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Awo Lecture: Why North Is A Problem To National Unity – Eminent Nigerians - Politics - Nairaland 3k191h

Awo Lecture: Why North Is A Problem To National Unity – Eminent Nigerians (8898 Views)

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supereagle(m): 5:01am On Mar 10, 2012
EMINENT Nigerians yesterday lamented the non-sustenance of the leadership qualities of late Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, saying that the north would not have constitued itself as the c the wheel of development and unity of the country had Awolowo’s policies been sustained.

They spoke in Lagos at the 2012 Obafemi Awolowo Annual Lecture, convened by Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, OAF.

Those who attended the event from across the six geo-political zones included the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, Emir of Zauazau Alhaji Shehu Idris, Obi of Onitsha Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Suru Gambari, King Edmund Daukoru Amyanabo on Nembe, King Dandeson Douglas, Jaja Amyanabo of Opobo, King Mujakpero Orodje of Okpe,

They also included former governors of Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo and Kaduna States, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Olusegun Osoba,Niyi Adebayo, Gbenga Daniel, and Alhaji Balarebe Musa as well as Prof Ben Nwabueze, Justice Modibo Alfa Belgore, Justice Mohammedu Uwais, Sen Olorunnimbe Mamora, Sen Anthony Adefuye, Chief Ebeneze Babatope, Sen Daisy Danjuma, Sen Jubril Aminu, Alhaji Musilui Smith, Chief Fredrick Fasheun, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, among others.

Speaking at the forum which was titled; Power Politics or Welfare Politics; Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the History of African Nationalist Political Thought, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, who chaired the occasion said that Nigeria lost the opportunity of having Awolowo as its president, noting that Awolowo was a credible leader.

Musa said, “Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo is the most qualitatively, outstanding, and memorable legend of Nigerian politics and governance since the 1940s. He is the one whose role in politics and governance can still be a reliable guide for any first-time President of Nigeria even though Nigeria ‘lost the opportunity of having Chief Awolowo as its National President.

North in the way of peace —Musa

“He knew how to be relevant both in government and in opposition. When he ceased to be the Premier of the old Western Region, he became a credible and dependable opposition leader. If his policy of free, qualitative, and functional education, for instance, had been implemented and sustained throughout Nigeria, the 40 -year gap in educational development between the northern and the southern parts, which inevitably makes the North stand more in the way of peace and national unity, would have been avoided; and the result of higher educational advancement would not have been almost absent in Nigeria.

“For the 1983 Presidential Election, even the arch opponents of Chief AwoIowo, the semi-feudal and conservative Northern oligarchy or Kaduna Mafia, as represented by the political group of late Shehu Musa Yar’aduwa, preferred him and went into a principled electoral alliance with the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, the political party he led. However, Nigerians are still hoping for Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s equivalent to emerge.”
Musa’s views were re-echoed by other speakers who called for late Awolowo’s style of leadership in the country. Speaking on the topic of the lecture, the Guest Speaker, Prof. Toyin Falola onished Nigerian leaders to emulate Awolowo’s prescription for the implementation of welfare politics.

His words: “The most imoportant lesson to take away from Awolowo’s work is his prescription for the implementation of wlafare politics. His legacy to Nigeria , and indeed the world, is the proposal of critical conceptions that must be infused into political leadership.

“He argued that leadership must be grounded in ethics, morallity of spending resources more carefully without curruption and with comion for people. Leadership must respect the rule of law and human rights and cannot be based on violence.”

Absence of transpernt government——Tinubu

Similarly, former Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos State regrreted that, “Awolowo’s leadership qualities are not visible today in gorvernance. All his priorities like rural intergration, welfare, priority of education are lacking. We are gradually moving away from the people. What is the menaing of governance if there is no welfare, development, transperency and ability.’’

Earlier, the Executive Director of OBF, Dr. Olatokunbo Dosumu-Awolowo had there was need to build bridges of understanding across the country to ensure unity in Nigeria.

She said, “This gathering says that inspite of current, seeming evidence to the contrary, there is still an overwhelming desire across the land to build bridges of understanding in order to remain brothers and sisters domicled in one united indivisble Nigeria and that the prospects for consensus building on cvritical national issues are not necessarily far-fetched.

“The presence of some of the most eminent royal fathers across Nigeria as well as this sizeable and high calibre audience, drawn from all sectors of the Nigerian society, leaves me virtually speechless, But it speaks eloquently to the fact that 25 years after his transition, Cheif Awolowo’s trailblazing leadership keeps being aknowledged and celebrated.’’

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/03/awo-lecture-why-north-is-a-problem-to-national-unity-eminent-nigerians/
papatosibe: 5:57am On Mar 10, 2012
Welfare politics . . . way to go.
Re: Awo Lecture: Why North Is A Problem To National Unity – Eminent Nigerians by Nobody: 6:59am On Mar 10, 2012
“He argued that leadership must be grounded in ethics, morallity of spending resources more carefully without curruption and with comion for people. Leadership must respect the rule of law and human rights and cannot be based on violence.”
That essentially is all that leadership entails. . . . but our present leadership all over the nation have none of this.
emron1(m): 11:16am On Mar 10, 2012
awo great as he might have been had a foult and that was short sightedness and ethnic bigotry. Why implement a policy to make a group of people poor in a country which they are a part of forgeting that statistics about poverty and wealth would not spareany region.
sunkoye: 11:35am On Mar 10, 2012
It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane and morons are usually attracted by other things than power.
member479760: 12:26pm On Mar 10, 2012
Even Yankee is a welfare country! if you are qualify you will even get free wee!
gbogboti: 12:32pm On Mar 10, 2012
When some people talk and blame other people for their miseries, I feel like slapping them ten times over. No region is responsible for another regions failure. Lets look at it this way. We both work in an organization that pays all staff salaries. What you do with it is your business. The north receives allocation like the west. What both parties chooses to do with theirs is their business. Does the north control governance in the western part of the country? I have travelled round and round. Apart from Lagos, no western state is better than Kaduna. I am from south-south. But have traveled and live in all parts of naija. I speak seven languages. Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and four others. Tinubu should go and sit down. Honestly, south-west is backward infra structurally and dirty.
presfedrep: 12:53pm On Mar 10, 2012
gbogboti:

When some people talk and blame other people for their miseries, I feel like slapping them ten times over. No region is responsible for another regions failure. Lets look at it this way. We both work in an organization that pays all staff salaries. What you do with it is your business. The north receives allocation like the west. What both parties chooses to do with theirs is their business. Does the north control governance in the western part of the country? I have travelled round and round. Apart from Lagos, no western state is better than Kaduna. I am from south-south. But have traveled and live in all parts of naija. I speak seven languages. Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and four others. Tinubu should go and sit down. Honestly, south-west is backward infra structurally and dirty.  
kaduna state or kaduna city?
Smh
ichidodo: 1:12pm On Mar 10, 2012
If d yiriba Nlers see any thread associated wit Dim Ojukwu, they whll begin to abuse d poor man and his tribe. Now this here is awolowoa 's turn and i bet u guys, i am goin to have gigantic orgasm on this one. Hehehe.
Dainfamous: 1:21pm On Mar 10, 2012
emron1:

awo great as he might have been had a foult and that was short sightedness and ethnic bigotry. Why implement a policy to make a group of people poor in a country which they are a part of forgeting that statistics about poverty and wealth would not spareany region.
akins56(m): 1:25pm On Mar 10, 2012
gbogboti:

When some people talk and blame other people for their miseries, I feel like slapping them ten times over. No region is responsible for another regions failure. Lets look at it this way. We both work in an organization that pays all staff salaries. What you do with it is your business. The north receives allocation like the west. What both parties chooses to do with theirs is their business. Does the north control governance in the western part of the country? I have travelled round and round. Apart from Lagos, no western state is better than Kaduna. I am from south-south. But have traveled and live in all parts of naija. I speak seven languages. Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and four others. Tinubu should go and sit down. Honestly, south-west is backward infra structurally and dirty.  
u are an absolute idiot we are talking abt development in of education,infrastructural devolopment,and maintenance of existence ones i live in kaduna city and i say authoritavely that 85% of d existence infrastructure in kaduna central(city) are d ones built in d 60's and 70's and d region of kaduna south(kafanchan and d rest) are far backward in of developments likewise for most northern states except d likes of kano city,kaduna city,bauchi no other northern state can be compared wt none of d 6 yoruba states.
juman(m): 1:39pm On Mar 10, 2012
Most of the traditional rulers that attended the occasion are really part of the country's problems.

Chief Awolowo did his part and did it well.

Most of the politicians today are just big mouth and nothing to deliver.
Kachi01: 1:42pm On Mar 10, 2012
Is it not Awolowo that advice Gowon to block Biafra's source of geting food so that they will surender? All of us are now surfering this illegal mariage of 1914. No complains.
ushafe(m): 1:59pm On Mar 10, 2012
Our God is Good
Dainfamous: 2:01pm On Mar 10, 2012
Awolowo have damaged his reputation in Nigeria he will always go down in history as a tribalist and a bigotry  wink wink smiley angry
Baawaa(m): 2:07pm On Mar 10, 2012
Gathering of rubbers Daniel and co
moshoodn(m): 2:18pm On Mar 10, 2012
Baawaa:

Gathering of rubbers Daniel and co
it was a mistake having daniel there
DaLover(m): 2:31pm On Mar 10, 2012
papatosibe:

Welfare politics . . . way to go.

I would beg to differ here, if we have the same defination of welfare politics, my defination would be putting the downtrodden before commercial development, i personaly the reserve, especially with the limitex resources at hand
Dede1(m): 2:56pm On Mar 10, 2012
supereagle:

EMINENT Nigerians yesterday lamented the non-sustenance of the leadership qualities of late Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, saying that the north would not have constitued itself as the c the wheel of development and unity of the country had Awolowo’s policies been sustained.

They spoke in Lagos at the 2012 Obafemi Awolowo Annual Lecture, convened by Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, OAF.

Those who attended the event from across the six geo-political zones included the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, Emir of Zauazau Alhaji Shehu Idris, Obi of Onitsha Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Suru Gambari, King Edmund Daukoru Amyanabo on Nembe, King Dandeson Douglas, Jaja Amyanabo of Opobo, King Mujakpero Orodje of Okpe,

They also included former governors of Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo and Kaduna States, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Olusegun Osoba,Niyi Adebayo, Gbenga Daniel, and Alhaji Balarebe Musa as well as Prof Ben Nwabueze, Justice Modibo Alfa Belgore, Justice Mohammedu Uwais, Sen Olorunnimbe Mamora, Sen Anthony Adefuye, Chief Ebeneze Babatope, Sen Daisy Danjuma, Sen Jubril Aminu, Alhaji Musilui Smith, Chief Fredrick Fasheun, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, among others.

Speaking at the forum which was titled; Power Politics or Welfare Politics; Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the History of African Nationalist Political Thought, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, who chaired the occasion said that Nigeria lost the opportunity of having Awolowo as its president, noting that Awolowo was a credible leader.

Musa said, “Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo is the most qualitatively, outstanding, and memorable legend of Nigerian politics and governance since the 1940s. He is the one whose role in politics and governance can still be a reliable guide for any first-time President of Nigeria even though Nigeria ‘lost the opportunity of having Chief Awolowo as its National President.

North in the way of peace —Musa

“He knew how to be relevant both in government and in opposition. When he ceased to be the Premier of the old Western Region, he became a credible and dependable opposition leader. If his policy of free, qualitative, and functional education, for instance, had been implemented and sustained throughout Nigeria, the 40 -year gap in educational development between the northern and the southern parts, which inevitably makes the North stand more in the way of peace and national unity, would have been avoided; and the result of higher educational advancement would not have been almost absent in Nigeria.


“For the 1983 Presidential Election, even the arch opponents of Chief AwoIowo, the semi-feudal and conservative Northern oligarchy or Kaduna Mafia, as represented by the political group of late Shehu Musa Yar’aduwa, preferred him and went into a principled electoral alliance with the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, the political party he led. However, Nigerians are still hoping for Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s equivalent to emerge.”
Musa’s views were re-echoed by other speakers who called for late Awolowo’s style of leadership in the country. Speaking on the topic of the lecture, the Guest Speaker, Prof. Toyin Falola onished Nigerian leaders to emulate Awolowo’s prescription for the implementation of welfare politics.

His words: “The most imoportant lesson to take away from Awolowo’s work is his prescription for the implementation of wlafare politics. His legacy to Nigeria , and indeed the world, is the proposal of critical conceptions that must be infused into political leadership.

“He argued that leadership must be grounded in ethics, morallity of spending resources more carefully without curruption and with comion for people. Leadership must respect the rule of law and human rights and cannot be based on violence.”

Absence of transpernt government——Tinubu

Similarly, former Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos State regrreted that, “Awolowo’s leadership qualities are not visible today in gorvernance. All his priorities like rural intergration, welfare, priority of education are lacking. We are gradually moving away from the people. What is the menaing of governance if there is no welfare, development, transperency and ability.’’

Earlier, the Executive Director of OBF, Dr. Olatokunbo Dosumu-Awolowo had there was need to build bridges of understanding across the country to ensure unity in Nigeria.

She said, “This gathering says that inspite of current, seeming evidence to the contrary, there is still an overwhelming desire across the land to build bridges of understanding in order to remain brothers and sisters domicled in one united indivisble Nigeria and that the prospects for consensus building on cvritical national issues are not necessarily far-fetched.

“The presence of some of the most eminent royal fathers across Nigeria as well as this sizeable and high calibre audience, drawn from all sectors of the Nigerian society, leaves me virtually speechless, But it speaks eloquently to the fact that 25 years after his transition, Cheif Awolowo’s trailblazing leadership keeps being aknowledged and celebrated.’’

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/03/awo-lecture-why-north-is-a-problem-to-national-unity-eminent-nigerians/

Political elites from northern region are masters of deceptive political crafts. Alhaji Balarebe Musa should be ashamed of himself for publicly spewing the above crap. The Awolowo’s junk but free education gimmick never saw eastern region of Nigeria. Yet by 1960, arguably eastern region had equaled or sured western region in every human endeavor. This same plank of argument brought us quota system and northern region still count peanuts as school leavers. Every government of Nigeria headed by northerner since Nigeria’s independence had wheeled every bit of Nigeria’s economic infrastructures, military depots, businesses and educational apparatus to northern region of Nigeria. The mere backward appearance and assumed problem of northern region is rooted in Islamic religion, culture and tradition.
CaptBarbosa: 3:23pm On Mar 10, 2012
supereagle:

EMINENT Nigerians yesterday lamented the non-sustenance of the leadership qualities of late Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, saying that the north would not have constitued itself as the c the wheel of development and unity of the country had Awolowo’s policies been sustained.

They spoke in Lagos at the 2012 Obafemi Awolowo Annual Lecture, convened by Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, OAF.

Those who attended the event from across the six geo-political zones included the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, Emir of Zauazau Alhaji Shehu Idris, Obi of Onitsha Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Suru Gambari, King Edmund Daukoru Amyanabo on Nembe, King Dandeson Douglas, Jaja Amyanabo of Opobo, King Mujakpero Orodje of Okpe,

They also included former governors of Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo and Kaduna States, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Olusegun Osoba,Niyi Adebayo, Gbenga Daniel, and Alhaji Balarebe Musa as well as Prof Ben Nwabueze, Justice Modibo Alfa Belgore, Justice Mohammedu Uwais, Sen Olorunnimbe Mamora, Sen Anthony Adefuye, Chief Ebeneze Babatope, Sen Daisy Danjuma, Sen Jubril Aminu, Alhaji Musilui Smith, Chief Fredrick Fasheun, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, among others.
cheesy cheesy cheesy cheesy cheesy cheesy

Speaking at the forum which was titled; Power Politics or Welfare Politics; Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the History of African Nationalist Political Thought, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, who chaired the occasion said that Nigeria lost the opportunity of having Awolowo as its president, noting that Awolowo was a credible leader.

Musa said, “Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo is the most qualitatively, outstanding, and memorable legend of Nigerian politics and governance since the 1940s. He is the one whose role in politics and governance can still be a reliable guide for any first-time President of Nigeria even though Nigeria ‘lost the opportunity of having Chief Awolowo as its National President.

North in the way of peace —Musa

“He knew how to be relevant both in government and in opposition. When he ceased to be the Premier of the old Western Region, he became a credible and dependable opposition leader. If his policy of free, qualitative, and functional education, for instance, had been implemented and sustained throughout Nigeria, the 40 -year gap in educational development between the northern and the southern parts, which inevitably makes the North stand more in the way of peace and national unity, would have been avoided; and the result of higher educational advancement would not have been almost absent in Nigeria.

“For the 1983 Presidential Election, even the arch opponents of Chief AwoIowo, the semi-feudal and conservative Northern oligarchy or Kaduna Mafia, as represented by the political group of late Shehu Musa Yar’aduwa, preferred him and went into a principled electoral alliance with the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, the political party he led. However, Nigerians are still hoping for Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s equivalent to emerge.”
Musa’s views were re-echoed by other speakers who called for late Awolowo’s style of leadership in the country. Speaking on the topic of the lecture, the Guest Speaker, Prof. Toyin Falola onished Nigerian leaders to emulate Awolowo’s prescription for the implementation of welfare politics.

His words: “The most imoportant lesson to take away from Awolowo’s work is his prescription for the implementation of wlafare politics. His legacy to Nigeria , and indeed the world, is the proposal of critical conceptions that must be infused into political leadership.

“He argued that leadership must be grounded in ethics, morallity of spending resources more carefully without curruption and with comion for people. Leadership must respect the rule of law and human rights and cannot be based on violence.”

Absence of transpernt government——Tinubu

Similarly, former Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos State regrreted that, “Awolowo’s leadership qualities are not visible today in gorvernance. All his priorities like rural intergration, welfare, priority of education are lacking. We are gradually moving away from the people. What is the menaing of governance if there is no welfare, development, transperency and ability.’’

Earlier, the Executive Director of OBF, Dr. Olatokunbo Dosumu-Awolowo had there was need to build bridges of understanding across the country to ensure unity in Nigeria.

She said, “This gathering says that inspite of current, seeming evidence to the contrary, there is still an overwhelming desire across the land to build bridges of understanding in order to remain brothers and sisters domicled in one united indivisble Nigeria and that the prospects for consensus building on cvritical national issues are not necessarily far-fetched.

“The presence of some of the most eminent royal fathers across Nigeria as well as this sizeable and high calibre audience, drawn from all sectors of the Nigerian society, leaves me virtually speechless, But it speaks eloquently to the fact that 25 years after his transition, Cheif Awolowo’s trailblazing leadership keeps being aknowledged and celebrated.’’

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/03/awo-lecture-why-north-is-a-problem-to-national-unity-eminent-nigerians/
Afam4eva(m): 3:27pm On Mar 10, 2012
If not for the role Awolowo played during the civil war, he would have been one of my favourite leaders. Anyway, he still left his mark on the Yoruba race.
dayokanu(m): 5:38pm On Mar 10, 2012
Kachi01:

Is it not Awolowo that advice Gowon to block Biafra's source of geting food so that they will surender? All of us are now surfering this illegal mariage of 1914. No complains.

Was it Awolowo who ed the country together? If you want to blame anyone blame Azikwe the clueless Owelle

Da infamous:

Awolowo have damaged his reputation in Nigeria he will always go down in history as a tribalist and a bigotry  wink wink smiley angry

The bold shows you needed Awolowos free education
skido84: 6:00pm On Mar 10, 2012
In my opinion, Lord Lugard is the bane of our development.Yes ,he had good intentions that sadly turned out bad.  If he never married both regions,we would all be living happily ever after. Personally being yoruba ,i would be happy to live in a nation that spoke one language (my language) and shared the same/similar beliefs and i believe the same applies to every other ethnic group. Look at India,China,,spain and other developed/developing nations.They speak the same language in a literal and " un-literal" sense. When there's a need to accept a different culture,lifestyle and set of beliefs , it definately causes tension.One man's meat is another man's poison. But if there's a will, ready acceptance , a sort of brotherhood , then there's hope. And thats the case with Nigeria. We are unique because we are not a nation of 2,3,10, different people. We are a nation of over 300 ethnic groups.We've managed to stay together for over 40yrs.There were many opportunities,reasons,excuses to break off but we didnt.Its because God has a plan for this nation.A great one.It may not manifest now , but it will surely.
All this attack on each other,calling Awo a bigotry, insulting the north as backward etc is so not called for.Its all in the past. Are we going to keep looking backward,ing the hurts,and playing tat-for-tat like our parents? Or are we going to look past it,see a better future and tolerate our differences? Helping each other grow,whether we are 40yrs apart in educational development or not?  Because if we aren't ,God is willing to let a generation ( the isrealites in the wilderness for 40 yrs) in order to fulfill his purpose. Permit me to get biblical.
Re: Awo Lecture: Why North Is A Problem To National Unity – Eminent Nigerians by Nobody: 6:31pm On Mar 10, 2012
skido84:

In my opinion, Lord Lugard is the bane of our development.Yes ,he had good intentions that sadly turned out bad.  If he never married both regions,we would all be living happily ever after. Personally being yoruba ,i would be happy to live in a nation that spoke one language (my language) and shared the same/similar beliefs and i believe the same applies to every other ethnic group. Look at India,China,,spain and other developed/developing nations.They speak the same language in a literal and " un-literal" sense. When there's a need to accept a different culture,lifestyle and set of beliefs , it definately causes tension.One man's meat is another man's poison. But if there's a will, ready acceptance , a sort of brotherhood , then there's hope. And thats the case with Nigeria. We are unique because we are not a nation of 2,3,10, different people. We are a nation of over 300 ethnic groups.We've managed to stay together for over 40yrs.There were many opportunities,reasons,excuses to break off but we didnt.Its because God has a plan for this nation.A great one.It may not manifest now , but it will surely.
All this attack on each other,calling Awo a bigotry, insulting the north as backward etc is so not called for.Its all in the past. Are we going to keep looking backward,ing the hurts,and playing tat-for-tat like our parents? Or are we going to look past it,see a better future and tolerate our differences? Helping each other grow,whether we are 40yrs apart in educational development or not?  Because if we aren't ,God is willing to let a generation ( the isrealites in the wilderness for 40 yrs) in order to fulfill his purpose. Permit me to get biblical.

There is still hope for Nairaland. Your post shows wisdom and exudes calmness. I do pray Nigeria becomes a better nation together as one, Our diversity can be our strength!
marcus1234: 6:35pm On Mar 10, 2012
funshint(m): 6:38pm On Mar 10, 2012
If u lyk yab Great Awo anyhow; he 4ever remains an icon of hope. Even b4 d civil war tell me one laudable project carried out by Azikwe? Apart 4rm Ojukwu d Igbos hv been bestowed with very corrupt set of leaders. I don't even see any Igbo man winning any credible election in Nigeria at d Presidential level!
cfours: 6:41pm On Mar 10, 2012
Why are they waiting for a savior instead of starting to work on the problem. doesn't any one of those people in attendance have a vision?
The solution starts with you, not with a Awolowo reincarnate. That will never happen.


Even Awolowo could not have accomplished anything if nobody ed or helped to implement his vision.
igboboy1(m): 7:12pm On Mar 10, 2012
this ofenmanus sef, why do they care about unity? Agwo-wolowo said the Nigeria a "mere geographical expression" now here are his descendants talking about unity, confuse lots,
gidiMonsta(m): 7:56pm On Mar 10, 2012
Dede1:

Political elites from northern region are masters of deceptive political crafts. Alhaji Balarebe Musa should be ashamed of himself for publicly spewing the above crap. The Awolowo’s junk but free education gimmick never saw eastern region of Nigeria. Yet by 1960, arguably eastern region had equaled or sured western region in every human endeavor. This same plank of argument brought us quota system and northern region still count peanuts as school leavers. Every government of Nigeria headed by northerner since Nigeria’s independence had wheeled every bit of Nigeria’s economic infrastructures, military depots, businesses and educational apparatus to northern region of Nigeria. The mere backward appearance and assumed problem of northern region is rooted in Islamic religion, culture and tradition.

Apart from selling spare parts, importing knock off products, armed robbery, kidnapping, ritual killings and drug trafficking in what way has the eastern region sured the west?

Are you talking about the same religion of the Saudis, Jordanians, Omanis, Qataris, Emiratis, Malaysians and Indonesians? How come its a problem here and not there? If truly it is, then Christianity is also the reason why people like Ibori steal N4tr?
gidiMonsta(m): 8:01pm On Mar 10, 2012
skido84:

In my opinion, Lord Lugard is the bane of our development.Yes ,he had good intentions that sadly turned out bad.  If he never married both regions,we would all be living happily ever after. Personally being yoruba ,i would be happy to live in a nation that spoke one language (my language) and shared the same/similar beliefs and i believe the same applies to every other ethnic group. Look at India,China,,spain and other developed/developing nations.They speak the same language in a literal and " un-literal" sense. When there's a need to accept a different culture,lifestyle and set of beliefs , it definately causes tension.One man's meat is another man's poison. But if there's a will, ready acceptance , a sort of brotherhood , then there's hope. And thats the case with Nigeria. We are unique because we are not a nation of 2,3,10, different people. We are a nation of over 300 ethnic groups.We've managed to stay together for over 40yrs.There were many opportunities,reasons,excuses to break off but we didnt.Its because God has a plan for this nation.A great one.It may not manifest now , but it will surely.
All this attack on each other,calling Awo a bigotry, insulting the north as backward etc is so not called for.Its all in the past. Are we going to keep looking backward,ing the hurts,and playing tat-for-tat like our parents? Or are we going to look past it,see a better future and tolerate our differences? Helping each other grow,whether we are 40yrs apart in educational development or not?  Because if we aren't ,God is willing to let a generation ( the isrealites in the wilderness for 40 yrs) in order to fulfill his purpose. Permit me to get biblical.

Of all the countries listed in your post, its only that has an Homogenous language, Spain has over 7 recognised official languages, India is as diverse as Nigeria and only about 60% of Chinese people are native mandarin speakers. We do not have to speak the same language to be a Nation, like you said in your post God has kept us together for a reason, don't mind those NL warlords trying to drag the name of the greatest leader in Nigeria's history into the mud.
Dainfamous: 8:10pm On Mar 10, 2012
gidiMonsta:

Apart from selling spare parts, importing knock off products, armed robbery, kidnapping, ritual killings and drug trafficking in what way has the eastern region sured the west?

Are you talking about the same religion of the Saudis, Jordanians, Omanis, Qataris, Emiratis, Malaysians and Indonesians? How come its a problem here and not there? If truly it is, then Christianity is also the reason why people like Ibori steal N4tr?
they did by statistics in poverty from both regions smiley smiley
gidiMonsta(m): 9:12pm On Mar 10, 2012
Da infamous:

they did by statistics in poverty from both regions smiley smiley

cheesy cheesy grin grin grin I dey laff ooo.

yeah right, statistics my foot. undecided

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