by Ndubisi Ibelegbu
The politicians in Nigeria talk glibly about ‘peace’ but actually prefer war. Can you blame them? About 99% of those fellows have never fought a war as I did in Biafra. I was just a boy fresh from Secondary School. Of course, you should know that they are talking about the ‘peace of the graveyard.’ Count me out of that, Mister!
Very sadly and tragically, those who should strive to engender peace in our country are, by their acts of commission or omission, rather encouraging lawlessness. Consequently, the hoodlums, militants, cultists, etc are gradually beginning to call the shots. They are no longer so-very-afraid of the State firepower. I guess we are in this dangerous mess because the PDP, the National Assembly as well as the so-called ‘Northern elite’ abhor a National Dialogue.
Can I safely assume that Mr. President has the same mindset? Does he prefer anarchy to Dialogue? I don’t think so. However, why has he been indifferent over the dialogue issue? Luckily, the man no longer desires to grant ‘amnesty’ to the devil. All in all, the reasons for politicians wanting war rather than peace are not farfetched. Those fellows (not all them please) are selfish, hypocritical, greedy and unpatriotic. Let us briefly look at their general antics!
The uninspiring and shameless Northern elite have held the reins of power in this country for more than 40 years since September 1957. Can you point out just five things they have really achieved, even in their part of the country? To cover up their lousiness, they abhor any talk of a National Conference. They know their numerous sins would be exhumed for all to see. The masses up North might even revolt against their so-called leadership which has rather served to impoverish them and create miscreants in their millions. The latest of these Islamist cult groups happens to be the Boko Haram. In their hypocrisy, the evil ‘elite’ are now trying hard to push the blame as regards our security snafu to President Jonathan. They would also prefer that the rest of Nigerians “dialogue” with their murderous and secessionist ‘brethren’. Pray, since after Biafra, has secession now been legalized? Hypocrisy galore!
On the part of the ruling Party, it is common knowledge that the PDP is sorely afraid of a level playing field. So, since they know that a National Conference would insist that Mr. President stops appointing, single-handedly, the Inspector-General of Police, top Electoral Officials, etc, they hate a National Dialogue. This appointment anomaly has been the vogue since the 1959 Federal elections when Sir Ahmadu Bello and his errand boy in Lagos (Tafawa Balewa) used the Federal Police to brazenly stop Awo and his Party from campaigning in Kano. That incident had somehow given some impetus to the Wild, Wild, West saga of the early Sixties. This, in turn, was a remote cause of our Civil War. Are you reading me loud and clear? I am not afraid of History.
The new Armoured Personnel Carrier ‘Party (APC), if they desire to make any reasonable impact in 2015, must insist on the proper way to appoint Electoral Officials, at all levels. It is basically an Organised Civil Society matter (please see pp. 418-419 of my book). A merger cannot, on its own, help Buhari, Tinubu and Company. Not unless they democratically neutralize the undemocratic set-up which has ‘programmed’ the ruling Party to win the Presidency, even before the elections take place. As you know too, the Police and the Military are also partisan. This is why Vincent Ogbulafor (former PDP Chairman) boasted, some years ago, that his Party would rule Nigeria for 60 years. Well, except Mr. President alters the course of Nigeria’s Ship of State, as soon as possible, Nigeria might not last beyond April 2015 as a united entity! Mind you, I am not even talking about the dire predictions of the American Intelligence Community about seven years ago! Do you need foreigners to tell you that a National shipwreck is looming?
Now to the money-guzzling, arrogant and presumptuous National Assembly! Why have those ‘Lawmakers’ gone the extra mile to thwart a peaceful ‘Get-Together’ of Nigerians? Who tells them that in a democratic milieu, sovereignty lies with them? In an authentic democratic set-up, lots of them cannot even win a Local Government Councillorship seat. Paradoxically, if and when anarchy steps in, the National Assembly would be the first to proceed on an indefinite leave. Are you not old enough to know this?
Onye ndi iro gbara gburugburu…
For those Nigerians who still pretend not to know the truth of the matter, the Nigerian Civil War (6th July, 1967 – 14th January 1970) was actually caused by the North, Britain, the Yorubas, the Igbos – and the rest of Nigerians, in that exact order. I challenge anybody to challenge me in his or her own book.
Every properly-educated Igbo person (especially the males aged 60 years or below) must endeavour to read Part One (Chapters 1-5) of POSTWAR NIGERIA, RECONCILIATION & UNITY … (Ark Publishers, P.O. Box 1044, OwerriNigeria, 2009). Three years before late Prof. Achebe’s last book (which had dealt on Biafra, wholly and entirely), my 20 – Chapter, 450 – page book was already on sale. The man had almost left it too late – considering the fact that he was in a position to know about it all – more than many.
This e-mail has been dedicated to “The greatest African writer of the 20th Century.” I remember that 50 years ago, as a little Secondary School boy, I had read his first book as an English Literature text. Later, I had gone on to read ‘NO LONGER AT EASE,’ ‘ARROW OF GOD’, ‘A MAN OF THE PEOPLE’, etc. He really helped to boost my interest in reading and writing. One thing I still admire about the great, humble man is that he was probably the first person to tell “war hero” and Yoruba Emperor, President Obasanjo, to go and jump into the OgunRiver with his warped, hypocritical and politicized National Honours Award.
Young Ndigbo all over the world cannot afford to be ignorant of the terrible happenings during the darkest period in Igbo History. It does not really matter if some of them are now British, American, Norwegian, Spanish, Irish, Greek, Canadian or Israeli citizens. Good for them! However, knowledge is power! This is a unique opportunity for them to neutralize the malicious federal propaganda of the last 43 years which still heaps all the blame for the problems of the country in the Sixties on Igbos. Nezia, onye ndi iro gbara gburugburu na eche ndu ya nche mgbe nile. Up till today, are Igbos not still being slaughtered, at will, in parts of Northern Nigeria? Has any culprit ever been brought to book? “One Nigeria indeed!
There was this silly Civil War acronym which went thus: Go On With One Nigeria (G.O.W.O.N.). Later, it had metamorphosed into a slogan which enabled the Nigerian Government, on land and in the air, to perpetrate numerous crimes and atrocities in Igboland. Their soldiers killed, looted, burnt and raped at will. There was no control. Egyptian pilots of the Nigerian Air Force in their Russian-built MIGS had avoided the warfronts. Rather, they dropped their bombs on Markets, Hospitals, Red Cross Outposts, Refugee Camps, Schools, etc. Thereafter, the lying Radio Nigeria would go on air to claim that their Egyptian allies had hit “several military targets.” Criminals, all!
The Chadian mercenaries in the Nigerian Army were mass murder specialists. The Hausa/Fulani Oligarchy also gave them a lot of backing. Were they not the ones who murdered thousands of innocent men, women and children at Asaba in August 1967? Today, those Chadians are part of Boko Haram. Talk of nemesis!
Looking at the Civil War in retrospect, the federal troops were not particularly brave, contrary to widespread propaganda. Rather, they were simply a bunch of over-pampered, reluctant warriors who were purportedly fighting to keep Nigeria one-for Gowon and his overlords of the Oligarchy. Today, Nigeria is as disunited as it ever would become. The endgame is just around the bend, or isn’t it?
Is Confederation the answer?
Would a Confederal system as canvassed by Col. Ojukwu at Aburi Ghana early in January, 1967 have served Nigeria better? As a bored boy just out of Secondary School, I had monitored the Aburi meeting, from start to finish, on Radio Nigeria, Radio Ghana, B.B.C.; Voice of America, and Radio France. All the participants were in agreement and nobody was forced to sign the communiqué. General Joseph Ankrah had countersigned. Col. Gowon had given the ‘Vote of Thanks’ on behalf of his colleagues. It is a pity they all claimed later not to have understood Col. Ojukwu’s grammar. I mean Gowon, Ejoor, Adebayo, Katsina, and the rest of the half-baked Army Officers! What a pity! At least the terrible war would have been prevented.
It was Sir. Ahmadu Bello who actually introduced the ‘Confederation’ lexicon into our political dictionary. Then, he had told the whole world that for the North, it was Confederation or nothing. Oil had not yet been discovered and the North, with her groundnut pyramids, was Nigeria’s richest Region. It had taken a mind-boggling compromise by Zik to settle the matter and allow Nigeria proceed towards Independence. To the chagrin of Chief Awolowo and the utter surprise of the wily British Colonial Masters, Zik had conceded the Interim Prime Ministership of Nigeria to Ahmadu Bello’s stooge, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa. That was in September 1957. Chief Awolowo had voiced his anger and disgust openly. That was the genesis of his problem with the North. Have you now gotten the point? It was also the beginning of the moslem North’s arrogant and presumptuous ‘born to rule’ mentality (or is it now a syndrome)?
Nigeria yesterday!
Before I can really progress, it is necessary that I discuss some aspects of yesterday’s Nigeria. I am qualified to do so, at least historically. Since politics and history are intertwined, I have portrayed both in Chapters 1-5 (Part One) of my book. Without any shadow of doubt, Nigeria’s problems of the Sixties had germinated on Western Nigerian soil. Who planted the evil seed? Sir Ahmadu Bello, Premier of Northern Nigeria, Prime Minister– Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Defence Minister, Alhaji Mohammadu Ribadu and the rest of them. The Northern Establishment really hated Chief Awolowo’s guts and was bent on dealing with him, even at the risk of destabilizing the country. Incidentally, they had achieved all their negative aims. The vexatious aspect of it was that the North, when the chicken finally came home to roost, contrived to heap the entire blame on “Ojukwu and the Ibos”.
Somehow, the Yorubas, the Tivs, etc, had joined the genocidal refrain against us. Shortly, you will see why millions of Igbos still regard the Tivs as an ungrateful bunch. Let me now dwell a bit on the politicization of the Nigerian Army. This was indeed one of the causes of the January 1966 Coup.
In any country (especially in Africa, Asia and Latin America) where the military, rather than act as a major stabilizing force between opposing political views, begins to take sides, a war almost invariably results. It was late Brigadier Samuel Ademulegun who gave himself to be used as a tool by Alhaji Ahmadu Bello. By implication, he provided the (internal) impetus to the said politicization. That was all in a futile bid to eventually become Nigeria’s first indigenous General Officer Commanding (GOC).
Ademulegun became very closely allied with the Northern Peoples’ Congress (NPC) of Alhaji Ahmadu Bello. Both men were so close that they visited each other, at any time of day or night. Such ill-advised fraternization was frowned upon by sensible politicians and Army Officers – even from the North. At that time, Ademulegun was Commander, First Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna. It was common knowledge then that though he was a Yoruba, the man was certainly not on best of terms with Chief Awolowo and other Action Group leaders. The reasons were obvious too!
From stories that came out later, not many soldiers (including the Yorubas) were apparently too saddened to see him go during the January 1966 coup. Never mind the subsequent Northern-sponsored propaganda which came out just before the July 1966 “counter coup”. Same was only aimed at enlisting the sympathy of the Yorubas for the impending mayhem and killings against the Ibos. Unfortunately, the lying propaganda achieved its aim and the Yorubas turned against their Igbo neighbours, bosses, workers, colleagues, teachers, students, masters, apprentices, etc.
It was the same Brigadier Ademulegun who improperly ‘approved’ that troops be sent to the Tiv Division, as it was then known, to quell widespread and bitter political riots aimed against Hausa/Fulani domination. Incidentally, there was no official clearance from Army Headquarters (though there was “tacit approval” from Defence Minister, Muhammadu Ribadu). But then, this was part of the said politicization. Things were not being done properly any longer. Rather, the over-ambitious Brigadier wanted to demonstrate his utmost loyalty to the Sardauna.
During the military clampdown, the Tiv leader, ebullient and courageous Joseph Tarka, narrowly escaped being killed. It was Premier M.I. Okpara who gave him refuge somewhere in Igboland. Late Ibo Lt. Colonel, Arthur Unegbe, had boldly protested the illegal deployment and almost lost his job. He was eventually to lose his life during the so-called Ibo Coup of January, 1966 – apparently because he refused to participate.
Ironically, the same Tivs took a very active and unholy part during the Igbo massacre in 1966. They also bore the brunt of Biafran desperation during the Civil War. Amongst the federal troops, their losses were probably the highest (ratio-wise) because, for some reasons, they opted to do more of the fighting (and the dying also). After the Dimka coup of February 1976, their Officer Cadre was further decimated. This is always the fate of those who have very short memories…
Eventually, on the insistence of the outgoing British GOC, General Welby Everard, Ironsi was appointed GOC in 1965 (on the basis of merit rather than politics). All the while, the “soldier’s soldier” had shown or real interest in Ademulegun’s schemings, propaganda (over Radio Nigeria, Kaduna) and unsoldierly blackmail. Without doubt, Ironsi actually qualifies as the least-politicised top soldier in the whole of the African Continent. So, those who linked him, in whatever way, with the “Ibo Coup” of 1966 are shameless and unintelligent liars.
January 1966: An Igbo Coup?
The so-called “Ibo Coup Plot” was actually thwarted by Gen. Ironsi (in Lagos) and Col. Ojukwu (in Kano). If I am not mistaken, both men were top Igbo Army Officers. Actually, the plot would have succeeded if the culprits had stuck to their original plan of letting “strongman” Major Nzeogwu tackle Gen. Ironsi. Nzeogwu’s colleagues were however awed by the myth built around the Sardauna and begged him to tackle the man. They promised to deal with Gen. Ironsi and probably would have succeeded if not that Major Obienu had failed to show up, as agreed, with his Recce Platoon from Abeokuta.
Now, wait for the bombshell! Do you know that Major Hassan Usman Katsina was part and parcel of the “Ibo Coup plot?” In the NEW NIGERIA NEWSPAPER of 16th January 1966 (page 5), you can see the picture of a smiling Major Katsina standing at Nzeogwu’s right hand. That was immediately after both of them came back, with their obviously happy troops, from Sir. Ahmadu Bello’s residence. Most of those soldiers were Northerners.
When the plot eventually failed, Major Katsina had gone to Ironsi, told tales and got promoted to Lt. Colonel. He was also appointed Military Governor of the North. Was it not the same chameleonic fellow who helped plot the May 29, 1966 ‘Araba day’ bloodshed in the North? He was also part of the plot to murder his benefactor, Gen. Ironsi in the night of 28th July, 1966. Katsina later had become Army Chief of Staff, without fighting a battle – not to talk of a war. Most fortuitously, the very same NEW NIGERIA photograph had also appeared in the TELL Magazine of mid-2011, I think it was an Anniversary Edition. Read it for yourself.
Let me quote from a Newspaper write-up (THE NATION-ON-SUNDAY of 20th January, 2013 – P. 18).
All said and done, the January 15 ‘Revolution’ stopped the genocide against the Tiv freedom fighters. The early ‘60s blizzard against the people at Gboko, Tombul, Adikpo, Lafia and Daudu was commanded by Col. Yakubu Pam, who later was promoted Adjutant- General. His unprofessional use of the military against the people affronted Major Chris Anuforo, the Commander of the Reece unit at Gboko. Chris was so agitated with the treatment meted out to the Tivs that on the night he had the gun, he personally went for Col Pam.
The Second Battalion at Ibadan was commanded by Lt. Col Largema and he was the Officer who moved the soldiers into the streets to cause mayhem in support of the marooned Premier, Chief S.L.A. Akintola. He also tutored him on how to use firearms. The Premier, on that night, opened fire against the soldiers who came to arrest him. Unlike his Deputy, Fani Kayode, who cried like a woman, on sighting the soldiers, Akintola fought and died like a man. January 15 also restored normalcy and brought to an end the bleeding in the streets of Yoruba land…
Nigeria today…!
At the time I packaged POST-WAR NIGERIA, RECONCILIATION AND UNITY…, I had been able to provide 350 largely historical pages (Chapters 6-20) depicting ‘Nigeria today,’ Right now, I could easily add a hundred pages more. However, that step would have to await a possible re-print of the book.
My book, in its Part 2, has talked about so many things that have happened in this country between 1970 and 2009. About one hundred and seven topics were discussed. Such include a Chapter on bad leadership, (Chapter 6), the sham 2006 population census, the Bakassi bungling, poverty and profligacy, Solid Minerals galore, the Sharia debacle, a rotten Aviation sector, the murder of Bola Ige, May 29; a Counterfeit Democracy Day? Coups in Nigeria; treasonable?, Obasanjo’s Life Presidency gamble, Corruption, Democracy Dividends, (what are they?), ‘SELECTION 2007’ (Africa’s most fraudulent election). Other topics handled under ‘Nigeria today’ also include a Youth Unemployment Welfare Scheme, Security, Religion in Nigeria, Igbos and Postwar Nigeria, Igbo heros (dead and alive), as well as Constitutional Reforms (Chapter 20).
Nigeria tomorrow?
In 1960, she was a potential African superpower. Today, my country is a sick, corrupt, confused, lawless, idolatrous, bewitched, retrogressive and unrepentant Prodigal Child of Africa. Incidentally, it was in the early Sixties that I went for my Secondary School education. That was in a USAIDSecondary School at Port Harcourt, Eastern Nigeria. We had access to all current Magazines and Newspapers (local and foreign). That was also where I acquired my democratic credentials. I am a democrat though I am not a politician. Both are mutually exclusive…
If President Jonathan cannot effectively and sincerely tackle the corruption ‘monster’ before January 2015, there is going to be fire on the Nigerian mountain. Let us not blame Boko Haram for everything But then, how can he do it with his hands tied behind his back by 2015? For example, can he properly prosecute the sons of PDP Chairman, Alhaji Bamangar Tukur and former Chairman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali for alleged fuel importation criminality? How can he, if he is bent on 2015, remove the putrefying stench at the NNPC, NDDC, the MDAs, Central Bank and even the EFCC, among others?
Are you surprised that Hon. Farouk Lawan has been allowed to sneak back into the “hallowed” green Chambers of the National Assembly? Why is Femi Otedola still breezing in and out of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa? Is a bribe-giver not as culpable as the taker? The questions can go on and on. The stench of corruption pervades everywhere. So, is President Jonathan sincere about his Anti-Corruption offensive? Well, not if he is determined to throw his hat into the ring, come 2015!
This question ought to interest everybody who loves his or her country-including the following Organized Civil Society members:- NBA, NLC, NMA, NUT, ASUU, NCWS, NUJ, NULGE, NUPENG, PENGASSAN, NIGERIANS in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), NANS, etc! Forward this e-mail to any of them, if you can.
First and foremost, we need to sit down to discuss how to shore up the terribly cracked Nigerian edifice. For now, the National Assembly is simply papering over the cracks – and expensively too. A tentative ‘Agenda’ for the dialogue could be found in Chapter 20 of POST-WAR NIGERIA, RECONCILIATION & UNITY… Let me now highlight its key points.
- The powers of the Nigerian President are simply too much, even for his own good. To make the position less attractive, such powers should be slashed down by at least 30%.
- There should be six Regional or Executive Governors – and 36 Deputy Governors.
- A Federal Unicameral Legislature should replace the National Assembly. Thirty (30) Lawmakers should be elected from each of the six geo-political zones.
- The 36 State Houses of Assembly should be scrapped. Rather, we want just six Regional Assemblies.
- The Inspector-General of Police should be appointed-and sacked – by Mr. President, the Six Regional Governors etc. A simple majority of votes should be adopted. My book has supplied every detail.
National Youth Unemployment Welfare Scheme.
In the short-term, this is the only way to address the terrible unemployment problem on our shores. Chapter 14 of the book has talked about it, in some detail. A fraction of the savings from the prunings above would suffice for the Scheme. An unemployed B.Sc. holder would be entitled to N50,000.00 monthly. That is the highest payment under the Scheme and those who are qualified to benefit would do so for five years only. Insecurity would go down drastically…
In the long run, the politicians must stop proffering lame excuses and try to provide jobs for our young people. I have four graduates and can tell you what that means in Nigeria today. Opportunities abound in the Oil and Gas, Solid Minerals, Tourism, Textiles, Agricultural/Animal Production, the Railway sub-Sector, etc. At a Seminar sometime ago, a Central Bank Deputy Governor had stated that the Agricultural Production Sector alone could provide two million jobs, for skilled and unskilled Youths, within two years. So, what are our so-called leaders waiting for?
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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.
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