₦airaland Forum

olaniyanc:
That is a silly comment by a bigot nairalander.AWO CAN ONLY BE COMPROMISED WITH GREAT WORLD LEADERS LIKE ABRAHAM LINCOLN OF AMERICA, MAHTMA GANDHI OF INDIA, WINSTON CHURCHHILL OF ENGLAND, NELSON MANDELA, INKRUMAH OF GHANA ETC.
AWO OSELU BABA IKENNE.R.I. P.

abdulwastecx:
a fool will always be a fool... how do you expect indirect rule to successful in areas occupy by monkeys. it was evidently clear that south easterners before the coming of the colonial masters, you guys were running unclad like animal.

Indirect rule was fairly successful because south west was not as centralized as northern Nigeria because if check and balance

coolzeal:
Read this article a long time ago and thought I should post it for those that care to read.
Obafemi Awolowo is the undisputed hero of the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria whose wartime policy of starvation and currency change helped kill the Biafran dream. The post colonial era of Nigerian history was dominated by three actors, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello. Dr Azikiwe was an avowed nationalist who preferred one Nigeria above anything else. Sir Ahmadu Bello was a tribalist who initially preferred a balkanized Nigeria to enable his people live their religious and cultural life without external negative inluence and was later reluctantly convinced to seek an agenda for a united Nigeria. Chief Obafemi Awolowo from the onset did not hide his preference for an Oduduwa Republic.

Chief Awolowo is idolized by the Yorubas because he was able to transform the South West into an educational and industrial hub in Africa and build a robust political climate. He so much understood the value of education that he made it free, affordable and offered a lot of scholarships to Yorubas to advance academically to the highest level. He ran a political system in Action Group whereby people have their say while the leader has his way.

Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, a core nationalist, never received the level of hero worship Awolowo received in the South West because Igbos severally accuses him of not taking them out of Nigeria when Chief Awolowo and Sir Ahmadu Bello were angling for a balkanized nation. Chief Awolowo was the sage whose idea ended the Nigerian civil war. He advised the Gowon Cabinet to block all food supply to Biafra so as to end the war quickly and according to him ” starvation is a legitimate instrument of war ” This led to the starvation of over one million Biafran children. Thus Awolowo’s advice and actions led to the quick end to the Biafran dream. Therefore it is right to say that what the entire armed forces of Nigeria could not do, the wisdom of Awolowo did. Chief Awolowo convinced Gowon that every adult Biafran who managed to survive the starvation deserved only #20 pounds to start life afresh irrespective of economic status before the war, an action perceived as intended to further reduce the ability of Igbos to recover economically.

Another policy of his which frustrated Biafra’s ability to import food and arms was the change of currency which according to Awolowo” And it is on record that Ojukwu admitted that two things defeated him in this war, that’s as at the day he left Biafra.

He said one, the change of currency, he said that was the first thing that defeated him, and we did that to prevent Ojukwu taking the money which his soldiers has stolen from our Central bank for sale abroad to buy arms…So I decided to change the currency, and for your benefit, it can now be told the whole world, only Gowon knew the day before, the day before the change took place”.

Chief Awolowo has been variously accused of introducing tribalism into the Nigerian politics. He chased Dr Azikiwe out of the Ibadan in 1954 when the NCNC headed by Azikiwe won majority seats in the West Nigerian House of Assembly and through a palace coup called cross carpeting Zik was denied the Premiership of Western Nigeria, at a time when Professor Eyo Ita, an Efik was premier of Eastern Region and Alhaji Umoru Altine , a Fulani, was Mayor of Enugu. Dr Azikiwe, following the footsteps of Awolowo, had to frustrate Professor Eyo Ita out of Enugu. Chief Awolowo and Sir Ahmadu Bello seems to have a deeper understanding of the Nigerian complexities than Dr Azikiwe.

While Awolowo never trusted the Igbos, the north never trusted Awolowo and theYorubas. The northern oligarchy instigated crisis in Western Nigeria in the same manner President Obasanjo used the Uba brothers to instigate crisis in Anambra State. This crisis led to the trumped up charges leading to the trial and imprisonment of Awolowo . Reports has it that he was to be poisoned in prison before the military coup altered the state of affairs.

Awolowo was released from Calabar prison by Biafran leader Odumegwu Ojukwu and there was an agreement that while Ojukwu declares Biafra in the East, Awolowo would declare Oduduwa Republic in the West. The British establishment, sensing the dangers of Awolowo declaring Oduduwa Republic in the West, convinced Gowon and the north to checkmate Awolowo’s secessionist agenda by appointing him the Vice Chairman of Federal Executive Council. This strategy worked effectively and Awolowo was deceived that after Gowon’s tenure he would be given the opportunity of ruling Nigeria. Awolowo thus had to checkmate the Biafran dream to clear any obstacle to his ruling Nigeria while the north was looking for the right opportunity to throw him into the dustbin. In frustration, Awo resigned from Gowon’s cabinet when he realized he has been politically duped.

Awolowo quashed the Biafran dream while the northern establishment killed the Oduduwa dream and betrayed Awolowo’s presidential ambition thrice. This fact was aptly captured by a prominent Yoruba leader and Nigeria’s former minister of aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode while replying to a boastful statement by another prominent northern leader, Alhaji Usman Farouk on how the north dominated the Yoruba people and conquered the Niger Delta.

According to Fani Kayode, “the north literally begged Awolowo not to declare Oduduwa Republic and go the way of Biafra even though that was his original intention…Fourthly it was the support that the south west gave to the north that allowed Nigeria to win the war. Fifthly it was the lie that Gowon and the northern leaders fed to Awolowo that he would be made President of the country after the war and after being effectively being made de facto Prime Minister under Gowon during the war that got Awolowo to support them”, invariably, the Igbos and Yorubas were effectively dribbled, divided, manipulated and overpowered.

The ascension of Awolowo’s kinsman Obasanjo as Head of State was another opportunity for him to realize his dream of ruling Nigeria. The 1979 election result was decided in the infamous judgement where the Supreme Court refused Awolowo’s plea that 2/3 of 19 is 13 states therefore declaring Alhaji Shehu Shagari the winner of the election. The north led by Generals Shehu Yaradua and Theophilus Danjuma convinced Obasanjo on why Awolowo should never be the president of Nigeria. Therefore, instead of a runoff election, which some believe could favour Awolowo,the Supreme Court declared Alhaji Shehu Shagari the winner.

Chief MKO Abiola at one point was used by the northern dominated NPN to oppose the presidential ambitions of Awolowo . He used his Nigerian Concord newspaper and enormous wealth to fight Awolowo and UPN and when they finished using him to deal with Awolowo, they frustrated Abiola’s presidential ambition and he had to resign from the party in 1982. Alhaji Umaru Dikko, then transport minister, sent message to Abiola that the presidency is not for sale to the highest bidder. When Babangida annulled the election of Abiola in 1993, Yorubas alluded to a certain curse Awolowo released on Abiola, in the heat of the later’s opposition to his presidency “that even if Abiola was to be given the presidential seat, he would not sit on it”

In 1999, after the suspicious death of Abiola, the northern establishment sensing that Chief Olu Falae was the choice of the Yoruba people, rigged the polls in favour of Obasanjo . It is obvious that the North had shown evidence of being deadly political strategists than their Yoruba and Igbo compatriots, having used the political suspicion between the duos to dribble them. Conclusively, the north is not as dumb as people assume; they used Awolowo to checkmate Biafra and then dealt with Awolowo and his ambitions.

ludamix:
Chief Obafemi Awolowo pictured lying in state in 1987, his trademark cap placed on glass casket. Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Oyeniyi Awolowo, GCFR was a Nigerian nationalist and statesman who played a key role in Nigeria's independence movement, the First and Second Republics and the Civil War.
Some say he died peacefully in his hometown, Ikenne in Ogun state while others argue that the political heavyweight committed suicide after being allegedly betrayed by a loyalist to the military president -(then General Ibrahim Babaginda).
Whatever the controversy may be, the foremost leader undoubtedly contributed to the upliftment and development of Nigeria.



https://mobile.twitter.com/SeeMeSeeNigeria/media/grid?idx=0&tid=594942607949717504

anigold:
Awo and ojukwu were the people that introduced tribalism into Nigeria Politics. May their sold rest in Peace.

Awo never believed in one-Nigeria,but wanted to be President of Nigeria.
what an irony...

Tribalism is the cancer that is gradually eating up Nigeria..

anigold:
Awo and ojukwu were the people that introduced tribalism into Nigeria Politics. May their sold rest in Peace.

Awo never believed in one-Nigeria,but wanted to be President of Nigeria.
what an irony...

Tribalism is the cancer that is gradually eating up Nigeria..

hausadreturn:
Is the commander of an army usually anywhere near the frontline?

AlfaSeltzer:
3 million wasted lives you say, yet we are still better than you
Does it mean that all your tribe is just a waste?

teeowl:
why would a 78 years old man commit suicide. Please Awolowo died in his sleep peacefully.

themodernman:
Still doesn't answer my question. If they want their Biafra why didn't they just carve out their map? Why did they have to start invading Ore? They were even gonna advance down to Lagos...Is Lagos also a part of Biafra

AfricanGod:
MOST USELESS AND TRIBAL FOOL THAT WAS EVER BORN, EVER SET FOOT, ATE, SPOKE, OR LIVED IN THIS COUNTRY. MAY HIS GENERATIONS SUFFER WHAT THE INNOCENT CIVILIANS OF BIAFRA SUFFERED.

OF COURSE HE TOOK HIS LIFE! EVERY WORTHLESS HUMAN BEING LIKE HIM WILL DO THE SAME WHEN THEY REFLECT ON THEIR ACTIONS. DOESN'T HE REMIND YOU OF ANOTHER WORTHLESS HUMAN BEING: HITLER. BOTH SMART PEOPLE THAT MADE ABSOLUTE NONSENSE OF THEIR LIVES.

@ OP, Nationalist? lifting up and development of Nigeria?

Awolowo, Nationalist? I laff. He embodies the definition of Tribalism and Nepotism.

Awolowo, contributed to the development of NIGERIA? I don't think so. More like only to SouthWest NIgeria.

I wish him rest in tormented agony.

akinegba1:
Even my people confirmed to me that he took his own life for his involvement in a coup against IBB. Ibb was to disgracefully courtmartial him before he committed suicide. At times i feel inferior being yoruba.

anigold:
bros u dey vex ooo. we are not at civil war.

Awo was really helpful to the yoruba.
but my problem was his extreme hatred against other tribes.
There's nothing bad in helping your kinsmen but hating other tribes was just off point...

BuddahMonk:
[size=15pt]he said Nigeria is a mere geographical expression but when the opportunity came for him to have his country he used his traditional yoloba treachery, backstabbing and deceit to frustrate something he believed in.
what an ediot.

You know Nigeria is not a country why didn't you move a motion to have your own country because you lack the guts instead of living in a patch patch country, another person mustered the guts to have his own country you connived and frustrated the move only to come back and start trying to be the president of a no country or fairly ruler of a mere geographical expression.[/size]

eazisky:
Was that what ur history lecturer told u abt him? its obvious, u are still bittered out of jealousy, that coward ojukwuless will never earn any respect from Nigerians like awolowo,

TeamSimple:
Mumu,Adenuga we know,otedola we know,folorunsho Alakija the richest woman in Africa we know,abeg which of your piracy surviving brothers does the world celebrate?

anigold:
The truth will set u free and will make a your life a prosperous one. Some of our leaders made lot of mistakes in the past. WE as tomorrow's leaders(if that will be possible with Buhari 78 as president)
Should toil a better path...

akinegba1:
we yorubas are worse cowards at least Ojukwu held on for 3yrs with just matchetes and sticks whereas diya shiit and started crying on sighting abacha.i said it, this is not the best time to be omoluabi

anigold:
Which battle did u pick, abeg let me hear something. Bunch of fucken cowards..
I really wish Abiola was the president but he surrounded himself with cowards who ran away like cockroaches and still ended up betraying Abiola..
IF Abiola had pitch his tent with people who had guts am sure the story could have been different...

BlackTechnology:
How did Ojukwu introduced tribalism

ludamix:
Chief Obafemi Awolowo pictured lying in state in 1987, his trademark cap placed on glass casket. Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Oyeniyi Awolowo, GCFR was a Nigerian nationalist and statesman who played a key role in Nigeria's independence movement, the First and Second Republics and the Civil War.
Some say he died peacefully in his hometown, Ikenne in Ogun state while others argue that the political heavyweight committed suicide after being allegedly betrayed by a loyalist to the military president -(then General Ibrahim Babaginda).
Whatever the controversy may be, the foremost leader undoubtedly contributed to the upliftment and development of Nigeria.



https://mobile.twitter.com/SeeMeSeeNigeria/media/grid?idx=0&tid=594942607949717504

GodMode:
He didn't hate other tribes... The North successfully deceived him...

Besides, to be a leader in Nigeria you'll have to dislike other tribes..

Imagine if obj wasn't a puppet and channelled Nigeria's money to the development of the SW...

There would have been so much pressure on gej to develop the SS..

But obj f**ked up for not been a tribalist..

TeamSimple:
Tortoise,ojukwu was a General in the army,hence that kind of burial.

sweetgala:
Buhari is not 78 he is 72 please stop the lies, he ids only 5 years older than my father, I don't see my father as old

anigold:
By dragging the igbos and south-south into an ill-prepared war due to his ego,vengeful attitude and lack of self-control. My dad actually fought for biafra, He (Dad) lost 2 Brothers in that crazy war.
After the war the post-war traumas lead more igbos to lose hope in the ideology of ONE-NIGERIA.

sweetgala:
Ojukwu was not cut out for military front line fact, I've read credible accounts that the man was never any where near the front line throughout the three years.

It is known fact, that ojukwu didn't bring enough technocrats to the Aburi accord , and he got a terrible deal, nothing short of "go home disband your militia and that all" no promises no consesions from Nigeria , Biafra was never under attack until they ran through the middle belt , sacked Benin and ore and looted the central depository there . NA then moved to occupy the middle belt and slowly advanced .


It is not my fault the Igbo cowards were given a lesson in diplomacy 101 in 1966 but they surely have not learnt much from that experience if current trends are signals,

You did not mention what Ojukwus legacy is in your life, what impact has he made except for sending your fathers , brothers and uncles unto the end of a NA gun.
"Zik was no different he did nothing with his 6 years , no myth no legend

BuddahMonk:
My brother am tired of this useless and stupiid country with backstabbers and traitors as my so called compatriots