₦airaland Forum

I'm truly impressed by EzeUche's rapid transformation. This boy will go places! These are the emerging young Igbo leaders who would help craft our survival in Nigeria. All of us will one day help direct our people to properly use their heads.

Meanwhile I'll advise every Igbo living and buying property in Lagos and other part of Yorubaland to buy and own one of the most powerful weapons against witchcraft power today. Incidentally the weapon was designed by a Yoruba man. The name is: PRAYER RAIN by Dr D K. Olukoya.

You need that in order to possess your possessions.

@afam4eva

Thanks too.

The truth is that the East never had a SUPREME TRIBAL LEADER like Awolowo.

Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe was a Nigerian leader, never an Igbo leader. Dr Michael I. Okpara was an EASTERN leader. You may not agree with me, but his constituency was the entire East -Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia, Rivers, Cross-rivers, Bayelsa, Ebonyi and Akwa-Ibom state.
Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was also an Eastern leader. Ojukwu's case is more peculiar because he was never a politician but a soldier - a 33 year old soldier who had to grow up within months to make decisions that defended an entire region against carefully planned annihilation.

Revisionists can try all they want, but they can never remove the tag of tribal leader from chief obafemi awolowo.

Awolowo sowed an evil seed that destroyed a nation even before it had a chance to form.

Kobojunkie:
Oh yes, let us now PRETEND that Nigerians/Anambrarians are known to PROTEST bad government. In fact let us pretend that the people of the great Nation/and state has repelled all bad government in the past. So, for Obi to have been elected for a second term absolutely means Obi did better than all the other contenders in the same state.

As a matter of fact one can make that argument with a straight face. I don't think you know how popular candidates like Ngige is in Anambra state. So, if Obi won against such heavy weights like Ngige and Soludo, there must be something he is doing better in terms of leadership.

Kobojunkie:
Well, as much as I do not mind this, I think he should first deal with the serious needs in the PUBLIC school area.

Oh Wait! You mean this is not the same Obi who only started started a second term just some months ago? This is not the same Obi that did next to nothing to rehabilitate the same Public schools during his first term?

Well, if he did "next to nothing" as you say, why did he win the last elections? How many people from Anambra state have you seen protesting his victory?

Just some food for thought.

Kobojunkie:
OH! If you do not teach Ibo in classes, you KILL the language, even when the language is widely spoken in the very community?

Duh? Of course if you don't teach it, you inadvertently kill it.

WOW
Do you know what PRIVATE means? I don't get your last question there. The domain of the government ought to be in the PUBLIC sector. What next? We have the governor mandating Ibo speaking in companies and homes across the state?

I don't think Obi was mandating private schools to teach Igbo (I wish he does that though ).

There are hundreds of public schools out there that need the governments attention ASAP. If the Government wants the Ibo language to survive, how about making sure people get good educatioin in public schools and get thought Ibo there too?

What makes you think he is not doing both now? The man launched ANIDS (Anambra Integrated Development Strategy), he is developing EVERY sector in Anambra state. Doesn't sound like a man who omits things like public education.

Kobojunkie:
uummm . . . . Priorities of the state government is not in the situation that exists and plagues the many PUBLIC schools where most of the students till go? It should be PRIVATE schools where the government is actually meant to ALLOW freedoms?

Freedom to kill a language?

You can as well tell the government to allow human cloning in the name of medical research.

What is the role of government in the first place if not to protect the greater good?

Do you think private profiteers care much about public good?

cantell:
Onlytruth,
We know say na Mr Ada faithful you be but you need to use the search button.
There's a post for this already.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-453276.0.html

Just came across this news today in Sun. Never saw the first one.

I leave it to the discretion of the moderator.

An honest mistake.

Kobojunkie:
Nothing wrong with Ibo Igbo language, and I don't sense it is even dying . . . .  I mean I did attend college in the East with a bunch of ibo Igbo secondary school graduates who barely spoke a word of English(Ibo Igbo was all they seemed to have). I remember having a class mate whose name was Grace James but the puzzling thing was her vocabulary was worse than that of a primary one student at Ayangbure Primary School. I just did not understand how they made JAMB, let alone college.

As much as I applaud this move, I believe the Governor should try even harder to improve the education system in his state. And I am not talking of computers in classes and some other vain moves. I mean serious improvements so students can get at least something comparable to that which their peers in developed countries, and india, boast of.

I think the governor has his priorities right on this.

Anambra state is emerging as one of the leading states in private primary and secondary education. Not to say that the state government has abandoned its role. The immediate problem is that most of these private schools discourage speaking of Igbo language, hence you find kids in the innermost nook of Anambra state who cannot speak Igbo.

That is unacceptable.

Nna nke a dikwa nma o! 

Asi nnoo na governor Imo, Abia, Ebonyi na Enugu ga eme udi ihea, Igbo agaghi anwu.

Ihe a ka m ji ekwu na ndi APGA ka anyi kwesiri itunyere akwukwo n'aro 2011.

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State has demonstrated leadership in the quest for Igbo renaissance by coming out with far reaching measures to revive Igbo language and culture. At the recent launch of Suwakwa Igbo initiative at the Women Development Centre, Awka, Obi enjoined all Igbos to love themselves, their culture and language for their sustenance as a people.

As a demonstration of this love for the language, the governor announced, among others, annual cash award of N250, 000, N200, 000 and N100, 000 to the best three Igbo language students in secondary schools in Nigeria.

He also gave cash donations as well as university scholarship to the best two Igbo language students in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Messrs Kevin Anozie and Chika Echeta, of Holy Child Secondary School, Isuofia and Bishop Onyemelukwe Secondary School, Onitsha respectively. Already, the governor has signed into law a bill to enforce the speaking and writing of Igbo language among Ndigbo in Anambra and Diaspora. He has stopped meting of corporal punishment to students who speak Igbo in schools in the state.

Like English Language and Mathematics, Igbo Language will henceforth be compulsory in all educational institutions in the state. The governor will soon send a bill to that effect to the State House of Assembly as well as making a pass in Igbo Language mandatory for employment in the state.
To sustain the renewed interest in Igbo studies, the state government has commenced the building of Chief Chidozie Ogbalu Igbo Language School at a cost of N50.5 million for specialized and holiday programmes in Igbo.

We commend Obi for his foresight in rolling out measures to revive Igbo language now that the language is among those predicted to go extinct in the near future if nothing drastic is done to promote its usage. By this action, the governor has added another feather to his cap. He has actually shown what responsible leadership can be. Obi’s example deserves applause because among the three major Nigerian languages, Igbo is the most neglected in terms of writing and speaking.

That is why most Igbos have been alienated from their language and culture. More interesting is the fact that of all the governors of Igbo speaking states, Obi is the only one that would take note of this cultural anomaly and make a move to address it. Obi’s effort is therefore a clarion call on all Igbos in Nigeria and Diaspora to take more than a passing interest in their language and culture. We say this because people perceive the world through their language. A people’s world view is encoded in their language.
If the Igbo lose their language, they have invariably lost their cultural heritage and identity. There is no doubt that the speaking and writing of Igbo has steadily declined over the years at home, in school and in social fora.

To the average Igbo, it has become more fashionable to speak English and other languages except Igbo. Regrettably, most Igbo hold their town union meetings in English. Government business in Igbo states is entirely conducted in English. This pitiable but funny attitude must change before Igbo language can regain its lost pristine glory. For this attitudinal change to occur, governors in Igbo states should emulate the Peter Obi example and encourage the speaking and writing of Igbo in their domain.

We call on all Igbos to wake up from their linguistic slumber and take great pride in using their language. Obi has shown the light. Let other Igbo governors take a cue. The declining interest in vernacular languages is not peculiar to Igbo language. Other Nigerian languages face similar problems. Let there be a rejuvenation of interest in these seemingly endangered languages. That is the only way we can protect them and preserve our cultural heritage.

All the government cultural agencies should be involved in the promotion of our indigenous languages. Why can’t we use the local languages in our state legislative houses? Lagos State House of Assembly now conducts its business once a week in Yoruba. That is good. But, we believe that there is the need to go beyond this mere tokenism.

Earlier research by former Education Minister, Professor Babatunde Fafunwa, has established that a child learns better and faster in his indigenous language. Most industrially developed nations reached their technological heights through their local languages. We too can do so by deploying the resources of our local languages to bear on the study of mathematics and the sciences. The time to key into this initiative of reviving our indigenous languages and cultures is now.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/opinion/editorial/2010/June/06/editorial-60-06-2010-001.htm

The more I think of it, the more it becomes clear to me that Nigeria's history was changed for ever because of Awo's tribalist schemes; Nigeria became a country where tribe dictated everything.

Assume for a second that the carpet crossing never happened in 1951, and that the NCNC went ahead to win and form a government in the West, what stopped the AG from working hard in subsequent elections to win in the East and North, or elsewhere? In fact that would have opened up Nigeria's political turf as ONE UNIT. That the Yoruba even voted NCNC was an emerging beautiful national culture that would have been copied by other regions. Awo even stopped the Yoruba from attaining true greatness by way of showing the light of cosmopolitanism to others. Instead Awo killed it and sowed something very recidivist and retrogressive. Meanwhile he claimed to be a progressive.

Latter day African states, especially South Africa, have learned from that lesson and rejected tribalism, which is why the ANC is a non-tribal party whose leadership was under the Xhosa for all the years of the liberation struggles, and which produced two successive presidents in Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki (both Xhosa). Even Premiers in South Africa are not from the areas they govern. That is how a country should be formed.

Awolowo killed that chance in Nigeria.

SapeleGuy:
It is a question of perception. Harold Wilson the British Premier also said Awo was good enough to lead the USA and Britain but was simply too early for Nigeria.

Ojukwu's comments were far from taunts but an eloquent eulogy to a worthy adversary. You are doing him a great disservice to imply otherwise. Think about it, is Ojukwu not friends with IBB?

If you believe that then you don't know Ojukwu at all. In fact almost all Igbo know he was only taunting Awo. I wonder why this is so hard for others to understand. He respected him, yes. But he reviled him even more.

sjeezy8:
Tribe aside who accomplished more ? Even Zik as president what did he do? Balewa? Eyo ita?

Like really and you missed the subject because it wasnt about whos the greatest Nigerian leader who is a nationalist- It was about who was equal to Awolowo during his time, and it still remains No one.

Im asking if you can name anyone please do so . . .

Yes, you are right! No one equaled him in TRIBALISM. He destroyed an emerging national cohesion and unity. A completely different Nigeria would have emerged if he didn't instigate the carpet crossing incident.

All other Nigerian problems could be traced to that single evil seed.

You can believe whatever else you want.

All I know is that tribalism and its accompanying evil started with Awolowo and his carpet crossing chicanery.

franctony:
Mikel is currently the best player in SE, no doubt. we will surely miss you

Hell NO! He is not. I've never liked that guy because he poses more than he plays. The last time he played a good game was during the under 20 world cup under Siasia. Since after the struggle between Man U and Chelsea over him, he lost his head and has not found it back till today. We need a real player in his place. And we need to ban him from Super Eagles permanently.

FACE:
Dr, Okpara did not even have a house to his name by the time he left office. What a man, but we still are not going to say he was the greatest.

That man has no equal in the annals of Nigerian regional leadership. No doubt.
What insults my intelligence is when a guy who achieved less than giants like Okpara is being posthumously lionized as the greatest leader Nigeria never had. When Ojukwu made that statement at Awo's funeral, he was actually taunting the late man for his failure to achieve his lifetime's dream. Some folks are here echoing the same cleverly wrapped taunt as compliment by the lion of Biafra.
Nonsense.

sjeezy8:
whos talking about tribes you idiot

When its said Awo had no equal in Nigeria it is meant no one in Nigeria surpassed him and his accomplishments.

Zik accomplishments as head of the east- notta damn thing
Ojukwu accompishments as head of the east- leading his people to death
Eyo ita as head of the East- Nothing BS

Heads of the North- all Bushiot

When someone comes with hard proof of anyone better than Awolowo please post them here-

lol! This moronic weakling is still here.

Keep dreaming of when we'd abandon our properties for you to inherit.
THIEVES.

SEFAGO:
They will. Trust me. Not everyone likes to fight. There are some responsible igbo people who would leave everything and run away abroad or to alaigbo than fight with a hoard of yoruba boys instructed by the Oba to retake a land.

You really dont know what you are talking about. I lived in VI, and there was so much trouble over land there, it was ridiculous. The Oba was the one making money from the land while his people lived in poverty 

The situation has not been fully tested. I know for a fact that none of current Igbo property owners in Lagos would leave them for ANYBODY. Even government has bounds to forced acquisition of private property. As for the guys you pay N50 to make trouble, we also have them in Onitsha, Aba and Nnewi. They used to be called the Bakassi boys. They are still there.

Tuyis:
But you need to remember that, you can only collect rents in a peaceful atmosphere. God forbid there's a similar situation to 1966 - 1970  again, I think the last thing on your mind will be to go and collect your rents.

Ol' boy who told you that Ndigbo would cede an inch of their properties to you?

As a matter of fact most of our guys in Lagos are almost like indigenes now. They know all the nooks and crannies of that land and use all your babalawo just like you. If push comes to shove, they import people from the east. They did that during "Abiola riots", so what makes you think they would ever leave their landed properties in Lagos?

Maybe in the 60s it could have happened but today (after 40 tortuous years in the crucible called Nigeria) these guys are prepared to fight anyone anywhere in Nigeria. Dey dia de wait for my property. Na for naija we dey!

Eddeux:
^^^So are you saying the call for 'free and fair election's more than likely won't happen, and a northerner may end up being president? What are the chances of some massive civil war starting in Nigeria if Jonathan wins and the north is not happy? Or if a northerner was announced as winner and it is later revealed that it is actually Jonathan who won?

Sorry, most I hear about Nigeria really is about how it's 'split between muslims and christians' and how it's a very unstable country. western ignorance at play

I really think that Jonathan will organize a free and fair elections next year. He cannot act like Obasanjo who rigged elections. Jonathan is not Obasanjo. So the best he can do is to organize free and fair elections. I still don't think he will run before getting northern support. Any day he declares his intention to run, I would take that as a signal that he has won over the north. That is what a good strategic thinker would do.

The worst thing that can happen is that Jonathan contests without northern support, and rigs the election.
I don't think he can survive its aftermath. This is Nigeria and we know where the real power is. Don't believe anything else.

SEFAGO:
Please get Onlytruth to explain his logic because me myself I am confused lol

I'm surprised even you genius boy is befuddled by my position.

Okay, I'll break it down again for ya.

You have succeeded in frustrating our peaceful or violent exit from Nigeria, but the emergent Nigeria will come with some consequences for you. You MUST live with the prospect of possibly being tenants in your land ('cos frankly my bros won't stop buying up your lands ). Some of you will one day feel uncomfortable over this (some are already showing those signs). A day will come (unless you stop being selfish and clannish) when you would wish you had opted out of Nigeria or helped Biafra.

Only that by then, we Ndigbo must have warmed up to the Nigeria that came to be and would likely fight against anyone trying to secede, most likely you. Gerrit now?

Tuyis:
How do you intend to "show them" when your money is heavily invested in immovable properties across Yorubaland and Nigeria in general?

Don't you think you have more to lose in terms of your investments?

Exactly my point! The more y'all scheme to keep us in Nigeria on your own terms, the more you are entangled in its contradictions.

Who told you the Igbo would abandon their properties for a seceding Yoruba?

By "show them", I meant a little of the dose they dished out to Biafra.

Yes he can win; depends on his likely opponent. Again, I don't think he would be opposed by another Easterner. It is unlikely. The deciding factor is the north. If they are really serious about getting back the presidency, there is no way he (or any other southerner ) can win because there are northern politicians who are equally popular in the north and south.

If I were Jonathan, I would convince the north to allow me go for it. If they refuse, that ends it.

And I don't buy this "middle belt" factor. When it comes to power play in Nigeria, there is really only one north.

FL Gators:
Why not? Doesnt he have the maps?

Ya, maps are the most powerful weapons. lmao!

Musiwa,:
Why do you people so much care about what happened in the part. You should talk about the future. The satellite pictures are out. and you people have been cheating us and we do not want it to continue period.

Yes we forgot you for what happen for 50 years. But we want till to stop now and we all move on.  While to avoid war. we go away.

Na you go fight the war?

akigbemaru:
@ Rhymz,
The issues at hands are nothing to Yoruba, we don't care what your perception is about us. The plot of this drama can be changed if Ibos, can voluntarily or wholeheartedly remove that recital lullaby that became a costom to every onyebo household in the East; which portrays Sage Awolowo as traitor. It makes me cringed, when Ibo's kids who were born in 80's and 90's start their usual mudsling about Awolowo. At one point, " I asked how did you know Awolowo as traitor, they say it's part of their upbringing, their parents tell them about how Awolowo betrayed them and didn't let them actualize the Biafran Mission. I may call a spade a spade, not a digging spoon. Awolowo was the best friend Ibos ever had. He was so munificent and compassionate about Ibos, either you like it or not, his policies were either direct or roundabout about benefited you up till today. Plus, if Awolowo would have let you secede, your chickens may have come home to roast quick, because Ijaws and Efiks are not Ibos; but simply because of oil Oyel, you want to force strange bedfellows. Ijaws are 16 million strong today and Ibos are around 19 million, and you think you can subdue them?

After moribund Oil Oyel, what did your  little part of Eastern region has to contribute to naija?
They colluded with our Western Region families, so that they can put their heads under ther f.ucking hyperplasia scrotums.
Check out the"Yeye Biafailed land mass," even in square kilometers, Biafran landmass not up to 30, 000 square kilometers not to talk of 30, 000 square miles. Another conspiracy theory in making.

This is what constitutes Igboland:
Anambra (4,844km²)
Enugu state (7,161 km2)
Imo state (5,530 km²)
Abia state (6,320km²)
Ebonyi state (5,530 km²)
Total is (29, 385 km²) not up to Kogi  state (29,833 km²) talkless of Kwara state (36,825 km²)




Then,Efiks, Bekwara, Ibibio and Ejagham (own Cross river and Akwa Ibom) and they are 5 million strong    

Cross river (20,215km²)
Akwa Ibom  (7,081km²)
Total landmass is (27,296km²)

Then, Ijaw and Annago
Delta state (17,698 km²)
River state (14,201 km²)
Bayelsa state (10,773 km²)
Total landmass is (42, 672km²) if you add Edo (17,802 km²)
Total is (60,474km²) more than times two of the whole Bia-failed nation. Damn it, y’all just got donk son!  

That is why, I always take my time to educate every last one of Ibos out there about sage Pa. Awlowo.
Like they say, " To be fore warned is to be fore fore armed." Read below, what Awolowo advised you people before you rushed into abysmal war of no returns.

By sage Awolowo:

This slowpoke is regurgitating this fairytale as if we still live in the 50s and 60s. Today, I can sit in my living room here in the US and accurately measure every inch of Nigeria.  

The truth though is that Nigeria would never allow an opportunity for Ndigbo to decide whether to remain in Nigeria or not, because frankly Ndigbo would likely vote for secession even if the land is only 5,000 square meters.

Hence, those of us who are trapped in Nigeria have decided to remain, buy lands and wait for that day when these same folks would get fed up and try to secede, then we would show them.

This country will not turn out as you are planning it. Lies can't endure for ever.

Anyway back to topic. Study Awo, and you would understand Yoruba political stratagem in Nigeria.

babapupa:
I do agree with you. It is happening as we speak. It is happening inside your head.


Ndo,

I can close my eyes and count up to 50 plots of strategically located lands in Lagos in the hands of my brothers. Close your eyes and count how many you have in Onitsha.  

Anyway, believe what you want. I need you the way you are.

^^ Smart dude!