The great debate – who introduced tribalism into the politics of the South, the Igbo or the Yoruba? By Fani-Kayode

By Femi Fani-Kayode
”Igbo domination of Nigeria is only a matter of time’ ‘- Charles Onyeama, a prominent igbo lawyer and member of the Central Legislative Council, 1945. (Pg. 204 ”Ethnic Politics In Kenya and Nigeria” by Godfrey Mwakikagile).
”It would appear that the God of Africa has created the Igbo nation to lead the children of Africa from the bondage of ages ….” – Dr Azikiwe, President of the Pan-Igbo Federal Union. (The West African Pilot of July 8, 1949).

Author: Chief Femi Fani-Kayode is former Minister of Aviation

The first statement from Charles Onyeama, which was made in 1945, was the first overtly tribal and divisive comment that was made and recorded in the politics of southern Nigeria in our history. That is where and when tribalism in the south actually started. After that comment and as a direct reaction to it, the yoruba established the ”Egbe Omo Oduduwa” to further and protect yoruba interests and after that came the formation of the Action Group in 1948.
The second statement from Zik, which was made in 1949 (and which clearly shows that the great Zik of Africa had forgotten that the NCNC was not an igbo party at the beginning and that it had in fact been established by an upper class and very well educated yoruba man by the name of Sir Herbert Macauly, one of the famous ”Black Victorians” from the Lagos Colony, and who, at his death bed, was gracious enough to hand over the leadership of the party to him even though he was igbo) confirmed that tribalism was here to stay in the south and that ever since that time the igbo had an agenda to dominate others. This sentiment and this unfortunate igbocentric attitude is what cost Zik the Premiership of the Western Region in 1953 when the NCNC narrowly lost to the Action Group.
It is clear from this that if you want to know who started tribalism in southern politics and the politics of the southern protectorate of Nigeria it was not the yoruba or the southern minorities but the igbo. The excesses of the Igbo State Union and their treatment of the southern minorities and the yoruba from 1943 till 1967 was completely unacceptable. The rest of the south were prepared to accept the igbo as equals with open arms but they were not prepared to be politically dominated or conquered by them.
Worst still the first coup in the history of Nigeria, which was the Jan 15th 1966 coup d’etat led by Major Ifejuana and Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, was essentially an igbo coup and an igbo grab for power. I say this because 95 per cent of those that took part in it were igbo and 99 per cent of the political and military leaders that were brutally murdered during it’s execution were non-igbo. It was this coup and it’s sheer brutality that led to the even more brutal northern officers counter-coup of July 1966 (in which 300 igbo officers were killed in one night including the igbo Head of State, Gen. Aguiyi-Ironsi, and his yoruba host, the Military Governor of the Western Region, Gen. Adekunle Fajuyi who sought to protect him), the pogrom of igbos in the north (in which over 100,000 igbo civilians were killed in a few weeks) and the Nigerian civil war (in which 2 million Nigerians and Biafrans died).
These are the facts of our history. Live and learn. If you want to know who introduced tribalism into southern politics, it was the igbo. If you want to know who carried out the first coup in our country it was the igbo. Having done the painstaking research over a numberof years these are my findings and this is my conclusion.
I will open my wall for a robust discussion and debate on this issue and I will accomodate contributions from even those that are not my fb friends just for this debate. I will accomodate all shades of opinion and contributions from anyone that cares to join in the fray and I want to encourage those that disagree with my findings to state their case. We are all still learning but please take not that any rude or insulting comments will be deleted. This is a historical debate and I would encourage all those that seek to qoute anyone or make any assertions to mention their sources so that we can cross check the facts. Thanks.

LibertyReport

Fire outbreaks wreck havoc at Lagos Balogun Market [PHOTOS]

There was a fire outbreak at a portion of Balogun Market Fire on Martins Street, Euro-Asia Plaza Breadfruit Lagos Island today.
Cause of fire isn’t known at the moment.
In the pic, you will see a Fire Service Crane attempting to rescue people trapped in the building as the smoke thickens and traders throw their goods from upper floor of the building and a crowd gathers.
Details coming up shortly.




















 DailyPost

European Police raid brothels for Nigerian traffickers

European police have raided brothels and sex shops across the continent in a bid to identify Nigerian people-trafficking networks luring and trapping women into prostitution, Europol said on Friday.
The operation was led by German police but also saw brothels raided in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland, said a statement from Europol, which is based in the Hague.
Europol said the aim was to identify people trafficked from West Africa and obtain information on human traffickers.
“More than 468 West Africans, mainly women, were controlled and identified in the countries involved,” the statement said, adding that Police in 12 German states “carried out checks on brothels and similar properties,” the statement said.
“These first European control measures are another important step towards establishing the complex crime structures that are difficult to unravel in the field of trafficking human beings from West Africa,” German federal police commissioner Joerg Ziercke was quoted as saying.
Europol said it was analysing the operation’s results “to help identify key figures in human trafficking in Europe and establish possible criminal organisational structures.”
Europol (short for European Police Office) is the European Union’s criminal intelligence agency since 1999.
 DailyPost

“Your blood will hunt your killers all the days of their lives,” Late Ugochukwu’s family rain curses at funeral

It was a festival of tears and woes on Friday in Anambra as the remains of the late Ugochukwu Chukwudi Ozuah, the groom who was shot dead five days after exchanging marital vows in Lagos was committed to mother earth in his hometown, Mgbakwu, Awka North Local Government Area of the State.
The late Ugochukwu, 36 was said to have been reportedly killed by policemen when he went to see his friend off at the Anthony Village area of Lagos.
Visibly bereaved friends and family members during his interment on Friday mourned uncontrollably when the brown coffin bearing his remains was opened for the lying-in-state ceremony at his family compound. Family members had urged the deceased to go after his killers.
It was further gathered that the men of God who came for the funeral also joined other visibly angry family members in raining curses on Ugochukwu’s killers, saying those behind the devilish act would know no peace in their entire life.
Standing speechless and helplessly behind the casket were Joan and his mother, Deaconess Chinwe Ozuah.
Tears of pains and anger trickled down their checks as they watched the late Ugochukwu being lowered into the grave.
The bereaved mother raised her voice saying: “Ugochukwu, is it you? Where have you been? You left me, why didn’t you wait for me to go first? Your blood will hunt your killers all the days of their lives. Amen.”
Earlier in his sermon at the funeral service held in the compound, Rev. Kevin Ohamara of the Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Awka urged the deceased’s family to take heart. The cleric who in his text from Ecclesiastics 7:1-2, said that though the pains of the family and all were that Ugochukwu was lost at his prime, the consolation should be that he finds a resting place in the Lord’s bosom.
He further said: “Whoever has a hand in the death of Ugochukwu will also go; the only difference is that he has gone ahead of him. Death is an appointment which every human being must keep and Ugo has kept his. God will bring judgment upon those that killed him.”
While praying God to give the bereaved family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, the cleric further reminded the living to prepare their ways so that when death comes knocking, they would not be caught unawares.
Describing Ugochukwu’s sudden demise as shattering and shocking, the eldest sister, Mrs. Nkay Nnonyelu, said the that the death of Ugochukwu was a heavy blow on the entire family.
She added that the family would be waiting for the report of the committee set up by the Inspector General of Police to investigate the incident, stressing that the family wants justice in the matter.
The Anambra State Police Commissioner, Mr. Bala Nasarawa who was represented by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Umunze, Mr. Kingston Irozuru at the funeral alongside other 30 policemen urged the family to bear the loss with fortitudes.
Also speaking during the interment, a community leader from Mgbakwu, Chief Edwin Oraka while calling on the government to ensure that the culprits face the law, said that the entire community would greatly miss the late Ugochukwu.
DailyPost

“Nigerians should eat more pounded yam than rice” – Director in Ministry of Water Resources

Mr Joe Kwanashie, the Director, Irrigation and Drainage, Ministry of Water Resources, has urged Nigerians to reduce their consumption of rice to once a week.
Kwanashie said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja that the advice became imperative due to the amount foreign exchange spent on rice importation.
According to him, Nigeria spends N1 billion on rice importation daily.
‘’ If Nigerians decide not to eat rice every day but once a week, it will drastically reduce the importation of the commodity.
‘’If today we decide that instead of eating rice three times a day, we are only going to eat it once a day or once a week, we wouldn’t need to import all that rice.
“As a child, I know that in my house we didn’t eat rice every day.
“Today, most households in this country eat rice every day.
“Must we eat rice? what’s wrong with eating eba or pounded yam that we produce locally? will you die if you don’t eat rice? Kwanashie asked.
He said that the money spent on the importation of the commodity would not encourage economic growth, noting that Nigeria had so many other food substitutes.
‘’It’s something that requires political will and commitment and not only from the political leaders but also from us; its small sacrifices like this that Nigerians can make to make this country better.
‘’Look at the damage we are doing to our economy; one billion naira every day! do you know how many jobs that would provide in this country?’’ he asked.
The director, however, noted that Nigeria had the capacity to produce rice both for local consumption and also for export, stressing that the human and material resources required to to achieve it were also available.
On what the ministry is doing to combat the effects of flooding that had ravaged most farmlands and homes in the country, the director said:“The solution to flooding problem is multisectoral.”
 DailyPost

Governor Suntai flown to Germany for more medical attention

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Taraba State, Hassan Mijinyawa confirmed to DailyPost correspondent in Jalingo that Governor Danbaba Suntai has been flown to Germany in an air ambulance for medical attention at about 3.05 p.m on Saturday.
It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had on Friday visited Mr. Suntai at the intensive care unit of the National Hospital, Abuja, telling journalists afterwards that the governor was in a stable condition, assuring that he had instructed the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Bello Bala Shehu, to give the governor adequate care

for quick recovery. Prof. Shehu also confirmed that Mr. Suntai was in a stable condition. He said the hospital staff were attending to first degree injury sustained by the governor in the crash. Mr. Shehu also said that the injury would not necessitate them to carry out any major operation on the governor.

However, Deputy Governor, Garba Umar, in a statement, praised God and appealed to Nigerians to continue praying for the quick recovery of the Governor and his aides.

He said,“We are grateful to God Almighty that in spite of the impact of the crash, Gov. Suntai and his three aides survived and are in a stable condition. “I call on the good people of the state to pray for the speedy recovery of our dear governor and his affected aides.”
“While we thank God for his wonderful miracle, we remain committed to the protection of lives and property of our citizens.
“We will, therefore, view with grave concern any attempt to breach the peace and security of our state,” he concluded.

DailyPost reported that Governor Danbaba Suntai and five other were involved in a plane crash piloted by the Governor on Thursday but authorities seem to have concentrated all attention on the Governor alone as the fate of the other survivors of the crash are yet unknown. The question many troubling Nigerians can’t stop asking is what exactly happened to the other 5 officials who were with the Governor in the Plane?
DailyPost

UN honours Nigerian peace keepers, hails FG’s contributions

In appreciation of the country’s significant contributions to international peacekeeping, the United Nations has honoured over 1,500 Nigerian peacekeepers serving in Liberia.
The world body also hailed the Nigerian contingent, including 92 women, for teaching in Liberia’s educational system where gaps were noticed.
The country is among the top five UN contributors to peacekeeping missions around the world.
In a statement released on Thursday by the UN Secretariat, the Acting Head of the United Nations Mission in Liberia, Mr. Louis M. Aucoin, it was disclosed that Nigeria remains “a committed ally of the UN’s efforts to bringing peace and security to the world.”
The statement also praised the Federal Government’s outstanding contribution to global security, particularly in the African region.
Earlier in the month, four Nigerian peacekeepers died while on active duty in Darfur, Sudan.
DailyPost