Tribalism, Religious Fanaticism Killed Nigeria’s Prosperity at Independence (1)

FROM PETER NWASIKE, AWKA

Numerous testimonies at 60th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria (1960-2020), pointed to the fact of leadership of ignorance and mediocrity, occasioned by the fact that those who were imposed on Nigeria, were not prepared for it.

They portrayed the Igbo adage that “A hoisted he-goat lacks libido to perform.” So, they lacked intelligence and ability for efficient and diligent work. But the question to ask is: “When un-prepared people were drafted by coersion to leadership, was Nigeria bereft of people prepared to assume competent leadership?

The answer is that actually, Nigeria had competent potential leaders, but were denied by the monstrosity of Northern tribalism and religious fanaticism. Europeans (British), who colonized Nigeria penetrated from the coast of Athlantic Ocean of West Africa and so brought their civilization machinery of Christianity,

Education, Merchantalism and admonistrative savvy to the Southern parts, and so, people along the Southern Provinces of Nigeria, were the first to embrace civilisation. With educational enlightenment, they realized that Europeans were advancing their own interests, as seen that the Europeans maintained higher standard of living, to the detriment of Africans.

They discovered that merchantalism which was source of wealth, was controlled by the Europeans who collected raw materials from the natives at cheap prices, exported them to Europe for manufactured goods, and imported them back to Africa at exorbitant prices, and so, acquired wealth more than Africans.

As soon as the educated natives acquired education to secondary school level, which gave them ability to analyse issue, they become anxious to rule themselves, and protect themselves from European exploitation. Notable among those zealous Nigerians was Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zik), who hailed from Onitsha, Anambra State, in South East. With secondary school qualification, Zik considered himself not competent to replace British colonialism in leadership.

He braved all odds and travelled to America to acquire good education in 1925. He studied Political Science, History, Economics, Education, Journalism, and returned in 1937, to initiate enlightened leadership in Nigeria. He manifested his primary objective to rule Nigeria, and engaged in literary business, by establishing newspaper publications, as a journalist, which epitomised his leadership capabilities.

With his knowledge of Economics, he floated Public Limited Liability Company, and sold Shares to the public to raise money for investments. He extended to importation of printing materials, which blossomed profitability.

Every year, he declared dividends to his business partners, and they smiled to their banks with joy and gladness. He also floated a commercial bank, for efficient and honest management of their money. He exhibited SOCIAL WELFARE RESPONSIBILITY OF BUSINESS, by building the Yaba Sports Stadium, Lagos, for the public.

He established the first indigenous University in Nigeria, the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), to produce intelligent professionals needed for an Independent Nation.

As these were going on, Zik engaged in constant public lectures, educated the people on the propriety of Africans to rule themselves. All these, and many more, were what he learnt during his sojourn to America.  Barrister Obafemi Awolowo, who hailed from Abeokuta, Ogun” State, South West, nursed the ambition of political leadership, emulated Zik, and after secondary school education, travelled to England in 1941, and acquired education in Law, Journalism, Business Administration, and returned in 1948, and established law practice, and competed with Europeans in Courts.

He, as a journalist, floated newspaper publication in 1949, to educate people on their rights. With his knowledge of commerce, he also engaged in business entrepreneurship, and was the pioneer major shareholder of Coca Kola Industry, that manufactures soft drinks, which is still going strong. So, Zik, a Christian, of Igbo, in South East, and Awolowo, a Christian of Yoruba, in South West, with their high educational qualifications, as professionals, engagement in business entrepreneurship, public education through their newspapers and public lecturers, proved themselves as well prepared for political leadership.

So, when election for leadership offices were needed in a democratic set-up, which is a game of number, they were eminently qualified for good leadership, by complementing political independence with economic independence. When election came for leadership of Nigeria at Independence 1960, they willingly presented themselves. 

But their Northern counterparts did not share the wisdom that professional education is imperative in leadership of pragmatism of the type of European colonialism. Thus, they were complacent with the Teachers Grade Two Certificate, which the British colonizers kept for them, as long as they were able to read and write and serve the .Europeans as Clerks in offices and teachers in schools. Their leaders, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello (Sarduana of Sokoto), and Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, were satisfied with their mediocre educational qualification of Teachers Grade Two certificate.

In his political discuss, Felix Nwaneri (Political Editor) , asserted as follows: “Apparently, there is no Nigerian leader since Independence, whose circumstance of ascention to the throne showed that he was prepared for the herculean task of leadership In the First Republic” Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, emerged as leader of Government Business, in the Parliament courtesy of an arrangement that he should hold forth for the Sarduena of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, as Prime Minister in Lagos.”(New Telegraph Newspaper, Thursday, October 1,2020, page 9). 

So, with his Teachers Grade Two Certificate, Balewa knew that he could not compete with Zik or Awolowo, and so did not attempt to volunteer him-self for leadership. He simply obeyed the quims and caprices of his over-lord, Alhaji Bello, who was equally semi-literate, but capitalized on their Muslim feudalism of the mornarch bullying his subjects.

But, ironically, as democracy is a system of “Simple majority carries the Vote”, the Hausa-Fulani, whose Muslim religion gave them the culture of polygamy breed of one man with four wives, and breeding numerous children, most of them out-of-school children (Almajiri), street orchins, begging for alms, and maturing as bandits, Boko Haram terrorists and Fulani killer herdsmen and reeking in moral depravity, because they are illiterate, irascible and cantankerous who lack civilised home training. 

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Kukah, has this to say about this ugly scenario: “Northern Nigeria, the epicenter of illiteracy, is today, a cauldrum that has spilled over the acid of violence across the ration:- (Convocation Lecture, Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Anambra State, March 20, 2020, page 28). 

The Hausa-Fulani Muslim North, relied on the monstrosity of useless population and snatched quality leadership from erudite, competent, intelligent and well prepared Zik and Awo. In the 1959 election for Independence in 1960, Balewa got 79 seats in the North only. Zik got 62 seats in the East, West and Lagos. Awolowo got 27 seats from only in the West.

As Balewa could not form Federal Government with 79 seats from only in the North, he went into alliance with Zik and formed a Coalition Government. But as Nigeria became independent on October 1, 1960, the supreme leader of Muslim North, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, arrogantly brandished his own hidden agenda for Independence, which was the Islamization of the entire Nigeria.

Hon. (Chief) Mbazulike Amechi, first Minister of Aviation, in the first republic (1960-1966), testified to Bellows religious fanaticism, in his book: “POLITICALL HISTORY OF NIGERIA” as Bello pontificated thus: 

“The new Nation” called Nigeria, should be an estate from our great grandfather, Usman Dan Fodio once said; “We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We must use the minorities of the North, as willing tools and the South as conquered territories, and never allow them to have control of their future. Our great grandfather conquered up to Ilorin, but we have now accomplished the task which they did not complete. I will dip the Quoran at the sea.” (Donac Pilot newspaper, Sunday, August 30, 2020, page 3)  

In the Second Republic, 1979, Hausa-Fulani Muslim North, again, reared their horried head of nepotism, tribalism, religious fanaticism, They brought another Teachers Grade Two Certificate holder, Alhaji Shehu Shagari. Felix Nwaneri (Political Editor) has this to say: “For Alhaji Shehu Shagari, the First Executive President of Nigeria, he only wanted a seat in the Senate, before he was drafted to run for the Presidency in 1979. What later became of his government, especially his inability to control some Ministers in his Cabinet, proved that he was ill-prepared for the job.” (New Telegraph newspaper, October 1, 2020, page 9). 

Yet, during the 1979 election, Zik, from South East (Igbo), was there, and Awolowo, from South West (Yoruba), was there, and the two eminent nationalists and erudite professionals, contested the election. The Muslim of Hausa-Fulani, again brandished their nonsensical population monstrosity, and imposed Shagari on Nigerians.

If they did not trust Zik, because he was an Igbo, whom they tagged as “rebels,” because of the civil war, why did they not trust Awo, a Yoruba, who was their brain box during the war?  In fact, Awolowo served them as the Deputy Chairman of Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC), and also as the Minister of Finance.

Where was Shagari when Awolowo was performing all those sensitive offices during the critical period of war? If Awolowo was faithful and competent for them to win the war, why did they not consider him competent and loyal to lead the country as President, after the war? TO BE CONTINUED ON NEXT EDITION.