- I'd like Salimonu Kadiri to understand that Obi Nwakanma will never insult the Yoruba people, or any other people at all. I make it a point to write about individuals, and not an entire group of people. Everyone who reads me may notice this for a fact. I have never, ever insulted the Yoruba people. I have analyzed the individual actions of Awolowo in the context of Nigerian history, and on occasion, I have made a clean demarcation between those Yoruba followers of Awo and his philosophy and program, and those Yoruba who followed Azikiwe and his philosophy and programs. I have always been the one exactly to accept that in spite of the current frenzy of revision, Awo was not the "leader of the Yoruba," he was a member of the Egbe and a leader of the Action Group. He was a leaders, therefore, of some Yoruba and other adherents of his political doctrine. Not all Awoists are Yoruba. Not all Yoruba followed him into the Action Group, nor were for that matter members of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa. As history records, numerous enlightened and the liberal Yoruba, some among the most liberal, broad-minded, and tolerant people in the world - the ones I consider reflective of the true Yoruba character of liberalism and toleration - followed Azikiwe and the NCNC, and were as ardent as any other nationalists. The pattern of votes in the west in 1951, 1954, and 1959 clearly indicates that where Zik and his party did not win, they shared the votes almost in half with Awo's party, and for many of these Yoruba Nigerians, Awolowo did not represent their ideal their interests, nor was he their leader. They followed Zik. So, how could I insult a people such as the Yoruba, who are among some of the most liberal and tolerant people in the world? I do not. I do not even insult Awo. I give him his just dessert following evidence available to me, outside of the idolatrous frenzy of his fanatical followers who continue to retail and circulate his terrible ideology. I did not call Awo a fascist, his description of his own political philosophy in his own book describes him! He was an advocate of a version of National socialism. He was also extremely disdainful of the North and her leadership, and was unwilling to work within the pragmatic formulation of a transitional "government of national unity" under Balewa whom he regarded as beneath him. The Nationalist party was prepared, in the interest of nation, to swallow their pride, having been rigged out of power and denied the opportunity to govern, just so that Nigeria survives. These are clear facts of history without Salimonu's romantic embellishments, which when you challenge it, and subject it to scrutiny becomes in his mind, an "insult on Yoruba people and Awolowo." Awolowo is not "Yoruba people." Awolowo in my book is Awolowo - individual who happens o be Yoruba, and who can be scrutinized in the context of his historical actions. The Yoruba did not act in just one single, unidirectional way in that history. It is Salimonu who insults the Yoruba.
- It is equally not true that an "Igbo-Hausa" government jailed Awolowo. This is the kind of ignorant falsehood that riles me into responding to Salimonu because (a) it circulates a fundamental disregard for truth, (b) if a child reads this without context that child might swallow this and be ruined for ever, and (c) it draws from the kind of what Salimonu calls an insult in which an entire "Igbo" and "Hausa" people plotted to bring down a single super-hero, Awolowo. But the truth of this history is quite ordinary, and can very easily be verified that (a) the Police detectives that discovered the plot were of Yoruba ethnicity (b) the Judge that tried Awolowo, Justice Sowemimo was Yoruba, (c) all the witnesses that provided evidence against Awolowo were Yoruba like him, including Dr. Maja, once one of his closest allies, and one with whom he in fact he formed the Egbe Omo Oduduwa. In what ways therefore did the "Igbo/Hausa" conspire to jail "super-hero" Awo? For what exactly? And for one thing, the government in question was the NPC/NCNC coalition government, and had Yoruba in that government. The third ranking figure of that government after the President and the Prime Minister, according to the protocol of that era, was the Attorney-General and Minister for justice, and he was a highly respected Yoruba legal scholar, Dr. Taslim Elias, and the Chief Justice of the Federation was an Egba-Yoruba, like Awolowo, Justice Adetokunbo Ademola. Furthermore, it was a fierce intra-party fight for power, and an ideological crisis within the Action Group after it had failed to secure national power for which it made very huge investments, that broke the Actin Group and led to the Akintola faction moving against Awolowo and seeking closer links with the NPC, with whom it also wanted to go into a coalition. The move by this faction and the NPC to consolidate power and entrench themselves in western Nigerian politics led to what Salimonu calls a "puupet regime" and it was Akintola, elected Prime Minister of the West, with his own followings that Salimonu calls a "Yoruba puppet." Awo plotted the first coup in Nigeria in this period, was arrested, and was properly tried, found guilty and jailed. Among those with whom he was tried were some non-Yoruba. Among the plotters who escaped to Ghana was S.G. Ikoku, who in the 1980s in an interview finally, openly confessed that his party, Awo's faction of the AG, had indeed stocked arms, and plotted a coup. It was also a fact confirmed for me by Dr. Chike Obi, who was himself in the know. These attempts by Salimonu to deflect truth, and insult everyone else, I think, is the reason for Falola's admonition. As for his comments on Ojukwu, and its left-handed compliment of Ogunewe, I shall not bother even to respond to this, because the facts are all documented for those who wish to read beyond Salimonu's romances and anxieties, and I think Ojukwu could, and had spoken for himself. Fact is quite simple: the minutes of our last meetings are all well documented, and revisionist attempts are futile, and when the occasion demands, will be fully challenged as the case may be. I think that Dr. Falola should let Salimonu Kadiri keep insulting people if it makes him feel good. It may just be his style, and it may just hide something deeper than this forum can really cure. So, I plead to let him be who he is. Just read him with the necessary pinch of salt.
- Obi Nwakanma
Sent: Saturday, October 28, 2017 2:57 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: SV: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Memo To The Moderator
Dear Professor Toyin Falola, the Moderator,
I am writing you in view of your response to Chidi Anthony Opara's claim to the supposedly fast degeneration of this forum into what you never intended when creating it. Having agreed that Chidi Anthony Opara was correct in his assessment, you itemised reasons for your agreement in four points.
- Some are now even afraid to contribute, thinking that they will be insulted. This you wrote despite the fact that after your reaction stating that my expression, 'For those who are not intellectually lazy,' was insulting, I immediately retracted the expression and substituted it with 'For those who are intellectually smart,' even though I am pretty sure that my earlier expression was not insulting to anyone. I am a critical reader and every intellectual that is worth its salt must always welcome and appreciate criticism, both positive and negative. Traditionally, any criticism in Nigeria and no matter how well founded, is regarded as insult and critics are always declared as enemies.
- It was never intended to be a Nigerian forum, but a Pan-African forum. My Nigerian brothers took over. Well, two out five black Africans in Africa are demographically said to be Nigerians. Nigeria would impact positively on the rest of black nations of Africa if she is socially, politically and economically progressive and successful. What affects Nigeria, affects the whole of Africa because of her size and population. Thus, if forum's discussions are dominated (with Nigerian affairs) by Nigerians, it is only because charity begins at home. However, since I joined this forum two people have, for unknown reason, disappeared from the forum. They are Mr. Anunobi and Mr. Ikhide, who to the best of my knowledge are Nigerians.
- I don't like any one to use what I am associated with to abuse or insult any one. My purpose of joining the union is not to insult or abuse anyone, whether a forum member or not. Mostly, I want to learn from others as much as I can through exchange of ideas and information. And even if in the course of exchange of ideas and information, I overzealously express myself in a way that may be misconstrued as an abuse or insult, I am always prepared to explain myself and apologise if necessary whenver such is brought to my attention. I don't have that special skill, like many others, for verbal fencing.
- Then there is the never ending ethnic countering - my tribe is better than yours, your leader is better than mine. No human being, including my dear Moderator, has ever chosen who should be his or her parents and consequently in which race or ethnic group one should be born. We were all born into our respective ethnic group by our parents which we cannot reverse no matter how much we try; and as such no one should be blamed for being born into a specific ethnic group.
If you are resentful of never ending ethnic countering, I think that you, the moderator, has the power that such posts never see the light of the day. The topic that I was commenting on was cross-posted from African World Forum, Nigerian World Forum and Igbo World Forum to this forum. It is your responsibility to read through before approving it for publication. In Obi's exchanges with one Ayo Ojutalayo which you published or allowed to be published on this forum read, ".... history will record that Awo was a felon, was a fascist and tribalist, and that his faction of the Yoruba were reactionaries and revanchists who practised and propagated the African version of the Nazi national socialism, and that great greed for power spiral into that lurch of madness called 'the wild, wild west,' which later led to events that destroyed the early foundation of Nigeria as a nation-state. ...//... You can erect all the statues you want of him (Awo) today, whitewash AND lionize him (Awo) all you want, but the children of tomorrow will piss on that image (the statue of Awolowo), because the history book of the nation are already open, and try all the revision you can,the voice that would be heard down the ages, would be that of the historian Tekena Tamuwo, who wrote unambiguously: 'The Igbo are the makers of modern Nigeria. When they left Nigeria collapsed...' Until the Igbo return spiritually to Nigeria, it will continue to be a wasteland..." In another exchange of Obi Nwakanma which you allowed for publication, he wrote, "Awo's disdain for Balewa's government moved him and his faction in 1960/61 to begin to make plans for a coup, which was discovered, and they were jailed for it. That was the beginning of Nigerian chaos. The 'restless west' or the 'wild west had collapsed. It was in the effort to save it that compelled the January 1966 coup. ...//... The civil war may not have happened had the West asserted the agreement reached in Enugu between Ojukwu and Awo to establish a common 'Southern Front' and compel the North either to accede to negotiations or secede. Awo and the West betrayed the agreement, and rather joined in the war against the East...." I will be the last person to believe that you will approve Obi Nwakanma's insult and abuse of any living or dead person like Awolowo. Yet, having permitted Obi Nwakanma to rain abuses and insults on the late Obafemi Awolowo, you think it is abusive or insulting for me to write that for those who are not intellectually lazy, Azikiwe left behind documents in book forms for them to read. When dirty pigs have been allowed to enter our living room, it would be unjust to turn around and accuse those who wrestle out the pigs from the living room of being dirty as the pigs. I don't become a dwarf for bending low to wipe the face of a dwarf who has contemptuously and deliberately stepped on my toes. Similarly, I do not become a tribalist/ethnicist by responding to any Nigerian tribal and ethnic historian.
On Friday, 27 October 2017, at 11:43:00 hours, Chidi Anthony Opara posted a link to his blog-spot reports on this forum. The report contained an interview conducted by one Jane Obiorah, on behalf of Every News 247. com, with Nnamdi Kanu in his hide out somewhere in the Creeks of Bayelsa. Here follows an excerpt from Jane Obiorah's interview with Nnamdi Kanu.
Every News 247.com: And why did you say, you don't expect the Yorubas or Southwest people to blend with IPOB on Biafra agitation?
Kanu: An average Oduduwa descendant is treacherous; he is a betrayer; they are traitors of the worse poisonous breed. So, how can they be party to a struggle of liberation? They are bootlickers of the Hausa/Fulani hegemony. In spite of their claims to education and international exposure, cattle and sheep rearers are the one ruling them, while they are followers like zombies to the hegemonic leadership of Northerners. It's nonsense and I repeat, absolute nonsense! They are not even complaining, they are comfortable with it.
But I think God is punishing the Yorubas for betraying our hero and mentor, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu during the Biafran struggles of 1967-70. The Hausa/Fulani oligarchy conspired and jailed Chief Obafemi Awolowo over trump-up treasonable charges. He was jailed in the Southeast and Ojukwu freed him with an agreement that he would mobilize his people against federal forces to give Biafra a boost. But after regaining freedom, Awolowo ignored everything and rather pitched tents with his jailers. They (the Yoruba) are not normal human beings, very womanish, that's why they dread every shadow. Please quote me anywhere! It is a fact none of them can deny.
But let me warn again that the Yorubas must stop exploiting the Igbos. We can no longer tolerate the exploitation of our people. I am warning them to desist from taking an undue advantage of Ndi'gbo especially in Yoruba churches. If they continue, I swear by my ancestors, we shall chase them to their shrines, fight them spiritually and physically, and we ensure we kill all Yorubas in the name of Chukwu Okike Obiama.
Chidi Anthony Opara must have found the interview with Nnamdi Kanu worthy of circulation not only through his blog-spot report but even in this USA-Africa-Dialogue Forum. Before concluding, I will like to remind who ever cares to know that after assuming power on August 1, 1966, Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon, granted amnesty to all political prisoners, including those jailed during the TIV riot of 1964. He granted Awolowo, Enahoro and others pardon through Government Notice No. 1507/1966. Gowon was personally at the then Ikeja Airport, Lagos, to welcome Awolowo from Calabar prison on 3 August 1966, remarking, "We need you for the wealth of your experience." (Nigerian Daily Times of 4th August 1966, reported). At that time Ojukwu had fled Enugu, the Capital of Eastern Region, and relocated to the Police Headquarters at Onitsha, because of his fear that if shooting broke out at the first infantry Battalion Enugu, the numerical strength of the Northern soldiers, mostly from Middle-Belt, put him at a disadvantage and at a risk of being killed. It was the highly respected Igbo, Lieutenant Colonel Ogunewe, who pleaded with the Northern soldiers not to fight and negotiated with them to return to the North with their arms and ammunition. Ojukwu did not return, from his Onitsha hideout, to Enugu until the middle of August 1966. Awolowo, who left Calabar prison on 2 August 1966, could not have had any agreement with Ojukwu who at that time was hiding at the police headquarter in Onitsha for his personal safety. As for the trum-up treasonable felony charges against Awolowo, it was the Ibo-Hausa-Fulani controlled federal government that jailed Awolowo, after overthrowing the Action Group controlled Western Region's government, and installed a puppet regime there.
With the posting of Nnamdi Kanu's interview on this forum, I wonder if Chidi Anthony Opara is implying that the intention of Professor Toyin Falola in creating this forum is for people to utilize it to vilify the Yoruba people and to castigate and insult late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, or are vilification of the Yoruba people, castigation of and insulting the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo degenerations that Professor Toyin Falola neither intended nor observed?
S. Kadiri
Skickat: den 26 oktober 2017 21:59
Till: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Ämne: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Memo To The Moderator
Dear sir:
You are correct!
1. Some are even now afraid to contribute, thinking that they will be insulted!
2. It was never intended to be a Nigerian forum, but a Pan-African forum. My Nigerian brothers took offer.
3. I don't like anyone to use what I am associated with to abuse or insult any one.
4. Then there is the never ending ethnic countering---my tribe is better than yours; your leader is better than mine.
But I wont disband; I will only keep warning. I have written many private notes to so many people.
So, Oga Chidi, you, too, should be an agent of change.
TF
From: dialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Chidi Anthony Opara <chidi.opara@gmail.com>
Reply-To: dialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Date: Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 2:46 PM
To: dialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Memo To The Moderator
Dear Professor Falola,
Let me use this opportunity to inform you (assuming that you have not noticed) that this forum is fast degenerating into something that I am sure, was not in your mind when you were creating it.
Be well sir.
CAO.
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