Professor Segun Ogungbemi,
When Britain itself comprises England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, how true is it to say that, "We tend to forget that the colonial master, Britain never wanted a united Nigeria. The country was divided into three regions on ethnic rationalization that enabled the British to optimally apply its divide and rule strategy."?
Should the country not have been divided into any regions at all, for the convenience of administrative purposes?
In retrospect what would have been your alternative program for a united Nigeria?
Which does not mean to say that we are not aware of Harold Smith's spurious claims
It's quite an interesting discussion for those who are Nigerian and even for those who would like to apply for citizenship, say, to claim a share in Nigeria's prosperity or to qualify in order to be a Nigerian poet or to play football for the country. (European countries easily naturalize Africans so that Africans can play, run, win medals etc for their country)
In Diaspora Sweden, all you'd have to do is to whip out your passport and say to Herr Svensson, looka here Sir, it says so in my passport: it says I, me, I am a Swedish citizen and can live anywhere I like in Sweden. Perhaps for brown-eyed dark- haired, purple-skinned Kojo Appiah to say "I'm Swedish" because a passport says so, could invite some contention and challenge.
In Sweden, foreigners or naturalized immigrants who by their skin colour, colour of eyes, hair, size of nose, lips maybe choice of clothes, etc may not look like descendants of the original Scandinavian Vikings may even be subject to racial profiling as was recently the case when the immigration authorities stationed some of their officers at the Stockholm tube stations to weed out any suspicious-looking characters who did not look Swedish and could therefore be"illegal aliens"without mandatory residence permits. In part this could be understandable and not such a difficult exercise, since the White Swede is still in the absolute majority. In the case of Ghana's deportation of Nigerians in 1970 and Nigeria's deportation of Ghanaians in January 1983, it must have been a little more difficult in identifying Ghanaians scattered throughout the Nigerian Federation since Ghanaians look like Nigerians and Nigerians look like Ghanaians. It's a legal matter.
With regard to the Nigerian problem of who is an indigene of a local area, may I repeat myself this time? : re- " Aliyu U. Tilde's posting in facebook, entitled "How the American Ambassador Grilled Jonah Jang on Jos Crises WIKILEAKS" and that to begin with, the variant definitions of indigenes is an outstanding issue crying out for justice and one which hopefully will be high on the agenda should the Sovereign National Conference ever be convened. One would presume that for legal purposes the Nigerian Constitution guarantees that anyone born in Nigeria is an indigene and that given the social mobility that is permitted within the country, people may migrate from North to South and (and from the East to the West) without fear of forfeiting their indigenous local and national rights.
The fact that Eric Blair more popularly known as George Orwell - was born in Motihari, Bihar, in India did not make him less an Englishman and here I'm thinking of the likelihood of Diaspora Nigerians whose children or grandchildren could be born abroad being denied their ancestral rights, as those who are already born in Nigeria are denied the privilege of being classified as indigenes - if born a little distance from certain localities...."
Just the other day there was no question of his Nigerianess when Professor Segun Ogunbhemi identified himself thus: "I am an indigenous Yagba in the present Yagba East Local Government, Kogi State, Nigeria. Geographically, Kogi State is in the north hence I am a Northerner. Culturally, traditionally and linguistically I am Yoruba. Therefore, I have a dual identity by virtue of geographical and cultural locations."
Surely, this should apply to any Nigerian from anywhere, living anywhere in Nigeria.
Sin-cerely,
--Ladies and Gentlemen,We tend to forget that the colonial master, Britain never wanted a united Nigeria. The country was divided into three regions on ethnic rationalization that enabled the British to optimally apply its divide and rule strategy. The nationalists were schooled in the same tradition and they were allowed to operate on ethnic and divide and rule system.The fact that one was born in Kano never made that person a Kano citizen. If a Yoruba person was born in Onitsha that did not qualify him to be a citizen of the place. He has no entitlement there apart from what he makes for himself.At independence every regional premier had his focus on the development of his region. It is morally unjustifiable for a Yoruba person to go to northern or eastern region to enjoy the development of either of the two places simply because his western region was not developed. Similarly, it is morally unjust for anyone from the north or from the east to go to the west simply because the west was best developed by its premier. One could only be tolerated in any of the regions insofar one lived according to the norms of the place.That was why a certificate of northern status was given to those who came from the north in those days. And I am sure other regions had a similar form of certificate for their citizens then.You cannot go and deface a developed area where you are only tolerated and expect the owner of the place to give you a pat on the back. In fact, the Yoruba will tell you that Nda ni o pe ara leru. That is: the person who has been accorded good treatment in the society, it is his character that will make people to know that he is a slave.That is the way we should understand what has happened to the so called deported Ibos from Lagos State. So the idea that ewe to pe lara ose a dose does not apply in Nigerian situation because the social structure from the past to the present does not allow it. That is why Pa Awolowo said that Nigeria is not yet a nation. The ingredients to make it a nation is not yet being purchased.We cannot for now be like America because our common backgrounds are not the same. If all the present geographical and political zones have almost the same impressive development in terns of economic and basic infrastructure with competitive education in humanities, sciences and technologies the oneness of Nigeria can be assured.Now, I think what Governor Peter Obi did can be challenged in the law court. We should allow justice to take its course without necessarily overheating the polity.Segun Ogungbemi.Sent from my iPhone
Otitigbe:
You are right: there should be a simply-written actionable Nigerian Magna Carta - transcribed in as many Nigerian languages as possible - of rights, responsibilities and prohibitions of life, limb and property of Nigerian citizens.
At present anything goes in Nigeria, and so most things happen that make one want to wonder and holler. People react based on who did what to whom, rather than without regard to circumstance. These are the people who hypocritically bleat at actions to their ethnic comaptriots, to which they are blind, deaf and dumb when it happens to others, as if their own lives are worthier than others.
To say something is "un-American" is most powerful - but is there something "un-Nigerian". - except order?
I would like us to agree on a few - some things that unborn babies, or children, or women, or old people, or students, or the destitute/poor, or the accused, or students, etc should NEVER have to face in Nigeria, and if they face them, that would be positively "un-Nigerian".
And there you have it.
Bolaji Aluko
On Sunday, August 4, 2013, Otitigbe Obadiah Oghoerore Alegbe (The Okatakyie Otitigbe of Africa) <otit...@oviri.com.ar> wrote:
> Mobolaji.
> Your input is very correct. "The values we all must share ". Well written. It was just few hours ago that I downloaded the English Magna Carta which points to what you wrote in the case freedom for all in England. It is a pity that Fashola is a lawyer in a Commonwealth of Nations country ,how sad if he is not aware of the Magna Carta and that values we share make us a great nation. I read part of the beautiful masterpiece written 800 years ago which share a lot with our African traditions and also made me shake my head to say our ancestors were very wise in their family values. Maybe Fashola does not know the Yoruba saying "Ewe ti o ba pe lara ose, aa dose". If St Mathew Daniels, Da Silva , the Johnson that we know are of Brazilian root can claim Lagos, why not Igbo that have been there 7 generations? Senior Advocate of Nigeria, surely a title arranged for by friends.
> Otitigbe.
> From: Mobolaji Aluko
> Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2013 2:20 AM
> To: naijain...@googlegroups.com
> Cc: Naija Politics ; niger...@yahoogroups.com ; Ra'ayi ; Yan Arewa ; OmoOdua ; ekiti ekitigroups ; USAAfrica Dialogue
> Subject: [Naijaintellects] Re: Recovered Human Heads: Wife Of Hotelier Cries Foul
>
> Segun:
>
> Impunity ("Just do it, nothing wil happen") and Hypocrisy ("Look at what he has done, not mine") and Party-san-ship ("How can we make PDP or APC lose face maximally on this?") rule our land, whether in Fashola's internal deportation order, or Obi's reaction to it, and now Massob's reaction to Igbokwe's justification or Obi's demolition of a hotel. Reaction by/to Ngige in this silly political season waits in the wings.
>
> We are yet a country of peculiar ethno-geography, not a nation of shared values. Until we fully sit down to formulate and accept those values that we all must share, how we treat each other as Nigerians, and which values are inviolable one to the other, we will continue on this rickety bridge to an uncertain future.
>
> And there you have it...we shall see.
>
>
> Bolaji Aluko
>
>
> On Saturday, August 3, 2013, Segun T. Dawodu <stda...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Nigeria is a jungle where everyone is lord unto himself.
>> IG of police is now a tool for personal vendatta.
>>
>>
>>
>> Segun
>> On Aug 3, 2013, at 4:28 PM, Dododawa <dodo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> Imagine if an Igbo person's hotel in any of the SW area is demolished and suspicion of a human head being found on the premise. Imagine that --- all the "igbo" quasi lawyers on this forum will be up in arm with all types of illogical insinuations. But Obi, can unilaterally demolish someone's place of business without a court issued warrant. Obi is the prosecutor, they jury and the judge. Go figure this people's sensibility ...
>> *** what happened to innocent until proven guilty???
>>
>> Recovered Human Heads: Wife Of Hotelier Cries Foul
>> By 247ureports
>> 91 Views
>> Posted In
>> News
>> Tagged as
>> <http://247ureports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ >anambra-demolition.jpg
>> Demolished Hotel where human heads were alleged to be found. No court warrants were issued for the demolition.
>> —appeals to President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator David Mark to intervene
>> From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Onitsha
>> Wife of Chief Bonaventure Mokwe, the Proprietor of Upper Class Hotel, Onitsha demolished Friday by Governor Peter Obi led Government for allegedly discovering of two fresh human heads, Mrs Nkiru Mokwe has raised alarm that the life of her husband is in danger.
>> Speaking to newsmen, Mrs Mokwe, a lawyer appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President, David Mark to intervene and ensure her husband is not killed as they pursue justice.
>> ''My husband was arrested and detained at Central Police squad Onitsha and when the commissioner of police was petitioned he was moved to Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Awkuzu. My husband is being detained in a very de-humanizing condition at SARS Awkuzu, and the police have denied him access to his lawyer and relations.
>> ''My husband's hotel at No 8 Old Market Road Onitsha which he inherited from his father Chief G.C Mokwe have been demolished.
>> She alleged also that the government threatened to demolish his plaza at Ose-Okwodu and oter properties belonging to him and his family and confiscate all his assets. She appealed for intervention of the Presidency and Senate to the jungle justice against her husband without hearing from him.
>> She raised alarm that her husband was set up and the police invaded her husband's hotel to effect his arrest claiming that they acted on a tip off.
>> She wondered why the police formation in Anambra state was not reported about the matter until police from IG's office came down to Anambra based on a petition written on 2nd July, 2013 to effect arrest on 1st August,2013.
>> She claimed to be conversant with the facts of the matter that brought about what she described as trumped up charges against her husband in order distract people from the main issues of contention.
>> She said her husband deals on estate and there were lots of conflicts and skirmishes over ownership of lands between him and some persons which led to the shooting of her husband on 9th March, 2009.
>> Mrs Mokwe informed that about four of the disputes are pending in court and wondered why the masterminds of her husband wrote a petition to the Inspector General of Police alleging that her husband stores human heads and arms in his hotel.
>> She further alleged that the masterminds of her husband's arrest got approval of their petition and arranged and smuggled in two rusty objects which the police claimed were human skulls and arms in one of the comm
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