Now we are stucked at only oil as export

You remember Chief Stephen Osita Ọsadebe's Song— Ọnụigbo? Now, let's discuss what led to that song. It's the kîlling of the coal miners by the British colonial government in Enugwu. The Iva Valley history.

Read in details 👇

It was on the 18th of November, 1949, about 21 coal miners were shot dead during the protest against the British colonial regime and the poor welfare and slavery of the coal miners.

Iva Valley mines were built to replace the Udi Coal Mines.

The workers experienced racism and physical abuse by the British managers. On September 2, 1945, a British national by name T. Yates slapped a worker, Mr. Okwudịlị Ojiyi who challenged the man and seek for redress. His actions got the British man penalized.

This never changed the fact that workers were treated as slaves. The poor working condition was serious to an extent, the workers demanded for payment of rostering, payment of housing and traveling allowances which were trashed by the management.

Because their welfare was disregarded, the workers began to go on strike. As a result, the colonial guys sacked about 50 miners.

The British management removed the explosives because they feared that the strike and protest could lead to Independence.

But the ones removed were Obwetti mines. The real Iva Valley explosives were difficult to remove because workers had refused to assist them. Yes, workers did all the jobs. They did all the mining works, the colonists only instruct and command as bosses.

Elsudani2:
Now we are stucked at only oil as export

You remember Chief Stephen Osita Ọsadebe's Song— Ọnụigbo? Now, let's discuss what led to that song. It's the kîlling of the coal miners by the British colonial government in Enugwu. The Iva Valley history.

Read in details 👇

Even Coal Mining in the UK has long been abandoned

The Smoke produced by Using Coal produced much Health Problems

Even the miners had health issues

The colonists, however, introduced trade unions to stop workers uprising and ban the strikes.

Everything changed when Okwudịlị Ojiyi— the man who was slapped by Mister T. Yates and he got the white man punished for that, campaigned for better working conditions. He was the General Secretary of the Colliery Worker's Union .

christistruth01:


Even Coal Mining in the UK has long been abandoned

The Smoke produced by Using Coal produced much Health Problems

Even the miners had health issues

Coal is used for many things not just combustion

A British Superintendent of Police by name Captain F.S. Philip and other British officers plus 75 armed local policemen were instructed to remove the explosives as the chaos was getting momentum and this led to workers protesting and singing.

Miners protested with red pieces of cloths. They used them on to their miners’ helmets, wrists, or knees, as a sign of solidarity.

About 1:30 pm, the police became angry, upon seeing the numbers and songs of solidarity. The captain ordered his men to shoot.

The first person to be kílled was Sunday Anyasodo. He newly got married and came to Enugwu to live. He hailed from Mbieri, Owere. Captain Philip kílled him. Livinus Okechukwuma who was a machine operator from Ohi, Owere was kílled. An Udi man known as Okafọ heard what happened, came out to ask questions, he was shot on the spot.

Okay.

At the end of their sporadic shooting on the protesters, 21 men were fired dead while 51 men where badly injured.

The names of men who died include: Sunday Anyasodo, the hewer from Mbieri; Livinus Okechukwuma, the machine operator from Owerri; Okafor Ageni, an Udi man; Moses, the machine operator from Ụmụohoho; Simeon, the machine operator from Mbutu; Nnaji, the hewer from Ndibara Amaimo; Nwahu, the engine driver from Amuzi Bende and 15 others. They were kílled because they asked for their working conditions to be improved.

The Zikist Movement however, were influenced by this, to press further for independence.

Go back to listen to Ọsadebe's song again: Ọnụigbo. Ndị a mere anyị arụ!

Copy and paste. Bring original idea.

The coal miners massacre was the start of resistance to British rule in the East

History is both sweet and bitter.

Armaggedon:
History is both sweet and bitter.

The people of hate republic will still accuse igbos of Thier problem

RenaissanceGuy:
Copy and paste. Bring original idea.

Did the British destroy coal mining operation or not arse licker

gidgiddy:
The coal miners massacre was the start of resistance to British rule in the East

I think the Aba Women's Riot preceded it and should be seen as the start of the resistance.
The Coal Miners' Massacre indeed incured a wider rejection from our men though and galvanized the support for Independence in the East.
I'll need to read up more on this massacre to get a better feel of the time.

Coal, oil and gas are some of the natural reserves in Igboland and when we get our own republic, we should start making use of them. However, they are all non-renewable energy resources and imo, should only be used for industrial purposes.

We should start researching which types renewable energy are viable in our lands so that we can use them for day-to-day purposes.

Elsudani2:


The people of hate republic will still accuse igbos of Thier problem

Ignore them. Focus on our people and our growth. The real problem we have are the sabos that make up a huge chunk of our political class. Get rid of them and we will prosper.