INVESTIGATOR�S REPORT ON COMPLAINT
LAID BEFORE THE DIRECTORATE OF THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE STUDY
OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE BY THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BIAFRA

NIGERIA/BIAFRA CONFLICT
AN INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF JURIST FIND PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE OF GENOCIDE

Dr. Mensah summed up the Genocaust (Igbo Genocide and Holocaust) below:

�The Report suggests that this frustration resulted in the committing, with unbelievable impunity, of the most heinous crimes in human history.

The crimes are described in the Complaint all along, as genocide, but, from my investigations, it appears that there is more to it than genocide in the conventional sense. THE ALLEGED GENOCIDE COMMITTED IN BIAFRA AND, UNFORTUNATELY, CITED WITH LESS CLARITY IN THE COMPLAINT, MAY NEED A DIFFERENT TERMINOLOGY IN INTERNATIONAL LAW.�

Dr. Mensah in the above report continued:

�Factual Evidence of Genocide

As has been described in page five of the Complaint, in Kano, the capital of Northern region, there occurred in 1953 an uprising of the indigenous citizens of the area, directed against the citizens of the Eastern Region, as it then was. This uprising resulted in the extermination of a great number of persons of Biafran origin. It is relevant to note that this was the time when Nigeria was under colonial rule and the records of the barbarity of this extermination are available. Among the methods used were the shooting by means of bows and arrows, clubbing to death of old men, women and children, and the pounding to death of the wounded.

It is significant to note that, during the course of my investigations, I did not come across any individual in the public service, either in the Federation of Nigeria or in Biafra, nor any foreign nationals, resident at the time of this uprising who denied that great numbers of peoples of what is now known as the Republic of Biafra lost their lives at this time.

Again, in 1966 there was another episode of this similar incident directed against the citizens of the Eastern Region, resident in the Northern Region of the Federation of Nigeria. In that case extermination was not confined to residents in a single town in Northern Nigeria, but had more or less the character of a national tragedy and, what is more, the number of victims reached enormous proportions. At this time, the Federation of Nigeria was independent and members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria took part, and there appeared to be no restraint to the venom that the Northern element bore against the peoples of the Eastern Region.

I had the opportunity to investigate the veracity of the information regarding this holocaust and, here again, I found no one denying that this extermination took place. The extermination took place. The explanations that I had from officials of the Federation of Nigeria is that these incidents were excusable excesses of a people enraged by criminal tendencies within the Biafran residents of the North. Others think that it was unfortunate but they refused to think that this could be described as �genocide�.

The number of peoples killed in this massacre is variously described as between 36,000 and 42,000, but some of the witnesses in my investigations tend to think that this number is grossly exaggerated. I had no means for checking on the numbers, but, from the results of my investigations, and also from the reaction of peoples who gave evidence to me, I cannot help thinking that the number of people killed must be considerable.

In an endeavour to unravel the causes of these unfortunate lapses in civilized behaviour, resulting in this tragedy, a commission of enquiry was appointed out of a number of distinguished Biafran jurists, and the evidence produced before this Enquiry I find to be gruesome.

From witnesses, I was able to gather that there was a breakdown in law and order in the Federation of Nigeria during the time of the 1966 massacres, resulting in the mass exodus of peoples of Biafran origin from the Northern Region and the Western region into the Eastern region.

Hostilities between the Federation of Nigeria and Republic of Biafra commenced on 6^th July, 1967, and some witnesses maintain that these hostilities served as a continuation of an intention to exterminate the Biafran people; the view being that the war served as the Nigerian variant of what the Nazis called �the final solution� of the Jewish problem which involved a methodical extermination of the Jews in Europe.

Witnesses were able to testify that, in the Mid-West region, where there was a big concentration of Biafrans residing, mass exterminations took place in the towns of Benin and Asaba. In Asaba I was informed that all the males of Biafran origin were told to gather in the market-place to welcome the advancing Federal troops. What resulted was that all these people were razed to the ground by machine-gun fire. The witness who gave this statement was in the Mid-West region at the time of the incident, and he states that about 700 people were killed on this day of ceremonial welcome. The witness referred me to the Observer newspaper of the 21^st January, 1968, where this incident was reported.

In Benin, the Federal capital of the Mid-West, evidence was given that all Biafran residents in this town were called out into the open where they were also exterminated. Articles from newspapers reporting this incident were shown to me and I found particularly relevant an article written by Connor Cruise O�Brien, in which the barbarity of this incident is described.

From the Mid-West region, where it appears the �final solution� type of mass extermination of Biafrans started, the process became widespread in the order regions. This is what many maintained.

At Sapele all Biafran residents in this town were assembled in a Trade Centre three miles from the town, where they were razed to the ground by machine-gun fire from Federal soldiers. Witnesses gave 2,000 as the number of Biafrans exterminated in this incident.

Witnesses gave statements to the effect that the methods used in Sapele were repeated in the following towns � Warri, and Koko, involving the extermination of well over 2,500 Biafrans.

It was alleged that in Oguashi-Uku about 200 Biafrans mostly teachers and Civil Servants, were shot. I am informed that this happened in the month of May, 1968 and that the explanation that the Federal Military Authority gave was that the victims were guilty of having consorted with the enemy.

Ishagu � a small town with a population of 500, mostly Biafrans, was shelled, killing all inhabitants except 12 children, aged between 5 and 12 years. This allegation, I am informed, was confirmed by the Head of the Federal military Authority.

In other towns such as Ogoja, eleven Biafran dependents of government officials who had fled from the town were shot. This testimony was obtained from an eyewitness.

Enugu Ezike � Here testimony was that a Biafran Christian congregation was dragged out of the church in which they were praying and then shot.

Nsukka � Witness testified to me, mentioned that the moment this town was occupied by troops of the Federal Military Authority, all the male population in this town were called out and razed by machine-gun fire.

Onitsha � Witness testified to the fact that a number of people estimated to be about 200, who had collected in a church known as the �Church of Cherubim�, and who were praying, were dragged out of this church by troops of the Federal Army and also razed by machine-gun fire. I find it important to mention that this witness was in the vicinity of the area where this holocaust took place, and he added that in the pandemonium which occurred at the time of the shooting, the people around panicked and started running helter-skelter, and this attracted the attention of the Federal troops who, as a result turned their guns and started shooting into the crowd. He was wounded in the leg by the gunshot, and had his right leg amputated. He showed the stub of his leg to me, with tears streaming down his cheeks.

It was possible for me to interview a British doctor who had worked in the Federation of Nigeria for 11 years. He mentioned that at the time when hostilities between Nigeria and Biafra started, he was working in a hospital situated in a town called Itu. This town he mentioned as being an Ibibio area. In my interview with this Medical Officer, who has since returned from Nigeria, and is now resident in a Scottish town, he mentioned cases where, during the 1966 massacres, a great number of Biafrans brought out to his hospital were in such a ghastly state, and the number of those brought in was of such enormity, that it took him, and his team of medical officers, four days and four nights to be able to attend to the wounds of all those brought in. He recalled how sad he and his colleagues were about their inability to cope with the numbers in good time as required by medical practice. This he said resulted in many sick and wounded dying before they could receive medical aid.

Methods of Genocide

In my investigation into the methods used in committing the atrocities against the peoples of the Biafran origin, my witnesses described scenes which also appear to have followed the Nazi pattern of the final solution� which followed the Wannsee Conference.

a)      Evacuation:

I had witnesses who testified to the fact that in most areas where troops of the Federal Authority entered, peoples of Biafran origin were loaded on to trucks and taken out of towns. It was explained that these people were sent into the jungles where the older ones were assembled and shot, and their bodies were left to be disposed of by wild beasts that roam the jungles. The younger men were sorted out, and posted to the units of the Federal Army where they were used as cannon-fodder in attacks on Biafran positions. It was testified to me that the children were sent to the Northern region to be sold into slavery, and the women were made to serve in the camps of the Federal troops, where they were ravished.

The area of Biafra where this method was first used, it was testified to me, was Nsukka. A number of other witnesses mentioned that other places, such as Asaba, Onitsha, Owerri were similarly evacuated.

I found it difficult to think that, particularly in Asaba, evacuation ever took place, because witnesses had mentioned that all the Biafrans residents were exterminated. However, I have reason to believe that further investigations might reveal the use of this method in places other than Nsukka.

b)      Burial:

It was testified to me that the disposal of the bodies of the Biafrans exterminated also followed the pattern of the Nazi �Final Solution� � it was mentioned to me that in Asaba, and other Mid-West villages, big trenches were dug where all the bodies of the exterminated were dumped. I had evidence to the effect that such mass graves could be found in other occupied territories.

I had evidence from eighteen witnesses to these mass burials. From two out of this number, I obtained the testimony that especially in the mass graves at Asaba, the wounded and the sick Biafrans, and a few sucklings, were dumped together with the dead, and that during the sealing of these trenches with their loads of the dead, the cries and the wailing of the sick, the wounded and the babies, could be heard from a long distance away. In this testimony it was also mentioned that, when these mass graves had been covered, the Federal soldiers danced native war dances over them.

c)      Utter Destruction of Civilian Centres:

A number of Witnesses testified to the fact that especially in the villages, predominately populated by the Biafran citizens, there was utter destruction of all structures for human habitation, livestock and farms. Witnesses mentioned villages around Onitsha, Owerri and Nsukka as places where this method of extermination was extensively used.

Witnesses were unanimous in their belief that this method followed the wake of the troops of the Federal Authority, and that into whichever area of Biafra they advanced, there was utter devastation of all houses, farms and livestock.

d)      Food Poisoning:

In the Complaint as submitted, there is a mention of food poisoning as another method which has been used by the Federal authority for the purposes of exterminating the people of Biafra. My investigations into this Complaint were carried out amongst Health Workers and Scientists resident in the Biafran Republic. I took the opportunity to question officials of the Federation of Nigeria; the evidence I obtained in this manner of investigation is rather conflicting... The Health Workers and Scientists of Biafra were positive in their testimonies before me that the food poisoning actually took place in the early part of the War, and that what was discovered to have constituted the poisoning of the food was a lethal chemical substance, known as arsenic, which was found to have been mixed with salt, sugar, milk and tomatoes. The testimony attempted to prove that this poisoning was carried out by the Federal Authority of Nigeria. Witnesses in the Federation of Nigeria, who were mainly officials, emphatically denied ever poisoning any foodstuff. They, in fact, described this allegation as being �ridiculous�. Except from witnesses in the Republic of Biafra, who were citizens of Biafra, I found no other witnesses who could positively endorse this charge. However, a British doctor, who worked at this time in Biafra, testified to the fact that there could be some truth in this allegation, since, from the number of cases of serious illnesses he had examined, especially in the refugee camps, and in the camps of thousands of orphaned children, he discovered some form of poisoning, but he thought that, at this stage, he could not emphatically state that this was through arsenic poisoning of the food from the Federal side of Nigeria. He said that during this time there was wide spread famine in the whole of the Republic of Biafra, and the possibilities could be that people could have eaten poisonous shrubs, or anything.

e)      Starvation:

This, as a method of extermination of the Biafrans, has also been mentioned in page 36 of the Complaint. All witnesses testified that widespread starvation in Biafra, as a result of Federal blockade of the Republic of Biafra, is causing deaths, the numbers of which has been estimated in thousands daily. Witnesses from the Federal side of Nigeria explain starvation as a legitimate weapon of warfare but, from the magnitude of the destruction that this so-called weapon has inflicted upon the peoples of Biafra, especially children, I am averse to accepting the legal validity of this weapon.

f)       Bombing:

Indiscriminate bombing of civilian population in towns and villages in Biafra has been widely witnessed by foreign nationals visiting Biafra, and publication of these acts in the world papers has served to inform world opinion sufficiently as to the barbarity of this. In the course of my investigations in the Republic of Biafra, carried out in the month of December 1968, I was myself a witness to the most barbaric bombing of a populous market place in the capital of Biafra Umuahia. This form of bombing, which I witnessed, was carried out for two days and I found it gruesome to witness the dismembered bodies of men, women and children.

Witnesses who appeared before me, during my investigation in Biafra, went to great pains to explain that this form of bombing is a facet of the Federal Nigerian variant of the �final solution�, the purpose of which, as explained above, is to exterminate the entire population of Biafra.

Witnesses from the Federal side of Nigeria, who testified before me, denied that there is any element of truth in the allegation that the bombing is intended to exterminate the Biafrans. They have, however, accepted that the bombing of civilian centers was not proper and the Federal authorities have not sanctioned this mode of warfare. I find it pertinent to note here that the Senior Official of the Federal Authority, who I interviewed, mentioned that, due to the hue and cry that has been raised against this type of bombing from the peoples of the Western Europe, the Federal Military authorities were seriously considering grounding all the bomber planes, and eliminating bombing from the whole Conflict.

I discussed the question of bombing with a member of the International Observer Team, and I found it surprising that this member thought that the bombing did not constitute anything that could be considered illegitimate in any form of warfare. Whether or not this indiscriminate bombing of civilian population centers is legitimate in any warfare, I think a further study of this aspect of the law could help in establishing what the accepted limit is. My own view is that the type of bombing that is being carried out by the Federal Authorities in the Republic of Biafra is in breach of the Law of Warfare.

Article 22 of The Hague Regulation of 1907, relating to warfare, states that �the right of belligerents to adopt means of injuring the enemy is not unlimited�, but in the same regulation a distinction is made between combatants and non-combatants, and there are restrictions on the bombing of non-combatants. Bombing defenceless civilians in non-operational zones, or non-strategic points in belligerent states, cannot find support for legitimacy under the Laws of Warfare.

Perhaps it might be found pertinent to quote the summary in the Kelly Claim in 1930, between Mexico and the U.S.A., in which it is stated:

�During the last century there has been a world-wide effort to mitigate the horrors of war. The principle has been acknowledged more and more that the unarmed citizen shall be spared in person, property and honour, as much as the exigencies of war will permit�.

g)      Other Gruesome and Barbarous Methods:

In the course of my investigations I came across witnesses who testified to methods of extermination which I find so gruesome and barbarous that it is difficult to describe in any detail. These are: 

                    i.            Execution in the Market Places:

 This involved the slitting of throats and the chopping of heads in the market place.

                  ii.            The Killing of Unborn Babies:

In this the stomachs of pregnant women were slit open, and the tiny unborn babies slashed with matchets.

                iii.            The Plucking of Eyes out of their Sockets:

One of the witnesses who testified to me had his left eye plucked out and he mentioned that he was the last of a queue of Biafran Prisoner-of-War who were having their eyes plucked out, and he was able to run away with one eye because when it came to his turn, an alarm was given of a Biafran advance, and the plucker had to run for his gun, thus making it possible for him to escape with one eye.

Other barbarous methods, too indecent to discuss in detail, were also mentioned by eyewitnesses. These included chopping off of the male genital organ and plugging it into the mouths of the victims.

There was also testimony regarding the ravishing of virgins, which consisted of slitting open the female genital organ by means of broken bottles and bayonets. Eight witnesses who testified to me of this had survived this barbarity, but they mentioned a great many other women who died as a result of it. 

                 iv.            The Skinning of Live Biafrans:

Witnesses who testified to this method of extermination, mentioned that they were eyewitnesses, and that invariably all the victims of this died as a result of the skinning. The method of �skinning alive�, as was testified to me, was by means of broken bottles. This incident occurred in Ishagu. Twenty-two males were �skinned� in this manner, as per the testimony of one witness who mentioned witnessing this process.�

Dr. Mensah continued:

�Evidence in Substantiation of Motive:

In 1953 uprising resulting in the massacre of citizens of the Eastern region resident in the North, I find it difficult to establish any motive, and it may be that this was simply what I might call a �lapse� in civilized human behaviour.

From the 1966 uprising up to the beginning of the present hostilities, it appears that there is some systematization or planning of atrocities committed against the citizens of the former Eastern Region.

In consideration of this systematisation of the methods of extermination I find it relevant to mention the formation of an assault group which has been described in the Complaint as the �Sardauna Brigade�. 

                    i.            Incitement to Commit Crime and Comment Thereon:

 Speeches made by Northern political leaders at the time of the formation of the militant group make it appear that the resultant acts of mass killing cannot be said to be spontaneous and undirected.

In the Complaint can be found inflammatory speeches such as �I am appealing to the Minister to make life more difficult for them (Biafrans)�. This is on page 10 of the Complaint. This was made in the Northern Regional Legislature.

Again we find such speeches as �I cannot see why they (Biafrans) should be in our region� (page 11).

�Had it not been for Colonial rule there would hardly have been any Ibos (Biafrans) in this (Northern) region�.

�I think that these (two things) are the major things I have to answer now. One is Scholarship and other one is on how to do away with the Ibos�

�My Ministry will do all it can to see that the demands of members are met. How to do this, when to do it, all this should not be disclosed. In due course you will all see what will happen�. This was in reference with doing away with the Ibos, the larger part of the Biafran nation.

These inflammatory speeches were made by responsible ministers and politicians in the Regional legislature of the North, and they were all made at a time preceding the massacre of 1966.

From consideration of these speeches, which are all recorded in the Parliamentary pamphlets of the Northern Government, and also the formation of the Sardauna Brigade in the region of incitement, that is the Northern part of the Federation, I find it difficult to believe that the acts of atrocities directed against peoples of Biafran origin were not premeditated, centrally directed, and did not contain motives such as the extermination of those people, or the denial of their right of existence, or the intention to physically destroy them. 

                  ii.            Refutations of Genocide, based on the Code of Conduct and Comment Thereon:

In most documents of an official nature issued by Governments, especially the United Kingdom Government and also the International Observer Team, there appear denials of there having been genocide, or the intention to commit genocide, on the part of the Federal Government. Justification for these denials is now based on a restricted document, issued by the Federal Military Authorities, and entitled �Operational Code of Conduct for the Nigerian Armed Forces�. A copy of this is appended in this report; since this document has assumed a role of such importance in the thinking of nations, I find it pertinent to make some comments on it.

The bulk of the activities complained as being �genocide� appears to have started in January, 1966. The hostilities between the Federal Military Government and the Government of Biafra, which are being complained of as being a continuation of a policy of genocide, broke out in May 1967 and this document, I learnt in the course of my investigation, was issued in September 1968. The document itself is not dated.

From my interview with officials of the International Red Cross it was pointed out to me that prior to the issue of this document the headquarters of the International Red Cross in Geneva had lodged protests with the Federal Military Authority, in January 1968 and March 1968. These protests, I was informed, were in regard to some inhuman excesses of the army of the Federal Military Government. I learnt that these inhuman excesses of the soldiers mostly concerned the treatment of Biafran prisoners of war and Biafran civilian populations in areas occupied by forces of the Federal Military Government. 

                iii.            Provision of the Code of Conduct in Relation to Complaint:

This Code of Conduct gives a catalogue of instructions that the combatant Federal Forces are expected to observe.

Firstly, it states that �under no circumstances should pregnant women be ill-treated or killed�.

In the Complaint are contained allegations of the splitting of the stomachs of pregnant women and the killing of the unborn babies.

Secondly, it states �children must not be molested or killed. They will be protected and cared for�.

In the Complaint is mentioned the ill-treatment of children and also incidents in which children have been buried alive with their dead or wounded parents in mass graves.

Thirdly, it states that �youths and school children must not be attacked unless they are engaged in open hostility against Federal Government Forces. They should be given all protection and care�.

In the Complaint is a mention of the indiscriminate bombing of schools which, in essence, constitutes an attack.

Fourthly, it stipulates �hospitals, hospital staff and patients should not be tempered with or molested�.

In the Complaint there is a mention of the bombing of hospitals, the killing of patients on their sick beds and also the killing of nurses.

A British medical Officer whose testimony has been mentioned earlier, recalled how in a hospital where there were many wounded and sick Biafran citizens the advancing forces of the Federal Government demanded the surrender of such patients. The matron of the hospital had to hide all the Biafran patients in cupboards in the hospital, thereby saving their lives.

Fifthly, there is a prohibition of the malicious destruction of property and buildings.

In the Complaint it is maintained that there has been, and there continues to be, wanton destruction of property, including buildings, farms, foodstuff and livestock.

Sixthly, there is a prohibition of the desecration of Churches and Mosques.

In the Complaint can be found allegations of the breaking into churches by the Federal Troops and the killing of worshipping Christians. There is also testimony of desecration consisting of the using of a chalice in the church for �Rabelaisian� buffoonery, and also the donning of the priests� robes by soldiers for the purpose of dancing to fetish music.

And, finally, it goes on to disallow looting and many other acts against wounded soldiers and foreign Nationals (but specifically excludes mercenaries who are described as being �the worst of enemies� and declares they should not be spared).

Cases of all these prohibited acts have been confirmed to me by eyewitnesses whom I regard as reliable. 

                 iv.            Comment on Provisions of the Code of Conduct:

This Code of Conduct is obviously intended to set a higher moral standard amongst the troops of the Federal Military Authority and to minimize breaches of the laws, regulations and conventions regarding the conduct of warfare. However, I cannot help thinking that it would never have been issued had it not been for the manifestation of international public opinion. It therefore raises the question of how far the Federal Government was aware of the prohibited actions having taken place before the issue of the Code and, if it was so aware, why disciplinary action was not taken and the issue of the Code not made earlier. One is left with the impression that if these acts did not have the connivance of the Federal Government, there must have been a shocking lake of discipline in the Federal military Forces. The fact that it was found necessary to issue the Code is, to my mind, implicit evidence that such acts had taken place. To elaborate:

Firstly, the troops of the Federal Government are commanded by officers trained in Western countries where the rules concerning the conduct of troops in any warfare formed a very important part of their training. Since this is the case it becomes apparent that if these officers had been putting their training into practice and the troops had obeyed their orders, there should not have been any necessity for the issue of the Code of Conduct.

Secondly, as I have pointed out above, various international organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross have made claims that excesses on the part of the troops had taken place and it was considered that these excesses were in breach of the laws and rules of warfare, thus confirming some of the allegations contained in the Complaint.

Lastly, I find it difficult to accept that a Code of Conduct such as this would in any way affect or change any genocidal intentions that individual combatants might have. The mere publication of a Code of this nature would not necessarily mean that the authors were sincere about its stipulations.

In the report of the International Observer Team can be found allegations of:

a)      The shooting of members or field officers of the International Red Cross, which incidents are alleged to have occurred after the issue of the Code of Conduct.

b)      The treatment of Biafran prisoners of war in a manner inconsistent with the Geneva Convention on the treatment of Prisoners of war. The report contains some evidence of the non-observation of this Convention, and here again it is alleged that this has occurred after the issue of the Code of Conduct.

c)      Intensification of the bombing of centers of civilian population, resulting in the killing of masses of Biafrans has occurred from around December 1968, as far as I am aware, it is still continuing. 

                   v.            Comment on Purport of Code of Conduct:

The ideals that the Code of Conduct puts forth might be impressive to Governments and members of the international community, but, on full consideration of events in the course of the war, I am not convinced that, if there has ever been any motive to destroy the peoples of Biafran origin, the Code of Conduct has done anything, or very much, to remove that intention. By and large I consider the Code useful only as an instrument meant to exonerate the authorities of the Federal Military Government from the charge of having encouraged the extermination of the citizens of Biafra, or from being accomplices to acts of genocide against the Biafrans.

Further, in the International Observer Team�s report it is stated that Observers have encountered difficulties in obtaining access to certain parts of the Port Harcourt Region in Occupied Biafra. The Team wished to go to Elele and another village near Port Harcourt to investigate a report of mass extermination.

They were refused access by the Military Commander on the grounds that he had no instructions to allow them to enter the area and they had to return to Lagos where they took the matter up with the Federal Government. This resulted in their obtaining permission to enter the area two weeks later, and not immediately... This could indicate a deliberate attempt by the Federal Government to cover up incriminating evidence.

During my visit, I must say, I did not encounter any such obstruction, but it is obviously in the interest of the Federal Government, subject to genuine requirements of military security, to allow independent observers free access to the occupied areas.

Finally, I am of the opinion that in many of the cases cited to me hatred of the Biafrans and a wish to exterminate them was a foremost motivational factor.�

NIGERIA/BIAFRA CONFLICT
AN INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF JURIST FIND PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE OF GENOCIDE

Alagba Yinka:

Thanks for the first productive legwork on this issue. Let's all hope
Jakande will make good on his legal threat. It will give those who
have been narrating the story to either put up or shut up.

Dominic

On 6/1/10, yinka odumakin <yod2011@...> wrote:
> Met with Alhaji Lateef Jakande at his Ilupeju residence around 11am Nigeran
> time to ask him questions over the allegations against him in this FS online
> interview.
> One of the oldest surviving journalists in Nigeria was shell  shocked"You
> mean somebody will write this kind of wicked  fabrication and put his name
> on it?Has journalism come to this in Nigeria?".
> After his indignation the old man asked for a copy of the interview with a
> promise"My lawyers will take up this.They must retract this absolute
> falsehood or face the legal consequences"
> Yinka.
> "After going around and around and around the same old mountain,may be it's
> time to finish the job.May be it's time to claim the promise.I dont know
> about you,but im tired of going around and around and around the
> mountain"-Rapheal Warnock"-
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Adeniran Adeboye <aadeboye@...>
> Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:23:14
> To: <NaijaPolitics@yahoogroups.com>
> Cc: <NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com>; <naijaintellects@yahoogroups.com>;
> <nidoa@yahoogroups.com>; <k_r_c@yahoogroups.com>;
> <nigeria360@yahoogroups.com>; <igboworldforum@yahoogroups.com>;
> <nigerdeltaforum@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: Re: Awo was no enigma... To Emmanuel Obi>>RE: [NaijaPolitics] How
>  Awolowo committed suicide by a FICTION WRITER
>
>
> Aburo Peter,
>
> Awolowo remains an enigma to many Nigerians. He might not be to you or
> me but we have very different understandings of the man. Given that
> neither of us is unintelligent, our disagreement about who Awo was,
> underscores the fact that some others like us find it difficult to
> place him.  From my point of view, he was a blessing to the entire
> black race.
>
> Adeniran Adeboye
>
>
> On May 31, 2010, at 8:20 PM, peter opara wrote:
>
>>
>> Egbo Ade - An enigma is a thing animate or inanimate that is
>> difficult to comprehend. Awo, was hardly difficult to understand. In
>> fact if anything, it was the fact that he bared his mind on things,
>> even in his performances, that endeared him to those whom he is a
>> hero. I came upon the word "emotive" hereabouts, from someone dear.
>> Awo was a pssionate man; on issues he was passionate about - pro or
>> con, he was "emotive, he wore his emotion, his passion on his
>> sleeves. "Why must I feed my enemies" - on starvation as weapon of
>> war; "stop"! he once yelled out - the northern policy, he knew, was
>> about stopping the south so, the north may catch up. Awo despised
>> that, even when he willed to work with and for authors of the same
>> policy. Awo, was no "enigma". Awo was a man whose intentions and
>> inclinations were easily marked.
>>
>> --- On Mon, 5/31/10, Adeniran Adeboye <aadeboye@...> wrote:
>>
>> From: Adeniran Adeboye <aadeboye@...>
>> Subject: Re: [NIgerianWorldForum] To Emmanuel Obi>>RE:
>> [NaijaPolitics] How Awolowo committed suicide by a FICTION WRITER
>> To: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com
>> Cc: naijapolitics@yahoogroups.com, naijaintellects@yahoogroups.com,
>> nidoa@yahoogroups.com
>> , k_r_c@yahoogroups.com, nigeria360@yahoogroups.com,
>> igboworldforum@yahoogroups.com
>> , nigerdeltaforum@yahoogroups.com
>> Date: Monday, May 31, 2010, 6:06 PM
>>
>>
>>
>> Dear Collins and Emmanuel,
>>
>> You both agreed that
>>
>>> "...Awo is still an enigma even almost 25 years after his
>>> transition."
>>
>> I dare say that that is, in fact, Awolowo's greatest "crime".
>> Accordingly, we should all brace ourselves for occasional write-ups
>> to smear him. This will lend more credence to the saying: it may be
>> easier to to destroy (Awo's legacy) than to create (our own). The
>> Yoruba put it more kindly: "Ajegbodo nw'eni kun'ra".
>>
>> Best regards
>>
>> Adeniran Adeboye
>>
>> On May 31, 2010, at 5:25 PM, COLLINS EZEBUIHE wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Dear Emmanuel Obi:
>>>
>>> In an attempt to weigh in on your logic, let me take your points,
>>> the relevant ones, one at a time:
>>>
>>> "Today, the news is that LKJ betrayed Awo, and thats why he's been
>>> sidelined by the Awo Dynasty. But some years ago it was because it
>>> was discovered LKJ was not originally Yoruba."  ---Emmanuel Obi.
>>>
>>> REPLY:
>>> Emma Obi, Adeku (not Adebayo, for correction) does not own or is
>>> responsible for both Theories. He only stuck with how Awolowo died,
>>> though the veracity of his Story remains to be established, and
>>> that is partly why an investigation is necessary. Infact, judging
>>> from your words, your argument is speculative at best, and that
>>> again is partly why an investigation is necessary here. Capisce?
>>>
>>> "The Fiction Writer has failed to tell what motive LKJ had for
>>> allegedly betraying his master" ---Emmanuel Obi.
>>>
>>> REPLY:
>>> The burden of proof of this may not rest with Adeku, it can
>>> established in the course of Discoveries and/or Interrogation of
>>> Chief Lateef Jakande. However, I'm well aware that most Governors
>>> in Nigeria always see themselves as potential President. That is
>>> arguably the Case with LKJ who was a VERY successful Governor of a
>>> major State in Nigeria. LKJ was only second to Chief Sam Mbakwe of
>>> Imo State for the simple fact that whereas Mbakwe had to start from
>>> scratch, LKJ presided over a more built-up Lagos supported by
>>> Federal presence. Other than that, LKJ was the Man and that earned
>>> him the right to expect to lead Nigeria, just like Donald Duke has
>>> the standing to expect to lead Nigeria. Obviously, an Awolowo
>>> candidacy, which his age then would have actually facilitated by
>>> virtue of him getting the benefit of the doubt of experience, as
>>> opposed to working against him or being a reason for him not to be
>>> interested in the highest Office of the Land was not far fetched.
>>> In that case, an Awo presidency would have actually stopped LKJ's
>>> ambition of being President since it would have been impossible for
>>> another Yoruba to succeed a fellow Yoruba as President of Nigeria.
>>> My Brother, this could be sufficient reason for LKJ to be jealously
>>> and ambitiously be interested in derailing Awolowo through betrayal.
>>>
>>> On another Note, Awo was always a viable presidential Candidate in
>>> his 70s, since both he and Zik could not have failed to draw some
>>> inspiration from President Ronald Reagan of the United States who
>>> was US President in his 70s effective January 20, 1981 or
>>> thereabout. This is a fact that it is safe to say that LJK knew.
>>> Only an investigation will reveal the truth, and History re-written
>>> or re-affirmed as to Awolowo's reason and nature of death.
>>>
>>>
>>> 'At last the glorious Dawn'  --Awo (as paraphrased by Emmanuel Obi)
>>>
>>> REPLY:
>>> 'I can't fold Arms and watch the Nation drift' --Zik (as
>>> paraphrased by me).
>>> Politicians are full of U-Turns, isn't it?
>>>
>>> "...We know that the punishment for that kind of crime("Guerilla
>>> warfare or militant campaign against the Government of President
>>> Babangida so that he can be overthrown") was the Death Penalty"
>>> --Emmanuel Obi.
>>>
>>> REPLY:
>>> With all due respects to you, think more broadly next time you
>>> argue. Now hear me:
>>> Chief Obafemi Awolowo was not Kenulo Sarowiwa, the assumed Leader
>>> of a big Village named Ogoni. So, a Death Sentence for Awo was out
>>> of the question for these facts:
>>>   **Even consideration of another trial for Awo could have had
>>> Yorubas shifting
>>>       Gears to leave Nigeria; Yoruba is a major Group in Nigeria
>>> unlike Ogoni
>>>      that can be controlled with a good Police Force. So the
>>> consequences of
>>>      directly engaging Awolowo again were there...
>>>   **The Civil War coalition was already shaky judging from the
>>> dissatisfaction of some
>>>       of its member ethnic Groups...
>>>   **If Yorubas organized to walk away, nothing would have kept
>>> Nd'Igbo from joining
>>>       them, especially with Biafra still fresh in our minds and
>>> Babangida and his North
>>>      would have lost the War right there...
>>>   **Ethnic Groups like Ogoni, Ibibios would have left too, having
>>> found out the truth
>>>       about Britain's Nigeria.
>>>
>>> However, Awo also knew that IBB was an evil Man who had a lot in
>>> his bag of BS, and could skin a Cat in more ways than one. Besides,
>>> how was Awo to overcome the
>>> embarrassment of trying to unravel Nigeria after his Role in the
>>> Civil War? Go figure!
>>> Embarrassment is one reason a human being would contemplate suicide.
>>>
>>>
>>> "...Awo is still an enigma even almost 25 years after his
>>> transition." --Emma Obi.
>>>
>>> REPLY:
>>> Yes Sir! I agree.
>>>
>>> There you have it.
>>>
>>> Collins Ezebuihe.
>>>
>>>
>>> To: naijaintellects@ yahoogroups. com; naijapolitics@ yahoogroups.
>>> com; nidoa@yahoogroups. com; NIgerianWorldForum@ yahoogroups. com
>>> CC: K_R_C@yahoogroups. com
>>> From: bizon586@yahoo. com
>>> Date: Mon, 31 May 2010 11:58:35 -0700
>>> Subject: [NaijaPolitics] How Awolowo committed suicide by a FICTION
>>> WRITER
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>  This account is fiction and written by an amateur fiction
>>> writer.First of,25 years is silver jubilee and not golden jubilee.
>>> Given Babangida's antecedents would one really believe he did not
>>> arrest Awolowo but gave him the option to stand trial or go into
>>> exile?With all his wealth that this fiction writer alluded to ,and
>>> then his international connections wouldn't that have made Awolowo
>>> more powerful and more likely to succeed in the alleged bid to
>>> force IBB from power if he went on exile?
>>>
>>> Today,the news is LKJ betrayed Awo and that's why he is being
>>> sidelined by the Awo dynasty.But some years ago it was becasue it
>>> was discovered LKJ was not originally Yoruba.This fiction writer
>>> then attacks Awo's source of wealth in a manner that suggests the
>>> writer either has a pecunairy motive or political motivation.
>>>
>>> The fact of the matter is that Awo is still an enigma even almost
>>> 25 years after his transition.Given the man's depth of spiritual
>>> insight and development, suicide is out of the question. I recall
>>> his last birthday celebration when he declared that what he was
>>> celebrating was the imminence of his transition and then he went on
>>> and for those of us who understood the spiritual significance of
>>> his speech,it was a most profound speech.He even went as far as
>>> promising a certain amount for anyone who could produce the book by
>>> Raymond Moody.Even his pre-sentencing speech during the treasonable
>>> felony trial revealed the depth of his spiritual insight and
>>> development. Or do I point to the disclosures of the prison warder
>>> assigned to his cell in a tribute to the great sage?If I recall
>>> correctly,that was an Ogidi man.
>>>
>>> The fiction writer has failed to tell what motive LKJ had for
>>> allegedly betraying his master.The writer's assertion that Awolowo
>>> dreaded the possibility of going to jail again given his past
>>> incaceration is baloney when we know the punishment for that kind
>>> of crime was the death penalty.Again ,I refer to his pre-sentencing
>>> speech in which he cursed those that framed him up,he declared
>>> Nigeria would descend into a period of darkness after which would
>>> come a glorious dawn.It came to pass fully and in 1978 in his
>>> speech declaring his political intention Awolowo declared, "at last
>>> the glorious dawn".
>>> The writer also recounts the news presented about how Awo died
>>> while briushing his teeth to support his position that he died of
>>> poison.This is laughable because sudden deaths like that could be
>>> caused by so many things and I leave that for the medical
>>> folks.Suicide is a crime and perhaps Awo disclosed this to his
>>> disciples and they never tried to ferry him across through the
>>> borders?
>>>
>>> The only credible account about the brush Awolowo had with the
>>> military junta was given by Wole Soyinka in his book.The soldiers
>>> invade his Apapa residence in search of documents relating to the
>>> missing $2.8 million at the Petroluem ministry where Buhari(my
>>> man) :):) was at the helm of affairs.
>>>
>>> As for the fiction,the writer would get a grade of D from me and he
>>> doesn't qualify for the comments 'nice try".
>>>
>>>
>>> How Awolowo committed suicide
>>>
>>> By Abdulmumini Adeku
>>>
>>>   Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo
>>>
>>>
>>> Twenty �three years after he suddenly was reported dead of natural
>>> cause and two years shy of his golden jubilee , facts are now
>>> emerging on the reasons that led to First  and Second Republic
>>> political heavyweight ,Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo  committing
>>> suicide
>>> It was learned that he did it  to stem the tide of a possible
>>> military court martial into an insurrection he was planning to lead
>>> alongside his political associates at the time when it became
>>> evident that then Military President ,General Ibrahim Babangida was
>>> intending staying in power forever.
>>> In a no-hold barred interview with FS Online recently,a grass root
>>> politician ,Mr Adebayo  Adeyinka who lives within the College Road
>>> at Ifako-Ijaiye axis in Ogba ,a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria  was livid
>>> with rage when he learned that a key politician connected to the
>>> issue was denying the incident.
>>> He revealed that Chief Awolowo  wanted to lead some kind of
>>> guerilla warfare  or militant campaign against the government of
>>> President Babangida  so that he can be overthrown through a popular
>>> or people -led putsch.
>>> According to him , the Elder Statesman summoned a meeting of  his
>>> core loyalists over the issue  and this was even filmed  so as to
>>> strengthen the extent of  commitment of each of the politician
>>> that attended the meeting..
>>> He pointed out that however unknown to all of those who were privy
>>> to this meeting and clarion call , Chief Lateef Kayode
>>> Jakande ,Former Executive Governor of Lagos State had a different
>>> plan  as he betrayed   them to the military .
>>> He Said:� But unknown to them , Chief Jakande was planning to
>>> betray them, he went to President Ibrahim Babangida  and promptly
>>> showed him the tape
>>> �Papa Awolowo  was invited  for a meeting  with President Ibrahim
>>> Babangida  who was then staying at  Dodan Barracks which was the
>>> seat of power as at then and the truth of his clandestine meetings
>>> was revealed to him  by the gap �toothed  General
>>> �He gave Papa some options  and that was for him to be ready to
>>> face a court martial , be ready to go to a prison or better still
>>> go on exile
>>> �At this stage Papa felt instead of allowing some ambitious khaki
>>> boy to mess him up he should just  pack it in and call it a day ,so
>>> Chief Awolowo decide to commit  suicide  so as to  save  himself
>>> from the ignominy of going to prison for the second time in his
>>> lifetime .
>>> �But before he did this he called his core loyalists  for a
>>> meeting ,before then he had called up Late Chief Bola Ige
>>> [Cicero],since the latter had a very strong understanding of the
>>> Hausa Language having had his formative years as a young man in
>>> Kaduna but discovered  that the late Esa-Oke strongman   was
>>> innocent after he was interrogated by Papa
>>> �He called others for enquiries while asking them to tender the
>>> video cassettes  of the meeting  they all attended to discuss the
>>> plans to topple President Babangida  for examination ,at this
>>> juncture Chief Jakande developed a cold feet as he  could not
>>> produce his own copy of the video which was freely distributed to
>>> all that was present at the meeting previously before the betrayal
>>> and that was how the cat was let out of the bag
>>> �So he cursed him at this point   and pointed out that he   will
>>> never have any form of relevance politically as far as Nigeria was
>>> concerned and till today members of the Awolowo Dynasty avoids him
>>> like a plague.
>>> �I was their when  the letter he wrote to the family to beg them
>>> for forgiveness over the unfortunate incident was read in the
>>> presence of all present ,if he continues to deny I am ready to
>>> confront him publicly again on the same issue as I can  even
>>> remember that elders  asked him to go to the grave of the late sage
>>> to plead for forgiveness
>>> �When he was questioned he lied that the National Security
>>> Organization now State Security Services had visited his house to
>>> check on him and in the process took the tape in question but�
>>> Awoists� knew that this was a very weak argument  as he did not
>>> inform their political group of this development before their
>>> enquiry on the subject
>>> �That was how Senator Abraham Adesanya  assumed the leadership  of
>>> the Awolowo camp of Yoruba politics after the demise of the man ,he
>>> was not even so close to Awolowo during his lifetime like Chief
>>> Jakande and that was why many called him Baba Kekere on account of
>>> this cosy relationship
>>> �Before he gave up the ghost , he said his prayers  and then took
>>> the poison which killed him  almost immediately but the public was
>>> not fully aware as  they were given a different account of what
>>> happened.
>>> �We were simply told that he died   while he was brushing his
>>> teeth  in his bathroom at his Park Lane,Apapa residence here in Lagos
>>> �He was stupendously wealthy during his lifetime, infact  there is
>>> know company at Oba Akran in Ikeja ,Lagos  where he does not  have
>>> at least a five percent equity, Dideolu Court in Ogba  alone cannot
>>> be valued at less than N10 Billion ,that was the place that he had
>>> in mind to be his Seat of power if he was elected as Nigeria�s
>>> President.
>>> �He owned Shonibare Estate but the man he was using as a front
>>> and  who later went to prison over some issues which Awolowo
>>> himself was privy to  eventually laid  claim to the estate.
>>> �He got  all of this wealth due to a great measure of goodwill  and
>>> tax waivers  he gave to investors whenever they come to establish
>>> their business.
>>> �Anytime you buy a bottle of Coca-Cola you are enriching  the
>>> Awolowo Dynasty ,go to Ijebu Ikenne and you will discover that the
>>> price of a bag cement there is different from other parts of the
>>> nation due to the  subsidy that the citizens enjoy on account of
>>> Awolowo who was their son and I hope you know that West African
>>> Portland Cement is in Ewekoro and not Ikenne.
>>> �On account of this great betrayal Awolowo family members regard
>>> the �Awoist� as a group people should deal with using a long spoon
>>> till this day and this explains  why when The Peoples Democratic
>>> Party Government  gave some of them political appointment lately
>>> they accepted it without thinking twice.
>>> �Dr Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu was made an Ambassador by Former
>>> President Olusegun Obasanjo while  , Mr Segun Awolowo Jnr was given
>>> a plum job at the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja as a Secretary.
>>> �Recently when Afenifere was disintegrating Mama out of concern
>>> for her husband�s legacies decided to call a truce because as she
>>> puts it then, she did not know what she was going to tell her
>>> husband the day they meet in heaven
>>> �He made Sijuwade rich , because  he was his business associate
>>> and in fact some of us held very strong views that he was one of
>>> his fronts and later the  same man became the Ooni of Ife�he added
>>> Mr  Adebayo Adeyinka   recalled his several years of following
>>> grass root politics right from the days of Action Group to the
>>> Unity Party of Nigerian era in the second republic but now lamented
>>> that he had since lost all interest in partisan politics due to the
>>> massive corruption in our polity.
>>> He listed such blue chips like Dunlop Nigeria Plc ,Guinness Nigeria
>>> Plc, Neimeth Pharmaceutical Nigeria Plc  ,May and Baker Nigeria
>>> Plc  ,Vitafoam Nigeria Plc  ,Wahum  Nigeria Limited ,CAP Nigeria
>>> Plc  , International Paints of West Africa [IPWA],  Berger Paints
>>> Nigeria Plc  ,Berec Nigeria Limited  ,Kabelmetal, Nigeria Bottling
>>> Company Plc ,Leventis  Nigera Plc ,West African Portland Cement
>>> Company,[Lafarge ],Wema Bank Nigeria Plc, Scoa Nigeria Plc ,CFAO
>>> Nigeria Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc ,Wemaboard Estates, Odu�A Group,
>>> Livestock Feeds Nigeria Plc , Nigerian Breweries Plc as places the
>>> Awolowo family have commercial interest to mention just a few.
>>> Apart from this stocks  analysts believe that the most visible of
>>> his investment ,The Nigerian Tribune Newspapers  cannot be valued
>>> at  less than N100billion today in terms of brand evaluation as
>>> Thisday Newspapers was valued by the Owner ,.Mr Nduka Obaigbena at
>>> N200 Billion recently during a media chart while celebrating his
>>> fiftieth birthday sometimes last year.
>>> Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a leader who believed that the state
>>> should channel Nigeria�s resources  into education and state �led
>>> infrastructural development.
>>> At his own expense albeit controversially ,he introduced the free
>>> primary education for all of  the Western Region ,he equally
>>> established the first television service in Africa in 1959 and
>>> expanded electrification projects in the region using the proceeds
>>> from the highly lucrative Cocoa export industry.
>>> The Cocoa House in Ibadan regarded by many as one of the major
>>> landmarks of Nigeria�s architectural history was built as a result
>>> of his economic blueprint which was targeted towards the
>>> emancipation of his people from poverty
>>> He built the first stadium in West Africa  , the Liberty
>>> Stadium ,Ibadan and he coined the name �Naira �for Nigeria�s
>>> official currency ,it was previously called Nigerian Pounds.
>>> During the 1970�s ,he was very critical of Nigeria�s military
>>> expenditure insisting that  more should be spent on development
>>> He ran a free health care programme for children up till the age of
>>> eighteen years .
>>> On his death on the 9th of May,1987 as a mark of respect for his
>>> legacies ,The University Of Ile-Ife  which ironically he helped to
>>> build as Premier of the Old Western Nigeria was re-named in his
>>> honour as part of a post humous celebration of his life and times.
>>> His portraits adorn public places in Nigeria especially in his
>>> native Yoruba land where he is seen as an icon.
>>> His picture also adorn Nigeria�s one hundred naira note.
>>> He has been described surprisingly by some of his greatest critics
>>> and even political opponents as probably the Best President Nigeria
>>> never had.
>>> He struck a chord with the womenfolk during his lifetime when in a
>>> rare show of public affection for his wife of several years, Chief
>>> Mrs Hannah Dideolu Awolowo told the world that the woman was his
>>> jewel of inestimable value.
>>> How right or prophetic he was because his wife has continued to
>>> strengthen the mileage of the husband�s name even in death.
>>> During an exclusive interview with FS Online at his Ilupeju home in
>>> Lagos last year, Chief Lateef Jakande upon being probed with
>>> questions over his relationship with Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo on
>>> account of what feelers were suggesting had denied  that they had a
>>> bad relationship shortly before his death.
>>> He insisted that those that said that they had any problems between
>>> them prior to  Chief Awolowo�s  death were not been honest as they
>>> were all telling lies.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> How Awolowo committed suicide
>>>
>>> By Abdulmumini Adeku
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Twenty �three years after he suddenly was reported dead of natural
>>> cause and two years shy of his golden jubilee , facts are now
>>> emerging on the reasons that led to First  and Second Republic
>>> political heavyweight ,Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo  committing
>>> suicide
>>> It was learned that he did it  to stem the tide of a possible
>>> military court martial into an insurrection he was planning to lead
>>> alongside his political associates at the time when it became
>>> evident that then Military President ,General Ibrahim Babangida was
>>> intending staying in power forever.
>>> In a no-hold barred interview with FS Online recently,a grass root
>>> politician ,Mr Adebayo  Adeyinka who lives within the College Road
>>> at Ifako-Ijaiye axis in Ogba ,a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria  was livid
>>> with rage when he learned that a key politician connected to the
>>> issue was denying the incident.
>>> He revealed that Chief Awolowo  wanted to lead some kind of
>>> guerilla warfare  or militant campaign against the government of
>>> President Babangida  so that he can be overthrown through a popular
>>> or people -led putsch.
>>> According to him , the Elder Statesman summoned a meeting of  his
>>> core loyalists over the issue  and this was even filmed  so as to
>>> strengthen the extent of  commitment of each of the politician
>>> that attended the meeting..
>>> He pointed out that however unknown to all of those who were privy
>>> to this meeting and clarion call , Chief Lateef Kayode
>>> Jakande ,Former Executive Governor of Lagos State had a different
>>> plan  as he betrayed   them to the military .
>>> He Said:� But unknown to them , Chief Jakande was planning to
>>> betray them, he went to President Ibrahim Babangida  and promptly
>>> showed him the tape
>>> �Papa Awolowo  was invited  for a meeting  with President Ibrahim
>>> Babangida  who was then staying at  Dodan Barracks which was the
>>> seat of power as at then and the truth of his clandestine meetings
>>> was revealed to him  by the gap �toothed  General
>>> �He gave Papa some options  and that was for him to be ready to
>>> face a court martial , be ready to go to a prison or better still
>>> go on exile
>>> �At this stage Papa felt instead of allowing some ambitious khaki
>>> boy to mess him up he should just  pack it in and call it a day ,so
>>> Chief Awolowo decide to commit  suicide  so as to  save  himself
>>> from the ignominy of going to prison for the second time in his
>>> lifetime .
>>> �But before he did this he called his core loyalists  for a
>>> meeting ,before then he had called up Late Chief Bola Ige
>>> [Cicero],since the latter had a very strong understanding of the
>>> Hausa Language having had his formative years as a young man in
>>> Kaduna but discovered  that the late Esa-Oke strongman   was
>>> innocent after he was interrogated by Papa
>>> �He called others for enquiries while asking them to tender the
>>> video cassettes  of the meeting  they all attended to discuss the
>>> plans to topple President Babangida  for examination ,at this
>>> juncture Chief Jakande developed a cold feet as he  could not
>>> produce his own copy of the video which was freely distributed to
>>> all that was present at the meeting previously before the betrayal
>>> and that was how the cat was let out of the bag
>>> �So he cursed him at this point   and pointed out that he   will
>>> never have any form of relevance politically as far as Nigeria was
>>> concerned and till today members of the Awolowo Dynasty avoids him
>>> like a plague.
>>> �I was their when  the letter he wrote to the family to beg them
>>> for forgiveness over the unfortunate incident was read in the
>>> presence of all present ,if he continues to deny I am ready to
>>> confront him publicly again on the same issue as I can  even
>>> remember that elders  asked him to go to the grave of the late sage
>>> to plead for forgiveness
>>> �When he was questioned he lied that the National Security
>>> Organization now State Security Services had visited his house to
>>> check on him and in the process took the tape in question but�
>>> Awoists� knew that this was a very weak argument  as he did not
>>> inform their political group of this development before their
>>> enquiry on the subject
>>> �That was how Senator Abraham Adesanya  assumed the leadership  of
>>> the Awolowo camp of Yoruba politics after the demise of the man ,he
>>> was not even so close to Awolowo during his lifetime like Chief
>>> Jakande and that was why many called him Baba Kekere on account of
>>> this cosy relationship
>>> �Before he gave up the ghost , he said his prayers  and then took
>>> the poison which killed him  almost immediately but the public was
>>> not fully aware as  they were given a different account of what
>>> happened.
>>> �We were simply told that he died   while he was brushing his
>>> teeth  in his bathroom at his Park Lane,Apapa residence here in Lagos
>>> �He was stupendously wealthy during his lifetime, infact  there is
>>> know company at Oba Akran in Ikeja ,Lagos  where he does not  have
>>> at least a five percent equity, Dideolu Court in Ogba  alone cannot
>>> be valued at less than N10 Billion ,that was the place that he had
>>> in mind to be his Seat of power if he was elected as Nigeria�s
>>> President.
>>> �He owned Shonibare Estate but the man he was using as a front
>>> and  who later went to prison over some issues which Awolowo
>>> himself was privy to  eventually laid  claim to the estate.
>>> �He got  all of this wealth due to a great measure of goodwill  and
>>> tax waivers  he gave to investors whenever they come to establish
>>> their business.
>>> �Anytime you buy a bottle of Coca-Cola you are enriching  the
>>> Awolowo Dynasty ,go to Ijebu Ikenne and you will discover that the
>>> price of a bag cement there is different from other parts of the
>>> nation due to the  subsidy that the citizens enjoy on account of
>>> Awolowo who was their son and I hope you know that West African
>>> Portland Cement is in Ewekoro and not Ikenne.
>>> �On account of this great betrayal Awolowo family members regard
>>> the �Awoist� as a group people should deal with using a long spoon
>>> till this day and this explains  why when The Peoples Democratic
>>> Party Government  gave some of them political appointment lately
>>> they accepted it without thinking twice.
>>> �Dr Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu was made an Ambassador by Former
>>> President Olusegun Obasanjo while  , Mr Segun Awolowo Jnr was given
>>> a plum job at the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja as a Secretary.
>>> �Recently when Afenifere was disintegrating Mama out of concern
>>> for her husband�s legacies decided to call a truce because as she
>>> puts it then, she did not know what she was going to tell her
>>> husband the day they meet in heaven
>>> �He made Sijuwade rich , because  he was his business associate
>>> and in fact some of us held very strong views that he was one of
>>> his fronts and later the  same man became the Ooni of Ife�he added
>>> Mr  Adebayo Adeyinka   recalled his several years of following
>>> grass root politics right from the days of Action Group to the
>>> Unity Party of Nigerian era in the second republic but now lamented
>>> that he had since lost all interest in partisan politics due to the
>>> massive corruption in our polity.
>>> He listed such blue chips like Dunlop Nigeria Plc ,Guinness Nigeria
>>> Plc, Neimeth Pharmaceutical Nigeria Plc  ,May and Baker Nigeria
>>> Plc  ,Vitafoam Nigeria Plc  ,Wahum  Nigeria Limited ,CAP Nigeria
>>> Plc  , International Paints of West Africa [IPWA],  Berger Paints
>>> Nigeria Plc  ,Berec Nigeria Limited  ,Kabelmetal, Nigeria Bottling
>>> Company Plc ,Leventis  Nigera Plc ,West African Portland Cement
>>> Company,[Lafarge ],Wema Bank Nigeria Plc, Scoa Nigeria Plc ,CFAO
>>> Nigeria Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc ,Wemaboard Estates, Odu�A Group,
>>> Livestock Feeds Nigeria Plc , Nigerian Breweries Plc as places the
>>> Awolowo family have commercial interest to mention just a few.
>>> Apart from this stocks  analysts believe that the most visible of
>>> his investment ,The Nigerian Tribune Newspapers  cannot be valued
>>> at  less than N100billion today in terms of brand evaluation as
>>> Thisday Newspapers was valued by the Owner ,.Mr Nduka Obaigbena at
>>> N200 Billion recently during a media chart while celebrating his
>>> fiftieth birthday sometimes last year.
>>> Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a leader who believed that the state
>>> should channel Nigeria�s resources  into education and state �led
>>> infrastructural development.
>>> At his own expense albeit controversially ,he introduced the free
>>> primary education for all of  the Western Region ,he equally
>>> established the first television service in Africa in 1959 and
>>> expanded electrification projects in the region using the proceeds
>>> from the highly lucrative Cocoa export industry.
>>> The Cocoa House in Ibadan regarded by many as one of the major
>>> landmarks of Nigeria�s architectural history was built as a result
>>> of his economic blueprint which was targeted towards the
>>> emancipation of his people from poverty
>>> He built the first stadium in West Africa  , the Liberty
>>> Stadium ,Ibadan and he coined the name �Naira �for Nigeria�s
>>> official currency ,it was previously called Nigerian Pounds.
>>> During the 1970�s ,he was very critical of Nigeria�s military
>>> expenditure insisting that  more should be spent on development
>>> He ran a free health care programme for children up till the age of
>>> eighteen years .
>>> On his death on the 9th of May,1987 as a mark of respect for his
>>> legacies ,The University Of Ile-Ife  which ironically he helped to
>>> build as Premier of the Old Western Nigeria was re-named in his
>>> honour as part of a post humous celebration of his life and times.
>>> His portraits adorn public places in Nigeria especially in his
>>> native Yoruba land where he is seen as an icon.
>>> His picture also adorn Nigeria�s one hundred naira note.
>>> He has been described surprisingly by some of his greatest critics
>>> and even political opponents as probably the Best President Nigeria
>>> never had.
>>> He struck a chord with the womenfolk during his lifetime when in a
>>> rare show of public affection for his wife of several years, Chief
>>> Mrs Hannah Dideolu Awolowo told the world that the woman was his
>>> jewel of inestimable value.
>>> How right or prophetic he was because his wife has continued to
>>> strengthen the mileage of the husband�s name even in death.
>>> During an exclusive interview with FS Online at his Ilupeju home in
>>> Lagos last year, Chief Lateef Jakande upon being probed with
>>> questions over his relationship with Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo on
>>> account of what feelers were suggesting had denied  that they had a
>>> bad relationship shortly before his death.
>>> He insisted that those that said that they had any problems between
>>> them prior to  Chief Awolowo�s  death were not been honest as they
>>> were all telling lies.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>  Mazi  Uzo Obi
>>>
>>> "whatsoever thou resolvest to do,do it now. Defer not till the
>>> evening what the morning can accomplish"( Unto thee I grant the
>>> economy of life,1978).
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your
>>> inbox. Get started.
>>>
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--
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