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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) (38804 Views)
James Ibori Released From Prison, Reasted / Gowon's Son JackMusa Released From Prison In U.S / Awolowo's Letter Of Resignation To Yakubu Gowon. (2) (3) (4)
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Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Katsumoto: 2:59pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
afam4eva: It does make a difference. Was Awolowo alive in 1999 or 2012? Letters, like other similar artifacts, can be reproduced several years later as long as their contents are not changed or amended. As stated earlier, the letter was published in a book, with the title of said book provided by two posters. The authenticity of said letter has never been in doubt. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Ajillo: 3:00pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
texazzpete:Ok may be as you said I am not very bright. But you have confirmed here that you are an dolt of the superlative order. Did you not hear that there was Aburi accord. It is the same Aburi accord that your demented leaders are now asking for its revival. Shame on you. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Afam4eva(m): 3:07pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
Katsumoto:Was this book written by Awolowo? |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Ajillo: 3:10pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
T9ksy: Knowing that there was a return to your region order by that time who but eastern region officials were in Calabar as at that time. Secondly you have to know how the regional governments operated. If ojukwu did not grant the permission, no one would have gone to Calabar prisons to release Awo. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Katsumoto: 3:18pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
Ajillo: You blame everyone else for your failures but yourselves; see article below. No doubt many of you will slate the writer of the article. The only demand not met by Gowon was the demand about the central government not having the powers to replace the governor of the Eastern region, in other words, Ojukwu did not want Gowon to have the powers to replace him. Who is to blame for the war and deaths of innocent civilians ![]() ![]() Is Ojukwu a Hero or a Villain? by Max Siollun January is a key month in Nigeria’s history. This January marks the 41st anniversary of the end of the Nigerian civil war, and the 44th anniversary of the Aburi accords – the debate in Aburi in Ghana which nearly pre-empted the war. The pivotal figure in both events is Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. Ojukwu is a man that evokes conflicting emotions. To some he is a born leader and a hero. To others he is an ambitious man that tried to break up his country. Where Ojukwu is concerned, no one is a neutral. The conflicting opinions on him are emblematic of his inconsistent personality and history. Ojukwu is an educated man that entered a profession that many Nigerians regarded at the time as a profession for the uneducated. He is a southerner born in the north who fought a three year long war against the north. He is a man who once led an attempt to secede from Nigeria, but later ran for President of Nigeria. A leader must be judged by what benefits or misfortune he has brought to his people. Has Ojukwu brought anything positive to his people? His record is grim. The “accomplishments” Ojukwu has brought his people include: • Leading them in a brutal civil war they had no chance of winning, and which resulted in a million of them dying. • Even when it became clear that his people were starving to death in massive numbers, he continued the war which was doomed from the start. • He fled and left his people after the war. • The civil war caused his people to be stereotyped as disloyal and led to an unwritten discrimination against them.[/size] Yet he is still revered. Ojukwu’s first official involvement in politics came after a group of young army Majors overthrew the democratic government in January 1966. Contrary to what has been written in some quarters, Ojukwu refused to cooperate with the Majors – including Major Nzeogwu. Ojukwu was appointed the Military Governor of the Eastern Region after the coup. This appointment was ironic as he had spent very little of his life in the east. Ojukwu was the most politically active of the four military governors. By mid-1966 the army was imploding and another army coup was staged by northern soldiers during which hundreds of Igbo soldiers (including Ironsi) were killed. A central plank of this coup was the elimination of Ojukwu. The ‘pointman’ who was to execute the coup in the eastern region was a young Lieutenant named Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (the older brother of Nigeria’s former President). Aburi – Ojukwu’s Finest Hour After being dragged to the brink of an abyss by two military coups in 1966, and pogroms which followed them, Ojukwu had refused to attend any meetings of the Supreme Military Council until the Ghanaian leader Lt-General Joseph Ankrah brokered a meeting in the neutral territory of Aburi in Ghana in January 1967. This was Ojukwu’s finest hour. Ojukwu prepared thoroughly and came armed with notes and secretaries. He managed to secure an agreement to devolve power from the federal government to the regions. This turned Nigeria into a confederation. In the words of one writer Ojukwu “secured the signatures of the SMC to documents which would have had the effect of turning Nigeria into little more than a customs union"[size=12pt]. [b]The federal government attempted to implement the Aburi agreement in diluted form by enacting a modified Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree (Decree ![]() As the weaker party, could Ojukwu still have showed greater pragmatism to spare further suffering for his people? Even with its flaws, Decree 8 gave him 90% of what he wanted. The U.S. State Department was “impressed by extent to which Decree 8 appears to meet many of East's fundamental demands for much greater regional autonomy. While recognizing that it stops short of granting everything Ojukwu wants, Dept. considers Decree represents genuine effort by FMG and other Mil Govs to implement Aburi agreements and to retain Nigerian unity in form which least objectionable to East…..Consulate Enugu has reported that some prominent and moderate Easterners may incline toward above view". WINNER TAKES ALL – NIGERIA’S MALAISE[/b][/size] In the “winner takes all” mentality that is so symptomatic of Nigerian politics, Ojukwu unrealistically held out for 100% of his demands and in the end, received 0%. His refusal to be tactically flexible by considering options other than secession, placed him and his people in a worse position than they started in. Rather than turning Nigeria into a confederation (which is what Decree 8 did), Ojukwu’s give no inch stance gave the federal government an opportunity to overrun the Eastern Region, carve the country into several states and concentrate massive powers in the central government.[size=12pt] Forty years later many Nigerians now call for the restructuring of Nigeria, and for devolution of power to its regions. The opportunity to achieve this was squandered 45 years ago at Aburi. Could Ojukwu have achieved his objectives – albeit at a later date, had he been more patient? The old adage is that “the best comes to those who wait”. Could he have accepted confederation in the short-term, then waited patiently until such time that the Eastern Region had enough weapons and infrastructure to sustain a fully independent state in the future? WAS SECESSION A MISTAKE? When armed confrontation with the federal government was imminent, [b]Ojukwu knew that the Eastern Region had absolutely no chance of victory in an armed conflict with the federal government. Where did he obtain the confidence to secede nonetheless? It certainly was not from international opinion. Western diplomats warned him that they would not recognize a new state of Biafra. In a telegram from the US Department of State to the US Embassy in Nigeria dated March 24, 1967, the U.S. warned: "East making serious mistake if it under assumption that international recognition of independent East would be easily obtained; our info clearly to contrary". This was the consistent US position as far back as July/August 1966. The US had previously noted that “Both US Ambassador Mathews and UKHICOM Cumming-Bruce have made strong representations in opposition to secession of any area of Nigeria. We consider such development would be major political and economic disaster for Nigerian people and severe setback to independent Africa." Yet he declared secession, knowing full well that powerful countries would not recognize his new state, and that federal troops would invade immediately after secession. Ojukwu doubtless possessed outstanding leadership and motivational skills which he used admirably to pull his people solidly behind the war effort. However, exactly how did he possibly believe that the Eastern Region (armed only with a few elderly World War 2 era rifles) could succeed against an enemy armed with limitless mortars, machine guns, tanks, armoured personnel carriers, trucks and air force jets. One does not have to be a military strategist to see the folly of this decision. [/b][size=12pt][/size] THE MID-WEST INVASION – A MISTAKE? Under considerable military pressure from the federal army, in 1967 Ojukwu ordered Biafran soldiers to invade the Mid-West Region as a way to relieve military pressure on Biafra’s land, and to force the federal army onto the defensive. The invasion caught the federal government totally off guard and threatened a stunning military humiliation for it. However, did the invasion of the Mid-West turn into a public relations disaster? The Military Governor of the Mid-West Lt-Colonel Ejoor had repeatedly stated that due to the multi-ethnic composition of his region, the "Mid-West will not be a battleground". Ejoor had even refused to let federal troops cross through his territory. Hence it was regarded as neutral demilitarised territory. However the invasion forced Ejoor off the fence he had been sitting on. He fled to Lagos, now firmly opposed to Biafra. Ojukwu had alienated a potential figure of friendly neutrality. The Mid-West was neutral until that invasion and may not have joined the war but for it. Additionally, the invasion gave the rest of Nigeria the mistaken impression that Biafra's cause was not only about survival, but also about territorial conquest. It escalated the conflict and gave the federal army a free hand to start using heavy weapons, artillery and punishing air raids. Lt-Col Murtala Muhammed's 2nd division of the Nigerian army carried out massive reprisals against Igbos and murdered several hundred as punishment. FLIGHT TO IVORY COAST During the war, there was a widely held belief (propagated by Ojukwu and other Biafran leaders) that defeat for Biafra would be met by mass genocidal massacres by the federal government. If Ojukwu believed this, then his escape at the end of the war is deplorable. After over a million Igbos were killed (90% of whom were civilians), Ojukwu fled in the last days of the war when his people were at their lowest ebb, despite repeatedly promising throughout the war that he would never leave them to the mercy of the federal troops. If he believed that all his people would be massacred, then his flight to a exile abroad and refusal to stand side by side with them to finish a war he led them into, cannot be applauded. http://www.pointblanknews.com/Special_Reports/os4390.html |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Dede1(m): 3:53pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
PhysicsQED: Dede1, The bolded in the above post seemed to come from a frustrated Udo Udoma. It is a pity he referred to certain politicians as Independents when there was none. These so-called independents from eastern region, including Udo Udoma, were politicians who got upset with certain NCNC policies. They joined local parties such as NIP and UNP yet ran under the platform of NCNC. Those who ran on the platform of other national parties beside NCNC lost their deposit. It may interest you that Udo Udoma was such politician who later ran under AG and lost to primary school headmaster. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Ajillo: 3:55pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
[b]OJUKWU: We’ve said this over and over again, so many times, and people don’t understand; they don’t want to actually. If you remember, I released Awolowo from jail. Even that, some people are beginning to contest as well. Awo was in jail in Calabar. Gowon knows and the whole of the federal establishment knows that at no point was Gowon in charge of the East. The East took orders from me. Now, how could Gowon have released Awolowo who was in Calabar? Because of the fact that I released him, it created quite a lot of rapport between Awo and myself and I know that before he went back to Ikenne, I set up a hotline between Ikenne and my bedroom in Enugu. He tried like an elder statesman to find a solution. Awolowo is a funny one. Don’t forget that the political purpose of the coup, the Ifeajuna coup that began all this, was to hand power over to Awo. We young men respected him a great deal. He was a hero. I thought he was a hero and certainly I received him when I was governor. We talked and he was very vehement when he saw our complaints and he said that if the Igbos were forced out by Nigeria that he would take the Yorubas out also. I don’t know what anybody makes of that statement but it is simple. Whether he did or didn’t, it is too late. There is nothing you can do about it. So, he said this and I must have made some appropriate responses too. But it didn’t quite work out the way that we both thought. Awolowo, evidently, had a constant review of the Yoruba situation and took different path. That’s it. I don’t blame him for it. I have never done. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by PhysicsQED(m): 4:01pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
Dede1: Can you explain this part in bold more clearly please? I understand the peculiarities of the election may have been complex, so please try and break it down in simpler terms because I can't really follow you right now. Louis Mbanefo was dissatisfied with a particular NCNC policy, switched to a smaller local party, but was still representing NCNC, while contesting against NCNC's candidate and disagreeing with one of NCNC's policies? |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Ajillo: 4:05pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
Katsumoto, I have pity on you and that crap called maxsiolun abi wtin call. There was an agreement reached by all parties involved and one person unilaterally doctors it as he deemed fit. You and maxsiolun are nothing but ignoramus of the highest order or bottom line mischief makers.look at Nigeria today. Many of the crises we have are denominated by breached agreements, betrayals and breach of trust. The latest are Lagos govt Vs doctors, NFF Vs Ray Nnaji and co. This is the legacy of Gowon and his decree 8 which abrogated the Aburi accord. Where has Nigeria been since that time. Your master, Awo, called it flag and antem nation. Shame shame shame shaaaaaammmmm 2 Likes |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by pazienza(m): 4:22pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
I really enjoyed that ojukwu's interview,and to think that Gowon had no rebuttal for it... |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Katsumoto: 5:08pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
Ajillo: Katsumoto, Did you read the article at all or you just jumped on my case in the usual emotional manner? Did your eyes miss the sections below or you just have a hard time with comprehension?: He managed to secure an agreement to devolve power from the federal government to the regions. This turned Nigeria into a confederation. In the words of one writer Ojukwu “secured the signatures of the SMC to documents which would have had the effect of turning Nigeria into little more than a customs union". The federal government attempted to implement the Aburi agreement in diluted form by enacting a modified Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree (Decree cool which turned Nigeria into a de facto confederation, but which did not incorporate ALL of the agreements reached at Aburi. Federal civil servants argued that to implement all of the Aburi agreements would lead to the dissolution of the federation. Ojukwu declined to accept the initial draft of the Decree and insisted on a full and complete implementation of the Aburi accords. As the weaker party, could Ojukwu still have showed greater pragmatism to spare further suffering for his people? Even with its flaws, Decree 8 gave him 90% of what he wanted. The U.S. State Department was “impressed by extent to which Decree 8 appears to meet many of East's fundamental demands for much greater regional autonomy. While recognizing that it stops short of granting everything Ojukwu wants, Dept. considers Decree represents genuine effort by FMG and other Mil Govs to implement Aburi agreements and to retain Nigerian unity in form which least objectionable to East…..Consulate Enugu has reported that some prominent and moderate Easterners may incline toward above view". WINNER TAKES ALL – NIGERIA’S MALAISE In the “winner takes all” mentality that is so symptomatic of Nigerian politics, Ojukwu unrealistically held out for 100% of his demands and in the end, received 0%. His refusal to be tactically flexible by considering options other than secession, placed him and his people in a worse position than they started in. Rather than turning Nigeria into a confederation (which is what Decree 8 did), Ojukwu’s give no inch stance gave the federal government an opportunity to overrun the Eastern Region, carve the country into several states and concentrate massive powers in the central government. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Katsumoto: 5:09pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
PhysicsQED: Patiently waiting for the next tricks Dede1 will attempt in a bid to dig himself out of the hole. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Katsumoto: 5:13pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
Dede1: If they are not frustrated, they are biased or they are anti-Biafran or they are stooges, or they are quacks. It never ends; you never accept other accounts that run counter to your positions. PhysicsQED provided a writer from an individual named Ben Lawrence and you subsequently christened the writer Udo Udoma so as to be able to provide a rebuttal to a very just and legitimate question. There was no Udo Udoma in the write-up; please answer the questions properly. If you don'y know, just say you don't. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Ajillo: 6:09pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
Katsumoto: what are you quoting? A stupid post by a mischievous individual. What is your take on the fact that there was an agreement but one person diluted it. This is why Nigeria has gone down greatly. Always taking half measures in all things. Shameable and shamefulness. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Dede1(m): 7:16pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
Katsumoto: This is the reason I am not trigger-happy in pulling the craps from obscure essays to support my first hand facts. When one goofy or hack writer puts junk on the Internet, it becomes gospel according to Saints. The quotes PhysicsQED provided was copied from Udo Udoma who was NCNC decamped member, fooled by Awo, mercilessly beaten by primary school headmaster in regional election and ran back to NCNC. One must understand that the leader of NCNC in eastern region of Nigeria about 1950 was not Zik but Eyo Ita. However, there was mutual respect and political understanding between politicians in NIP, UNP and NCNC. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Katsumoto: 7:34pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
Dede1: In spite of all that, you failed to address the questions posed by PhysicsQED. In typical fashion, you attempt to discredit others without supporting information, introduce irrelevant information, and fail to address the pertinent issues. See below again PhysicsQED: PhysicsQED: Dede1, |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Dede1(m): 7:43pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
Katsumoto: I am of the view that you are vast enough to realize that Otu Edo was not a typical political party but an organization with strong political ramifications. All candidates from Otu Edo outfit contested the election under the platform of NCNC. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Policewoman(f): 8:03pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
Wow! For d 1st time i actually sat down and read a thread on NL from beginning to end. One thing is for sure, the cyber bitterness btw Igbos and yorubas will be difficult to stop, but in real life, i see them get along well and live happily together, more than they do with the northerners. That's cheering to know. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by rhymz(m): 8:16pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
pazienza: I really enjoyed that ojukwu's interview,and to think that Gowon had no rebuttal for it...exactly my point. I would rather hear the oral accounts of the actual people involved in the war than the spoon fed crap from partisan writers. I could easily do a research entirely on books about Nigeria's war that are pro-biafra and come here to argue authoritatively like I was born in the time and dismiss everyone else's side of the story that does not fit in with what I want to be the fact; still does not make me any smarter or my stance the truth. I wish I had time for all these endless arguments though but I don't, may one day I will. Anyway, until I eventually see Ojukwu's memoirs all these other arguments here are not any different from the intent of the FG's propaganda machine. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by rhymz(m): 8:18pm On Jun 28, 2012 |
Policewoman: Wow! For d 1st time i actually sat down and read a thread on NL from beginning to end. One thing is for sure, the cyber bitterness btw Igbos and yorubas will be difficult to stop, but in real life, i see them get along well and live happily together, more than they do with the northerners. That's cheering to know.well, that is fact. But both Yoruba and Igbo live peacefully even with their Hausa and Fulani neigbors. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by T9ksy(m): 1:28pm On Jun 29, 2012 |
So, can we all now agree that there was no carpet-crossing in the western region of Nigeria in 1951 as the only result we have for that election so far, is the one posted by Kats. So pending the time when, ACM10 goes and check his grandmother’s library in his village for their version of the election results, kat’s version is the ONLY de facto one to go by. In the interim, I hereby implore the eze Ndi igbo of niaraland to forbid his people from regurgitating the same falsehood (we yorubas have had to listen to, for over half a century), that NCNC won that particular election in question and hence desist from laying the genesis of tribalism in the country at the feet of Awo and the yorubas. Come to think of it, why would an ibo man wants to be in charge of the affairs of the yorubas at that time in question, anyway. Afterall, we were not friends but fierce rivals. And because this nefarious plan of theirs did not materialise, the ibos have ever since given us the tag, “tribalists”! Meanwhile, they would not even try the same nonsense with the northerners as they know what will be their fate. Would any man in his right senses place the affairs of his household including his wives, concubines, children, properties, businesses ati bebelo (etc etc) into the hands of his neighbour when in fact, he’s quite capable of seeing to it, himself? I want my ibo brothers to answer this question in all honesty, if they can. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Katsumoto: 3:13pm On Jun 29, 2012 |
T9ksy: So, can we all now agree that there was no carpet-crossing in the western region of Nigeria in 1951 as the only result we have for that election so far, is the one posted by Kats. So pending the time when, ACM10 goes and check his grandmother’s library in his village for their version of the election results, kat’s version is the ONLY de facto one to go by. In the interim, I hereby implore the eze Ndi igbo of niaraland to forbid his people from regurgitating the same falsehood (we yorubas have had to listen to, for over half a century), that NCNC won that particular election in question and hence desist from laying the genesis of tribalism in the country at the feet of Awo and the yorubas. Not quite capable; significantly more capable is a better phrase. See excerpts of the report prepared by the Colonial Secretary following the conferences in 1957-1958. Those who are unable to provide competent administration in their homes should be prevented from administering at home let alone administering outside it. A Memorendum on Nigeria's Constitutional Conference (1957-1958) and Background to the Willink Commission By Alan Lennox-Boyd, Secretary of State for the Colonies (1954-1959), United Kingdom 5. In the West the grant of Regional self-government has on balance been justified. The Action Group Government, led by the Premier, Chief Awolowo, have proved reasonable and competent administrators and, although with the steady run-down of the cadre of overseas officers there is bound to be some decline in standards of administration, the advanced educational programme of the Region should in time provide sufficient replacements. The Premier aspires to national leadership and has to this end formed a close alliance with the principal Opposition elements in the North and East. 6. In the East government has seriously run down. Dr. Azikiwe (" Zik " ![]() leader of the N.C.N.C. remains in power as the personification of Ibo tribalism, but his chronic unwillingness to tolerate around him men of independence of mind has brought into being a Regional Executive Council, almost all of whom are nonentities. Some of the Federal Ministers drawn from his Party, notably Dr. Mbadiwe, have recently lost their posts through constant but so far ineffective warfare against his personal dictatorship of party affairs. His star may be on the wane. At present he has no serious rival as leader of the Ibos, who are much the largest race in the Region, and although it would be much healthier for Nigeria if his hand were removed from the helm, the time has passed when Her Majesty's Government could take any effective action to hasten this process. He must be left to the disillusionment of his own people. 14. I propose to reaffirm last year's undertaking but not to go beyond it. [b]The weaknesses in the North and East that I have described are likely over the next year or two to become more pronounced as overseas officers begin to leave the North after Regional Government next March and as the exodus from the East continues. The " national" Government at the Centre has developed no national outlook or community of interest. I understand that at the Federal elections late next year the Northern People's Congress and the N.C.N.C. (who are normally kept apart by mutual suspicion and by Northern dislike of Dr. Azikiwe), alarmed by the determination and organising ability of the Action Group, are likely to combine to keep the Action Group out of power. Such a combination would offer no great reassurance for competent or courageous Federal Government. [/b]The tribal divisions that remain in Nigeria are so deep that the unity and stability of the country cannot yet be taken for granted. All these are reasons for going slowly. But in view of the decline in the number of overseas officers in post and of the mounting pressure for early independence, the freedom of action left to Her Majesty's Government is small if Nigerian goodwill is to be maintained. I cannot go back on the undertaking I gave last year but it is in my view essential that, before making the final decision to give independence, Her Majesty's Government should be able to assure itself that the new Federal Government elected late in 1959 can properly claim to represent majority opinion in the country and has a reasonable prospect of maintaining the unity and stability of the country. http://www.waado.org/nigerdelta/ConstitutionalMatters/willink_commission/background_lennox_boyd.pdf |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by cheikh: 3:31pm On Jun 29, 2012 |
Katsumoto The Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani, Kanuri, Benin, Nupe, etc had centuries of fighting wars with others and amongst themselves. The last Yoruba war, Kiriji, lasted 16 years. But the late comers to wars, Ndigbo, were the ones lacking in the art of war. Perhaps that was why they decided to go to war. But in any case, a rational mind would have been more cautious in making such monumental decisions. The lack of experience in organized warfare was soon laid to bare with the fall of Enugu in less than 3 months of fighting. Seriously, who puts their capital so close to the enemy? That singular mistake ensured that the Biafrans were on the backfoot for the rest of the war except for the ill-advised incursion into the mid-west. @^^ You may be right about the above but I was alluding to the fact that the South West(Yorubaland) was actually under occupation by so called "federal" armed soldiers mainly northern soldiers(Hausa,Fulani,Kanuri and other northern minorities), therefore it is almost impossible for an AWO or any right thinking person to contemplate rebellion/secession while under total occupation by "Nigeria". Sincerely, it is either foolhardiness and suicide to do so - not good strategy for survival as a viable group. It is better to keep your head down temporarily/survive/ live for another day, get prepared and fight for total liberation than foolish reactionary response to occupation. Awo and his advisers were right then and perhaps now too. The South West like most parts of Southern Nigeria nowadays are like war zones under occupation. Lucky Joe did not show any restraint when he deployed soldiers to occupy Lagos and the Gani Park during the recent fuel subsidy brou ha ha/ gra gra. The leadership in Nigeria has always been quick to use coercion and brute force to intimidate and effect fear/deference. That is our condition/ story as a people. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by cheikh: 3:31pm On Jun 29, 2012 |
Katsumoto The Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani, Kanuri, Benin, Nupe, etc had centuries of fighting wars with others and amongst themselves. The last Yoruba war, Kiriji, lasted 16 years. But the late comers to wars, Ndigbo, were the ones lacking in the art of war. Perhaps that was why they decided to go to war. But in any case, a rational mind would have been more cautious in making such monumental decisions. The lack of experience in organized warfare was soon laid to bare with the fall of Enugu in less than 3 months of fighting. Seriously, who puts their capital so close to the enemy? That singular mistake ensured that the Biafrans were on the backfoot for the rest of the war except for the ill-advised incursion into the mid-west. @^^ You may be right about the above but I was alluding to the fact that the South West(Yorubaland) was actually under occupation by so called "federal" armed soldiers mainly northern soldiers(Hausa,Fulani,Kanuri and other northern minorities), therefore it is almost impossible for an AWO or any right thinking person to contemplate rebellion/secession while under total occupation by "Nigeria". Sincerely, it is either foolhardiness and suicide to do so - not good strategy for survival as a viable group. It is better to keep your head down temporarily/survive/ live for another day, get prepared and fight for total liberation than foolish reactionary response to occupation. Awo and his advisers were right then and perhaps now too. The South West like most parts of Southern Nigeria nowadays are like war zones under occupation. Lucky Joe did not show any restraint when he deployed soldiers to occupy Lagos and the Gani Park during the recent fuel subsidy brou ha ha/ gra gra. The leadership in Nigeria has always been quick to use coercion and brute force to intimidate and effect fear/deference. That is our condition/ story as a people. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Katsumoto: 3:51pm On Jun 29, 2012 |
cheikh: Katsumoto I get your point; you are absolutely correct. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Afam4eva(m): 5:20pm On Jun 29, 2012 |
cheikh: KatsumotoThis is probably the only cogent reason why Awolowo could have resisted the temptation for fighting for the independence of the Yoruba race. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Katsumoto: 5:56pm On Jun 29, 2012 |
afam4eva: Why would any non-yoruba request a reason from the Yoruba for not pursuing a secession agenda and why would Awo, or any Yoruba, offer a reason (cogent or otherwise) in response to such a ridiculous question when the Yoruba were 1. Prevented from forming their own nation in 1954 and 1957 2. Locked out of National Governance in 1959 when they had some of the best administrators (the words of the Colonial Secretary) The course of action chosen by Yoruba leaders was the best for the Yoruba people alone. They were not at liberty to consider what was in their best interests as well in the best interests of those who wanted Nigeria at all costs despite the obvious, deadly, and fractious situation that was present in the forced nation. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Afam4eva(m): 5:58pm On Jun 29, 2012 |
Katsumoto:Whether the Yoruba were preventing from forming their own nation in 1954 and 1957 is not the issue. the issue is that they were still interested in forming their nation when it looked like Biafra would have their own country. It even came from Awo's mouth. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Dede1(m): 6:17pm On Jun 29, 2012 |
Cowards are born not manufactured. Like typical demeanor of human nature, cowards can also show spate of bravery that can stun a cagey veteran when deceptively incited. I have said and will continue to lament that the art of repeated and deliberate falsehood can never turn into truth. The silly side-mouthed talk of Yoruba land being occupied by northern regional soldiers in 1966 remains one of most damnable conjectures that surfaced during or after the Nigeria/Biafra civil war. My educatiive assumption assertively indicated both 2nd and 3rd Divisions of Nigeria army of 1966 was filled to the brim mostly by officers and men from Yoruba, Edo, Ijo, Ishan, Ejegam, Efik, Urhobo and Itsekiri. It is akin to night that follows the day the most senior army officers of these divisions were Yoruba. It does not take less than three years to produce army officer of the rank, 2Lt in the army. Even there were brothers of the rank LT or higher that fought at the battle of Ore not to mention there were some brigade commanders of the rank majors and Lt Cols of Yoruba extraction yet loons would want us to believe Yoruba had nobody in uniform in 1966. I could bet that Yoruba had more officers in Nigerian army in 1966 than entire northern region. There is no doubt Yoruba had suffered series of pitiful defeats in hands of Nupe and Fulani. Anybody who can remember the place of Oyo Ile, then capital of Oyo Empire, would agree with me on this plank. However, it is an igneous deception and borderline criminality to cite wrestling matches such as Kiriji the reason Yoruba lost its balls on the wee hours of the night when the son of the soil was murdered in the Ibadan, new Oyo ile, of Oyo/Oodua nation. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Katsumoto: 7:02pm On Jun 29, 2012 |
Dede1: Cowards are born not manufactured. Like typical demeanor of human nature, cowards can also show spate of bravery that can stun a cagey veteran when deceptively incited. I have said and will continue to lament that the art of repeated and deliberate falsehood can never turn into truth. The silly side-mouthed talk of Yoruba land being occupied by northern regional soldiers in 1966 remains one of most damnable conjectures that surfaced during or after the Nigeria/Biafra civil war. Dede1 You sure love pain and punishment. We have had this debate extensively in the past and while I do not care whether you accept the figures produced by Norman Miners and Robin Luckham, I will for the benefit of those who haven't followed our previous debate on this subject, humour you. In January 1966, there were approximately 10,500 men in the Nigerian armed forces. Out of the 10,500, the Yoruba and contributed a mere 6% approx, while the North produced 54% and Igbo (including mid-western) produced 30%. The Igbo with its 30% proportion of trained soldiers and millions more of new recruits lost the war, yet you were expecting the Yoruba with its 6% of trained soldiers to get involved in a conflict that wasn't its own? Clearly, we can see why the Biafrans lost; you have no concept of strategy. You believe it is courage and manpower alone that wins wars? You are so naive and bound to repeat the mistakes of the past. It is on record that after the debacle of the Biafran incursion into the mid-west and west, there was a huge recruitment of sons from the Yoruba, Bini, Urhobo, itshekiri, and other non-igbo mid-western areas. These people had hitherto, been largely neutral or sympathetic to the Biafrans. Most of these new recruits went into Murtala's 2nd Division. The 3rd Division of course had many Yoruba sons but these were the Yoruba sons who had joined the Army before the start of the war and formed the nucleus of Adekunle's command and had been a part of the Lagos Garrison Office. If your argument is that Yoruba sons fought against Biafra, then the other side will also roll out names of Biafrans who fought against Biafra such Ike Nwachukwu, Ekpo, Elechi Amadi, Isaac Boro. If your sons can fight against you, why emphasis that those who aren't your sons fought against you? Any student of war history will tell you that strong nations who had strong neighbours will have fought a series of wars. Not one side wins all the wars. France and England fought a lot of wars, many of the greeks states fought one another over several centuries. The romans had many wars with the visigoths, Carthaginians, Gauls, etc. As big as the Roman empire was, it did not win all these wars against lesser nations. The Oyo fought the Nupe during the 15th century and the Nupe were successful on the first occassion but would lose other wars to the Oyo. Oyo was sacked by Ilorin whose forces were made up of Solagberu's Yoruba Muslims from Oke Suna and Afonja's Yoruba armies mixed with Hausa slaves (Gobirawa). Ilorin could only sack Oyo after Lanloke laid siege to Oyo Ile. There were several powerful kings/chiefs who were no longer the influence of Oyo and who were all suspicious of the others. Some of there were Adegun (Onikoyi), Atiba (who would be Alaafin after fall of Oyo Ile), lanloke (Ogodo). Alaafin Amodo in wanting to increase his power sought an alliance with lanloke by giving his daughter to lanloke. Unfortunately, lanloke killed the Alaafin's daughter and fearing that he would be attacked decided to attack Oyo ile first. He successfully laid seige to oyo ile and after Oyo sucummbed to his siege, Ilorin walked in and destroyed Oyo Ile. The most significant war between the Yoruba and Fulani was fought by the Ibadan who defeated the Fulani invasion army in 1840 at Osogbo. I challenge you to mention the wars in which the Fulani defeated the Oyo. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Katsumoto: 7:24pm On Jun 29, 2012 |
afam4eva: Who told you that the Yoruba were still interested in forming their own nation in 1966? What came from Awo's mouth? Please elucidate further. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo’s Letter From Prison (dated 28th March 1966) by Dede1(m): 7:42pm On Jun 29, 2012 |
Katsumoto: I guess laud mouthing is inherent with regard to the statement of pain and punishment. I have tempted you to give list of Yoruba officers after I supplied fractional compilation of Igbo officers in Nigerian armed forces as January 15, 1966. Since there is no goofy dingbat with such published statistics on the Internet, you have fallen flat on your face. The art of denial and lying through the teeth is my beef in all these historical twists about the Nigeria/Biafra civil war. The 2nd and 3rd Divisions of the Nigerian army of 1966 were swelled by officers and ranks drawn from Yoruba, Edo, Itsekiri. Ishan, Urhobo, Ejagam, Ijo and Efik peeps in a calculated anticipation of invasion of Biafra by Nigeria. Again it is an art of buffoonery for anybody to ingest the idea that the aforementioned ethnic groups joined Nigeria as a result of Biafra’s incursion into mid-western region. This shameful conjecture is one of the reasons Nigeria will never amount to anything. The chronicle order of events has been recorded as they happened from July 29, 1966 to January 20, 1970 yet a person has audacious pedigree to tell bold lies in public. Nigeria had declared war on Biafra on July 6, 1967. By July 27, 1967, elements of 3rd Division built up by men drawn from Yoruba, Edo, Itsekiri. Ishan, Urhobo, Ejagam, Ijo and Efik who were trained on the Escravos, Midwestern region, led by Adekunle with support of Nigerian naval flotillas commanded by Nelson Soroh had attacked and captured Bonny, Eastern region. It is clear to even a blind man that Nigeria - Yoruba, Edo, Itsekiri. Ishan, Urhobo, Ejagam, Ijo and Efik had initiated invasion of Biafra with capture of Gakem, Obollo Afor, Enugu Ezike and Bonny by July 30, 1967 before Biafra reacted with its incursion into Nigeria by August 8, 1967. I guess in Yoruba counting of days and months, August comes before July. If not, I do not know how you arrived at the conclusion that Biafra initiated the attack. As for Oyo ile, my data resourcefully informed that Oyo ile was sacked by Nupe and had nothing to do with Afonja debacle in Ilorin. |
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