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How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities - Politics - Nairaland

Nairaland ForumNairaland GeneralPoliticsHow Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities (535 Views)

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How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by Bede2u(op): 10:37am On Aug 08, 2025
You have often heard enemies of Biafra say that while Awolowo and Bello wanted to put a 'secession clause' in our constitution, Zik refused.
Well...that didn't happen, but you probably already know this since the British would have gone with the wish of the majority and hence added 'secession clause' to the constitution they drafted.

What happened was this....
The 1946 Richards Constitution Introduced by Sir Arthur Richards, then Governor of Nigeria,
divided Nigeria into 3 regions: Northern Region, Western Region and Eastern Region
It created regional legislatures and regional councils of chiefs. Strengthened indirect rule and gave more autonomy to traditional rulers.
Introduced limited African representation in the legislative council.

It was aimed to reflect Nigeria’s "diverse cultures" — reinforcing the tripartite regional model.



Azikiwe (Eastern Nigeria) and Eyo Ita (Calabar area) opposed the regionalisation model.
They feared it would deepen ethnic divisions and entrench colonial divide-and-rule policies.
They argued that the 3-region model was artificial and would weaken national unity.

Azikiwe and Ita led a group that rejected the 3-region structure.

They proposed a federation of 8 states based on ethnolinguistic and cultural diversity, not colonial convenience.

1. Hausa/Fulani state (North-West)

2. Kanuri state (North-East)

3. Tiv/Benue state (Central North)

4. Yoruba state (West)

5. Edo/Delta state (Mid-West)

6. Igbo state (East)

7. Ibibio/Efik state (South-East coast)

8. Minority coastal state

Their report was rejected as a 'minority report' because NPC and AG backed the 3 regional agreement as an opportunity to dominate the unfortunate minorities of their region.

This is what happened. This is accurate history, not Lagos-Ibadan revision.
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by Bede2u(op): 11:00am On Aug 08, 2025
So when next you want to insult the Biafran agitation, don't bring up the lie that zik refused secession clause. Zik only refused adding minorities into a 3 region model that would ultimately lead to tension.
Was he right or wrong? We all know the answer to that.
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by Kdon2: 11:19am On Aug 08, 2025
Bede2u:
You have often heard enemies of Biafra say that while Awolowo and Bello wanted to put a 'secession clause' in our constitution, Zik refused.
Well...that didn't happen, but you probably already know this since the British would have gone with the wish of the majority and hence added 'secession clause' to the constitution they drafted.

What happened was this....
The 1946 Richards Constitution Introduced by Sir Arthur Richards, then Governor of Nigeria,
divided Nigeria into 3 regions: Northern Region, Western Region and Eastern Region
It created regional legislatures and regional councils of chiefs. Strengthened indirect rule and gave more autonomy to traditional rulers.
Introduced limited African representation in the legislative council.

It was aimed to reflect Nigeria’s "diverse cultures" — reinforcing the tripartite regional model.



Azikiwe (Eastern Nigeria) and Eyo Ita (Calabar area) opposed the regionalisation model.
They feared it would deepen ethnic divisions and entrench colonial divide-and-rule policies.
They argued that the 3-region model was artificial and would weaken national unity.

Azikiwe and Ita led a group that rejected the 3-region structure.

They proposed a federation of 8 states based on ethnolinguistic and cultural diversity, not colonial convenience.

1. Hausa/Fulani state (North-West)

2. Kanuri state (North-East)

3. Tiv/Benue state (Central North)

4. Yoruba state (West)

5. Edo/Delta state (Mid-West)

6. Igbo state (East)

7. Ibibio/Efik state (South-East coast)

8. Minority coastal state

Their report was rejected as a 'minority report' because NPC and AG backed the 3 regional agreement as an opportunity to dominate the unfortunate minorities of their region.

This is what happened. This is accurate history, not Lagos-Ibadan revision.
Ipob version of history you mean to say.
We know what you people did in abia, Delta and cross river before the war. Not to be aok of what you people did to edo people during the war
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by christistruth01: 12:56pm On Aug 08, 2025
You don't know the History of Nnamdi Azikiwe

It was he who moved the Capital of the East from Calabar a thriving international Port city capable of rivaling Lagos and driving the Economy of the East to Enugu for purely Tribal reasons.

His relationship with the Eastern Minorities went downhill after that
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by Bede2u(op): 1:13pm On Aug 08, 2025
Kdon2:
Ipob version of history you mean to say.
We know what you people did in abia, Delta and cross river before the war. Not to be aok of what you people did to edo people during the war
Bot, this historical fact is open for anybody to go and verify
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by T9ksy(m): 3:44pm On Aug 08, 2025
Bede2u:
Bot, this historical fact is open for anybody to go and verify
Op, so zik advocated for the minorities, ba? So, what then happened to the Eastern minorities when the Mid-west region was carved out of the Old Western region?
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by T9ksy(m): 3:55pm On Aug 08, 2025
Bede2u:
Azikiwe (Eastern Nigeria) and Eyo Ita (Calabar area) opposed the regionalisation model.
They feared it would deepen ethnic divisions and entrench colonial divide-and-rule policies.
They argued that the 3-region model was artificial and would weaken national unity.
Op, thanks for unwittingly admitting that Zik was the quintessential "unity beggar". Zik and his merry men wanted One united Nigeria from the onset and they achieved their objective in May 1966 with Ironsi's Decree 34.
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by Armaggedon: 4:08pm On Aug 08, 2025
T9ksy:
Op, so zik advocated for the minorities, ba? So, what then happened to the Eastern minorities when the Mid-west region was carved out of the Old Western region?
Midwest was never created willingly. If awolowo was not in jail for treason and coupled with the fact there are Igbo speaking minorities in the western region who eastern region went extra mile to support, there wouldn't have been mid west state.
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by T9ksy(m): 4:19pm On Aug 08, 2025
Armaggedon:
Midwest was never created willingly. If awolowo was not in jail for treason and coupled with the fact there are Igbo speaking minorities in the western region who eastern region went extra mile to support, there wouldn't have been mid west state.
Oh, so the mid-west was not created, willingly but at least, it got created.

My question to you is, what happened to the minorities in the Eastern region abi there were no minorities in the old Eastern region ni?
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by DomPerignon: 5:00pm On Aug 08, 2025
Armaggedon:
Midwest was never created willingly. If awolowo was not in jail for treason and coupled with the fact there are Igbo speaking minorities in the western region who eastern region went extra mile to support, there wouldn't have been mid west state.
The creation of Midwest began and was concluded in the Yoruba dominated regional House in Ibadan.

The Yorubas never opposed the demands of the minority people in what will later become the Midwestern region.

It's even on record that a Yoruba regional parliamentarian moved the motion for a plebiscite for the creation of Midwestern region which sailed through without a hitch.

After the referendum was conducted and decided, a Yoruba federal parliamentarian moved the motion in the federal house to have Midwestern region ratified .

Was this ever the case in Enugu were all pleas by the minorities in the Eastern region were blatantly shut down by the Ibo majority?

Frustrated at Enugu but buoyed by their cousins's success, the coastal minorities took their plight to the federal level and had secured the support of the western, northern and Midwestern MPs in Lagos


When ot became inevitable to Zik and his Marxistsin Enugu that the east was soon be balkanized and end up the most wretched, that is when Zik activated his orcs in the military to stage a coup and from there abolish regionalism while imposing an Ibo military dictatorship.

Have you asked why Adaka Boro started his movement to leave Nigeria after the coup of Jan 1966?

Where was Zik when Ojukwu under the express orders of Ironsi under the advice of Zikist elements brutally clampdown on ethnic minorities to force Adaka Boro to surrender?

You can continue lying to yourselves in that your corner
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by DomPerignon: 5:01pm On Aug 08, 2025
T9ksy:
Oh, so the mid-west was not created, willingly but at least, it got created.

My question to you is, what happened to the minorities in the Eastern region abi there were no minorities in the old Eastern region ni?
Stop engaging these revisionists.

Dem go explain tire for the next 100ys
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by esnbrutality: 5:05pm On Aug 08, 2025
Adaka Boro na ijaw noise him dey make. I am eminently qualified as a SS person to tell that we will follow IGBOs wherever they go. Let that sink in well. angry



DomPerignon:
The creation of Midwest began and was concluded in the Yoruba dominated regional House in Ibadan.

The Yorubas never opposed the demands of the minority people in what will later become the Midwestern region.

It's even on record that a Yoruba regional parliamentarian moved the motion for a plebiscite for the creation of Midwestern region which sailed through without a hitch.

After the referendum was conducted and decided, a Yoruba federal parliamentarian moved the motion in the federal house to have Midwestern region ratified .

Was this ever the case in Enugu were all pleas by the minorities in the Eastern region were blatantly shut down by the Ibo majority?

Frustrated at Enugu but buoyed by their cousins's success, the coastal minorities took their plight to the federal level and had secured the support of the western, northern and Midwestern MPs in Lagos


When ot became inevitable to Zik and his Marxistsin Enugu that the east was soon be balkanized and end up the most wretched, that is when Zik activated his orcs in the military to stage a coup and from there abolish regionalism while imposing an Ibo military dictatorship.

Have you asked why Adaka Boro started his movement to leave Nigeria after the coup of Jan 1966?

Where was Zik when Ojukwu under the express orders of Ironsi under the advice of Zikist elements brutally clampdown on ethnic minorities to force Adaka Boro to surrender?

You can continue lying to yourselves in that your corner
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by T9ksy(m): 5:45pm On Aug 08, 2025
DomPerignon:
Stop engaging these revisionists.

Dem go explain tire for the next 100ys
Abi o, jare!

Amateur revisionists!!
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by Good2go1: 7:12pm On Aug 08, 2025
Is it not more accurate than ewedu brown envelope history
Kdon2:
Ipob version of history you mean to say.
We know what you people did in abia, Delta and cross river before the war. Not to be aok of what you people did to edo people during the war
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by T9ksy(m): 5:06pm On Aug 19, 2025
Good2go1:
Is it not more accurate than ewedu brown envelope history
No, it's not! Zik never gave a d.a.m.x about his own eastern minorities not to talk of the other minorities in the country.

It's nothing but sheer propaganda!!!
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by christistruth01:
Azikiwe heavily campaigned against and frustrated the Eastern Minorities from getting their own Region

Azikiwe seized their Lands and redistributed it to his own kinsmen using the Eastern Region Govt Interest as a pretext.
Azikiwe forced all Eastern Minorities to learn Igbo in school and he also moved the capital of the East from Calabar to Enugu against the advice of the British and the protests of the Eastern Minorities

Azikiwe's discrimination against the Eastern minorities was so bad that the traumatised Southern Cameroonians in a UN supervised Referendum voted to leave the Eastern Region Nigeria and to Join Cameroon instead
Re: How Azikiwe Advocated For The Protection Of Minorities by DomPerignon: 10:48am On Aug 21, 2025
christistruth01:
Azikiwe heavily campaigned against and frustrated the Eastern Minorities from getting their own Region

Azikiwe seized their Lands and redistributed it to his own kinsmen using the Eastern Region Govt Interest as a pretext.
Azikiwe forced all Eastern Minorities to learn Igbo in school and he also moved the capital of the East from Calabar to Enugu against the advice of the British and the protests of the Eastern Minorities

Azikiwe's discrimination against the Eastern minorities was so bad that the traumatised Southern Cameroonians voted to leave he Eastern Region Nigeria and to Join Cameroon instead
The OP attempt at twisting history is motivated on trying to transform Ibo politicians as champions of ethnic minorities which is totally false.

If anything, Ibo politics since Zik was founded on the agenda to continue with where the British colonialists ended on.

This neo-internal colonialist mindset was apparently clear to the blind immediately after the creation of Eastern Nigeria in 1951. That arrogance was so perversive that western Cameroun cited it as a reason why they should leave Nigeria in 1959/1960.

It's that same arrogance that buoyed Ojukwu and his co urchins in Enugu to drag the already Ibo weary minorities in the British lumped Eastern region into their Biafra after brutally clamping down on an armed seccsionist insurgency led by Ijos a year prior.

I don't know why these Biafra revisionists think we are all as foolish as their gullible audience in alaigbo.
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