₦airaland Forum

On a related note, here is an interesting read from another source that you've relied on in the past that gives more reason to doubt the "Igbo coup" theory:


http://www.dawodu.com/katsina1.htm


January 15, 1966: The role of Major Hassan Usman Katsina

By

Nowa Omoigui

nowa_o@yahoo.com

As is well known, following a signal sent from Lagos to Kaduna by Major Adewale Ademoyega giving the all clear for H-Hour, Major PCK Nzeogwu, leader of the northern theater of operations along with his accomplices struck on the night of January 14/15 1966 (Exercise "Damisa". In a wave of forced entries into family homes, critical elements of the political and military leadership based in Kaduna were murdered or arrested between 2am and 4am, effectively giving the Major control of the city and to some extent the Northern region.

By 10 am, however, there were signs that all was not well. First, Nzeogwu confronted Captain Isong, then second-in-command at the 1 Recce Squadron, on account of a rumor that Isong was allegedly spreading in the barracks about the ethnic coloration of the unfolding events. Shortly thereafter, at a quick press conference Nzeogwu had called to announce that he was authorizing Ali Akilu to take charge of the civil service, an information officer pointed out to Nzeogwu that there had been no radio broadcast announcing the coup or its objectives on Radio Nigeria. (Indeed the only available radio reference as of this time originated from a French news clip in Brussels about a vague one-time announcement on Lagos radio which has never been clarified even to this day.)

The chance tip from the civilian, taking together with absence of any communication from Majors Ifeajuna or Ademoyega in Lagos, is what initially prompted Nzeogwu to head for Radio Kaduna to make his now well known "Extraordinary Order of the Day" speech at noon in which he declared martial law over the Northern provinces. Shortly thereafter, for reasons that have never been clarified, the commander of the 5th battalion in Kano, Lt. Col C. O. Ojukwu, invited the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero to make a broadcast on Kano radio. (This action, among several others, including the seizure of Kano airport and interception of an aircraft sent by Nzeogwu to collect money from the Central bank in Kano, created suspicion between Nzeogwu and Ojukwu which was to last until Nzeogwu met his death in July 1967 at Obollo-Eke near Nsukka).

Later that afternoon, separate phone calls came in to Kaduna from Lagos by Lt. Colonels Patrick Anwuna and Victor Banjo confirming the failure of operations in the federal capital and seeking information about events in Kaduna. At about 4 pm Lagos time radio Nigeria finally broadcast an announcement that there had been a mutiny the night before in which key functionaries had been kidnapped, and that efforts were being made to crush it. But just before midnight on January 16, following a complex series of events, the GOC of the Army, General Ironsi, preceded by a short statement by acting President Nwafor Orizu, announced that he was taking over the country following an "invitation" from the Council of Ministers. He subsequently named military governors for the regions - including Major Hassan Usman Katsina, son of Alhaji Usman Nagogo, then Emir of Katsina, for the Northern Provinces.

On Monday January 17, 1966, having recalled a military task force he had initially dispatched to the Jebba and Makurdi bridges on the Niger and Benue rivers, Major Nzeogwu announced in Kaduna that he had reached a 5-point surrender agreement with Major General JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi in Lagos. However, until his bosom friend, Lt. Colonel Conrad Nwawo, then Nigeria's Defence Attache in London was later flown into the country as a confidence building measure, Nzeogwu refused to travel to Lagos to turn himself in.

While all this was going on in the background, on Tuesday January 18, Major Hassan Katsina addressed a Press conference in Kaduna. He said:

"Fellow country-men and women. I, Major Hassan Usuman Katsina, having been appointed by the Supreme Military Commander as the Military Governor for the Northern Provinces of the Republic of Nigeria wish to address you all on the responsibilities falling on all of us and the new philosophy we intend to follow.

It is our intention to build the nation on the foundation of honesty and hard work and to bring about unity among all Nigerians living in whatever part of the country with respect, love and understanding towards one another. Everyone must realize that we are one nation irrespective of the tribe from which each of us originates. At our present stage of development we need not be divided by tribal unions, political parties or trade unions. It is our experience in the past that such bodies had not worked for the common good but for sectional interest. I do not need their greetings or congratulations as this is not the time for jubilation or flattery but for hard work and selfless service. This is the way to reach our common goal in satisfying the aspirations of the common man.

My assumption of office does not change the administrative structure, and machinery set up by my colleague, Major Nzeogwu at the end of the last Government. Civil servants will continue to run the civil administration under my authority. I warn them, however, that they must be honest and show in everything they do concern for the rights of the common man. They are not masters but servants of the public.

In local administration the Native Authority system will continue but reform will be introduced. Native Authorities must cut down on unnecessary expenses, do away with redundant staff and use public funds correctly and efficiently. Misuse of authority will not be tolerated. Administrative Officers who are charged with advising Native Authorities in the Provinces and seeing to it that Government directives are carried out must wake up to their duty with vigour and zest.

The new Government will support private initiative in industry, commerce and agriculture. However we must wipe away immediately the attitude of the past when it was regarded that Government money could be borrowed with no intention of repaying. In future the Government will only help businessmen who are serious and honest. The Government will also see to it that past debts arising from loans by public corporations are repaid according to the terms of the loans. Those who refuse to pay will have to face the consequences.

Public funds must be spent wisely and honestly. The new Government has no intention to be vindictive but it will at the same time watch closely the activities of people who had in the past engaged in corrupt practices. Any subversive activity on their part will be severely dealt with. The Military Command will maintain vigilance.

I said at the beginning that I need your support. I expect this from those in the public services whether Government or Native Authorities or the private sector but what I particularly pray for is the support of the ordinary private Nigerian citizen.

Jama'a Allah shi ba mu alheri"

Finally, on January 19, 1966, with Nwawo now present, Major P. C. K. Nzeogwu formally "handed over" power in the northern region to Major Hassan Usman Katsina.

Note, however, that Hassan had already addressed a Press conference a few days before that as the Governor. It is not clear, therefore, exactly what Nzeogwu was 'handing over' at that stage.

Hassan, who was appointed by General Ironsi as Governor on January 17th, and was somewhat deferent to Nzeogwu ("my colleague" during his first press conference on the 18th, even accompanied Nzeogwu to the Airport on January 19th and arranged a quarter-guard for the "send-off" ceremonies. On arrival in Lagos, Nzeogwu was welcomed and then whisked off into detention at KiriKiri prison before later being transferred to a Prison in the eastern region.

These confusing sequences of events in addition to some comments made by Hassan himself have prompted questions about his role in the events of January 15, 1966. For example, at a question and answer session during the Press Conference in Kaduna on January 19, 1966 as Nzeogwu was leaving for Lagos, Hassan said "I have been able to help Major Nzeogwu with some of his problems during the past few days. I am his good friend and I am sure that he will now help me."

Who was Major Hassan Usman Katsina and what was the timing of and context in which this 'help' to Major Nzeogwu was rendered?

Hassan Usman Katsina was born in Katsina on March 31, 1933. After education at the Kankinya Elementary and Katsina Middle Schools, he attended the Kaduna College and Institute of Administration in Zaria. He later enrolled at the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria, before joining the Army in 1956. Following an initial six months officer cadet training at Teshie, Ghana, Hassan underwent an array of courses at the MONS officer cadet school, Aldershot, the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, the Small Arms School in Kent and the School of Infantry, Warminster.

"Initially a platoon commander in the 2nd Battalion, he was later reposted to the demonstration platoon at the NMTC in Kaduna, as commander. " In 1961, he served in the Congo as an Intelligence officer. The following year, in 1962, he underwent further advanced infantry training in the United States after which he became company commander in the 5th Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Kano. When the Recce unit of the Army was created, Hassan was among the earliest Nigerians to be trained in Britain on the use of "Ferrets" in armored reconnaissance warfare, the others being Majors Christian Anuforo and John Obienu. As of the night of January 14/15 1966, Hassan was commanding the 1 Recce Squadron in Kaduna, while Obienu was commanding the 2 Recce squadron in Abeokuta, and Anuforo was the staff officer representing Recce interests at the Army HQ in Lagos.

Neither Hassan nor any of the soldiers in the 1 Recce squadron were deployed on the night of "Exercise Damisa". According to Nzeogwu himself, Hassan's first knowledge of the coup was early after daybreak on Saturday when Nzeogwu, having already killed or directed the killing of the Sardauna, the Brigade Commander and the 2/IC at the NMTC, went to Hassan's house with a sterling Sub Machine Gun in his hand and asked: "What side are you on? Are you with me or with them?" Hassan's response was "Don't bother, I am on your side."

However, what subsequently happened was that Major Hassan (along with Major Alexander Madiebo (of Artillery in Kaduna) and Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Ojukwu in Kano with whom he was in touch by phone and signals) began playing a very cunning game of isolating Nzeogwu, while appearing to cooperate by assisting in sending out some signals and making troops available for odds and ends. Indeed, it was the undercover role played by Ojukwu and Hassan in support of Ironsi during this stand-off that got them both the military governorships of the East and North respectively.

Although Hassan, faced with a gun and the fait accompli of the mutiny, gave Nzeogwu an affirmative response early on Saturday January 16th, he did not show up at the meeting of Officers with civil servants at 1 Brigade HQ later that day. Thus, an angry Nzeogwu ordered a team of soldiers led by Captain Isong to have Hassan arrested and "dealt with". Plans for Ojukwu's arrest were also made. Both of these moves were, however, subsequently thwarted by wise counsel from Major Alexander Madiebo who also refused to travel to Lagos to negotiate with Ironsi on Nzeogwu's behalf, preferring to stay in Kaduna to steady the somewhat impulsive young Major. That is how Major Olusegun Obasanjo, Nzeogwu's friend who had just returned from a course abroad, got chosen instead to go to Lagos. After this incident, Hassan became very cautious in dealing with Nzeogwu - until Nzeogwu was "safely" airborne on his way to prison a few days later.

Post-Script

Hassan Usman Katsina was subsequently promoted to Lt.Col. by General Ironsi, eventually rising to the rank of Major General under General Gowon. He was a key participant during the Aburi meetings in Ghana. His recorded comments during that conference describe some very difficult and dangerous days facing the mutiny of northern troops, particularly in Kano, in July and August 1966. During the civil war he was at one point the Chief of Staff, Army. At the time he was retired by Brigadier Murtala Mohammed, following the July 29, 1975 coup, he was deputy Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters and Federal Commissioner for Establishments. On the basis of an alleged off-hand comment made while playing Polo, he was briefly mentioned in connection with the Dimka coup of February 1976, invited to then Brigadier Yar'Adua's office in Lagos for questioning, and then released.

He stayed away from the public limelight during most of the rest of his days.

Major General Hassan Usman Katsina (rtd) is deceased.

Katsumoto:
And you know this because you are Balewa's , Akintola's, Okotie-eboh's, etc ghost?
Instead of casting unfounded aspersions, why don't you enumerate on what does factors are and why you came to the conclusion that you did. You did attempt to put forward an argument, instead you presented your conclusions. Do you know me? Don't arrogate to yourself mystical powers. If you want to have a debate, please feel free to present your facts; and don't attempt to start it from a position of authority because you are not one.

Calm down. There was no insult in my post. I asked a simple question and I asked it because although you seem entirely competent, the conclusions you reach suggest armchair research rather than an informed analysis of the coup and so in many of your posts about the coup in this thread and others you seem to be tending towards some sort of scenario where there is a clever Igbo conspiracy with minor elements added in to make it possible for it not to be viewed as an Igbo conspiracy, when an objective look reveals it's basically the other way around, there wasn't an Igbo conspiracy but there are peripheral events and circumstances that make it possible to be seen as one. But I really won't waste my time presenting my facts or bothering to debate because much better writers than myself have done a great job already. It's good to be able to form one's own opinions, but I really find it hard for anyone to read an informed account of what transpired by people who actually took the time to research it and tend towards your kinds of theories.


If you haven't already, read John de St. Jorre's The Nigerian Civil War also called The Brothers' War: Biafra and Nigeria. It's impressively neutral and very well written,

And of course one of your favorite sources, Max Siollun has recently released a very good and well written book,  Oil, Politics and Violence: Nigeria’s Military Coup Culture (1966 – 1976). He also dismisses the "Igbo coup" theory, and his book is also extremely neutral.

Neither of these authors are Igbo or pro-Biafran, though they aren't anti-Igbo or anti-Biafran either. I've read some good books about the coup and the pre-war and war period such as Biafra: the making of a nation by Arthur Nwankwo and Samuel Ifejika and 888 Days in Biafra by Samuel Umweni that are not all objective and don't pretend to be but also provide very valuable perspectives on the war. But to understand just the simple point of why it wasn't an Igbo coup you only need to read the first two by de St. Jorre and Siollun that I mentioned above. They are really very excellently researched and written and you'll probably want to thank me later if you do read them (though I don't know if you'd admit it ) since you seem very interested in this stuff.

Some people are being silly. The "Yoruba-press" did not and could not have made up the term Hausa-Fulani. That term is obviously a European creation, and it was created for the obvious reason that these two groups are linked in Nigeria, whether they like it or not. And there is no such thing as Yoruba-Fulani or Etsako-Fulani, that's just ludicrous. The only reason Hausa can be linked with Fulani in this way is because of similarity of culture.

The Jan 1966 coup was definitely not an Igbo coup@ T9ksy and Katsumoto. Have you guys actually read any books on the Nigerian civil war, or only opinion articles and lists of names? Or are you attempting your own armchair research? All the credible books on the Nigerian civil war at least acknowledges that the first coup was not an "Igbo coup", despite the numerous factors which could have made it seem like one.

Strange. People will post anything.

This poster is simply a whiner. Sorry if it seems like a personal attack but it's the truth. I pointed out in another post that in terms of just pure research some Nigerians can stand out in a Western environment. But in Nigeria we have neither the scientifically developed and enthusiastic society (we don't even have electricity!) necessary nor the kind of funding necessary for Nobel prize quality research (unless somebody here thinks theoretical and experimental researchers in chemistry, biology, physics, etc. survive and produce results on air!) , so the few good ones we can produce sometimes come to the west and end up barely getting into the mainstream of important groundbreaking research and end up on the sidelines while white and Asian counterparts rocket past them to the one big discovery, theorem, cure, invention, etc. based on the sheer greater volume of them in a position for a potential breakthrough even when that Nigerian was born in or lived most of their life in the west. Simple logic dictates that, except for some unusually brilliant western born and/or based Nigerian, we can't have Nobel prize level discoveries given these circumstances and what's more, our group of immigrants to the west is also very money oriented.

So the question is, despite this, has he or the people around him ever bothered to try to achieve some prestigious discovery? Is he a mathematician, a physicist, a chemist, a biologist, or is he just "talking just to talk" while not even bothering to try to "walk the walk"? If he thinks that those abstract and prestigious discoveries that win the highest prizes will be of benefit to Nigeria as a country, he's misinformed, as it is usually, with a few exceptions, the applications that are of benefit in the way he has been talking and there is a great distinction between the two. With regard to the applications then, is he a computer scientist (an application of mathematics), research engineer or inventor (application of physics and chemistry), is he an oncologist or is he working on AIDS or other diseases? (applications of biology to medicine) or is he a biomedical engineer introducing advanced indigenous technology to Nigerian hospitals at lower cost than the pricey European machines? Any one of these things could really help Nigeria.

He also mentioned business empires based on science. If he had the drive, knowledge, and determination and if he had studied electrical engineering or applied physics up to at least a master's degree level there would be nothing, after acquiring some initial capital by working whatever jobs were available (I don't know whether the banking system is developed to an extent where the banks know to or are willing to give out major loans for start up businesses, regardless of Sanusi's efforts towards this), stopping him from starting a fiber optics company which could employ talented and qualified graduates or a power generation power project to bring light to citizens of his town who could pay.

If he had studied chemical engineering or environmental engineering there would be nothing stopping him from starting a waste management company by himself or with a few other qualified Nigerians to maybe tackle handling the enormous trash problems found in many Nigerian cities at a price to the governments of said states. If he had studied mechanical engineering/manufacturing engineering, he could be the next Henry Ford, or to start with a more realistic and local example, he could at least start something like an Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, but start out as or eventually develop into something that doesn't need parts from China, maybe, and apply his know-how to make cars that could compete internationally. If he had studied computer science or electrical engineering up to a very high level there would be nothing stopping him from starting a even a very mediocre computer company like Zinox, but with his desire to compete with Intel, Qualcomm, etc., instead of being a mediocrity like Zinox, he would know to focus first on only one big necessary thing, like computer chips, and actually know about optimal computer architectures or how to build world-class competitive chips, hard drives, etc. and move on to other things later,


The truth is he probably did none of these things and nothing like any of these things and probably just wants to a be a paper pusher accountant or advertising consultant at such a company and is bemoaning the lack of companies in Nigeria in which to shuffle said papers. At least his pathetic, helpless, and whiny tone seem to betray that fact to me. I could be wrong about his occupation or inclinations, but definitely not his spirit, perspective, or willingness to solve problems (not just his own immediate ones) himself. That's all, really.

maxsiollun:
Jan. 1966 coup
Nzeogwu’s mentor, Col Nwawo, spills the beans
By JOSFYN UBA
Monday, September 20, 2010

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/images/Nwawo.gif

What happened and how did you move from the Nigerian Army to Biafra Army?[/b]
The thing came and swept all of us. It was at the 4th Area Command in Benin City, then. Emeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu was very keen to have me in particular. It was a question of loyalty. One had to be careful about it. I was very loyal to the Nigerian Army. Whatever happened, I couldn’t care less. I was in the Nigerian Army until things started happening.

At that time, though, I had travelled out of the country and had not returned when things began to happen. When I returned, I came from London through Cameroon, Daula to Enugu. I travelled from London to Daula to Enugu.
[b]

This guy is either evading heavily or is senile. I think he knows what he did though but doesn't want to admit it because he knows it was spineless. This guy basically betrayed the trust of the simple minded and weak Ejoor and Gowon and made fools of them. Which is no big deal, but the only reason the Midwest even WAS neutral and not reinforced  by Northern and Middle Belt troops was the faith that Ejoor placed in his mostly Igbo officers (like Nwawo) and many of the Igbo soldiers and his overtures to convince Gowon of the region's ability to maintain its neutrality. Otherwise the Midwest invasion, with its resulting temporary alienation of the Igbos from the non-Igbos, and the animosity that those Igbos had to bear would never have happened. But basically, he was only even ABLE to switch sides because the weak and miscalculating Ejoor trusted him and others and Gowon respected Ejoor's decision to control his region (against the advise of some military hawks, who would have used it as a base to corner Biafra).

Itsekiri is missing.

The stigmatization comes from dreadlocks not being perceived as "professional" or "clean cut," which they aren't. So get a haircut Akemivo if you don't want society to think you're some kind of hemp smoking wild man from the bush. I don't have a problem with them personally though.


*edit* Just noticed you're a female. Actually there is far less of a stigma for women compared to men, from my experience, so you'll probably be alright.

I was going to say that they are delusional, but reading things like this,

Andre Uweh:
“Well, at least there is peace and the nation is still one and together. Whatever may be the deficiencies, these are the things we have”. -Gowon

"we are 50 percent of the total population of the ECOWAS sub-region. We have 50 percent of the GDP"-Shonekan

it becomes clear that the real problem is that these people have extremely low standards and are not aware of the rapid pace at which the rest of developed and developing world is passing us by; they are not even deceiving themselves, they are just mediocre and ignorant,

AjanleKoko:
By the way, OP, wasn't it you and some other chaps some months back singing the high praises of an Ivy League MBA? Now you are back to science? What happened?

lol, I knew this guy (davidif) was a hypocrite,


MBA? Nonsense, those people rarely ever innovate, they merely profit,

naijaking1:
Why some of the people dress like $1.50 clowns

LMAO. Really though, look at the guy in the blue hat. He looks ridiculous. The guy next to him in the red doesn't look much better either.


Also what traditional ruler is that wearing that beaded red hat and wearing the glasses? It looks like he's wearing an Edo style garment? Is that intentional?

^^
?

Anyways, Murtala Muhammed was half Hausa, half Etsako, don't think he was Fulani, although it could be half Fulani half Etsako,


Anyways, before we stereotype the Fulani as being diabolical masterminds we should remember a man as great as Thomas Sankara was part Fulani,

Nobody's hating. He's a preposterous and embarrassing fake. He deserves the contempt.

bawomolo:
what do you find funny?

That one would ask so innocently and naively a question that could simply be answered by google on a board where this accord is a subject of heated contention and furious arguments, as if they were oblivious to history.

Freewilly:
Why would someone even bother  digging up a thread from 2007, if not not to start another Igbo Yoruba hate on this thread.

Not at all my intention. I just found the question funny and strange.

davidif:
WOW! SO WE SHOULD SIT BACK AND CLAP HANDS FOR OURSELVES AND PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK FOR A JOB WELL DONE ABI? When i see a country like Israel with only 6 million people and hardly anything else become so developed and lead most of the world in science and technology and i see our own Nigerians with all the schooling and i am asking myself the question IN WHAT WAY HAS EDUCATION CONTRIBUTED TO OUR SOCIETY? Now everybody is making me out to be the bad guy. Na wa o, you people are real enemies of progress. The aforementioned Israeli's realized that there small population was a huge disadvantage to them so therefore they decided to get the very best out of every citizen in there country and this meant spending HEAVILY on education especially in the field of scientific research (hence the ridiculous number of Nobel Prize winners) and that's the reason why they are developed.

Education is CRUCIAL to development in any country but yet Nigeria with all the "education" we've had we are still an under-developed country which makes me ask the question, of what use is education to most Nigerians? where are Nigeria's Broadcom's, Genentech's, Pfizer's and co.? we have none. This companies would not exist without advances in sciences from academia. If an educational system cannot develop the country, then of what use is it?. This are valid questions that we should ask ourselves, yet you folks are all up in arms that i am anti-Nigerian. Arrant nonsense.

Curiously, I actually agree with you against some other people in this thread about the greater worth of the science prizes, and of achieving at least a level of scientific research and achievement nearing India's or Israel's as compared to being comfortable with only good to occasionally great literary achievements. However, I think you are not as familiar with the other posters in here about the growing trend of Nigerians, especially those abroad, going into high-level science academia and doing exactly the kind of research which you claim we should have been doing and which lead to prestigious science prizes. When the quality of one's earlier education is superb and challenging, rather than pedestrian and routine, and one is in a society that respects and appreciates science, one will be subtly or explicitly influenced to go down the route of research in physics, mathematics, theoretical biology, biochemistry, physical chemistry, engineering, etc rather than going after money, as is often done in Nigeria. What this shows is that given the right environment, Nigerians also can do great things. Essentially the reason why the few scientists we can claim as having any significant achievements pale in number with other countries is the same reason why we lag behind in infrastructure, employment, etc- the people (you might have thought I was going to say the government) are too complacent and have allowed themselves to develop a mind state of just trying to survive rather than to achieve. Nevertheless, you might still be criticizing too early.

But if it might ease your mental anguish even slightly I'll list a few individuals that might make you realize that we can achieve much more when the circumstances are right:

Alexander Obiefoka Enukora Animalu -MIT and later University of Nigeria (very highly cited solid state physicist)
Winston Soboyejo -Princeton (highly published mechanical engineer)
Ilesanmi Adesida -University of Illinois (highly published and highly cited electrical engineer and now Dean of that engineering college)
Akintunde Ibitayo Akinwande - MIT (highly published and highly cited electrical engineer)
James Ezeilo (highly cited and published mathematician)
Olufemi Olowolafe- University of Delaware (highly published and highly cited computer scientist)
Olufunmilayo I. Olopade- University of Chicago (very highly cited oncologist)
Ofodike Ezekoye- University of Texas (highly published mechanical engineer)
Kunle Olukotun- Stanford (very highly cited electrical engineer)
Charles Ejike Chidume- International Center for Theoretical Physics (highly cited mathematician)
Ethelbert Chukwu- North Carolina State University (highly published mathematician)
Olaniyi Kehinde (deceased)- highly cited doctor, researched skin grafting
Abraham Atta Ogwu- Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (highly published materials engineer)
Adedeji Badiru- University of Tennessee (industrial engineer, head of the Department of Industrial & Information Engineering at the University of Tennessee)
Samuel Okoye (deceased)- astrophysicist who worked with Nobel laureate Anthony Hewish in the discovery of pulsars
George Okikiolu (highly published mathematician)
Joe Ordia- highly cited neurosurgeon
Ayodele Awojobi (deceased)- mechanical engineer, author of an important paper on mechanical vibrations
Sunday Iyahen- mathematician, author of an important paper on topological spaces

up-and-coming:

J.O. Dabiri- California Institute of Technology
Deji Akinwande- University of Texas


I have of course left off a LOT (maybe hundreds or maybe a few thousand) of published doctors, because what counts more in medicine is that one cure or innovation, not highly cited studies, studies of correlations, highly cited conjectures, interesting experimental results that don't lead to discoveries/cures etc,  and, with few exceptions, many Nigerian doctors seem to go into it more for the money than anything else.

entrepeneurs:

Nosa Omoigui (Nervana Inc.)
Kunle Olukotun (already mentioned, but Sun Microsystems bought his company, Afara websystems which is worth mentioning)



There are of course many more Nigerian scientists and professors than this with "mid-level" amounts of achievements, journal publications, citations, etc, I only bothered about the standouts though.

But over and above all this, the most important question, is what are YOU doing to make education worthwhile to Nigerians? What are your current, completed, or on-going, achievements? I hope you know that there is not an option of quitting higher education in favor of technician jobs and purely practical jobs or unskilled labor jobs, not in this 21st century race. If we all believed this I can promise you that decades from now, China, India, Europe, and others will own your world and run your children's lives, much more than they already indirectly affect your life right now.

I'll be back to deal with some of the claims in here  in a day or two. Especially this gadogado fellow. He had a few valid points but his most important claims amount to nothing more than distortions. Some of his rejoinders were a distortion of the reality.

@ Dede1, I did not really bring the comparison of America and Nigeria into this discussion, that was gadogado. He seems to believe that the Nigerian scheme could actually be compared to the American economy.

Abrantie:
londoner, I fixed your quote as you intended. Thank me. 




*Hype as in: Nigerians are intelligent, smart, industrious, rich, giant of Africa, better economy, prettier women, only a few are criminals -- say about 0.2%



*0.2% = 5 million criminals 

I wasn't even going to respond to this silly train wreck of a thread but you seem to have no idea of either basic mathematics, the decimal point, percentages, or possibly all three. Perhaps you meant 2% and not 0.2%? Anyways perhaps you should concern yourself less with the Nigerians that you believe to be no better than you are and go out and achieve something for Ghana, like maybe elementary mathematics or statistics comprehension. How will Nigerians not think themselves better than you when the best insult you can offer is bungled by your own ignorance and stupidity?

How can a massive fraud and an embarrassment to all African scientists and intellectuals and to black people in general, advise anybody on anything? The man is a graduate school failure (notice I didn't say "dropout." Some graduate school dropouts go on to become very successful) who never contributed anything to anybody, especially Africa.

Some of these people in this thread cannot be serious. Gowon was a known fool and wasted so much money doing very little.

Murtala Mohammed did not loot that central bank in Benin, that's just a false accusation but it was only recently proven for certain that he did not.

There was some truth in here, but also some nonsensical and erroneous claims. I will be back to address this article in a day or so.

How can there be good science reporters and writers when there are not even enough good scientists? Putting the cart before the horse. Become a scientific society first and superstition will decay. Simply telling people to embrace rational beliefs when there is no evidence on the ground of its benefit to them will not sway them. Instead religion, rituals, and juju will be believed in and 25% of the time will produce what people ask for just off of pure chance and "luck." If science is developed to such a level that it produces benefits or national prestige, superstition will be eroded gradually.

Andre Uweh:
Sometime after the Nigerian crises, The Nigerian govt hired a Linguist to classify Nigerian languages. I can't remember that lady's name now. This lady was the one who came up Ekpeye, Ika, Ikwerre and so on as separate languages from Igbo.
Yet that linguist did not classify Owoh, Ekiti, Ijebu as separate languages from Yoruba.
Since then, some of this Igbo groups has been having identity crises.
That woman is an enemy of Ndigbo.

lol, can you provide proof of this?

As far as I can tell, Ikas identity crisis stems from the Edo influence on their language and the attempts by some to claim, legitimately or illegitimately, Benin descent. Ekpeyes do identify with Igbos from what I've been able to read so far.

Ikwerre's identity crisis stems from being at odds with the non-native Igbos who immigrated to their area of Nigeria from the "core" Igboland areas, as far as I can tell. Some consider themselves a different group because of competing interests with "core" Igbos, not because of some linguists' claims. "Ogbakor Ikwerre" was founded in 1963. Read Elechi Amadi's Sunset in Biafra to see whether they considered themselves different from "real" Igbos because of some linguist, or because of a different outlook and situation from "core" Igbos.

gadogado, you seem to have contradicted yourself,

"LIE, big one at that, I have an acquaintance who's family property in South Dakota was suspected of containing oil, the feds came to the family and offered them a handsome compensation package provided the oil found in the area was in large commercial-like quantity. The U.S govt upon suspected presence of oil or any major resource on private property comes in and acquires that land "as being in line with US national interests" with due compensation."

1) There is little compensation for Niger Deltans for the despoil of their land environmentally.

2) Although there is compensation for the communities affected directly by use of their land, it is not perceived as being proportional to the worth of the product, i.e. individuals aren't getting "due compensation"

You also stated:

gadogado:
Let me emphasize, the presence of oil in the Niger Delta does not mean they contribute anything, the people dont contribute anything to anyone, they simple have a valuable natural resource in the area. The federal government of Nigeria has full powers over the exploration, extraction, allocation, sale of oil and distribution of revenue not Asari Dokubo. The federal government owns the oil not Niger Delta people. All natural resources anywhere in the country is owned by the government of the federal republic of Nigeria. So if FG owns all the resources in the north, both tapped and untapped then it equally has complete claim over oil.

The north has arable farmland even in places like Borno, there are massive farms, also, there is plenty of limestone which is why the there is a concentration of cement manufacturing plants.  So the presence of farm land, limestone and beef should be counted as potential contribution. Dont blame the people of the region that the govt. decided to abandon agriculture. Tomorrow if oil is no longer valuable, then the same FG will abandon oil. and move to agriculture. then people in the north will say Niger Deltans are parasites. Fools.

I hope you don't really think Northern agriculture has the same ability to bring in revenue on the same scale as oil without massive production costs and industrial expertise? Earlier you mentioned Texas and Alaska. You do know that Texas is one of the richest states in the southern United States, right? Forget the rural cowboy stereotype, go to Dallas, Ft.Worth, Houston, or many North Texas suburbs. Or do you think people in Alabama, and Mississippi, and Arkansas have produced as many oil moguls, magnates, tycoons, etc. who have employed tens of thousands and branched out into other businesses and also contributed majorly in important private contributions to universities and engineering programs (petroleum, chemical, civil, and others) of universities in their states?  Although Texans themselves are good entrepreneurs and engage in a lot of business besides oil, such as hi-tech industries, how could Texans complain when their actual people are profiting greatly from their individuals' ability to make money off of the oil in their state. Or do you think money is being channeled from businesses on Texan land to develop some city in backwoods Mississippi? The truth is wealth distribution in the U.S. is greatly skewed, and a Kentucky native only very indirectly benefits from the oil industry in Texas unless he decides to become a Texan, and Americans are very much okay with that. I don't think you know that much about Texas, the U.S. or real capitalism. Methinks thou dost protest too blindly.

With regard to Alaska, there are no such thing as Americans that are indigenous to Alaska and nobody's land is being exploited for profit at their expense. In fact the U.S. government pays people to live in Alaska, and Alaskans are not poor.

The U.S. government makes money off of a lot of things but this idea you have that some central power structure is just lapping up money from oil fields in Texas as is done in Nigeria is laughable. Did the American government ever own Chevron, Texaco, etc.? In reality, actual Americans are "exploiting" their own oil, and in the process employing themselves and bringing back profit and spending to their communities in a purely capitalist manner. Obviously the government of Texas can make money off of taxes, fines, licensing fees and it does, and these and other taxes help pay for many of the infrastructural amenities that allow citizens there to live comfortably and for the state to develop, but neither the Texas State government nor the U.S. federal government is just employing outsiders to do most of the skilled labor, taking only 60% of the proceeds while leaving the rest to the external companies, and throwing that 60% of the proceeds from oil sales towards developing 36 states (Nigeria) at a snail pace, while developing no other significant economic sectors. Obviously, since Nigeria is not developed enough in terms of people, to have its own equivalent of Chevron, Texaco, etc., then the government should take over, and it has, but not in such a way that it effectively screws over the people living in the areas where this oil taken from and channels the money to areas where people will be profiting from it to a disproportionally greater extent than the inhabitants of the actual place its coming from.


A few questions,

Do you actually believe that if pure capitalism was to reign with regards to oil, that those Igbo and Yoruba engineers, businessman, and any southern minorities who happened to flock to Western education wouldn't dominate the oil industry and leave comparatively uneducated Northerners in the dust? That is, if Nigeria ever could produce any Texacos, Shells, BPs, etc., do you actually think the NNPC would give way to the capitalistic Nigerian control of oil if it meant Northern Nigerians would have to struggle against better equipped people to gain wealth?

The Niger Deltans may just want to have the oil to develop themselves while ignoring others, but what they want to do is exactly what Saudia Arabia is doing. Or do you think Saudi Arabia is screwing over one particular part of its desert country environmentally (as if it could, lol) while throwing money at more economically insignificant parts? Even if it were, Saudi Arabia's is a pretty awful model to follow, as they too will be screwed if their one cash crop (oil) suddenly becomes of less relevance (such as in the case of the advent of fusion technology), but if they ever were taking from one part to develop all parts, it is certainly better than Nigeria, because that development actually comes about, and that one part isn't left with little to show for it.

Do you really believe that Northern agriculture could replace oil, and has it occurred to you that untrained Northern farmers will probably also have to pay outsiders their 50% to do the mechanized farming for them, or pay the costs of learning how to do such, before they could become internationally economically relevant (not even to talk of successful)?

I don't even consider myself a Niger Deltan, don't support the thugs trying to extort money from oil companies, don't think they should get the Presidency because of oil money coming from their section of the country (lol@ that, ridiculous, really) and the Niger Deltan cause is not my own, but simple common sense says you can't use people's land for national development and then let them wallow in squalor and poverty (Ogoniland).

EzeUche22: Just like Yorubas out-bred the native inhabitants of Lagos, we can do the same in Port Harcourt.

Seriously? This is foul. Why would you want to make enemies with other groups in this way?

Awolowo would have made a good president of an all Yoruba republic. He seemed to have problems getting along with other groups though.

lol, I like how you modified that, the original closing sentence was a bit silly.

lol

EzeUche22:
Igbo homeland is Orlu/Owerri. They speak the purest form of Igbo.

We did not originate from anywhere else. Some may say we are descended from Nri/Akwa, but I doubt that. Orlu is the birthplace of Igbo civilization.

I find it funny that a much younger civilization known as the Benin Empire is trying to say we Igbo descended from them. That is rubbish. Igbo-Ukwu is a thousand years older then the very foundations of the Benin Kingdom.

lol, amazonia is a nutcase, to be sure, but the above is also not accurate.

Igbo-Ukwu dates to about 900 AD, making it older than Ife sculptures but not older than the development of Ife as a city, as there was urbanization in Ife before then. Sungo's Eredo (a famous wall from a Yoruba kingdom that preceded the Ijebu kingdom (a kind of proto-Ijebu kingdom), has also been dated to about 900 AD (see http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/t488.html).

Igbo-Ukwu is older than the Benin sculptures but probably not older than the foundations of Benin, and certainly not "a thousand years older". I get what you're trying to say, that Benin didn't originate Igbos and didn't originate everything, as that guy is trying to claim, but hyperbole and exaggeration are not necessary.

In reality, the earliest Benin Iya  (defensive earthworks) which originate north of Benin city proper, from areas that are now Ishan, and east of Benin city proper, from areas that are Bini, date to about the 8th century (based on Patrick Darling's dates for Ekhor, east of Benin City).

@ ezeagu,

As to your question about Edos/Yorubas/Igbos, the archaeologist Patrick Darling mentions in an article ("Emerging towns in Benin and Ishan (Nigeria) Ad 500-1500 AD" in the book,State and Society: The Emergence and Development of Social Hierarchy and Political Centralization, on p. 122, a "Yoruba/Edo/Igbo linguistic split variously estimated between 4000 and 10,000 years ago" and right before that about an area north of where Edoid languages are spoken where a few  "relic languages" antedating that split still remain. So apparently there is an academic idea of a common origin for all three of those groups (they are after all all part of the "Volta-Niger"/Kwa speaking groups), but with a linguistic split thousands of years ago, rather than as you hypothesized, a mixing of Yoruba and Igbo giving rise to Edo (although that could be possible, the linguistic dissimilarity seems to mean each group just branched away from each other while retaining some similarities.).

lol, Gbawe would resurrect this dead thread just to gbam! a Ghanian,

anyways, it's good Jonathan is supporting Innoson

tpiah:
i think you're referring to a particular area of yoruba that you're familiar with, not the whole of yorubaland. Yoruba features generally can mimic any part of nigeria, depending on where you are.

or maybe you're thinking of the media blitz campaign based on obasanjo's features.

I'm well aware that there are many Yorubas with different features, I should know I as I went to school with them, but I'm a referring to unique features generally found amongst the populace in the same way Italians have unique features generally found among the populace that are different from those of Germans and English, not what you're thinking of. I'm talking about actual faces and looks whereas I think you're inferring I'm talking about skin tone or something. And Obasanjo (Yoruba) is unusually hideous for a person from any ethnic group, but then again, so is Oshiomhole (Edo). I'm well aware that neither person is representative of either group in terms of facial features and looks, even if they might have the right skin tone, nose, etc.