I came across this comment from this thread: INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH, 1960: Nigeria Stands Upon Firm Foundations –balewa

Chiefpriest1: Nigeria never really had a firm foundation. Apart from zik of africa, our founding fathers laid the foundation for the tribalism that is tearing us apart today. Lets not deceive ourselves

And it was rebutted by 0merta as follows:

0merta:

Zik actually started tribalism in Nigeria, Nigger!

Go and read about how he left the Nigerian Youth Movement with his fellow Igbos, simply because an Ijaw man and an Awolowo-backed candidate, Mr. Ernest Ikoli defeated Oba Samuel Akinsanya, his own preferred candidate in a bye election into the legislative house in Lagos.

Awolowo, in a bid to promote National unity and eschew tribalism, had to support an Ijaw man and oppose Oba Samuel Akinsanya who was not only a Yoruba man, but was Awolowo's Kinsman and the Odemo of Isara, Remo, Ogun state.

I also hope you are enlightened and schooled enough to know how Nnamdi Azikiwe forcefully and cunningly "deposed" Eyo Ita, a "Cross-riverian", as the NCNC Leader and head of the defunct Government of Eastern Nigeria in the 1950s, after the former was defeated by the Great Awo to become the Premier of the Western region.

Zik was a Tribalist extraordinaire so shut the eff up!

My opinion:

0merta should be the one to shut the fxck up because Awololwo started Tribalism in Nigeria.
Now listen Mr 0merta lemme school you, you fool!

NCNC ( National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons) was formed by Herbert McCauley a yoruba man. Very wise initiative of him to form a National Party if you ask me.

Meanwhile, both Awo and Zik were abroad studying. However, Zik returned first and joined the National Party as the secretary to Herbert, the founder of NCNC. Unfortunately, Herbert died and Zik took over leadership.

Later on, Awo returned and joined politics. He didn't join the already formed National Party but formed his own party. Good idea!. But what kind of party did he form? A National Party ? NO! but an Ethnic party: Egbe Omo Oduduwa (EOO). Now you tell me who is tribalistic.

Agreed, EOO went on to have a name change: Action Group (nor be today thjs people start to dey change party-name like wrapper), but the party was defeated by NCNC at various electoral positions. Zik won Awo! But before the inauguration into the offices, Awo went and brainwashed the yorubas, asking the how could they allow someone from Across the Niger to come over to rule them? Again, who is the tribalist here? Maybe you can tell me if someone from Across the Niger isn't a Nigerian?

Surprisingly, those who won under the platform of the NCNC cross carpeted to the Action Group just before the Inauguration (cross carpeting nor be new tin for this set of Ppl o). Now, AG claimed victory. I laugh in Tiv. Bunch of loosers!

However I still blame Zik for his stupidity for not fighting till finish what he already started In the west; rather he came to the he East to disabilize the peace that had been existing there by displacing Eyo Ita. It might interest you to know that despite that Igbos who formed a majority of the NCNC party in the East, they voted a CrossRiverian, a minority in the party, to come and lead them. Again, which Ethnicity displays tribalism: The Igbos or or the Yorubas?

I can go on and on, buh please, get yourself the book: Trouble with Nigeria by C.Achebe and get schooled! pfft! !!!!!

Let's judge by their legacies and what people say about them.
Let's not really worry about the past b/c it's gone forever but let's learn from the past to shape the future.
If both of them were tribalist as accused are there not other positive attributes we can pick from them and build upon?

It can't be zik, zik was even pan African.
Too bad the person he displaced was efik, but it wasn't ethnically influenced by him. He would have done so even if an anyalogu or okonkwo was on seat.
Meanwhile, Awolowo introduced tribalism. Rebuked his people for voting zik, etc .

Awojingoist

There are three different accounts here of guilt of tribalizing politics.

Only one was by Awolowo and it involved repelling an intruder from another region entirely who abandoned his own region to seek leadership in another. Awolowo could therefore be said to have practised regional politics and not tribal politics. And he was justified because Nigeria was split into regions for each region to govern itself and not one region to govern another- a desire Zik was nursing.

However, two were by Zik, namely his pulling out of NYM with his Igbo brothers in protest of the electoral victory of the ijaw tribe over his own tribe's wish even though they and Ijaws were from the same Eastern Region, and again Zik's use of tribal clarion call to deny an Efik man a position despite the Efik man was still from the same Eastern Region as Zik.

The difference is clear. Awolowo fought against intrusion by a man not because he was from a different tribe but because he was from a different region and therefore had his own home region to begin his charity from.
But Zik fought against people from his own region just because they were of different tribes from his.

Now, tell me the tribalist. Be honest!

Awolowo opined that Nigeria is a mere geographical expression and his acts were geared towards the progress of Yorubaland at the expense of the country.

http://www.nigerianbulletin.com/threads/yorubas-are-the-problem-with-nigeria-by-sanusi-lamido-sanusi-elombah-com.111348/

Awolowo remains the undisputed champion of tribalism in Nigeria.

Asaba Genocide of Oct 7, 1967 by Awolowo and his Cohorts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEaX9lVVrCM

Most people who accuse Awolowo of tribalism obviously confuse a federalist mindset with a tribalistic mindset. As federalist Awolowo believed that each ethnic nationality was and still is a country of its own which deserved to protect its own culture from undue interference while slowly and at its own natural pace hybridizing with other cultures to finally deliver a genuine national unity and not the forced and hurried type Zik wanted and which Ironsi pushed down our throats which ended up being counterproductive till today.
There is a consensus among all Nigerians today that Britain amalgamated us without regards for our differences and opposing cultures. However many of us came to this conclusion through the hindsight provided by later events. But Awolowo had the foresight to see it ahead that only a purely federalist system characterized by a very slow and carefully controlled inter-tribal assimilation would guarantee peaceful co-existence and eventual slow but sure breaking of inter-tribal barriers to achieve genuine national unity at its own natural pace like it happened in the USA.
At some time in the US history inter-racial marriage was seen as a taboo by both blacks and whites and therefore criminalized as the various races were yet to understand and accept one another on the genuine fears that such could lead to crisis. But with time those fears were eradicated at their own natural paces and the law was repealed. Would you therefore call the Americans of those times racists? You don't try to get faster than nature or else you cause damages that will take centuries to correct. This exactly was what Zik and Ironsi did to us with their desire to unify Nigeria by force against the pace of nature. Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Enahoro, Balewa by their intuition knew Zik was totally mistaken, and they are vindicated today.
Moreover It was Zik that first boasted openly in 1947 that one god of Igbos had destined them to be the messiah of Nigeria. That was a tribal slur which made Awolowo to become circumspect of Zik onto his attempt to later govern the Western Region in 1954. The same Zik had as far back as 1938 pulled out together with his Igbo brethren from NYM (the first pan-Nigerian nationalist movement) in an envy driven protest of the victory of an Ijaw man backed by Awolowo. Awo could not have backed an Ijaw man if he was a tribalist.
Awo only later gave Zik back what Zik started. Zik was the first tribal champion. But when the others decided to go tribal to prove a point to him Igbos started complaining.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/12/12/the-north-built-on-mistakes-of-the-south-%e2%80%94-mbu/

Mathew Mbu on Tribalism, Awo and the North, "Zik won all, the majority, in the Western region. It was when he went to the East, that this notorious question, this notorious carpet-crossing, for the first time in our history was enacted on the floor of the Western House of Assembly. Before then, we never knew about carpet-crossing. Those who won on the platform of the NCNC were suddenly bought over by the Action Group.
...
The AG introduced, for the first time in our history, carpet crossing; 
...
For Nigerians who do not have a recollection of the events of that era and who talk about tribalism, they would want the records set straight. Some even say had Zik stayed back, may be he would have fought it? And some even say that from that moment onwards, Nigeria lost it?

Yes, we lost it from that moment onwards. That was crude tribalism on display. That’s all. What else could it be that somebody of Eastern origin should come and control a region that belongs to the westerners? That was a clear display of tribalism, crude and that was when Nigeria lost it, the true sense of nationalism. Yes! AG, NCNC, that I belonged to, were at opposing ends on true nationalism and nothing else. NCNC till tomorrow remains a nationalist party, one Nigeria, one people, one destiny. AG believed in one Yoruba, one nation, one Oduduwa."

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Matthew Tawo Mbu was a Nigerian lawyer, politician, diplomat, and a permanent fixture in Nigerian political affairs for more than fifty years.Wikipedia

Born: November 20, 1929, Cross River

Died: February 6, 2012, Hampstead, United Kingdom
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No modern day propaganda and fabrications of lies by unrepentant history distortionists can change the verdict already engraved on the marble of history with the inscription:

[size=14pt]Awolowo remains the undisputed, heavy-weight champion of tribalism in Nigeria![/size]

Ibo man passes gce with flying colors, zik will say Ibo man, Yoruba man passes with higher marks, zik will say a Nigerian passed. who is deceiving who

hmmmm
both Awo and Zik are great men and that is not disputable fact.
but when it comes to accusations and counter accusations about who started the tribalism in Nigeria, then pointing fingers without examining and analizing their background will only leads us to bias conclusion. and Ahmadu Bello will also be brought in.
I don't know much about Zik background but i know about Awo and all i can say abt him in relation to this context is hardship he passed through to get education, he lost his father at a tender age and had no help to fill in school, he did all sort of menial job just to fill in school, and this hardship led to his decision to do everything between his power to help every possible individuals to have access to education which he did and this earned him a deserved respect in Yoruba land even till tomorrow.

Ahmodu Bello as i mentioned earlier was a great leader and nt just that but shares a fair proportion of the blame on tribalism but also for discouraging the north from getting education

I don't know why Nigerians complain about history not being taught in school, when a simple part of history like this one staring them in the face is still being denied by some people that can lie about everything.

There you have it, Zik introduced tribalism to Nigeria. Even today we all know the tribe that view everything through ethnic lens.

You murdered history

Sagytarius:
I came across this comment from this thread: INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH, 1960: Nigeria Stands Upon Firm Foundations –balewa


And it was rebutted by 0merta as follows:



My opinion:

0merta should be the one to shut the fxck up because Awololwo started Tribalism in Nigeria.
Now listen Mr 0merta lemme school you, you fool!

NCNC ( National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons) was formed by Herbert McCauley a yoruba man. Very wise initiative of him to form a National Party if you ask me.

Meanwhile, both Awo and Zik were abroad studying. However, Zik returned first and joined the National Party as the secretary to Herbert, the founder of NCNC. Unfortunately, Herbert died and Zik took over leadership.

Later on, Awo returned and joined politics. He didn't join the already formed National Party but formed his own party. Good idea!. But what kind of party did he form? A National Party ? NO! but an Ethnic party: Egbe Omo Oduduwa (EOO). Now you tell me who is tribalistic.

Agreed, EOO went on to have a name change: Action Group (nor be today thjs people start to dey change party-name like wrapper), but the party was defeated by NCNC at various electoral positions. Zik won Awo! But before the inauguration into the offices, Awo went and brainwashed the yorubas, asking the how could they allow someone from Across the Niger to come over to rule them? Again, who is the tribalist here? Maybe you can tell me if someone from Across the Niger isn't a Nigerian?

Surprisingly, those who won under the platform of the NCNC cross carpeted to the Action Group just before the Inauguration (cross carpeting nor be new tin for this set of Ppl o). Now, AG claimed victory. I laugh in Tiv. Bunch of loosers!

However I still blame Zik for his stupidity for not fighting till finish what he already started In the west; rather he came to the he East to disabilize the peace that had been existing there by displacing Eyo Ita. It might interest you to know that despite that Igbos who formed a majority of the NCNC party in the East, they voted a CrossRiverian, a minority in the party, to come and lead them. Again, which Ethnicity displays tribalism: The Igbos or or the Yorubas?

I can go on and on, buh please, get yourself the book: Trouble with Nigeria by C.Achebe and get schooled! pfft! !!!!!You murdered history.

he made concerted effort to blocked importation of other regions ideologies to the north, and till today that decision leaves the north being the least educated in the country.

i can go on and on but feeling dizzy and need some rest

but don't be surprised if i tell you that these heroes actually envy themselves, for example:
* Awo free education program in the west was a success while Zik tried same in the east but failed
* Ahmodu Bello has the largest population in the country while Awo and Zik only has a fraction respectively etc

yes, Awo started EOO while studying abroad, but the group was not a political party not until his return and necessary to focus his philosophy on his region

Ahmodu Bello started tribalism in Nigeria, Zik due to desperation nationalized it while the old western region only benefited from Awo ideas due to political differences between the leaders

Igbos and distortion of facts.

Those who in an attempt to paint Awo as a tribalist by repeating this quote "........But before the
inauguration into the offices, Awo went
and brainwashed the yorubas, asking
the how could they allow someone
from Across the Niger to come over to
rule them?............." are obviously mischievous and can't really digest what Awo said.
Awo did not ask how they could allow another tribe (Igbo) man or a non Yoruba to come and rule them. There were other non-Yoruba and even Igboid tribes within the Western Region hence were not from across the Niger, e.g. Binis, Akoko-Edos, Aniomas, Etsakos, Esans, Urhobos, Owans, Itsekiris, Isokos, Aniomas (the group assumed to be Igboid in the Old Western Region), etc. Awolowo did not resist the idea that these tribes and even the Igboid among them rule the Western Region as long as they were natives of the Western Region and therefore had equal stakes in it as Yorubas. What he was against was having a man from across the Niger i.e. from another region entirely - both the Eastern or Northern Region (as River Niger cuts off the Western Region both from the North and East) to nurse the ambition of ruling the Western Region as no one from the Western region; be it Bini, Yoruba, Akoko-Edo, Etsako, Itsekiri, Ijaw, Anioma, etc; was reciprocally seeking to cross River Niger into the North or East to rule them.
For goodness sake the colonial masters divided Nigeria into three regions so that each region would govern itself and have peace and not for one region to try to colonize and govern another. Zik's flooding of the Western Regional House of Assembly with Easterners and his final attempt to take premiership of the West was an attempt to defeat the essence of creating the Regions in the first instance. Zik was pursuing local inter-regional imperialism which Awolowo resisted. How could resistance to imperialism be same as tribalism? Can we use that logic to term Zik himself a racist for fighting against colonization and seeking independence from white imperialists? Did Awolowo or any other Westerner ever attempt to go and rule the Eastern Region or Northern Region? Why could Zik not simply begin his charity from home?
If Zik so truly believed in one Nigeria why did he refuse to use his acclaimed political wizardry to give a strong foothold to NCNC in the North and then try to seek Northern premiership? Zik was born and brought up in the Northern Region hence he was most popular there, so why not simply start his political career there or the Eastern Region which he hailed from by blood? Why the Western Region where he was neither from nor born and brought up?
A northerner was ruling the Northern Region, Zik allowed his fellow Easterners to be ruling their own Eastern Region yet he himself an Easterner wanted to be ruling the West at the same time so that no Westerner will be ruling anywhere. Was that a good scenario needed to balance the tripod structure back then?
If Zik had already won the election as Igbos say here, then how come Awolowo prevented his swearing in and Zik never went to court to reclaim his mandate? How could Awolowo alter the results that have already been openly declared by the electoral body? It is like claiming that after INEC announced Wike as winner Peterside rallied Ijaws against Ikwerres and got the results changed by INEC to deny Wike of being sworn in. Does that make sense at all?
The truth is that neither AG nor NCNC had the required numbers to claim victory hence alliances needed to be formed with the smaller parties as characteristic of parliamentary system, and it favoured AG. That alliance is what Igbos distort as cross-carpeting. Can Zik himself be accused of cross-carpeting to NPC when he and his NCNC formed alliance with NPC to give power to Balewa? Igbos claim Zik was good at sacrificing his own personal ambition for others like Balewa and Shagari so as to keep Nigeria united. But Zik could not sacrifice his Western Region ambition to Awolowo to keep the Western Region united. How would a united Nigeria emerge with a disunited Western Region as part of it?

Deadlytruth:
Those who in an attempt to paint Awo as a tribalist by repeating this quote "........But before the
inauguration into the offices, Awo went
and brainwashed the yorubas, asking
the how could they allow someone
from Across the Niger to come over to
rule them?............." are obviously mischievous and can't really digest what Awo said.
Awo did not ask how they could allow another tribe (Igbo) man or a non Yoruba to come and rule them. There were other non-Yoruba and even Igboid tribes within the Western Region hence were not from across the Niger, e.g. Binis, Akoko-Edos, Aniomas, Etsakos, Esans, Urhobos, Owans, Itsekiris, Isokos, Aniomas (the group assumed to be Igboid in the Old Western Region), etc. Awolowo did not resist the idea that these tribes and even the Igboid among them rule the Western Region as long as they were natives of the Western Region and therefore had equal stakes in it as Yorubas. What he was against was having a man from across the Niger i.e. from another region entirely - both the Eastern or Northern Region (as River Niger cuts off the Western Region both from the North and East) to nurse the ambition of ruling the Western Region as no one from the Western region; be it Bini, Yoruba, Akoko-Edo, Etsako, Itsekiri, Ijaw, Anioma, etc; was reciprocally seeking to cross River Niger into the North or East to rule them.
For goodness sake the colonial masters divided Nigeria into three regions so that each region would govern itself and have peace and not for one region to try to colonize and govern another. Zik's flooding of the Western Regional House of Assembly with Easterners and his final attempt to take premiership of the West was an attempt to defeat the essence of creating the Regions in the first instance. Zik was pursuing local inter-regional imperialism which Awolowo resisted. How could resistance to imperialism be same as tribalism? Can we use that logic to term Zik himself a racist for fighting against colonization and seeking independence from white imperialists? Did Awolowo or any other Westerner ever attempt to go and rule the Eastern Region or Northern Region? Why could Zik not simply begin his charity from home?
If Zik so truly believed in one Nigeria why did he refuse to use his acclaimed political wizardry to give a strong foothold to NCNC in the North and then try to seek Northern premiership? Zik was born and brought up in the Northern Region hence he was most popular there, so why not simply start his political career there or the Eastern Region which he hailed from by blood? Why the Western Region where he was neither from nor born and brought up?
A northerner was ruling the Northern Region, Zik allowed his fellow Easterners to be ruling their own Eastern Region yet he himself an Easterner wanted to be ruling the West at the same time so that no Westerner will be ruling anywhere. Was that a good scenario needed to balance the tripod structure back then?
If Zik had already won the election as Igbos say here, then how come Awolowo prevented his swearing in and Zik never went to court to reclaim his mandate? How could Awolowo alter the results that have already been openly declared by the electoral body? It is like claiming that after INEC announced Wike as winner Peterside rallied Ijaws against Ikwerres and got the results changed by INEC to deny Wike of being sworn in. Does that make sense at all?

In fact, Zik did not achieve simple majority after the elections, he and Awo needed to court the numerous smaller parties to be able to form the regional government. One of the smaller parties like IPP( Ibarapa people's party) led by Adisa Akinloye, and others prefffered Awo to Zik, and they cast their lot for him. Where is the tribalism. After the demise of Hubert Macaulay, Zik made a very offensive statement, about Igbo intention to dominate Nigeria. More importantly, for anybody to rely on Chinua Achebe writings on Yoruba/Igbo tussle, that person must really submit for proper psychiatric evaluation.