₦airaland Forum

It is also important to understand that when Nigerians say "let the sleeping dog lie", they are really being dishonest and irresponsible.
Pray, has anybody slept properly since 1970 in Nigeria?
Hasn't the country been battling one violent reaction or another from 1970 till date. First, it was the coups and counter-coups, which brought in various military regimes which pillaged the national coffers and killed many Nigerians as a result.
Next, the constant riots and massacres in Northern Nigeria which continue till date. Then there is the militancy which is springing up in many parts of the country.
While we are letting the sleeping dog lie, unarmed demonstrators are gunned down by trigger happy security personnel, while armed groups are given amnesty, which encourages previously unarmed groups to think about arming up.

The truth is that we are not letting any sleeping dog lie. We are sweeping the dogs and their sleeping mats under the carpet till a day they become monsters threatening to consume the nation itself.
It is never too late to repudiate evil and reject genocide.
He who sows the wind reaps the whirlwind.

Our barest minimum is to begin by ridding the Nigerian public domain of offensive legacies. Murtala's legacy is offensive to the spirit of one Nigeria. It should be removed from public spaces.

Posted by: wesley80

No doubt MM doesnt deserve a honourable place in our history but that completely depends on the side one chooses to look from as he's seen as a war hero and his crimes are conveniently shielded as they were done 'in the interest of the nation' just like those commited by his military contemporaries, massacre or no massacre, afterall the perpetrators of the Asaba massacre justified their action and bluntly refused to apologise during the Oputa panel and I'm yet to see them take to the stands in the Hague.
Truth is we buried a whole load of things at the end of the war and opening them up will do no one no good. Crimes were commited on both sides In varying degrees and you cant open one and leave the others cos it suits you. Some of us ended up as victims of a war we knew nothing about but we chose to forget cos it was the only way to heal our mostly self inflicted wounds and Like Shakespeare said;
'To mourn a mischief that is past and gone is a sure way to draw new mischief on' Let sleeping dogs lie.

The bolded is part of Nigeria's problem - to lionize one devil and vilify others. It is based on the concept of inequality. Like I've said already, had Biafra successfully seceded, then Nigeria can iconize any of her so called war heroes including genociders. The war ended on a no-victor-no-vanquished basis, at least that is the official position of he federal government. I wonder what qualifies Murtala to be on the Naira, but not say Gowon. Yes, I agree that we should not punish one genocider and free the other; but my guess is that there are FAR MORE genociders on the federal side. However, I really think that the issue is that the boldest of them has his name on the most used Naira denomination, and the nation's premier gateway. If Russia was to be a country of the same class and measure as Nigeria, Joseph Stalin would have his name on the premier gateway in Moscow and Russian Ruble. Stalin saved the Soviet Union from Hitlers Germany, but he did so killing millions of his fellow Russians.

I feel particularly sad when educated Nigerians reason like semi-literate characters like Murtala Muhammad.
Like I also said before, my fear is that a worse genocide can still happen in Nigeria in the future if we don't collectively repudiate and denounce such Hobbessian culture. Time can never amend such wrong. If anything, it can mask them and  prepare the next. Only deliberate human action can amend such wrong.

Posted by: ndu_chucks

Onlytruth, the only issue I have with you is that you don't want to let go of your civil war losses, and fight for ONE Nigeria. I do not support genocidal state actions of any form as you stated above. When MASSOB declares publicly that they are against treasonous acts, I will support them fully. The name MASSOB means that the organization has a goal of comitting treason. Why should any sane one Nigerian support that?

As you know, one of the men OBJ met has now been shot dead. This shows that GEJ, OBJ and other so-called government operatives are naive and clueless as to how to handle Boko Haram. OBJ's PR stunt has backfired as it should. Prison or worse, awaits him and his likes.

ndu_chucks,

Let me tell you what you know already, and it is that ANY genocide is wrong, and shooting UNARMED citizens for ANY reason whatsoever is treasonable. But both happens in Nigeria, with your tacit or implied support.
You have to take positions based on principle. For example, I am against ANY form of state sanctioned murder even if it happened to a Yusuf Mohammed. When he was gunned down without trial and due court process, I was one of the first Nigerians here to condemn it.
You cannot support Satan and condemn the Devil.

@Ezeuche,

Nna ebee ka igara kamgbe nwanne? Amakwa m na udo diri gi na ezi n'uno gi? I gara njem?
Nno, ezi nwanne m.

For the international airport in Lagos, I think that "Herbert Macaulay International Airport" is just perfect.

As for the N20 note, I think Murtala's picture should be replaced with a memorial pictorial representation dedicated to the memories of those massacred by Murtala Muhammed.

I really think that this is important because it would define what is acceptable to all humans living in the Nigerian space.
If that is not done, I fear that any future conflict in that space would make second war world look like children's war game.

And this is the point I leave the thread for now.

Signing off,
Yours truly,

Onlytruth.

An evil pall hangs over the Nigerian nation until people like Murtala Muhammad are consigned to the history of ill fame and repudiation.

The Nigerian national question remain unanswered, that is why we have Boko Haram. Part of the process of founding a nation is to define ethos and values. If people do not share ethos and values, they have no business being together in one country. I recon that some sections of Nigeria may approve of Murtala's methods and exploits during the war, but we don't have to be in one country if that remains the case. In fact I strongly believe that the wider the spread of this poll, the better the proof that Nigeria cannot be one nation. I believe in my heart that every human being would not like to be visited with a genocide. The question then becomes, why should anyone approve this genocider? It can only mean that the approver sees the victim as an "Other".

Should Murtala Muhammad be celebrated by decent and fair minded humans? That is the question.

Posted by: okada_man

Nigerian leaders will never do that, they don't care about people or justice. They only care about their Padi Padi interests and family.

The same elites running Nigeria today are friends, colleagues, family and acquitances of the past Nigerian looters, dictators, coup plotters, arm merchants and murderers.

They will do nothing to right past wrongs until people are ready to demand justice en-masse. Unfortunately we are not ready yet. That is the reality.

Yes, you are right to some extent, but remember the "Supreme Soviet"?
When the day of justice came, everybody started running to his own home.
A character like Joseph Stalin has no airport named after him, not to talk of an international airport.

In Iraq, Saddam Hussein was hanged by his people for committing genocide against fellow Iraqis.

In Nigeria, we name our busiest international airport (and gateway) after a well documented genocidist and murderer of his fellow citizens. We even throw in an icing by adding his picture and name to our most used currency denomination.

I believe that all decent humans must be appalled by these thoughtless acts.

Can anyone even tell me what this man did for Nigeria to make it easy to forget these heinous crimes against humanity?

I shudder.

Owing to well documented evidence of genocidal exploits before and during the Nigerian civil war, Murtala Muhammed should not be celebrated as a Nigerian icon. I say this on the belief and assumption that Nigeria abhors, repudiates and rejects extremist and genocidal strategies to solving Nigerian problems.

In civilized countries, the worst crime is one perpetrated against fellow citizens. If Biafra has seceded successfully, then Nigeria reserves the right to iconize and lionize any leaders she wants. 

As long as we remain one country, Ndigbo would remain insulted by the iconization and celebration of known genocidists such as Murtala Muhammad. Such characters must be consigned to their proper places in history.

I'll like to add a poll here.

Posted by: Rgp92

War is not a game.

Gowon and murtala muha mad have been dead for long now! The civil war have been over for more than 40 years, isnt it time to move on? Let my ask you a question, have you experience war?

Anyway,[b] murtala muhamad have already paid for his warcrime. [/b]The man you people should focus on is Buhari, he killed many civillians and is still alive

I don't believe Murtala has paid for his crimes against humanity (at least to us). I know that Satan is cooking his @ss in hell every day, but we need to remove everything concerning him from Nigerian public domain.

As for the thin-necked Buhari, something tells me that he has not escaped yet. I never thought I'd see a perennial genocide going on in middle belt (some of the key commanders of the genocidal Nigerian troops during the war).
So, let's wait for karma to complete her job.

Murtala needs to get out of our N20 notes!

Mark my words, one of these days OBJ will topple Jonathan and return to Aso Rock again.
That is all I see happening. Obasanjo only serves Obasanjo. He never really left and Jonathan is only standing in for him.

I am really beginning to doubt Jonathan's ability to lead Nigeria. But time will tell.

Reading so much about Murtala Mohammed's genocidal exploits before and during the war makes me wonder why Igbo people ever supported the idea of having Murtala's head on a Naira note (N20), and having an international airport named after him.

I really think that we can do something about both. We can start a petition and agitation to remove his head from N20 note and the international airport in Lagos.

If they refuse to do so, we can boycott both and create a massive problem for the system. We are not powerless over this one.

I already feel that way about N20 notes.

I feel duty bound to wind up my participation on this thread in a positive and leader-style way.

I feel strongly that what Abia state is doing is wrong, self defeatist, incongruous and dangerous even to Abians; but it will be their own decision, and they would have to take that decision, and live with the consequence.

However, Igbo say that when you remove a tick from a dog, you must show it to the dog, else the dog may feel that you attacked it.

So, here is my preferred solution to the Abia problem.

Gov Orji should embark on a massive job creation program for Abia. Luckily the state citizens are very industrious. Aba is a proof to that. He needs to sit down with investors from wherever he can find them and identify key sectors where Abia may hold a comparative advantage. I believe that cottage industries(for now) like fashion (clothes, shoes, bags) is where Abia holds advantage for now. He can create 1 million jobs by mapping out areas in Abia to build such light industries that can operate on generators (since Nigeria swore we would never have grid electricity). I, as a business man, know that if the state government is serious about such industries, Nigerian banks can partner with the government to fund them. And if they take off, profit-seeking investors would be attracted to it pour in huge sums of money to create something that can keep Abians busy for the foreseeable future. Now, that is the first level of economic revival for the state. The second stage will involve other industries by which time I hope the power problem in Nigeria would have been solved. This state can go places in industry, science/technology, agriculture, oil and gas etc. The problem is that something needs to be done NOW. And Orji can ignite action along these lines if he is serious.

Igbo say that one can NEVER be fed full from food crumbs picked from between the teeth. (adighi eji ihe aghutara n'eze eriju afo )

I doubt that Orji cannot find brilliant minds in Abia state to design this economic blueprint. But I guess he can only see such people after he stops stealing and starts working honestly for his people instead of working for himself.

@South East,
We are brothers, no matter how we may disagree on issues; always remember that. I have never on this site shown any complexes over Igbo issues. I tend to address them as fairly (in the collective Igbo interest) as possible.
If I offended you with my comments, I apologize. Let's keep our focus on the ball (collective Igbo interest, no matter how we may lose individually).

Here I stand.

Onlytruth.

Posted by: ndu_chucks

Beaf, the kind of bravery shown by OBJ in this case is a calculated PR stunt which will benefit OBJ more than any other party or body.  I’m surprised that you are willing to overlook any of  OBJ’s committed atrocities because of this singular act of his. I suppose you would have ceased to be anti-IBB or anti-Ibori, if any of these men had done the same thing OBJ did.

In my humble opinion, these people deserve to be tried for grand theft and locked up for good, instead of being given the opportunity to continue to r.ape the nation by diverting attention from their crimes through deceptive acts of ‘bravery’. (gaskia kawai  ) These people should not be worshiped as heros, they are thieves who belong in prison.  OBJ, IBB, Ibori, and others are criminals in my mind, they deserve no praise at a all.

If you imagine the number of lives that could have been saved if the billions that these people stole had been used to build good roads and hospitals, then you’d realize that OBJ’s act of ‘bravery’ in this case is not enough to give him a free pass.

My aboki brother ndu_chucks , you and I agree again!
I really think that apart from your occasional support for genocidal state actions, you are actually one cool dude. 
You and I share a passion for a functional corruption free homeland. And I haven't seen you support any of these thieves; yet.
I am still waiting for the day you would repent of your extremist shoot to kill state policy against unarmed groups such as MASSOB. 

Posted by: Abagworo

@beaf.Every other thing you have written on this forum I despise but this one.[/b]This is the only sensible thing you have ever written on Nairaland.

For me, everything [b]Beaf has written on this site I lionize and admire EXCEPT THIS ONE.
Talk about two Nairalanders (Onlytruth and Abagworo) being direct opposites of each other.

Beaf sir, IMHO YOU ARE WRONG on this one. The man you have chosen to lionize is one of the problems of this country. He is not one of the solutions. He had a total of 11 years to change Nigeria for the best. He failed.

This window dressing by OBJ cannot save his legacy.
Let me ask you.
How did Obasanjo respond to the MASSOB and Niger delta militants? Did he go to visit them in Okwe and Okerenkoko?
NO.
Instead, he sent JTF (MEND) and Police shoot to kill (MASSOB).

I still think he is a selfish coward.  

Posted by: udezue

Anambra borders Rivers state? Na wa I didn't know that.

Yes, Anambra borders Rivers state directly at the South western border. Anambra state borders a total of 6 states:

Delta
Imo
Kogi
Enugu
Abia
Rivers
Quite impressive IMHO. 

It can easily become a business hub because it shares direct borders with half of Nigeria's 6 geopolitical zones.

Posted by: Relax101

Only truth, Who do you want as your next Governor when peter Obi is tenure is over?
Akunyuli or Soludo?

Charles Chukwuma Soludo.

Nna Soludo dabata n'Awka, nsogbu  g'adi!

He is really the only one among past aspirants with the ambition, vision, intelligence, charisma and bravado to create a mega economy out of Anambra state. Ngige may build roads, and Akunyili may fight corruption, but only Soludo has it all.

I don't even mind campaigning for him even if he remains in PDP.
Anambra state is ready to be developed. 

Posted by: asha 80

i have seen that place but is that place not under ogbaru lga?

Yes, but you know how cities grow.
Even Omagba layout in Onitsha stretches with style and merges with Nkpor new parts layout area (in Nkpor, Idemili LGA) , all still under "Onitsha", but we know better. LOL. Same with Awka and neigboring towns.
LGA borders won't stop Onitsha's growth.

Posted by: asha 80

as you sure of what you are writing here?

Yes I am sure. Onitsha's problem is mainly infrastructure management, eg electricity and transportation planning issues.
I am an Onitsha boy because I spent most of my young life in Onitsha. Even the four story buildings are not planned to accomodate more than 2 flats per floor. In normal circumstances, it should be at least 4 flats per floor. Fortunately, Onitsha has one of the best planned layout system in Eastern Nigeria. If you don't believe me, take a look with Google satellite view. So, even with current space (without spreading out), Onitsha can still accommodate double its current population if properly densified.

But my hope is really on the undeveloped Iyi Owa Odekpe side.
I didn't even know that Anambra state borders Rivers state directly till now and there is a forest reserve there too. Just take a look. 

Posted by: asha 80

however on a more serious note do you think onitsha as it is can withstand the increased economic activities that will that will occur as a result of this?onitsha is already conjested.

Of course it can! Have you taken a look at the map of Anambra state, specifically to the south bordering Rivers state? I didn't even know there is a forest reserve in Anambra state, toward "iyi owa Odekpe" and Osomari ? Also Onitsha is yet to be properly densified. Fegge is still mainly low density. Onitsha is still small.

Posted by: asha 80

i just hope the dredging will not be halted.you know nigeria and the way things go here.

I believe that the dredging of the lower Niger has been completed already. I read somewhere that if this route is not put to use soon enough, the river will silt up again and need another dredging.
These cranes are part of that effort, I believe.

Posted by: OgidiBoy

I'm impressed, I just hope they fix up the major roads connecting all 5 Eastern States, So when my containers arrive in onitsha I can truck it to Enugu without all the wahala of Enugu-Onitsha Express road.

I believe that Jonathan would fix Enugu-Onitsha expressway. It is one of the most strategic SE roads.Don't forget that Enugu international airport will come alive soon. The traffic between Enugu and Onitsha would be two way; Enugu international air cargoes will find their way to Onitsha, while Onitsha containers will find their way to Enugu, etc.

He is already working on the second Niger bridge, so the traffic between Onitsha and Asaba/Delta would simply zoom up.
The whole axis is setting up for a major boom.  

^
Okay, maybe Hong Kong.

^^

Abi you no gree? hehehe!

I'm really imagining what would happen if this port becomes fully operational.
Envision Onitsha port, with an Asaba airport just across the river Niger!

Imagine if goods can land almost directly to Anambra state! If that oil and gas industry takes off, and we get that independent power station, now throw in a governor like Soludo in 2014; Nna mehn Anambra would explode overnight with business.

When Peter Obi's term ends in 2014, we replace him with Soludo!

Japan here we come.

@South-East

Like I said before, you can defend Orji and his tunnel-view policy. You are entitled to your views.
I won't even address your comments now because we have reached a stalemate.

Kwere kwa nke ikwere nwanne!

Posted by: ezeagu

Can you imagine Ojukwu talking about losing nothing special in reference to the other southeastern states? LOL. The fact that you could say such a thing means you've always been Anambra > Igbo, which is fine because all the states are on their own anyway.

One thing I know for sure is that no one would be able to defend Igbo COLLECTIVE interest by thinking that his own group depends on another for anything. He won't go far.   I doubt that Ojukwu's motivation was because of what he stood to gain from other parts of Igboland. He simply saw EASTERN NIGERIA (not even Igboland only) as ONE and worthy of defense, even if it meant risking his own life to fight for it.
Mark my words, no one can fight for one Igboland or Eastern Nigerian nation by having a tunnel view. That is why there is no one commanding the same respect as Ojukwu TODAY. I'm sure he faced these same people in his day and was able to surmount their gimmicks.
I have been constant on this site for at least 2 years defending Igbo COLLECTIVE interests.
I do so, not because I'm eyeing anything in other parts of Igboland, but simply because ALL parts of it is worthy of defense.
I sometimes feel like reminding some of you that my state and town don't stand to lose most from a divided Igboland.
Ome dika onwere ife anyi n'erita iche na ya. Onwerokwa ma ncha.  

Anyway, gotta run again. Biz calls.

^^

Yea, in 1967 -70 we had ifeajuna from today's Anambra state.
In 2011, we have Abagworo from today's Imo state.

Posted by: asha 80

not as simple as that

and abagworo saying some igbo clans lost their dialect because of 'standardization of igbo' i cannot remember anything more laughable

I have since ruled Abagworo an anti-Igbo unity agent.
I never saw the civil war, but I believe deeply in my heart that the "Sabo" that was a major menace to Biafra are still very active in Igboland today.

Posted by: Abagworo

I sometimes wonder where the pride of Anambrarians comes from.I have videos and pictures of Onitsha,Nnewi and Awka as well as the other interior towns like Nimo,Ekwulobia,Igboukwu,Awkuzu etc.They all have a kind of dirty red environment and are poorly planned.Imo State is far more organized than Anambra.Anambra is more urbanized but in a very crude and dirty way.

Igbo was originally a loose cluster group where all clans viewed themselves as different ethnic groups until the white men came and fused them.They spoke similar but not mutually intelligible languages.The standardization of Igbo language produced the Igbo everybody can understand and some dialects have been lost because of that.That forms one of the reasons why I prefer one Nigeria to Biafra.I would rather have all Igbo clans as separate countries than

I think you should go and tell your brother Uwazuruike to disband MASSOB, or at least keep it in Okwe Imo state.

You are addressing the wrong audience here.

That comparison you are seeking from me won't happen.
The only Anambra guy that believe in Anambra superiority is one guy called Chino11.
Wait until he comes, and I would be chanting BOTH of you down.