Nigeria @ 50 Cursory glances at the last five decades

Being text of speech delivered on 1st October 2010 to the Nigerian Community at the Liverpool Lighthouse, Liverpool UK


Prologue
I had the good fortune of attending Government College Ibadan - and I am proud to say we produced the greats like Cyprian Ekwensi, TM Aluko, Akinola Aguda, ‘Wole Soyinka et cetera - And also the University of Ibadan, the premier. One of my teachers told us that the Nigerian history books as written by the colonialist British authorities told us a whole load of cock and bull stories. For instance, by teaching us that the British expeditionist Mungo Park discovered the River Niger! Of course, he didn’t. Mungo Park was shown the way to the Niger by the indigenous people who he met in the area situated within the territory of the present day Nigeria. Some of them where actually living by the banks of the Niger when he set his eyes on the great river.

Another example is how they told us the story of how King Docemo (Oba Dosunmu) ceded the Territory of Lagos to the British Crown by virtue of the 1861 Lagos Treaty of Cession. The truth of the matter is that Oba Dosunmu never ceded possession of his land willingly. He was bullied, forced, arm-twisted and terrorised by the British colonial forces who had moored a gun-boat at the Lagos harbour pointing in the direction of Lagos Island and the palace. They overthrew an indigenous sovereign and claimed his land for the British monarch. The colonialists would call it gun-boat diplomacy. I dare say that if you do not write your stories, outsiders will shove down an embellished history down your throat. I progress to the matter of the day.

A brief insight into the naming of Nigeria
The entity now known as Nigeria had been known variously as the Niger-Coast Protectorate, The British Protectorate on the Niger River and the official title of Royal Niger Company Territories under the British colonial rule. ‘On January 1, 1900, the Royal Niger Company transferred its territories to the British Government for the sum of £865,000. The ceded territory together with the small Niger Coast Protectorate, already under imperial control, was formed into the two protectorates of northern and southern Nigeria.’

Nigeria was named by Dame Flora Louisa Shaw. Born in 1852 to an English Major-General George Shaw and a French mother Marie Desfontaines. She was a journalist with the Manchester Guardian and The Times newspapers. Shaw suggested the name Nigeria as a shorter name for the Niger-Coast Protectorate on 8th January 1897 in an article she wrote in The Times for the attention of the British Protectorate. It was an amalgamation of Niger area derived from the River Niger - In 1902 she married Sir Fredrick Lugard Governor General of Nigeria from 1914-1919 - Nigeria was thus a crude amalgamation by the colonial British forces to serve their selfish interests. And in 1958 Chief Obafemi Awolowo remarked at the Constitutional Conference that ‘Nigeria is just a mere geographic expression…’

The Flag was designed by Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi who was an Agric Engineering student here in the UK in 1958 He was awarded a prize of £100 for the winning entry out of 2870 contestants. The colour green stands for the abundant forests and green scenery of the country. The white stands for peace. To the best of my knowledge, up till six years ago, Akinkunmi lived close to the popular Queens cinema in Ekotedo, Ibadan. His mental health had gradually degenerated. The only pointer to his deed as the designer of the national flag is that his Ekotedo residence was painted in the colours of the Nigerian flag by the Oyo State Government a few years ago. Akinkunmi could often be seen wandering in tattered clothes and shoes on the streets of Ekotedo.

The first National anthem ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’ was written by two British women and was replaced by ‘Arise O Compatriots’. The lyrics were formed from the lines of the best five entries sent in by five Nigerian citizens John A Ilechukwu, Eme Elum Akpan, BA Ogunnaike, Sota Omuigi and PO Aderibigbe. The music was composed by the Nigerian Police led by Ben Odiase.


The Dawn of a New Era 1960 – 1966
Nigeria ought to have been granted independence earlier in 1957; the North told the British colonial powers that we were not yet ready. Nigeria lost that pride of place to Ghana.

The ruling Northern Nigerian elite were suspicious of Nigerian unification and believed that the Northern Region would lag behind the better educated and dynamic south. This can be seen in this excerpt from Balewa’s speech

“The southern tribes who are now pouring into the north in ever increasing numbers…do not mix with the northern people in social matters and we…look upon them as invaders. Since 1914 the British government has been trying to make Nigeria into one country, but the Nigerian people themselves are historically different in their backgrounds, in their religious beliefs and customs, and do not show themselves any sign of willingness to unite. So what it comes to is that Nigerian unity is only a British intention in the country.”

Even Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Premier of the Northern region said

"We do not want to go to [Lake] Chad and meet strangers catching our fish in the water, and taking them away to leave us with nothing. We do not want to go to Sokoto and find a carpenter who is a stranger nailing our houses .I do not want to go to the Sabon-Gari in Kano and find strangers making the body of a lorry, or to go to the market and see butchers who are not Northerners."

Balewa went to America in 1955 on a fact-finding mission. He seemed to have subsequently recanted his views on Project Nigeria

"In less than 200 years, this great country [America] was welded together by people of so many different backgrounds. They built a mighty nation and had forgotten where they came from and who their ancestors were. They had pride in only one thing -their American citizenship... I am a changed man from today. Until now I never really believed Nigeria could be one united country. But if the Americans could do it, so can we."

Balewa also proposed an amendment to Nigeria's constitution to give due recognition to the nation building role played by then Governor-General Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

“Nnamdi Azikiwe shall be deemed to be elected President of the Republic on the date of the commencement of this Constitution”

Azikiwe is referred to by name in Nigeria's 1963 constitution, and he is the only living individual constitutionally enshrined by name in his democratic country's constitution.


1966 The year of the two coup d’états
Permit me to read excerpts of the first coup broadcast in Nigeria to you.

‘In the name of the Supreme Council of the Revolution of the Nigerian Armed Forces, I declare martial law over the Northern Provinces of Nigeria. The Constitution is suspended and the regional government and elected assemblies are hereby dissolved.

Our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places that seek bribes and demand 10 percent; those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers or VIPs at least, the tribalists, the nepotists, those that make the country look big for nothing before international circles, those that have corrupted our society and put the Nigerian political calendar back by their words and deeds.

Like good soldiers we are not promising anything miraculous or spectacular. But what we do promise every law abiding citizen is freedom from fear and all forms of oppression, freedom from general inefficiency and freedom to live and strive in every field of human endeavour, both nationally and internationally. We promise that you will no more be ashamed to say that you are a Nigerian.

I leave you with a message of good wishes and ask for your support at all times, so that our land, watered by the Niger and Benue, between the sandy wastes and gulf of guinea, washed in salt by the mighty Atlantic, shall not detract Nigeria from gaining sway in any great aspect of international endeavour. My dear countrymen, this is the end of this speech. I wish you all good luck and I hope you will cooperate to the fullest in this job which we have set for ourselves of establishing a prosperous nation and achieving solidarity.’

Let me remind you that Nzeogwu’s speech is forty-four years old. I leave you to judge whether his observations are out of place in today’s Nigeria or not.


Of course there was another coup in July 1966 which ushered in a gentleman known as Yakubu Gowon. It led to the deaths of numerous Army Officers especially those of Igbo extraction. It was known as ‘Operation Araba’ which meant ‘to separate’ or secession in the Hausa language. Since then things had literally fallen apart and the centre has not been able to hold. Not long after that Colonel Ojukwu proclaimed the South-eastern corner of Nigeria as the independent republic of Biafra. Civil war between Biafran secessionists and the Federal government broke out July 6. The war, which resulted in more than a million deaths, continued until January 1970 when Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo leading a marine division captured Biafran Radio. Ojukwu fled to the Ivory Coast.

"No victor no vanquished" - 1970
General Gowon generously offered reconciliation to the crushed Biafrans:

‘I solemnly repeat our guarantees of a general amnesty for those misled into rebellion. We guarantee the personal safety of everyone who submits to federal authority.’

There was no war crimes tribunal or witch-hunt of rival forces. Some were even reabsorbed into the Nigerian Armed Forces. We now co-exist, work together, inter-marry et cetera. When you compare this to the Rwandan genocide or the Liberian/Sierra Leonean crisis we are indeed lucky and kudos must be given to Gowon. Yours sincerely was in Rwanda in 2001 seven years after the war and visited several genocide sites in various towns and cities all over the country. You can still see fear on people’s faces and smell death in the air. The Rwandan prisons are full of genocidaires. We visited one of the prisons in the company of the then Rwandese Justice Minister and were also an observer at one of the trials at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda ICTR in Arusha, Tanzania. (And for your information, Nigeria did send troops to Rwanda as part of the UN contingent.)


(This part is the Chronology but it was delivered ex tempore. I have attached it as an appendix)

1975 till date - The musical chair years
Murtala Mohammed, Olusegun Obasanjo, Sheu Shagari, Buhari/Idiagbon (The kidnap of Dikko & Co. WAI) IBB, Shonekan, Abacha and Abiola (And their mysterious deaths), Abdulsalami, the second coming of Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Turai, Goodluck and Patience.
Abdulsalam organised elections and installed Obasanjo who in turn installed a sickly Yar’Adua he died as a rather tragic and lonely figure hijacked by wife and a few selfish individuals who cordoned him off and formed a cabal in Aso Rock.


CONCLUSION
Nigeria has suffered largely from world-wide bad press coverage, religious riots, and an aftermath of Islamic radicalisation due to the adoption of Sharia Law. The US enlistment of Nigeria on its Terror Watch list is an aftermath of the radicalisation of Umar Farouk Abdulmuttalab. This is a direct consequence of the lack of response and direction from the highest quarters in Nigeria.

Nothing as changed in our country. Recently, President Goodluck Jonathan was reported to have ordered for three presidential jets at the cost of N23bn and last week he attended the UN General Assembly in New York with an entourage of 120 personnel. 23 of these were staff of his wife. Even as we celebrate our Golden Jubilee in Abuja today, we were celebrating in the midst of bombs going off and people being evacuated by the emergency services. Here is what MEND The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, (MEND) said in its issued statement alerting participants of its intention to bomb the event:

‘With due respect to all invited guests, dignitaries and attendees of the 50th independence anniversary of Nigeria being held today, Friday, October 1, 2010 at the Eagle Square Abuja, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is asking everyone to begin immediate evacuation of the entire area within the next 30 minutes. This warning expires after 10.30Hrs

Several explosive devices have been successfully planted in and around the venue by our operatives working inside the government security services.

In evacuating the area, keep a safe distance from vehicles and trash bins.

There is nothing worth celebrating after 50 years of failure. For 50 years, the people of the Niger Delta have had their land and resources stolen from them. The constitution before independence which offered resource control was mutilated by illegal military governments and this injustice is yet to be addressed.’

Jomo Gbomo


The Great Nation Nigeria
We are the 6th largest producer of oil in the world. In fact Nigeria has been said to be a large natural gas reserve with oil found accidentally inside. Our natural gas reserve as at 1998 is estimated to last another 225 years. Yet we lack petrol for our cars, we lack energy to power our industries. I worked for a small joint-venture oil prospecting company in the Niger-Delta for two years. And I am proud to say that I ate, lived and worked with my Niger-Delta brothers and sisters in this period.

From Benin, Patani, Sagbama, Kaiama, Odi, Asamabiri, Oleh, Kalama, Biseni, Aboh, Iyedame, Mbiama, Joinkrama, Emesu, Ahoada, Yenagoa, Gbarain, Igbogene to the River Nun and we indeed sailed daily on the great River Niger. I journeyed through six hundred square kilometers of people living in anguish and bitterness. Poverty is rife; the indigenous peoples are angry and rightly so! There is nothing to show for the billions of litres of oil that has been siphoned from beneath their land. All we gave them in return is barren land, oil spillage, polluted water, daily gas flaring and acid rain and a heavy-handed suppression of voices that dared to challenge the status quo. The genie is out of the bottle now, the Niger-Delta problem cannot be wished away. We must resolve this issue amicably before this raging fire razes down the whole house.

We have the largest black population in the world (about 150 million). A military capacity of one million eligible men if it goes to war. One out of every 5 Africans is a Nigerian. (During the June 12 crisis the greatest fear was the humanitarian disaster that might occur if for instance 35 million inhabitants of the West of Nigeria were to flee into the West African sub-region. Ghana has a population of 20m, Sierra Leone 5.5m, Togo, Benin Republic, and Gambia about 1m each. The West African sub-region simply would not be able to cope with the humanitarian crisis)

In sports, Nigeria had played its part by winning laurels to Africa’s glory both at the Football Junior World Cup and Olympics.

Apart from ‘Operation Ghana Must Go’ which repatriated Ghanaian illegal immigrants to Ghana in the early 80s, Nigeria has been kind to its neighbours. The former Somali leader Siad Barre sought asylum in Nigeria. Indeed he is buried in Lagos. Hugh Masekela lived in Lagos in the 80s with Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Nigeria actively fought oppressive minority white regimes in Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa. She was declared a frontline State by the African Peoples Congress ANC and South West African Peoples Organisation SWAPO. We intervened in Liberia and spent $1m USD daily at the height of the operations. Yormi Johnson lived in Lagos on asylum. Charles Taylor was persuaded to evacuate to Calabar by the Nigerian authorities even as the US feared to enter into the theatre of conflict. Instead it stationed its armed forces on naval ships on Liberian high seas. Even the Bakassi Peninsular issue was handled with maturity between Cameroun and Nigeria without both nations going to war.

The father of the internet Philip Emeagwali is Nigerian, Wole Soyinka won the first intellectual Nobel Prize by an African in 1986, Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart is widely read as a standard African literature text in most African countries, and Chinamanda Ngozi Adieche is one of the new rising stars. Its artistes like Fela, Seal, Sade, Slash, Dr. Alban, Asa, Nneka, Tunde Baiyewu of the Lighthouse Family fame, Tuface of the African Queen fame all excel round the globe. The Nigerian media and press is one of the most robust in Africa. In 1957 the first TV station in Africa was established in Ibadan, Nigeria. Nollywood is the second largest film industry in the world.

Today as we celebrate 50 years we need to ask ourselves again, these pertinent questions ‘Where did it all go wrong? And where do we go from here?’ At midnight, just as my country turned fifty, I wished her Happy 50th Anniversary and I said a solemn prayer for her ‘may God deliver your soul from destiny changers’. Join me to say a big ‘Amen’. Thank you very much.



CHRONOLOGY (Delivered Ex tempore earlier in the speech)
Independence - October 1, 1960 Nigeria formally achieved independence as a Federation although it didn't become a full republic until 1963 when Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe took office as the Republic's first President.

Coup d’état - January 15, 1966 Junior officers calling for radical reforms attempt a coup, killing Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and two regional leaders, including the powerful leader of the North, Ahmadu Bello. The coup fails but what was left of the federal cabinet surrenders power to General John Aguiyi-Ironsi thus starting years of military rule.

"Operation Araba" - July 1966 Northern Army officers led by Major Murtala Mohammed plot secession. Southern officers are murdered. Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon the highest-ranking Northern officer becomes head of state and leader of the Supreme Military Council. By September, mob violence in the North results in the deaths of thousands of easterners residing there. Hundreds of thousands more begin streaming back home, urged on by the military governor of the east, Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Oxford-educated son of a millionaire.

Biafra - May 1967 Colonel Ojukwu proclaims that the South-eastern corner of Nigeria is now the independent republic of Biafra. He is its president. Civil war between Biafran secessionists and the Federal government breaks out July 6. The war, which results in more than a million deaths, continues until January 1970 when Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo leading a marine division captures Biafran Radio. Ojukwu flees to Ivory Coast.

"No victor no vanquished" - 1970

Murtala takes over - July 29, 1975 While attending a summit meeting of the Organization of African Unity General Gowon is overthrown in a bloodless coup by Brigadier General Murtala Muhammad. He promises a return to civilian and constitutional rule. Seven more states are created to give minority groups more say in national politics. He begins an aggressive program of reform, targeting the civil service in particular, but less than six months later is assassinated while stuck in a Lagos "go slow" or traffic jam.

Obasanjo takes the stage - Late February 1976 For the first time there is public outrage. Student protestors take to the streets. Reluctantly, Murtala Muhammed's deputy, General Olusegun Obasanjo, takes the reins of government and promptly executes over thirty of the coup plotters. Over the next three years a new constitution is drafted with separation of powers provisions and establishing a U.S. style presidency. Local governments are given greater autonomy.

A U.S. President goes to Africa - March 1978 President Jimmy Carter comes to Lagos, becoming the first sitting U.S. President to visit sub-Saharan Africa. Speaking in Lagos, Carter says he is committed to the independence of Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Civilian rule again – 1979 Elections result in a civilian government and Obasanjo becomes the first modern African military ruler to voluntarily hand over power to an elected government. Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a northerner, becomes president. But there are questions. Although Shagari won a clear majority with 34 per cent of the vote, he failed to meet the constitutional requirement that a candidate get at least 25 percent of the vote for each of Nigeria's 19 states. Public disenchantment sets in quickly as politicians help themselves to the spoils of office. Politics and the winning of contracts become inextricably entwined. Elections in 1983 were considered by many to be rigged.

Military rule again - December 31, 1983 Shagari is overthrown in a popular coup led by General Mohammed Buhari who promises to crackdown on corruption. General Ibrahim Babangida becomes his chief of staff. The regime introduces a heavy-handed War Against Indiscipline (WAI) and repression in an effort to reorient the society.

Babangida takes over - August 27, 1985 In another bloodless coup, Babangida ousts Buhari and is acclaimed by the public as "the Redeemer." Journalists and human rights activists were set free. Babangida pledges to do away with "old breed" politicians. In addition to his position as military head of state, Babangida assumes the titles of "executive president" and minister of defence. He promises to quit office by October 1990. Rioting throughout the country over religious, economic, and political issues led to a repressive crackdown followed by the banning of all political parties and Babangida pushes the date for civilian rule back to October 1992. We didn’t get much change under Babangida either. The regime became a by-line for corruption. Though he banned Decree No. 4 used by the duo of Buhari/Idiagbon, Babangida substituted it with Decree No. 2 which fell under the office Chief of General Staff’s (CGS). The regime has been accused of the murder of the late Newswatch journalist Dele Giwa. His counsel, late Gani Fawehinmi SAN was severally detained by IBB as he sought to expose the regime. (Even up to the Oputa Panel set up by the Obasanjo administration to redress all Human Rights Violation that occurred in Nigeria in the last four decades of Nigeria’s existence, IBB evaded scrutiny).

Coup attempt - April 22, 1990 Middle-ranking army officers attempt to overthrow Babangida. General Sani Abacha, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Chief of Army Staff, reaffirms the military's loyalty to Babangida and to continuing an effort to make a transition to a democratic, multi-party civilian-ruled state. The coup leader, a major, and 200 lower-ranking soldiers are arrested. By July, the major and forty-two of the soldiers are executed. Eventually more than 800 people are put on trial because of the coup attempt. In September, twenty-seven more of the arrested soldiers are executed.

Presidential elections - June 12, 1993 Only two political parties - both sponsored by the military - were allowed to contest. Moshood Kashimawo "MKO" Abiola, a Muslim Yoruba, gets the okay to campaign representing one of them, and declares that he has won. Observers and the vast majority of Nigerians agree and say it is the fairest election Nigeria has ever held. Abiola asks the international community to stand with him against the military. Babangida decides there should be a new vote and that Abiola will be banned from participating. Protestors bring Lagos to a halt, blocking streets and calling for the immediate installation of Abiola who flees Nigeria after getting death threats. Security forces begin rounding up democracy activists and leaders. Ogoni writer and environmental activist and founder of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, Ken Saro-Wiwa is arrested and imprisoned.

Babangida steps down - August 26, 1993 Babangida hands over power to a non-elected military-civilian Interim National Government(ING). The ING is rejected by most of Nigeria's unions who launch a national strike. In September Abiola returns to Nigeria and in November the High Court rules that the ING is unconstitutional and illegal. Sani Abacha steps in.

Abacha - November 18, 1993 Abacha dismisses almost every political appointment and government structure created under Babangida. He calls on the unions to return to work immediately. He promises to establish a constitutional conference. By the end of the month the unions have called off the general strike, the 1979 constitution has been reinstated and several prominent backers of Abiola are included in his cabinet.

1. of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Barrister & Solicitor.
2. Wikipedia accessed 1st October 2010 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Niger_Company
3. Wikipedia accessed 1st October 2010 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Niger_Company
4. Nigeria’s Forgotten Heroes Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa by Max Siollun http://maxsiollun.wordpress.com/2010/02/27/nigerias-forgotten-heroes-alhaji-sir-abubakar-tafawa-balewa/ accessed 1 October 2010
5. House of Chiefs Debates, 19 March 1965, p. 55 (mimeo).Quoted in Isaac O. Albert, "The Socio-Cultural Politics of Ethnic and Religious Conflicts," in Ernest E. Uwazie, Isaac O. Albert and Godfrey N. Uzoigwe, eds., Inter-Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution in Nigeria (New York: Lexington Books, 1999), pp. 73. See generally Human Rights Watch ‘They do not own this place’ 25 April 2006 http://www.hrw.org/en/node/11354/section/5 accessed 1st October 2010
6. Max Siollun op citato
7. S.157 1963 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria titled Nnamdi Azikiwe To Be President
8. Nigeria’s Forgotten Heroes: Nnamdi Azikiwe - “Father of the Nation” (Part 2) by Max Siollun http://www.nigeriansinamerica.com/articles/4183/1/Nigerias-Forgotten-Heroes-Nnamdi-Azikiwe--Father-of-the-Nation-Part-2/Page1.html accessed 1 October 2010
9. Excerpts of the radio broadcast by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu – announcing Nigeria’s first military coup on Radio Nigeria, Kaduna on January 15, 1966
10. About 75,000 were still awaiting trial seven years after the genocide. The Rwandese authorities have also resorted to village court trials known as Gacaca Courts to expedite trials. These are trials consisting of ordinary citizens without necessarily having any formal legal training.
11. See generally TURAI YAR’ADUA: Beware of her ‘kunu-seller’ looks! By Kola Alapinni published 8th May 2010 http://felalives.wordpress.com/2010/05/09/turai-yaradua-beware-of-her-%E2%80%98kunu-seller%E2%80%99-looks/
12. See also The Terror Watch List By Kola Alapinni: Nigeria’s Response http://felalives.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/the-terror-watch-list-nigerias-response/
13. 23 Accompany Jonathan’s wife By Musikiliu Mojeed 27 September 2010 Next 234 News http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5623766-147/23_accompany_jonathans_wife__.csp Accessed 30th September 2010
14. CIA country file on Nigeria 2001
15. Nigeria surpasses Hollywood as world’s second largest film producer UN News Centre 5th May 2009 http://www.un.org/apps//news/story.asp?NewsID=30707&Cr=nigeria&Cr1= accessed 1st October 2010 See also Franco Sacchi tours Nigeria’s booming Nollywood video filmed June 2007 http://www.ted.com/talks/franco_sacchi_on_nollywood.html Accessed 1st October 2010
16. http://allafrica.com/stories/200008240352.html Written 24th August 2000 accessed on 1st October 2010
17. Now the present US President Barack Obama would not even set foot in Nigeria. He went to Ghana instead.
18. Indeed when I was the Law Editor of NewAge Newspaper in Lagos 2003, I was the first journalist to break the news that the Oputa Panel Report would never be released as IBB had gone to court through his lawyer late Clement Akpamgbo the former AG Federation. This information was obtained during an interview with the then incumbent AG Federation Chief Akin Olujimi SAN in his law office in Ibadan days shortly after he was appointed to office.