Chinua Achebe is a great writer, with well thought out and concise work that is well presented and easy to read. However while his writing talent is unquestioned, I really feel his views in this book are biased and will result in the increase of tribalism, hence corruption and suffering of his beloved Igbo ethnic group as well as all Nigerians. Therefore he fails in his attempt to create unity and reduce tribalism and corruption which he so loathes.

In the Chapter "The Role of the Writer in Africa", he says that a writer should align himself with the weak and powerless against the strong. This is an agreeable point. However, he tries to cast his Igbo people as the victims in Nigeria while ignoring the sufferings of other ethnic groups brought upon by the Igbos. This is not a recipe for national reconciliation.

In the Chapter "Cradle of Nigerian Nationalism", he tries to cast the Yoruba Leader, Chief Alowolo as a tribal leader who reunited his ancient Yoruba people "with a powerful glue of resuscitated ethnic pride, hence creating the "Action Group" political party that reduced the dominance of the Igbo dominated NCDC. The irony here is that Achebe sees no problem with the NCDC being Igbo dominated while he complains about the Action Group being Yoruba dominated. This double standards is not a recipe for national reconciliation.

In the same chapter, while calling Alowolo's Action group a tribal party, he says, without any misgivings, that it also galvanized support from not only the Yoruba, but also the Riverline and minority groups in the Niger delta who "dreaded the prospects of Igbo political domination". This proves two points. That the Action Party was not an exclusive Yoruba tribal party like the NCDC was becoming. Second, that the Riverline and Minority eastern Tribes "dreaded" the prospect of Igbo domination. So the Igbo's are starting to look, not like the poor victims, but a ruthless tribe that will dominate others with impunity. Again, Mr Achebe's biased, pro-igbo views will not improve unity in Nigeria.

In the chapter "The Decline", Mr Achebe says that the original idea of a "One Nigeria" at independence was pressed by Eastern (read Igbo) leaders and intellectuals, especially Nnamdi Azikiwe. This is true because the Igbo were dominating every sector in Nigeria and they saw that a unified Nigeria would benefit them. They did not care about what other tribes felt.

Initially, the the Northerners led by the Sardauna, Ahmadu Bello, resisted the idea of a "One Nigeria". Achebe tries to cast the Northerners as short sighted and not working to remove the British colonist, but their objections were based on a legitimate and true fear of dominance by the Igbo. Why would the northerners want to remove one oppressor, the British (who were actually competent and knew how to run a non-corrupt government), and bring in another oppressor, the Igbo ( who were corrupt and tribalistic)?. So Mr Achebe, your Igbo leaders should have been less greedy and less short sighted and tried to understand why the Northerners resisted a One Nigeria idea. Maybe the whole Nigerian people would be in a better position today.

Don't take my word for it. Just listen to the Sardauna in his own words here ( [...] ) explaining the legitimate fear the northerners have about the Igbo. I think the Igbo, instead of arrogantly dismissing such feelings, should have taken them into consideration and tried to live in harmony with other tribes instead of trying to dominate them.

In the chapter named "January 15, 1966 Coup", Mr Achebe shows his extremely biased attitude in favor of his Igbo tribe. This is the classic definition of a tribalist. He tries to minimize the January 15, 1966, coup as one led by "junior officers" protesting corruption, but he fails to accurately portray the tribal nature of that coup. The Sardauna , Sir Ahmadu Bello and Samuel Akintola, the greatest leaders of the North and West respectively were killed, along with numerous others from same regions, but there was no Igbo killed. Achebe says the coup was led by "junior officers most of them igbo" led by Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu from northern city of Kaduna. This is misleading. Major Nzeogwu was not a northerner. He was an Igbo born in Kaduna. Same applies to Emeka Ojukwu, Biafra's secessionist leader, an Igbo born in the North. So if he calls Nzeogwu a northerner, he should also call Ojukwu a northerner. This coup was a totally tribal affair and trying to say otherwise will not help improve the tribalism issues in Nigeria.

In the chapter "The Dark Days", Mr Achebe, having minimized the coup as "non-tribal and one led by Junior officers protesting corruption and decay", starts railing against other tribes when they took revenge, rightfully so, against the Igbos who had killed their most senior leaders. He says that in a country where tribalism is endemic, the "rumor of an Igbo Coup" began to gain acceptance. I find it unbelievable that Mr Achebe would take such a position. This January 1966 coup, WAS AN IGBO COUP, there is no doubt about it, and denying that will not further Achebe's goal of reducing tribalism in Nigeria.

In the same chapter, he says that other tribes started attacking Easterners, taking out their resentment against the Igbos who "had led the nation in every sector - politics, education, commerce and arts and had driven out the colonizing British from Nigeria". This comment brings two points to light. He tries to portray "Easterners" as one victimized group but this is not truth. As he said before, many minority Easterners "dreaded the prospect of Igbo domination", hence their joining of the Yoruba "Action Party" group.

Second point is that he tries to portray other tribes as being driven by envy at Igbo's success. Mr Achebe, remember the Igbos triggered this by launching a coup and killing people from other tribes. Second, a nation will never be united if one group dominates all the rest. This is the biggest mistake we have in Africa. One tribe tries to dominate and shut out others, the others fight back and we all end up losing, just as we see in Nigeria, and so many African nations. So Mr Achebe, please try to be far sighted and use your talent to guide your Nigerian people (all tribes) to be more unified and not celebrate the Igbos for dominating the rest, and congratulating them for being superior, or for being the "Jews of Africa" as has been said before.

Mr Achebe then describes his experience leaving Lagos. For those who don't know, Lagos is in western Nigeria, in Yoruba land and many Igbos had settled there as well as many other parts of the country. However we don't hear of other tribes settling in Igboland. This skewed migration tendencies were bound to bring problems. It is a fact that migratory tribes in Africa never assimilate with their host tribes, unlike the United States where different people integrate, learning English and adopting a common mainstream culture.

So you when people from a different tribe come to your area, they are basically "not your neighbors" but an alien people just occupying your land. When Mr Achebe says he found it "a strange and powerful experience" when his non-igbo "neighbors" whom he lived with for decades started jeering him and saying that "food will be cheaper in Lagos" when Igbos leave, he is not being genuine. I can bet that he never socialized with the locals, learned their language, or tried to integrate with their culture. Even after living in Lagos for decades, he maintained his Igbo culture and language and probably had mostly Igbo friends. Not surprising, even his "intellectual non-igbo friends" said that he should have known what was coming to him as an Igbo.

This point about Tribalism is illustrated again when Mr Achebe, fleeing to the east, arrived in Benin City in the Mid-west and he says there was a "distinct atmospheric change". There he found Igbo policemen who welcomed him as a brother, cheering him, saying "Oga, thank you". They cheered him just because he was a prominent Igbo man, even if he spent most of his life in Lagos or other regions. I bet non-igbos living in the East would never receive such treatment. So Mr Achebe should realize that tribalism goes both ways. Everyone, even the Igbos are tribalistic. So we should accept that fact and then we can start discussing how we can live together with justice for everyone.

In the Chapter "A History of Ethnic Tension and Resentment", Mr Achebe clearly illustrates that there is something about the Igbo that makes other Nigerian tribes resent them so much. He points out that in his book, "The Trouble with Nigeria", that Nigerians will "achieve consensus in no other matter than their common resentment of the Igbo". He says that while the Yoruba had a huge historical and geographical head start, the Igbo, "in one fantastic burst of energy in the 20 years between 1930 and 1950" managed to wipe out that advantage. He also illustrates from the book by J.P Clark an image of "ants filing out of the wood", how the Igbo moved out of their forest home and scattered and virtually seized the floor.

This scenario, as I said before, is a recipe for disaster in Nigeria and other African countries. When one tribe starts to invade other peoples territories and due to cultural, language and other factors, start to dominate everything there, that will definitely create resentment and conflict. The Igbo's congratulate themselves for being "superior" and "competent", and for being able to dominate other tribes in a fair competition, but they should also know they are not very smart because other tribes will resents them and drive them out, just as it happened, and they will end up losing.

If Mr. Achebe is smart and loves Nigeria, he should not be celebrating Igbo "superiority" over other tribes. He should use his talents trying to think how different tribes can work together to ensure everyone gets a fair shake so that the whole nation can utilize its talents for the good of everybody.

To his credit however, he concedes that the Igbos are prone to "hubris and overweening pride, thoughtlessness, exhibitionism and disregard for humility and quietness" which can offend others.

However, he fails again because he continues to argue that in Nigeria's context, they "get the achievers (meaning Igbos) out and replace them with less qualified individuals from the desired ethnic background to gain access to resources of the state". I have heard this argument in Kenya where I come from, but it does not hold water.

First, achieving "access to resources of the state for all tribes" is the only good and fair thing to do. There is no reason why Igbo's should to take over all jobs just because they "are more qualified" because competence is not exclusive to only one tribe. I live in the US and can tell you that you will find smart people from all backgrounds, all tribes and all races.

Mr Achebe displays his scewed and totally wrong position by saying he was "dismayed" by a 1966 publication called "The Nigerian Situation: Facts and Background", which demonstrated the complete unfairness existing in Nigeria where 45% of managers were Igbo, over 50% of the posts in Nigerian Railways, over 70% of posts in Nigeria Ports Authority and foreign service were occupied by Igbos. Remember the Igbos account for only 18% of Nigeria's total Nigerian population.

I don't know why Mr Achebe would not find such discrepancies disturbing and why he would be "dismayed" when someone reveals them. The only reason I can think of is because his Igbo people were on the benefiting end of this. This again, Mr Achebe, is not the attitude you should adopt if you want a Nigeria for everyone.

In the Chapter "The Army", Mr Achebe again tries to minimize the "Igbo Coup" led by Major Nzeogwu saying that it was actually not an "Igbo coup". He tries to deny that Major Nzeogwu was an Igbo, saying that he was born in Kaduna (north) and spoke fluent Hausa and wore northern traditional dress. That did not stop him from massacring Northern and Western leaders like Sir Ahmadu Bello. Achebe also claims that the coup was stopped by General Aguiyi-Ironsi, an Igbo. However, he continues to note that General Ironsi refused to court martial the coup plotters and transfered them East where they were eventually released by Ojukwu. So Ironsi is not as non-tribal and fair as Mr Achebe tries to portray him.

After trying to minimize the "Igbo Coup", Mr Achebe goes all the way to condemn the resulting "counter coup" by northern officers to revenge the "Igbo Coup". He says the killing of General Ironsi and Fajuyi were part of a larger and bloody coup led by the northern General Murtala Mohamed. This kind of double standard is not lost on anyone. Once again, Mr Achebe fails by trying to unfairly promote his tribe and minimize their failings while maximizing their opponents failings. This will not result in a unified Nigeria.

In the Chapter "The Pogroms", Mr Achebe again goes overboard trying to minimize the "Igbo Coup" by saying that it was an "Idealistic Coup" that proved to be a disaster for the Igbo. I find it just unbelievable that a man of Mr Achebe's intelligence would not realize that his biased views will make other tribes think of him as just another unrepentant Igbo tribalist. Here again, he fails in his stated goal of unifying Nigeria for all its people.

In the Chapter "Aburi Accord", Mr Achebe claims that majority of the Easterners had grown contemptuous of General Gowon's federal government for its failure to bring the culprits of the mass murder in the North to Justice. While this may be true, he also fails to say that his beloved Igbo General Ironsi failed to bring the "Igbo Coup" plotters to justice when he had the chance. He even transferred them to the East where they were released. This kind of double standard, again is not going to promote unity in Nigeria.

In the chapter "The Nightmare Begins", after General Ojukwu seceded Biafra from Nigeria, General Gowon responded by declaring a state of emergency and dividing the nation into 12 states based on tribe. The federal government position was that this would foster unity and stability in Nigeria. This is actually a valid point. If different tribes have control of their areas and free from domination by other tribes, this can create stability, unity, justice and eventually success. However, the Igbos, arrogantly thinking that it was their birthright to dominate other tribes, saw this as "a Machiavellian Scheme to landlock Igbos into the East Central State and isolate them from oil producing areas", areas which in truth, don't belong to them.

Mr Achebe seems sympathetic to this Igbo view although he inadvertently validates the Federal government's point by saying that the Non-Igbo minority easterners "dreaded for years - the prospect of Igbo domination". So again, Mr Achebe fails by aligning himself with the Igbo desire to dominate others, which eventually led to the destruction of Nigeria, Igbos included.

In the Chapter "The Republic of Biafra", Mr Achebe shows his support for the secessionist nation of Birafra by defining the intellectual foundation of the new nation as one "which the supreme power lay with the citizens and respected the freedoms of all mankind". However he fails to mention the plight of more that 5 million minority Easterners in Biafra who "dreaded the prospect of Igbo domination for years".

He also mentions his admiration for president Nyerere of Tanzania who supported the new State of Biafra by standing for equality, self determination and respect for human values. The Biafra leaders would have been well served if they followed Nyerere's example. Nyerere succeeded in creating the only non-tribal country in Africa where there is no tribalism, unlike Biafra, which was founded as a result of extreme tribalism.

In the Chapter "Death of the Poet , Daddy don't let him die", Mr Achebe reveals a great irony. While he earlier described the "Igbo Coup" leader Major Nzeogwu as an "idealistic junior officer" whose thoughtless actions brought disaster to the Igbos, and while he earlier said that Major Nzeogwu was "an Igbo only by name", he now says that Nzeogwu's death in the war was a big blow to Biafra because he was a "darling and enigmatic hero who had risen from anonymity to legendary heights in a short period".

This reveals two things. That Mr Achebe was not too upset about the "Igbo Coup" itself, and the resulting massacre of people from other tribes, but was upset it eventually turned out badly for the Igbo, when other tribes took revenge. He also reveals that Major Nzeogwu, whom he earlier tried to dissociate with the Igbo on account of his being born in Kaduna (north), was actually regarded as a hero by his Igbo tribesmen. Again, Mr. Achebe reveals he is a tribalist and fails in his stated goal of uniting all Nigerians.

Mr Achebe tries to cast blame to everybody else other than the Igbo themselves. In the Chapter "The Silence of the United Nations", he bemoans how in October 1969, on the losing side, General Ojukwu desperately pleaded with the United Nations for mediation to no avail. His Opponent, General Gowon insisted on Biafra's surrender and rightly noted that "the rebel leaders had made it clear that it was a fight to the finish and no concessions will ever satisfy them". The Biafra Igbo rebels, in their "hubris, overweening pride, confidence and thoughtlessness" provoked a war and were not able to finish it. So they blame everybody else except themselves. Again, Mr Achebe fails. He is not interested in justice and truth, but in the welfare of only his Igbo people and not all Nigerians.

Nothing demonstrates the folly of tribalism better than the case of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigeria's first president, an Igbo. At independence, he campaigned against the British colonialists under a "One Nigeria" mantra, when it was beneficial for the Igbos because they were dominating other Nigerian tribes and taking over all resources. When things turned awry for the Igbos and they seceded, he suddenly forgot his earlier principles of "One Nigeria" and supported the new Igbo secessionist state of Biafra. However, he could not defend a challenge to his new position and had to turn back like a coward.

So in the Chapter "Azikiwe Withdraws Support for Biafra" Mr Achebe tries to blame British intellectuals in northern universities and the Nigerian Army for challenging Azikiwe to explain why he suddenly changed his lifelong beliefs of a "One Nigeria" and now supported the breaking of Nigeria. Azikiwe was unable to explain that and decided to withdraw his support for his tribesmen's new state. Again, Mr Achebe fails. He is not interested in fairness and principles to benefit all Nigerians, but will support whatever benefits the Igbo at that particular time.

The chapter named "1970 and the Fall" reveals the hypocrisy of Mr Achebe. He says that in the end, Biafra collapsed and there were thousands of children dying every day of starvation. He goes on to say that the "Notoriously incompetent Nigerian Government was not responding to those needs, and that with ill-advised Bravado, General Gowon was busy banning relief agencies that helped Biafra". I find this level of hypocrisy amazing. Where is Ojukwu in all this mess. He started the war, he was responsible for the death and starvation of millions of Biafrans. Remember Biafrans were fighting General Gowon and inflicted heavy casualties on his soldiers. So, to blame Gowon and completely forget the other responsible person, Ojukwu, is just unbelievable.

Some other points I wish to note are in the chapter named "Gowon Responds". He was asked about Igbo property being taken over by the Government of New Rivers State. Something was said to the effect that the people of that state "felt like tenants in their own state" because the Igbos owned everything there. Again I want to reiterate that there will be no united Nigeria (or other African countries) when some tribes start dominating others with impunity, and in their own territory no less.

In the Chapter "Nigeria's Painful Transitions: A Reappraisal" , Mr Achebe talks about the crime happening in his beloved, Igbo state of Anambra. He says it was encouraged by the federal government and by an unnamed former president of Nigeria, "whose attitude to this part of Nigeria, which he and some like him consider responsible for the troubles of Nigeria's Civil war".

Mr Achebe, I have news for you. This part of Nigeria IS RESPONSIBLE for the Nigerian Civil war. That is the truth and trying to deny it is folly. Again, you fail because this denial will not endear you to Nigerians of other tribes, hence will not help to create a unified Nigeria.

In one of your last chapters "State Resuscitation and Recovery" you ask how Nigeria can be salvaged and "bring all the human and material resources to bear on its development", how to end "organized ethnic bigotry" and "corruption". I am encouraged that you are thinking in this direction.

I am no expert in nation development and reconciliation, but I can tell you that TRIBALISM, like the one exhibited by the Igbo, is one of the main causes of our backwardness in Africa.

We have to deal with tribalism, ensure that no ethnic group moves to other ethnic group areas and try to dominate their resources. I believe the formation of states based on tribal lines will help. Or at least grouping together tribes that are in friendly terms and can live together in harmony. Then every tribe will control the resources in their state and ensure justice and welfare for their people and remove the danger of domination by other supposedly "more competent" tribes.

In conclusion, Mr Achebe is a great author, with superior talent. But he is also biased and is a tribalist. Here he fails like a majority of our other brilliant, (or not-so-brilliant) Africans leaders and intellectuals.

http://www.amazon.com/There-Was-Country-Personal-History/product-reviews/1594204829

The best analysis in years. God bless you my brother

I feel exactly the same way even before reading the book. I knew it was going to be too one sided typical of them and I was right. You actually read the book

The reviewer is not even a Nigerian.

alj harem: The best analysis in years. God bless you my brother

I feel exactly the same way even before reading the book. I knew it was going to be too one sided typical of them and I was right. You actually read the book

alj harem: The best analysis in years. God bless you my brother

I feel exactly the same way even before reading the book. I knew it was going to be too one sided typical of them and I was right. You actually read the book

Where have you been sir?...

*556#:
The reviewer is not even a Nigerian.

I know, he is from Kenya right ? I read the whole articule and all I did was clap as the writer know what has always been on my mind about this Achebe issue (the worse tribalist after Nnamdi the worst and before Ojukwu)

zameen:
Where have you been sir?...

Good morning Sir, I have been around just siddon dey look statue for now.

very good review from a neutral person.

the igbo control in the centre then is as a result of capability not nepotism.

igbos are the most educated tribe then, remember b4 independence things were like that.

british people need capability and found it in igbos even with their hatred of igbos they were without a choice.

its clear that when igbos were in charge there is growth and prosperity in he nation.

but now hausa,yoruba and fulani were in control what do we have? failed state.

whose fault?

igbo this igbo that every where. even the fulani turn yoruba man alj harem.

this writeup is nonsense and trash.

what is the need of paying people home and abroad to help you and rewrite history.
these guys should stop wasting our money in this their failed project of rewriting history

infact history has proved it that nigeria cannot do without the igbos.
awolowo said it himself and i qoute "if the federal by omission or commission allow the east to go then the west will go too"


you have nigeria to develope this donkey years but you cannot because of inabilities of you guys.

David mark vindicated the igbos when he said NCNC is the only true national party others are tribal one.

hausa/fulanis are territory grabbers and religion extremist, how can they progress talk more of developement.


yorubas are progressive minded but tribalism and easy wealth orientation in their culture couldn't allow them to lead this country out of backwardness.

my point is that this thread is a laughable one.

after the war these guys has been spending our money paying historians to rewrite our history.
but the issue is that till now they are not vindicated meaning that they will never be bcuz truth only stands the test of time.

it took gowon more than 4 responses to achebes book, meaning there's something he is trying to hide.
in one of his response he said and i qoute

"go and meet historians to tell you what happen in the war"

what does it mean when a major player tells you outsiders are the one that knows the invent he took major place in?
the only thing that will make a man to say such is the fear of mistake then implicate himself thereby letting truth out of the box.

where are those paid rewriters of history.

by the way how much did they pay this man?

if you need truth meet those that can tell you one without fear or favor.


[b]

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/10/david-marks-neo-zikist-intentions/

David Mark’s neo-Zikist intentions
on OCTOBER 29, 2012 · in PEOPLE & POLITICS
12:06 am
1 Tweet
By Ochereome Nnanna
SENATE President, David Bonaventure Mark, seems to be rapidly shedding his military political establishment’s ideological feathers. A former influential “IBB Boy” between 1985 and 1993, Mark, in latter years, seems to be repenting of some of the odious legacies of the internal colonialist policies the establishment forced down the throat of the nation in the 1999 Constitution before they vacated power.

The other day, following the Mubi slaughter of 42 students and other similar grisly slayings by the increasing army of malcontents around the country, Mark told his colleague senators and a listening nation that he was now in favour of introduction state police, as the current policing system has proved grossly incapable of apprehending the scale of violent criminality that lives with us today. It is common knowledge that most political figures from the military era, particularly those from the North, always kick against any notion of decentralising police functions because of their fear that they could form the embryos of new threats to disintegrate Nigeria.

In far away Quebec, Canada, last Monday, October 22, 2012 in his address at the 127th Inter Parliamentary Union, IPU, Assembly, Mark addressed the theme: “Citizenship, Identity, Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in a Globalised World”, with the progressive view that he would push for the replacement of “State of Origin” with “State of Residency” in the impending Constitution amendment exercise.

Said he, to journalists: “Let’s forget the business of state of origin and go to state of residence. Once you are resident in a place and you perform your civic responsibilities for the period, there is no reason why you should not benefit, provided, of course, you don’t claim dual residency”.

I call this a Zikist agenda, because Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe’s National Council of Nigerian Citizens, NCNC, right from its days under the leadership of Dr Herbert Macaulay, had dreamed of an independent Nigeria where the citizens would “forget their differences” and build a nation where everyone would be proud to belong; a model of patriotic dynamism out of Africa and a toast of the Black world. He had as associates outside the NCNC another political party in the North named the Northern Elements Progressive Union, NEPU, led by Malam Aminu Kano and his followers.

The NCNC was a truly national party, where Igbos produced elected officers in Lagos and parts of the old Western Region, and people from the Mid West and Yorubas won election in Port Harcourt. A Fulani man, Alhaji Umaru Altine, a staunch member of the Zikist Movement who went to jail in defence of zero tolerance to British colonialism, was elected the first Mayor Enugu.



Zik’s fellow travelers

But Zik’s fellow travellers in the fight against British rule did not share his dreams. When Obafemi Awolowo returned from England, his vision was to become part of a national political movement, but only if he would be allowed to control the Western Region cell of it. He eventually founded the Action Group, which had the primary mission of taking over the West and launching out to other parts. In the North, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello and his group were deeply concerned of what Zik would do with Islam and the North if he assumed leadership at independence. They hijacked the Northern Peoples Congress, NPC, an unabashed regional party. With the West and the North now in the hands of regionalists, the NCNC and its nationalist vision were thwarted and reduced to the regional fringes. Awolowo popularised the agitation for creation of states for the Minorities.

It was from these stimuli that the struggle by local elites to take control of the political space within their areas became popular. As soon as the nationalists were pushed out of political relevance, the regionalists in the Nigerian Army started as from 1967 to split Nigeria into states and local governments to give local elites the platforms for the freeloading on Nigeria’s oil wealth (the National Cake).



Born of the demon

Thus was born the demon of “state of origin”, which created the indigene/settler dichotomy among Nigerian citizens. This is the singular detractor to our national integration because a Nigerian can live all his life in a part of the country other than his place of ethnic roots and yet live like a foreigner in his own country. He will pay taxes, yet his children will not benefit from state government free education and bursary awards, which are reserved for “indigenes”. He can register and vote, but cannot be voted for. He and his family will be counted as part of the local population of his state of residency, and yet when the federal allocation that comes as a result of the population density arrives he and his family are discriminated against.

In spite of his contributions to the development of the state, he and his family are frequently harassed, displaced and often killed by mobs incited by local politicians against enterprising “settlers”.

Mark’s intentions are noble. Without giving Nigerians a sense of belonging wherever they live the country will never become a nation. It will never be united. Nigerians have been raised on a diet of ethnic and sectional dichotomies for more than 70 years. States and local governments have been established to institutionalise national disunity. We all are now tribalists and sectionalists at heart. It is in our blood. Even if Mark gets the support of his colleagues to push through the reform, it might merely exacerbate the hostility of “indigenes” against “settlers”, and local politicians might respond with more incitement to violence.

However, we commend the Senate President for standing by this nationalist agenda and hope he will not be discouraged by the odds.

Off to New York City

AS you read this piece, I will be in New York City, USA, my self-chosen primary staging post for coverage of the American presidential and other elections tied thereto.

I will move around quite a bit, touching base in Washington for sure.

I will endeavour to look out for story angles that are relevant to us in Nigeria in our practice of the presidential system. STAY WITH THE BEST!

[/b]

The Igbos as we know, don't stick to legitimate and decent trade, if at all they dominate anything today it will be the organised importation of substandard goods from Chinese slave factories. Reading through Mr. OP's piece, i must commend the writer of such a wonderful article. Achebe should apply same principles he jugded others with to the Igbos and let's see how the Igbos come out, his double standards in the said book, if anything, has worked against all the tribalist affection for his people. Overall, i think the book is a classic fictional book.

Mr. Poster who is pasting the David Mark article, Mark is only playing his 2015, by agitating for scraping of State of citizenship status, he is only trying to win over those who are known to leave their land in numbers and find it hard leaving their host community. If he can win the Ijebus from the Southwest also by supporting creation of Ijebu state then he has a strong grip on 2015 presidency. All these is coming in the face of threat some non-indigenes are faced with in Lagos. Whichever way you see it, the thread is still focusing on Achebe's 'Fictional book' he is promoting.

9ja voice: if you need truth meet those that can tell you one without fear or favor.


[b][/b]

So despite ours (and probably your parents) best effort to educate you, understanding the use of quotation marks and basic English comprehension still remains an uphill struggle for you??

POWERFUL!

This is what non Igbos saw after he released his book, but d internet is drowned with Igbos.

Andro Blaze:

So despite ours (and probably your parents) best effort to educate you, understanding the use of quotation marks and basic English comprehension still remains an uphill struggle for you??

the [b] openin tag and ['/b] wrapped around text/string in Html is suppose to give a bold outlook and not give it qoutation marks.

.

Andro Blaze:

So despite ours (and probably your parents) best effort to educate you, understanding the use of quotation marks and basic English comprehension still remains an uphill struggle for you??

As in the form of tutored apes trying to educate full fledge human beings,eeh?

If you really understand what education means outside ape's views,you will understand that education is main to impact common sense and reasoning into people that will then enable them to solve problems and move forward.Not tribal,religious and primitive instincts that herds people towards extinction,like those your socalled educators are hearding nigerians to,including you.

i wonder why this is not on the fp

alj harem:

I know, he is from Kenya right ? I read the whole articule and all I did was clap as the writer know what has always been on my mind about this Achebe issue (the worse tribalist after Nnamdi the worst and before Ojukwu)

Monkey, why not publish your own memoirs for others to review. Why are you always insulting Prof Achebe, a man who can afford you x20 thousand.
Get a life aszhole.

Great piece from the OP,that Achebe's book will only add salt aΩ̴̩̩̩̥d̶̲̥̅̊ pepper to their injury.I rarely see non-igbos willing to settle down i̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̅ Igboland but they always want to claim other people's territories.Imagine them telling Fashola before 2011 elections they wouldn't vote him unless he increases the number of Igbos i̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̅ his cabinet as they (Igbos) constisute a large percentage of the electorate.
On David Mark,nobody should take that thing serious anymore,he's only preparing ahead of 2015.Same person who waz canvassing for the creation of Ijebu State the other day.That one just wan be president by force,Ole Oshi.

The op seems to be suffering from igbophobia, he tried unsuccessfuly to label Zik a tribalist, and then went on to support the creation of states based on tribal affiliations, this write up is more tribalistic than anything Achebe ever wrote.

If truly Nigeria was one nation practicing true federalism igbos migrating to other regions shouldn't be a problem and should not be seen as domination.

No matter how hard you try you cant change history, Azikiwe will always be remembered as a hero and a nationalist by Nigeria, Africa and the entire World.

While Awolowo will be regarded as a tribalistic champion, only his people will continue to view him as a hero.

damoobaba: Great piece from the OP,that Achebe's book will only add salt aΩ̴̩̩̩̥d̶̲̥̅̊ pepper to their injury.I rarely see non-igbos willing to settle down i̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̅ Igboland but they always want to claim other people's territories.Imagine them telling Fashola before 2011 elections they wouldn't vote him unless he increases the number of Igbos i̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̅ his cabinet as they (Igbos) constisute a large percentage of the electorate.
On David Mark,nobody should take that thing serious anymore,he's only preparing ahead of 2015.Same person who waz canvassing for the creation of Ijebu State the other day.That one just wan be president by force,Ole Oshi.

First class monkey, stop peddling lies here, big fool

After more than 40 years of the Yorubas and their cohorts pouring so much resources into rewriting history in order to hide the truth or bury it, yet just one book from CHINUA ACHEBE, the Yorubas are running shamefully mad because their evil has been exposed for the world to take note. In fact the more they cry because of the ACHEBE'S book "THERE WAS A COUNTRY" is even the more i like this man ACHEBE.


But the real question the Yorubas are doing everything to skip is, what have you done for your "nigeria" despite haven been in control of the economy and politics of this nigeria for more than 40 years without any competition from anyone, apart from a complete failed state where corruption, 419, tribalism,nepotism, religious bigotry and violence are the order of the day, what have you been able to achieve to keep your nigeria as a place where humans can live as is done in else where?

Standing5: The Igbos as we know, don't stick to legitimate and decent trade, if at all they dominate anything today it will be the organised importation of substandard goods from Chinese slave factories. Reading through Mr. OP's piece, i must commend the writer of such a wonderful article. Achebe should apply same principles he jugded others with to the Igbos and let's see how the Igbos come out, his double standards in the said book, if anything, has worked against all the tribalist affection for his people. Overall, i think the book is a classic fictional book.

GO NYASH YOUR MAMA ANIMAL THEY SHOWN WHOLE BUNCH OF YORUBA ON T.V HERE ON CENTRAL FLORIDA T.V WITH VARIOUS TYPE OF CRIMES INCLUDING I.D THEFT CREDIT CARD FRAUD ,DRUG TRAFFICKING ,ETC ETC , IF DON'T SHUT YOUR STINKING AMALA MOUTH I WILL POST THE VIDEO'S ,I KNOW THIS PARTICULAR YORUBA WILL BE MAD ,THERE ARE WHOLE BUNCH OF YORUBA SCAM ARTIST IN ATLANTA ,MIAMI , OLUWOLE FRAUD ARTIST NOW LIVING IN FLORIDA .

9ja voice: the igbo control in the centre then is as a result of capability not nepotism.

igbos are the most educated tribe then, remember b4 independence things were like that.

british people need capability and found it in igbos even with their hatred of igbos they were without a choice.

its clear that when igbos were in charge there is growth and prosperity in he nation.

but now hausa,yoruba and fulani were in control what do we have? failed state.

whose fault?

igbo this igbo that every where. even the fulani turn yoruba man alj harem.

I believe that you understand the larger impact of what you are saying:
Given that whites have demonstrated more competence than blacks, there is no reason why any black should get a job in a place like US or even England. They can always get a competent whiteman
My point: the competence gap between Igbos and the other tribes is not as wide as the one between whites and blacks!

Can we let this rest? a man wrote about his 70+ long life, and the rest of the country is stuck in the debates of 1962