The economy of the former Eastern Region was planned from ground up by the US consulting firm Arthur D. Little

 The economy of the former Eastern Region was planned from ground up by the US consulting firm Arthur D. Little

Dr. Azikiwe brought them and they worked with M I Okpara at first, then with Sam Otti and later Eluwa who headed the Civil Service and later with Sir Louis Phillip Odumegwu Ojukwu who at the time was the Chairman of the Eastern Nicerian Development Corporation (ENDC) and also the Chairman of the Eastern Nigeria Commodities Board (ENCB)

Louis Phillip  Odumegwu Ojukwu also sat as Chairman of 15 multinational companies at the time - John Holt, PZ, Michelin, Costain, Thomas Wyatt, Guinness, GB Ollivant etc

He was so rich that he single handedly funded the establishment of the Lagos Stock Exchange but refused to list his company there for fear of losing control

His photo still hangs proudly on the floor of that exchange as its first chairman

Arthur D Little also worked with a coterie of young Eastern Nigerian economists at the time - Pius Okigbo (PhD Northwestern), Ukwu I. Ukwu (PhD Cambridge), Chukwu Sunday Okongwu (PhD Harvard). These young men in their early twenties worked with Arthur D Little to plan our economy from scratch

I know this because Ukwu I Ukwu taught me at Nsukka and I also worked in Dr Chu SP Okongwu's economic planning firm right during and after grad school in Nigeria.

Arthur D. Little recommended the setting up of a university in the East to produce key skills needed to drive economic growth as most of those skills were not being taught in Ibadan at the time

Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe sent Dr Akpabio (MA Columbia) who at the time was the East's Minister of Education on an extended tour to universities in Michigan and New York for collaboration in key fields like medicine, engineering,, surveying and photogrammetry and business administration.

UNN was the first school in Nigeria to offer many of these courses. Ibadan at the time taught mostly Classics, General Science and later Medicine

Palm oil, Palm  Kernel, Coal, Cocoa (from Ikom), Coffee from Obudu and later petroleum from firstly Izombe - Oguta area and later from Oloibiri in Ijaw land drove the economy of the East

In terms of development, the East started late, compared to the West.

"CHI" IN IGBO THOUGHT AND CULTURE

Written by Rev. Fr. Francis Anekwe Oborji, Pontifical Urban University, Vatican City (Rome)
Email: anekwe.oborji@gmail.com

Monday, July 10, 2023

Our concern in this short write-up is to articulate, briefly, the true meaning and significance of the concept, "CHI" among the Igbo in the context of the concept of the "Person" in African thought and culture as articulated in Igbo, African scholarship in recent years.

The Problem:

The pre-theoretical concern about the concept of the person in philosophical and theological discourse challenges us to give a unique and coherent response to the following questions: What is the person? What does it mean for a person to be the same persistent entity through time (or in a moment of time)? How many distinct ontological entities constitute a person? What relationship, if there is, exists between the subjective experiences of an individual first-person and our perspective third-person? What is the influence of our culture and society on our system of thought and interpretation of reality and 'non-regular causation' of things in the universe? What kind of relationship exists between the thinker and his cultural and religious context? What is the influence of this cultural context on our philosophical and theological thoughts?

The African scholars, especially, philosophers and theologians, including the Igbo scholars, take seriously the challenge of giving an adequate response to these questions in the African, Igbo context and perspective. This is why in the African, Igbo context, unlike that of the West, plausible answers to an application, are usually informed by plausible answers to other questions.

Therefore, to appreciate the rich meaning and significance of Igbo concept of "Chi" in the context of the concept of person in African thought and culture, I would like to explore the way in which the Igbo, African theory of the universe and of the ontological reality has provided us with the integrated responses to the question under consideration. And how we must build these answers on it. My approach, partly descriptive and partly imaginative, should be familiar; I adopted it by the tradition of the first African scholars, from their reaction as well as their appreciation of the pioneering work of Placide Tempels, La Philosophie Bantoue, published in 1945.

The foundation of the problem that we are treating derives from the famous proposition of Aristotle, "man is a rational animal." This definition of man as a rational animal did not apply, then to the (African) man or woman. The expression of Descartes "cogito ergo sum" (I think, therefore, I exist), was inspired and built on Aristotelian tradition. Therefore, Descartes, like so many other authors of the philosophy of the Enlightenment, did not see the African people as having the ability to think on the ontological level. The authors such as Hegel, Kant, Heidegger, and so forth, never assigned the ability to think at the philosophical and metaphysical level to the African man (or woman) mind.

Therefore, the Igbo, African philosophy today is responding to this historical legacy of the so-called classical philosophy and of the Enlightenment-Era in their comparison with Africa. African authors, including Igbo scholars, have already made good progress in this regard. Thanks to them, today no one has any more doubts about the capacity of Africans to think at philosophical-metaphysical level. In many countries, African philosophy and African Christian theology are studied today at university level.

"Chi" and Igbo (African) Concept of Person

In the first place, the person is a fundamental entity of reality. Therefore, its concept or meaning does not only belong to a people, because other peoples have their concepts of the person. So, what does the African (Igbo) originality of person consist of? To borrow from the words of Charles Nyamiti (a Tanzania theologian), the African (Igbo) originality of a concept such as the "person", goes beyond the normal accentuation of the term to assume a cultural coloring. In Africa, and in Igbo society, in particular, the person as such, is a concrete reality defined in its ontological humanity, existentiality and community. Therefore, the African Igbo philosophy speaks of three constituents of the person.

SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT ABOUT FIRST REPUBLIC PURPORTED IGBO DOMINANCE

~Anonymous Author

A scripted deception has been circulating all over social media, including WhatsApp groups, suggesting that Igbos, despite being dominant in Tafawa Balewa's government, went ahead to kill him. Nothing can be farther from the truth. This script has turned history on its head. The narrative is designed to present Igbos as disloyal power grabbers and confuse gullible readers, obfuscate the past and promote national discord.

Let us set the records straight; Igbos played no dominant role in Balewa's cabinet. The outline below will help demonstrate this.

Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, was the Prime Minister of Nigeria from the pre-independence era (1957) until the January 1966 coup, in which he died. During this period, he had three cabinets in total. Balewa established his first cabinet in 1957 after he was appointed Prime Minister by the British Governor-General. The second cabinet was formed after the general elections of December 1959, just before independence, in a coalition government. The third cabinet was formed after the disputed general elections of December 1964 and dissolved after the military coup of 15 January 1966.

Here are the ministers who served in all three cabinets;

First Cabinet 1957 - 1959

Raymond Njoku - Minister for Transportation

Aja Nwachukwu - Minister for Education

K.O Mbadiwe - Minister for Commerce

Samuel Akintola - Minister for Communications

Festus Okotie-Eboh - Minister for Finance

Mobolaji Johnson (later replaced by Adegoke Adelabu) - Minister for Internal Affiars

Kola Balogun - Minister for Information

Ayo Rosiji - Minister for Health

Muhammadu Ribadu - Minister for Mines

Zanna Bukar Dipacharima (replaced by Inuwa Wada) - Minister for Works

There were three Ministers of Igbo extraction in a ten men cabinet. 30%

Second Cabinet 1959 - 1964

Taslim Elias - Attorney General and Minister for Justice

Olu Akinfosile - Minister for Communications

T O S Benson - Minister for Information

Mobolaji Johnson - Minister for Labour and Welfare

Festus Okotie-Eboh - Minister for Finance

Aja Nwachukwu - Minister for Education

Jaja Wachuku - Minister for Foreign Affairs

Raymond Njoku - Minister for Transport and Aviation

Muhammadu Ribadu - Minister for Lands and Lagos Affairs

Zanna Bukar Dipacharima - Minister for Commerce and Industries

Inuwa Wada - Works and Survey

Maitama Sule - Minister for Mines and Power

Shehu Shagari - Minister for Economic Development and Natural Resources

Usman Sarki - Minister for Internal Affairs

Waziri Ibrahim - Minister for Health

Yisa Yar'adua - Minister for Pensions, Establishment & Nigerianization

As with the previous, Only *three featured in the cabinet of 16 Ministers. 18.75%

Third Cabinet 1964 - 1966

Ayo Rosiji - Minister for Information

Moses Majekodunmi - Minister for Health

Festus Okotie-Eboh - Minister for Finance

Alade Lamuye - Minister for Natural Resources and Research

Richard Akinjide - Minister for Education

Adeleke Adedoyin - Minister for Labour

Adeniran Ogunsanya - Minister for Housing and Survey

Taslim Elias - Attorney General and Minister for Justice

Ayo Rosiji - Minister for Information

Aja Wachuku - Minister for Aviation

Raymond Njoku - Minister for Communications

K.O Mbadiwe- Minister for Trade

Muhammadu Ribadu - Minister for Defense

Waziri Ibrahim - Minister for Economic Development

Inuwa Wada - Minister for Works

Zanna Bukar Dipacharima - Minister for Transport

Maitama Sule - Minister for Mines and Power

Shehu Shagari - Minister for Internal Affairs

Jacob Bande - Minister of Establishment

Yet again, three persons of Igbo extraction in a 19 men cabinet. 16%

It is also evident that at every point within the 9-year reign of Tafawa Balewa, only three persons of Igbo extraction were on the cabinet. Cumulatively, only four men made the cabinet under Balewa. The classification above should give you an idea of the dominant ethnic stock on Balewa's Cabinet. I leave the rest to your assessment.

Security/Service Chiefs

The Nigerianization program in the military pre and immediately after independence unwittingly stratified the army along ethnic lines. By the mid-1960s, the army’s most senior officers were career soldiers who had initially enlisted as NCOs and then risen through the ranks. Most of these were Yoruba (Samuel Ademulegun, Babafemi Ogundipe, Ralph Shodeinde, Robert Adebayo). Immediately behind them in seniority were the first Sandhurst trained generation of Nigerian officers. These men were largely Kanuri from the north (Zakariya Maimalari, Umar Lawan, Kur Mohammed). Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was the only member of the army’s top stratum that was not Yoruba or Kanuri. But the Lt-colonels were ethnically diverse (e.g., Ejoor, Ojukwu, Kurubo). However, many of the majors were Sandhurst trained Igbos. At the same time, most junior officers like lieutenants and NCOs were Northerners who had been encouraged to join the army’s infantry following an army recruitment campaign by Northern politicians.

Now, let's review the security positions claimed by the author of this malicious hogwash

Chief of Army Staff

Aguiyi Ironsi was the first Nigerian Chief of Army staff and served briefly under Balewa. The rest before him, who served with Balew, were Britons. Ironsi, as acknowledged by several research materials, was never a part of the coup that killed Balewa and is known to be the one who quelled the coup. Max Siollun, in his work, Oil, Politics and Violence, argued that Ironsi was marked for death but was missed by Major Okafor, stationed in Lagos. Same as Nnamdi Azikiwe, who was out of the country at that time.

Chief of Naval Staff

Until 1964 when Commodore Wey commanded the Naval Staff, no other Nigerian was the CNS under Balewa. This story is another bout of pile being peddled to evoke discord.

Chief of Defence Staff

This role was only established by the 1979 constitution and never existed under Balewa.

Inspector General of Police

Louis Edet and Kam Salem were the only Nigerians who commanded the Nigerian police under Balewa. I am still searching to find what part of their origin emanated from eastern Nigeria.

Other Positions

Vice-Chancellors of Unilag and University of Ibadan - Profs Eni Njoku and Kenneth Dike assumed their roles purely on merit. They had nothing to do with the murky politics of the pre-independence and the first republic. Dike served well into 1967, a clear one year after Balewa died and just when the civil war started. Njoku left his role in 1965, way before Balewa died. Saburi Biobaku was the VC when Balewa died; thus, we can assume he had a hand in the coup. I guess we can see the nonsense that is the assertion that academicians will have had anything to do with a military coup. Ethnic profiling through false narratives is terrible for a country in search of nationhood.

Nigerian Parliament

The power-sharing formula of the republican leadership in the first republic suggested that the NPC took control of the federal parliament and formed a coalition government with the NCNC. Akweke Nwafor Orizu was the Senate President since 1960 and had absolutely nothing to do with the coup.

Conclusion

Nigeria's history must be studied, especially the issues leading to the pogrom and civil war.

There is a need to address recent agitations within the context of our recent past and not return to 1960s fiction to rationalise a recent failure. Nine years after the war, an Igbo was Vice President, and another was Speaker of the House of Representatives. Let's look for the problems post-1979. We must stop peddling falsehood if we want to make progress as a nation.

Igbo And Igala – Geographical, Historical And, Cultural Relationships

By Joy

June 9, 20210

It is a vague fact that the Igalas have a close tie to the Igbos, just how close is this tie? In almost every Igbo state, a sprinkle of indigenous Igala people is found thriving, be it an element of their culture, religion, dialect, or descendants. Who are the Igalas and what is their relationship with the Igbos?

Igbo And Igala Relations

The Igala are an ethnic group in Nigeria. Their homeland, the former Igala Kingdom, is an approximately triangular area of about 14,000 km² in the angle formed by the Benue and Niger rivers. The area was formerly the Igala Division of Kabba province and is now part of Kogi State. The capital is Idah.

The Igala people rank amongst ethnic groups in Nigeria with the highest population, they are situated east of the river Niger and Benue confluence, straddling the Niger in Lokoja. Unlike every tribe in Nigeria, they practice Christianity and Islam almost in equal proportions, with few traditional worshippers. It is beautiful to note that both religions exist side by side without little or no squabbles. 

The Igala people are found in several parts of the country, with an estimated population of 4 million. In all the Southeastern states, traces of Igala descendants have been found over the years. 

Five Most Ancient Igbo Towns

On the northern border of the Enugu state, the Kogi Igalas overflow the boundary and dominates the communities there. In Abia state, communities like Onu-Aku, Umuogu, Amaogu, Umuogwu towns have traced their origin to the Igala kingdom of 15500, in every state in Igboland, there are communities who trace their origin of migration to the Igala kingdom.

ABOUT NIGERIA DEMOCRACY DAY - THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO FOUGHT FOR IT

~Anonynous Author

Many of the people on the list below fought for democracy.  Liberty is a delicate flower.  It demands vigilance.  Sometimes it demands sweat, and, sadly, blood.  Thanks to does who gave their all that we can have a voice. 

-----

Culled from University of Pennsylvania - Africa Studies Center

NIGERIA CIVIL LIBERTIES ORGANIZATION, 1/2, 1/7/98

-----

LIST OF DETAINEES

• Find stated below the updated list of political detainees

in Nigeria

Name + Position + Place of Arrest + Date of Arrest + Detained

At + Remarks

POLITICIANS

1. Chief Bashorun MKO Abiola + President Elect + Lagos 23/6/94 + Abuja + Detained for declaring himself as President and winner of June 12 1993 election 

2. Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo + Former Head of State + 19/3/95 

3. Chief Frank Kokori + NUPENG Secretary General + Lagos

20/8/94 + Bama

4. Chief Milton Dabibi + former Sec.Gen PENGASSAN + Lagos 

5. Otunba Biyi Durojaiye + Lagos + 12/8/96 

6. Dr Beko Ransome Kuti + Chairman, CD + Lagos + 27/7/95 

7. Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki + Sultan of Sokoto + Sokoto + 4/21/96

+ Zing in Taraba State + Yet to be charged to court or accused

of any offence 

8. Mr Polycarp Nwite + Ex-Senator + Lagos 6/8/97 + unknown + Arrested and detained without any reason

JOURNALISTS

9. Mrs Chris Anyanwu + Publisher, The Sunday Magazine (TSM) Lagos + 4/6/95 + Convicted by + Patrick Aziza led tribunal for being accessory after the fact of coup 

10. Mr Kunle Ajibade + Editor, The News Mag. + Lagos + 23/5/97 

11. Mr George Mbah + Asst. Editor, Tell Mag. Lagos + 5/5/97

12. Mr Ben Charles Obi + Editor, Classique + Lagos 4/5/97

13. Mr Alumona Jenkins + Editor, The News Mag. + Lagos +

8/11/97 + DMI

14. Mr Onome Osifo-Whiskey + Editor, Tell Mag. Lagos + 9/11/97 + DMI

15. Mr Hamid Danlami + Publisher of Al-Mazan, a Muslim

Newspaper 

Otu Odu of Onicha Ado N’Idu Historical Fact

 Shared by Nwafor Obinna Stanley

In Onitsha tradition and custom, there are four cardinal institutions; The Obi, Ndichie, Agbalanze and Otu Odu.

These four institutions work in their individual capacity to ensure progress, peace and development of Onitsha people with relevant supports from other subordinate groups. Otu Odu however is an exclusive prestigious society for Onitsha women who as either indigenes, direct relations (Nwadiani) or by marriage, have distinguished themselves in their respective capabilities in life and have been found worthy in character.

Odu literally means Elephant Tusk and in Onitsha tradition, Igbu Odu in clear terms mean wearing of Tusk, it is a rite of honouring a woman after creditable service in life. It used to be conferred as a form of appreciation on a mother by her children at a certain age, on a dutiful wife by her husband.

It is observed as a ceremonious adorning of a woman with Elephant Tusk which is won on both hands and legs. In other cases nevertheless, the ceremony is performed to be worn either on the hands or the legs respectively as a mark of status in the society.

Elephant Tusk significantly because it is rare in quality and possession, ornate and expensive. This calls for the historic importance attached to it in the whole of Africa, making it one of the most sought after ornaments even by the whites who visited Africa earlier in the days.

Till date Elephant Tusk is still precious, a symbol of wealth, regal and beauty. In most African cultures it is used to depict class and authority, especially in Onitsha.

THE IGBO DELTA STORY

#igbohistory3000bc

According to Dennis Osadebey in the book, Building A Nation, Nnebisi was the

son of a Nteje woman, Diana, who had gotten pregnant to an Igala man, Ojobo
 

Nnebisi grew up in Nteje thinking he was of the kindred, but one day, after a quarrel, he was told that his father was not from there, so he could not take part in land sharing. 

He thus left Nteje with his followers and followed a route which brought him to the great river. If you look at a map of those areas, it is quite easy to trace the route taken by Nnebisi, which must have taken him through Nsugbe, and then along the Anambra River (Ọma Mbala), and then t the point where the Anambra River joins the Niger River.
 
That precise point where the Anambra River joins the Niger Rivers coincidental, the precise point where you can take an eight-minute boat ride and land at Cable Point in Asaba. Nnebisi and his people crossed landed at Ikpele Nmili and decided to plant their crops there for the year. A year later, after a great harvest was (of course the area is rich in alluvial soils brought from upstream by the river), they decided to settle there. 

Nnebisi called the place Ani Ahaba (We have settled in this land), and four hundred years later, some white chap hearing the name that the natives called their land, wrote Asaba in his map, and not Ahaba. That man was Carlo Zappa, an Italian priest who was appointed Prefect of the Upper Niger by the Catholic Church.

Zappa spent a lot of time converting the natives in both Asaba and Onitsha, and to Ojoto, East of the Niger, and Agbor, West of the Niger.
A look through Catholic records during the Ekumeku resistance will show that at the turn of the century, most of the Catholic priests in what is now the Diocese of Issele Uku in Delta State, came from the Onitsha area, as they were all under the same ecclesiastical province
 
A look at the roll call of the dead from the Aba Women’s affair of 1929, shows that the wife of the Sanitary headman in Opobo was from Asaba, which kind of tells you the direction in which people went before the split of Southern Nigeria into East and West in 1954.
Up until that point in 1954, many from the Igbo speaking areas just west of the Niger River, found it easier to cross the river to do their business.
And why not? 
The distance between Asaba and Owerri is just 102km.
Asaba to Enugu is 125km, while Asaba to Umuahia is 142km.

All of these places are closer to Asaba than Warri, which in modern Nigerian geopolitics is in the same state as Asaba. Warri is 176km from Asaba.
The Asaba man, when he arrives in either Enugu, Owerri or Umuahia, speaks the same language as the people in those places, barring the normal dialectal differences that occur in languages that are spread over large geographical areas.
This same Asaba man would arrive in Warri, and would be at a complete loss as to what the native in Warri is saying…

OWERRI Historical: "OWERELA IHE MARAYA AKA"

By Njemanze and Njemanze

Owerri is the capital city of Imo State in the south eastern part of Nigeria in West Africa. Populated
majorly by the people of igbo tribe, Owerri is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in the entire south east today. 

Like most other towns/cities in Africa, the history of Owerri is steeped in valour, courage and victory.

It all started in the 14th Century. An Aristocrat named Oha, with his wife, Arugo, had two sons. the first Son was Ekwem while the second was Ndum. they lived in a village called Umuori in Uratta  which is located in present day Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State.

Oha the Aristocrat became old in age and died after a brief illness. By the igbo custom, the first son (usually called Opara in igbo culture) is required to provide the funeral cow.

Now, it is almost a taboo for an aristocrat to be buried in igbo land without the slaughtering of a cow, the burial would be deemed inconclusive. the passage of an igbo aristocrat is not a trivial issue even till this day. i witnessed the burial ceremony of an Ozo title holder in Onitsha, OMG! it was then i realized that the Oyinbos lied to us. Its a lie, not all men are born equal. an Ozo or Ichie title holder is not equal to a commoner. Mba! those are indeed aristocratic titles. The beauty of the African culture is that it always balances. so, while the Ozo or Ichie title holder has more communal priviledges, they also are expected to display more communal responsibilities.

So, Ekwem being the first son of Oha was supposed to provide the cow for their father's funeral. However, Ekwem was a man without means. Though a very honourable man in his own right, sometimes, honour is not synonymous with wealth. So that their father can have a befitting burial, Ekwem requested that his younger brother who was more wealthy should assist to buy the cow. Ndum bought the cow for the funeral. Thereafter, things were no longer at ease for the family as Ndum demanded to be given the head and heart of the cow since he was the one that bought the cow. Tufiakwa!

Sir Louis Ojukwu, facts.

 1. Sir Louis Ojukwu was a great man. He accomplished and made so much wealth before he died. All without Oil. 

He was so Rich he did not need official papers to visit the Britain.

Sir Ojukwu's Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith LWB

was used to chauffeur Queen Elizabeth during her 1956 visit. 

2. According to Forbes Africa, Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, who founded the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), was the first Billionaire in Nigeria. 

He practically owned Victoria Garden, Lagos. 

3. Sir Ojukwu went to lagos with nothing in 1929 aged just 20 but 10 years later, he was already managing his own chain of businesses which included, Ojukwu Stores, Ojukwu textiles and Ojukwu transportation company.

4. By 1950, just Ojukwu Transportation company had over 200 trucks in its fleet. How did he do it?

Born Louis Philip Odumegwu Ojukwu in Nnewi in 1909, the only boy and second of four children,Sir Ojukwu went to Government primary School Asaba.

5. In 1922, he proceeded to the only secondary School in the Eastern region at the time, Hope Waddell training institute, Calabar. After completing his secondary School education in 1928.

Sir Louis secured a job as a tyre sales clark with John Holt lagos in 1929.

6. It was working as a tyre clark the Sir Louis Ojukwu noticed that many Igbo traders who came to lagos to buy tyres also bought textiles as well. 

With his meagre saving, Sir Louis travelled down to Onitsha where he opened his first business venture called "Ojukwu stores"

1966 coup plotters planned to make Awolowo Head of State — Olutoye

 50 years after, Oba Olutoye, participant in Nigerian Civil War tells the world that Nzeogwu coup was meant to install Awolowo

1966 coup plotters planned to make Awolowo Head of State — Olutoye

The Owa of Ido-Ani, Oba Olufemi Olutoye, is a retired Major-General in the Nigerian Army. In this interview with PETER DADA, he shares his experiences as a soldier and his level of involvement in the 1966 military coup

Can you share your background with us?

My name is Olufemi Olutoye. I was born in Ido Ani town, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State. I spent the early part of my childhood days in Benin City, Edo State, when my father was the headmaster at St. James’ Primary School, Benin City. From there, I went to Government College Ibadan in 1945. I completed my secondary school education in 1949. I then gained admission to the University of Ibadan in 1950 and I graduated in June 1954. I also went to Cambridge University and concluded my course there in 1955. When I returned to Nigeria, I started teaching at the Olu-Iwa College, Ijebu Ode, (now Adeola Odutola College). Later, I left teaching to join the Nigerian Army in 1957 and I retired in 1977.

What informed your decision to join the army, when you were a university graduate?

I believed then that I had attained the height of the teaching profession because teaching then was different from what we have now. I worked in a private school and I believed I had already reached the limit and that there was nothing to look forward to again. Secondly, I wanted adventure.  I taught briefly in a public school in England where there was a Cadet Corps, where young boys were given uniforms. I asked myself then that why couldn’t we have such kind of school in Nigeria? I was the acting principal for a year, so I had to leave after that. That was when I got to the army where I rose through the ranks to become Major General before I eventually retired in 1977.

You were in the army when the first coup happened in Nigeria. Can you tell us about your experience?

I hope that I will have time to write more about that coup but I am doing something on it right now. The coup was led by Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. He was a Major in rank and of course, I was a Major then too but I was his senior. So I knew about that coup. I can say that now but I could not say that then because, in the army, the mere knowledge of a coup is a problem. We were together in India. So, he informed me about it and I enquired more about how he hoped to carry out the plot. When he told me that it would involve killings,  I told him to count me out. I told him that I did not join the Nigerian Army to kill Nigerians.

Was he the one that personally approached you to inform you about the plan?

Yes, he personally came to inform me about it in 1964 when we were in India and the coup was carried out in 1966. Few other things happened which we cannot say now until the time is ripe.

M. I. OKPARA CANNOT BE COMFORTABLE IN HIS GRAVE

 By Mazi Omife I. Omife,  Mbuze Mbaukwu

When Zik, the spirit man, left Onitsha province, Awka District, to Umuahia and appointed Dr. M. I. Okpara as the premier and late Dr.  Akanu Ibiam as the Govenor of Eastern Region of Nigeria, people did not have much qualms about Ibiam. After all, they said, the post of a Governor was a ceremonial one.

 In the case of Okpara, some people were skeptical about his eligibility for the position of premier which was an executive position. In the first place,  people did not know much about him like Dr. J. O. J. Okezie and others associated with  known Zikists and die hard supporters of the great Zik of Africa.

 Secondly, people said he was too fat, which they assumed had something to do with dullness, timidity and lack of leadership charisma, believing that the politics of those days called for a very agile, brave and vibrant person who had the gut to play the hot tribal Nigerian politics of the time and look at other politicians from other regions in the eye without blinking or shying away whenever the situation called for it, which qualities they thought Okpara did not possess, judging by his physical appearance.

 All this while, M. I. Okpara kept his calm and this calmness seemed to give credence to what people were thinking. Could this man carry the cross left behind by the great Zik?

 However, in a short while, the same people began to see the true M. I. Okpara in action as a man of courage, charisma, leadership acumen, patriotism and a leader with full Igbo blood running in his veins.

 Once when late Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo came to the East for political campaign, the Aba boys threw stones at him and his entourage. The story was everywhere. The Western  press was furious in condemning the action. Even the Federal Government of Alhaji Tafewa Balewa condemned it vehemently.

 Before then, an event had been fixed at Ibadan where M. I. Okpara was billed to present a paper and the event was in a month’s time. The then premier of Western region, Sir Akintola, in reaction to the Aba incident, publicly warned Okpara not to set his foot in Ibadan. But M. I. Okpara would not yield to that threat.

Lt. Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu wrote to Lt. Col. Victor Banjo

 BACK  TO  HISTORY :

 Lt. Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu wrote to Lt. Col. Victor Banjo commanding him to invade and liberate Western Nigeria (Yorubaland) from the “Hausa/Fulani dominated Nigeria”.

 From: The Military Governor,

Republic of Biafra,Enugu,

22nd August, 1967.

My dear Victor,

 1. For some time now, you and I have been discussing the circumstances that have led to the current and inevitable disintegration of what was the Federation of Nigeria. We have been fully convinced that the aim of the Hausa/Fulani complex has ever been, and will ever remain, the total domination of every other part of what was known as the Federation of Nigeria. It is impossible to forget that the crisis which led to the army take over in January 1966, the coup of the Northern soldiers led by Gowon in July 1966, the wholesale and indiscriminate massacre of the people of what is now Biafra- and, to a less degree,the people of the Mid-West and West, including the Yorubas, were all the direct result of Hausa/Fulani attempt to subjugate and use as tools,the gallant people of Western Nigeria namely the Yorubas. We do not need to remind ourselves of the heavy losses in life and property suffered by the Yoruba people in their fight for justice and freedom during 1965.

 2. Sharing our belief that the people of Yorubaland have a right to live a life of equality and self-respect and justice free of domination and dictatorship from any quarter, you have both identified with the cause of the Biafra struggle for survival and expressed your determination to see the people of Yorubaland freed from Hausa/Fulani domination.

We, the people of Biafra, for our part are willing and have decided to give you and the people of Yorubaland every assistance to achieve your aim.

 3. After clearing the whole question with my Executive Council, I, as the Commander in Chief of the Biafran Armed Forces, have decided to place at your disposal Biafran forces, for the liberation of

Yorubaland on the following clear conditions:-

 (i)You will have nothing to do with the Military Administrator in the Mid-West Territory during your sojourn there prior to your move to the West.

 (ii)The willingness and preparedness of Biafra to assist any part of the former Federation of Nigeria wishing and willing to liberate itself from the Hausa/Fulani domination, does not in anyway whatever

Bastardisation of Igbo chieftaincy titles no longer acceptable - Ndigbo

*It is worrisome, we should fashion a general rule to safeguard our cultural values - Ohanaeze

*Monarchs should scrutinize recipients - Eze Nwabeke

*Some monarchs debased titles by advertising them on social media - Ozo Anaekwe

*It is against natural justice to give chieftaincy titles to people of questionable character - Igwe Ukuta

VANGUARD  Wednesday, July 15, 2020

By Anayo Okoli, Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Ugochukwu Alaribe, Chinedu Adonu, Chinonso Alozie & Ikechukwu Odu – Enugu

Ab initio, in Igbo land, chieftaincy titles are conferred only on illustrious men and women who have distinguished themselves in one thing or the other.

Some of them through their philanthropic disposition built roads, schools, churches, industries, markets, instituted scholarships to the people and other commendable and developmental projects/activities. Then, chieftaincy titles had value and respect. They were not common because they were not gotten easily.

But today, the situation has changed for bad. Chieftaincy titles no longer carry weight; they have lost their respect and value as they are purchased from traditional rulers, some at ridiculous prices.

Monarchs now dish titles out to even men of questionable characters, including known fraudsters, just because they have the money to throw around. Today, the once prestigious titles meant for men of good heart and goodwill have been bastardized and almost made worthless.

This, no doubt is giving some Igbo people concern, including the apex Igbo body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Some Igbo leaders, traditional rulers inclusive attributed the problem to various issues.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in particular, regretted that the cultural values of Ndigbo have been badly eroded in every aspect to the extent that chieftaincy titles now go to people with very questionable characters.

According to Prince Uche Achi-Okpaga, the national publicity secretary of the apex Igbo body, the bastardization of chieftaincy titles is part of the entire mess Igbo culture and tradition have gone through.

"The crux of the matter is that our cultural values have been ferociously eroded in all ramifications. The issue of chieftaincy titles does not exist in oblivion. It is part of the entire mess.

“Our young men, in the words of Prof Chinua Achebe, "…whose palm kernels were cracked by benevolent gods…" covet chieftaincy titles as if their lives are tied to it.

PROJECT MAYROCK : A PROMISE FULFILLED.

....

In the days following the stroke which would eventually take his life, one issue weighed heavily on Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s mind. That ‘issue’ was the immortalization of Bruce Mayrock, the 20 year old who set himself ablaze in front of the UN Building in New York on this day (29th Of May) in 1969 to draw attention to the plight of the Biafran people (a people whom he had never met, and whom he believed were at the brink of extermination, engaged in a desperate war for survival), who died in the early hours of 30th May, on the anniversary of the declaration of Biafra.

‘There is still time’, I had assured my anxious spouse.. ‘You will get through this, and then you will do it, as you planned’.

His response destabilized me. ‘I am a soldier..’ he said, looking straight into my eyes with all the equanimity of a man whose fate already lay before him; 

‘the only modes of death  I am conditioned to anticipate, happen to be death at the battlefield or by execution...I never expected to get this far. If I don’t make it, Do what you can...our people must never forget....’

Sadly, he did not survive....And steadily I embarked, stage by stage, upon Project Mayrock which, to the Glory of God, is nearing completion and slated for commissioning by the end of the year. It is our hope that the surviving brothers of Bruce Mayrock will attend the ceremony. The Mayrock is a three story edifice including a conference hall with Projectors ,an exhibition floor that will house artistic depictions, iconic photos and historic scenes of our 30 month long heroic battle for survival. Sculptures of Bruce Mayrock will adorn the landscape and memorial hall. Pupils from various schools will have an opportunity to visit and learn more about our struggle. The buildings and some of the artworks as shown here are still in process, however since this particular anniversary marks 50 years of the end of the Biafra War - a momentous milestone- I thought it timely to share this initiative. The only input you are required to make into this project is to pass on the story of this selfless sacrifice, and that of so many others to our struggle, to your children. ‘A nation which forgets it’s defenders will itself be forgotten’(Calvin Coolidge).

FG disputes $25bn Diaspora Remittance figure

VANGUARD Nigeria. Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Written by Victoria Ojeme & Omeiza Ajayi

Remittances to other countries

The Federal Government has disputed the $25 billion figure said to be the annual remittances of Nigerians in diaspora, saying the figure is actually higher.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Enyeama disclosed this Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of a two-day Technical Workshop on Diaspora Remittances and Sustainable Development under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Belgium and the French Republic.

Enyeama who said the figure often bandied about is actually not a true reflection of diaspora remittances to Nigeria, however, said the challenge with most countries is how to channel such remittances to development.

“As you know, in the past few years, it is said that Nigerians in diaspora remittances is $25 billion. The figure being bandied about is $25billion per year in remittances.

“Well, I read not too long ago that this figure is inaccurate. It is very far from being accurate because when you logically think about it, it is huge and as they say, it even dwarfs the budget. It is hard to fathom. So, I think there is some debate as to how accurate that really is. But of course, we will love it to be that. There are huge resources coming into the country from Nigerians in diaspora and the challenge, as with most countries, is how to channel those resources to development”, he said.

The minister, who stressed the importance of diaspora remittances to sustainable national development, especially if properly harnessed urged stakeholders to, however, consider the cost of remitting the funds home, saying there was the need to make it easier for those in the diaspora to remit funds.

“In the past few years, the Nigerian diaspora has remitted billions of dollars to their kith and kin back home at a very high premium. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2018, diaspora remittances to Nigeria was about U525 billion. This represents 6.1 per cent of our GDP and 83 per cent of our national budget. It is also 11 times the foreign direct investment flows into the country within the same period.

“This should show us the importance and the value that could derive from these remittances if properly harnessed. On the flip side, we should also consider the cost of remitting these funds back home. We therefore need to make it easier for those in the diaspora to remit funds back home and find ways of harnessing these funds for national development,” he urged.

Access Bank acquires Kenyan bank, gets CBN approval

Punch Nigeria. Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Written by Nike Popoola and Feyisayo Popoola

The Central Bank of Nigeria has given Access Bank Plc an approval to acquire Kenya's Transnational Bank.

The Board of Directors at the Access Bank Plc on Monday confirmed the proposed acquisition of the Kenyan Bank, according www.pulse.ng.

Transnational Bank is a medium-sized commercial bank with a focus on Kenya's agricultural sector.

Access Bank announced the completion of the second phase of its integration, where all core banking platforms were merged into one.

The bank said in a statement on Monday that the completion of the phase heralded the delivery of one of the most robust banking platforms in the world that would serve its rapidly-growing base of over 30 million customers seamlessly and enhance its service delivery and uptime targets to facilitate customer delight in its banking services.

According to the statement, one of the benefits of the integration is the simplicity of initiating and receiving bank transfers as customers will no longer need to select between 'Access' or 'Access (Diamond)' when transacting.

The Group Managing Director, Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, lauded the various committees for their efforts during the period of the integration, saying, "A special thank-you to the integration committee for ensuring all the milestones expected at the various stages of integration were achieved within the scheduled timeframe."

The Executive Director, Retail Banking, Access Bank, Victor Etuokwu, added that the bank was now better positioned than ever to serve its customers with the best solutions and service the industry had to offer.

He said, "At Access Bank, delivering the best services possible to our customers remains our highest priority. We can now offer the best digitally-driven financial solutions that will make our customers' transactions simpler, faster, convenient and even more secure than ever."

Etuokwu said the bank was making all NIBSS-Instant-Payment transfers free from November 1 to 7.

Yoruba leaders disagree over origin, meaning of their name

Vanguard Nigeria. Saturday, October 26, 2019
By Dayo Johnson, Ola Ajayi, Rotimi Ojomoyela, Shina Abubakar

…'Yoruba' is derived from derogatory word, 'Yariba'-Fani-Kayode
…Why earliest Hausa/Fulani called our forefathers 'Yariba'- Prof Ajala
…It was accepted, adopted out of ignorance -Rt Hon Jumoke Akindele
…It's an untrue, unreliable history-Chief Erubami
…O'dua citizens must rise up now -Yoruba Council of Elders
…Yoruba doesn't exist in Ifa - Elebuibon



Yoruba is one of the three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria.They are concentrated in the Southwestern part of Nigeria.

The people constitute about 40 million in the West African region and 35 per cent of Nigeria's population making them one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa according to CIA World Factbook.

The people of this ethnic group were regarded as descendants of a hero called Odua or Oduduwa and they are generally called Yoruba and have Yoruba as their common language though they have several dialects. But do the people who are called by that name really know the origin and the meaning of the word 'Yoruba'? How did the word 'Yoruba' come about?

A member of the race and former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has traced the history behind the name. His discovery stung him. He has therefore rejected to be called 'Yoruba', which he discovered to be insulting and derogatory and called on all the descendants of Oduduwa to renounce the name given to them by their historical adversaries.

According to Chief Fani-Kayode in his official Tweeter handle, the Hausa/Fulani gave the people of the South West region the name 'Yariba', from which Yoruba was derived, which means "shady and unreliable".
He said "I reject that strange name and label. I am not a 'Yariba' or 'Yoruba' but an 'Omo karo jire or an 'Oduduwan' and my language is not 'Yoruba' but 'Anago'. We are what we call ourselves. We are not "shady and unreliable"(Yariba) and we must not accept names given to us by our historical adversaries.

"Any Omo Karo jire or Oduduwan that continues to call himself a 'Yoruba' is lost and does not know the implications of what he is doing to his own people. He is simply affirming and confirming an insulting label which has deep sinister, mystical and spiritual connotations.

The current Igbo are "inferior Igbo." - Obi Nwakanma.

By  Professor Obi Nwakanma

INTERESTING
The current Igbo are "inferior Igbo." - Obi Nwakanma.

Nwanna, Many years ago, the General, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu spoke about the "Biafra of the mind." Only a few, I think, understood him. Well, they say, only the deep speak to the deep.

But let me attempt here to tease out Dim Ojukwu's prescription: the greatest proof of Igbo survival and aspiration must be to model, wherever Onye-Igbo stands, the ethos of innovation, excellence, ingenuity, and ability that marked the Igbo endeavor in Biafra. We must also use Biafra as the stepping stone to a higher vision of the Igbo place in the world.

There is no single proof or evidence today that the Igbo of this generation are capable of transforming any nation to which they lay claim. I have looked; I have studied the Igbo situation, and I have listened to my Igbo kinsmen, and I think something is fundamentally wrong: the Igbo are trapped in a deadening hate, self-pity and nostalgia. It is the kind of nostalgia that is both defeatist and deadly because it continues to romanticize the past while the future speeds away.

The Igbo cannot wait until they achieve Biafra or a separate nation in order to build and secure Igbo land. Soon after the end of the war, Igbo survivors of the war, girded their loins and embarked on the work of restoration. With singular grit, they revived the economy of the East, and by 1979, just nine years after the end of the war, were ready to take on the rest of the nation again. We their children are a disgrace to the spirit of those men and women.

The Igbo are today a beggarly nation of impotent, lachrymal people now weeping about "marginalization" and waiting for Nigeria to collapse or let them go, so that they will go and make something of themselves. This is an over-indulged generation. The last of the Igbo are old and dying; the current Igbo are "inferior Igbo." They are just waiting for Godot.

Now, you say, the only time the Igbo will work is if power remains in the South. I think this is too simple. Take a look around you, where are those Igbo men and women? Which Igbo today have the sagacity of Zik, or the courage of Okpara, Mbakwe, or Ojukwu, the capacity of Ojike or Okigbo, the fierce pride and stabilizing force of the old Igbo women, the organizational acumen of an RBK Okafor, the selfless pride of those Igbo of the last generation, who always rose to the occasion when the Igbo summoned them to great causes, including giving their widows mite without question, for as long as "they Igbo have said..."

Now, what I'm trying to say, people, before I lose you, is that the Igbo have left the land, and the land has left the Igbo. There is incoherence. And an Incoherent people cannot run an independent nation, simple.

Igbos are not united: WE ARE IGBOS. DEAL WITH IT.

Igbos are not united!

It was the same people who sell you the stereotype that Igbos are not united that came out, to fight the unity of Igbos at Okota/Ago, other parts of Lagos and Igbo land in general.

Seeing that their narrative is failing, they are now selling another narrative. They are saying Igbos are putting all their eggs in one basket. 
How can the whole of the Igbos vote PDP?
Now we are being accused of not being divided enough to spare some votes for APC. Olee ihe emere ya adi uwa mma?

A little history will suffice. We are an egalitarian society. Indirect rule didn't work with Igbos.  It worked well with the North and the South West but not with Igbos. Warrant Chiefs didn't help matters either. So really, Igbos are not political lots. Same reason voter aparthy is highest in Igbo land.

But when we take a political stand, we speak with one voice. That is who we are. 
We have always done. We did it with Shagari, Obasanjo, Ya'radua and Jonathan. We are doing it against Buhari.

Make no mistake, we have always put our political eggs in one basket and that is who we are. That is why we don't entertain dynasties. The likes of Saraki and Tinubu and Mohammed won't last a decade in Igbo land (ask the Ubas of Uga).
We are decisive and courageous. If that is what you call arrogance, then so be it. But we will never stand on the fence.

I write this because of the young generation of Igbos in Nigeria. Go home to your fathers in the villages and ask questions. Learn how to be Igbo without being apologetic. The first thing people notice about an Igbo man is his enterprising spirit. It is not found anywhere else. Ihe agwo muru aghaghi ito ogologo.

We can't apologize for who we are. But what we do not have is the spirit of Nigerian politics. We don't play the politics of "Master say! Alhaji say! Baba so kpe! Everyone is a master in Igbo land. Onweghi onye na akpanye ibe ya nri.

The Igwe of my community has no more stake in the affairs of my community than I do. He is more of a representative of the people to the government and the custodian of our tradition than a "ruler" in the real sense of it. That is why we have the cabinet and elders in council.
Igbo amaghi eze. 

It is not a bad thing in a sense that decisions are collectively taken, from the household, through the hamlets to the community. It does not make us lawless lots. The consultative mechanism is our strength. Igwe bu ike.

HOW SAD FOR THE YORUBA NATION

The Republican News

FROM A TRUTHFUL YORUBA...

Did the Igbos put guns on anybody's head before buying up Alaba, Ajegunle, isolo and Oshodi in Lagos?

Did they use juju before the Ibadan surrendered Iwo Road to them?

And what were we looking at before the Igbos took over Isida and Adeti in Ilesa ?

Where were the YORUBAS when the Igbos thrived and built 90% of the Hotels in Abuja. Was there a law that excluded the YORUBAS from selling building materials? Dei Dei building materials market in Abuja is 90 % Igbo owned.

So the more we point one finger at the Igbos, the more we have the other four fingers pointing at our laziness and lack of initiative as a society.

The YORUBAS should have been better with all our education, but we may be worse than the Fulanis who just roam around the bush.

Why? Because we lack the entrepreneurship spirit. We just want salaries from doing 8am to 5pm job. We proceed in foolishness and we persist in hoping to reap plenty without sowing hard. The Igbos are different, hence we are now jealous and envious.

We love wasteful parties and Aso Ebi. Just a little business without even making any profit yet, we usually call musicians to spray money like coffetti .

Where are all the Board Members of Ebenezer Obey today? Where is lawyer Omoyinmi and Lanre Badmus? Where is Oroki Social Club of Osogbo? Where is Felates of Ilesa and the likes whose trade mark was to bring Sunny Ade to Ilesa every Xmas, to waste all income gathered for the year?

The Yoruba society wasted their leading lights on excessive consumption and wasteful attitudes. We wasted our capital on frivolous social gatherings.

We took religion to ridicoulous levels, such that the wealthiest pastors and churches are now Yorubas. But all the wealth extracted by the churches from the Yoruba nation is also merely flaunted to show whose God is the most miraculous. 

So we have become paupers and destitutes, as the Yoruba nation cannot now pay salaries. Pensions are owed for years.

Tell me, is Osun State filled with human beings or goats to have tolerated Aregbesola, when they rejected Akande. Say it loud, is the Constituted Authority of Ibadan sane to just bring about 21 Obas from nowhere to receive salaries, where there is no money to reopen Ladoja Akintola University?

Are the Ondos so wise to have allowed Mimiko to devastate their terrain as to be now saddled with 12 months salary arrears? What of Ekiti with rabble rousing Fayose and the intellectually arrogant Fayemi?