@Azuka O.

What you are dealing with here is a product of Awoism per excellence. I don't know why it is hard for some of you Igbo guys to see Nigeria for what it is.

The guy is a dictatorial slowpoke with a Hobbesian "state of nature" mindset.
What you are trying to do is tantamount to negotiating a gentle man's agreement with a rattle snake you found at your doorstep.

Well, good luck with that!
You would be well advised to heed your own advice by allowing Babapupa and his alter-ego Akigbemaru to be what their patron saint Awo programmed them to be.

Do you mean those two idi,ots?.

babapupa:

Ask yourself,

Was Gani the premier of the western region? Was he the premier of the eastern region? Was he the premier of the northern region?


The thread starter asserted the quote below as the main contentions and body of his summation,


So, was Gani a politician?

Was Gani a political colleague of Awolowo?

They didn't ask you to compare apples and oranges.

Obviously, your reading and comprehension skill betrayed you?

The paragraph of the quote you refered to says: [b]"Within the context of Nigerian, and indeed within African politics, Awolowo had no equal. He towered above his colleagues. To truly appreciate his greatness, all you need do is to take a look at the men and women who now dot, and have dotted our public estate and public space. Do so and you’d be hard-pressed to name a political leader in Nigeria, in the last 50 years, who did more for his people and for his country than Awolowo."[/b]

Gani Fawehinmi lived in Nigeria's public estate and public space in the last 50 years. He also led a political party called NCP. So I compared his contributions to Nigeria vis-a-vis Awo's contributions to Nigeria and Gani beat Awo in my estimation.

babapupa:



Abeg stop this shallow and irrelevant nonsense.

Do you even know anything about job discriprion?

Awolowo's main job, the job he swore oath to perform was to lead the western region, to look out for and take care of the western region, not federal republic of Nigeria or the African continent.


If Zik derelict and go do what they didn't ask him to do and shortchanged is people in the process, that one na Zik's problem and the people wey hire or appoint him.

Zik was the president of Nigeria and Awo was the premier of THE WESTERN REGION. Get it trough your thick skull,

I try hard not to laugh at Igbo people's sense of reasoning and sad ways of letting Zik off the hook. They say things like, oh, he did not do anything because he was a pan africanist, he was for a united Nigeria. WTF has that got to do with you job? Wtf has tat got to do with taking care of your people? Was he trying to build a bridge across africa and call it pan african bridge?

Was he appointed or elected to be a pan africanist or what ever sorry a/s/s labels you guys affix to his shortcomings.


You guys really need to go peddle that redundant pan african nonsense elsewhere,


And if Igbo people don't have any pride in their leaders and can not highlight their achievements, that's your problem and if Yoruba people wanna yell Awolowo till eternity, that's their prerogative, so why are you Igbo people running around as if your birthrights got taken away?

Of course, it's all about your backward ways of thinking and communal insecurities. 

Again, this is about Awolowo, not Gani.

King Solomon, pls get it into your great brain that no Igbo man gives excuses for Zik because of his pan-African view. I hope you don't have comprehension problem: I said that the reason Igbos do not venerate Zik was because he didn't take Igbo issues to heart like Awo and Bello did. That does not mean that when Zik was premier of Eastern Region that he did not do anything in the East. I mentioned some projects he started including the first indigenous Nigerian university. But Igbos felt sad that he talked more about Nig and Africa than Igbo land, even after he was no longer the premier.

Note too that Awo was not Premier of Western Nigeria all his life. He was a minister of finance during the Civil War and after. He held no political post many years of his life. But he was still an opinion moulder in Nigerian affairs until his death. So his job descriptions were never to take care of Western Nigeria alone.

Note too, Wise King Solomon, that Igbos or Hausas never complain when you praise your leaders to high heavens as you claim. (I said in my first post that Awo was great.) They only complain when you tell them to their faces that your leader was better than theirs. And I tell you that in human relations, try hard as you like, no Igbo man or Hausa man or Ijaw man will accept that your leader is better than his leader. It is not possible. No matter the 'facts' you peddle.

Note too that one's strengths can also be the source of one's weakness. Have you asked yourself why despite the great leadership qualities of Awo, he could not win elections outside Western Region? Why was it that an Abiola that was not held in high esteem at home (WEST) was able to sweep votes in all regions, while Awo with his political sagacity and managerial skills could not?

Now look at this: In 1998, the AD had a choice to make between Olu Falae and Bola Ige as a presidential candidate. It is clear to all that Ige was wiser, more intelligent, more charismatic, a better speaker, a better manager, a better leader than Falae. But why did AD choose Falae? Because they knew that Bola Ige had an image of a core Afenifere man, who "may" be perceived as being more concerned about Yoruba issues than Nigeria. Mind you, I said 'may' - it was just a matter of perception. Despite Ige's sterling qualities over Falae, still AD chose Falae because they felt it would be easier to sell him to Nigerians than Ige. So there are so many factors you consider when you say that someone is "better."

Another example: Rev Jesse Jackson and other Black crusaders who came out for elections in the US had no fighting chance because of perception. But Obama who was accused of not belonging to mainstream Black movement or cause (who had a White mother and a Black father) suceeded where others failed.

And I still advise you show good breeding by controlling the way you insult people. I will not descend low to join you in that, no matter the insults you heap on me or Igbos. An adult should be able to argue his point without dragging himself in the mud. But if you think because you use a pseudonym on the internet, there is nothing to fear, you can go on. It merely reduces the regard readers have for you.

who is watching jesse ventura kick republican aszz on larry king live right now?!?!?

Azuka.O:


The paragraph of the quote you refered to says: "Within the context of Nigerian, and indeed within African politics, Awolowo had no equal. He towered above his colleagues. To truly appreciate his greatness, all you need do is to take a look at the men and women who now dot, and have dotted our public estate and public space. Do so and you’d be hard-pressed to name a political leader in Nigeria, in the last 50 years, who did more for his people and for his country than Awolowo."[/

Gani Fawehinmi lived in Nigeria's public estate and public space in the last 50 years. He also led a political party called NCP. So I compared his contributions to Nigeria vis-a-vis Awo's contributions to Nigeria and Gani beat Awo in my estimation.


King Solomon, pls get it into your great brain that no Igbo man gives excuses for Zik because of his pan-African view. I hope you don't have comprehension problem: I said that the reason Igbos do not venerate Zik was because he didn't take Igbo issues to heart like Awo and Bello did. That does not mean that when Zik was premier of Eastern Region that he did not do anything in the East. I mentioned some projects he started including the first indigenous Nigerian university. But Igbos felt sad that he talked more about Nig and Africa than Igbo land, even after he was no longer the premier.

Note too that Awo was not Premier of Western Nigeria all his life. He was a minister of finance during the Civil War and after. He held no political post many years of his life. But he was still an opinion moulder in Nigerian affairs until his death. So his job descriptions were never to take care of Western Nigeria alone.

Note too, Wise King Solomon, that Igbos or Hausas never complain when you praise your leaders to high heavens as you claim. (I said in my first post that Awo was great.) They only complain when you tell them to their faces that your leader was better than theirs. And I tell you that in human relations, try hard as you like, no Igbo man or Hausa man or Ijaw man will accept that your leader is better than his leader. It is not possible. No matter the 'facts' you peddle.

Note too that one's strengths can also be the source of one's weakness. Have you asked yourself why despite the great leadership qualities of Awo, he could not win elections outside Western Region? Why was it that an Abiola that was not held in high esteem at home (WEST) was able to sweep votes in all regions, while Awo with his political sagacity and managerial skills could not?

Now look at this: In 1998, the AD had a choice to make between Olu Falae and Bola Ige as a presidential candidate. It is clear to all that Ige was wiser, more intelligent, more charismatic, a better speaker, a better manager, a better leader than Falae. But why did AD choose Falae? Because they knew that Bola Ige had an image of a core Afenifere man, who "may" be perceived as being more concerned about Yoruba issues than Nigeria. Mind you, I said 'may' - it was just a matter of perception. Despite Ige's sterling qualities over Falae, still AD chose Falae because they felt it would be easier to sell him to Nigerians than Ige. So there are so many factors you consider when you say that someone is "better."

Another example: Rev Jesse Jackson and other Black crusaders who came out for elections in the US had no fighting chance because of perception. But Obama who was accused of not belonging to mainstream Black movement or cause (who had a White mother and a Black father) suceeded where others failed.

And I still advise you show good breeding by controlling the way you insult people. I will not descend low to join you in that, no matter the insults you heap on me or Igbos. An adult should be able to argue his point without dragging himself in the mud. But if you think because you use a pseudonym on the internet, there is nothing to fear, you can go on. It merely reduces the regard readers have for you.

Seun should really ban you for flagrant waste of space and bandwidth with this worthless and pointless crap.

Saying Awolowo was the greatest was really a no brainer and we didn't claim what the rest of the world don't know about or yet to claim. Same claim was made inside and outside Nigeria, even folks within Igbo community made the same claim, the man you claim Awolowo betrayed made the same claim that Awolowo was the greatest and the best president Nigeria never had.

Awolowo excelled as a premier and finance minister. As Nigeria's Finance minister, Awolow didn't borrow 1 kobo to prosecute the civil war, a fit unheard of on earth's surface till this very second. He was a man of integrity, he stood  his ground and went to jail for his belief.  He ran the most disciplined, incorruptible and productive administration in the history of Nigeria, so what's your point again?

Was the lives of millions of people ever placed in Gani's hands to manage and administrate? Was Gani ever a public office holder?

Quit the silly and childish ignorant comparison.


Time magazine compiled a list of six black African leaders and Awolowo's name showed up, not ZIk's.

So, are we wrong for claiming the truth and what the rest of Nigeria, Black Africa and the world is claiming? I don't think so.


Unfortunately for you and with all the pan african and all the other nonsense you guys try to fool people with,  when they talk about leaders of Black Africa, they don't mention ZIK's. Feel free to checkout the bolded lines, ZIK was described as a demagogic buried under financial scandal while Awolowo was described as a man of integrity.

And before you come up with some yeye excuse, Yoruba folks didn't write all that.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo, 49, of the powerful Yoruba tribe, dedicated, teetotaling Prime Minister of the Western Region of Nigeria who began as a barrister, has gradually emerged as a statesman of integrity in a land where charges of corruption are the political order of the day. His fellow Prime Minister to the more populous but primitive north, the Sardauna of Sokoto, is a haughty Moslem nobleman out of another century. [b]Nigeria's other regional Prime Minister, the demagogic, U.S.-educated Nnamdi ["Zik"] Azikiwe of the Ibo tribe to the east, lives under a cloud as a result of a financial scandal in his administration. So rent by divisions (250 tribes speaking 400 languages), Nigeria has a compromise federal Prime Minister, Abubakar Balewa, a northerner. "To many of us," says Awolowo, "Britain is our second home. We have thrown no stones, fired no shot, and we have not shed a drop of British blood. We are attaining independence by peaceful, orderly and democratic methods."
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,894174,00.html

25 pages and nobody has mentioned anybody that equal Awolowo.

[size=15pt]AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO[/size]

Azuka.O:


Pls let's make this clear: Judging which among Awo, Zik and Sardauna as regional premiers achieved most for his people is clearly different from 'Awo has no equal'. If what you said was the thrust of the argument, no Igbo man would claim that Zik did more for the Igbos than Awo or Bello. The reason why Igbos don't venerate Zik like the Yorubas and Hausas venerate Awo and Bello is that while the other two made it clear that they were out to take care of the interest of their people, Zik was more concerned about Nigeria and Africa. Example: When Zik founded Nigeria's first indigenous university, he called it University of Nigeria, Nsukka. When Awo founded his, he called it University of Ife, while Sardauna called his University of Zaria. Zik founded a bank and called it African Continental Bank. Zik founded a neswpaper and called it the West African Pilot. He founded a party and called it NCNC -National Congress of Nigerian Citizens - at a time some others named theirs after their regions, etc

Igbos don't see Zik as an Igbo leader. They see him as a Nigerian leader. The people they see as Igbo leaders are Ojukwu, M.I. Okpara. Hausas don't see Balewa as Hausa leader; their eternal leader was/is Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto).

Herbert Macaulay founded NCNC

Babapupa and Azuka O

In all debates, it is imperative to understand the boundaries of such debates otherwise, conflict can easily arise. If you follow the writer in the first paragraph through to the second paragraph, you will observe that he clearly sets the tone for the article. See below

[b]"Most of all
he had vision, and was a nice and decent human being! Yes, Chief Awolowo had his shortcomings. He was not a saint. However, his failings and missteps were far fewer and less injurious than those of his contemporaries. Within the context of Nigerian, and indeed within African politics, Awolowo had no equal. None!



He towered above his contemporaries. Not only that -- all the leaders we’ve had since his exit from government and politics have been political dwarfs. One would be hard-pressed to name a political leader in Nigeria -- since the second-half of the twentieth century – who did more for his people and for his country than Awolowo.

Awolowo was not a President. He was the Premier of the Western Region of Nigeria from October 1, 1954 until December 15, 1959. Nonetheless, his accomplishments dwarf the combined achievements of the last five heads of government Nigeria has had. And so from now until eternity his contribution to Nigeria’s socioeconomic and political life will be remembered and appreciated by discerning minds. As a federal minister under General Yakubu Gowon from June 12, 1967 to June 30 1971, he saved Nigeria from self immolation.
[/b]"


In that context, in my honest opinion, it would be wrong to include personalities who neither held political office nor led in one way or the other. I understand that Gani formed a political party but he didn't have much success with that. He was famous for being a human rights activist and defender of social justice. If the thread is about the greatest Nigerian ever, then Gani can not be discounted in any way.

Katsumoto:

Herbert Macaulay founded NCNC

They'll try anything to needlessly embellish.

Babapupa and Azuka O

In all debates, it is imperative to understand the boundaries of such debates otherwise, conflict can easily arise. If you follow the writer in the first paragraph through to the second paragraph, you will observe that he clearly sets the tone for the article. See below

"Most of all
he had vision, and was a nice and decent human being! Yes, Chief Awolowo had his shortcomings. He was not a saint. However, his failings and missteps were far fewer and less injurious than those of his contemporaries. Within the context of Nigerian, and indeed within African politics, Awolowo had no equal. None!



He towered above his contemporaries. Not only that -- all the leaders we’ve had since his exit from government and politics have been political dwarfs. One would be hard-pressed to name a political leader in Nigeria -- since the second-half of the twentieth century – who did more for his people and for his country than Awolowo.

Awolowo was not a President. He was the Premier of the Western Region of Nigeria from October 1, 1954 until December 15, 1959. Nonetheless, his accomplishments dwarf the combined achievements of the last five heads of government Nigeria has had. And so from now until eternity his contribution to Nigeria’s socioeconomic and political life will be remembered and appreciated by discerning minds. As a federal minister under General Yakubu Gowon from June 12, 1967 to June 30 1971, he saved Nigeria from self immolation.
"


In that context, in my honest opinion, it would be wrong to include personalities who neither held political office nor led in one way or the other. I understand that Gani formed a political party but he didn't have much success with that. He was famous for being a human rights activist and defender of social justice. If the thread is about the greatest Nigerian ever, then Gani can not be discounted in any way.

It was a silly attempt o his part to negate and discount Awolowo.

Katsumoto:

Herbert Macaulay founded NCNC

Note that there were "two" groups known as NCNC.

Herbert Macauley founded National Congress of Nigerians and Cameroonians (NCNC) used to fight colonialism. Zik was Macauley's right-hand man in that group.

When it was time to contest elections in Nigeria, Zik changed it to National Congress for Nigerian Citizens - NCNC (Cameroonians were no longer part of it).

So Macauley founded National Congress of Nigerians and Cameroonians (NCNC), while Zik founded the National Congress for Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) (after Macauley's death).

There was no wrong claim in that statement by Azuka.O above.

Zik simply retained the initials NCNC because he had been known under the NCNC acronym. He could have given his party a purely new name if he wanted.

babapupa:


It was a silly attempt o his part to negate and discount Awolowo.

He is entitled to his own opinions. No need pushing him to the extreme for example, you wrote that you will recommend Seun to ban him. Do you think Seun will take you serious, do you think Seun does not read through all the arguments. How are you sure that Seun will not ban you first before him?. Be sensible.

@ bubapapa


I have followed your attitude and the way you reacted to Azuka.O, especially. What is the essence of insulting someone who has not insulted you or called your people names?

I think you are unnecessarily behaving like a tyrant and an intellectual terrorrist.

It is shameful.

Bravo, Azuka.O & katsumoto, u display impressive decorum & intellect that is sadly lacking on this forum, u are welcome examples of the desperately needed new breed of Nigerian that our country needs to develop. Have a good day

JProspero:

@ bubapapa


I have followed your attitude and the way you reacted to Azuka.O, especially. What is the essence of insulting someone who has not insulted you or called your people names?

I think you are unnecessarily behaving like a tyrant and an intellectual terrorrist.

It is shameful.

JProspero:

Note that there were "two" groups known as NCNC.

Herbert Macauley founded National Congress of Nigerians and Cameroonians (NCNC) used to fight colonialism. Zik was Macauley's right-hand man in that group.

When it was time to contest elections in Nigeria, Zik changed it to National Congress for Nigerian Citizens - NCNC (Cameroonians were no longer part of it).

So Macauley founded National Congress of Nigerians and Cameroonians (NCNC), while Zik founded the National Congress for Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) (after Macauley's death).

There was no wrong claim in that statement by Azuka.O above.

Zik simply retained the initials NCNC because he had been known under the NCNC acronym. He could have given his party a purely new name if he wanted.

Now that is the height of being pedantic. It was the same party regardless of whether the last C was changed from Camerouns to Citizens. It was a wrong claim and your attempt at correcting it borders on plagiarism. Zik did not found NCNC, I maintain, he only changed spelling of the last letter in the acronym.

Andre Uweh:

He is entitled to his own opinions. No need pushing him to the extreme for example, you wrote that you will recommend Seun to ban him. Do you think Seun will take you serious, do you think Seun does not read through all the arguments. How are you sure that Seun will not ban you first before him?. Be sensible.

Opinion cuts both ways, the thread starter did not put a gun to your head or force posters in this thread to accept his summations and if my Seun jab is giving you sleepless nights, swallow some sleeping pills. It was just a jab, get over it.

I used to be cordial to many of these irrational folks, but it's getting more and more difficult to take them seriously, their aim has never been good exchange of intellectual views and ideas. Needlessly trashing other people is no good discuss and I'm sick and tired of their silly and mindless rants.

We've sat here and read tons of their hate filled and bigoted rants with zero response, Enough is enough jare,

It is of course obvious that you do not know the meaning or proper definition for the word insult, highlight the insult and lets address it.

The 'Awo stole 1951 election' story is a fabrication that I see repeated (quite often) not only on this thread  but all over this forum, as I said under one of the many threads that this was parroted on, read the article below on NVS which analysed the 51 elections with candidate names and party affiliations.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/guest-articles/rebutting-ralph-uwechues-lie.html

For those allergic to reading, the long and short is this:

The total tally for the 1951 poll in the 80-member Western Regional Assembly was as follows: Action Group 38; Independent/AG 15; NCNC 24; Independent/NCNC 3. Three members of the NCNC who had been elected to the House changed party allegiance that day ahead of the House of Representatives vote. They were: Chief SY Kesington-Momoh, JG Ako, and Awodi Orisaremi, from Urhobo and Kukuruku Divisions.

Pray tell, how those that 'introduce tribalism into Nigeria'

Bear in mind the following

1. Egbe Omo oduduwa was formed years after the Ibo state union was formed with Zik as president.
2. The Nigerian youth movement of which Awo and Zik were members was dissolved as a result of the fallout of an election in 1941 between Samuel Akinsanya (supported by Zik) and Ernest Ikoli supported by Awo. Ikoli won said election and Zik's accusation at the time? That it was an Eko conspiracy against Ijebus! never mind that Awo was Ijebu.

Here is a quote unedited from Awos Biography written prior to independence on he's rivalry with Zik which should shed a lot more light on the politics of the time and put it in its proper context:

An article written by Zik himself, published on the front page of the Pilot, and entitled: "'Football Iliad, 1940 Edition'", shocked many people. It was a big step forward in an insidious campaign which had gone on for more than two years on the pages of the Pilot. A football team composed of students of the Christ the King's College, Onitsha, came to Lagos to play a 'Win the War' football match against St Gregory's College. The CKC team from Onitsha defeated St Gregory's team by 5 goals to 4. To the ordinary man in the street, let alone the highly sophisticated elements, there was nothing extraordinary or unusual in one school or college defeating another in a game of soccer. But not so with Dr Azikiwe. He saw in the sporting exploits and triumph of the team from Onitsha the inherent superiority of the easterners over their opponents, and he went to very great pains to establish this fact, by means of careful choice of words and emphasis. These extracts from the article are relevant: And then to think of the great combination of the Spartan heroes who crossed the lordly Niger, journeyed through the good earth of Benin, hurried across the domains of the Oshemawe of Ondo, of the Atanla of Owo, of the Owa of Ilesha, of the Oni of Ife, of the Alake of Abeokuta in their invasion of these islands!
Who, but heroes of mighty brawn and exceptionally developed brain would have dared to make this invasion and to succeed in carrying to their River Niger home, the Golden Fleece of InterCollegiate Soccer Championship of the Eastern and Western Provinces?
Yet they came to Lagos, they saw the irresistible defence put up by their opponents, and they conquered impressively, convincingly, and were graceful even in victory!
Could their achievement be paralleled?
Would it not be better for me to leave the answer to the laps of the gods?

On 24 August 1940, however, the same CKC team played in Ibadan against the Olubadan XI in another 'Win the War' match. The CKC were beaten 3-2 by the Olubadan XI which were an undiluted Yoruba team. Apart from sending the news to the Daily service myself, I also saw to it that it was wired to the Pilot. It was after there had been clamours in the Daily service, in form of letters to the editor, that the news of this Ibadan match was published some two weeks later in the Pilot. Even then, it was a small item on the back page, and it was explained in it that the CKC team were already tired and that some of them were in fact limping, before they went into the field against Olubadan XI. This was of course untrue.
I said before that the CKC episode was a big step forward in an insidious campaign which had gone on for more than two years on the pages of the Pilot. One or two more instances will be given. By the time the Pilot had published for a year, an important feature of the paper had become manifest. The Igbos in particular were given inordinate publicity on the pages of the paper. Perhaps this was as it should be. The Igbo had never had a share in newspaper publicity before the advent of the Pilot. But equally so, no Yoruba man of the class of the Igbos publicised in the Pilot ever had a share of publicity in any paper either. In those days one had to be an outstanding politician, a big shot in society, or a well-connected person, for one's name to appear in the Nigerian Daily Times, Nigerian Daily Telegraph andLagos Daily News. Of course if you had a friend working in the news or composing section of a paper, no matter who you were, you might be slipped in. Names of people like myself appeared in the papers simply because we were agitators or free-lance journalists. All the same, it was generally agreed that the Igbos needed all the boosting they could get.But Dr Azikiwe went about it in a manner which disgusted those of us who were used to describing citizens of Nigeria as Nigerians or Africans, and regarding their achievements as reflecting credit on Nigeria, indeed Africa, as a whole. The following are typical of the titles of front page news items and of editorial articles in the Pilot.


1. ' Ibo Young Man to Sail to U.K.' is the heading of a frontpage story and picture on September 23, 1938. The young man is Mr Jaja Wachuku, now Speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives.
2. '14th West African Student, 10th Nigerian, 8th Ibo in U.S.A.' Another front-page story on January 28, 1939. The 8th Ibo is Mr Nwafor Orizu, now Senator in Nigeria's Upper House.
3. 'Ibo Medical Student Passes Exam In First Class Honours.' Yet another front page story, on June 26, 1940, of the brilliant success of Dr S. O. Egwuatu.
4. Editorials:
i. ' A Model Union' ( August 8, 1938) in praise of the Ibibio State Union.
ii. 'One Year Ago' ( August 18, 1938) celebrating the first anniversary of the call to the Bar of the first Ibo lawyer, in the person of Mr Justice Louis Mbanefo, now Chief Justice of the Eastern Region High Court.
iii. 'The Ibo Are Coming' ( December 31, 1938) -- The very title is sufficiently indicative of the contents.

These are but a few examples of the publicity given to Igbos as a group. But as against these, the achievements of Yorubas and, in particular, the academic laurels of their scholars received, if at all, inconspicuous notice in the Pilot. When an Igbo did or was about to do something praiseworthy, he was invariably given a two-column headline and report in the Pilot, and was always described by his ethnic origin in the headlines. But when the Ph.D. degree of London University, indeed of any university for that matter, was conferred on the first Nigerian ever, the historic news was given a small singlecolumn space in the Pilot, and the headline read: 'Nigerian Economist Passes Ph.D. London.' The scholar concerned was Dr Fadipe, a Yoruba. As late as 1945, two Nigerian law students of Cambridge University, one Yoruba and one Igbo, passed the Law Tripos Examination. The Yoruba passed with second class honours (upper division), and the Igbo also passed with second class honours but in the lower division. The latter got front page publicity in the Pilot, but the former got a small space given to him on the back page a few days after the report of his Igbo colleague had appeared. As for outstanding Yoruba public men, they were all of them daubed as 'imperialist stooges' and ' Uncle Toms'.

babapupa:

Opinion cuts both ways, the thread starter did not put a gun to your head or force posters in this thread to accept his summations and if my Seun jab is giving you sleepless nights, swallow some sleeping pills. It was just a jab, get over it.

I used to be cordial to many of these irrational folks, but it's getting more and more difficult to take them seriously, their aim has never been good exchange of intellectual views and ideas. Needlessly trashing other people is no good discuss and I'm sick and tired of their silly and mindless rants.

We've sat here and read tons of their hate filled and bigoted rants with zero response, Enough is enough jare,

It is of course obvious that you do not know the meaning or proper definition for the word insult, highlight the insult and lets address it.

Baba agba
If we must harshly criticise anyone on these forums, it is best to direct it at those individuals who are constantly swimming in idiocy and ethnic jingoism. Azuka O is not one of such people; he has behaved, constantly, in a civil manner on these forums. Personally, I think your tone was a bit harsh. If your tone was directed at wilywily, mekusxxx, and mental-gong, I wouldn't bat an eyelid.  

nulldev:

The 'Awo stole 1951 election' story is a fabrication that I see repeated (quite often) not only on this thread but all over this forum, as I said under one of the many threads that this was parroted on, read the article below on NVS which analysed the 51 elections with candidate names and party affiliations.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/guest-articles/rebutting-ralph-uwechues-lie.html

For those allergic to reading, the long and short is this:

The total tally for the 1951 poll in the 80-member Western Regional Assembly was as follows: Action Group 38; Independent/AG 15; NCNC 24; Independent/NCNC 3. Three members of the NCNC who had been elected to the House changed party allegiance that day ahead of the House of Representatives vote. They were: Chief SY Kesington-Momoh, JG Ako, and Awodi Orisaremi, from Urhobo and Kukuruku Divisions.

Pray tell, how those that 'introduce tribalism into Nigeria'

Bear in mind the following

1. Egbe Omo oduduwa was formed years after the Ibo state union was formed with Zik as president.
2. The Nigerian youth movement of which Awo and Zik were members was dissolved as a result of the fallout of an election in 1941 between Samuel Akinsanya (supported by Zik) and Ernest Ikoli supported by Awo. Ikoli won said election and Zik's accusation at the time? That it was an Eko conspiracy against Ijebus! never mind that Awo was Ijebu.

Here is a quote unedited from Awos Biography written prior to independence on he's rivalry with Zik which should shed a lot more light on the politics of the time and put it in its proper context:

An article written by Zik himself, published on the front page of the Pilot, and entitled: "'Football Iliad, 1940 Edition'", shocked many people. It was a big step forward in an insidious campaign which had gone on for more than two years on the pages of the Pilot. A football team composed of students of the Christ the King's College, Onitsha, came to Lagos to play a 'Win the War' football match against St Gregory's College. The CKC team from Onitsha defeated St Gregory's team by 5 goals to 4. To the ordinary man in the street, let alone the highly sophisticated elements, there was nothing extraordinary or unusual in one school or college defeating another in a game of soccer. But not so with Dr Azikiwe. He saw in the sporting exploits and triumph of the team from Onitsha the inherent superiority of the easterners over their opponents, and he went to very great pains to establish this fact, by means of careful choice of words and emphasis. These extracts from the article are relevant: And then to think of the great combination of the Spartan heroes who crossed the lordly Niger, journeyed through the good earth of Benin, hurried across the domains of the Oshemawe of Ondo, of the Atanla of Owo, of the Owa of Ilesha, of the Oni of Ife, of the Alake of Abeokuta in their invasion of these islands!
Who, but heroes of mighty brawn and exceptionally developed brain would have dared to make this invasion and to succeed in carrying to their River Niger home, the Golden Fleece of InterCollegiate Soccer Championship of the Eastern and Western Provinces?
Yet they came to Lagos, they saw the irresistible defence put up by their opponents, and they conquered impressively, convincingly, and were graceful even in victory!
Could their achievement be paralleled?
Would it not be better for me to leave the answer to the laps of the gods?

On 24 August 1940, however, the same CKC team played in Ibadan against the Olubadan XI in another 'Win the War' match. The CKC were beaten 3-2 by the Olubadan XI which were an undiluted Yoruba team. Apart from sending the news to the Daily service myself, I also saw to it that it was wired to the Pilot. It was after there had been clamours in the Daily service, in form of letters to the editor, that the news of this Ibadan match was published some two weeks later in the Pilot. Even then, it was a small item on the back page, and it was explained in it that the CKC team were already tired and that some of them were in fact limping, before they went into the field against Olubadan XI. This was of course untrue.
I said before that the CKC episode was a big step forward in an insidious campaign which had gone on for more than two years on the pages of the Pilot. One or two more instances will be given. By the time the Pilot had published for a year, an important feature of the paper had become manifest. The Igbos in particular were given inordinate publicity on the pages of the paper. Perhaps this was as it should be. The Igbo had never had a share in newspaper publicity before the advent of the Pilot. But equally so, no Yoruba man of the class of the Igbos publicised in the Pilot ever had a share of publicity in any paper either. In those days one had to be an outstanding politician, a big shot in society, or a well-connected person, for one's name to appear in the Nigerian Daily Times, Nigerian Daily Telegraph andLagos Daily News. Of course if you had a friend working in the news or composing section of a paper, no matter who you were, you might be slipped in. Names of people like myself appeared in the papers simply because we were agitators or free-lance journalists. All the same, it was generally agreed that the Igbos needed all the boosting they could get.But Dr Azikiwe went about it in a manner which disgusted those of us who were used to describing citizens of Nigeria as Nigerians or Africans, and regarding their achievements as reflecting credit on Nigeria, indeed Africa, as a whole. The following are typical of the titles of front page news items and of editorial articles in the Pilot.


1. ' Ibo Young Man to Sail to U.K.' is the heading of a frontpage story and picture on September 23, 1938. The young man is Mr Jaja Wachuku, now Speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives.
2. '14th West African Student, 10th Nigerian, 8th Ibo in U.S.A.' Another front-page story on January 28, 1939. The 8th Ibo is Mr Nwafor Orizu, now Senator in Nigeria's Upper House.
3. 'Ibo Medical Student Passes Exam In First Class Honours.' Yet another front page story, on June 26, 1940, of the brilliant success of Dr S. O. Egwuatu.
4. Editorials:
i. ' A Model Union' ( August 8, 1938) in praise of the Ibibio State Union.
ii. 'One Year Ago' ( August 18, 1938) celebrating the first anniversary of the call to the Bar of the first Ibo lawyer, in the person of Mr Justice Louis Mbanefo, now Chief Justice of the Eastern Region High Court.
iii. 'The Ibo Are Coming' ( December 31, 1938) -- The very title is sufficiently indicative of the contents.

These are but a few examples of the publicity given to Igbos as a group. But as against these, the achievements of Yorubas and, in particular, the academic laurels of their scholars received, if at all, inconspicuous notice in the Pilot. When an Igbo did or was about to do something praiseworthy, he was invariably given a two-column headline and report in the Pilot, and was always described by his ethnic origin in the headlines. But when the Ph.D. degree of London University, indeed of any university for that matter, was conferred on the first Nigerian ever, the historic news was given a small singlecolumn space in the Pilot, and the headline read: 'Nigerian Economist Passes Ph.D. London.' The scholar concerned was Dr Fadipe, a Yoruba. As late as 1945, two Nigerian law students of Cambridge University, one Yoruba and one Igbo, passed the Law Tripos Examination. The Yoruba passed with second class honours (upper division), and the Igbo also passed with second class honours but in the lower division. The latter got front page publicity in the Pilot, but the former got a small space given to him on the back page a few days after the report of his Igbo colleague had appeared. As for outstanding Yoruba public men, they were all of them daubed as 'imperialist stooges' and ' Uncle Toms'.

Insightful

Katsumoto:

Baba agba
If we must harshly criticise anyone on these forums, it is best to direct it at those individuals who are constantly swimming in idiocy and ethnic jingoism. Azuka O is not one of such people; he has behaved, constantly, in a civil manner on these forums. Personally, I think your tone was a bit harsh. If your tone was directed at wilywily, mekusxxx, and mental-gong, I wouldn't bat an eyelid.  

Add BK/BABE and Bluetooth to the list.

Andre Uweh:

Add BK/BABE and Bluetooth to the list.

Mr man, you can write your own list.

Katsumoto:

Baba agba
If we must harshly criticise anyone on these forums, it is best to direct it at those individuals who are constantly swimming in idiocy and ethnic jingoism. Azuka O is not one of such people; he has behaved, constantly, in a civil manner on these forums. Personally, I think your tone was a bit harsh. If your tone was directed at wilywily, mekusxxx, and mental-gong, I wouldn't bat an eyelid.  

Accepted-

I just didn't get the Gani angle.

He shouldn't be peddling that Gani angle, talk about the ultimate apple and orange comparison.

@ Azuka O, good to know you're not part of the loony crew, please accept my unconditional apology.

Ndo,

Katsumoto:

Mr man, you can write your own list.

my bad.

is anyone who does not have anything worth saying should keep it to himself

nulldev:

The 'Awo stole 1951 election' story is a fabrication that I see repeated (quite often) not only on this thread  but all over this forum, as I said under one of the many threads that this was parroted on, read the article below on NVS which analysed the 51 elections with candidate names and party affiliations.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/guest-articles/rebutting-ralph-uwechues-lie.html

For those allergic to reading, the long and short is this:

The total tally for the 1951 poll in the 80-member Western Regional Assembly was as follows: Action Group 38; Independent/AG 15; NCNC 24; Independent/NCNC 3. Three members of the NCNC who had been elected to the House changed party allegiance that day ahead of the House of Representatives vote. They were: Chief SY Kesington-Momoh, JG Ako, and Awodi Orisaremi, from Urhobo and Kukuruku Divisions.

Pray tell, how those that 'introduce tribalism into Nigeria'

Bear in mind the following

1. Egbe Omo oduduwa was formed years after the Ibo state union was formed with Zik as president.
2. The Nigerian youth movement of which Awo and Zik were members was dissolved as a result of the fallout of an election in 1941 between Samuel Akinsanya (supported by Zik) and Ernest Ikoli supported by Awo. Ikoli won said election and Zik's accusation at the time? That it was an Eko conspiracy against Ijebus! never mind that Awo was Ijebu.

Here is a quote unedited from Awos Biography written prior to independence on he's rivalry with Zik which should shed a lot more light on the politics of the time and put it in its proper context:

[b]An article written by Zik himself, published on the front page of the Pilot, and entitled: "'Football Iliad, 1940 Edition'", shocked many people. It was a big step forward in an insidious campaign which had gone on for more than two years on the pages of the Pilot. A football team composed of students of the Christ the King's College, Onitsha, came to Lagos to play a 'Win the War' football match against St Gregory's College. The CKC team from Onitsha defeated St Gregory's team by 5 goals to 4. To the ordinary man in the street, let alone the highly sophisticated elements, there was nothing extraordinary or unusual in one school or college defeating another in a game of soccer. But not so with Dr Azikiwe. He saw in the sporting exploits and triumph of the team from Onitsha the inherent superiority of the easterners over their opponents, and he went to very great pains to establish this fact, by means of careful choice of words and emphasis. These extracts from the article are relevant: And then to think of the great combination of the Spartan heroes who crossed the lordly Niger, journeyed through the good earth of Benin, hurried across the domains of the Oshemawe of Ondo, of the Atanla of Owo, of the Owa of Ilesha, of the Oni of Ife, of the Alake of Abeokuta in their invasion of these islands!
Who, but heroes of mighty brawn and exceptionally developed brain would have dared to make this invasion and to succeed in carrying to their River Niger home, the Golden Fleece of InterCollegiate Soccer Championship of the Eastern and Western Provinces?
Yet they came to Lagos, they saw the irresistible defence put up by their opponents, and they conquered impressively, convincingly, and were graceful even in victory!
Could their achievement be paralleled?
Would it not be better for me to leave the answer to the laps of the gods?

On 24 August 1940, however, the same CKC team played in Ibadan against the Olubadan XI in another 'Win the War' match. The CKC were beaten 3-2 by the Olubadan XI which were an undiluted Yoruba team. Apart from sending the news to the Daily service myself, I also saw to it that it was wired to the Pilot. It was after there had been clamours in the Daily service, in form of letters to the editor, that the news of this Ibadan match was published some two weeks later in the Pilot. Even then, it was a small item on the back page, and it was explained in it that the CKC team were already tired and that some of them were in fact limping, before they went into the field against Olubadan XI. This was of course untrue.
I said before that the CKC episode was a big step forward in an insidious campaign which had gone on for more than two years on the pages of the Pilot. One or two more instances will be given. By the time the Pilot had published for a year, an important feature of the paper had become manifest. The Igbos in particular were given inordinate publicity on the pages of the paper. Perhaps this was as it should be. The Igbo had never had a share in newspaper publicity before the advent of the Pilot. But equally so, no Yoruba man of the class of the Igbos publicised in the Pilot ever had a share of publicity in any paper either. In those days one had to be an outstanding politician, a big shot in society, or a well-connected person, for one's name to appear in the Nigerian Daily Times, Nigerian Daily Telegraph andLagos Daily News. Of course if you had a friend working in the news or composing section of a paper, no matter who you were, you might be slipped in. Names of people like myself appeared in the papers simply because we were agitators or free-lance journalists. All the same, it was generally agreed that the Igbos needed all the boosting they could get.But Dr Azikiwe went about it in a manner which disgusted those of us who were used to describing citizens of Nigeria as Nigerians or Africans, and regarding their achievements as reflecting credit on Nigeria, indeed Africa, as a whole. The following are typical of the titles of front page news items and of editorial articles in the Pilot.


1. ' Ibo Young Man to Sail to U.K.' is the heading of a frontpage story and picture on September 23, 1938. The young man is Mr Jaja Wachuku, now Speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives.
2. '14th West African Student, 10th Nigerian, 8th Ibo in U.S.A.' Another front-page story on January 28, 1939. The 8th Ibo is Mr Nwafor Orizu, now Senator in Nigeria's Upper House.
3. 'Ibo Medical Student Passes Exam In First Class Honours.' Yet another front page story, on June 26, 1940, of the brilliant success of Dr S. O. Egwuatu.
4. Editorials:
i. ' A Model Union' ( August 8, 1938) in praise of the Ibibio State Union.
ii. 'One Year Ago' ( August 18, 1938) celebrating the first anniversary of the call to the Bar of the first Ibo lawyer, in the person of Mr Justice Louis Mbanefo, now Chief Justice of the Eastern Region High Court.
iii. 'The Ibo Are Coming' ( December 31, 1938) -- The very title is sufficiently indicative of the contents.[/b]
These are but a few examples of the publicity given to Igbos as a group. But as against these, the achievements of Yorubas and, in particular, the academic laurels of their scholars received, if at all, inconspicuous notice in the Pilot. When an Igbo did or was about to do something praiseworthy, he was invariably given a two-column headline and report in the Pilot, and was always described by his ethnic origin in the headlines. But when the Ph.D. degree of London University, indeed of any university for that matter, was conferred on the first Nigerian ever, the historic news was given a small singlecolumn space in the Pilot, and the headline read: 'Nigerian Economist Passes Ph.D. London.' The scholar concerned was Dr Fadipe, a Yoruba. As late as 1945, two Nigerian law students of Cambridge University, one Yoruba and one Igbo, passed the Law Tripos Examination. The Yoruba passed with second class honours (upper division), and the Igbo also passed with second class honours but in the lower division. The latter got front page publicity in the Pilot, but the former got a small space given to him on the back page a few days after the report of his Igbo colleague had appeared. As for outstanding Yoruba public men, they were all of them daubed as 'imperialist stooges' and ' Uncle Toms'.

I was wondering why the TIME would refer to him as a demagogue, perhaps this is why.
But how could he be an ethocentric demagogue and a nationalist at the same time? Could it be some people have been fibbing with history all these while!!!
Please somebody tell me this aint true. I honestly never thought once in my life that the great Zik of Africa could write such garbage!!!

These Yorubas came out in FORCE! 

They would even defend the devil if he had their interest in mind.

They would even defend the devil if he had their interest in mind.

Would you have done differently?

I know 98% of human beings would defend anyone who protects their interest

dayokanu:



Would you have done differently?

I know 98% of human beings would defend anyone who protects their interest

Unfortunately in their communities, it's the other way around. They think like sheeps and do things backward,

dont know why anyone pays ezeuche any attention.that man drives only on a one way road.

@Azuka.O, you racked your head looking for a more credible replacement for Awo as the best ever leader in Nigeria, you found none so you tweaked the poster's premise in a bid to accomodate your conclusion (that Gani had no equal). The poster said (paraphrased though) among his peers, Awo was the greatest, 'his peers' meaning other LEADERS past and present. Don't get me wrong, Gani was great. Infact he left Nigeria better than when he entered it, but to say he was a leader is to go overboard. Gani cant lead a community of 100 people! (I stand to be corrected on this).

Awo was peerless(still is), eons of years ahead of his contemporaries, always forward thinking, always calm even in the face of tribulations. Azuka.O you found none other to compare with Awo so you went a step further and settled for an activist. It remains to be seen that any other African leader matched the developmental strides of Awo back in the 50's. Azuka. O you were probabaly a beneficiary of Awo's sagacity and insightfulness if you lived around the SW region while growing up.

I served in Benue state and my gf in Enugu. It will interest you to know that public sec. schl pupils in those states(mostly children of peasant farmers) still pay scholol fees as at 2009 and the quality of education over there is far worse than what is obtainable in Lagos.

Awo died 25yrs ago, but his legacy remains eternal, generations yet unborn are sure to benefit from the template he has set for future leaders to build on. People erroneosly thought Gov. Fashola is the political anointee of Bola Tinubu, nah; that was AWO

AWO LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ode remo:

dont know why anyone pays ezeuche any attention.that  man drives only on a one way road.

And you all don't? 

All I am hearing is Awolowo this and Awolowo that. But the only people who are saying this is you Yoruba. You will NEVER catch a northerner, or an Igbo saying such a thing.

He was simply was a tribal demagogue, nothing more and nothing less.