History and Nigerian Politics

By Tosin
I read with rapt attention to details given by both of you and I was left perplexed. Why should Nigeria and indeed Africa continue to loose it's best brains to mordern slavery? The brain drain syndrome is something that worries me daily, but unlike slavery of old where by our fore fathers were forced, we now go on our knees at never ending vigils at various emberssies pleading to be taken into slavery. When I was confirmed at the office, I wept, everyone around me congratulated me and were happy for me, what a ridiculous development? The situation Nigeira has found itself now is apalling. Imagine the amount of time, energy and even money we all put into the development of these so called developed countries? Now we all have to look out for ourselves living second class. Pity. I respect your intellectual abilities boys and I hope one day, when you boys are called up to take up the stage, you will be ready to serve. I honestly see it coming. I have a dream that someday, like it happened in Israel, we will decide to go back home and make a change by contributing our quota to the Nigerian and African development. We will silence the fowler.

Gentlemen, I have only been abroad about 3 months and so I can still speak on the political situation in Nigeria to a reasonable extent. Our problem simply lies in unity; we have refused to be unted. We have refused to see the nation Nigeira and choose instead to see Ilaje, Ijesha, Hausa, Ibibio, ibo, warri and all sort nonesense. it is amazing that we would rather install a President in Nigeria, not because he is capable, but because it is the turn of his state or tribe to rule the nation and he is the most influencial in the state. Tell me, how many LEADERS, in every sense of it has Nigeria been able to put forward to rule it? What encouragement has been given to the average Nigeiran to take center stage? Is anyone here abreast with goings on in Oyo state and Anambra? Touts are ruling the country. There is simply too much power at the centre and so the President can easily dole out billions of naira to have the constitution amended to forestall him succeding himself.

I have read the Nigeiran constitution, I even have it here with me in London, but it is filled with holes just as Nigeiran history is filled with holes. I will come back to a few points on the history of the country, but let me pull through with this first. The Nigeiran constitution has more portholes in it than Nigerian roads. Imagine a situation where you claim it is a purnishable offence to steal and yet no clear cut purnishment is spelt out nor even a way to go about purnishing such people. It is true and I agree in totality that the EFCC is a tool in the hands of the Government to deal with the oposition. Obasanjo has skeletons in his cupboard. He is mismanaging funds and redirecting the funds just as governors in various states are doing. You get away with it if you are in their camp, but you are picked up by the EFCC if you are in opposition camp. You know, Gbenga Daniel was in London recently and he was detained for money lundering, by the Federal government of Nigeria when contacted said it was alright that he was on an errand. He is a nobel servant and the President's Governor so, he was left off the hook.

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In the 1966 election where clearly, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, a true leader and a statesman won the election, Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe, another true leader and states man moved to annul the election result. The electoral commission had claimed Ahlhaji Tafawa Balewa won the election. Letters of the annulment had been sent out to the press and the Prime minister was to read the annulment speech the same day the letters were to be published in all the national dailies. Those letters, which had been sent out the previous day, indeed got to the newspaper offices but the offices were clamped down upon by men of the SSS. The letters never saw the light of day. But one did, the one sent out to the Editor in chief of the daily Pilot, Chief Ajuluchkwu and it was published to help preserve the good name of Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe. Within the twinkle of an eye, boys from the SSS stormed the head office of the Daily Pilot, clamped down on it's Editors and had they were forced to have a reprint of that day's new papers. The first set of papers were never seen again after that day. So it seemed till date that Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe actually conived to rig elections.

Brothers, copies of that same document published by the Daily Pilot are here in most British libraries. It is rather unfortunate. I will continue on this issue so, regard this as the first part of my defence on the kind of leaders NIgeria needs.