₦airaland Forum

VillageWinch:
I patiently and diligently read everything and I must say, it is a fascinating read.

Personally I think Awo was planning to do something if Biafra seceded but something or someone persuaded him or pressured him to do the opposite.
Either way he still reneged on his promise.

what part of promise people make in politics. in politics countries don't practice friendship, they practice allies

GoldNiagara:
Even in death and over 20 years in between Biafra still wail. Only Legends leave this kind of reactions in their wake.

Why is Awo inexorably linked to all time defeat and shame of Biafra, and the old man was just a civilian answering to military head of state.

Of course Awo was a legend and a great man but that doesn't put him beyond public discussion. In fact it makes him most eligible for a forum like this. A new thread is created on NL every 3 mins on average. In this particular thread we are discussing Awo's controversies.
He was a great man. No discussion can take that away.
Once we establish that we can then move beyond tribal sentiments and freely discuss the man.

koladebrainiac:
what part of promise people make in politics. in politics countries don't practice friendship, they practice allies

I don't even think Awo technically promised the West would secede once Biafra seceded but that was the impression he left on public consciousness.
This, for example is from America:

This is from "America's secret files on Ojukwu"
Note the bolded.(Shows the general/public impression of what Awo said would happen if Biafra seceded)

...On the other hand, Strong continued: “AG (Action Group) activists and the man in the street are convinced Awolowo made the statement under duress… They say Awolowo’s true position was indicated in the Leaders of Thought resolution in May, which said if any region seceded or forced out, the West would automatically become independent. The activists feel that Awolowo missed the opportunity to bring the present conflict to close by coming to Ibadan and make a Western Declaration of Independence speech supported by Victor Banjo and his National Liberation Army.”

updatechange:
Observing

Observing what

.

Michael004:
[s][/s]These people has started their lies again. You want zik to be premier of western region but do not allow other tribe to be your own premier. You never talked of how zik gave 96 positions to igbo people out of the available 104 positions in University College then. Your invented lie about him committing suicide makes you more stupid. Great awolowo will continue to torment you. Every time, you cry of how he had agreement with runnaway ojukwu but never for once bring out the agreement evidence signed by awoo and ojukwu. I tire for you people stupidity.

Sir did u finish primary school?

GhanaMustGoo:
I'm coming

Awo.obviously had a thing for plotting coups. Some people are like that. They always thunk they can.get way with it untill they don't

Exactly. Like Ifeajuna and Banjo. You should always be on your toes when such people are around you.

PrecisionFx:
Awolowo said he was taking yoruba out of Nigeria, it's not a hidden or a secret fact, it was on national dailies both at home n in Britain n the western world.



Zik couldn't have given 96 job positions to igbos n 8 to other tribes in nigeria, he couldn't even do it if it were his private university both in the 60s and now. And let me remind u, there wasn't anything like quota back them..... it was a simple case of the best qualified candidates takes all.

A Fulani man during the same period zik won to the premier of the west, a Fulani man was voted in as the first mayor in enugu state.

Little children pls goan read history.

This post is worth repeating in case you missed it the first time

PrecisionFx:
A civilian can be court martialed Sir.
I.e a civilian can be arrested n tried in court by soldiers as the judges.

No mind am. Koladebrainiac is illiterate. Check his posts

.

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WetinConsignMe:
So we are now at #5.
Here it is:

5) That Awo promised Ojukwu personally, and later said publicly, that the West would secede if Biafra seceded.


Well, it depends on how u interprete what Awo said publicly and whether u believe what he was said to have said to Ojukwu and to others privately.

My own take is that Awo was in no shape to be leading a secession. He just got out of jail, he needed some rest and probably money, plus he was surrounded by northern soldiers who were closely monitoring him. Plus he was not military with an army at his command like Ojukwu. Plus the few senior Yoruba military officers were one-Nigeria.

As to whether he made the promise at all, here are what were said by various people and by Awo himself:
TO BE CONT'D
------------------------------------------------------

CONTINUING:

On July 2001 Rudolf Okonkwo pointedly asked Ojukwu if there was such agreement. Here is what he said (note the bolded):

RUDOLF OKONKWO: Did the meeting take place, and was there such an agreement?

OJUKWU: We’ve said this over and over again, so many times, and people don’t understand; they don’t want to actually...

Don’t forget that the political purpose of the coup, the Ifeajuna coup that began all this, was to hand power over to Awo. We young men respected him a great deal. He was a hero. I thought he was a hero and certainly I received him when I was governor. We talked and he was very vehement when he saw our complaints and he said that if the Igbos were forced out by Nigeria that he would take the Yorubas out also. I don’t know what anybody makes of that statement but it is simple. Whether he did or didn’t, it is too late. There is nothing you can do about it.

Here is what Sam Aluko, who was at the meeting, said:

"What Ojukwu Told Me, Before, Durring, And After The War" - SAM ALUKO

"Awolowo said, if the East left the federation, the Yoruba would have to leave the federation."

"Really, I was being integrated in the East because, at that time, Obafemi Awolowo was in the Calabar prison and I was the only one allowed to see him. Ojukwu used to give me protection to go and see him."

This interview is the most intimate account of the thoughts and actions of Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu before, during and after the Nigerian civil war. The account is coming from Professor Sam Aluko, the respected Nigerian economist, who has revealed that he was the most trusted friend Ojukwu had. That friendship started immediately the Ikemba Nnewi assumed the governorship position of the Eastern Region. Since then and through the period of the war, Ojukwu’s exile in Cote d’Ivoire and his return to Nigeria, that friendship had sustained.

Excerpts:

How close were you to the late Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu?

I will say that I was very close to him till his death. Immediately, he became governor of the former Eastern Region, when I was a senior lecturer in Economics in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, he called me the third day he became governor. He said he wanted to come and see me in my university. I never met him before. How can the military governor come and see me? I said no. I told him I would come and see him, instead. I told the person he sent that he should tell the governor that I was the one who should come and see him and not him coming to see me. That was on January 20, 1966. So, when I said I was going to see him, my wife said she would go with me. She said we didn’t know the man and therefore she wanted to be present at the meeting. She reasoned that we couldn’t predict a soldier who just came. When we got to the military governor’s house, Ojukwu said: ‘Madam, I know you would come because you thought that I will do something to your husband.’ He said he had never met me before, but those in the military had been reading so much about me and they venerated me. According to him, that was why he wanted to see me. He said he wanted me to help him to run the government of the Eastern Region.

We discussed and he asked what role I would like to play and I said I would remain in the university because I didn’t want to leave. I promised to do whatever I could do to help him. The first cabinet that he formed, we both sat down and looked at the names of those from the Eastern Region to be cabinet members. He did not know them because he was not living in the Eastern Region. He was outside, in Kaduna and in Lagos. He spoke Yoruba better than I. So, we were speaking in Yoruba most of the time. That’s how the relationship began and we became very close. It was through him that I knew Adekunle Fajuyi, the governor of the Western Region. We continued until after the counter-coup in July. I was very sad. They killed many Igbo. Many who were not killed had cuts in the head and other parts of the body. He called me and said what could he do? What was going on in his mind was to go to a place in Benue and sack a village there. He wanted to kill as many people as possible. I said no. I said as a Christian, Christianity doesn’t allow for vengeance. As a Christian, I said he should not do that.

Was that when the killings in the North started?
Yes. That was the period the pogrom started. I said he should get in touch with the Head of State, but he said no because it was wrong for Yakubu Gowon to be Head of State because there was Ogundipe, who was a Brigadier and the most senior military officer at the time. He said when the coup happened in January, the most senior officer became the Head of State. So, he argued that when the counter-coup happened, the most senior should also become the Head of State. But the northerners will not take that at that time. Ogundipe himself did not want it because he said there were few Yoruba in the army. He said he will just be there without support and they would kill him. So, they made him High Commissioner in London. When the pogrom continued and the people were coming to the East from the North, Ojukwu said he was afraid that the easterners coming back might attack those who are non-easterners in the East. He then made a statement on the radio that all those who were non-easterners should leave the East.

At the time, there was rumour that Professor Babatunde Fafunwa was killed because he was from the West. But Fafunwa was in Benin Republic attending a conference. Ojukwu said the rumour was a sign of what was to happen. He said they would be attacking the northerners and the westerners and claim easterners did. So, he will ask everybody to go. I went to see him in Enugu and I said: “well, Your Excellency, I will have to go back to the West.” He said no, emphasising that when he talked of westerners, it did not apply to me because I was one of them. Non-easterners in the East were scared. Fafunwa and I were the most senior in the place. Fafunwa was not around and I said: “I will have to take them to the West to make sure that they were safe.” He said it was OK and that he will give me soldiers to make sure that all the students and staff were safe. He said when I got to Benin, I should hand them over to the governor in Benin to take them to the West and I should return to my job in Nsukka.

What of your protection?
He said I needed not worry because I was one of them. [b]Really, I was being integrated in the East because, at that time, Obafemi Awolowo was in the Calabar prison and I was the only one allowed to see him. Ojukwu used to give me protection to go and see him. [/b]So, I was enjoying myself. When I got to Benin, I did not return to the East. I got the people to Ibadan and then called him to say: “Your Excellency, I am here and I am no longer coming back to the East.” He said: “Doctor, don’t call me Your Excellency, call me Emeka. You are older than I and I adore you. Just call me Emeka and I will call you Sam.” I was talking to him every night from Ibadan...

What date was this?
That was January 1967. I said: “Emeka, I don’t think you should think of secession. I said it was the Igbo that were killed in the North and not all easterners.” I said “from my living in the East and going round the East, I know that the Igbo were not very popular in the Rivers area and the Calabar area. I told him that if he declared secession, he would be fighting two wars. I told him he would be fighting internal war against people with him, who didn’t want to be ruled by the Igbo and he would be fighting Nigeria who didn’t want him to succeed. I told him not I didn’t think he could win the war. I think that made a great impression on him. He said: “Doctor, your analysis is perfect.” He said, “after all, why should I secede? “He said: “All my father’s Lagos. I was brought up in Lagos. I came to the East on posting as a military governor. I have discovered that ruling the Igbo is like ruling a pack of wild horses. They are very difficult to rule. I will rather want to be away from here to another place. It is very difficult to persuade the Igbo against their will.”

I told him he didn’t have to persuade them against their will, just be loyal to them. I went back to Adebayo. We had a reconciliation meeting. Awolowo, Onyia and myself were sent to meet Ojukwu in Enugu. Ojukwu insisted that if I did not come, he would not receive them. So, we went together. We discussed.

When was this?
That was March 1967. Awolowo was very frank with him. He told him: “Look, governor, you cannot secede. You cannot go alone. Just as you fear the North, the West also fears the North. The soldiers in the North are occupying the West. So, we have the same common interest. But don’t let us secede. Let us do whatever we can do together to unite and confront the North so that we can have a settlement on how we want to run this country.” Awolowo said, if the East left the federation, the Yoruba would have to leave the federation...


Here is a newspaper report of what Awo himself said publicly (note the bolded):

Why Awo did not make West to Secede
VANGUARD
26 SEP 2017
By Eric Teniola
ON May 1, 1967 at a meeting of Leaders of thought of Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo made the following declarations:
“I consider my duty to Yoruba people in particular and to Nigerians in general to place four imperatives, two of them categorical, and two conditional:

(1) Only a peaceful solution must be found to arrest the present worsening stalemate and restore normalcy.

(2) The Eastern Region must be encouraged to remain part of the Federation

(3). If the Eastern Region is allowed by acts of omission or commission to secede from or opt out of Nigeria, then Western Region and Lagos must also stay out of the Federation.

(4) The people of Western Nigeria or Lagos would participate in the Ad hoc Constitutional Committee or any similar body only on the basis of absolute equality with other Region of the Federations”.

It was the gravest statement made by any leader in Nigeria at a crucial time.
...
The question is why did the Western Region not follow the Eastern Region when it seceded on May 30, 1967?

The Daily Sketch which published in full Chief Awolowo’s speech on May 2, 1967 sold in Enugu at two shillings per copy which is more equivalent of today’s six hundred naira. The speech was a hot cake.

Then there was the argument that the fate of the Yorubas in Ilorin and Kabba provinces at that time was not properly addressed in that speech considering the political influence of Chief Josiah Sunday Olawoyin (1935-2000) and later leaders like Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo (76), my friend Chief Ayo Opadokun and Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki (1933-2012).

It is a pity that Chief Awolowo did not publish his memoirs before he died in a domestic accident in his hometown of Ikenne in Ogun state in the early hours of May 9, 1987. Maybe he would have shed more light on why he made those declarations.

I personally believe till today that it was that speech that took the Federal Capital from Lagos, although events have proved later that taking the Federal Capital out of Lagos does not equate with taking commerce out of Lagos- thanks to Chief Bola Tinubu and his successors.

Chief Awolowo’s speech stunned the nation. It was a wakeup call on General Yakubu Dan-Yuuma Gowon (83), the Head of State at that time to prepare for war and save Nigeria. If Chief Awolowo had taken Western Region and Lagos out of Nigeria, it would have been suicidal...

If Chief Awolowo had taken Western Region and Lagos out of the Federation at that time definitely Western Region and Lagos would have been the battle ground. And where were the troops and how prepared was he for a major war. At the time he made those declarations, officers of the Western Region in the Nigerian Army were less than 7%. At that time Lagos, Ibadan and Abeokuta garrisons were occupied by ‘northern troops’. Even the then Governor of Western Region, Major General Adeyinka Adebayo was not prepared for war. Chief Awolowo admitted on May 1, 1967 speech, that ‘We have neither the military might, nor the overwhelming advantage of numbers here in Western Nigeria and Lagos...'

Awo was obviously a cunning opportunist - prototype of a politician

WetinConsignMe:
I don't even think Awo technically promised the West would secede once Biafra seceded but that was the impression he left on public consciousness.
This, for example is from America:

This is from "America's secret files on Ojukwu"
Note the bolded.(Shows the general/public impression of what Awo said would happen if Biafra seceded)

...On the other hand, Strong continued: “AG (Action Group) activists and the man in the street are convinced Awolowo made the statement under duress… They say Awolowo’s true position was indicated in the Leaders of Thought resolution in May, which said if any region seceded or forced out, the West would automatically become independent. The activists feel that Awolowo missed the opportunity to bring the present conflict to close by coming to Ibadan and make a Western Declaration of Independence speech supported by Victor Banjo and his National Liberation Army.”

like Awo was bound by oath to join secession ??

WetinConsignMe:
Of course Awo was a legend and a great man but that doesn't put him beyond public discussion. In fact it makes him most eligible for a forum like this. A new thread is created on NL every 3 mins on average. In this particular thread we are discussing Awo's controversies.
He was a great man. No discussion can take that away.
Once we establish that we can then move beyond tribal sentiments and freely discuss the man.

A discussion steeped in fibs is not fit to be discussed by serious minded person.Gold Niagara 2017.Lagos Portugal.

goldrushbooks:
A discussion steeped in fibs is not fit to be discussed by serious minded person.Gold Niagara 2017.Lagos Portugal.

So u present your own superior facts and figures to expose the fibs. Not appear to be trying to sweep things under the rug. You can't hide things that are everywhere on the internet.

koladebrainiac:
like Awo was bound by oath to join secession ??

Well, you can't claim that and at the same time claim to be an honorable person.

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9jaDoc:
Are you some sort of a lunatic, sir?

No.You are the lunatic sir,including your family members. You are all suffering from schizophrenia

WetinConsignMe:
This one is a no brainer. OF COURSE. Gowon had NOTHING to do with release of Awo from Clabar.

Look at body language. Awo contradicted some things Ojukwu said, not once did he contradict him when he said he released him from prison.

EDITORIAL
Ojukwu Released Awolowo From Calabar Jail. QED

Mr. Okonkwo troubled by multiple argument fort and back, pointedly asked Ojukwu. Ojukwu's response was that, he indeed released Awolowo from Calabar Prison house.

Hear Ojukwu speak for himself:

“We’ve said this over and over again, so many times, and people don’t understand; they don’t want to actually. If you remember, I released Awolowo from jail. Even that, some people are beginning to contest as well. Awo was in jail in Calabar. Gowon knows and the whole of the federal establishment knows that at no point was Gowon in charge of the East. The East took orders from me. Now, how could Gowon have released Awolowo who was in Calabar?"

Can you expaciate further on this? Why was Gowon also claiming he released Awo

Basic123:
No.You are the lunatic sir,including your family members.
You are all suffering from schizophrenia

I didn't check the moniker. When I did I realised u r not worth my time

9jaDoc:
I didn't check the moniker. When I did I realised u r not worth my time

Now you're talking

9jaDoc:
Can you expaciate further on this? Why was Gowon also claiming he released Awo

Well, in the sense that Gowon could have stuck him back in jail or house arrest or not grant him full pardon

WetinConsignMe:
Well, in the sense that Gowon could have stuck him back in jail or house arrest or not grant him full pardon

I know that but I don't think that's what Gowon meant.

9jaDoc:
I know that but I don't think that's what Gowon meant.

I'll talk more on it later. Gotta go

WetinConsignMe:
I'll talk more on it later. Gotta go

Ciao

MightySparrow:
Thanks for your observation and correction.
You have demonstrated more of maturity than I. I wrote from the point view of anger with some who write all manner of bad things about Awo.

A times such write up could be provocative.
I did know you were not among those who could write or contribute hateful things about others.

I am deeply sorry for that, biko, joor, yankuri.

That's why you should not take NL rantings to heart. In real life Igbos and Yorubas are not at each other's throat.
They live together quite amicably and in friendship

WetinConsignMe:
Well, you can't claim that and at the same time claim to be an honourable man.

I don't understand. there are other accounts to this story u guys are bragging about, playing victim upandan. what about Victor Bajo's account and what LET TO AWOLOWO'S REFUSER TO JOIN SECESSION. ANYTHING OF SECESSION ON YORUBA PART IS A SUICIDE FOR US. WE WILL BE THE BATTLEGROUND. COMMON DORDAN BARRACK is IN LAGOS AND NIGERIA CAPITAL' SO IF YORUBA had SECEDED WHO WOULD HAVE FOUGHT FOR AWOLOWO? CAN HE MUSTER ARMY IN THE BARACK? THAT ASIDE THE ACCOUNT WE HEARD WAS THAT AWOLOWO WENT TO SEE OJUKWU TO STAND DOWN NOT TO DISCUSS SECESSION. AND WHAT AWOLOWO SAID WAS THAT IF OJUKWU SHOULD SUCEDE, HE WILL JOIN THE FRAY. BUT YOU GUYS WILL KEEP LYING N THROWING PROPAGANDA UPANDAN.

VillageWinch:
I agree with you 200% and I also think oil is part of the reason why Awo suddenly became vehemently one Nigeria

Awolowo in my estimation chose to support one-Nigeria for various reasons.
Firstly, the oil reserves in the East and the wealth therein.Oil was becoming the energy hotcake of the world just as renewable energy is going to be that of the future and the riches he could profit from was stupendous.
Also, Awo must have felt that with the death of Balewa and Ahmadu Bello and the political redundancy of Azikiwe because of the war, the coast was clear for him to become Nigerias strongest man and Leader;maybe even for life. The north outsmarted him sha.
Lastly, he might have felt that the west could not afford a war so they should side with the north. But then, neutrality was an option just like the mid-west and his region would have been unaffected by his neutrality. So.

9jaDoc:
Exactly. Like Ifeajuna and Banjo. You should always be on your toes when such people are around you.

Seems like once a coup plotter, always a coup plotter. Same.thing with Danjuma, Babangida, Murutala, etc

Maduawuchukwu:
Awolowo in my estimation chose to support one-Nigeria for various reasons.
Firstly, the oil reserves in the East and the wealth therein.Oil was becoming the energy hotcake of the world just as renewable energy is going to be that of the future and the riches he could profit from was stupendous.
Also, Awo must have felt that with the death of Balewa and Ahmadu Bello and the political redundancy of Azikiwe because of the war, the coast was clear for him to become Nigerias strongest man and Leader;maybe even for life. The north outsmarted him sha.
Lastly, he might have felt that the west could not afford a war so they should side with the north. But then, neutrality was an option just like the mid-west and his region would have been unaffected by his neutrality. So.

I totally agree. Not only that, by then oil money was already starting to flow since '63 or so, except that only Britain and very few Nigerians knew

koladebrainiac:
I dont understand. there are other accounts to this story u guys are bragging about , playing victim upandan. Victor Bajo's account and what LET TO AWOLOWO'S REFUSER TO JOIN SECESSION. ANYTHING OF SECESSION ON YORUBA PART IS A SUICIDE FOR US. WE WILL BE THE BATTLE GROUND. COMMON DORDAN BARRACK WAS IN LAGOS. AND NIEGRIA CAPITAL. ITS WELL FORTIFIED . SO IF YORUBA MAKE SECEDE WHO WILL FIGHT FOR AWOLOWO? CAN HE MUSTER ARMY IN THE BARACK? THAT ASIDE THE ACCOUNT WE HEARD WAS THAT AWOLOWO WENT TO SEE OJUKWU TO STAND DOWN NOT TO DISCUSS SECESSION. AND WHAT AWOLOWO SAID WAS THAT IF OJUKWU FINALLY SUCEDE, HE WILL JOIN THE FRAY. BUT YOU GUYS WILL KEEP LYING N THROWING PROPAGANDA UPANDAN.

But that's ecactly what wetinconsi guy was saying too. Did u read his post. He was saying Awo could not secede even if he wanted