DMerciful:
You're extremely ignorant. The midwest region was created through a plebiscite in 1963.

Again, before Ironsi there were 4 regions, after Ironsi, 4 regions called 4 states.
Ironsi did not divide the regions, Gowon did

OF course you're right about the 1963 review and I must admit my slip there but it's worthy of note that those created region still operated fiscal independence. Each individual region runs its regional constitution with some slight difference in accordance with their cultures and ideologies. That was until Ironsi came on board, employed a committee to review the constitution and came up with DECREE 34 where all regions were pronouced states and all regional governmental power on fiscal and resource control were collapsed to the centre including the dissolve of the regions respective constitution. It caused many grunts and grumbles from many corners and there were backup interviews from some individuals unhappy with Ironsi's declaration.
I'm likewise admitting mistaken the 1979 constitution BEN NWABUEZE championed with the FRANCIS NWAKEDI review as directed by IRONSI. THE LATTER set the ball rolling while THE FORMER nailed it up.

FOR MORE CLARITY, I ENJOIN YOU TO FOLLOW UP MY RESPONSE COMING BELOW TO ANOTHER MONIKER SHARING YOUR IDEA.

gidgiddy:


People are funny. Documents that have been out there in the public even before I was born is what I will falsify today? Despite evidence in front of a Nigerian, he will still talk nonsense. Out of what do you think Gowon created 12 States from? From thin air? Nigeria had 4 Region's and Gowon abolished those 4 Regions to create 12 states. You guys keep calling Ben Nwabueze but cannot show what the man did. There was no new constitution by Ironsi, military never write constitution, they only issue decree . Decree 34 people keep talking about was just about the civil service

If you want to praise Gowon for Abolishing the 4 Region's Nigeria had, creating 12 states to replace them with Decree 14. If you want to praise Gowon for removing resource control with Decree 15, all good


But don't accuse Ironsi for what Gowon clearly did. People that cannot use Internet to verify facts but would rather listen to third party lies

Before we proceed, perhaps we should initially define the two systems of government in contention and what the Ironsi DECREE 34 said in relation to both of them.

WHAT IS REGIONAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT？
A Regional system of government is type of government where
each region is allowed to control resources found in its
domain, but only has to pay royalty to the central
government.

WHEREAS：

A unitary state is a sovereign state governed as a single
entity in which the central government is the supreme
authority . The central government may create or abolish
administrative divisions (sub-national units).


NIGERIA POLITICAL SITUATION BEFORE IRONSI：

Before the January 15, 1966 military coup, there were five
constitutions operating in Nigeria. There was the constitution
of the Federal Republic of 1963. Then, we had the
Constitution of Northern Nigerian Law of 1963; the
Constitution of the Eastern Nigerian Law of 1963; the
Constitution of Western Nigerian Law of 1963; and the
Constitution of Mid-Western Nigerian Act of 1964.
The four Regions were administered in a way, as if they
were sovereign states.
Sub-section 2D of Section 63 of the Constitution of the
Western Nigerian Law of 1963; sub-section 1 of Section 64
of the constitution of the Mid-Western Nigerian Act of 1964;
sub-Section 1 of Section 66 of Eastern Nigeria Constitution
Law and sub-section 1 of Section 68 of the Constitution of
Northern Nigeria Law of 1963, all made provisions for the
appointments of Agent Generals for the four regions in the
United Kingdom.
The Agent Generals were like modern-day ambassadors.
For example, the Western Region appointed Chief
Emmanuel Akintoye Akinbowale Olasunmbo Coker
(1924-2000), as Agent General to the United Kingdom and
he served in that office between 1960 and 1963. His
schedule was not at conflict with that of the Nigerian High
Commissioner to the UK at that time, Alhaji Abdul-Maliki
(1914-1969), the son of the late Attah of Igbirraland- a true
diplomat and bureaucrat.
And the age-long dream among students of the then
Western Region, at that time was to clinch Western Region
scholarship instead of the Federal Government scholarship.
Those were the booming cocoa era days.
Each of the regions had its own Chief Justice, Police
Commissioner, legislative House and many other bodies. We
remember in particular Sir Louis Odumegwu-Ojukwu
(1909-1966), father of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Emeka
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who held the powerful posts of
Chairman of Eastern Region Development Corporation and
Eastern Nigeria Marketing Board.
Each of the regions differed on some key issues though.
Section 23 of the Constitution Northern Nigeria Law of 1963
stated that “the business of the Legislative Houses shall be
conducted in English and in Hausa”. Other regions upheld
only English in their legislative Houses.
The Western Region even had a Court of Appeal which
served as an Intermediate Court between its High Court and
the Supreme Court. The only uniformity was in the
procedure for the establishment of key office holders. They
all had Premiers and Governors.
The Governors, according to the four regional constitutions
shall be appointed “by the President acting in accordance
with the advice of the Premier”.
The post of Governor was more ceremonial for the executive
power resided in the hands of the Premier, who had a
majority in the legislative houses.
Interestingly, except the Mid-Western Nigeria Constitution
Act of 1964, the three other regional constitutions, named all
the Governors. As for the Premiers, we had Sir Ahmadu
Bello (1909-1966) in the North; Chief Samuel Ladoke
Akintola (1910-1966), who succeeded Chief Obafemi
Awolowo (1909-1987), in the Western Region; Dr. Micahel
Iheonukara Okpara (1920-1984), who succeeded Dr.
Nnamdi Azikiwe (1909-1996) as Premier in the Eastern
Region; and Chief Dennis Chukadebe Osadebe (1911-1994)
as Premier of the Mid- Western Region.

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN IRONSI CAME ON BOARD？

On assumption of power, General Aguiyi-Ironsi promulgated
the Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree 1966.
Decree No 1 dated January 17, 1966 but not published in the
Official Gazette until March 4, 1966. He then issued Public
Order Decree No 33 dated May 24 1966 which dissolved
eighty-one political associations and twenty-six tribal and
cultural associations.
At the early stage of his tenure, he appointed a three-man
advisory team made up of Chief Francis Nwokedi, a
Permanent Secretary, Dr. Pius Charles Nwabafor Okigbo
(1924-2000) and Colonel Patrick Anwunah, who later
became Chairman and Head of the Orientation Committee at
that time.
He replaced the then Attorney-General and Minister of
Justice, Dr. Taslim Olawale Elias (1914-1991) with Chief
Gabriel Chike Michael Onyiuke (SAN), former Director,
Public Prosecution, Eastern Nigeria (1960-1965) from Nimo
in the present Anambra state.
In a speech to the nation on January 28 1966, he denounced
the evils of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa regime and
outlined necessary reforms. ”All Nigerians”, he declared,”
want an end to regionalism. Tribal loyalties and activities
which promote tribal consciousness and sectional interests
must give way to the urgent task of national reconstruction.
The Federal Military Government will preserve Nigeria as
one strong nation.” He then went on to promise
“administrative reforms” and referred specifically to several
matters in which regional as well as personal interests were
known to have had decisive influence. These were official
appointments, public investments, and the universities. He
promised that in the public services, efficiency and merit will
be the criteria for advancement”. That industrial
development would be “coordinated to avoid wasteful
duplication of industrial projects”, and that the universities
would be “re-orientated to serve the genuine interest of our
people.”
Immediately after the speech two Governors kicked against
the proposal. They were, Major General David Akpode Ejoor
(83) from Ovu in the present Delta State, then serving as
the Military Governor of the Mid-Western region and Major
General Hassan Usman Katsina(1933-1995), who was then
serving as Governor of the Northern region.
Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (1933-2011),
Military Governor of Eastern Region welcomed the decree
while Lt. Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (1926-1966), Military
Governor of Western Region never commented on the
promulgation of the decree.

On February 21 1966, General Aguiyi-Ironsi again
addressed the nation on the issue. He said: “On the question
of the political future of the country, the experiences and
mistakes of the previous governments in the Federation have
clearly indicated that far-reaching constitutional reforms are
badly needed for peaceful and orderly progress towards the
realization of our objectives. I have already touched on some
of the major issues involved in recent broadcast to the
nation. It has become apparent to all Nigerians that rigid
adherence to ‘regionalism’, was the bane of the last regime
and one of the main factors which contributed to its downfall.
No doubt, the country would welcome a clean break with the
deficiencies of the system of government to which the
country has been subjected in the recent past. A solution
suitable to our national needs must be found. The existing
boundaries of governmental control will need to be re-
adjusted to make for less cumbersome administration.’
As a follow-up on May 25, General Aguiyi-Ironsi
promulgated the Constitution (Suspension and Modification)
(No. 5) Decree 1966. Decree No. 34 (the ‘Unification
Decree’).
After the promulgation, the country was thrown into turmoil
which led to demonstration

Too many words which you intended to conveal this simple fact. Before Ironsi it was four(4) regions, after Ironsi, it remained four (4)regions.

Whatever administrative system he introduced can easily be reversed. Gowon broke the 4 regions to 12 states making it an irreversible change

PHAYOL81:


OF course you're right about the 1963 review and I must admit my slip there but it's worthy of note that those created region still operated fiscal independence. Each individual region runs its regional constitution with some slight difference in accordance with their cultures and ideologies. That was until Ironsi came on board, employed a committee to review the constitution and came up with DECREE 34 where all regions were pronouced states and all regional governmental power on fiscal and resource control were collapsed to the centre including the dissolve of the regions respective constitution. It caused many grunts and grumbles from many corners and there were backup interviews from some individuals unhappy with Ironsi's declaration.
I'm likewise admitting mistaken the 1979 constitution BEN NWABUEZE championed with the FRANCIS NWAKEDI review as directed by IRONSI. THE LATTER set the ball rolling while THE FORMER nailed it up.

FOR MORE CLARITY, I ENJOIN YOU TO FOLLOW UP MY RESPONSE COMING BELOW TO ANOTHER MONIKER SHARING YOUR IDEA.




Before we proceed, perhaps we should initially define the two systems of government in contention and what the Ironsi DECREE 34 said in relation to both of them.

WHAT IS REGIONAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT？
A Regional system of government is type of government where
each region is allowed to control resources found in its
domain, but only has to pay royalty to the central
government.

WHEREAS：

A unitary state is a sovereign state governed as a single
entity in which the central government is the supreme
authority . The central government may create or abolish
administrative divisions (sub-national units).


NIGERIA POLITICAL SITUATION BEFORE IRONSI：

Before the January 15, 1966 military coup, there were five
constitutions operating in Nigeria. There was the constitution
of the Federal Republic of 1963. Then, we had the
Constitution of Northern Nigerian Law of 1963; the
Constitution of the Eastern Nigerian Law of 1963; the
Constitution of Western Nigerian Law of 1963; and the
Constitution of Mid-Western Nigerian Act of 1964.
The four Regions were administered in a way, as if they
were sovereign states.
Sub-section 2D of Section 63 of the Constitution of the
Western Nigerian Law of 1963; sub-section 1 of Section 64
of the constitution of the Mid-Western Nigerian Act of 1964;
sub-Section 1 of Section 66 of Eastern Nigeria Constitution
Law and sub-section 1 of Section 68 of the Constitution of
Northern Nigeria Law of 1963, all made provisions for the
appointments of Agent Generals for the four regions in the
United Kingdom.
The Agent Generals were like modern-day ambassadors.
For example, the Western Region appointed Chief
Emmanuel Akintoye Akinbowale Olasunmbo Coker
(1924-2000), as Agent General to the United Kingdom and
he served in that office between 1960 and 1963. His
schedule was not at conflict with that of the Nigerian High
Commissioner to the UK at that time, Alhaji Abdul-Maliki
(1914-1969), the son of the late Attah of Igbirraland- a true
diplomat and bureaucrat.
And the age-long dream among students of the then
Western Region, at that time was to clinch Western Region
scholarship instead of the Federal Government scholarship.
Those were the booming cocoa era days.
Each of the regions had its own Chief Justice, Police
Commissioner, legislative House and many other bodies. We
remember in particular Sir Louis Odumegwu-Ojukwu
(1909-1966), father of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Emeka
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who held the powerful posts of
Chairman of Eastern Region Development Corporation and
Eastern Nigeria Marketing Board.
Each of the regions differed on some key issues though.
Section 23 of the Constitution Northern Nigeria Law of 1963
stated that “the business of the Legislative Houses shall be
conducted in English and in Hausa”. Other regions upheld
only English in their legislative Houses.
The Western Region even had a Court of Appeal which
served as an Intermediate Court between its High Court and
the Supreme Court. The only uniformity was in the
procedure for the establishment of key office holders. They
all had Premiers and Governors.
The Governors, according to the four regional constitutions
shall be appointed “by the President acting in accordance
with the advice of the Premier”.
The post of Governor was more ceremonial for the executive
power resided in the hands of the Premier, who had a
majority in the legislative houses.
Interestingly, except the Mid-Western Nigeria Constitution
Act of 1964, the three other regional constitutions, named all
the Governors. As for the Premiers, we had Sir Ahmadu
Bello (1909-1966) in the North; Chief Samuel Ladoke
Akintola (1910-1966), who succeeded Chief Obafemi
Awolowo (1909-1987), in the Western Region; Dr. Micahel
Iheonukara Okpara (1920-1984), who succeeded Dr.
Nnamdi Azikiwe (1909-1996) as Premier in the Eastern
Region; and Chief Dennis Chukadebe Osadebe (1911-1994)
as Premier of the Mid- Western Region.

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN IRONSI CAME ON BOARD？

On assumption of power, General Aguiyi-Ironsi promulgated
the Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree 1966.
Decree No 1 dated January 17, 1966 but not published in the
Official Gazette until March 4, 1966. He then issued Public
Order Decree No 33 dated May 24 1966 which dissolved
eighty-one political associations and twenty-six tribal and
cultural associations.
At the early stage of his tenure, he appointed a three-man
advisory team made up of Chief Francis Nwokedi, a
Permanent Secretary, Dr. Pius Charles Nwabafor Okigbo
(1924-2000) and Colonel Patrick Anwunah, who later
became Chairman and Head of the Orientation Committee at
that time.
He replaced the then Attorney-General and Minister of
Justice, Dr. Taslim Olawale Elias (1914-1991) with Chief
Gabriel Chike Michael Onyiuke (SAN), former Director,
Public Prosecution, Eastern Nigeria (1960-1965) from Nimo
in the present Anambra state.
In a speech to the nation on January 28 1966, he denounced
the evils of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa regime and
outlined necessary reforms. ”All Nigerians”, he declared,”
want an end to regionalism. Tribal loyalties and activities
which promote tribal consciousness and sectional interests
must give way to the urgent task of national reconstruction.
The Federal Military Government will preserve Nigeria as
one strong nation.” He then went on to promise
“administrative reforms” and referred specifically to several
matters in which regional as well as personal interests were
known to have had decisive influence. These were official
appointments, public investments, and the universities. He
promised that in the public services, efficiency and merit will
be the criteria for advancement”. That industrial
development would be “coordinated to avoid wasteful
duplication of industrial projects”, and that the universities
would be “re-orientated to serve the genuine interest of our
people.”
Immediately after the speech two Governors kicked against
the proposal. They were, Major General David Akpode Ejoor
(83) from Ovu in the present Delta State, then serving as
the Military Governor of the Mid-Western region and Major
General Hassan Usman Katsina(1933-1995), who was then
serving as Governor of the Northern region.
Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (1933-2011),
Military Governor of Eastern Region welcomed the decree
while Lt. Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (1926-1966), Military
Governor of Western Region never commented on the
promulgation of the decree.

On February 21 1966, General Aguiyi-Ironsi again
addressed the nation on the issue. He said: “On the question
of the political future of the country, the experiences and
mistakes of the previous governments in the Federation have
clearly indicated that far-reaching constitutional reforms are
badly needed for peaceful and orderly progress towards the
realization of our objectives. I have already touched on some
of the major issues involved in recent broadcast to the
nation. It has become apparent to all Nigerians that rigid
adherence to ‘regionalism’, was the bane of the last regime
and one of the main factors which contributed to its downfall.
No doubt, the country would welcome a clean break with the
deficiencies of the system of government to which the
country has been subjected in the recent past. A solution
suitable to our national needs must be found. The existing
boundaries of governmental control will need to be re-
adjusted to make for less cumbersome administration.’
As a follow-up on May 25, General Aguiyi-Ironsi
promulgated the Constitution (Suspension and Modification)
(No. 5) Decree 1966. Decree No. 34 (the ‘Unification
Decree’).
After the promulgation, the country was thrown into turmoil
which led to demonstration

@gidgiddy, @DMerciful, the point and,stories continues here that column could take no more.


particularly in many parts of Northern Nigeria at that time. On his return to Kaduna on May 27, Col. Hassan Katsina was besieged with demands for an explanation. It was feared that in a unified service, Northerners would be at a disadvantage. It was no consolation that the Decree provided for the delegation of
appointments and promotions, except the most senior, to
Provincial Civil Service Commissions.

Sadly on 29 July 1966, General Aguiyi-Ironsi and the
Military Governor of Western Region, Lt. Col. Francis
Adekunle Fajuyi were murdered in Ibadan during a meeting
with the traditional rulers from all parts of the country.


THE 1979 CONSTITUTION- HOW IT CONTRIBUTED TO EMPOWER THE CENTRAL THE MORE：

Late Professor Ben Nwabueze

In 1975 Brigadier General Murtala Mohammed GCFR (8
November 1938 – 13 February 1976), he was at that time a
brigadier, approached Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams
SAN (16 December 1920 – 26 March 2005) to be the
chairman of the 50-man Constitutional Drafting Committee.
Chief Williams told Brigadier Murtala Mohammed that he
would accept the job on two conditions, among which is that
Professor Benjamin Obi Nwabueze (22 December 1931-29
October, 2023) from Atani in Anambra state must be a
member of the committee. Chief Williams told me this story
himself when I covered proceedings of the committee which
were usually held in his residence in Ilupeju, Lagos. I asked
why he insisted on his friend, Professor Nwabueze to be a
member of the committee; his reply was “who else but Ben”.
Eventually, Professor Ben Nwabueze was appointed a
member of the 50 man committee. The committee was
inaugurated on October 18, 1975 at the Nigerian Institute of
International Affairs, Victoria Island, then headed by
Professor Bolaji Akinyemi(82), from Ilesha, Osun state....

LONG STORY SHORT

.....Professor Ben Nwabueze was later made the chairman of
the sub-committee on National Objectives and Public
Accountability of the Constitution Drafting Committee. Other
members of the committee were Kanmi Ishola Osobu and
Professor Emmanuel Uwamagbuhunmwun Emovon
(February 24, 1929 – February 20, 2020) from Benin city,
former Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, who later
became the Minister of Science and Technology under
General Ibrahim Babangida (GCFR). The rest members
were Dr. A.Y. Aliyu, lecturer Public Administration, Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria, Chief Paul Wanteregh Unongo
(September 26, 1937 to November 29, 2022) from Jato Aka
in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue state, who later
became Minister of Power and Steel under President Shehu
Shagari GCFR and Alhaji Ibrahim Imam (1916 – April 1980)
a Kanuri politician from Borno, who was the secretary of the
Northern People’s Congress and later became a patron of
the Borno Youth Movement . He was elected into the
Northern House of Assembly in 1961, representing a Tiv
district. Prior to his election in 1961, he had represented his
district of Yerwa in 1951 after supporting a strike of Native
Administration workers.
It was in this subcommittee that Professor Nwabueze served
his country best. His footprints are all over in the 1979
Constitution.

The constitution was criticised for eradicating the devolution
of power among the three arms of government as
established by the 1960 and 1963 constitutions. The 1979
body of law stripped some control from the regional
government and gifted it to the central government.
The 1979 constitution created the template of an all-powerful
federal government, which subsequent amendments of the
law would adopt.
Nwabueze said the decision to increase the power of the
federal government was informed by an attempt to achieve
“unity” in the country.
“That’s the idea of federalism which was observed in the
1960 and 1963 constitutions. We abandoned it in 1979 and
went for a unitary constitution, one constitution for the
federal government and none for the state governments.
That was a fundamental departure from the principles of
federalism,” he said in an interview with Vanguard in 2014.
“It is a unitary constitution, more or less in the devolution of
powers. The federal government is all-powerful. Its powers
are all-encompassing. We took 50 per cent from the
concurrent list of matters and merged them into the
exclusive list. We also went to residual matters, took almost
50 per cent and put it on the exclusive list. We took so many
other things.
“And why did we do that? We must take into consideration
the circumstances in the country at that time. In 1976, ’77,
’78, everybody was talking about unity. So, we thought the
best way to achieve that unity was to create a powerful
centre, and we thought that once you have a powerful centre
with so much power, you will achieve unity. That was the
situation at the time. You don’t blame us because you must
take into account the circumstances at that time. The feeling
that people had was that unity was overriding and that you
could achieve it by putting so much power in the centre.”
However, Nwabueze admitted that the devolution of power
was “misguided.” He added that the attempt to create unity
in the country transmuted into “disunity”.
“We were misguided, and that’s the truth. In a number of
public statements, I have frankly admitted that we were
misguided, that we were guided by the feelings at the time in
the country,” he said.
“It turned out that putting too much power at the centre was
an invitation for disunity. Yes, that was what happened—
disunity. Struggle for control at the centre with all that power
led to disunity, and that is what landed us to where we are
today.”



READ UP ALL THESE LINKS:


https://punchng.com/federalism-or-unitary-system-quandary/

https://guardian.ng/opinion/history-and-the-future-of-decree-34-of-1966/

https://www.thecable.ng/abused-decree-34-and-the-demand-for-restructuring/amp/

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/678674-who-else-but-professor-ben-nwabueze-1931-2023-by-eric-teniola.html?tztc=1



ONLY THE IGBO WOULD DENY THE OBVIOUS ROLE IRONSI, NWABUEZE AND FRANCIS PLAYED IN BRINGING UP THE UNITARY SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN AS THE PERPETRATORS OF THE SITUATION THEY'RE NOW FIGHTING AGAINST. SO THEY KEEP BLAMING OTHERS.

DMerciful:
Too many words which you intended to conveal this simple fact. Before Ironsi it was four(4) regions, after Ironsi, it remained four (4)regions.

Whatever administrative system he introduced can easily be reversed. Gowon broke the 4 regions to 12 states making it an irreversible change

FROM the start I never argued whether GOWON couldn't or could've reversed it. I had even stated that GOWON took advantage of the foolish mistake IRONSI made. But what I'm on at is that IRONSI broke the REGIONAL YOKE and INTRODUCED UNITARY SYSTEM. Basic! My argument was clear. Don't drag me around for a mudfight.

I said what Ironsi did is administrative that can easily be reversed, just as Ironsi easily did it.

Breaking of the regions was by Gowon and you know it. This is the topic of discuss. Have a nice day

PHAYOL81:


FROM the start I never argued whether GOWON couldn't or could've reversed it. I had even stated that GOWON took advantage of the foolish mistake IRONSI made. But what I'm on at is that IRONSI broke the REGIONAL YOKE and INTRODUCED UNITARY SYSTEM. Basic! My argument was clear. Don't drag me around for a mudfight.

yinkabeauty:



You think you made sense with this unnecessarily extended jargon you wrote, especially when you can't do without contaminating your write up with unwarranted attack on people's ethnic group and abuses , that's what i condemned in the initial post but behold, there was no adjustment.... okay no problem then, that aside.
.............

How did I almost missed this？
I'll try to be brief and precise with this though. To start, You're beginning to look like a drowning floundering and grabbing at anything, straws to be specific, for survival. You're just bringing up cases upon cases unnecessarily. To the best of my knowledge, this discuss started with your wrong notion that YORUBA and IGBO shouldn't have co-existed in a single country hence my rebuttal, citing evidences of co-existence before amalgamation that which you blamed for it. That led us to the reason the two are at loggerhead and IRONSI came into the picture. So you pretending not to know why those evidences had to be cited denotes your poor understanding of the development or perhaps, you don't understand the meaning of your assertion.
Secondly, little in the context of my argument over inter-tribal wars is absolutely relative. The context was in comparism with the clannish/communities battles against one another. If you care to disagree then you have to present evidence the former were more. So, I don't understand why you go on naming them when I didn't deny their existence.
Lastly, don't be deceived by their unified language （ENGLISH in this case）, the USA is a multi-racial and multi-cultural advance union where everybody （including the aboriginals who ain't surpassed or conquered）put all differences aside to forge a better standard of living for all. The UK, the same. The sovereignties that came together have diversed root but all have one interest. The growth of all. And that's the British intention for us until a certain region decided to outsmart others and destroy it all.
OH, lest I forget, I haven't exonerated the BRITS over their colonial loots and other maltreatments. It's not what the argument is all about. The argument is their intention behind the amalgamation and it's clear the system they left for us was driving us aright until we started another cunny way THAT TAKE US WHERE WE ARE NOW.
THIS IS MY LAST RESPONSE ON THIS BUT MY POINT IS CLEAR- AGUIYI IRONSI AND HIS BROTHERS ARE ALL THERE ARE TO BE BLAMED FOR OUR DISUNITY, NOT OTHER ETHNICITIES AND NOT THE BRITS.

PHAYOL81:
@gidgiddy, @DMerciful, the point and,stories continues here that column could take no more.

particularly in many parts of
Northern Nigeria at that time. On his return to Kaduna on
May 27, Col. Hassan Katsina was besieged with demands
for an explanation. It was feared that in a unified service,
Northerners would be at a disadvantage. It was no
consolation that the Decree provided for the delegation of
appointments and promotions, except the most senior, to
Provincial Civil Service Commissions.

Sadly on 29 July 1966, General Aguiyi-Ironsi and the
Military Governor of Western Region, Lt. Col. Francis
Adekunle Fajuyi were murdered in Ibadan during a meeting
with the traditional rulers from all parts of the country.

THE 1979 CONSTITUTION- HOW IT CONTRIBUTED TO EMPOWER THE CENTRAL THE MORE：

Late Professor Ben Nwabueze
In 1975 Brigadier General Murtala Mohammed GCFR (8
November 1938 – 13 February 1976), he was at that time a
brigadier, approached Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams
SAN (16 December 1920 – 26 March 2005) to be the
chairman of the 50-man Constitutional Drafting Committee.
Chief Williams told Brigadier Murtala Mohammed that he
would accept the job on two conditions, among which is that
Professor Benjamin Obi Nwabueze (22 December 1931-29
October, 2023) from Atani in Anambra state must be a
member of the committee. Chief Williams told me this story
himself when I covered proceedings of the committee which
were usually held in his residence in Ilupeju, Lagos. I asked
why he insisted on his friend, Professor Nwabueze to be a
member of the committee; his reply was “who else but Ben”.
Eventually, Professor Ben Nwabueze was appointed a
member of the 50 man committee. The committee was
inaugurated on October 18, 1975 at the Nigerian Institute of
International Affairs, Victoria Island, then headed by
Professor Bolaji Akinyemi(82), from Ilesha, Osun state....

LONG STORY SHORT

.....Professor Ben Nwabueze was later made the chairman of
the sub-committee on National Objectives and Public
Accountability of the Constitution Drafting Committee. Other
members of the committee were Kanmi Ishola Osobu and
Professor Emmanuel Uwamagbuhunmwun Emovon
(February 24, 1929 – February 20, 2020) from Benin city,
former Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, who later
became the Minister of Science and Technology under
General Ibrahim Babangida (GCFR). The rest members
were Dr. A.Y. Aliyu, lecturer Public Administration, Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria, Chief Paul Wanteregh Unongo
(September 26, 1937 to November 29, 2022) from Jato Aka
in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue state, who later
became Minister of Power and Steel under President Shehu
Shagari GCFR and Alhaji Ibrahim Imam (1916 – April 1980)
a Kanuri politician from Borno, who was the secretary of the
Northern People’s Congress and later became a patron of
the Borno Youth Movement . He was elected into the
Northern House of Assembly in 1961, representing a Tiv
district. Prior to his election in 1961, he had represented his
district of Yerwa in 1951 after supporting a strike of Native
Administration workers.
It was in this subcommittee that Professor Nwabueze served
his country best. His footprints are all over in the 1979
Constitution.

The constitution was criticised for eradicating the devolution
of power among the three arms of government as
established by the 1960 and 1963 constitutions. The 1979
body of law stripped some control from the regional
government and gifted it to the central government.
The 1979 constitution created the template of an all-powerful
federal government, which subsequent amendments of the
law would adopt.
Nwabueze said the decision to increase the power of the
federal government was informed by an attempt to achieve
“unity” in the country.
“That’s the idea of federalism which was observed in the
1960 and 1963 constitutions. We abandoned it in 1979 and
went for a unitary constitution, one constitution for the
federal government and none for the state governments.
That was a fundamental departure from the principles of
federalism,” he said in an interview with Vanguard in 2014.
“It is a unitary constitution, more or less in the devolution of
powers. The federal government is all-powerful. Its powers
are all-encompassing. We took 50 per cent from the
concurrent list of matters and merged them into the
exclusive list. We also went to residual matters, took almost
50 per cent and put it on the exclusive list. We took so many
other things.
“And why did we do that? We must take into consideration
the circumstances in the country at that time. In 1976, ’77,
’78, everybody was talking about unity. So, we thought the
best way to achieve that unity was to create a powerful
centre, and we thought that once you have a powerful centre
with so much power, you will achieve unity. That was the
situation at the time. You don’t blame us because you must
take into account the circumstances at that time. The feeling
that people had was that unity was overriding and that you
could achieve it by putting so much power in the centre.”
However, Nwabueze admitted that the devolution of power
was “misguided.” He added that the attempt to create unity
in the country transmuted into “disunity”.
“We were misguided, and that’s the truth. In a number of
public statements, I have frankly admitted that we were
misguided, that we were guided by the feelings at the time in
the country,” he said.
“It turned out that putting too much power at the centre was
an invitation for disunity. Yes, that was what happened—
disunity. Struggle for control at the centre with all that power
led to disunity, and that is what landed us to where we are
today.”


READ UP ALL THESE LINKS：

https://punchng.com/federalism-or-unitary-system-quandary/

https://guardian.ng/opinion/history-and-the-future-of-decree-34-of-1966/

https://www.thecable.ng/abused-decree-34-and-the-demand-for-restructuring/amp/

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/678674-who-else-but-professor-ben-nwabueze-1931-2023-by-eric-teniola.html?tztc=1


ONLY THE IGBO WOULD DENY THE OBVIOUS ROLE IRONSI, NWABUEZE AND FRANCIS PLAYED IN BRINGING UP THE UNITARY SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN AS THE PERPETRATORS OF THE SITUATION THEY'RE NOW FIGHTING AGAINST. SO THEY KEEP BLAMING OTHERS.

Life is not about reading third party comments. I showed Gowons Decree 14 and 15, where he abolished the 4 Region's and removed resource control. If you have any law or constitution that Ironsi made to do the same, show us

Nobody is interested in "He said" or "she said", that rumour mongering

PHAYOL81:


OF course you're right about the 1963 review and I must admit my slip there but it's worthy of note that those created region still operated fiscal independence. Each individual region runs its regional constitution with some slight difference in accordance with their cultures and ideologies. That was until Ironsi came on board, employed a committee to review the constitution and came up with DECREE 34 where all regions were pronouced states and all regional governmental power on fiscal and resource control were collapsed to the centre including the dissolve of the regions respective constitution. It caused many grunts and grumbles from many corners and there were backup interviews from some individuals unhappy with Ironsi's declaration.
I'm likewise admitting mistaken the 1979 constitution BEN NWABUEZE championed with the FRANCIS NWAKEDI review as directed by IRONSI. THE LATTER set the ball rolling while THE FORMER nailed it up.

FOR MORE CLARITY, I ENJOIN YOU TO FOLLOW UP MY RESPONSE COMING BELOW TO ANOTHER MONIKER SHARING YOUR IDEA.




Before we proceed, perhaps we should initially define the two systems of government in contention and what the Ironsi DECREE 34 said in relation to both of them.

WHAT IS REGIONAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT？
A Regional system of government is type of government where
each region is allowed to control resources found in its
domain, but only has to pay royalty to the central
government.

WHEREAS：

A unitary state is a sovereign state governed as a single
entity in which the central government is the supreme
authority . The central government may create or abolish
administrative divisions (sub-national units).


NIGERIA POLITICAL SITUATION BEFORE IRONSI：

Before the January 15, 1966 military coup, there were five
constitutions operating in Nigeria. There was the constitution
of the Federal Republic of 1963. Then, we had the
Constitution of Northern Nigerian Law of 1963; the
Constitution of the Eastern Nigerian Law of 1963; the
Constitution of Western Nigerian Law of 1963; and the
Constitution of Mid-Western Nigerian Act of 1964.
The four Regions were administered in a way, as if they
were sovereign states.
Sub-section 2D of Section 63 of the Constitution of the
Western Nigerian Law of 1963; sub-section 1 of Section 64
of the constitution of the Mid-Western Nigerian Act of 1964;
sub-Section 1 of Section 66 of Eastern Nigeria Constitution
Law and sub-section 1 of Section 68 of the Constitution of
Northern Nigeria Law of 1963, all made provisions for the
appointments of Agent Generals for the four regions in the
United Kingdom.
The Agent Generals were like modern-day ambassadors.
For example, the Western Region appointed Chief
Emmanuel Akintoye Akinbowale Olasunmbo Coker
(1924-2000), as Agent General to the United Kingdom and
he served in that office between 1960 and 1963. His
schedule was not at conflict with that of the Nigerian High
Commissioner to the UK at that time, Alhaji Abdul-Maliki
(1914-1969), the son of the late Attah of Igbirraland- a true
diplomat and bureaucrat.
And the age-long dream among students of the then
Western Region, at that time was to clinch Western Region
scholarship instead of the Federal Government scholarship.
Those were the booming cocoa era days.
Each of the regions had its own Chief Justice, Police
Commissioner, legislative House and many other bodies. We
remember in particular Sir Louis Odumegwu-Ojukwu
(1909-1966), father of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Emeka
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who held the powerful posts of
Chairman of Eastern Region Development Corporation and
Eastern Nigeria Marketing Board.
Each of the regions differed on some key issues though.
Section 23 of the Constitution Northern Nigeria Law of 1963
stated that “the business of the Legislative Houses shall be
conducted in English and in Hausa”. Other regions upheld
only English in their legislative Houses.
The Western Region even had a Court of Appeal which
served as an Intermediate Court between its High Court and
the Supreme Court. The only uniformity was in the
procedure for the establishment of key office holders. They
all had Premiers and Governors.
The Governors, according to the four regional constitutions
shall be appointed “by the President acting in accordance
with the advice of the Premier”.
The post of Governor was more ceremonial for the executive
power resided in the hands of the Premier, who had a
majority in the legislative houses.
Interestingly, except the Mid-Western Nigeria Constitution
Act of 1964, the three other regional constitutions, named all
the Governors. As for the Premiers, we had Sir Ahmadu
Bello (1909-1966) in the North; Chief Samuel Ladoke
Akintola (1910-1966), who succeeded Chief Obafemi
Awolowo (1909-1987), in the Western Region; Dr. Micahel
Iheonukara Okpara (1920-1984), who succeeded Dr.
Nnamdi Azikiwe (1909-1996) as Premier in the Eastern
Region; and Chief Dennis Chukadebe Osadebe (1911-1994)
as Premier of the Mid- Western Region.

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN IRONSI CAME ON BOARD？

On assumption of power, General Aguiyi-Ironsi promulgated
the Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree 1966.
Decree No 1 dated January 17, 1966 but not published in the
Official Gazette until March 4, 1966. He then issued Public
Order Decree No 33 dated May 24 1966 which dissolved
eighty-one political associations and twenty-six tribal and
cultural associations.
At the early stage of his tenure, he appointed a three-man
advisory team made up of Chief Francis Nwokedi, a
Permanent Secretary, Dr. Pius Charles Nwabafor Okigbo
(1924-2000) and Colonel Patrick Anwunah, who later
became Chairman and Head of the Orientation Committee at
that time.
He replaced the then Attorney-General and Minister of
Justice, Dr. Taslim Olawale Elias (1914-1991) with Chief
Gabriel Chike Michael Onyiuke (SAN), former Director,
Public Prosecution, Eastern Nigeria (1960-1965) from Nimo
in the present Anambra state.
In a speech to the nation on January 28 1966, he denounced
the evils of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa regime and
outlined necessary reforms. ”All Nigerians”, he declared,”
want an end to regionalism. Tribal loyalties and activities
which promote tribal consciousness and sectional interests
must give way to the urgent task of national reconstruction.
The Federal Military Government will preserve Nigeria as
one strong nation.” He then went on to promise
“administrative reforms” and referred specifically to several
matters in which regional as well as personal interests were
known to have had decisive influence. These were official
appointments, public investments, and the universities. He
promised that in the public services, efficiency and merit will
be the criteria for advancement”. That industrial
development would be “coordinated to avoid wasteful
duplication of industrial projects”, and that the universities
would be “re-orientated to serve the genuine interest of our
people.”
Immediately after the speech two Governors kicked against
the proposal. They were, Major General David Akpode Ejoor
(83) from Ovu in the present Delta State, then serving as
the Military Governor of the Mid-Western region and Major
General Hassan Usman Katsina(1933-1995), who was then
serving as Governor of the Northern region.
Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (1933-2011),
Military Governor of Eastern Region welcomed the decree
while Lt. Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (1926-1966), Military
Governor of Western Region never commented on the
promulgation of the decree.

On February 21 1966, General Aguiyi-Ironsi again
addressed the nation on the issue. He said: “On the question
of the political future of the country, the experiences and
mistakes of the previous governments in the Federation have
clearly indicated that far-reaching constitutional reforms are
badly needed for peaceful and orderly progress towards the
realization of our objectives. I have already touched on some
of the major issues involved in recent broadcast to the
nation. It has become apparent to all Nigerians that rigid
adherence to ‘regionalism’, was the bane of the last regime
and one of the main factors which contributed to its downfall.
No doubt, the country would welcome a clean break with the
deficiencies of the system of government to which the
country has been subjected in the recent past. A solution
suitable to our national needs must be found. The existing
boundaries of governmental control will need to be re-
adjusted to make for less cumbersome administration.’
As a follow-up on May 25, General Aguiyi-Ironsi
promulgated the Constitution (Suspension and Modification)
(No. 5) Decree 1966. Decree No. 34 (the ‘Unification
Decree’).
After the promulgation, the country was thrown into turmoil
which led to demonstration

If you like, lie against Ironsi from now to to eternity, Gowons Decree 14 and 15 where Gowon abolished the 4 Region's Nigeria had, created 12 states and removed resource control, are public documents that can be found online to tell people the truth

PHAYOL81:



How did I almost missed this？
I'll try to be brief and precise with this though. To start, You're beginning to look like a drowning floundering and grabbing at anything, straws to be specific, for survival. You're just bringing up cases upon cases unnecessarily. To the best of my knowledge, this discuss started with your wrong notion that YORUBA and IGBO shouldn't have co-existed in a single country hence my rebuttal, citing evidences of co-existence before amalgamation that which you blamed for it. That led us to the reason the two are at loggerhead and IRONSI came into the picture. So you pretending not to know why those evidences had to be cited denotes your poor understanding of the development or perhaps, you don't understand the meaning of your assertion.
Secondly, little in the context of my argument over inter-tribal wars is absolutely relative. The context was in comparism with the clannish/communities battles against one another. If you care to disagree then you have to present evidence the former were more. So, I don't understand why you go on naming them when I didn't deny their existence.
Lastly, don't be deceived by their unified language （ENGLISH in this case）, the USA is a multi-racial and multi-cultural advance union where everybody （including the aboriginals who ain't surpassed or conquered）put all differences aside to forge a better standard of living for all. The UK, the same. The sovereignties that came together have diversed root but all have one interest. The growth of all. And that's the British intention for us until a certain region decided to outsmart others and destroy it all.
OH, lest I forget, I haven't exonerated the BRITS over their colonial loots and other maltreatments. It's not what the argument is all about. The argument is their intention behind the amalgamation and it's clear the system they left for us was driving us aright until we started another cunny way THAT TAKE US WHERE WE ARE NOW.
THIS IS MY LAST RESPONSE ON THIS BUT MY POINT IS CLEAR- AGUIYI IRONSI AND HIS BROTHERS ARE ALL THERE ARE TO BE BLAMED FOR OUR DISUNITY, NOT OTHER ETHNICITIES AND NOT THE BRITS.

To be honest, you are supposed to be a person of good intellect, a person one can have a good discourse or debate with but your tongue 👅 is bad and dirty, you have a rude mouth.
"...looked like drowning, floundering and grabbing anything straw....."e.t.c
You are the sinking one who is looking for lifeline for survival.
You are entitled to your opinion, right or wrong, only for the immature and attack on our entire ethnic group, not a specific person.... let's move forward.

And you are wrong, was I the one who hinted that Yoruba and Igbo should not be in the same country?
Always calm down and open your dim eyes 👁️ and look the moniker/username well ok?

Your watery and shallow evidence of one person or some people living in another's man place does not hold water, (such example is not new in different parts of the world, even in countries that are not friends or at war), that shouldn't stop the colonialist from giving those regions permanent distinction; and they didn't because of their evident and visible antecedents and politics, even after independence they never left us, they controlled the region they could control against the brilliant and outspoken region, their wisdom, to prevent united opposition, divide, rule and exploit.
This is known by all reasonable and discern scholars and individuals in general but you dey do strong head with your coconut 🥥 head.

You should be smart, you keep on bringing internal military men who ensured unitary system and that strong centre prevailed, but they did this from the mess of the system they met on ground, right from the colonialists to the tribalistic and unwise politicians...who should have been allowed to maintain their unadulterated distinction.
Even those who are wiser than them still find a way to be under their different governments abroad...let alone these ethnic jingoists.
That's the summary of our point, blame the root first, even if you are going to blame the actors who came after but no! you are shielding them.

It's unnecessary or doesn't make sense, if we had many evidences of INTER - ETHNIC WARS (more or less) and you still referenced it to make your point , that's contradiction...it would have been better for you if there were no inter - ethnic clashes at all.
You were now requesting for which is more intra or inter? shame!
The point is many inter ethnic clashes existed.

I come to you again to press this to your ears, multi racial USA my foot! are you the one to tell me there are people who are of Jew, Irish(Republic), British, Italian, German, Nigerian/all blacks, Indian, Far Asians e.t.c in the USA? All these multi - origin descents with the aborigines are there in the state, yes. But have you forgot the aborigines are the American Indians, the indegenous groups just like we have Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa , ijaw e.t.c in Nigeria.
Is it the way other peoples (although also citizens some of them) whose origin you can trace to some other nations like Israel, Italy , japan , UK e.t.c dominated USA that they dominated Nigeria? The answer is no?
Because in Nigeria the aborigines are fully on ground and are pronounced with their distinctive regions, so this gives room to many nationalism or nationalistic movements within a country e.g igbo nation , Oodua nation e.t.c this is so because they are well rooted on their respective regions/Fathers' lands with no influx of foreign domination....the america is called the new world, the west and the rest of the world went there, never left and dominated.
And in USA everything is mix up to a smooth blend...you can't say this region is my region, so I want to secede, because all the descents of the foreign nations be it UK, Italian, Irish, German, Israeli, Nigerian e.t.c are all scattered across the country with no specific region to a particular race because it's not their root, they just came there to live.... E.g a man of Nigerian descent can be a governor of California and another man of Nigerian descent can be a Governor of Texas.... Ditto all the Europeans who scattered across the country, it's about the city you can survive in.
So tell me, how will such people agitate for break away on what basis, when region is not separated based on ethnicity everyone is mixed together.
And that's the reason I told you the different Aboriginal American Indians that should have been allowed to grow in different regions of the country just like Nigeria have been dominated, what's even their population percentage in American population?
Ethnic regionalism/agitation is dead in the USA , what you hear is this black vs white vs Hispanic that won't move or change anything.
But in Nigeria if there will be division, you know the line of division already because the nations/aborigines are very rooted in their respective regions undiluted or undominated, don't compare Nigeria with USA politics.
Don't act as if you know more than who you should learn from.
What nonsense are you telling me? Apart from English which is the national language? and Spanish because of influence of Hispanic countries at the border, so how many languages compared that to Nigeria? Do you think all those foreign descents in the USA will establish their languages as USA national languages , you got to be joking.... English is the number one language. Spanish for obvious reasons in area like Miami, Los Angeles because of the closeness to Hispanic country....those people also speak English so it's not as if they don't speak English at all, and some native American languages few of them , can you compare that to Nigerian languages? ☹️

Yes I can still compare Nigeria to UK , because the people in UK are the aborigines with regional identities like Nigeria. The gaelic, anglo-saxon descent e.t.c Welsh, Irish, English and Scottish regions. Mind you they all have their respective languages Welsh, English, Scottish and Irish respectively but English is dominant language.
And they partition themselves with parliament and government.
They too understand this despite virtually all being Christians, they still understand the power of boundaries and governance....

And okay if you don't trust the British for their looting spree and their mismanagement but you trust their selfishness or short sightedness or inadequate fatherly role they should have played by not merging regions of diverse cultures, faith and values together, regions that were not complaining, but they merged together for administrative convenience and selfish gains..and you are opening your mouth that we should not trace the root of the issue... If something was not tight(colonialist) in the first place, will any reason to blame those who make it tighter(military) come up? NO.

THE PEOPLE OF DIVERSE IDENTITIES; CULTURES , FAITHS, VALUES, ORIENTATION, EXPOSURE, DISPOSITION WERE HAPPY AND NOT COMPLAINING WHEN THE COLONIALISTS MERGE THEM TOGETHER FOR THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE AND SELFISH GAINS; THAT'S THE ROOT.

yinkabeauty:
.............
.

I had already decided I would not reply on this issue anymore but perhaps, I should make an exception here （as it's unlike me to return to where I'd said goodbye） and make this very one the last JUST TO SHOW YOU YOUR STVPIDITY. You claimed my response was insultive but all you did in most of your responses were verbal attacks and insults in return. Why the complaint when you're still gonn head that same route？
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS PROBLEM WITH POOR AMNESIA. Or is it just mere comprehension issues？I mean how can you claim to haven't been the one who mentioned the incompatibility of the YORUBA and the IGBO ethnic groups when it was actually your argument the moment you bursted into my mention from nowhere supporting another handle, telling me how the notion was true？ AND funny enough, you ended up still presented a disjointed, incoherent submission in continuation of same notion you claimed not to have pushed or championed？ How retarded can someone be？
SOMETIMES, I WONDER IF EDUCATION SYLLABUS AND CURRICULUM IN NIGERIA SHOULDN'T HAVE LONG BEEN OVERHAULED AND WHO WOULD DISAGREE WITH ME WITH ALL THESE,SITUATIONs？ IT'S JUST SO SAD.
ANYWAY, I'VE MADE MY POINT. AIN'T GOT NO TIME FOR MUDFIGHT. THIS IS THE LAST I HONOUR YOU WITH ON THIS ARGUMENT. IF YOU STILL CARE TO DRAG AROUND, THE FIELD'S ALL YOURS BUT REMEMBER, IT'S YOU ALL ALONE NOW. OR BETTERSTILL, GET ANOTHER COMPANION.

Please how did he do it?

Jagaban2012:
Aguyi Ironsi , the man who used his greed to destroy regional government . Now , everybody is groaning because of his yeye selfish policy ....

PHAYOL81:


I had already decided I would not reply on this issue anymore but perhaps, I should make an exception here （as it's unlike me to return to where I'd said goodbye） and make this very one the last JUST TO SHOW YOU YOUR STVPIDITY. You claimed my response was insultive but all you did in most of your responses were verbal attacks and insults in return. Why the complaint when you're still gonn head that same route？
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS PROBLEM WITH POOR AMNESIA. Or is it just mere comprehension issues？I mean how can you claim to haven't been the one who mentioned the incompatibility of the YORUBA and the IGBO ethnic groups when it was actually your argument the moment you bursted into my mention from nowhere supporting another handle, telling me how the notion was true？ AND funny enough, you ended up still presented a disjointed, incoherent submission in continuation of same notion you claimed not to have pushed or championed？ How retarded can someone be？
SOMETIMES, I WONDER IF EDUCATION SYLLABUS AND CURRICULUM IN NIGERIA SHOULDN'T HAVE LONG BEEN OVERHAULED AND WHO WOULD DISAGREE WITH ME WITH ALL THESE,SITUATIONs？ IT'S JUST SO SAD.
ANYWAY, I'VE MADE MY POINT. AIN'T GOT NO TIME FOR MUDFIGHT. THIS IS THE LAST I HONOUR YOU WITH ON THIS ARGUMENT. IF YOU STILL CARE TO DRAG AROUND, THE FIELD'S ALL YOURS BUT REMEMBER, IT'S YOU ALL ALONE NOW. OR BETTERSTILL, GET ANOTHER COMPANION.

PHAYOL81:


I had already decided I would not reply on this issue anymore but perhaps, I should make an exception here （as it's unlike me to return to where I'd said goodbye） and make this very one the last JUST TO SHOW YOU YOUR STVPIDITY. You claimed my response was insultive but all you did in most of your responses were verbal attacks and insults in return. Why the complaint when you're still gonn head that same route？
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS PROBLEM WITH POOR AMNESIA. Or is it just mere comprehension issues？I mean how can you claim to haven't been the one who mentioned the incompatibility of the YORUBA and the IGBO ethnic groups when it was actually your argument the moment you bursted into my mention from nowhere supporting another handle, telling me how the notion was true？ AND funny enough, you ended up still presented a disjointed, incoherent submission in continuation of same notion you claimed not to have pushed or championed？ How retarded can someone be？
SOMETIMES, I WONDER IF EDUCATION SYLLABUS AND CURRICULUM IN NIGERIA SHOULDN'T HAVE LONG BEEN OVERHAULED AND WHO WOULD DISAGREE WITH ME WITH ALL THESE,SITUATIONs？ IT'S JUST SO SAD.
ANYWAY, I'VE MADE MY POINT. AIN'T GOT NO TIME FOR MUDFIGHT. THIS IS THE LAST I HONOUR YOU WITH ON THIS ARGUMENT. IF YOU STILL CARE TO DRAG AROUND, THE FIELD'S ALL YOURS BUT REMEMBER, IT'S YOU ALL ALONE NOW. OR BETTERSTILL, GET ANOTHER COMPANION.

YOU ARE A BASTARD! TO START WITH.

AND TO ADD, ALL YOUR IDIOCY, STRONG HEAD OVER INANITY THAT YOU KEPT ON DOING, LET ME NOW PUT AN ANTEDOTE TO IT.....IN THAT 👇

THE COLONIAL MASTERS ARE THE ROOT OF NIGERIA'S PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY MERGED HITHERTO HAPPY PEOPLE THAT ARE SO DIFFERENT IN MANY AREAS TOGETHER FOR THEIR SELFISH GAINS.

WE THE REASONABLE ONES; OUR STAND IS YES BLAME THE INDEGENOUS ONES WHO MADE MATTER WORSE BUT YOU CANNOT EXONERATE THE STARTER OF THE PROBLEM(THE COLONIALIST) WHO PLANTED THE SEED OF DISCORD AND STILL WATERING IT TILL TODAY.

BUT YOUR POINT, BLAME THOSE WHO MADE MATTER WORSE LATER BUT DON'T BLAME THE STARTER OF THE PROBLEM AT ALL (GIVING FALSE DEFENCE TO COLONIALISTS/EXPLOITERS/LOOTERS).

YOURS IS A VERY STUPID AND SHALLOW POSITION TO TAKE, IT'S A DEMONSTRATION OF YOUR FOOLISHNESS AND SHALLOW THOUGHT.

YOU ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM A DOG 🐕 WHO GOES BACK TO ITS' VOMIT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE.... A FUNCTION OF BRAIN 🧠 CAPACITY.

WHEN YOU ATTACKED THE ENTIRETY OF PEOPLE'S ETHNIC GROUP AND WE CRITICIZED, YOU WILL STILL COME BACK WITH ABUSE, THEN WHY WON'T YOU HAVE A TASTE YOUR OWN MEDICINE?

AND YOUR BRAIN IS REALLY WARPED AND DIRTY, IF YOU CAN'T DIFFERENTIATE THE MAIN ARGUER FROM A CONTRIBUTOR, YOU ARE TELLING ME "I POSTED HAUSA AND IGBO SHOULDN'T BE TOGETHER IN A COUNTRY"....ARE YOU SERIOUS AT ALL...DO YOU KNOW THE LAW AT ALL... ..WHERE AS, IT WAS YOUR RESPONSE THAT I CONTRIBUTED TO.....SOMETIMES A GOOD RESPONSE TO A POST MAY NOT WARRANT A RESPONSE FROM ANOTHER, EVEN IF THAT RESPONSE TO A POST DID NOT AGREE WITH THAT POST....
BUT IN YOUR CASE I PICKED SOMETHING DISTASTEFUL FROM YOUR POST AND I REACTED BUT YOU ARE NOW TELLING ME I POSTED " IGBO AND YORUBA SHOULDN'T BE IN THE SAME COUNTRY" CAN'T YOU DIFFERENTIATE!? YOU ARE REALLY THE ONE SUFFERING FROM MEMORY LOSS.

SO FOR MY MAIN POSITION ON THE ARGUMENT, I WILL REFER YOU BACK TO MY ANTIDOTE TO YOUR IDIOCY AND INANITY AT THE TOP 🔝 , WITHOUT REPETITION, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF IT, YOUR INSANITY HAS NO EQUAL AND INSANITY RUNS IN YOUR BLOODLINE RIGHT THROUGH YOUR PROGENITORS TO YOU.

IF THERE WILL BE ANY NEED FOR CURRICULUM OVER HAULING, YOU WILL BE THE REASON, BECAUSE YOUR
STUPIDITY AND ODDITY ARE NO MATCHED! OMO ALE!

IF DEM BORN YOUR PAPA WELL, RESPOND, I GET YOUR TIME, I DEY ON LEAVE, LONELY AT THE TOP BUT YOU CAN REMAIN LONELY IN YOUR DARK MUD DOWN BELOW....YOU THIS MALNOURISHED HE - GOAT, WHO BROUGHT THE ENTIRETY OF ANOTHER MAN'S ETHNICITY UNDER ATTACK...YOU LACK HOME TRAINING AND GOOD UPBRINGING.

YorubaForum:

You're a big fool

And your father is a bigger one

Irony1:


Oga you don't have sense at all. You wrote that the regions are abolished and in its place a group of provinces shall be what would replace the regions, and I am asking you what really is the definition of regions? Are they not a group or collection of provinces, so what really changed. Ojukwu said in 6months regions would be abolished and against did Ironsi calling regions now a collection of provinces mean he abolished it when we know that the definition of regions are a collection of provinces? Oga try and have sense. If Ironsi were of another tribe I would still say he didn't destroy regions because he was not the one who carved up regions and replaced them with states. Try and have sense once more.

Senseless response as usual. No substance. You have now shifted goalpost to ' groups of provinces are same as regions'. If he were another tribe you would have agreed that he destroyed the regions. That is the truth.

AbujaCitiBlog:

The leadership incompetence of Ndigbo started from Nnamdi Azikiwe and continued here. Both Zik and Ironsi were poor leaders who never knew how to lead. If they had gotten their acts right, we wouldn't be where we are today as Igbos.

I have read several accounts of the events of the January and July 1966 coup and counter-coup respectively and I can say with some measure of certainty that the genesis of Nigeria's problem is an Igbo Domination Plan gone wrong.

The January 1966 coup as planned by Nzeogwu was not with any coloration of ethnicity. However history has shown that coups happen within coups. The mainly Igbo participants that were to execute the Nzeogwu coup in the South were tribalists who in their failure to follow the plan in favour of ethnicity derailed the primary objectives of the coup and have it the ethnic volourationthat created problems going forward. Nzeogwu himself admitted angrily later that the people tasked with executing the coup in the South were "tribalists". It appeared these "tribalists" had their own agenda. Ifeajuna for example leaked the coup to Azikiwe who conveniently travelled out all through. The extent of such a leak and clear favoritism can hardly be underestimated.

Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nwafor Orizu and NCNC elements conspired to hand over power to General Ironsi, a fellow Igbo, when it was clear that NPC had decided on Bukar Dipcharima, a Northerner, as the new Prime Minister and Mbadiwe, an Igbo, as the NCNC choice couldn't sail through.

It has been generally agreed and buttreesed by history that Ironsi had no business taking over power because the coup had already failed in the South. Surprisingly, Ironsi was willing to lie that his assuming power was what the military wanted and put the politicians under threat and pressure to assume power.

However, is it not further shocking that General Ironsi, a person whose assumption of power was to crush the coup and stabilize the country embarked on the following:

1. Refused to punish the January coupists, thereby creating dissent and eventual indiscipline in the military. This was despite being aware that Igbos all over including in the military were taunting Northerners for being helpless in the face of the Nzeogwu coup and impending Igbo domination of the country.

2. Appointed Igbo Officers as Commanding Officers of 10 out of 12 Garssionsninnthe country.

3. Promulgated a Decree to abolish Regional Government and turn the country into a Unitary Government in line with the position and agenda of Azikiwe and the NCNC without thorough consultations across the country or even in the military.

4. Dissolved the Civil Service into a single National Civil Service knowing fully well that the Igbo had serious advantages in the civil service and would dominate in the new Unitary civil service. The North who has been offended by the coup was seriously disadvantaged educationally and in the civil service and would be relegated to the lowest rungs.

5. Ojukwu announced that there would be rotation of Battalions which would see Enugu officers and soldiers coming to the North and vice versa. This was almost immediately mandated by Ironsi despite knowing the suspicions of the Northerners that Igbos has a plan to take over in the North.

I do not see how any single action taking by Ironsi was aimed at curing or healing the wounds of the January 1966 coup or assuaging the hurt Northerners. All Ironsi steps seemed to be aimed at fostering Igbo domination. What business did he have making the country a Unitary Government or the Civil Service a single one, knowing fully the situations and circumstances on ground?

Mind you, years earlier, prominent Igbo personalities including Nnamdi Azikiwe had expressed desire for Igbo domination of the Nigerian country. See quotes below:

”Igbo domination of Nigeria is only a matter of time”- Charles Onyeama, a prominent igbo lawyer and member of the Central Legislative Council, 1945. (Page 204 ”Ethnic Politics In Kenya and Nigeria” by Godfrey Mwakikagile).

”It would appear that the God of Africa has created the Igbo nation to lead the children of Africa from the bondage of ages ….” – Dr Azikiwe, President of the Pan-Igbo Federal Union. (The West African Pilot of July 8, 1949).

It is noteworthy that of the three major regional parties, it was only Azikiwe's NCNC that advocated a Unitary Government and was seriously against putting a secession clause in the Constitution that would allow any of the Federating Regions to pull out later if so desired. When you put all that with the Igbo advantages in the Civil Service and Military (Officers), a clear picture of Igbo dominance is not difficult to see.

It is also clear that the actions of Ironsi if allowed to continue uninterrupted would foster Igbo dominance on the country whether planned or not.

It is noteworthy that Ironsi had to arrest a cartoonist in South Eastern Region who made a cartoon of Ironsi as a Cock (symbol of NCNC), implying that he was an NCNC puppet.

See detailed accounts from the 1966 Coups in this online report: http://www.dawodu.com/omoigui13.htm

Rather than trying to gaslight others or alter history online, Igbos need to admit the role of their earlier leaders in plunging Nigeria into the mess we are in today through inordinate ambition to dominate, which unsurprisingly, back fired and led to the Civil War and countless avoidable deaths.

The North were even willing to secede in 1966 in the aftermath of the coups, which would have been almost easier if there was a secession clause in the Constitution. A secession clause in the Constitution would also have made it easier for the Niger Delta and Igbos to secede in the aftermath of the coups and would have made the Civil War unnecessary. Unfortunately, the ambitions of Azikiwe and his group in opposing a secession clause had these unintended consequences.

That Gowon would continue with the Unitary Government is simple opportunism by the Northerners. Is it not wisdom to simply continue if your enemy hands over the vehicle for dominance to you? The North never demonstrated a desire for dominance of the country but the Igbos unwittingly handed dominance over to them.

Babinski:


I have read several accounts of the events of the January and July 1966 coup and counter-coup respectively and I can say with some measure of certainty that the genesis of Nigeria's problem is an Igbo Domination Plan gone wrong.

The January 1966 coup as planned by Nzeogwu was not with any coloration of ethnicity. However history has shown that coups happen within coups. The mainly Igbo participants that were to execute the Nzeogwu coup in the South were tribalists who in their failure to follow the plan in favour of ethnicity derailed the primary objectives of the coup and have it the ethnic volourationthat created problems going forward. Nzeogwu himself admitted angrily later that the people tasked with executing the coup in the South were "tribalists". It appeared these "tribalists" had their own agenda. Ifeajuna for example leaked the coup to Azikiwe who conveniently travelled out all through. The extent of such a leak and clear favoritism can hardly be underestimated.

Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nwafor Orizu and NCNC elements conspired to hand over power to General Ironsi, a fellow Igbo, when it was clear that NPC had decided on Bukar Dipcharima, a Northerner, as the new Prime Minister and Mbadiwe, an Igbo, as the NCNC choice couldn't sail through.

It has been generally agreed and buttreesed by history that Ironsi had no business taking over power because the coup had already failed in the South. Surprisingly, Ironsi was willing to lie that his assuming power was what the military wanted and put the politicians under threat and pressure to assume power.

However, is it not further shocking that General Ironsi, a person whose assumption of power was to crush the coup and stabilize the country embarked on the following:

1. Refused to punish the January coupists, thereby creating dissent and eventual indiscipline in the military. This was despite being aware that Igbos all over including in the military were taunting Northerners for being helpless in the face of the Nzeogwu coup and impending Igbo domination of the country.

People forget that Ironsi was there just 6 months. Other coups that happened in Nigeria, it sometimes took a year to bring the coupist to book. It over a year to try people such as Oladipo Diya and even Dimka. So anyone who was expecting Ironsi to set up the logistics and military tribunal that woukd have sat and concluded justice with the coup plotters is someone who is not being fair to Ironsi.

2. Appointed Igbo Officers as Commanding Officers of 10 out of 12 Garssionsninnthe country.

You can't appointed garrison Commanders, this is not a political posting but a military posting. A Commanding officer can post a military personnel anywhere

3. Promulgated a Decree to abolish Regional Government and turn the country into a Unitary Government in line with the position and agenda of Azikiwe and the NCNC without thorough consultations across the country or even in the military.

This is another lie that has been thrashed completely on this thread. Page one of this thread has Gowons Decree 14 that 12 states were being created out of the 4 Regions. Gowons Decree 15 then ended resource control. Ironsi neither abolished the Region's nor denied them resource control

4. Dissolved the Civil Service into a single National Civil Service knowing fully well that the Igbo had serious advantages in the civil service and would dominate in the new Unitary civil service. The North who has been offended by the coup was seriously disadvantaged educationally and in the civil service and would be relegated to the lowest rungs.

Another lie from the Lagos/Ibadan expressway media that didn't read the decree. Ironsi did not dissolve the civil service in one single National service. Ironsi's Decree made provision for all Region's to have their own civil service, how ever, he created a national service commission to oversee them. Not exactly the same as dissolving them into one body

5. Ojukwu announced that there would be rotation of Battalions which would see Enugu officers and soldiers coming to the North and vice versa. This was almost immediately mandated by Ironsi despite knowing the suspicions of the Northerners that Igbos has a plan to take over in the North.

I do not see how any single action taking by Ironsi was aimed at curing or healing the wounds of the January 1966 coup or assuaging the hurt Northerners. All Ironsi steps seemed to be aimed at fostering Igbo domination. What business did he have making the country a Unitary Government or the Civil Service a single one, knowing fully the situations and circumstances on ground?

Mind you, years earlier, prominent Igbo personalities including Nnamdi Azikiwe had expressed desire for Igbo domination of the Nigerian country. See quotes below:

”Igbo domination of Nigeria is only a matter of time”- Charles Onyeama, a prominent igbo lawyer and member of the Central Legislative Council, 1945. (Page 204 ”Ethnic Politics In Kenya and Nigeria” by Godfrey Mwakikagile).

”It would appear that the God of Africa has created the Igbo nation to lead the children of Africa from the bondage of ages ….” – Dr Azikiwe, President of the Pan-Igbo Federal Union. (The West African Pilot of July 8, 1949).

It is noteworthy that of the three major regional parties, it was only Azikiwe's NCNC that advocated a Unitary Government and was seriously against putting a secession clause in the Constitution that would allow any of the Federating Regions to pull out later if so desired. When you put all that with the Igbo advantages in the Civil Service and Military (Officers), a clear picture of Igbo dominance is not difficult to see.

It is also clear that the actions of Ironsi if allowed to continue uninterrupted would foster Igbo dominance on the country whether planned or not.

It is noteworthy that Ironsi had to arrest a cartoonist in South Eastern Region who made a cartoon of Ironsi as a Cock (symbol of NCNC), implying that he was an NCNC puppet.

See detailed accounts from the 1966 Coups in this online report: http://www.dawodu.com/omoigui13.htm

Rather than trying to gaslight others or alter history online, Igbos need to admit the role of their earlier leaders in plunging Nigeria into the mess we are in today through inordinate ambition to dominate, which unsurprisingly, back fired and led to the Civil War and countless avoidable deaths.

The North were even willing to secede in 1966 in the aftermath of the coups, which would have been almost easier if there was a secession clause in the Constitution. A secession clause in the Constitution would also have made it easier for the Niger Delta and Igbos to secede in the aftermath of the coups and would have made the Civil War unnecessary. Unfortunately, the ambitions of Azikiwe and his group in opposing a secession clause had these unintended consequences.

That Gowon would continue with the Unitary Government is simple opportunism by the Northerners. Is it not wisdom to simply continue if your enemy hands over the vehicle for dominance to you? The North never demonstrated a desire for dominance of the country but the Igbos unwittingly handed dominance over to them.

The only laughable thing about this write up is this individual is trying so much to say that Igbos tried to dominate Nigeria. However, he has no problems with the Northern caliphate that has dominated Nigeria for the last 60 years

gidgiddy:


People forget that Ironsi was there just 6 months. Other coups that happened in Nigeria, it sometimes took a year to bring the coupist to book. It over a year to try people such as Oladipo Diya and even Dimka. So anyone who was expecting Ironsi to set up the logistics and military tribunal that woukd have sat and concluded justice with the coup plotters is someone who is not being fair to Ironsi.



You can't appointed garrison Commanders, this is not a political posting but a military posting. A Commanding officer can post a military personnel anywhere



This is another lie that has been thrashed completely on this thread. Page one of this thread has Gowons Decree 14 that 12 states were being created out of the 4 Regions. Gowons Decree 15 then ended resource control. Ironsi neither abolished the Region's nor denied them resource control



Another lie from the Lagos/Ibadan expressway media that didn't read the decree. Ironsi did not dissolve the civil service in one single National service. Ironsi's Decree made provision for all Region's to have their own civil service, how ever, he created a national service commission to oversee them. Not exactly the same as dissolving them into one body



The only laughable thing about this write up is this individual is trying so much to say that Igbos tried to dominate Nigeria. However, he has no problems with the Northern caliphate that has dominated Nigeria for the last 60 years

The Police Investigation Report on the coup was submitted in March 1966 and a Panel was constituted to look at the Report but Ironsi repeatedly truncated any attempt by the Panel to sit. Even the Supreme Military Council was aware of the foot dragging and it's implications such that Brigadier Ogundipe had to lie in trying to pacify the July 1966 coup plotters that he just received the Report from a panel that was denied sitting.

It is no news that Decree 34 promulgated by Ironsi in May 1966 abolished Regional Government in favour of a Unitary Government. Decree 13 promulgated by Gowon in 1970 shifted the bulk of federally collected revenue to the Federal Government. Decree 9 promulgated in 1971 gave total revenue to the offshore oil production to the central government. All these subsequent decrees find their root in Decree 34. They are just natural progressions of empowering the center. The Unitary Government existed for a purpose, if not Ironsi would not have created it. Ironsi let the genie out of the bottle. So trying to absolve him of the ripple and progressive effects of his action doesn't work.

In regard to Decree 34 and the National Public Service Commission, I think ghis vanguard report is more elaborate: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/abused-decree-no-34-and-demand-for-restructuring/amp/

That Igbos attempted dominating Nigeria is clearly established by the utterances and actions as historically cited. Is it not evidence of a domineering nature that Azikiwe was more interested in becoming the Premier of Western Region in 1952 while all other regions had premiers who were natives of the regions?

It is also documented that the Northerners historically favoured a loose Federation with secession clause in the Constitution and were willing to secede in the aftermath of the 1966 coups. To their credit and perhaps due to their own challenges as being the most backward of the regions, the Northern Region never entered into the Federation with ambitions to dominate.

No Region should dominate in a Federation. That instead of the Igbo, the Northerners (Hausa-Fulani) have dominated is no joy to anyone except some Northerners. However we cannot forget that the Igbos by their inordinate ambition created the platform for the Northerners to dominate.

Babinski:


The Police Investigation Report on the coup was submitted in March 1966 and a Panel was constituted to look at the Report but Ironsi repeatedly truncated any attempt by the Panel to sit. Even the Supreme Military Council was aware of the foot dragging and it's implications such that Brigadier Ogundipe had to lie in trying to pacify the July 1966 coup plotters that he just received the Report from a panel that was denied sitting.

It is no news that Decree 34 promulgated by Ironsi in May 1966 abolished Regional Government in favour of a Unitary Government. Decree 13 promulgated by Gowon in 1970 shifted the bulk of federally collected revenue to the Federal Government. Decree 9 promulgated in 1971 gave total revenue to the offshore oil production to the central government. All these subsequent decrees find their root in Decree 34. They are just natural progressions of empowering the center. The Unitary Government existed for a purpose, if not Ironsi would not have created it. Ironsi let the genie out of the bottle. So trying to absolve him of the ripple and progressive effects of his action doesn't work.

In regard to Decree 34 and the National Public Service Commission, I think ghis vanguard report is more elaborate: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/abused-decree-no-34-and-demand-for-restructuring/amp/

That Igbos attempted dominating Nigeria is clearly established by the utterances and actions as historically cited. Is it not evidence of a domineering nature that Azikiwe was more interested in becoming the Premier of Western Region in 1952 while all other regions had premiers who were natives of the regions?

It is also documented that the Northerners historically favoured a loose Federation with secession clause in the Constitution and were willing to secede in the aftermath of the 1966 coups. To their credit and perhaps due to their own challenges as being the most backward of the regions, the Northern Region never entered into the Federation with ambitions to dominate.

No Region should dominate in a Federation. That instead of the Igbo, the Northerners (Hausa-Fulani) have dominated is no joy to anyone except some Northerners. However we cannot forget that the Igbos by their inordinate ambition created the platform for the Northerners to dominate.

Well I suggest you Google decree 34 and read it rather than reading third party comments. We had 4 Region's that were controlling their resources before Ironsi, and we had 4 Region's that were controlling their resources throughout Ironsi's regime. The only thing the Region's did not have was democracy, it was military rule. The decree 34 you talk about was about the civil service, nothing more. It was Gowon that came after Ironsi, dissolved all 4 Region's and created 12 states with decree 14, then abolished resource control with Decree 15, its all on page .

But has been happening since the last 60 years? Did those who have been ruling since Ironsi give you Region's? Did they give you resource control? Did they give you secession clause? No, the made Nigeria as Unitary as they could, divided the country into 36 states and shouted 'one Nigeria' all over the place

Today, Nigeria is world's poverty capital and 8th most insecure country on earth, far worse than Ironsi's time. Stop talking about Ironsi, nobody who came after him managed to do better, they only did far worse

gidgiddy:


Well I suggest you Google decree 34 and read it rather than reading third party comments. We had 4 Region's that were controlling their resources before Ironsi, and we had 4 Region's that were controlling their resources throughout Ironsi's regime. The only thing the Region's did not have was democracy, it was military rule. The decree 34 you talk about was about the civil service, nothing more. It was Gowon that came after Ironsi, dissolved all 4 Region's and created 12 states with decree 14, then abolished resource control with Decree 15, its all on page .

But has been happening since the last 60 years? Did those who have been ruling since Ironsi give you Region's? Did they give you resource control? Did they give you secession clause? No, the made Nigeria as Unitary as they could, divided the country into 36 states and shouted 'one Nigeria' all over the place

Today, Nigeria is world's poverty capital and 8th most insecure country on earth, far worse than Ironsi's time. Stop talking about Ironsi, nobody who came after him managed to do better, they only did far worse

This your defense line in the bolded is philosophically faulty because it ignores the law of cause and effect.
In a scenario whereby two or three parties solemnly agreed to a deal and one of the parties later breached the deal, you can't blame either of the other two for not honouring the agreement thereafter. It is like a husband and wife who had a joint account and they both agreed not to make withdrawal from it until after two years yet six months into the agreement the husband went to make withdrawal secretly from it, but later the wife got to know and in response went to withdraw her own quota of the savings completely only for the husband to start blaming the wife for the failure of the savings plan. If you were the wife would you agree to being responsible for the failure of the savings plan?