Zik scuttled chance of ruling Nigeria, handed me a golden key, says Amechi, ex Zikist Leader
Politics May 15, 2010
Zik: He inspired African nationalism. Amechi: Zik gave me a golden key.
By Chief Mbazulike Amechi
Chief Mbazulike Amechi is perhaps, the only surviving nationalist in the South East and one of the remaining six in Nigeria. A former House of Representatives member and ex Minister of Aviation, Amechi who wrestled and arrested a white assassin asked to kill Nnamdi Azikiwe (which made Zik call him The Boy Is Good)was a strong voice of the now disappearing members Zikist Movement, a radical political group founded in February 1946 by young enthusiastic Nigerian nationalists to fight against colonialism.
Amechi, 80, was the keynote speaker at the Ndigbo Lagos organised 14th Zik Memorial Symposium Lecture held last Tuesday, May 11, 2010 in Victoria Island, Lagos to mark the death of the former president. In this abridged version of his essay, Amechi reveals the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as never before, including how he inspired nationalist movements across Africa, his mentoring of Nelson Mandela and how Zik scuttled his own chances at becoming Nigeria’s First Executive President in 1979.

Zik Beyond Nigeria
Dr. Azikiwe while leading the struggle for the freedom of Nigeria, did not lose sight of the needs of our brothers and sisters in East, Central and Southern Africa who were carrying out their own struggle, most of them badly oppressed by white settlers and apartheid policy.

The NCNC Political Training School was set up at Yaba in Lagos and apart from our youths who were trained in the school, Zik extended his hand of fellowship to contemporaries like Kaunda, Nyerere, and Banda to send their youths for training. Many of the youths who passed through this school at Yaba were to become Ministers and Leaders in various fields in their countries. I remember such names as Tom Mboya, Odinga Oginga and Sam Nujoma who later became the President of South West Africa.

He came to us as leader of his party, South West Peoples Organization (SWAPO). Among the teachers in the school may be mentioned, Ogoegbunam Dafe, Chudi Akunyili, Kola Balogun, Mokwugwo Okoye, my humble self and Fred. Mc Ewen.

ZIK and Mandela
In 1961, the racist government of South Africa and British Intelligence were furiously looking for Nelson Mandela. He was obliged to take refuge in Nigeria, and Zik, the Governor_General, assigned him to live with me at Ikoyi. I was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Information.

Mandela lived with me at No.5 Okotie –Eboh Street, Ikoyi for more than four months. About the fifth month, Mandela soliloquized openly to my hearing, “for how long must I continue in this hide and seek game. I’d better go back to South Africa to give leadership to the people; if they kill me, my death will inspire the other nationalists to continue the struggle until total victory is won”.

That was how he decided to return to South Africa where he was shortly arrested and imprisoned for life. How he was aided financially when he was going, I do not know; that was at the level of Zik and Dr. Okpara, who was then the Premier of Eastern Region. Apart from the youths who passed through the NCNC Political School, Zik was concerned with the low level of education in some of these sister African countries and initiated a Special Scholarship Scheme for them in the Eastern Regional Government. Dr. Okpara inherited and expanded it.

That is why one would find so many boys and girls from these African countries in the Queens College, Enugu, Government College, Umuahia and Abbot Boys College, Ihiala (then owned by Hon. G.E. Okeke, the Minister of Education). Some of these boys and girls who were caught up by the Biafran war were smuggled home to their counties through Gabon.

Opportunity Sacrificed and Lost
In October this year, Nigeria will be 50 years old as a sovereign nation. The painful irony of our political history and development is that the people who made the most sacrifice and were in the fore_front of the struggle for independence are the ones who have not benefited or have benefited least from the dividends of freedom. The case of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe is most painful; for on two occasions he was at the door of Headship of the Government of the country he captained its players.

He deliberately and patriotically sacrificed one occasion and simply lost the other. He made the personal sacrifice of his right to the Prime Ministership of the country in order that Independence on October 1, 1960 would not be scuttled.

In the Constitutional Conferences held in London and Lagos, the British had woven in a caveat that if any Region of the country expressed opposition or unreadiness for Independence on October 1, the independence would be postponed indefinitely. In the pre_independence election conducted by the British on December 15, 1959 the following results were obtained:

NCNC_NEPU Alliance scored a total of 2,595,577 votes to capture 73 seats. The Action Group_UMBC Alliance scored 1,922,364 votes to capture 73 seats. The NPC scored a total of 1,992178 votes to capture 142 seats.

It may be said that Awolowo showed bad faith or extra smart politics by offering simultaneously to the NCNC and NPC the option of Prime Ministership in an alliance with the Action Group provided he could be made Minister of Finance. Zik could have accepted Awolowo’s offer and became the Prime Minster, but considering the threat which the NPC had expressed that if the Prime Ministership did not come to the North, they would stop Independence on October 1, 1960, he patriotically sacrificed the opportunity.

He said that his primary objective in the nationalist struggle was for Nigeria to be free and independent. Indeed he reflected this in his speech after being sworn is as Governor_General when he said “consumatum est”.

Zik and 1979
The second opportunity is the opportunity to become the Executive President of this country on October 1, 1979. Let me take this opportunity to say what happened or what I know of what happened.

In April 1978, Zik sent a message that I should see him at his Nsukka residence. I promptly honoured the invitation, which of course I regarded as a command. At Nsukka, the Owelle told me that he wanted to contest election to become the President of Nigeria in 1979 and wanted to assign me, as his field go_getter and organiser throughout his period as Premier of Eastern Region, to go into the field and prepare the ground for him.

We then discussed the modalities and implications and agreed that it was absolutely necessary to win the support of the North in view of their population. I then went to Lagos and discussed with Alhaji Shehu Shagari who had his residence at Victoria Island. Shagari brought in Alhaji Shetima Ali Monguno Chief Sunday Awoniyi into the discussion. After consulting with Zik, I brought in Chief Dennis Osadebay and R.B.K. Okafor from our side.

We held series of meetings and agreed that since the North and the East worked harmoniously in peace in the First Republic, it would be desirable for them to collaborate again in the Second Republic. After a rather hard bargaining, we agreed in principle that Zik should be Presidential Candidate with Shagari as his running mate.

The North, however, insisted that Zik should run for one term only and hand over the mantle to a Northerner. When I reported this provisional agreement to Zik, he told me that it was the Emirs who held ultimate say in the North and asked how I was sure that the Emirs would not veto the agreement. I went back to Lagos and told Shagari what fear Zik expressed.

Shagari assured me that the Emirs were being briefed on our negotiations but in any case he would try and do something concrete. The following weekend, Zik told me that the Emir of Zaria came to him and presented to him a gift of four leather_feet stools and four pieces of brocade material as present from the Sultan of Sokoto with a message that “what his delegates were discussing with our boys were being reported to their committee of six and had their full endorsement”.

Yet further, Zik expressed another fear, and asked me; “what of the Army, how can we be sure that they won’t strike again if an Igboman becomes President?” I went back to Lagos again and told Shagari of my Leader’s new fear. Shagari said, “Haba! What’s all these fears; does the man really want to be President?”

He said he would answer this in a practical way. He arranged dinner with General Danjuma who was the then Chief of Staff at the Supreme Headquarters. At the dinner, he briefed Danjuma on the discussion and the fear of the Army as expressed by Zik. Danjuma said that what they were looking for was somebody like Zik really, but said that he could not go to Nsukka to assure him for fear of the press spotting him.

He said that I should tell Owelle that he (Danjuma) would be addressing the army at the Army Sports holding in Calabar that weekend; that in his speech on that occasion he would pass his message to Zik. Gen. Danjuma spoke in this vein. “I want to use this opportunity to reassure all Nigerians that the military would truly hand over to a democratically elected President on October 1, 1979 but the President_elect must be a father_figure who will truly reunite the country…” Zik got this message and told me that he had got all the assurances he needed.

Shagari, who was then the chairman of Peugeot Automobile Nig. Ltd gave me a note with which I took delivery from SCOA Lagos, the first three cars with which Zik’s preliminary campaign was launched. While these haggling were going on, National Movement had transformed to National Party of Nigeria, NPN while Club 79 had welcomed Nigeria Peoples Party, but none had been registered as a political party.

I was myself, a leading member of Club 19 or NPP, In fact, the old Anambra branch was formed in my house at Ukpor. Our proposal was to fuse the two associations into one political party, to be named Nigerian Peoples National Party and this fusion was to the effected during Zik’s next birthday.

When I brought this merger proposal to my own NPP, a powerful group from the Middle Belt (Benue/Plateau) led by Paul Unongo nearly attacked me physically, saying that they would never belong to the same party with the far_North.

Shortly after I left for the UK to inspect machines being assembled for my Kaolin processing factory and to dash to Ireland to brief Dr. M.I. Okpara then in exile about final arrangements for his return, a political opportunist took advantage of my absence from the East and the country to convince Zik to sponsor him as Governor in the NPP and that with his name and popularity he could win as President.

Somehow, the Owelle bought this stunt and issued a one_sentence press statement; cancelling “all arrangements made for my birthday”. Igwe Ezenwa of Oba heard this statement on the radio and raced to my residence to ask what was happening. I rushed to Nsukka to find out but was stopped at Zik’s gate with the message that the Owelle was not feeling well and his Doctor said he must not be disturbed.

Dennis Osadebay from Asaba rushed to Nsukka but was not allowed access and on his way back, he had the accident that left him paralysed. Mojeed Agbaje from Ibadan rushed to Nsukka to see the Owelle but was blocked and on his way had a ghastly motor accident between Ore and Ondo and died, along with four other political timbers from the West.

My last desperate effort to warn the Owelle that some opportunist merely wanted to use him for selfish end was when I went to the NPP convention at Apapa and Bobo Nwosisi and one thug from Enugu state who later became a traditional ruler, used hemp-smoking thugs to stop me from entering the field.

I finally had audience with Zik at his Nsukka residence on November 21, 1978 where I candidly advised him that having mismanaged the chance to become President, it would, in my opinion, be better for him not to contest than to contest and lose with all his honour and glorious role in the nationalism and politics of Nigeria.

He told me that apart from the assurances given to him by Unongo/Jim/Mbakwe group, he could honestly not belong to a party with Chief Akinloye as National Chairman (remembering what Akinloye did to him in the Western House of Assembly in 1952).

I may be wrong but I consider this an opportunity missed.

After these painful experiences, I went into month_long retreat and meditation and finally joined the NPN which had then nominated Shehu Shagari as its Presidential Candidate. This was on December 26, 1978 and I was immediately co_opted into the Presidential Campaign Team.

I toured the whole North with the team and as we rounded up in Kwara State, Shagari the Presidential Candidate and Akinloye the National Chairman of the NPN invited me to a private suite at Kwara State Hotel on January 13, 1979 and informed me that I had been chosen as Presidential Running Mate to Shagari and the announcement would be made when we got down to Lagos the next day.

I thanked them for the honour but told them that even though I was in an opposing party to Zik’s, I would never contest any election in opposition to Zik. I must mention here that years after, Zik told me that I should not have declined the offer, that it would have been better for me to cut the tail of an animal he missed killing.

Zik’s Golden Key
Finally, ladies and gentlemen, let say it for the first time to a public gathering. Dr. the Rt. Hon. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Zik of Africa, the Owelle of Onitsha at exactly 5 a.m. some six hours before he breathed his last, gave to me a ONE FOOT LONG KEY, made of Pure Solid Gold. I fully understood the message of the key and I hold it dear and close to my chest. Thank you.

This is the kind of inside story of what happened in the past that we really need. This should go a long way to correct the impression that people like EzeUche has that Awolowo betrayed Zik and that the west always go with the North. It was clearly revealed that Awolowo used his position to bargain with both NCNC and NPC and not with NPC alone which any reasonable politician will do. Also it was Zik that started negotiating with the North for presidency in 1979 before he was decieved by Unongo/Jim/Mbakwe group to come out of his agreement/alliance with Shagari for whatever reasons.

Below is a comment on the story:

M A C ODU says:
May 15, 2010 at 9:11 am
The Boy is Good has just filled in a gap in my perception of our leader Zik. I am grateful for his frank report.
I have always believed that great Zik feared Skin Pain and had to sacrifice people to avoid it. That is why he never made it as leader of Nigeria in spite of his preparation by Higher Powers for that role.
This story clearly exonerates our neighbours in Nigeria from any blame about our current inability to rise from our gloom to glory in our fatherland after our Biafra War. No one but Ndigbo and their greed for short term gains is to blame for relative doom.
We are now saddled with the worst criminals in our history bred by greed. They can only relinquish power when some light points find reins of power. No other process is possible for repair to our battered psyches. The ranks of the greedy are growing geometrically, while the ranks of the light points are growing arithmetically. But Light being superior to darkness, all light points should do is to shine with increasing brilliance and tenacity into the self-destruct darkness that we have so far patronised.
Thanks Hon. Mbazulike Amaechi for sharing these facts. You will probably use that Key immediately to unlock the gates of light to free us from the darkness which greed has imposed upon us.
May the rest of your life be happier than our own time has provided us.

This is the second interview i'm reading and i must say my respect for him(the boy is good) has increased, these are the kind of leaders we need in nigeria, not the one's that stoke the fires of hatred

@Post
Multitude of lies.

mekuszyx:


NCNC_NEPU Alliance scored a total of 2,595,577 votes to capture 73 seats. The Action Group_UMBC Alliance scored 1,922,364 votes to capture 73 seats. The NPC scored a total of 1,992178 votes to capture 142 seats.

It may be said that Awolowo showed bad faith or extra smart politics by offering simultaneously to the NCNC and NPC the option of Prime Ministership in an alliance with the Action Group provided he could be made Minister of Finance. Zik could have accepted Awolowo’s offer and became the Prime Minster, but considering the threat which the NPC had expressed that if the Prime Ministership did not come to the North, they would stop Independence on October 1, 1960, he patriotically sacrificed the opportunity.

He said that his primary objective in the nationalist struggle was for Nigeria to be free and independent. Indeed he reflected this in his speech after being sworn is as Governor_General when he said “consumatum est”.

If he had not made the 'sacrifice' possibly Nigerian independence would have been delayed by one or two more years. I guess Nigeria would have been divided or remained together better than it is today.

and the civil war would probably not have happened. Today we still suffer from that hurriedly put together independence.

If the account of 1978 is true, he only has himself to blame and the eastern Nigeria should stop making the claim of marginalization, cos it means It was Zik that threw away their golden opportunity.

Awo played both sides. Zik and the North could not trust him, because he talked out of both sides of his mouth. Typical Yoruba. As the article clearly states, Awo main concern was handling the nation's finances for the benefit of his Yoruba people. He gave the same offer to the north, so why would Zik join forces with him?

This article clearly shows how treacherous the Yoruba are. Onye ara.

Either way, I am not a Zik fan either. He believed in the illusion of One Naija. Now Michael Okpara is my hero.

Your case is pathetic!

Tons of lies.zik was more concerned about his presidential ambition and was never a good leader to his people.

EzeUche:

Awo played both sides. Zik and the North could not trust him, because he talked out of both sides of his mouth. Typical Yoruba. As the article clearly states, Awo main concern was handling the nation's finances for the benefit of his Yoruba people. He gave the same offer to the north, so why would Zik join forces with him?

This article clearly shows how treacherous the Yoruba are. Onye ara.

Either way, I am not a Zik fan either. He believed in the illusion of One Naija. Now Michael Okpara is my hero.

you were quick to point out that Awolowo was more interested in becoming the finance minister but failed to identify that the north didnt want an igbo presidency.hypocrite like you

~Bluetooth:

Tons of lies.zik was more concerned about his presidential ambition and was never a good leader to his people.you were quick to point out that Awolowo was more interested in becoming the finance minister but failed to identify that the north didnt want an igbo presidency.hypocrite like you

You also failed to point out to EzeUche and those advocating for a secession that the reason we were all lumped together was because Zik wanted to rule over Nigeria, rather than just Eastern Nigeria. Zik also ensured that Nigeria (the separate regions that is) did not get Independence in 1957 with Ghana because Zik rejected self-autonomy for the Eastern region stating that he would rather wait for the Northern region to be ready. Bello rejected self-autonomy and with Zik's rejection, Awolowo was out-voted.

i'm not interested in all the politics of division y'all deal in, but i like this guy, and listening to him talk(or reading his interview. . .) you can tell he believes in nigeria, he's actually someone worth following, not all the loudmouth local champions. . .i wonder why i haven't heard about him all this while

Lelele, always as dumb as ever.

Katsumoto:

You also failed to point out to EzeUche and those advocating for a secession that the reason we were all lumped together was because Zik wanted to rule over Nigeria, rather than just Eastern Nigeria. Zik also ensured that Nigeria (the separate regions that is) did not get Independence in 1957 with Ghana because Zik rejected self-autonomy for the Eastern region stating that he would rather wait for the Northern region to be ready. Bello rejected self-autonomy and with Zik's rejection, Awolowo was out-voted.

thanks jare.folks like mekus only want to do some image laundering for the man.i get it

Katsumoto:

You also failed to point out to EzeUche and those advocating for a secession that the reason we were all lumped together was because Zik wanted to rule over Nigeria, rather than just Eastern Nigeria. Zik also ensured that Nigeria (the separate regions that is) did not get Independence in 1957 with Ghana because Zik rejected self-autonomy for the Eastern region stating that he would rather wait for the Northern region to be ready. Bello rejected self-autonomy and with Zik's rejection, Awolowo was out-voted.

What an arrant nonsense. During the 1957 constitutional conference in Lagos, the northern region, with the support of the colonialist, was bent on delaying the self-government of the protectorates by creating political stumbling blocks to self-government. The NCNC and Action Group wanted self-government in 1957 while NPC not only wanted 50% representation at central government but fixed national election in 1959.

The delegates from NCNC and Action Group walked out of conference in protest. It was at this juncture that Mallam Muhammed Waziri of Bauchi commented that “we are not asking other regions to wait for Northern region. They can do what they want in their region”. Zik latter rationalized and said “this is another sacrifice which is bound to be made if the unity of Nigeria is to be preserved”. It should be recalled that Action Group and Awolowo had dropped the demand of Lagos as part of western region instead of capital territory.

EzeUche:

Awo played both sides. Zik and the North could not trust him, because he talked out of both sides of his mouth. Typical Yoruba. As the article clearly states, Awo main concern was handling the nation's finances for the benefit of his Yoruba people. He gave the same offer to the north, so why would Zik join forces with him?

This article clearly shows how treacherous the Yoruba are. Onye ara.

Either way, I am not a Zik fan either. He believed in the illusion of One Naija. Now Michael Okpara is my hero.

If current matters would give you a better picture, in the UK recently as we all know, Nick Clegg and his Liberal Democrats Party negotiated with both Labour and the Conservative Parties before going into alliance with one over the other.

Parliamentary system of government does not deal with a mindset of permanent friends or enemies, if you consider the numerous clashes between both the Lib Democrats and the Conservatives b4 their present alliance. So negotiating with two parties is not an aberration under a parliamentary system. You can get more info on the workings of a parliamentary system on the internet.

Dede1:

What an arrant nonsense. During the 1957 constitutional conference in Lagos, the northern region, on the support of the colonialist, was bent on delaying the self-government of the protectorates by creating political stumbling blocks to self-government. The NCNC and Action Group wanted self-government in 1957 while NPC not only wanted 50% representation at central government but fixed national election in 1959.

The delegates from NCNC and Action Group walked out of conference in protect. It was at this juncture that Mallam Muhammed Waziri of Bauchi commented that “we are not asking other regions to wait for Northern region. They can do what they want in their region”. Zik latter rationalized and said “this is another sacrifice which is bound to be made if the unity of Nigeria is to be preserved”. It should be recalled that Action Group and Awolowo had dropped the demand of Lagos as part of western region instead of capital territory.

What was Zik rationalising so as to preserve the unity of Nigeria? Why was Zik so bent on unifying Nigeria? You haven't said anything contrary to what I said, you only provided more meat to the bone.

msaalli:

If current matters would give you a better picture, in the UK recently as we all know, Nick Clegg and his Liberal Democrats Party negotiated with both Labour and the Conservative Parties before going into alliance with one over the other.

Parliamentary system of government does not deal with a mindset of permanent friends or enemies, if you consider the numerous clashes between both the Lib Democrats and the Conservatives b4 their present alliance. So negotiating with two parties is not an aberration under a parliamentary system. You can get more info on the workings of a parliamentary system on the internet.

Some people can only regurgitate information given to them by their elders; they do not have the ability to analyse issues on their own. That is why political manoeuvering by Awo was seen as treachery. There are even commentators who argue that Awo did not send Akintola and Rosiji to Bello; this thinking is given further credence by actions of Akintola and others in joining Bello in a political union in 1962.

BTW, I am agreeing with you.

EzeUche:

Awo played both sides. Zik and the North could not trust him, because he talked out of both sides of his mouth. Typical Yoruba. As the article clearly states, Awo main concern was handling the nation's finances for the benefit of his Yoruba people. He gave the same offer to the north, so why would Zik join forces with him?

This article clearly shows how treacherous the Yoruba are. Onye ara.

Either way, I am not a Zik fan either. He believed in the illusion of One Naija. Now Michael Okpara is my hero.

May Amadioha impregnate all your female siblings with albino midgets.
Onye Oshi!!!

The great Zik. Father of Nigerian unity.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/max-siollun/nigerias-forgotten-heroes-nnamdi-azikiwe-father-of-the-nation-part-2.html

Using google to get to know the actors mentioned in the above post, these are what I gleaned:


1. Mr Azikiwe was short-sighted; not that brilliant of a politician! How else could he not have seen that the North did not want him to Preside over them? To undermine him, they chose someone so close to him (Mr Amechi) as a running mate to the Northern Presidential candidate (Mr Shargari). And why was Mr Awolowo being blamed by Ezeuche, blindly (and in obvious hatred for the Yorubas), for this political manoeuvre by the North again?


2. I noticed a name (or rather ,honestly, someone pointed it out) MOJEED AGBAJE who was working to ensure that Mr Azikiwe became president of Nigeria. Mr Agbaje has been revealed to be Yoruba. Ezeuche, what was that reference you made about Yorubas towards Ibos again?!! Yeah, You need to wash the perpetual scenes of hatred from your eyes because your sad life keeps showing with every letter you type!


3. The North is the bane of Nigeria's problem, followed in quick second by the openly desperate Ibos! Who are the North to decide who rules and for how many terms? So, if the Mr Azikiwe had performed excellently as President (assuming he was elected) he would have been barred by the North from seeking a second term? Hogwash!

4. Mr Azikiwe was his own catalyst! He was clearly shortsighted and politically selfish! How else do u describe how a man that was like a son to him (Mr Amechi) was dumped in favor of a governor who promised Mr Azikiwe the presidency on a silver platter? His trusted aides Dennis Osadebay, Mojeed Agbaje, and Mr Amechi himself rushed in from Asaba, Ibadan, and Ireland respectively to warn Mr Azikiwe of the plot they saw in the offing, but what did Mr Azikiwe do? He refused to grant them audience, choosing instead to believe the opportunists he was surrounded by! Yet, years later, folks like Ezeuche would try to twist history and blame Mr Awolowo for the failures of the Ibos!

5. In politics there are no permanent enemies or permanent friends; even more so in the Parliamentary System of Govt! Even Mr Azikiwe understood this thats why he was actively negotiating with everyone, including the army, in his aspirations to become President! Problem was, either his negotiation skills were subpar or there was just something that the North saw in him that made them feel he wasnt trustworthy enough to be a team player. Most times desperation, can be (properly) seen as greed! Either way, Mr Azikiwe, in collaboration with the North's distrust of him scuttled his chances of becoming President!


  These are just a few of my views on the issue at hand. Finally, I was hoping to see this foot long solid gold key that was given to Mr Amechi. Or is it just another made up story like the constant cries that the Yorubas are the cause of every problem afflicting the Ibos worldwide?!!?

If ruling the cesspit called Nigeria is a more important political achievement of the 1950/60 era than gaining independent statues for protectorates as majority of peeps on this thread has shown, I guess that Azikwe should be guilty as charged.   

It is very unfortunate that some empty heads that knew nothing next to the history of the protectorates and road to independent are proffering skewed analogies of well established transparent system in UK and system marred with colonialist induced tribal fighting and distrust, lack of transparency and clogged with newspaper articles with no verifiable sources in the North and South Protectorates of British colony in West Africa.

Dede1:

If ruling the cesspit called Nigeria is a more important political achievement of the 1950/60 era than gaining independent statues for protectorates as majority of peeps on this thread has shown, I guess that Azikwe should be guilty as charged.

It is very unfortunate that some empty heads that knew nothing next to the history of the protectorates and road to independent are proffering skewed analogies of well established transparent system in UK and system marred with colonialist induced tribal fighting and distrust, lack of transparency and clogged with newspaper articles with no verifiable sources in the North and South Protectorates of British colony in West Africa.

Are you so bitter that you must always use caustic words? Political maneuvering and dealing should not be the preserve of only well developed and established political systems. Awo was well within his rights to reach out to both political parties. Besides it is indeterminate whether Awo actually sent Akintola and Rosiji to negotiate on the AG's behalf.

Also, Independence was always going to be achieved, it was only a question of when and how.
The options from Sir James Robertson were
1. Every region gets independence in 1957 with majority acceptance
2. Nigeria gets independence in 1957 with majority acceptance
3. Nigeria gets independence later with majority acceptance

Dede1:

If ruling the cesspit called Nigeria is a more important political achievement of the 1950/60 era than gaining independent statues for protectorates as majority of peeps on this thread has shown, I guess that Azikwe should be guilty as charged.   

It is very unfortunate that some empty heads that knew nothing next to the history of the protectorates and road to independent are proffering skewed analogies of well established transparent system in UK and system marred with colonialist induced tribal fighting and distrust, lack of transparency and clogged with newspaper articles with no verifiable sources in the North and South Protectorates of British colony in West Africa.   

The word "cesspit" don suffer in your hands

~Sauron~:

May Amadioha impregnate all your female siblings with albino midgets.
Onye Oshi!!!

I wu onye ara nnegi wu akwuna nnagi wu onye ohi!!!!

EzeUche:

I wu onye ara nnegi wu akwuna nnagi wu onye ohi!!!! 

I redirect this missive to all the br[i]e[/i]ast-carrying women in your entire lineage.

Katsumoto:

Are you so bitter that you must always use caustic words? Political maneuvering and dealing should not be the preserve of only well developed and established political systems. Awo was well within his rights to reach out to both political parties. Besides it is indeterminate whether Awo actually sent Akintola and Rosiji to negotiate on the AG's behalf.

Also, Independence was always going to be achieved, it was only a question of when and how.
The options from Sir James Robertson were
1. Every region gets independence in 1957 with majority acceptance
2. Nigeria gets independence in 1957 with majority acceptance
3. Nigeria gets independence later with majority acceptance

After the polls of 1959 election in the Protectorates to fill in the central legislative body designed to hold 312 elected representatives, the results were as follow:

NPC       142 + NDC = 143
NCNC      89 + NEPU = 97
AG            72 + Independent = 73

From the above results, baring any form of political treachery or overzealous ambition, NCNC or NPC would either engage each other in negotiation to form coalition government or each would sought the hand of AG. But these were not the case as the party that finished third sent two negotiating teams to the parties that finished first and second as each mission was unbeknown to first or second placed party. 

Unfortunately, Chief SL Akintola, a member with the AG team sent to negotiate with NPC had a hidden agenda as he torpedoed Awo’s double standard move by placing a phone call from Kaduna to NCNC as the negotiation was in session.   

What are you insinuating on every region gets independence in 1957 with majority acceptance per Sir James Robertson options? The regions had been granted autonomous status with legislative powers through the 1954 Lyttleton Constitutional Conference. The issue in 1957 was sovereign independent status for entire Northern and Southern Protectorates, hence independent nation called Nigeria.

I wonder how Zik scuttled the chance to rule Nigeria when it has been determined that Nigeria gets independence in 1957 or later with majority acceptance. Are you talking about unanimous or simple majority? I can recall that one of the regions had indicated lack of readiness or unwillingness to settle for independence in 1957.

What is missing here is that NPP was not formed by the Igbo but they were members and Zik was not the head of the Party. The head and founder of NPP was Waziri (Politics without Bitterness).

When his party was hijacked by Adeniran Ogunsanya (another foolish Zik loyalist), he delivered it to Zik. Before then Zik was out of leadership run and the result of the election proved that. NPP only end up with the two states in the East and Solomon Lar delivering Jos to NPP. For the first time Zik of Africa became Zik of 3 states. Pity.

Waziri had to form Another party called G-NPP.

Animosity and selfishness prevented ZIk from becoming either Prime Minister or Executive President. He trusted Shagari more than Awo, the same way he trusted Balewa more than Awo. And the result was his and Igbo loss.

The most important fact brought out here, at least in my view, was that Zik was negotiating with Balewa and Shagari to form a party with them even before Awo could offer him Executive positions after both elections in 1959 and 1979. But they have to blame Awo to cover their behind.

I feel sorry for Adelabu, TOS Benson, Agbaje, JMJ ie Johnson and other Yoruba who thought Zik was sincere. Sure he was, only to bring Okpara to head the party of Macauley another Yoruba who made Zik his deputy.

Na u tak am, na u hia ram.

EzeUche:

I wu onye ara nnegi wu akwuna nnagi wu onye ohi!!!!

Oh Tos Benson! My parents took me to his house in Lagos back in the 90s. Nice man and I also have one of his books.Anyway Zik was more of a libility than asset to the Igbo. I wish more people saw this back then and ignored him. While he was trying rule over Africa he forgot that "Charity begins at home but once he got the boot in the West he all of a sudden he realized he was from the East. He should have stayed back in the West or North since thats where is heart was and fought his opponents instead of whipping up his own ethnic and regional sentiments back once he got dealt some heavy blows by Awolowo. Why was he so worried about the North? Its because of people him that the rest of the country think and act like the North must have the last word. Whether he lost or won it wouldn't have made any difference in Igbo land or the East. His bad politics alienated many Easterners anyway.

Oh  boy, Mekuysshixt where u at? Oh, I see u cleaning the pie off your face. Dude, why u got bandage around your leg? Oh, u shot urself in the foot too? lol. I see u and your hardcore Biafrans dont like this topic too much!!! lol. No way to twist the truth on this one, huh? lol





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oITkADdaa0 (I invited Dede1 to a restaurant pretending I wanted a truce. . . then I bodied the fool.)

Good man . . . has a son presently in Anambra State House of Assembly. Not doing badly for himself . . . I guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree

bk/babe97:

Oh boy, Mekuysshixt where u at? Oh, I see u cleaning the pie off your face. Dude, why u got bandage around your leg? Oh, u shot urself in the foot too? lol. I see u and your hardcore Biafrans dont like this topic too much!!! lol. No way to twist the truth on this one, huh? lol





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oITkADdaa0 (I invited Dede1 to a restaurant pretending I wanted a truce. . . then I bodied the fool.)

I got only 2 words for you: Read this

maxsiollun:

The great Zik. Father of Nigerian unity.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/max-siollun/nigerias-forgotten-heroes-nnamdi-azikiwe-father-of-the-nation-part-2.html

mekusxxx:

I got only 2 words for you: Read this

Sorry, I'll pass. I could care less who your Mr zik is. I'm going with the topic u posted, my research, and my conclusions on it!!! Son, how u gonna question and retort at the same time? lol. u mad funny!!!