It will be beautiful to see Igbos in similar light, amplify and herald the values of an Igbo indigene.

There is over ambition in the pursuit for a Biafran Nation.  There are two primary gaps -

(1) a weak ideology base.  Biafra will end up with majority/minority power sharing to effectively manage national citizenry under Biafra;

(2) an unresolved antagonism with North. Igbos continue to wait for Hausas to hit them first before responding. This has been the patter as far back as 1960, well before the war, and it continues as recently as few months ago in Jos.

In retrospect, I believe Igbos lost the war because in their over ambition they underestimated the West and made incursions into territories under the Western Region.  Akintola was impulsive in his unilateral idea that he could support the North against Awolowo's suggestion to remain neutral.  Awo's loyalists unleashed terror on Akintola and eliminated him quick.  Ahmadu Bello had discussed the possibilities of attacking the West and the lessons of Akintola served to restrain him.

Ndipe,

Everywhere on the web Igbos are resoundingly united in the move for a successful cessation out of Nigeria and the start of a new life as Biafran citizens. If the war was a success Biafra would have penetrated Westward and take over Yorubaland. Biafra would have taken over Hausaland. There would not be a Nigeria and a Biafra, there would be a Biafra with Yorubas and Hausas as minorities and the name Nigeria would have been history.

Unfortunately for Biafra that did not happen. So what's next for Biafra beside accounts of war and agitation for cessation?

. . .I will just marry you as my second husband

 Busy Body, you go just sack your hubby first nah.  Why you wan carry two palavas for household?

Becomerich, thanks. Now give me a similar breakdown for:

1. Oil & Gas production
2. Agricultural crops & Forest resources
3. Metal & mining resources, as well as its production
4. Farm animal, livestock & Dairy products
5. Grain and Oils

Thank you.

Flirting is good but walk that road with caution. Before you initiate your move imagine yourself to be a scissors and the other person a paper. You can be crafty and carve a nice memorable work of art into the paper; or you can be destructive and cut the paper into ugly bits and pieces of useless strands.

@Post,

I have not read this book but now that I am aware I will get a copy. Until I have read the book it will be difficult for me to express my view on the issue. However, going by the numerous responses I must ask. . . after all these repeated persecutions (as the Igbo people believe), why do you still react to the violence in the North or anywhere else? You must resolve to be the agressor and not the victim. You be the one that start the shyit, and not the one taking it. Go proactive with terror.

Luca,

Did you sit through her service? Sitting through the service with doubts and questions in your mind is counter to the purpose of going to temple to offer prayer to God. You are there for God, not for man or woman, husband or wife.

bawo is a yoruba man

Then be proud with me my brother. There is no problem calling for unity of the country but we cannot continue to keep silent in face of insults by other tribes.

We cannot compromise our stance as a people.

the hausa city states were autonomous for the most part.  Being able to hold the Nupe's and Borno empire at bay is an achievement in it's self.  control of trade routes to berber and arab traders is an achievement in it's self.   unlike commercial centers like jenne, their were royals in the hausa city states. that in fact qualifies for state hood.  i know you are proud as a Yoruba man but there's no need to belittle the Hausa's.

You are going by what you read on Google.  Google accounts are not authenticated.  My account is direct oral history from authorities on Hausa history.  If you say they were autonomous states, then please name their sovereign kings during that period.   Saying they were conquered by Fulani is belittling?  I am not sure where your sense of political ideology is but if you are not Hausa you need to step aside and let an Hausa man stand up and face me on his history.  You speak for your own ethnic group instead of stoking sentiments of other tribal groups.  

unlike the kid born in london, egun's have diverged from Yorubas a long time ago. this is like claiming Australians are the same as the British. isn't the Yoruba identity a recent creation.  no one was screaming Yoruba during the 17th or 18th century.

Again, you lack ideological vision.  In America, the whites still celebrate renaissance with full dramatization.  In Europe they still celebrate the memories of medieval times with movie re-enactments to push their ideologies against other cultures that they battled thousands of years ago.  "The Spartans"  "300", They still worship the Pantheon. . .   It's people like you that the white man want to install in positions of government leadership and sponsor your rulership to the detriment of your cultural background.  When you bring up your history they persuade you that it's been so long ago that you need to forget it and concentrate on the present and yet, they sell movies of their Great past to you and your children and make it the topic of your discourse and conversation.  You help them glorify their culture to the detriment of your own.  History does not have an expiry date my friend.  

geographical boundaries have always been volatile. you think the map of Europe and the America's hasn't changed too? people like you need to learn to accept change rather than claiming to speak for a diverse ethnic group.

Geographical boundaries should be volatile to the extent that it is a favorable land gain to the Yorubas.  We change the map to the flow of our conquests.  You reign supreme when you acquire land territory.  In Nigeria, The Yoruba Nation is the Supreme one.

Bawomolo,

What tribe are you? What's your ethnic group? Please share the history of your people with us if you know it. You cannot accuse Yorubas of hatred if we have all along kept silent in the face of repeated insults by Biafra war mongers. One response from us and you are roused. Don't accuse people who know their history and are proud of it. Tell us who you are. Are you Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, . . . or maybe you are a migrant from another country into Nigeria. Who are you?

To all those who celebrate the birth of Jesus, merry Christmas to you and your family.


Uche, what's your response to this. . .

@Uche2005

You come from a culture that has no centralised authority,

who is the unifying voice of the yorubas. afenifere or OPC. lol let's not deceive ourselves here. Yoruba identities usually breaks down into ethnic enclaves.

When war breaks out, the natural cohesive force of ethnic identities and sense of belonging are instinctively activated and become the prime rule of engagement.

you might want to explain how the eguns can be considered yoruba.

Nationality. You have a child in London and he speaks English and is a British citizen, does that make him an English man? Geographical boundaries erected by colonials have reversed our senses of who we are in nature. People like you need lessons to understand and know who you are. This is why I often relate past when we talk political ideologies, because of people like you that have lost sense of where home is. Don't worry, I will help you navigate your way back home.

this is wrong, the peak of the kano and katsina came after the fall of the songhay empire. the textile industry of hausa city states were active before Usman Dan Fodio. all dan fodio achieved was the consolidation of the city states into the sokoto caliphates. the idea that hausa's would be dominated by fulani is simplication. fulani's are more and more being assimilated into mainstream hausa society.

My friend, Kano, Katsina were all under the Songhay. They were conquered and paid homage to Timbuktu. After the fall of Songhay they were never sovereign states. They became centers of trade and learning. We are talking history about Greatness of people, you are mistaking African definition of sovereignty for European definition of Statehood. In Africa, a sovereign power is the one that all neighbouring Kings pay homage to. He sits on the throne of political and military power. Now, tell me which military or political power Katsina or Kano sat on prior to Fodio? Which ethnicity did they fight and conquer?

i think it's safe to note Oyo would never have defeated Dahomey without the help of the British. divide and conquer was a beautiful tool used by the British but i think you already know this.

I'm not even going to qualify this wrong response.

i never said the Yoruba would fail if things fall apart but the disintegration of Nigeria if it happens would be messy like that of Yugoslavia. people expecting a yoruba,igbo,hausa nation etc would shocked to see a congo or somalia.

So did you not see the last sentence in my post? I said We want unity but if it comes to it, we will stand up to anyone and fight and we will win the war. History is on our side.

negro who told you we want fight you. there would be no fight in this. trust me.

There is much agitation and with frequent occurrence where Igbos in NL are calling for resurgence of Biafra and when they do there is always reference in the negative to the Yorubas. I am a proud Yoruba man, a solid "son of the soil" and I am not timid at all when it comes to expressing my opinions. The people calling for Biafra talk as if they have history of war victories in their history. Sometimes there is lesson in humiliation. It's time the Igbos get a Yoruba response. I have given the response. I could care less who likes or don't. If you see problem with what I said, then it must be that you see merit in rescucitating Biafra.

umaru is ready to let you go

. and it is just for us to share the remaining

properties in nigeria

. we would give 10% of what we have no moveable.

There are ways to consolidate or invalidate a leadership. Umaru's leadership is validated by the Yorubas and we can invalidate him at the right moment. It's only a flash! In a turmoil politics, you create balance and counter balances that favor your position and the best way to do that is to be a King Maker. You are blind! Look again. . .

What properties? Cameroon has a plan for you!

Uche, does the truth hurt? Talk to your brothers and sisters agitating for Biafra to go calm down. I am only speaking the truth. Ifthe cap fits, wear it.

Direct that speech to the Igbos calling for a resurgence of Biafra and the Hausas as well, repeatedly killing people that practice different religion from Islam.  Don't direct it to the Yorubas - our stance is and has always been clear!  

You are tearing piece by piece into what I said about language and homogenity.  Dialect is a component of a broader ethno-language.  When you are outside of a ethno group then you are no longer a dialect of that language but a separate distinct tongue.  

Kano and Katsina were big under Emirate status, which was installed by a fulani man, Usman Dan Fodio.

Dahomey challenged Oyo and Oyo taught them an unforgiving lesson.  Egba was never a State, though it made attempt when it broke rank and fought the Ijebus.  

Like I said, you are preaching unity to the choir, re-direct the speech to the unsanctified.  My point is simple; Yoruba is a Nation, not an ethnic tribe and we fight as a Nation, not as a tribal group.  Unity is good but we will not loose if according to Professor Achebe, Things Fall Apart.

Everytime we talk economy of Nigeria some fools blarb about oil.  Here is a list for you of distribution of cash crops around the country. You can see that each region is self sustainable on revenue generation.

Cocoa - West  
Kola nut - West
Palm Oil - West/East
Cotton - North
Groundnut Oil - North
Coal - East
Tin - North

On the issue of majority, Hausa is a different tribe from Fulani, they don't even speak same language.  They only share religion and location.  Left alone together the Fulanis will dominate and subdue the Hausas.  The Igbos do not have the East all to themselves, they share it with Efiks, Ibibios and Ijaws, each with its own language.  The West is all Yorubas, dialects may differ but we all speak one language and spiritually have a common root.  The Yoruba is the true majority.

On the issue of political and military power, the Hausas in their entire history have never expanded and gained autonomy of a sovereign state, they have always been conquered by more dominating powers.  The Fulanis was the last conqueror and successfully installed permanent leadership over their culture and destiny.  The Igbos have never established autonomy of State power either, always lost wars. Last one was Biafra. The Yoruba Empire was adventurous and it waged wars beyond its borders and far into Songhay and Asante Empires and ended up installing Sovereignty deep and Westward into present day Ghana.  It got so powerful that two of its states broke off and on their own became autonomous Empires - Oyo, Benin.  Before you start talking war and surrogates you better open your eyes and recognize who the Yorubas are.  We should reconcile and become One Nigeria.  Failing that we will unleash our terror upon the North and the East and do to you guys what we did to Asante and Songhay.  
The only Yorubaland we ever lost was Ilorin and that was an act of betrayal by Afonja going into treaty with Dan Fodio but even with that, we cut their advances Westward short and limited losses.  

On regional cooperation and stability, North is bordered by arid lands, you definitely do not want a refugee situation in your end.  Where will you run to and what food do you have for sustenance while your people are escaping to the desert?  East is bordered with Cameroon. They already took Bokassi from your land, they might take more and then subject you to second class citizens on your own land.  West is bordered by Rep of Benin and further insulated by two more countries to the West, all along that belt is a homogenous people - uniform composition of language and culture sympathetic to the Yorubas.  

The Yorubas have no fear of a break up, but we are concerned about progressive growth, not retarded development and this is why it is in all of our interests to keep Nigeria One.  

One Nigeria, One Nation!!

I played with the thought of converting from blackberry to iphone when Apple launched 3G some months ago. I played with a iphone 3G for few days and changed mind when I discovered that the only stable program in it is the browser functionality. The voice service drops, the 3G signal drops, the visual voice mail erases and loses programing. I never had that much problem with Blackberry. If blackberry hangs up, all you have to do is remove the battery and reinsert, it power cycles and reboot and you are good to go.

If you want form, I'd say yes Iphone is best but if you need substance and reliability, . . . Blackberry any day!

What Hausa tradition my darling?  What thread is it on?

Woo, woo, back it up. . . don't you need to first raise the question of why Nigeria is subsidizing petrol?

Assume you have a restaurant and a plate of rice and stew sells for #5. You have 6 children. Each time they stop by the restaurant to eat rice and stew you allow them to pay #2 for their meal. Your account ledger at the end of the day will short #3 for each child that stopped by. At the end of the month, if all six had stopped by and each had ordered rice and stew at least 5 times in the month, then you are #90 short. Now, your budget is #90 short. That's bad economics. Your subsidies to your chidren is costing you to squeeze elsewhere to meet your business obligations. Your children's meals are subsidized on projected business earnings. This will reduce your profit and end up hurting your family standard of living if the practice continues for long term.

you really love yourself don't you?

Oh, hell YEAH!

. . . your confidence is a hot mess

Oh my, now that's the most painful part! I ooze with confido, and when I am told it's a mess that gives me concern.

Whoever, this is, you must be my secret admirer. Just don't cause Karma to choke of grains.

If your partner comes home late and you suspect him / her of cheating, would you ask that they spread so you can inspect that 'area' below the belt by smelling??

True. The area leaves heavy residue of hormones and pubic hair. If you can trace the scent of poussey on him then he is a dirty and filthy bastard for bringing that home to you. The cheating is okay, it's the filthiness in him that should be punished.