Kobojunkie:

Given we just had a National election that South Easterners essentially helped hand back to the same PDP many of the political goons in the same SE have relied on in the last 12 years, I think not(to the statement in bold there)!

yiboboy:

I sit in the helipad awaiting a chopper to take me back to PH. Along comes one of the military personnel (Hausa) securing our facility, he also takes a sit and we start gisting, from Champions league to unrest all over the Arab nations, we kept chatting and analysing (I found him quite intelligent for a jar-head AKA soldier )suddenly the station is tuned to a local channel and the turmoil in Northern Nigeria comes on.

I noticed an uneasy calm and silence engulf us both, suddenly our eyes meet and he looked away. In that brief moment in which we gazed at each other I kept trying to decipher what was going on in his mind, shame and guilt for the cruelty meted out by his people towards the southerners? Defiance and lunatic views about being supreme and superior to the purported weaker southerners? I guess I'd never know for my flight arrived and I departed.

One thing kept crossing my mind however, why couldn't I bring my self to hate this northerner, it should be easy, no? I had afterall lost a cousin to one of their so-called jihad actions some years back and here they were killing more southerners serving their father's land. So why didn't an atom of hatred flow within me towards this man

I rather found myself thinking of all the evenings I've spent playing footy with the military personnel (mostly hausas)and other colleagues. Let me also reiterate that I'm not the only one who feels this way. Colleagues of mine also rapport with this guys and we never even think of the evil and havoc being wrecked on our kinsmen by their peeps.

Rather everyone sees the other as a brother, no Yoruba/Ibo dichotomy, no North/South beef.

I find myself asking are we weaker for not being able to hate/kill their own kinsmen in Lagos, Abia, Rivers et-al

Beaf:

Nah dude, I don't wish to point fingers, don't let fools like Rhino 5dm force your hand.
There is much too much bad blood between the SE and SW, that singular fact is really holding the country down. That is what the core-North used to wrap the vastly more educated parts of the country around their fingers.

My heart really weeps each time I see the sort of senseless quip from seanet that kicked off the current bash fest.

GEJ has created an easy rapport between the SS, Middle Belt and SE (especially the SE), being from a neutral ethnic group he must strive to build the same rapport with the SW and work to stop this self-destructive madness; otherwise, as soon as he's gone, we will be back under the boots of the core-Northern hegemonist cabal.

ezeagu:

Who will they vote for instead, Buhari? Somebody already compared Goodluck Jonathan and the South east/south to Barack Obama, most African Americans did not even know what Obama stood for, but they came out in record numbers to vote for him because they thought one of their own would obviously make their situation better in a country where they have been at the bottom for so long. The comparison is with the east, obviously the easterners are still in a Nigeria so they will vote for one of their own to have a higher chance of having someone to make situations for them easier. Or the south easterners have suddenly started loving Nigeria?

Chyz*:

The same reason why every other part of nigeria is.

Dede1:

Talking about common sense, I do not think any sense is common to you. I guess the Yoruba did not fight in the civil war. Even a jackass knew Yoruba fought in war but you. By the way, jackass is better than you. The subject matter is not whether Yoruba fought in the war but on which side. T[s]he first action of a coward is to deny involvement when situation goes beyond joke.  
[/s]

Chyz*:

The main problem in the SW is their jealousy and envy, once they get past that then it'll be good for them.

step1:

Yes the SW has many problems but it is not jealousy and envy.

Kobojunkie:

Was 1966 over 50 years ago? YES -- FACT
Are South Eastern States still in the grips of South Eastern Politicians? YES -- FACT

So what irresponsible postulations do you refer to there? You are the one here to pretend your side was better in some way for an over 50 year old incident. What about today? Since we are in 2011. What has been done since then?

Being a newtonian does not anyway absolve you from acting today for your own good, even if you did act in the past and failed. Nothing of the newtonian philosophy explains the fact that you seem stuck in some time warp loop, never able to cut out of your 1966 obsession. So please, try using another cop out that actually would make sense!

Dede1:

You seemed to be delusional. Nigeria is faced with ethno-politico-religious riot that reared its ugly head within cities of northern region in 1956 and the buffoonery in you spurred you to dwell on numbers. If 50 years are so significant in your scheme of things, why should a pattern of riots bone more than 50 years ago still reverberate in northern region of Nigeria?

Dede1:

You seemed to be delusional. Nigeria is faced with ethno-politico-religious riot that reared its ugly head within cities of northern region in 1956 and the buffoonery in you spurred you to dwell on numbers. If 50 years are so significant in your scheme of things, why should a pattern of riots bone more than 50 years ago still reverberate in northern region of Nigeria?

Kobojunkie:

You probably need to direct that one at @Dede1 as he needs you to school him a bit on that.

Dede1:


Shut up your putrid mouth already. You forget there are remote causes to everything. Do I need to educate you on the genetic factors that led to your dilapidated body? One of the reasons Nigeria remains in a state of awkward predicament today is because the patriotism that greets the birth of nation was murdered in 1966.  

step1:

Yes the SW has many problems but it is not jealousy and envy.

Kobojunkie:

Please stop trying to decieving yourself thinking you speak intelligently. The civil war of over 50 years ago has nothing to do with the 2011 riots or even the riots of 1999. The current trend can be traced back to 1999, and not 1966. Please get out of that LOOP you seem to be in and try to catch up with reality. The world knows this all has been working since 1999 . . . estimates on the disaster is recorded from 1999 and not 1966. Again, stop decieving yourself with this nonsense and maybe then you will see what is really eating people in all regions in this country. I tried to get you to think why the problem that exists in the North also rears its head even in the East but you avoid addressing that so you can yet again focus on the North as you always seem to in most everything. STOP!

mikeansy:

These are the facts people do not know. They still do not know that what is happening in the North right now has been happening even before independence and yet it does not seem to matter to anybody.

Honestly where is the concience of this Nation called Nigeria?

mikeansy:

The half baked history you learnt started in 1966.

mikeansy:

But the story of these ethnic killings began way before independence (keep in mind Nigeria got independence in 1960)

mikeansy:

Some of you just need to change the history books you read and then you will learn to see the world through other people's eyes and be better for it.

mikeansy:

Even when the President likened the current violence to the violence that led to stoking up of hatred before the civil war you think he was talking about 1966? A lot happened in this country before January 1966 and do yourself and your generations to come the favour of doing a better research on the story of Nigeria.

Kobojunkie:

There were at least 16 candidates on the Ballot  --- trust me, SEasterners had a lot of other options on the ballot, even candidates from the SE where on that list as well.

That some persons compared Jonathan to Barack Obama does not mean they were right/reasonable in attempting that. For one, we already spent at least 10 months figuring out Jonathan's leadership capacity at the National level, and the previous 11 years measuring his ability as a leader-- something Black Americans were not really able to do with Barack Obama. So, the comparison makes little sense and should not be used as reasonable excuse for why the SEast should have voted Jonathan as opposed to many the 3 other Eastern Candidates on the same list on that day. We are talking here of the "EDUCATED" region here, or are we not?

jason123:

I have told my SS brothers (including the So called Ogoni man) that we are the uniting factor in the Southern Nigeria. Once we start pointing fingers at the Igbo or Yoruba, that is the day the Southern Nigeria or South-south will collapse. We must remain neutral in this never-ending feud between the Yorubas and Igbos.
@Beaf, your point is well taken and supported.
@Chyz, you call yourself a SS man but yet you point fingers. Until the day Igbos stop insulting Awolowo, there will be no peace. I have been to several internet forums, its the same thing over and over again with Igbos blaming Yorubas for their every ill and yet we all live with them . Do you not sense hypocrisy??
@ Ezeuche, keep it up. You will surely reap the rewards.
@ Op
Southerners are not weak minded but they are not stupi.d. Before any attack, it must be well planned. It's not cowardice but common sense.

jason123:

I have told my SS brothers (including the So called Ogoni man) that we are the uniting factor in the Southern Nigeria. Once we start pointing fingers at the Igbo or Yoruba, that is the day the Southern Nigeria or South-south will collapse. We must remain neutral in this never-ending feud between the Yorubas and Igbos.
@Beaf, your point is well taken and supported.
@Chyz, you call yourself a SS man but yet you point fingers. Until the day Igbos stop insulting Awolowo, there will be no peace. I have been to several internet forums, its the same thing over and over again with Igbos blaming Yorubas for their every ill and yet we all live with them . Do you not sense hypocrisy??
@ Ezeuche, keep it up. You will surely reap the rewards.
@ Op
Southerners are not weak minded but they are not stupi.d. Before any attack, it must be well planned. It's not cowardice but common sense.

Kobojunkie:

Correction  . . . that would be the half-baked history you learnt!! Ethnic killings predate even the comming of the white man. Correct yourself please! Nigeria was no Utopia before that time and it is senseless to think that it become one at some point afterwards and then it all went to hell in 1966. NO, that is not what happened. Well, I would at least that you take your own advice first!What President? The very one who rode the wave of ethnic divide to victory last week? You need to get yourself better mentors!

1966 was a civil war but ethnic differences and violence predate that war. 1999 we decided as a nation to, even with all the differences, construct for ourselves a democratic nation where everyone is equal no matter his/her ethnicity. Going back to 1966 to look for ridiculous parallels is silly when what we have today does not in anyway compare to the structure we had back in 66 or even all that lead up to the war.

ezeagu:

Goodluck Jonathan was already in presidency and had a high chance of winning. The other regions of Nigeria also voted in Goodluck, if the south east supports another candidate it doesn't make a difference, so they obviously voted who would realistically win to them.

ezeagu:

The comparison of Barack Obama doesn't make sense to you because you don't want it too.

ezeagu:

There were several candidates that were tried and tested in the state level, there were candidates who had better plans for America. There was Cynthia Mckinney, etc who were African American. Even if Barack Obama was a senator or a vice president, the United States is not Nigeria so his failure wouldn't be as big as looting the whole state for 4 years, even if he did, please don't tell me African Americans still wouldn't vote for him with the campaign he had. And which of those other south eastern candidates were tested as well?

Chyz*:

You call yourself a SS man but yet you say nothing when fools from the SW attack our intelligence and hardwork. You have no reason to call me out . Now about Awolowo, Let their be no peace for as long as the Ikemba's name is mention from a dirty mouth we will strike infinitely, you can count on that.

Ndigbo is SS as well, im a pure example of it. There is no Igbo/yoruba anything. Caution the yorubas about worrying about Igbo.

Dede1:

You seemed to be pale in historical facts. As you are a self-acclaimed Itsekiri, I am tempted to call you an ingrate.

Dede1:

You seemed to be delusional. Nigeria is faced with ethno-politico-religious riot that reared its ugly head within cities of northern region in 1956 and the buffoonery in you spurred you to dwell on numbers. If 50 years are so significant in your scheme of things, why should a pattern of riots bone more than 50 years ago still reverberate in northern region of Nigeria?

Kobojunkie:

Well, you just proved your own statement wrong then!!! You claimed the majority had given up on Nigeria but now you admit they actually voted at the National for the candidate they wanted meaning they had not given up as you claimed.

Kobojunkie:

Not true. . . when you make comparions, you line up the similarities and the differences. There are so many more differences than similarities, no matter which way you want to dice it, that you cannot reasonably claim Jonathan an Obama. Again, I already stated some of the glaring differences.

Kobojunkie:
I have no clue what you are going on. PS. Obama is not the first Black man who has attempted to run for the presidency. From what I remember, that man did not get the black votes in much the same way Obama did.

ezeagu:

Or maybe you just didn't read the post before the last. Giving up on a country doesn't mean you won't look for ways to survive in it or that you've given up on your life. What I would give as an example of still believing in a country was if the energy and attention that is directed to MASSOB in the south east was dedicated to some sort of save Nigeria group, but it's not. You may have given up on saving a jungle, you may want to get out of the jungle, but does that mean you will let yourself be eaten by lions?

ezeagu:

You can pick out differences in any comparison, that's why it's a comparison. . . . just because there are more differences doesn't make the similarities the person is pointing out a difference.

ezeagu:

Maybe you should have thought your argument out better. That would have helped you get a clue.

Kobojunkie:

Correction  . . . that would be the half-baked history you learnt!! Ethnic killings predate even the comming of the white man. Correct yourself please! Nigeria was no Utopia before that time and it is senseless to think that it become one at some point afterwards and then it all went to hell in 1966. NO, that is not what happened. Well, I would at least that you take your own advice first!What President? The very one who rode the wave of ethnic divide to victory last week? You need to get yourself better mentors!

1966 was a civil war but ethnic differences and violence predate that war. 1999 we decided as a nation to, even with all the differences, construct for ourselves a democratic nation where everyone is equal no matter his/her ethnicity. Going back to 1966 to look for ridiculous parallels is silly when what we have today does not in anyway compare to the structure we had back in 66, even the period and all that led up to the war.  Again like the silly comparisons made constantly of Obama and Jonathan,  we need to get our heads right and focus on what the issue is today rather than creating fantastical ideas that mean nothing to the issue at hand at the end of the day.