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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. (50786 Views)
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Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by JaaizTech: 8:01am On Jun 11, 2016 |
All these tribalism will get us no where. Nigeria as a nation has been reasonably fair to all the major ethnic tribes, it is we that have not been fair to ourselves. The Igbo-soldiers that led the very first Nigerian coup are almost as guilty as those blood thirsty hausas that retaliated in unequal measure the killing of Sardauna Ahmadu Bello. On Jan 15, 1966 5 major generals with 4 of them from the Igbo tribe plotted a coup and overthrew the civilian government at the time. The following were the victims of that coup: 1) Premier of Western Region: Samuel Akintola 2) Premier of Northern Region: Ahmadu Bello killed by Maj. Nzeogwu 3) Prime Minister: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa 4) Brig. Zakari Maimalari killed by Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna 5) Col Abogo Largema 6)Col Kur Mohammed 7)Minister Finance: Festus Okotie Eboh Lt Col. Arthur Unegbe 9) Brig Gen. Samuel Ademulegun killed by Maj Onwuategwu 10) Samuel Ademulegun's wife killed by Major Onwuategwu 11) Col. Ralph Shodeinde killed by Major Onwuategwu 12) Lt col. James Pam It was easy to perceive the coup as a plot by the Igbos to subdue other tribes, while they take over power. It appeared like a systematic plot by the Igbos considering that Nnamdi Azikwe, the President was not killed, Premier of the East, Dr. Michael Okpara was spared. It appeared like a plot by the Igbos for the Igbos. Despite the casualities, this coup was unsuccessful, however it saw another Igbo general, Maj. Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi take over power from the civilian govt. All of the coup leaders, except for Maj. Ifeajuna who had fled to Ghana, were placed under arrest. Maj. Nzeogwu handed over control of the Northern Region to Ironsi's appointed designee, Maj. Hassan Katsina, before being escorted by Lt Col. Conrad Nwawo to Lagos where he surrendered to Maj Gen. Ironsi. General Ironsi used the coup as a pretext to suspend the Federal Government and bring an end to Nigeria's first republic. In the months following the coup it was widely noted that four of the five army Majors who executed the coup were Igbo and that General Ironsi who took over power was also Igbo. It was feared that the Igbo had set out to take control of the country and in the North of Nigeria the fear of Igbo dominance became intense. This resulted in the massacres of Igbo which peaked on the 29 May, 29 July and 29 September 1966. This was perhaps also exacerbated by Ironsi's failure to execute the coup plotters after they had been arrested. The Ironsi government's efforts to abolish the federal structure and the renaming the country the Republic of Nigeria on 24 May 1966 raised tensions and led to another coup by largely northern officers in July 1966, which established the leadership of Major General Yakubu Gowon. Northern soldiers had been enraged by the murder of their two most senior politicians (Prime Minister Tafewa Balewa, and northern regional premier, Ahmadu Bello), and four most senior soldiers (Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari, Colonel Kur Mohammed, Lt-Cols Abogo Largema and James Pam) by Igbo officers in January 1966. Kaduna Nzeogwu, Timothy Onwuategwu, Emmanuel Ifeajuna, Adewale Ademoyega all later joined the Biafran army, in a strife to create the Biafran state. 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Nobody: 8:19am On Jun 11, 2016 |
Deadlytruth: Everything you wrote up here,are blatant lies...I advice you edit em with shame 1 Like |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Leiman100(m): 8:30am On Jun 11, 2016 |
temptnow:'a generalist is a fellow who knows everything about nothing' southerners are saints isn't it? |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by titiakins: 8:39am On Jun 11, 2016 |
Uduak2019:and you think south south have anything in common with the south east E go do you like film Continue to bear akwaibom people name you hear We know you are an ibo 5 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Nobody: 9:00am On Jun 11, 2016 |
GOOD MORNING SARO WIWA! |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Leiman100(m): 9:00am On Jun 11, 2016 |
SWG25:not 'the avengers' Allah is in full support of the oppressed anywhere. That's why even the revolutionary leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini says "our revolution is Islamic before been Iranian, it is the movement of the OPPRESSED througout the world before belonging to any particular region" |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Leiman100(m): 9:09am On Jun 11, 2016 |
Abeymills: |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 10:04am On Jun 11, 2016 |
sauceny: Those are the deadlytruth which will set you free. Why not just give us that your "truthful" version rather than ask me to edit? What exactly is the lie in the comment? Was the "One Nigeria" slogan not an invention of Zik? It is there on you-tube where Zik said it with his own mouth that the "One-Nigeria" slogan was invented by him. Go to you-tube and type in "Zik and One Nigeria slogan" and you'll see the video. Then watch it and come back here to recant your accusation with shame. 3 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by blackprowler: 12:31pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
kelechi17: I'm sure your selection bias made you blind to Kainji and Shiroro dams. I don't expect a Nigerian, let alone a militant sympathiser to have a clue what I'm saying. I'm happy to inform you that you're one of Nigeria's problems |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 3:53pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
giftedben: This is a deliberate distortion of facts. Boro never later fought for the course he once bitterly opposed. What Boro fought for (Niger Delta Republic) was totally different from what he opposed (Biafra). He declared Niger Delta Republic not really because he wanted to get out of Nigeria but in order to separate from the oppression of the Eastern Region which was the future Biafra. Ken Saro Wiwa's case was not different. These are the real truths and not the half truths we hear today mixed with lies. 3 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 4:09pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
jpphilips: Hoping they will see through the smokescreen of Asari Dokubo-Nnamdi Kanu parleying. NDA knows that the ND's real enemies are those who dismantled federalism. 1 Like |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 4:19pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
blackprowler: I don't think he is wrong. The hypocrisy is both ways between Hausas and Igbos. When the North was enjoying groundnut pyramids boom before oil came they stuck to federalism and resource control so much that immediately Ironsi dismantled federalism they rioted and killed thousands of Igbos and even later killed Ironsi himself, but on getting power back they too just continued with unitary system from where Ironsi stopped. On the other hand, had the oil discovered in Oloibiri in 1956 were to have been struck at the backyard of Ironsi's father's house in Umuahia, Ironsi would not have tampered with federalism at all on getting to power. In fact he would have quickly strengthened the regions more than he met them. This is the irony of Nigeria. There is too much hypocrisy. 3 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by 36xtr36r: 4:24pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
Deadlytruth: No matter how much you whine, weep and wail on NL Igbos cannot be cajoled or blackmailed to share a country with verm1ns and vagabonds parading as 'One Nigeria' propagandists. Igbos are comfortable having a separate existence from you. |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 4:42pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
36xtr36r: Yeah! Igbos have never been cajoled or blackmailed to share a country with those they now call vermins and vagabonds. NO! Igbos have always out of their own free will submitted themselves as slaves to vermins and vagabonds to rule and kill them. Another Igbo One-Nigerianist called Ekweremadu has just willingly submitted the Igbos as slaves of Vermin and Vagabond Saraki. Igbos have willingly accepted as their own god a Vermin Fayose which Yorubas cast out from among them. Is Fayose not the current god worshipped daily in Igbo land? You claim Yorubas are inferior to you people but those whom Yorubas cast out are adopted by you people as your gods. Then who is actually superior between you and them? Actions speak louder than words. Rochas Okorocha is an outcast among Igbos today for nearly the same reason Fayose is an outcast among Yorubas. But that does not make Yorubas adopt Rochas Okorocha as their god the way Igbos have done for Fayose. Igbos are born with self enslavement DNA. You don't need to go and catch them as slaves. They'll come by themselves. 1 Like |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by 36xtr36r: 4:51pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
Deadlytruth: I understand your desperation and frustrations that sooner than later you and your inconsequential Uneme-Nekhua people will eventually spend the rest of your miserable lives with your Fulani masters. The pain is real and unavoidable. It's a necessary evil for the unrepentant treasury looters and wicked genocidal conspirators parading as One-Nigerianist. Your baseless theories of absurdity to blackmail the Igbo Nation to continue with you in this cesspit cannot save you and your slavish Uneme-Nekhua people. Igbos have nothing in common with you leeches and treacherous backst*bbers. Go create your OduaArewanistan republic uniting all your fellow murderous folks and parasites. “Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly" - Albert Einstein Haters will see you walking on water and sat it's because you can't swim. When you dance on water, your enemies will accuse you of raising dust. So, make it your ambition, to keep doing your best and mind your own business. |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 5:41pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
63xtr63r: All you cut and pasted above is pure trash meant for the Dustbin. The only part I'll respond to is the claim by SLS that Yorubas are the problem with Nigeria. If you were not suffering from moronic plague you should have known that the foundation of Nigeria's problem was the born-to-rule mentality of the North by which the North sought to enslave the south and which is why you yourself has been calling them Arewanistan slave masters here. Now a Northerner gave a historical account in which he cut away the period from 1914 to 1960 but just jumped into the middle and started analysing. He omitted the period (1914 - 1960) when his own Northern Oligarchy started laying the foundation for crisis by chanting born-to-rule ... the same accusation you yourself have been making against them here and supporting with you-tube videos, he did not mention how his own Northern brothers started the game of shedding the blood of your own very Igbo people, he did not mention how his own brothers Balewa and Bello commenced executive lawlessness and brigandage by disobeying the Privy Council and installing Akintola against judicial verdict but creating a law that retroactively thus criminally took effect against the verdict...therefore prompting Awolowo to resort to self help in the form of a civilian coup; yet you took that analysis from an Arewanistan as an objective one just because it was anti-Yoruba in title. Very unintelligent of you! In that speech SLS claimed that Yorubas are Nigeria's problem, but there was nowhere in the speech where he spared a line to condemn his kinsmen for always ironically killing Igbos instead of the Yorubas whom he believes are the problem. And such is the speech you referenced to substantiate your claim? See how a relatively uneducated Fulani man has scammed you again with all your Aburi Accord Biafra intelligence? You are too dull to be able to read between the lines. The same SLS recently contradicted himself last month to be precise. I'll post the excerpts on my next comment. |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by 36xtr36r: 6:08pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
Deadlytruth: @Deadlytrash, you're still suffering from myopism and hypocrisy which is your undoing. Emotionally unstable bigot whose main motive of desiring 'One Nigeria' is to continue to parasitise on the better South. A dimwitted bigot from an inconsequential Uneme-Nekhua group can continue to whine, weep and wail perpetually on NL to no avail. Your portion still remains with your Fulani masters. Igbos cannot afford to continue to share a country with verm1ns and vagabonds like you who have merely flourished and survived, at the expense of others, by the unjust, lopsided system and the relentless ass-licking of your slave masters. If you're too pained with the article by SLS on Yoruba tribe gladly do a rejoinder. "YORUBAS ARE THE PROBLEM WITH NIGERIA"? http://www.nigerianbulletin.com/threads/yorubas-are-the-problem-with-nigeria-by-sanusi-lamido-sanusi-elombah-com.111348/ Battle Between Awolowo, Akintola Led To 1966 Coup- Yakassai - https://www.nairaland.com/2867045/battle-between-awolowo-akintola-led http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/12/12/the-north-built-on-mistakes-of-the-south-%e2%80%94-mbu/ Mathew Mbu on Tribalism, Awo and the North, "Zik won all, the majority, in the Western region. It was when he went to the East, that this notorious question, this notorious carpet-crossing, for the first time in our history was enacted on the floor of the Western House of Assembly. Before then, we never knew about carpet-crossing. Those who won on the platform of the NCNC were suddenly bought over by the Action Group. ... The AG introduced, for the first time in our history, carpet crossing; ... For Nigerians who do not have a recollection of the events of that era and who talk about tribalism, they would want the records set straight. Some even say had Zik stayed back, may be he would have fought it? And some even say that from that moment onwards, Nigeria lost it? Yes, we lost it from that moment onwards. That was crude tribalism on display. That’s all. What else could it be that somebody of Eastern origin should come and control a region that belongs to the westerners? That was a clear display of tribalism, crude and that was when Nigeria lost it, the true sense of nationalism. Yes! AG, NCNC, that I belonged to, were at opposing ends on true nationalism and nothing else. NCNC till tomorrow remains a nationalist party, one Nigeria, one people, one destiny. AG believed in one Yoruba, one nation, one Oduduwa." |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 6:20pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
@636rxtr363r or whatever junk of alphabets you identify yourself with, in my penultimate comment above I chose to respond only to the SLS related link you posted as I had already addressed all the other issues you repeated there. The former Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, surprised guests present at the Muson Centre for the launching of the book of Sir Olaniwun Ajayi. WE'RE ALL VICTIMS OF COLONIZATION - Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (In response to Sir Olaniwun Ajayi's book titled "NIGERIA, AFRICA'S FAILED ASSET?" Below is his unedited speech. “Let me start by saying that I am Fulani (laughter). My grandfather was an Emir and therefore I represent all that has been talked about this afternoon. Sir Ajayi has written a book. And like all Nigerians of his generation, he has written in the language of his generation. “My grandfather was a Northerner, I am a Nigerian. The problem with this country is that in 2009, we speak in the language of 1953. Sir Olaniwun can be forgiven for the way he spoke, but I cannot forgive people of my generation speaking in that language. “Let us go into this issue because there are so many myths that are being bandied around. Before colonialism, there was nothing like Northern Nigeria, Before the Sokoto Jihad, there was nothing like the Sokoto caliphate. The man from Kano regard himself as bakane. The man from Zaria was bazazzage. The man from Katsina was bakatsine. The kingdoms were at war with each other. They were Hausas, they were Muslims, they were killing each other. “The Yoruba were Ijebu, Owo, Ijesha, Akoko, Egba. When did they become one? When did the North become one? You have the Sokoto Caliphate that brought every person from Adamawa to Sokoto and said it is one kingdom. They now said it was a Muslim North. “The Colonialists came, put that together and said it is now called the Northern Nigeria. Do you know what happened? Our grand fathers were able to transform to being Northerners. We have not been able to transform to being Nigerians. The fault is ours. Tell me, how many governors has South West produced after Awolowo that are role models of leadership? How many governors has the East produced like Nnamdi Azikiwe that can be role models of leadership? How Many governors in the Niger Delta are role models of leadership? Tell me. There is no evidence statistically that any part of this country has produced good leaders. You talk about Babangida and the economy. Who were the people in charge of the economy during Babangida era? Olu Falae, Kalu Idika Kalu. What state are they from in the North? “We started the banking reform; the first thing I heard was that in Urobo land, that there will be a curse of the ancestors. I said they (ancestors) would not answer. They said why? I said how many factories did Ibru build in Urobo land? So, why will the ancestors of the Urobo people support her? “We talk ethnicity when it pleases us. It is hypocrisy. You said elections were rigged in 1999, Obasanjo and Maurice Iwu rigged election in 2007. Was it a Southern thing? It was not. “The problem is: everywhere in this country, there is one Hausa, Ibo, Yoruba and Itshekiri man whose concern is how to get his hands on the pile and how much he can steal. Whether it is in the military or in the civilian government, they sit down, they eat together. In fact, the constitution says there must be a minister from every state. SO, ANYBODY THAT IS STILL PREACHING THAT THE PROBLEM OF NIGERIA IS YORUBA OR HAUSA OR FULANI, HE DOES NOT LOVE NIGERIA. (Capital letters mine) The problem with Nigeria is that a group of people from each and every ethnic tribe is very selfish. The poverty that is found in Maiduguri is even worse than any poverty that you find in any part of the South. The British came for 60 years and Sir Ajayi talked about few numbers of graduates in the North (two at independence) . What he did not say was that there was a documented policy of the British when they came that the Northerner should not be educated. It was documented. It was British colonial policy. I have the document. I have published articles on it. That if you educate the Northerner you will produce progressive Muslim intellectuals of the type we have in Egypt and India. So, do not educate them. It was documented. And you say they love us (North). “I have spent the better part of my life to fight and Dr. (Reuben) Abati knows me. Yes, my grandfather was an Emir. Why was I in the pro-democracy movement fighting for June 12? Is (Moshood) Abiola from Kano ? Why am I a founding director of the Kudirat Initiative for Nigerian Development (KIND)? “There are good Yoruba people, good Igbo people, good Fulani people, good Nigerians and there are bad people everywhere. That is the truth. “Stop talking about dividing Nigeria because we are not the most populous country in the world. We have all the resources that make it easy to make one united great Nigeria. It is better if we are united than to divide it. “Every time you talk about division, when you restructure, do you know what will happen? In Delta Area, the people in Warri will say Agbor, you don’t have oil. When was the Niger Delta constructed as a political entity? Ten years ago, the Itshekiris were fighting the Urobos. Isn’t that what was happening? Now they have become Niger Delta because they have found oil. After, it will be, if you do not have oil in your village then you cannot share our resources. “There is no country in the world where resources are found in everybody’s hamlet. But people have leaders and they said if you have this geography and if we are one state, then we have a responsibility for making sure that the people who belong to this country have a good nature. “So, why don’t you talk about; we don’t have infrastructure, we don’t have education, we don’t have health. We are still talking about Fulani. Is it the Fulani cattle rearer or is anybody saying there is no poverty among the Fulani?”, he said. This is a great message to our generation. Are we truly ready to develop and unite Nigeria?" Now, I hope you took special note of where he said; "SO, ANYBODY THAT IS STILL PREACHING THAT THE PROBLEM OF NIGERIA IS YORUBA OR HAUSA OR FULANI, HE DOES NOT LOVE NIGERIA". (Capital letters mine) The man's tune has changed again just last month. And such an inconsistent man is your standard. Well I am not surprised because Igbos themselves are equally inconsistent. From "GEJ till 2019, One Naija for life" before elections, to "On Biafra we stand" after GEJ lost. Why would such people not be fascinated by SLS? Like attracts like after all. Birds of a feather congregate. Igbos and SLS in Biafra-Arewanistan union of inconsistency. Zik was indeed a "prophet". He saw it that his people and Arewa would always been one and the same in everything including inconsistency. 1 Like |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by blackprowler: 6:32pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
Deadlytruth: Your history is convoluted, as well as your analogy. You have to do a lot more reading and thinking. You too, why did you avoid taking on my Kainji and Shiroro dam analogy? It would have helped edify you if you applied yourself to thinking about it |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 6:32pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
36xtr36r: Yes NCNC believed in a "One-Nigeria" where Igbos were slaves of Arewanistan with Zik as the chief slave. But just four years after, the same "Nationalistic" NCNC was pummelled by NPC which rigged censuses and elections against the Eastern Region. Then rather than remaining with the Arewa NPC to re-nationalize the ruling government, the "Nationalistic" NCNC turned around to form the UPGA alliance with the same "One-Yoruba, One Oduduwa" AG. What a nationalistic party indeed! After few months later the same "nationalistic" NCNC started asking for "One Biafra, One Igbo nation". If NCNC's brand of nationalism were the standard, then nationalism would have been irritating. Fake nationalism. Nationalism of self-enslavement for economic interest. Nationalism to cheat. Nationalism to deceive. Nationalism to re-colonize. Nationalism to plan tribal coups. Travesty of nationalism. NCNC, led by Zik and Okpara, was a neocolonialist party and not a nationalistic party. Below is the deadly truth of the cross-carpeting accusation. It punctures the falsehood you Ignorant Igbos have been selling for ages. Read it carefully and see that Zik never won that election in the first instance and that no one really cross-carpeted but that what happened was similar to forming alliances between parties at a time of stalemate caused by the inability of one single party to clinch more than 50% votes. It was just like how none of NPC, NCNC and AG failed to clinch up to 50% in 1959 elections and therefore no single party could form the government thus necessitating alliances which made Zik align his NCNC with NPC. Could that also be called cross carpeting? Wishing you happy reading: First Nigeria Regional Elections: Western Nigeria 1951 Elections Matthew Mbu and history Ambassador Mathew Mbu is a well- respected Nigerian. But in this piece, veteran journalist, Mr Felix Adenaike challenges some of his claims about Nigeria's past 'Falsehood may have its hour, but it has no future' - Francois D. Pressense In what seemed his 48th independence anniversary gift to Nigerians, Dr. Matthew Tawo Mbu, politician, lawyer and diplomat, gave The Nation an interview run in its October 1 edition addressing some political issues in Nigeria of which he had been a key player. Among others, he spoke on the Western Nigeria election held in 1951, two generations ago, and repeated the claim of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroon (NCNC) that it won that poll, but had been robbed of victory. Then as now, Dr. Mbu did not provide any evidence to substantiate the NCNC claim. Dr. Mbu said of that election held on 24 September 1951 that: "Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was betrayed by the Western Region of Nigeria, not by the electorate, but by the leaders. The NCNC won the election against the Action Group (led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo), but the Action Group introduced what was unknown to Nigerian history", namely, "carpet crossing. They Action Group bought members of the NCNC to join the Action Group after these people had won election on the platform of the NCNC. Zik, the leader of a majority party in the Western Region became the Leader of Opposition overnight". Reminded by the interviewer that the late Chief AMA Akinloye had maintained in his lifetime that he and his group had contested the election on a neutral platform from the NCNC, Dr. Mbu said: "That is his version. He is entitled to say what he wants to say. I don't want to say ill of the dead. He knew he was NCNC and his group was NCNC. Adelabu remained NCNC. He stuck on to NCNC till he died". The late Dr. Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe said in his autobiography, Rebirth of a nation, among others that: "But in pursuance of the policy of creating a political climate healthy enough to make one a citizen wherever he lived, Dr. Azikiwe contested and won the general elections in 1951 into the Western House of Assembly. To stultify this policy of one Nigeria in favour of his tribally-based philosophy, Chief Awolowo got some elected members to cross carpet from the NCNC to his AG side. Zik the victor lost. And Awolowo's party was able to form the government of the Western Region." At a news conference in Lagos on 20 September 1989, more than two years after Chief Awolowo's death, Dr. Mbadiwe returned to the topic saying: "Dr. Azikiwe and his party won the majority of seats in the Western House of Assembly. He was due to be elected the Leader of Government Business, when overnight, the Action Group introduced the notorious carpet- crossing. By this manipulation, members who won under the NCNC crossed over to the Action Group building it to become the majority party in the West. As a result of this, Chief Awolowo was elected Leader of Government Business and Dr. Azikiwe had to resign." Neither Dr. Mbu nor Dr. Mbadiwe named the members of the NCNC who contested the election on the party's platform and later joined the Action Group to enable Chief Awolowo form the government to the exclusion of Dr. Azikiwe. These are weighty allegations such that they would have assisted their readers to clear the issues rather just repeat their own version of the events at that time in the hope that such repetitions would turn falsehood into facts. To avert conflicting claims over candidates, Mr. Harold Cooper, the Government Public Relations Officer, wrote to the parties to furnish a list of the candidates contesting election on their platforms. Only the Action Group complied with this request and its list of candidates was as follows: Ijebu Remo Division - Obafemi Awolowo and M.S. Sowole; Ijebu Ode Division - S.O. Awokoya, Rev. S.A. Banjo and V.D. Phillips; Oyo Division - Chief Bode Thomas, Abiodun Akerele, A.B.P. Martins, T.A. Amao and SB Eyitayo; Osun Division - SL Akintola, JO Adigun, JO Oroge, S.I. Ogunwale, I.A. Adejare, J.A. Ogunmuyiwa and S.O. Ola; Ondo Division - P.A. Ladapo and G.A. Deko; Okitipupa Division - Dr. L.B. Lebi, CA Tewe and SO Tubo; Epe Division - SL Edu, AB Gbajumo, Obafemi Ajayi and C.A. Williams; Ikeja Division - O. Akeredolu-Ale, SO Gbadamosi and FO Okuntola; Badagry Division - Chief CD Akran, Akinyemi Amosu and Rev. GM Fisher; Egba Division - J.F. Odunjo, Alhaji A.T. Ahmed, CPA Cole, Rev S.A. Daramola, Akintoye Tejuoso, SB Sobande, IO Delano and A Adedamola. The others were as follows: Egbado Division - J.A.O. Odebiyi, D.A. Fafunmi, Adebiyi Adejumo, A. Akin Illo and P.O. Otegbeye; Ife Division - Rev S.A. Adeyefa, D.A. Ademiluyi, J.O. Opadina, and S.O. Olagbaju; Ekiti Division - E.A. Babalola, Rev. J Ade Ajayi, S.K. Familoni, S.A. Okeya and D Atolagbe; Owo Division - Michael Adekunle Ajasin, A.O. Ogedengbe, JA Agunloye, LO Omojola and R.A. Olusa; Western Ijaw Division - Pere EH Sapre-Obi and MF Agidee; Ishan Division - Anthony Enahoro; Urhobo Division - WE Mowarin, J.B. Ohwinbiri and JD Ifode; Warri Division - Arthur Prest and O. Otere, and Kukuruku Division - D.J.I. Igenuma. Of the names on the list, only MA Ajasin from Owo Division, which comprised Akoko then, did not run because of party solidarity and unity in Owo. He stood down for A.O. Ogedengbe and R.A. Olusa to contest two of the three seats, which they won, while D.K. Olumofin won the third for the NCNC. Three secretaries of the Action Group, who ran as independents and won were: Alhaji D.S. Adegbenro, Egba Division; J.O. Osuntokun, Ekiti Division and S.O. Hassan, Epe Division. At the close of polls on 24 September 1951, the Action Group had won 38 of the 72 seats in contention in the Regional Assembly. There were a total of 80 seats. Lagos had five seats in the West Regional Assembly all won by the NCNC in the election of 20 November 1951, while Benin had three won by Otu Edo candidates in the election of 6 December 1951. The poll had been postponed in Lagos and Benin following security concerns. Of the 68 candidates on the list furnished by the Action Group to the Government PR Department, 38 of the elected AG members were from that list. And they were as follows: Ijebu Remo - Obafemi Awolowo and M.S. Sowole; Ijebu Ode - Rev. SA Banjo and S.O. Awokoya; Oyo - Bode Thomas, Abiodun Akerele, ABP Thomas, TA Amao and SB Eyitayo; Osun - S.L. Akintola, J.O. Adigun, JA Oroge, S.I. Ogunwale, I.A. Adejare, J.A. Ogunmuyiwa and S.O. Ola. Other elected AG members from the list were: Egba - J.F. Odunjo, Alhaji AT Ahmed, Rev. S.A. Daramola and Prince Adedamola; Egbado (now Yewa) - J.A.O. Odebiyi, D.A. Fafunmi and A. Akin Illo; Ekiti - E.A. Babalola and Rev. J. Ade-Ajayi; Badagry - Chief CD Akran and Rev. G.M. Fisher; Ikeja - SO Gbadamosi and O Akeredolu- Ale; Ife - Rev. SA Adeyefa and SO Olagbaju; Owo - AO Ogedengbe and RA Olusa; Epe - Safi Lawal Edu; Okitipupa - C.A. Tewe; Western Ijaw - M.F. Agidee; Ishan - Anthony Enahoro, and Warri - Arthur Prest. In addition to the Action Group and the NCNC, there were local/divisional parties such as the Ibadan People's Party (IPP), led by Chief AMA Akinloye; Ondo Improvement League, and Otu Edo of Benin. At the end of poll, the standing of the parties was as follows: Action Group 38; NCNC/Independents 25; IPP 6 and Ondo Improvement League 2. Otu Edo candidates won the three Benin seats, namely, Chief SO Ighodaro, Chief Humphrey Omo- Osagie and Chief Chike Ekwuyasi. Chief Ighodaro opted for the AG, while the latter two went to the NCNC. And of the six IPP elected members, only Adegoke Adelabu joined the NCNC. The rest of them: AMA Akinloye, Chief DT Akinbiyi (who later became the Olubadan of Ibadan), Chief SO Lanlehin, Moyosore Aboderin and SA Akinyemi, opted for the Action Group. The NCNC National Secretary, the late Chief Kola Balogun had sent declaration forms to the IPP assemblymen asking them to declare for the NCNC but Chief Akinloye returned all the forms uncompleted. The three AG secretaries who had run as independents - Adegbenro, Osuntokun and Hassan, five IPP members, one Etu Edo, and one Ondo Improvement League, Chief F.O. Awosika; and Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola (Independent, Ijebu Ode) had swollen the number of the AG elected members. All the transactions had taken place before the inauguration of the Regional Assembly on 7 January 1952. These were not known members of the NCNC, nor did the party publish their names on the list of its candidates, but claimed them as its "members, supporters or sympathisers", according to inimitable Zik in his My Odyssey. It takes more than speculation to claim a person as a member of your political party. You cannot just be under the "impression" as Zik had claimed that they were and go ahead to field them as electoral candidates. For over a half century, the NCNC is yet to provide evidence to back its claim that it had won the West Regional election in 1951. Mr Cooper absolved his department of responsibility for the controversy generated by the NCNC after the election. At a post election news conference in Lagos he said that "Of the winning candidates, the names of 38 were on the list sent to me by the Action Group. The six successful candidates at Ibadan were all among those who had been identified to me as representing the Ibadan People's Party. No claim of any kind had reached us about the party affiliation of the remaining successful candidates." Why did the NCNC not send a list of its candidates for the poll to the Government PR Department before that poll? And why have Dr. Mbu and the others not published the list of NCNC candidates to substantiate their electoral victory claim in over 50 years but merely kept reaping false claims? The records of the poll conducted in the West and all over Nigeria by the colonial administration are available at the National Archives and can be accessed by any honest researcher. In this matter, it is facts that speak, not what some political/ethnic partisan said or did not say. Dr Azikiwe's frustration was not only in losing the regional election, he also lost the election to the House of Representatives held on 10 January 1951 at the House of Assembly, Ibadan, among NCNC members. The total tally for the 1951 poll in the 80- member Western Regional Assembly was as follows: Action Group 38; Independent/AG 15; NCNC 24; Independent/NCNC 3. Three members of the NCNC who had been elected to the House changed party allegiance that day ahead of the House of Representatives vote. They were: Chief SY Kesington-Momoh, JG Ako, and Awodi Orisaremi, from Urhobo and Kukuruku Divisions. They were running for the House of Representatives and wanted Action Group votes. Kesington-Momoh and Ako were elected, but Orisaremi went back to the NCNC. That was all the carpet-crossing that took place on 10 January 1952, namely, three at first to the AG and one back to the NCNC. From the vote tally, it is clear that the NCNC and the Independent /NCNC totalling 27 seats altogether out of 80 seats could not have formed the Government of Western Nigeria. Even if the local/divisional parties had chosen the NCNC, it would still be some seats short of 41 required to form the government. The Action Group won 38 seats; its independent candidates - Adegbenro, Osuntokun, Hassan and Odutola won four seats making a total of 42 seats. The AG could have formed the government without the support of the other small parties. It did not have to "bribe" anybody to join it to form the government. Since politics is a game of number, only few principled politicians would not be disposed to joining the winning party, in this case, the AG. Dr. Mbadiwe also claimed in his book: "Successful NCNC men who were not Yoruba were scared away. Dr. Azikiwe who won a seat to the Western House (of) Assembly from a Lagos constituency decided to resign. Since membership of the House of Representatives was by an electoral college in the regional house, no NCNC from the West came to the House of Representatives in Lagos". This is blatantly false. Zik resigned because he lost election to the federal house from the West, while Prince Adeleke Adedoyin, Dr. Ibiyinka Olorun-Nimbe, Chief Frank Oputa- Otutu, Chief Denis Osadebey and Sir Odeleye Fadahunsi were elected from Ibadan to Lagos. Who ever scared non-Yoruba NCNC people from the West? Chief Denis Osadebey succeeded Adegoke Adelabu as Opposition Leader in the West and the likes of Humphrey Omo-Osagie, Festus Okotie-Eboh, Chike Ekwuyasi, Fidelis H Utomi, Obi Osagie, Yamu Numa, GO Oweh and GB Ometan were non-Yoruba NCNC in that Assembly. As Mme De Stael says: The "search for the truth is the noblest occupation of man; its publication is a duty". Dr. Mbu and his political entourage have chosen their own side of history. It remains to be seen whether or not history will absolve them. Their contemporary audience is composed of intelligent people who will search after the truth without inheriting the political prejudice and stereotype of their lying grand-parents. That is the way ahead for Nigeria. And "the greatest friend of truth is time; her greatest enemy is prejudice". - CC Calton 1 Like |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 6:37pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
blackprowler: Okay then, tell your people to allow true federalism and resource control so that you can take your Shiroro and Kainji Dams revenues all for yourselves. But you refuse this offer. Why? 1 Like |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by 36xtr36r: 6:38pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
@Deadlytrash, There are 2 main things that send cold chills down the spines of the Uneme-Nekhua people and their cotravellers to the core: 1. The mere mention of Biaf.. many whine, weep, wail , yell and gnash their teeth. 2. The mere thought/sight of Fulani many begin to tremble and go into convulsions and epileptic spasms. Be wary of jellyfish. Though known to be spineless and defensively hopeless - without bones, hands, legs or muscles. Though they appear harmless and helpless they are highly potent with deadly venom, lethal enough to cause great pains and even death of its victims. Wherever they are found in water jellyfish have caused lots of human fatalities to people who let down their guards and were caught napping in their most unguarded hour. Beware of the innocuous looking and smooth-talking creatures of the earth that come to you mouthing, 'peace', 'One Nigeria'. Life has got no duplicate. A legitimate agitation by a people for a simple referendum is no way a crime. No one has got the moral right to impose on another his/her self-centred way of reasoning. Strange bedfellows, with irreconcilable value systems that are at best suitable for the individual selves, are not meant to be together! The 102 years of existence attest to that verdict! Once again, Igbos are not interested in sharing a country with verm1ns and vagabonds parading as One-Nigerianists. |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by 36xtr36r: 6:45pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
Deadlytruth: Igbos are not interested in sharing a country with lying hypocrites who are confused about what they stand for. If you're too pained that you and your slavish Uneme-Nekhua people will eventually end up with the Yorubas and Hausa-Fulanis in OduaArewanistan republic then find go find an idea you can live and die for. Leave Igbos out of your miseries. In all your useless theses and theories of absurdity you have consistently failed to point out the contributions of your Uneme-Nekhua people to this country. Up till now you still cannot mention your Uneme-Nekhua elites who have attempted to salvage this contraption from heading to the rocks. You Uneme-Nekhua people have mainly contributed in destroying this entity and brought it into ruins by your perpetual ass-licking stance. Channel your negative energies to countering the maiming and killings of your kinsmen for fun for decades by the marauding herdsmen; but you wouldn't and can't. And you think that Igbos are your mates that you and your cotravellers can just wake up from stupor and start ranting senselessly at. It has been a curse on Igbos having the likes of Unemes in the same country and this curse is broken already and the serpent head is severely bruised and that's why you've been on rampage for some months now attempting in vain to resurrect a walking corpse. Take your miseries to OduaArewanistan republic where bunch of hypocrites and confused bigots are found. Igbos are comfortable having a separate existence from greedy, treasury looters cum murderous backst*bbers. Culled: Braithwaite reportedly died on Monday morning, March 28, 2016 at St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos. The founder of the Nigerian Advance Party, NAP was a delegate at the 2014 National Conference, canvassed for a Confederal Constitution to replace the 1999 Constitution. He described the 1999 Constitution as Decree 24 which was presently destroying Nigeria and Nigerians, stressed that it should be thrown out and be replaced with either a Confederal constitution, with Nigeria operating con-federalism or a very loose federation. ... ”... The present 1999 Constitution or Decree 24 is enforcing a country that is destroying its own people, and should be rejected outright. ”This Conference must therefore be as much a development conference as a constitutional one. It is our firm conviction that only a Confederal Constitution or a very loose federation is best suited for Nigeria. I say this because I know that no part of Nigeria is desert. |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 6:57pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
36xtr36r: There was referendum in Scotland recently because they have it in their constitution. But there can't be referendum for your secession of Biafra. It is not in our constitution. You yourselves with your "nationalistic" NCNC's position prevented its inclusion in our constitution claiming that such would be inimical to national unity. Now you are enjoying that national unity but complaining. Why? So you now want referendum illegally conducted for you against the provision of our constitution? Even the UN will not answer you. Only sheer buffonrey would have made a people believe that a country of over 400 different tribes would be a bed of roses and therefore making secession clause unnecessary. If you are sincere then tell Ekweremadu to sponsor a bill to ammend our constitution to that effect. 2 Likes |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 7:01pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
36xtr36r: Then get out of NL and go and ask your Ekweremadu to sponsor a bill to that end rather than zoning PDP tickets here and there. |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by 36xtr36r: 7:07pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
Deadlytruth: Integrity-challenged charlatan suffering from chronic cerebral amnesia, if you believed the trash you put up there you and your confused hypocrites wouldn't be running amok on every media page with anti-Biafr* slogans to attempt to quench the raging IPOB tsunami movement. You lots won't be shamelessly earning a living on pay-per-post basis just to blackmail Igbos from leaving you behind in this cesspit. The man who does not believe in a cause should leave those who are determined to forge ahead despite the threats and challenges. Foes and naysayers cannot determine for Igbos how to go about self-determination, for it is an inalienable right of a people. Go find yourselves an idea you can live and die for! And cease fooling yourselves and your confused Uneme-Nekhua people with your silly claims, endless rants and propaganda on NL. The earlier you relay back to them to channel their energies towards OduaArewanistan republic the better for your survival. |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by 36xtr36r: 7:09pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
Deadlytruth: Deluded hypocrite, take your frustrations to OduaArewanistan republic where you're most needed as loyal, slavish subjects... |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 7:14pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
36xtr36r: Unfortunately you remain a slave of the SS inclusive of Uneme in the current republic for now until you go to Ekweremadu and ask him to sponsor a bill for secession clause. Let him use the Biafra "bravery" to do such. I now want to prove that you are a slave of Uneme. So I therefore command you my slave to write your next comment and mention Unemeh in it. One, two, goooooo...........! 2 Likes |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by 36xtr36r: 7:22pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
Deadlytruth: Confused hypocrite, I quite understand your frustrations and that of your inconsequential Uneme-Nekhua people. No matter how much you whine, weep and wail on NL your portion still remains with your Fulani masters. The curse binding Igbos to bunch of murderous treasury looters cum treacherous backst*bbers is broken already and the serpent head is severely bruised and that's why you've been on rampage for some months now attempting in vain to resurrect a walking corpse. The earlier you face OduaArewanistan republic the better for your survival. |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by inquisitiv: 8:16pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
I am a full blooded igbo and my grandfather, uncles and father fought in the civil war. They commandered platoons and by God's grace they came back alive. I had a close, very close relationship with my grandfather before he died some 12+ years ago and I have gone through his library of almost 500 books documenting the pre-indepence, independence and civil war history of Nigeria. Infact after his death I took over the library. I totally and completely agree with DEADLYTRUTH although I will not agree with some of his tribalistic comments. however DEADLY TRUTH is spot on about his historical analysis and he has a grasp of what he is talking about. I spent hundreds of hours in my grandfathers sprawling library sitting with him and discussing the very things DEADLYTRUTH just said here. I know some people will start questioning my igboness but I am here to speak my mind. I am even a heir to my grandfathers Nze title so I will not defend my igboness. the bitter, sad and indedd the deadlytruth is that several mistakes were made by that generation but the most DRASTIC, POORLY THOUGHT OUT AND OUTRIGHTLY STUPID CATASTROPHIC MISTAKES WERE MADE BY MY PEOPLE--- the igbos. My grandfather was an accomplished igbo leader of thought, my uncle has a bullet in his thigh till today, my dad blew up Nigerian soldiers using the ogbunigwe but THEY all agree that the coup by Nzeogwu was stupid, arrogant and outrightly silly. how could you kill every tribe except igbos and expect them to send flowers and thank you notes to you? the war was unnecessary, Ojukwu was a spoilt kid and should have employed the same matured and political diplomacy of Awolowo. How can you accuse Awolowo of betrayal? Did he sign a treaty with biafra. My family fought because when the bullets start flying, you as a man must protect your wives and daughters. Zik was blinded by an ambition to rule a large African country and should have listened to Enahoro and Co. I have the history books. I know what I am saying. Onye na- amaro ebe mmiri bido agaghi ima ebe okwu si. we are the future of this country and we should tackle these issues without insulting each other. I rest my case. 4 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by 36xtr36r: 8:41pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
To all propagandists who feel it's their right to descend and slaughter Eastern and Igbo civilians across the country for the squabble in the military circle: An Igbo officer Col Unegbe from Orlu was killed by the 'Igbo coup plotters" Maj Ademoyega and Maj Ifeanjuna. Yorubas hide this fact because it does not promote the "Igbo coup fables". In the counter coup of July 1966, the murder of Fajuyi was covered up by the North in order not to make the South West suspicious of their agenda. Lt. Colonel Francis Adekunle Fajuyi was killed alongside Aguiyi Ironsi by T.Y Danjuma and his Northern coupists. And what did Yorubas do about that cover up? Absolutely nothing, except to look for the Igbo man to accuse! Bloodthirsty Yorubas and their partners in crime positioned themselves in airports and railway stations hounding and killing off innocent Eastern passengers. Aguiyi ironsi who was not part of the 1966 coup was killed. 185 Igbo officers in the Nigerian military were selected and killed. As if that wasn't enough, Yorubas ganged up with their Hausa-Fulani-Kanuri masters, rushed into the streets and started killing Igbos and burning igbo establishments in the North and South-West. And the pogrom and carnage lasted for 10 months with an estimated 30,000 Igbos dead. Ojukwu tried making peace, and called for peace-talk in a neutral ground hence the Aburi Accord, but Gowon and his co-travellers violated the agreement reached. If Ojukwu wanted wanted war he wouldn't have called for peace talk in Ghana but it was inevitable. Ojukwu never asked for war! Over thirty thousand corpses littered the Norther region in the aftermath of the January 15 1966 coup. Why didn't the July 1966 counter-coup plotters just wipe out the Eastern political class and call it a day. Aguiyi Ironsi did nothing deserving death yet they killed him. Ironsi was too much of a peacemaker and he died making useless peace, appeasing the Northerners. The counter coup plotters simply wanted a war and they sure got one. Bear in mind there was no war before the pogrom of 1966 started in the North. So why resort to maiming and killing innocent Easterners cum civilians. Has the killings stopped till date? NO! The February 13, 1976 Dimka-led coupists came from Benue and Plateau region. They assassinated Murtala Mohammed then Head of State, yet there was no genocide carried against the Middle-belt people. Why was same treatment not given to the ethnic groups of the Dimka-led coupists that committed same offence? It's simply hypocrisy! It is even against the military rule to harm the innocent civilians during coup. According to the warped logic of hypocritical Yoruba and their co-travellers anytime there is a revolution or a coup the ethnic groups of the coup plotters should be singled out for ethnic cleansing! Gowon, Awolowo, Enahoro, Akenzua, Ejoor, Adebayo, Mobolaji Johnson, Katsina, Wey and all the groups that supported and advised the Federal Government of Nigeria to renege on the accords agreed upon in Aburi, Ghana were responsible for the 1967-70 Civil War, alongside the murderous people who killed innocent Easterners in revenge for an act done by a misguided group of Soldiers comprising of Southerners and Northerners. Ojukwu and other factors in the civil war talk about their efforts to prevent the war and the spirit that kept the people going even in the face of annihilation. The video (esp. Part B) also shows the extent of war crimes carried out by Federal troops on defenceless civilians especially women and children. Interesting watch! Part A http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=rPNXnMcHGtE Part B https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqCP3DXwFzU&feature=related After all said and done, self-determination remains an inalienable right of a people. Many Igbos are comfortable having a separate existence from greedy, treasury looters cum murderous parasites. The earlier you lots channel your negative energies towards consolidating your OduaArewanistan republic uniting all your fellow murderous folks and parasites the better for your survival. 1 Like |
Re: The Last Statement Of Ken Saro Wiwa At The Military Tribunal On May 21 1995. by Deadlytruth(m): 10:44pm On Jun 11, 2016 |
inquisitiv: God bless you abundantly. Due to your very rare kind of honesty and sincerity, I apologise to you for my tribalistic comments. I was pushed into adding tribalistic ingredients to my comments. I naturally don't do so except provoked by those who think they have a monopoly of tribal slurs. I know every tribe, including mine, has its own good and bad sides. In fact when I denounce some bad attitudes of my tribe I get attacked by my people who sometimes accuse me of not really being one of them. I understand that most Nigerian tribes are still too primitive to accept and acknowledge where they messed up especially concerning the tragedy of Nigeria. I enjoy it more when people engage me with facts and logic alone for that is the only way we can sincerely get to agree with one another. I particularly hate half truths and deliberate ego-driven distortions of glaring facts. As someone from a minority tribe I am always very hard on Zik and Ironsi because their political ideologies and actions were inimical and ruinous to the interest of minorities. At the age of 17 I had to attend a northern university. While I was there I held money in my hands to rent a house but the Northern landlords would reject me because of my religion. Even in the part of Lagos where I live, once you are neither Hausa nor Yoruba, they feel you are automatically Igbo and therefore deny you attention in certain things. During my NYSC days in the North I twice escaped death from shariah rioters. With all these ugly experiences I began to wonder why my home state could not provide me with tertiary education and then a job to the extent that I had to go to other places to receive insults, humiliation and threats to my precious life. Then I commenced a research on why Nigeria was so disorganised that my state and virtually every state except Lagos is not viable enough to provide jobs and livelihood for their indigens so as to prevent them from migrating to other tribe's lands to hopelessly seek livelihood amidst insults and threats to life. In my research I found out that Nigeria actually started in 1960 with a government (federalism) modelled in such a way that each subsequently created state would have been viable enough to care for all her natives thus Lagos and Abuja would not have been this over attractive, but that Zik, in his misguided quest for an idealistic national unity and aversion to practical reality on ground, inspired Ironsi and virtually every Igbo with unitary system proclivity under his one-Nigeria euphemism which informed Ironsi's decision to destroy that model of government set for us, and consequently redirecting all powers and revenues to Lagos rather than remain at the regions and consequently Nigeria started suffering primacy under Lagos to the detriment of the development and growth of all other states. That was how I developed hatred for Zik and Ironsi till today. But when I read Awolowo's write ups and his ideologies I discovered he was simply superb, very realistic, did not delude himself with national unity, had no use for political correctness, believed correctly that genuine national unity can only be achieved if each ethnic group is given autonomy and self assertion, argued in favour of a system that would have protected the minorities from the tyranny of the majority which we now have, etc. In his works I discovered he had foresight and vision and did not want a Nigeria built on deceit in the name of national unity, but that his enemies painted his his federalist mien as tribalism. Same with Enahoro my own representative. Enahoro was so realistic that he wanted a confederacy obviously sensing that all may not later be well. But he was maligned by those deluding themselves with nationalism. However, the only two mistakes Awolowo made were his dabbling into the Warri traditional stool issue and his decision to intervene in the war. He should have just stayed on the sidelines and watched as it was even a war between those who earlier colluded together to imprison him. Once again I apologize to you for my tribal slurs. I am indeed humbled by your honesty and truth-loving nature. Your likes are extremely rare. 2 Likes |
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