Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. - Politics - Nairaland
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| Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by Demzlent(m): 11:29pm On Sep 14, 2017 |
NNAMDI AZIKIWE'S SPEECH ON THE THREAT BY THE NORTH TO SECEDE IN 1953. In 1953 when Northern Nigerians were beginning to consider secession from the Nigerian colony that would soon be a nation, Nnamdi Azikiwe gave a speech before the caucus of his political party, the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) in Yaba, Nigeria on May 12, 1953. That speech, while not disallowing secession, suggested that there would be grave consequences if the Northern region became an independent nation. I have invited you to attend this caucus because I would like you to make clear our stand on the issue of secession. As a party, we would have preferred Nigeria to remain intact, but lest there be doubt as to our willingness to concede to any shade of political opinion the right to determine its policy, I am obliged to issue a solemn warning to those who are goading the North towards secession. If you agree with my views, then I hope that in course of our deliberations tonight, you will endorse them, to enable me to publicize them in the Press. In my opinion, the Northerners are perfectly entitled to consider whether or not they should secede from the indissoluble union which nature has formed between it and the South, but it would be calamitous to the corporate existence of the North should the clamour for secession prevail. I, therefore, counsel Northern leaders to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of secession before embarking upon this dangerous course. As one who was born in the North, I have a deep spiritual attachment to that part of the country, but it would be a capital political blunder if the North should break away from the South. The latter is in a better position to make rapid constitutional advance, so that if the North should become truncated from the South, it would benefit both Southerners and Northerners who are domiciled in the South more than their kith and kin who are domiciled in the North. There are seven reasons for my holding to this view. Secession by the North may lead to internal political convulsion there when it is realized that militant nationalists and their organizations, like the NLPU, the Askianist Movement, and the Middle Zone League, have aspirations for self-government in 1956 identical with those of their Southern compatriots. It may lead to justifiable demands for the right of self-determination by non-Muslims, who form the majority of the population in the so-called ‘Pagan’ provinces, like Benue, Ilorin, Kabba, Niger and Plateau, not to mention the claims of non-Muslims who are domiciled in Adamawa and Bauchi Provinces. It may lead to economic nationalism in the Eastern Region, which can pursue a policy of blockade of the North, by refusing it access to the sea, over and under the River Niger, except upon payment of tolls. It may lead to economic warfare between the North on the one hand, and the Eastern or Western regions on the other, should they decide to fix protective tariffs which will make the use of the ports of the Last and West uneconomic for the North. The North may be rich in mineral resources and certain cash crops, but that is no guarantee that it would be capable of growing sufficient food crops to enable it to feed its teeming millions, unlike the East and the West. Secession may create hardship for Easterners and Westerners who are domiciled in the North, since the price of food crops to be imported into the North from the South is bound to be very high and to cause an increase in the cost of living. Lastly, it will endanger the relations with their neighbours of millions of Northerners who are domiciled in the East and West and Easterners and Westerners who reside in the North. You may ask me whether there would be a prospect of civil war, if the North decided to secede? My answer would be that it is a hypothetical question which only time can answer. In any case, the plausible cause of a civil war might be a dispute as to the right of passage on the River Niger, or the right of flight over the territory of the Eastern or Western Region; but such disputes can be settled diplomatically, instead of by force. Nevertheless, if civil war should become inevitable at this stage of our progress as a nation, then security considerations must be borne in mind by those who are charged with the responsibility of government of the North and the South. Military forces and installations are fairly distributed in all the three regions; if that is not the case, any of the regions can obtain military aid from certain interested Powers. It means that we cannot preclude the possibility of alliance with certain countries. You may ask me to agree that if the British left Nigeria to its fate, the Northerners would continue their uninterrupted march to the sea, as was prophesied six years ago? My reply is that such an empty threat is devoid of historical substance and that so far as I know, the Eastern Region has never been subjugated by any indigenous African invader. At the price of being accused of overconfidence, I will risk a prophecy and say that, other things being equal, the Easterners will defend themselves gallantly, if and when they are invaded. Let me take this opportunity to warn those who are making a mountain out of the molehill of the constitutional crisis to be more restrained and constructive. The dissemination of lies abroad; the publishing of flamboyant headlines about secessionist plans, and the goading of empty-headed careerists with gaseous ideas about their own importance in tile scheme of things in the North is being overdone in certain quarters. I feel that these quarters must be held responsible for any breach between the North and South, which nature had indissolubly united in a political, social and economic marriage of convenience. In my personal opinion, there is no sense in the North breaking away or the East or the West breaking away; it would be better if all the regions would address themselves to the task of crystallizing common nationality, irrespective of the extraneous influences at work. What history has joined together let no man put asunder. But history is a strange mistress which can cause strange things to happen! Sources: Nnamdi Azikiwe, Zik: A Selection from the Speeches of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Governor-General of the Federation of Nigeria formerly President of the Nigerian Senate formerly Premier of the Eastern Region of Nigeria (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1961) 2 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by eyeview: 11:58pm On Sep 14, 2017 |
Nnamdi Azikiwe was too good to a fault. While he was busy championing the cause of true nationalism, Awolowo was busy pushing the cause of yorubas while the ever tribal bigot of Sarduna of Sokoto was fuelling hatred and suspicion of igbos in the heart of the fulanis. Zik was a man who quit his party then because the yorubas then wouldnt want the ijebus recognized in the party. 1 Like |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by Throwback: 12:04am On Sep 15, 2017 |
Zik postulated the measures Nigeria employed against Biafra during the war. The postulations by Zik were made in 1953 against the North, but it was a Northern led federal government that eventually employed the postulations against Zik's region who seemed to have forgotten how their destiny was firmly tied to an indivisible Nigeria by Zik. 11 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by TonyeBarcanista(m): 12:51am On Sep 15, 2017 |
With due respect to late Zik, I think he is part of the problem we are facing today. North said they wanted out instead of him to allow them exercise their franchise he was busy giving them lecture on how to take advantage of faulty Nigeria all because he didnt want to lose his federal position. Awolowo informed him to include secession clause in the Constitution but the man opposed it. Just less than 15 years afterward a war broke out. . Another annoying man was Gen T Ironsi!!! Due to his greed to control, he abolished regional system for unitary system (and in the process causing a setback to the Ijaw agitation for the creation of Rivers/Niger Delta Region). Today we are talking of restructuring, federalism etc. Zik and Ironsi remains the architect of the structural problem of Nigeria... 26 Likes 5 Shares |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by headhunter1: 12:53am On Sep 15, 2017 |
TonyeBarcanista:ok i agree with you on this am only interested in your trashy posts this one is not one of them Buhari is a terrorist aisha is a shameless corrupt prostitute kiss the truth 3 Likes 2 Shares |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by eyeview: 7:09am On Sep 15, 2017 |
TonyeBarcanista:I think it is malicious and criminal of you to allude that zik rejected cessation because of his greed for power. I can see that its true of what everybody has been saying about you recently. You have indeed become a disillusioned and confused young man. Are you so morally and tribally bankrupt to see that a human can be truly nationalistic without ethnic jingoism as we have today in most of you. Clearly from the man's speech, he wasnt even worried about his tribe, instead he was more concerned about the various tribes found in the north that werent hausas and how their interests will be protected under the new north as a nation. Ethnic nationalities in the middle belt and other christian regions termed 'pagans' by the muslim north etc. Zik was also a proponent of a modern one indivisible africa, was he also greedy for a post as africa's president? And to show your treacherous and wicked attempt to rewrite history, you also lumped half of the blame on Aguiyi Ironsi,another igbo so that some kids here who have no knowledge of their history will indirectly see it as caused by igbos without you having to say it! How callous and demonically wicked can you be? From Zik's speech, one could see him reminding the north that staying in nigeria will attract more development for them than cessation as they need the south more than the south needs them. Instead of you to be honest enough to praise his detribalized person, you instead seek to villify him with a malicious twist of history. People like you is the reason why i worry for the crop of generation coming up in this nation. Very disheartening 3 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by shukuokukobambi: 7:17am On Sep 15, 2017 |
eyeview: Keep telling yourselves that  Zik was so good that he preached against the Hausa/Fulani intentions to leave the Union even when Awo advised that the secession clause be included to avoid the needless deaths your blodas are suffering today. Your good zik was the apostle of the one naijeriya you're crying against today. Continue enjoying the baby of your hero. 16 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by Throwback: 7:18am On Sep 15, 2017 |
TonyeBarcanista: You couldn't be more right. Zik categorically stated before independence that since there is no secession clause in our constitution having rejected such, it is only by war a separation will occur. Zik even gave details of the police action and punitive measures that could be taken by the rest of the country against the North if they attempted to seceded. Those were the very same measures taken by Nigeria that made many Biafrans die or become malnourished and impoverished. His region is still suffering for that foundational error. 15 Likes 3 Shares |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by Ballmer: 7:19am On Sep 15, 2017 |
eyeview:. At times I am forced to reason all Igbo's are mad but I just have to resist that temptation. Now if it is a Azikwe (Igbo) that forced a north that explicitly declares it does not want any part in the Nigeria project into Nigeria after wasting 3 years for the north to come on board you label him a true nationalist but if a Buhari (Hausa) say Nigeria's unity is non negotiable same you Igbo label him a bigot, tribalist etc. Pls tell me is it that the entire Igbo race is drenched in stupidity or is it madness ? Do you think because you are Jews the rest of us Nigeria must go by your obvious foolish antics and complete senselessness ? It is Amahadioha that will destroy you for daring to declare Zik a nationalist and Buhari a bigot when both want an indivisible Nigeria. 16 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by shukuokukobambi: 7:22am On Sep 15, 2017 |
Throwback: He repeated the bold in an interview in 1979 when he was defending the right of Nigeria to crush ojukwu's misadventure but of course, the eternal crybabies will blame Awo 12 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by Throwback: 7:25am On Sep 15, 2017 |
shukuokukobambi: You never know, maybe that is why his people refused to give him a befitting final resting place. 4 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by shukuokukobambi: 7:27am On Sep 15, 2017 |
Throwback: But they never blame him. See that one you quoted calling him a good man for selling his people. Of course the wise ones among them call him efulefu and his posterity is useless in Igbo land 6 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by ifyan(m): 7:28am On Sep 15, 2017 |
If he heard known he would had done don't it without hesitation in short his great grand children would have been celebrating those that started it. What a miss 1 Like |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by omenka(m): 7:31am On Sep 15, 2017 |
TonyeBarcanista:They will have your head on a spike today. 8 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by SonofDevil: 8:10am On Sep 15, 2017 |
Only two events disrupt the foundation of Nigeria today . (1)Zik rejecting awolowo secession clause motion during London conference and was able to convince northern delegates to reject it. It was later overuled by the majority of eastern and northern delegates in London conference. (2) aguyi ironsi met a thriving regional system of government which each region and their resources re independent of each other . West, north and east were developing at their pace no problem. But the greed and lust for power of an average Igbo man in person of aguyi ironsi abolished the system . Fast forward today Nigeria is chaos because no secession clause in the constitution and regions cannot control their resources Aguyi ironsi, nnamdi azikiwe both of you shall rot in burning lake of hell fire for putting us in this mess today 20 Likes 2 Shares |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by Caseless: 8:32am On Sep 15, 2017 |
Such a brilliant man. I read his autobiography (my 'odyssey')and I was wowed. Turn the message around, and it'd seem as if he's talking to his people now. This speech is evergreen. 5 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by Demzlent(m): 8:44am On Sep 15, 2017 |
TonyeBarcanista: They both tried to impress the Hausa/Fulani ppl not knowing that they are ruining the future of their own ppl and they are not around to witness the mess 5 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by TonyeBarcanista(m): 9:28am On Sep 15, 2017 |
Demzlent:They never tried to impress the North. Zik was even issuing threat to the north of how they will be dealt with and at the same time telling them how to take advantage of faulty Nigeria. Ironsi matter tire me because I'm yet to see the justification of the abolition of the regional system that the British left us with. It was in fact misinterpreted as a ploy by the IGbo to dominate the country. What a shame 9 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by TonyeBarcanista(m): 9:30am On Sep 15, 2017 |
omenka:but it is true na. Just see the rubbish Zik was saying just because the north expressed willingness to secede... 7 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by cutelover19(m): 10:05am On Sep 15, 2017 |
The consequences of man's action live beyond him. If only Zik had weighed his action and put himself and his tribe in the shoes of the north, he would have gladly accepted the secession clause. However, it's too late to cry when the head is cut off. By the way, I'm Igbo. 3 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by AdiscoPele: 6:45am On Sep 16, 2017 |
TonyeBarcanista:Trust the Igbos, they know how to hide from the truth. Prof. Ben Nwabueze drafted decree 34 of 1966 also known as the Unification decree which led to the abrogation of the civilian regional government arrangement when Ironsi his fellow Igbo was the Head of State. That decree concentrated all power in the hands of the Igbo Ironsi. That was the genesis of the too-powerful central government in Nigeria. The same Nwabueze is now shouting restructuring and also claiming marginalization of the Igbo by the center and that the center is too powerful. The same center he created out of greed and the fake believe that they are superior. Our Igbo compatriots need to know their true enemies. These guys do not complain when their bread is buttered. They only shout when the arrangement appears not to favor them any longer. 13 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by shukuokukobambi: 8:17am On Sep 16, 2017 |
AdiscoPele: chei!!The same Nwabueze that is now crying everywhere about restructuring? To undo the result of his myopic greed? Its unfortunate indeed  7 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by baralatie(m): 8:52am On Sep 16, 2017 |
Demzlent:nationalism |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by baralatie(m): 9:01am On Sep 16, 2017 |
AdiscoPele:wwwhhhhaaaaaaatttttttt!!!!!! this same guy shouting all over the place! O my ..........! myndd 44 how can this not get to fp 2 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by vicadex07(m): 8:31pm On Sep 16, 2017 |
Igbo fools will cause kasala finish and blame every other tribe for their woes. Such a pathetic people... little wonder the international community never takes them serious... smh 5 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by aworatak: 8:53pm On Sep 16, 2017 |
headhunter1:Hahahaha 2 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by aworatak: 8:54pm On Sep 16, 2017 |
vicadex07: 1 Like
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| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by eyeview: 8:41am On Sep 17, 2017 |
shukuokukobambi:I dont get you. Greed for what exactly? What can they be wanting from the north? Has it ever occured to you that they wanted the nation's unity over self interest? Why has this generation so degraded to such parochial level where every action is perceived from the angle of self servicing perception. |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by shukuokukobambi: 8:49am On Sep 17, 2017 |
eyeview: I think you should dig up Saint Ironsi's rotten corpse and ask him what possibly he wanted by creating decree 34 that arrogated every executive power to himself in a young nation that had regions with respectable autonomy. Just like Azikiwe before him, HE ONLY WANTED THE BEST INTEREST OF THE NORTH!!. You really never get over this your childish thinking that every body around you is a fool. Zik of Africa wanted 1 naijeriya. Ironsi weakened all regions with the help of Prof Nwabueze. Stop disturbing our ears with tears of marginalization. 5 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by eyeview: 8:58am On Sep 17, 2017 |
shukuokukobambi:I see a deep rooted hate for igbos so there is no need to engage you. The sad truth is that most of you kids knowledge of history is limited to what you read on nairaland. Pity. The sad thing is that there is nobody who doesnt know that the north has been fleecing this nation but its okay for yorubas as long as it isnt igbos. Visit nnpc, cbn, dpr, nimasa, npa etc, you will wonder if its only hausas in nigeria. Go to federal universities and see how igbos(and a few western states like ogun, lagos) will need to score over 250 in jamb while his northern counterpart comes with 130 for the same course. Yet, when some people seek equality,not even advantage, yorubas who ought to see reasons with them will be in the fore front of ridiculing them. I dont get it,really. |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by shukuokukobambi: 9:11am On Sep 17, 2017 |
eyeview: And the best way to fight it is by hurling insults and hate against other tribes? the best way is by asking street dogs in aba to kill kumuyi when he came for a crusade? Have you heard of the DAWN commission? the one the DG of the SE governors forum came to learn about last week? We are already preparing for restructuring or a break up because no matter how long, this useless contraption will break and we will be ready. When we were fighting for restructuring, you lots were partying and sharing spoils with Abacha and the rest of them. It's now your turn. When you get tired, let us know and we'll take the baton back. If you're still looking for whom to blame, see below SonofDevil: 4 Likes |
| Re: Nnamdi Azikiwe's Speech On The Threat By The North To Secede In 1953. by omohayek: 9:50am On Sep 17, 2017 |
eyeview:Because the common "One Nigeria" viewpoint of Igbo elites at the time was indeed based on a self-serving perception: that in a unitary state, the civil service, the army, the police, the universities, the parastatals and everything else would be dominated by the Igbos, who, in Zik's own words, had seemingly been created by the "God of Africa" to "lead the children of Africa from the bondage of the ages". Indeed, such sentiments date back as early as 1945, when Charles Onyeama stated that "Igbo domination" (his words!) of Nigeria was "only a matter of time". Azikiwe and Ironsi were fervently in support of "One Nigeria" at the time because they saw it as opening the door for unrestrained Igbo control over all aspects of Nigerian life, not out of any supposed concern for higher ideals, and northern leaders like the Sardauna of Sokoto were vehemently opposed to it for the same reason. Similarly, the 1966 coup plot was spurred into motion less by any "idealism" of the mostly Igbo officers who led it, than by their increasing disgruntlement at how a formerly heavily Igbo-dominated military (65% of all officers were Igbo at independence) was rapidly being northernized, with junior, less-qualified northerners being rapidly promoted over their more experienced and better-educated southern colleagues. The nonsense about "corruption" and Western-region violence parroted by Nzeogwu and company was a "patriotic" fig-leaf for the narrower concerns which were much closer to their hearts (indeed, the violence in the Western region had already subsided by the time the coup was carried out). You can dismiss all I've written here as driven by "Igbophobia", "paranoia" or what have you, but if you ever bother to read American or European accounts of Nigeria's history, or look at declassified sources such as the Wikileaks US cables on Nigeria, it won't be difficult for you to verify the truth of my assertions, unflattering as they may be to Igbo eyes. Far too many Igbos like to think they are the only ones who always act out of pure idealism, while others are merely unprincipled opportunists, even when the evidence flagrantly points in the other direction. 5 Likes |
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