Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by VBCampaign: 6:02pm On Sep 09 |
Obafemi Awolowo’s Twenty Pounds to BiafraBy: Deji YesufuA few weeks ago, a Canadian-Nigerian woman, by the name of Amaka Sonnberger, a 46-year-old lady, was seen on social media inciting people of Igbo extraction against Yoruba and Benin people. Amaka made the point that anywhere Igbo people see these people in Canada, they should ensure that their food and drinks are poisoned. The video took on a life of its own and eventually, the Nigerian government brought the matter to the Canadian authorities. What might have occasioned this latest brouhaha between people of different ethnic groups in Nigeria? It is the Nigerian civil war. This war ended in January 1970, yet the pain it triggered, like any other crisis in other parts of the world, is yet to subside. The Igbo nation feels she was betrayed by no other than Chief Obafemi Awolowo – a Yoruba man. Awo had made the statement in 1966 that if by any chance the Igbo nation is allowed to secede from Nigeria, the Yoruba nation will also leave the union. Unfortunately, on May 30, 1967, Col. Ojukwu led the Igbo nation out of Nigeria. Rather than keeping his promise, Awo joined the government of Nigeria and fought a bloody war to keep Nigeria one. When Awolowo returned to the Igbo people in 1978/79 asking for their votes to be President of Nigeria in the second republic, the Igbo people said he betrayed them. Awolowo told them that what happened was not betrayal but an unfortunate misapprehension of basic English. Awolowo explained that the Igbo nation seceded from Nigeria but that she was never permitted to go by the Nigerian nation. His statement remains sacrosanct today: if the Igbo nation had been allowed to go by Nigeria, by all means, the Yoruba nation would have gone too. The mere fact that Nigeria went to war with Biafra is a clear statement of the fact that the Igbos were never permitted to leave. They left of their own volition and Nigeria fought a war to keep them in the union – like many other countries have done in the past and present to preserve their nation’s unity. When that debate was settled, the Igbo people roused the sentiment that Obafemi Awolowo gave each Igbo male twenty pounds following the war. They say “What exactly does Nigeria expect that we do with twenty pounds?” Awolowo was the minister of Finance under the Yakubu Gowon government, the government that prosecuted the war, and he was certainly one of the brains behind the twenty pounds sum. How did Awolowo come about giving each adult Biafran twenty pounds as part of the rebuilding process for the war? Well, while reading HID Awolowo’s biography, “In the Radiance of the Sage”, written by Wale Adebanwi, I found the answer. Obafemi Awolowo grew up from a very humble background. His father was quite successful but the man died when Awo, his first child, was just nine years old. The custom in those days was that the wife would be married off to the man’s siblings and he would care for the late brother’s children and wife – while owning all his properties. Unfortunately, as it turns out in many cases, these men would prefer to own the properties but they leave the wife and children to care for themselves. The only thing that propelled the young Awo was remembering his father’s often-made remark that he wanted his first son to be educated. So Awolowo did all kinds of menial jobs to get himself to school. The impetus behind the free education he brought to the Western Region years later came from his own experience: perhaps if he had had someone pay his fees, he would have enjoyed school more. Awolowo spent about five years in elementary school and only one year in secondary school. Every other learning the great sage acquired was self-taught. In the early 1940s, it became clear to Awolowo that if he was going to attain his calling of becoming a politician, he would have to get a law degree. In those days, you could only study law in England. Awo was married at this time, and he had three children. He did not believe that his wife should work and he made his position known to Hannah (HID), his wife. Like a dutiful wife, the dear woman obeyed her husband. HID was the only child of her mother – who herself was the only child of her mother. These three great women had entrepreneurship running in their blood. HID had been raised by her mother to do business. Yet, when she married Awo, the man would not allow his wife to work. However, things changed in the days to come. Awolowo passed his entrance examinations to study law overseas. He then took his now heavily pregnant wife to the bank one faithful day in 1944. He explained to her that he had saved twenty pounds in an account for her and the children. She was to use that money wisely, and that as soon as he reached England, he would ensure that he sent her more money. Hannah nodded. The following day, she escorted her husband to the ship in Lagos which took him to England for his studies. As soon as Awo was out of sight, this dear woman headed to the bank – with an eight-month pregnancy. She withdrew the money and began to trade with it. And with her experience in trading, she soon began to make a lot of money from it. One day, Hannah sent her husband twenty pounds in the United Kingdom. He wrote her back and thanked her. He explained that the money arrived at just the time he had nothing left on him. Then he began to wonder: “…now that you have sent the money I left for you, how are you and the children going to cope?” HID did not respond. Those days, communication was not that quick and this dear woman had the liberty of distance to do a few things before her husband arrived home. Awolowo spent two and a half years in the UK and returned in 1947, a lawyer. In this period, Hannah sent her husband money four times in all. The second time he received money, the man flared up: “…who is giving you money?!” Of course, by the time he returned to Nigeria, he realized that his wife had wisely used the resources he left her and even multiplied it. He still did not think she should work but seeing that the woman was making so much money, more than he did, he permitted her. When he entered government work in 1951, he reached a deal with her: she was to work from home henceforth. She could however have someone else handle the business outlets. HID became the financial rock behind her husband. Awolowo’s political philosophy was so intense that he often lost friends and supporters. It was the financial backing of his wife that saw him through. When in 1962, he was sent to prison, HID easily handled the home front and even borrowed the Action Group money on occasions. That is where the idea of giving every adult male twenty pounds came from in 1970. Now, twenty pounds is certainly very small money – even in today’s terms. However, when a country has just finished a costly war and is seeking to rebuild, it is not likely to have a lot of money to throw around. What would have happened in those days in Eastern Nigeria is that wise men would have formed cooperatives, combined their resources, and done business with them. And when you consider that the Igbos are the most business savvy, of the three major tribes in Nigeria, you will appreciate why, despite all the angst against Awolowo and the Yoruba extraction, these people used their twenty pounds very well. It multiplied and the Igbos are some of the wealthiest people groups in Nigeria today. I understand that many other things happened at that time. I understand that some people had property in some parts of Nigeria and by the time they returned to them after the war, the properties had been taken. I understand that some people even had money in the bank but ended up with twenty pounds. All of those are understandable. Yet, after fifty years of having prosecuted that war, with the usual resentment that could occur, the Igbo nation should realize that God has very graciously restored their losses. There is no reason to be angry with anyone – anymore. The real enemies of this country are not people of a certain tribe or religion – our enemies are people who simply do not have the good of this country at heart. They are people who would rather eat up the country so that their own selfish interest could be furthered. It is good to learn that Amaka Sonnberger is now being prosecuted by the Canadian government and is likely to go to jail for a very long time. I am happy to realize that not many Igbo people share this woman’s demonic sentiment about other tribes in Nigeria. There are things we have in common in this country: the fact that we are all human beings and we share a geographical location called Nigeria. Those who insisted on the unity of this country understood the fact that there are diversities among us as a people. They, however, saw that rather than these diversities become a means of division among us, it could be to our advantage. Every people group in the world today are seeking more and more to come together, rather than divide. There is a lot that can be done through unity. The Nigerian civil war was too costly in people and resources for this country not to have learnt some valuable lessons from it. Deji Yesufu is the pastor of Providence Reformed Baptist Church Ibadan. He is the author of HUMANITY and Victor Banjo. Source. 1 Share
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Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by immortalcrown(m): 6:10pm On Sep 09 |
Hmmm! |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by VBCampaign: 6:13pm On Sep 09 |
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Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by Sirmwill: 6:18pm On Sep 09 |
Hmm |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by Sirmwill: 6:25pm On Sep 09 |
This is total rubbish... 8 Likes |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by happney65: 6:29pm On Sep 09 |
Before now,I admired the OP from Afar. But from his previous post where he talked that a woman should not be allowed to President of the US is giving misogynistic vibes and I was disappointed he is using his religious sentiments being a pastor in politics |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by VBCampaign: 6:32pm On Sep 09 |
Sirmwill: This is total rubbish...
Understandably... |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by Jayhome24: 6:38pm On Sep 09 |
Children of hate and pardition from my region will soon be here and come upon you OP. Very very unfortunate none of my own people could be intelligent enough to asked Ojukwu pls who and who in Igboland did you consulted before going into war or when did he conducted referedum and he was asked to go ahead? Mbanu.
None of my own people is intelligent enough to asked Ojukwu that pls among those 3million innocent souls that perished is there any of his family among the dead? None.
So many questions to ask in fairness but same juju ojukwu used to brainwashed them to diverted his fault on Yoruba peoople for him to escaped questioning the same juju grigory bitch obi using on them right now it is unimaginable that 90% of entire region sleep and face one direction.
They will soon be here to masturbte for just seen the name Awolowo keep watching 11 Likes 3 Shares |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by MadPolitician: 6:46pm On Sep 09 |
Now, twenty pounds is certainly very small money – even in today’s terms. However, when a country has just finished a costly war and is seeking to rebuild, it is not likely to have a lot of money to throw around. What would have happened in those days in Eastern Nigeria is that wise men would have formed cooperatives, combined their resources, and done business with them. And when you consider that the Igbos are the most business savvy, of the three major tribes in Nigeria, you will appreciate why, despite all the angst against Awolowo and the Yoruba extraction, these people used their twenty pounds very well. It multiplied and the Igbos are some of the wealthiest people groups in Nigeria today. I understand that many other things happened at that time. I understand that some people had property in some parts of Nigeria and by the time they returned to them after the war, the properties had been taken. I understand that some people even had money in the bank but ended up with twenty pounds. All of those are understandable. Yet, after fifty years of having prosecuted that war, with the usual resentment that could occur, the Igbo nation should realize that God has very graciously restored their losses. There is no reason to be angry with anyone – anymore. The real enemies of this country are not people of a certain tribe or religion – our enemies are people who simply do not have the good of this country at heart. They are people who would rather eat up the country so that their own selfish interest could be furthered. What some of you don't understand is that none of you could have tolerateed what these igbos have tolorated in the hands of federal Nigeria over the last decades. Why is it so hard for some other parts of the country to understand the rage in the south-east? I mean the marginalisation is now official government policy. You guys have taken over politics, you control the army, the police, the customs, the banks, the insurance companies, the betting companies, the major oil companies, the oil and gas wells including the ones in igboland. Infastructural investments in agriculture are only made in the north, igbo roads are the worst in the country. Almost all airports in igboland were huilt by the state governments, ditto post war universities. You basically closed eastern ports and forced igbos to drive hundreds of kilometers to other regions, before flying away from the country. Since 1966, no igbo president, just taunts, insults and political humilaitions. Now, the APC has started attacking igbo traders with draconian policies, remember that trading is the only area left to the igbos post war. What do you want them to do? Your graduates easily get jobs in the customs, army etc, igbo graduates have to go and "hustle" in Cambodia, Thailand and india, while you wait them online to taunt, taunt and taunt. Check am naa Befor you tell them to forget and forgive, you sef should at least stop fighting them. Because in all pratical analysis, the war is stll on. Just look at Bola tinubus appointments. 8 Likes |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by presido11: 6:50pm On Sep 09 |
Jayhome24: Children of hate and pardition from my region will soon be here and come upon you OP. Very very unfortunate none of my own people could be intelligent enough to asked Ojukwu pls who and who in Igboland did you consulted before going into war or when did he conducted referedum and he was asked to go ahead? Mbanu.
None of my own people is intelligent enough to asked Ojukwu that pls among those 3million innocent souls that perished is there any of his family among the dead? None.
So many questions to ask in fairness but same juju ojukwu used to brainwashed them to diverted his fault on Yoruba peoople for him to escaped questioning the same juju grigory bitch obi using on them right now it is unimaginable that 90% of entire region sleep and face one direction.
They will soon be here to masturbte for just seen the name Awolowo keep watching You 4 write in your native language. Haba. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by Mrfeel: 7:06pm On Sep 09 |
Jayhome24: Children of hate and pardition from my region will soon be here and come upon you OP. Very very unfortunate none of my own people could be intelligent enough to asked Ojukwu pls who and who in Igboland did you consulted before going into war or when did he conducted referedum and he was asked to go ahead? Mbanu.
None of my own people is intelligent enough to asked Ojukwu that pls among those 3million innocent souls that perished is there any of his family among the dead? None.
So many questions to ask in fairness but same juju ojukwu used to brainwashed them to diverted his fault on Yoruba peoople for him to escaped questioning the same juju grigory bitch obi using on them right now it is unimaginable that 90% of entire region sleep and face one direction.
They will soon be here to masturbte for just seen the name Awolowo keep watching One thing I hate the most about you Yoruba people is the deceptive humility , coward attitude, a Yoruba person will happily prostrate to greet someone he hates , as soon as the person turns to leave he will curse , insult and plot all type of evil against the person he just prostrated to, I'm more free around a person who will look me in the eyes and tell me he or she hates me ,than around a yoruba person who will smile in my face and plot evil against me in my back, a typical Yoruba person is like that, that's exactly what awolowo did to ojukwu when he visited ojukwu with his delegates in Enugu 6 Likes |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by Jayhome24: 7:08pm On Sep 09 |
presido11: You 4 write in your native language. Haba. This is Nairaland for Nigerians and not Biafraland. I had made up my I will continue taking sense to them untill they starrted looking at things from different angle before jumping to conclusion and hating for no reason. 8 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by chiagozien(m): 7:11pm On Sep 09 |
Kill Igbos and Igbo children according to Yorubas.
Amaka have the right to self defense. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by WhizdomXX(m): 7:20pm On Sep 09 |
MadPolitician:
What some of you don't understand is that.mone of you could have tolerateed what these igbos have tolifated iver the last decades.
Why is it so hard for some other parts of the country to understand the rage in the south-east? I mean the marginalisation is now official. You guys have taken over politics, you control the army, the police, the customs, the banks, the insurance companies, the betting companies, the major oil companies, the oil and gas wells including the ones in igboland.
Infastructural investments in agriculture are only made in the north, igbo roads are the worst in the country. Almost all airports in igboland were huilt by the state governments, ditto post war universities. You basically closed eastern ports and forced igbos to drive hundreds of kilometers to other regions, before flying away from the country. Since 1966, no igbo president, just taunts, insults and political humilaitions.
Now, the APC has started attacking igbo traders with draconian policies, remember that trading is the only area left to the igbos post war. What do you want them to do? Your graduates easily get jobs in the customs, army etc, igbo graduates have to go and "hustle" in Cambodia, Thailand and india, while you wait them online to taunt, taunt and taunt. Check am naa
Befor you tell them to forget and forgive, you sef should at least stop fighting them. Because in all pratical analysis, the war is stll on. Just look at Bola tinubus appointments. Things were not bad like these in Jonas time. 2 Likes |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by Naira20: 7:50pm On Sep 09 |
Unfortunately, the writer didn't read the book well or is trying to be clever by half. 20pounds wasn't given to every adult male- it was given to those who could prove they had bank accounts with monies in it.
Awolowo can't justify what he did.
Anyone with an objective mind knows Awolowo was part of the foundation of Nigeria's problems.
This is not 1980 when people don't research. Don't insult people's intelligence 3 Likes |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by AntiMarxist: 7:52pm On Sep 09 |
This rubbish article with all the IPOB brain dead talking points did not originate from a Yoruba person as claimed by the signature on it.
This is a crass IPOB impostor claiming Yoruba to push their useless sympathy and fake innocence to others.
E no go work. 1 Like 1 Share |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by presido11: 8:04pm On Sep 09 |
Jayhome24:
This is Nairaland for Nigerians and not Biafraland. I had made up my I will continue taking sense to them untill they starrted looking at things from different angle before jumping to conclusion and hating for no reason. Still more blunder. "Taking sense"? How is that done? 1 Like |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by VBCampaign: 8:26pm On Sep 09 |
Naira20: Unfortunately, the writer didn't read the book well or is trying to be clever by half. 20pounds wasn't given to every adult male- it was given to those who could prove they had bank accounts with monies in it.
Awolowo can't justify what he did.
Anyone with an objective mind knows Awolowo was part of the foundation of Nigeria's problems.
This is not 1980 when people don't research. Don't insult people's intelligence
Well said |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by Macphenson: 9:43pm On Sep 09 |
Jayhome24: Children of hate and pardition from my region will soon be here and come upon you OP. Very very unfortunate none of my own people could be intelligent enough to asked Ojukwu pls who and who in Igboland did you consulted before going into war or when did he conducted referedum and he was asked to go ahead? Mbanu.
None of my own people is intelligent enough to asked Ojukwu that pls among those 3million innocent souls that perished is there any of his family among the dead? None.
So many questions to ask in fairness but same juju ojukwu used to brainwashed them to diverted his fault on Yoruba peoople for him to escaped questioning the same juju grigory bitch obi using on them right now it is unimaginable that 90% of entire region sleep and face one direction.
They will soon be here to masturbte for just seen the name Awolowo keep watching Let me cure you of your ignorance a little. Ojukwu did extensive consultations both within and outside Igboland. Outside in.one of the meetings that the name BIAFRA came from Philip Effiong his deputy. The name BIAFARA was not Ojukwus idea but emanted from south south because of Bight of Biafra. Secondly Ojukwu used his family's wealth to fight the war that till date his brothers are annoyed with Bianca that her husband wasted their family resources. Go.and check how wealthy Sir Louis Ojukwu was before the war broke out. 1 Like |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by Ojiofor: 10:28pm On Sep 09 |
Yoruba demonic journalist writing trash about Amaka but no word about those who said similar things to ndi Igbo that got Amaka provoked to say those things. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by JerryGent1983: 11:32pm On Sep 09 |
Jayhome24: Children of hate and pardition from my region will soon be here and come upon you OP. Very very unfortunate none of my own people could be intelligent enough to asked Ojukwu pls who and who in Igboland did you consulted before going into war or when did he conducted referedum and he was asked to go ahead? Mbanu.
None of my own people is intelligent enough to asked Ojukwu that pls among those 3million innocent souls that perished is there any of his family among the dead? None.
So many questions to ask in fairness but same juju ojukwu used to brainwashed them to diverted his fault on Yoruba peoople for him to escaped questioning the same juju grigory bitch obi using on them right now it is unimaginable that 90% of entire region sleep and face one direction.
They will soon be here to masturbte for just seen the name Awolowo keep watching first you are not from any part of old Eastern region, second you are so dumb to even mentioning Dim Chief Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu's names on that your stinking mouth, third if you don't have any knowledge of the war I will suggest you'd make your finding before making fool of your self in a public domain 1 Like |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by flokii: 11:46pm On Sep 09 |
There is an article here on Nairaland about this Awolowo's £20 to Igbos lie.. Pa Awolowo granted an interview that someone published where he explained in detail all he did to make sure the Igbos didn't fall behind others after the civil war.
Awolowo out of his good heart gave Igbos stipends of £20 to help those who had nothing reintegrate into the society after the war (£20 back then was huge money, most Nigerians didn't have such to their name, what Igbos got as handout free) some of the Igbos that had money in the bank, properties etc. all got their belongings returned to them provided they had evidence to show as proof of ownership. All the Igbos you see that have grown old in Lagos, Ibadan and likes all got their properties back from Yorubas (who could have seized the properties and take possession of the lands sold to them by Yorubas). These people are just ingrates jor, they expect you to displease yourself in order to please them.
Noone asked what happened to the lands and properties owned by other Nigerians living in the East before the war.. The Igbos took possession of all of them and claimed they are now ancestral lands. Igbos didn't return properties belonging to other tribes but they got theirs returned to them especially in South West.
Moreover, Ojukwu was pardoned and he returned to Nigeria, why didn't the Igbos ask him about the whereabout of their money, since he convinced them to change their Pounds to Biafran pounds.. It means he kept no record, the whereabout of the money collected unknown and Igbos didn't bother to ask
Awolowo even created a special fund like trust fund specifically to give grants to Igbos and help them procure equipment or other machines they need to upskill themselves and recoup after the civil war.. These ingrates will never mention all those good gestures of Awolowo to their race, all they do is demonize the man simply because he is Yoruba. 4 Likes 3 Shares |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by IduNaOba: 11:52pm On Sep 09 |
Ka anyị na aga n'ubi ka ji na - aka |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by Orangedreams: 12:22am On Sep 10 |
VBCampaign: Obafemi Awolowo’s Twenty Pounds to Biafra
By: Deji Yesufu
A few weeks ago, a Canadian-Nigerian woman, by the name of Amaka Sonnberger, a 46-year-old lady, was seen on social media inciting people of Igbo extraction against Yoruba and Benin people. Amaka made the point that anywhere Igbo people see these people in Canada, they should ensure that their food and drinks are poisoned. The video took on a life of its own and eventually, the Nigerian government brought the matter to the Canadian authorities. What might have occasioned this latest brouhaha between people of different ethnic groups in Nigeria? It is the Nigerian civil war. This war ended in January 1970, yet the pain it triggered, like any other crisis in other parts of the world, is yet to subside. The Igbo nation feels she was betrayed by no other than Chief Obafemi Awolowo – a Yoruba man. Awo had made the statement in 1966 that if by any chance the Igbo nation is allowed to secede from Nigeria, the Yoruba nation will also leave the union. Unfortunately, on May 30, 1967, Col. Ojukwu led the Igbo nation out of Nigeria. Rather than keeping his promise, Awo joined the government of Nigeria and fought a bloody war to keep Nigeria one.
When Awolowo returned to the Igbo people in 1978/79 asking for their votes to be President of Nigeria in the second republic, the Igbo people said he betrayed them. Awolowo told them that what happened was not betrayal but an unfortunate misapprehension of basic English. Awolowo explained that the Igbo nation seceded from Nigeria but that she was never permitted to go by the Nigerian nation. His statement remains sacrosanct today: if the Igbo nation had been allowed to go by Nigeria, by all means, the Yoruba nation would have gone too. The mere fact that Nigeria went to war with Biafra is a clear statement of the fact that the Igbos were never permitted to leave. They left of their own volition and Nigeria fought a war to keep them in the union – like many other countries have done in the past and present to preserve their nation’s unity. When that debate was settled, the Igbo people roused the sentiment that Obafemi Awolowo gave each Igbo male twenty pounds following the war. They say “What exactly does Nigeria expect that we do with twenty pounds?” Awolowo was the minister of Finance under the Yakubu Gowon government, the government that prosecuted the war, and he was certainly one of the brains behind the twenty pounds sum. How did Awolowo come about giving each adult Biafran twenty pounds as part of the rebuilding process for the war? Well, while reading HID Awolowo’s biography, “In the Radiance of the Sage”, written by Wale Adebanwi, I found the answer.
Obafemi Awolowo grew up from a very humble background. His father was quite successful but the man died when Awo, his first child, was just nine years old. The custom in those days was that the wife would be married off to the man’s siblings and he would care for the late brother’s children and wife – while owning all his properties. Unfortunately, as it turns out in many cases, these men would prefer to own the properties but they leave the wife and children to care for themselves. The only thing that propelled the young Awo was remembering his father’s often-made remark that he wanted his first son to be educated. So Awolowo did all kinds of menial jobs to get himself to school. The impetus behind the free education he brought to the Western Region years later came from his own experience: perhaps if he had had someone pay his fees, he would have enjoyed school more. Awolowo spent about five years in elementary school and only one year in secondary school. Every other learning the great sage acquired was self-taught. In the early 1940s, it became clear to Awolowo that if he was going to attain his calling of becoming a politician, he would have to get a law degree.
In those days, you could only study law in England. Awo was married at this time, and he had three children. He did not believe that his wife should work and he made his position known to Hannah (HID), his wife. Like a dutiful wife, the dear woman obeyed her husband. HID was the only child of her mother – who herself was the only child of her mother. These three great women had entrepreneurship running in their blood. HID had been raised by her mother to do business. Yet, when she married Awo, the man would not allow his wife to work. However, things changed in the days to come. Awolowo passed his entrance examinations to study law overseas. He then took his now heavily pregnant wife to the bank one faithful day in 1944. He explained to her that he had saved twenty pounds in an account for her and the children. She was to use that money wisely, and that as soon as he reached England, he would ensure that he sent her more money. Hannah nodded. The following day, she escorted her husband to the ship in Lagos which took him to England for his studies. As soon as Awo was out of sight, this dear woman headed to the bank – with an eight-month pregnancy. She withdrew the money and began to trade with it. And with her experience in trading, she soon began to make a lot of money from it.
One day, Hannah sent her husband twenty pounds in the United Kingdom. He wrote her back and thanked her. He explained that the money arrived at just the time he had nothing left on him. Then he began to wonder: “…now that you have sent the money I left for you, how are you and the children going to cope?” HID did not respond. Those days, communication was not that quick and this dear woman had the liberty of distance to do a few things before her husband arrived home. Awolowo spent two and a half years in the UK and returned in 1947, a lawyer. In this period, Hannah sent her husband money four times in all. The second time he received money, the man flared up: “…who is giving you money?!” Of course, by the time he returned to Nigeria, he realized that his wife had wisely used the resources he left her and even multiplied it. He still did not think she should work but seeing that the woman was making so much money, more than he did, he permitted her. When he entered government work in 1951, he reached a deal with her: she was to work from home henceforth. She could however have someone else handle the business outlets. HID became the financial rock behind her husband. Awolowo’s political philosophy was so intense that he often lost friends and supporters. It was the financial backing of his wife that saw him through. When in 1962, he was sent to prison, HID easily handled the home front and even borrowed the Action Group money on occasions. That is where the idea of giving every adult male twenty pounds came from in 1970.
Now, twenty pounds is certainly very small money – even in today’s terms. However, when a country has just finished a costly war and is seeking to rebuild, it is not likely to have a lot of money to throw around. What would have happened in those days in Eastern Nigeria is that wise men would have formed cooperatives, combined their resources, and done business with them. And when you consider that the Igbos are the most business savvy, of the three major tribes in Nigeria, you will appreciate why, despite all the angst against Awolowo and the Yoruba extraction, these people used their twenty pounds very well. It multiplied and the Igbos are some of the wealthiest people groups in Nigeria today. I understand that many other things happened at that time. I understand that some people had property in some parts of Nigeria and by the time they returned to them after the war, the properties had been taken. I understand that some people even had money in the bank but ended up with twenty pounds. All of those are understandable. Yet, after fifty years of having prosecuted that war, with the usual resentment that could occur, the Igbo nation should realize that God has very graciously restored their losses. There is no reason to be angry with anyone – anymore. The real enemies of this country are not people of a certain tribe or religion – our enemies are people who simply do not have the good of this country at heart. They are people who would rather eat up the country so that their own selfish interest could be furthered.
It is good to learn that Amaka Sonnberger is now being prosecuted by the Canadian government and is likely to go to jail for a very long time. I am happy to realize that not many Igbo people share this woman’s demonic sentiment about other tribes in Nigeria. There are things we have in common in this country: the fact that we are all human beings and we share a geographical location called Nigeria. Those who insisted on the unity of this country understood the fact that there are diversities among us as a people. They, however, saw that rather than these diversities become a means of division among us, it could be to our advantage. Every people group in the world today are seeking more and more to come together, rather than divide. There is a lot that can be done through unity. The Nigerian civil war was too costly in people and resources for this country not to have learnt some valuable lessons from it.
Deji Yesufu is the pastor of Providence Reformed Baptist Church Ibadan. He is the author of HUMANITY.
Source. I am a typical Igbo man. I cannot agree less with this piece. Thank you an exceptional Yoruba man who puts forward points as they ought to be. The point where you said God has restored their looses, I agree with you. But do you know why Igbos have remained angry till date? Imagine Amaka being arrested while Oba of Lagos and MC oluomo are walking the streets free. I rest my case. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by Uchek(m): 3:11am On Sep 10 |
Jayhome24: Children of hate and pardition from my region will soon be here and come upon you OP. Very very unfortunate none of my own people could be intelligent enough to asked Ojukwu pls who and who in Igboland did you consulted before going into war or when did he conducted referedum and he was asked to go ahead? Mbanu.
None of my own people is intelligent enough to asked Ojukwu that pls among those 3million innocent souls that perished is there any of his family among the dead? None.
So many questions to ask in fairness but same juju ojukwu used to brainwashed them to diverted his fault on Yoruba peoople for him to escaped questioning the same juju grigory bitch obi using on them right now it is unimaginable that 90% of entire region sleep and face one direction.
They will soon be here to masturbte for just seen the name Awolowo keep watching What the author posted is TRASH! |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by Uchek(m): 3:13am On Sep 10 |
flokii: There is an article here on Nairaland about this Awolowo's £20 to Igbos lie.. Pa Awolowo granted an interview that someone published where he explained in detail all he did to make sure the Igbos didn't fall behind others after the civil war.
Awolowo out of his good heart gave Igbos stipends of £20 to help those who had nothing reintegrate into the society after the war (£20 back then was huge money, most Nigerians didn't have such to their name, what Igbos got as handout free) some of the Igbos that had money in the bank, properties etc. all got their belongings returned to them provided they had evidence to show as proof of ownership. All the Igbos you see that have grown old in Lagos, Ibadan and likes all got their properties back from Yorubas (who could have seized the properties and take possession of the lands sold to them by Yorubas). These people are just ingrates jor, they expect you to displease yourself in order to please them.
Noone asked what happened to the lands and properties owned by other Nigerians living in the East before the war.. The Igbos took possession of all of them and claimed they are now ancestral lands. Igbos didn't return properties belonging to other tribes but they got theirs returned to them especially in South West.
Moreover, Ojukwu was pardoned and he returned to Nigeria, why didn't the Igbos ask him about the whereabout of their money, since he convinced them to change their Pounds to Biafran pounds.. It means he kept no record, the whereabout of the money collected unknown and Igbos didn't bother to ask
Awolowo even created a special fund like trust fund specifically to give grants to Igbos and help them procure equipment or other machines they need to upskill themselves and recoup after the civil war.. These ingrates will never mention all those good gestures of Awolowo to their race, all they do is demonize the man simply because he is Yoruba. U are son of the Devil — FATHER OF LIES! 1 Like |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by VBCampaign: 5:29am On Sep 10 |
Orangedreams:
I am a typical Igbo man. I cannot agree less with this piece. Thank you an exceptional Yoruba man who puts forward points as they ought to be.
The point where you said God has restored their looses, I agree with you. But do you know why Igbos have remained angry till date? Imagine Amaka being arrested while Oba of Lagos and MC oluomo are walking the streets free. I rest my case. Thank you 😊 |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by VBCampaign: 5:33am On Sep 10 |
Awolowo on the Twenty Pounds Policy:
This is a continuation of the excerpts/minutes from a Chief Obafemi Awolowo interview on my previous thread. TWENTY POUNDS POLICY "That’s what I did, and the case of the money they said was not given back to them, you know during the war all the pounds were looted, they printed Biafran currency notes, which they circulated, at the close of the war some people wanted their Biafran notes to be exchanged for them. Of course I couldn’t do that, if I did that the whole country would be bankrupt. We didn’t know about Biafran notes and we didn’t know on what basis they have printed them, so we refused the Biafran note, but I laid down the principle that all those who had savings in the banks on the eve of the declaration of the Biafran war or Biafra, will get their money back if they could satisfy us that they had the savings there, or the money there. Unfortunately, all the banks’s books had been burnt, and many of the people who had savings there didn’t have their saving books or their last statement of account, so a panel had to be set up. I didn’t take part in setting up the panel, it was done by the Central bank and the pertinent officials of the ministry of finance, to look into the matter, and they went carefully into the matter, they took some months to do so, and then make some recommendation which I approved. Go to the archives, all I did was approve, I didn’t write anything more than that, I don’t even remember the name of any of them who took part. So I did everything in this world to assist our Ibo brothers and sisters during and after the war. And anyone who goes back to look at my broadcast in August 1967, which dealt with post-war reconstruction would see what I said there" https://www.nairaland.com/6617192/obafemi-awolowo-interview-twenty-poundsThe complete interview: https://www.nairaland.com/6522560/awolowo-speaks-twenty-pounds-policy |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by VBCampaign: 6:00am On Sep 10 |
Nexus25: Awo speaks - an excerpt from a town hall interview in Abeokuta in 1983.
CIVIL WAR
Question: Chief Awolowo, …Your stand on the civil war, however unpopular it might have been to the Biafrans or Ibo people, helped to shorten the war. Today, you’re being castigated as the sole enemy of the Ibo people because of that stand, by among others, some of the people who as members of the Federal Military Government at that time, were party to that decision and are today, in some cases, inheritors of power in one Nigeria which that decision of yours helped to save. How do you feel being painted in this role, and what steps are you taking to endear yourself once again to that large chunk of Nigerians who feel embittered?
Awolowo: As far as I know, the Ibo masses are friendly to me, towards me. In fact, whenever I visit Iboland, either Anambra or Imo, and there’s no campaigning for elections on, the Ibo people receive me warmly and affectionately. But there are some elements in Iboland who believe that they can maintain their popularity only by denigrating me, and so they keep on telling lies against me. Ojukwu is one of them. I don’t want to mention the names of the others because they are still redeemable, but ….Ojukwu is irredeemable, so I mention his name, and my attitude to these lies is one of indifference, I must confess to you.
I’ve learnt to rely completely on the providence and vindication of Almighty God in some of these things. I’ve tried to explain myself in the past, but these liars persist. Ojukwu had only recently told the same lie against me. What’s the point in correcting lies when people are determined to persist in telling lies against you, what’s the point?. I know that someday the Ibos, the masses of the Ibo people will realize who their friends are, and who their real enemies are. And the day that happens woe betide those enemies. The Ibos will deal with them very roughly, very roughly.
That has happened in my life. I have a nickname now, if you see my letterhead you’ll find something on top, you’ll find a fish done on the letterhead. Some people put Lion on theirs, some people put Tiger, but mine is Fish. And Fish represents my zodiac sign, those of you who read the stars and so on in the newspapers; you’ll find out that there’s a zodiac sign known as Pisces, in Latin Pisces means Fish.
So I put Pisces on top, that’s my zodiac sign being born on the 6th of March,….er well, the year doesn’t matter, it’s the day that matters. And then on top of it I wrote Eebudola. All of you know the meaning of that. You know I don’t want to tell a long story but………………Awolowo school, omo Awolowo, the school…… started in Urhoboland, in the Mid-west in those days. They were ridiculing my schools, I was building schools – brick and cement, to dpc level, block to dpc level and mud thereafter. And so the big shots in the place..”ah what kind of school is this? is this Awolowo school? Useless school” and when they saw the children..”ah these Awolowo children, they can’t read and write, Awolowo children” that’s how it started, with ridicule, and it became a blessing, and now they say “Awolowo children, they are good people” no more ridicule about it, that’s how it started, so the 'Eebu' has become honor, the abuse became honor.
And so when I look back to all my life, treasonable felony, jail, all the abuses that were heaped on me, to Coker Inquiry, all sorts, and I see what has happened to the people who led, who led all these denigration campaign, where are they today? Those that are alive are what I call 'Homo Mortuus' - dead living, 'oku eniyan', that’s what they are, those that their lives have gone.
So when I look back, I come to the conclusion that all these abuses which have been heaped on me all my life for doing nothing, for doing good, they have become honor, and so 'Eebudola' is one of my nicknames. So I’ve cultivated an attitude of indifference, I’ve done no evil to the Ibos.
During the war I saw to it that the revenue which was due to Iboland - South Eastern states they call it, at that time..East Central State, I kept it, I saved the money for them. And when they ….were librated I handed over the money to them - millions of pounds. If I’d decided to do so, I could have kept the money away from them and then when they took over I saw to it that subvention was given to them at the rate of 990,000 pounds every month. I didn’t go to the Executive Council to ask for support, or for approval because I knew if I went to the Executive Council at that time, the subvention would not be approved because there were more enemies in the Executive Council for the Ibos than friends. And since I wasn’t going to take a percentage from what I was going to give them, and I knew I was doing what was right, I wanted the state to survive, I kept on giving the subvention – 990,000 pounds almost a million, every month, and I did that for other states of course - South Eastern State, North Central State, Kwara and so on.
But I did that for the Ibos, and when the war was over, I saw to it that the ACB got three and a half million pounds (£3,500,000.00) to start with. This was distributed immediately and I gave another sum of money. The attitude of the experts, officials at the time of the ACB was that ACB should be closed down, and I held the view: you couldn’t close the ACB down because that is the bank that gives finance to Ibo traders, and if you close it down they’ll find it difficult to survive. So it was given. I did the same thing for the Cooperative Bank of Eastern Nigeria, to rehabilitate all these places, and I saw to it as Federal Commissioner for Finance that no obstacle was placed in the way of the Ministry of Economic Planning in planning for rehabilitation of the war affected areas.
TWENTY POUNDS POLICY
That’s what I did, and the case of the money they said was not given back to them, you know during the war all the pounds were looted, they printed Biafran currency notes, which they circulated, at the close of the war some people wanted their Biafran notes to be exchanged for them. Of course I couldn’t do that, if I did that the whole country would be bankrupt. We didn’t know about Biafran notes and we didn’t know on what basis they have printed them, so we refused the Biafran note, but I laid down the principle that all those who had savings in the banks on the eve of the declaration of the Biafran war or Biafra, will get their money back if they could satisfy us that they had the savings there, or the money there. Unfortunately, all the banks’ books had been burnt, and many of the people who had savings there didn’t have their savings books or their last statement of account, so a panel had to be set up.
I didn’t take part in setting up the panel, it was done by the Central Bank and the pertinent officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance, to look into the matter, and they went carefully into the matter, they took some months to do so, and then made some recommendation which I approved. Go to the archives, all I did was approved, I didn’t write anything more than that, I don’t even remember the name of any of them who took part. So I did everything in this world to assist our Ibo brothers and sisters during and after the war.
And anyone who goes back to look at my broadcast in August 1967, which dealt with post-war reconstruction would see what I said there.
STARVATION POLICY
Then, but above all, the ending of the war itself that I’m accused of, accused of starving the Ibos, I did nothing of the sort. You know, shortly after the liberation of these places, Calabar, Enugu and Port Harcort, I decided to pay a visit. There are certain things which I knew which you don’t know, which I don’t want to say here now, when I write my reminisces in the future I will do so. Some of the soldiers were not truthful with us, they didn’t tell us correct stories and so on.
I wanted to be there and see things for myself, bear in mind that Gowon himself did not go there at that time, it was after the war was over that he dorn himself up in various military dresses - Air force dress, Army dress and so on, and went to the war torn areas. But I went and some people tried to frighten me out of my goal by saying that Adekunle was my enemy and he was going to see to it that I never returned from the place. But I went.
But when I went what did I see? I saw the kwashiorkor victims. If you see a kwashiorkor victim you’ll never like war to be waged. Terrible sight, in Enugu, in Port Harcourt, not many in Calabar, but mainly in Enugu and Port Harcourt. Then I enquired what happened to the food we were sending to the civilians. We were sending food through the Red cross, and CARITAS to them, but what happened was that the vehicles carrying the food were always ambushed by the soldiers. That’s what I discovered, and the food would then be taken to the soldiers to feed them, and so they were able to continue to fight. And I said that was a very dangerous policy, we didn’t intend the food for soldiers. But who will go behind the line to stop the soldiers from ambushing the vehicles that were carrying the food? And as long as soldiers were fed, the war will continue, and who’ll continue to suffer? and those who didn’t go to the place to see things as I did, you remember that all the big guns, all the soldiers in the Biafran army looked all well fed after the war, its only the mass of the people that suffered kwashiorkor.
You won't hear of a single lawyer, a single doctor, a single architect, who suffered from kwashiorkor? None of their children either, so they waylaid the foods, they ambushed the vehicles and took the foods to their friends and to their collaborators and to their children and the masses were suffering. So I decided to stop sending the food there. In the process, the civilians would suffer, but the soldiers will suffer most.
CHANGE OF CURRENCY
And it is on record that Ojukwu admitted that two things defeated him in this war, that’s as at the day he left Biafra. He said one, the change of currency, he said that was the first thing that defeated him, and we did that to prevent Ojukwu taking the money which his soldiers had stolen from our Central Bank for sale abroad to buy arms. We discovered he looted our Central Bank in Benin, he looted the one in Port Harcourt, looted the one in Calabar and he was taking the currency notes abroad to sell to earn foreign exchange to buy arms.
So I decided to change the currency, and for your benefit, it can now be told the whole world, only Gowon knew the day before, the day before the change took place. I decided, only three of us knew before then- Isong now Governor of Cross River, Attah and myself. It was a closely guarded secret, if any Commissioner at the time says that he knew about it, he’s only boosting his own ego. Because once you tell someone, he’ll tell another person. So we refused to tell them and we changed the currency notes. So Ojukwu said the change in currency defeated him, and starvation of his soldiers also defeated him.
These were the two things that defeated Ojukwu. And, he reminds me, when you saw Ojukwu’s picture after the war, did he look like someone who wasn't well fed? But he had been taking the food which we sent to civilians, and so we stopped the food.
ABANDONED PROPERTY
And then finally, I saw to it that the houses owned by the Ibos in Lagos and on this side, were kept for them. I had an estate agent friend who told me that one of them collected half a million pounds rent which has been kept for him. All his rent were collected, but since we didn’t seize their houses, he came back and collected half a million pounds.
So that is the position. I’m a friend of the Ibos and the mass of the Ibos are my friends, but there are certain elements who want to continue to deceive the Ibos by telling lies against me, and one day, they’ll discover and then that day will be terrible for those who have been telling the lies.
Cc: Mynd44, lalasticlala
https://ng.opera.news/ng/en//5b5cc54460a555715d287c66c83620a6
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Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by Jayhome24: 11:28am On Sep 10 |
JerryGent1983: first you are not from any part of old Eastern region, second you are so dumb to even mentioning Dim Chief Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu's names on that your stinking mouth, third if you don't have any knowledge of the war I will suggest you'd make your finding before making fool of your self in a public domain Hahahaha another ozuor ewu on the beat. Ewu who belief all Igbo must be idiot, no sense, abusive, mockers, arsonist etc. Ozuor ewu who belief every character deficiency must be trace to igbo people. Ewu who believe every igbo must submit to lie without thinking or critically analysing the situation before blaming others. I only send a message I mean a clear message go and ask your parent to tell us among the 3million innocent Igbo that died during the war does any Ojukwu family among? Go and ask you parent who and who did Ojukwu consulted and he was given the nod to go into war that killed 3million innocent souls. Go and ask your parent what and why did Ojukwu suddenly turned back from going to the North which is the initial agreement with Awo and started attacking Ondo State up to Ore with his mission heading to Lagos to take over Yorubaland, is Yorubaland the North? Go home and use your senses and stop been emotionally stupid. This was how Kanu came ordering idiots like you to be burning down everything and attacking non Igbos and idiot like you jumped straight to the street and did his order without even thinking twice. Same thing Ekpa is doing by sitting our people a s s down home by force on every Monday yet idiot like you praises him. Same the bastard called Obi-diot came and silent every politician in SE till date that no single Igbo politician dare mention he wish to contest for president, he successfully cowed the entire region into submission yet idiot like you still following him like a donkey. Use your head. One head can not always bullies entire region into submission under his feet. Get lost bruv.... |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by VBCampaign: 12:28pm On Sep 10 |
Jayhome24:
Hahahaha another ozuor ewu on the beat. Ewu who belief all Igbo must be idiot, no sense, abusive, mockers, arsonist etc. Ozuor ewu who belief every character deficiency must be trace to igbo people. Ewu who believe every igbo must submit to lie without thinking or critically analysing the situation before blaming others.
I only send a message I mean a clear message go and ask your parent to tell us among the 3million innocent Igbo that died during the war does any Ojukwu family among?
Go and ask you parent who and who did Ojukwu consulted and he was given the nod to go into war that killed 3million innocent souls.
Go and ask your parent what and why did Ojukwu suddenly turned back from going to the North which is the initial agreement with Awo and started attacking Ondo State up to Ore with his mission heading to Lagos to take over Yorubaland, is Yorubaland the North?
Go home and use your senses and stop been emotionally stupid. This was how Kanu came ordering idiots like you to be burning down everything and attacking non Igbos and idiot like you jumped straight to the street and did his order without even thinking twice. Same thing Ekpa is doing by sitting our people a s s down home by force on every Monday yet idiot like you praises him. Same the bastard called Obi-diot came and silent every politician in SE till date that no single Igbo politician dare mention he wish to contest for president, he successfully cowed the entire region into submission yet idiot like you still following him like a donkey.
Use your head. One head can not always bullies entire region into submission under his feet. Get lost bruv.... You can make your point with raining invectives |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo's Twenty Pounds To Biafra by Deji Yesufu by tishbite42: 12:56pm On Sep 10 |
I thank my God that He punished Awolowo |