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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North (898 Views)
I Feel Betrayed By Obaseki – Shaibu / Adamu Garba: Tinubu Was Betrayed By Osinbajo And SW Govs Not Buhari / Hoodlums Steal Obafemi Awolowo’s Glasses From Statue As Looting Continues (2) (3) (4)
Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by Tflesk: 1:19pm On May 30, 2020 |
Nigerian history was dominated
by three actors, Nnamdi Azikiwe,
Obafemi Awolowo and Ahmadu
Bello. Dr Azikiwe was an avowed
nationalist who preferred one
Nigeria above anything else. Sir
Obafemi Awolowo is the
undisputed hero of the Yoruba
tribe of Nigeria whose wartime
policy of starvation and currency
change helped kill the Biafran
dream. The post colonial era of
Ahmadu Bello was a tribalist who
initially preferred a balkanized
Nigeria to enable his people live
their religious and cultural life
without external negative
inluence and was later reluctantly
convinced to seek an agenda for
a united Nigeria. Chief Obafemi
Awolowo from the onset did not
hide his preference for an
Oduduwa Republic.
Chief Awolowo is idolized by the
Yorubas because he was able to
transform the South West into an
educational and industrial hub in
Africa and build a robust political
climate. He so much understood
the value of education that he
made it free, affordable and
offered a lot of scholarships to
Yorubas to advance academically
to the highest level. He ran a
political system in Action Group
whereby people have their say
while the leader has his way. This
is the system Bola Tinubu is
unsuccessfully trying to emulate
in Action Congress of Nigeria.
Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, a core
nationalist, never received the
level of hero worship Awolowo
received in the South West
because Igbos severally accuses
him of not taking them out of
Nigeria when Chief Awolowo and
Sir Ahmadu Bello were angling for
a balkanized nation. Chief
Awolowo was the sage whose
idea ended the Nigerian civil war.
He advised the Gowon Cabinet to
block all food supply to Biafra so
as to end the war quickly and
according to him ‘’ starvation is a
legitimate instrument of war’’
This led to the starvation of over
one million Biafran children. Thus
Awolowo’s advice and actions led
to the quick end to the Biafran
dream. Therefore it is right to say
that what the entire armed
forces of Nigeria could not do, the
wisdom of Awolowo did. Chief
Awolowo also ensured that every
adult Biafran who managed to
survive the starvation was given
#20 pounds to start life afresh
irrespective of amount of money
in anyone’s bank account before
the war started. Another policy of
his which frustrated Biafra’s
ability to import food and arms
was the change of currency which
according to Awolowo ‘’ 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 has stolen from our
Central bank for sale abroad 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’’.
Chief Awolowo has been variously
accused of introducing tribalism
into the Nigerian politics. He
chased Dr Azikiwe out of the
Ibadan in 1954 when the NCNC
headed by Azikiwe won majority
seats in the West Nigerian House
of Assembly and through a palace
coup called cross carpeting Zik
was denied the Premiership of
Western Nigeria, at a time when
Professor Eyo Ita, an Efik was
premier of Eastern Region and
Alhaji Umoru Altine , a Fulani, was
Mayor of Enugu. Dr Azikiwe,
following the footsteps of
Awolowo, had to frustrate
Professor Eyo Ita out of Enugu.
Chief Awolowo and Sir Ahmadu
Bello seems to have a deeper
understanding of the Nigerian
complexities than Dr Azikiwe.
While Awolowo never trusted the
Igbos, the north never trusted
Awolowo and theYorubas. The
northern oligarchy instigated
crisis in Western Nigeria in the
same manner President Obasanjo
used the Uba brothers to
instigate crisis in Anambra State.
This crisis led to the trumped up
charges leading to the trial and
imprisonment of Awolowo .
Reports has it that he was to be
poisoned in prison before the
military coup altered the state of
affairs.
Awolowo was released from
Calabar prison by Biafran leader
Odumegwu Ojukwu and there
was an agreement that while
Ojukwu declares Biafra in the
East, Awolowo would declare
Oduduwa Republic in the West.
The British establishment,
sensing the dangers of Awolowo
declaring Oduduwa Republic in the
West, convinced Gowon and the
north to checkmate Awolowo’s
secessionist agenda by
appointing him the Vice Chairman
of Federal Executive Council. This
strategy worked effectively and
Awolowo was deceived that after
Gowon’s tenure he would be
given the opportunity of ruling
Nigeria. Awolowo thus had to
checkmate the Biafran dream to
clear any obstacle to his ruling
Nigeria while the north was
looking for the right opportunity
to throw him into the dustbin. In
frustration, Awo resigned from
Gowon’s cabinet when he realized
he has been politically duped.
Awolowo quashed the Biafran
dream while the northern
establishment killed the Oduduwa
dream and betrayed Awolowo’s
presidential ambition thrice. This
fact was aptly captured by a
prominent Yoruba leader and
Nigeria’s former minister of
aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode
while replying to a boastful
statement by another prominent
northern leader, Alhaji Usman
Farouk on how the north
dominated the Yoruba people and
conquered the Niger Delta.
According to Fani Kayode, ‘’… the
north literally begged Awolowo
not to declare Oduduwa Republic
and go the way of Biafra even
though that was his original
intention…Fourthly it was the
support that the south west
gave to the north that allowed
Nigeria to win the war. Fifthly it
was the lie that Gowon and the
northern leaders fed to Awolowo
that he would be made President
of the country after the war and
after being effectively being
made de facto Prime Minister
under Gowon during the war that
got Awolowo to support them’’,
invariably, the Igbos and Yorubas
were effectively dribbled, divided,
manipulated and overpowered.
The ascension of Awolowo’s
kinsman Obasanjo as Head of
State was another opportunity
for him to realize his dream of
ruling Nigeria. The 1979 election
result was decided in the
infamous judgement where the
Supreme Court refused Awolowo’s
plea that 2/3 of 19 is 13 states
therefore declaring Alhaji Shehu
Shagari the winner of the
election. The north led by
Generals Shehu Yaradua and
Theophilus Danjuma convinced
Obasanjo on why Awolowo should
never be the president of Nigeria.
Therefore, instead of a runoff
election, which some believe could
favour Awolowo,the Supreme
Court declared Alhaji Shehu
Shagari the winner.
Chief MKO Abiola at one point was
used by the northern dominated
NPN to oppose the presidential
ambitions of Awolowo . He used
his Nigerian Concord newspaper
and enormous wealth to fight
Awolowo and UPN and when they
finished using him to deal with
Awolowo, they frustrated Abiola’s
presidential ambition and he had
to resign from the party in 1982.
Alhaji Umaru Dikko, then
transport minister, sent message
to Abiola that the presidency is
not for sale to the highest bidder.
When Babangida annulled the
election of Abiola in 1993,
Yorubas alluded to a certain curse
Awolowo released on Abiola, in
the heat of the later’s opposition
to his presidency ‘’that even if
Abiola was to be given the
presidential seat, he would not sit
on it.”
In 1999, after the suspicious
death of Abiola, the northern
establishment sensing that Chief
Olu Falae was the choice of the
Yoruba people, rigged the polls in
favour of Obasanjo . It is obvious
that the North had shown
evidence of being deadly political
strategists than their Yoruba and
Igbo compatriots, having used
the political suspicion between
the duos to dribble them.
Conclusively, the north is not as
dumb as people assume; they
used Awolowo to checkmate
Biafra and then dealt with
Awolowo and his ambitions. 1 Like |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by MajesticKris: 1:19pm On May 30, 2020 |
I'm here to read Comments.. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by Vyzz: 1:20pm On May 30, 2020 |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by akimbomimer: 1:22pm On May 30, 2020 |
MajesticKris:seconded |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by Jawn(m): 1:23pm On May 30, 2020 |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by keentola(m): 1:24pm On May 30, 2020 |
When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes.”— Erasmus Do You Know hat you can get 5 books for as low as 200 naira? Now That You Know, what is stopping You from contacting me for your Books? I sell ALL kinds of Books. My number is in my Bio. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by OnyeOfenmanu: 1:28pm On May 30, 2020 |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by Nobody: 1:30pm On May 30, 2020 |
Biafra killer of minorities 2 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by Shezkid01(m): 1:32pm On May 30, 2020 |
I can’t read this |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by MightySparrow: 2:19pm On May 30, 2020 |
I wish those who can attest to the verity of these facts were alive...... |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by orunto27: 2:23pm On May 30, 2020 |
THIS IS WHY THE IGBOS REMAIN COMPLICIT AND COMPLICATED. AND THE FULANIS IMMORAL AND SPENDTHRIFT. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by flokii: 2:34pm On May 30, 2020 |
Awolowo left many legacies in our hearts and has his footprints on the sands of time.. Can same be said of Azikiwe? A failed nationalist who despite all his slavery to the North couldn't stop the numerous. bloody pogroms against his people in the North or do anything to salvage the lives of his kinsmen during civil war. Instead he was dining with National government while they slaughtered his people back home. I choose Awo anyday, anytime. 1 Like |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by OnwuCheka(f): 3:24pm On May 30, 2020 |
My people cannot mention 1 leader with any legacy yet they can not go a week without masturbating over Awolowo. All Igbo here, please mention 1 legacy of Azikiwe today in his hometown or in Biafraland at large. I'll wait. 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by gidgiddy: 3:32pm On May 30, 2020 |
While people like Ojukwu were fighting to free his people from Northern domination, somone like Awolowo accepted to be a slave and ran to serve Gowon, who was young enough to be his own son. To accept to be a slave is easy, it takes guts and courage to stand up and fight for freedom like a man. 3 Likes |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by imfgranting: 6:41pm On May 30, 2020 |
Kindly help me out. I'm a private school teacher. No salary since March, any amount would be appreciated. Have mercy. GTB 0141.9678.70. The name is OOV. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by Tflesk: 7:07pm On May 30, 2020 |
MinorityOpinion:the N.Army dat have been killing niger deltans and raping their women are they igbo? d last time i checked it was an afonja officer that shot a man dat went to buy drugs for his pregnant wife in warri and northern soldiers in leaked video threatening to rape n infect their women with HIV 1 Like |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by Tflesk: 7:12pm On May 30, 2020 |
OnwuCheka: afonja hiding under ibo moniker... shame on u... Nnamdi azikiwe: the british built only one school in the whole of eastern region the rest were build by our people... source: https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/1949-nnamdi-azikiwe-address-ibo-people/ 2 Likes |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by T9ksy(m): 7:47pm On May 30, 2020 |
gidgiddy: Quit sounding like a broken record, meh! So, for Ojukwu to free his people from Northern hegemony, he had to invade and occupy non-northern territories and impose his rule over them? To fight for "freedom" when you are not strong enough to effect such objective is the height of idiocy and a great crime against humanity. After wasting so many innocent lives, you are still a slave and the "brave" yidiot who led the uprising fled only to return hoping that he will be voted for to rule the same country he tried to destroy barely a decade, ago. 3 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by omonnakoda: 7:51pm On May 30, 2020 |
Quark or quarg is a type of fresh dairy product made by warming soured milk until the desired amount of curdling is met, and then straining it. It can be classified as fresh acid-set cheese. Traditional quark can be made without rennet, but in modern dairies small quantities of rennet are typically added. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by OnwuCheka(f): 9:20pm On May 30, 2020 |
Tflesk: What did Azikiwe build is the question and who are the our people? Also, don't embarrass us, that weblink is not a credible one. We have produced world renowned scholars in almost every field. Please work with the standard they've set abeg, don't use nonsensical links. |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by Aboks(m): 6:36am On May 31, 2020 |
I can't read this shit no paragraph haba |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by Nobody: 6:54am On May 31, 2020 |
gidgiddy: You mean the man who ran like a coward after leading his people to destruction yeah, a flighter indeed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAKkC8Yi5UY 1 Like |
Re: Obafemi Awolowo: Hero Of Yoruba, Killer Of Biafra, Betrayed By The North by Daddysidhan: 7:14am On May 31, 2020 |
Paper strong men |
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