Edmund Nwabueze Onyiriogwu
I have read sundry articles of ethnic profiling of the Igbo by Adedamola Adetayo. My foremost conjecture was that the irritant nomenclature might be a pseudonym or a faceless apellation adopted by group of misguided Yoruba afflicted with chronic tribal megalomania.
Nevertheless, in whatever guise or smokescreen, Adetayo’s inveterate assails of the Igbo ethnic nationality in his feature articles have transited to schizophrenic psychosis. His sophistry in mendacities and upending truth on the historic events in Nigeria betrays felonious and criminal orientation. The extrapolation from his sundry submissions against the Igbo underscores that his posturings are indeed celebration of unmitigated mental dilapidation .
His ghoulish writings with consistent denigrations and assaults of Igbo race as thematic substance are overtly a script by his pay masters with the intent to corrode the minds of the Yoruba against their Igbo brothers with the goal to precipitate ethnic conflagration, perhaps achieve other sinister agenda.
Otherwise, how can a sane humanbeing in the 21st Century attained such supersonic nuisance value of spearheading ethnic disharmony by premeditated distortions of facts, blatant mutilations of history, unrestrained but habitual annihilation of truth under the veneer of advancing ethnic interest. However, such blinkered approach of championing parochial agenda by bruiting about lies and falsehood is condemned by men of honour and history will scowl and grieve at his reprehensible actuation.
Interestingly, Adedamola and band of his waspish cohorts who perceive Igbo tribe as their betenoire are certainly on the minority and their egregious scheme does not represent the true character of the Yoruba who are decent, civilized, God fearing and I believe recognised the undeniable truth that the presence of the Igbo in Yoruba land with attendant thumping investments are mutually beneficial.
The fact that there has been amity betweet the two ethnic groups in Lagos and other Southwest states for over a century reinforces the admiration and esteem both have for each other.
Adedamola Adetayo and his fellow paranoid-travellers are conclusively myopic, uninterestingly parochial and bereft of modicum of foresight. The implied complex which Adetayo’s ethnic profiling of the Igbo smacks of makes him an apology to the Yoruba race that produces Nigerian first eleven in all areas including politics, faith, business, sports, entertainment etc. Therefore he should seek penitence for enamoured charlatanism in the midst of the group which has produced giants like Gani’s, Soyinka’s, Awojuobi’s, Obasanjo’s, Abiola’s, Olukayo’s, Oyedapo’s, Falana’s, Sowore’s of this world, the list is endless whose world views were and are beyond the boundaries of ethnic cleavages and solidarity.
Indeed, Adedamola Adetayo pestilential assignment to undo the Igbo by the force of the pen through distortions of truth covertly undermines the long term interest of the Southwest. His overt Igbo phobia and his action plan to market his delusions are counterproductive. It is certain that this guy is so blindfolded by the canopy of ethnic hatred of the Igbo that in his comical hallucination, he is unable to decipher the true enemies of his people and acts accordingly.
Honestly, I expect if Adetayo and his likes have genuine love and interest of the Yoruba ethnic nationality as they pretend to champion, their anger and venom aught to be appropriately channeled to addressing the current siege of Yoruba land, farms and forrests with attendant killing, rape, kidnapping and destructions of cash crops. If his pen is a tool for ethnic agenda as he pretentiously advanced, may it find a proper direction.
Indeed, what degree of psychotic disorder does a man suffers who sheepishly courts capital flights within his enclave in preference to investments which open his area to socio economic growth and developments.
The Igbo investments in Southwest are intentional and arise from the inherent belief that where one lives and earns a living is as vital as the person’s provenance. This value drives Igbo people commitment in the development and growth of the area they found opportunities and accommodation.
Sadly, this conviction for the Igbo to transform where they earn a living as exemplifies by their humongous investments in the Southwest may have exposed the tribe to ridicule and object of savagery assault by mentally deranged skul-duggery bigots whose passion is to use his writings to make the people of Igbo extraction look like devils in Yorubaland perhaps with the view of gunning for their crucifixion. For all intents and purposes, the dexterity of the pen which flows from cerebral imp may ignorantly sabotage the long term stake of the Southwest in sustainability of its development march by antagonizing the group that has played a crucial role in its current status as the most developed region with highest revenue profile.
Developments spring up from investments by others even His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Tinubu acknowledged that when he was a Governor of Lagos State, “It has pleased God to make our state the leading state in the federation. We have a duty to keep it so, if we take a close look at the potentials that are available to us but which remained untapped…In order to develop these dormant resources beyond that which we are capable of generating ourselves. We must also attract other people to our state as nothing is better known to history than it is only the people that have allowed others to participate in the process of their development that have recorded higher achievements.”
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is very consumpolitan and understood the subject matter Adedamola Adetayo and his demented allies that exhibit increasing nescience. Asiwaju Tinubu also asserted in his stride to capture the imperative of integration of others developmental impulse through intentional friendship and overtures: “The most celebrated nation today, the United States of America thought the world a lesson on development through accommodation, tolerance, and good
neighbourliness.We must do this in Lagos State.We must achieve development through greater hospitality, accommodation, love…”
It is lucid why deep thinkers imbued with foresight may percieve Adetayo ill conceived mission of over heating the system to create tension between the Igbo and their host through blatant misleading interpretations, ill motivated misrepresentions and outright falsehood are self defeating. It’s therefore compelling for well meaning Yoruba to call this rouser of ethnic belligence who betrays his dark age orientation and poor mental state by sundry codswallop burlesques that are nondescript and revolting to those with civilized and decent values.
Coming to specifics according to his latest write up which I stumbled into recently through copy and paste. May I respond to Adedamola Adetayo’ spurious claims in his parody. My reaction becomes imperative on the ground that peddling of falsehood on historical events unchallenged may decietfully wear the garb of truth to undiscerning minds, especially to the young ones who were not witnesses and the gullible old folks are also vulnerable to the aspirations of the lier and his treachery.
Chief Awolowo was a leader of immense potential, however, his political activities were not coeval with Dr Azikiwe salutary nationalism of liberating Africa from the shackles of colonialism. Chief Awo commenced his politics far behind Dr Azikiwe and benefitted from Zik wealth of knowledge and nationalism consciousness across Africa. From Liberia to Ghana, Zambia, Tanzania to mentioned just a few, Zik of Africa impacts were tremendous in arousing struggles for sovereignity in the African continent. Most African leaders who were on the frontline of liberation stuggles in their countries were influenced by Zik. Nkumah Nkrumah of Ghana academic pursuit was through Zik scholarship.
No African living or dead contributed to the dismantling of colonialism in the continent more than Dr Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe.
Dr Azikiwe motto, “Show the light others will follow” was driving force to morph the narrative in the continent under the grip of colonialism. Chief Obafemi Awolowo was called to the bar at the Inner Temple London in 1946 and formed Action Group AG in 1951, but by 1934 Dr Azikiwe had established his newspaper West Africa Pilot in Liberia, Ghana and later in Nigeria after completion of his post graduate degree in USA. In the 40s, he was already a leader of NCNC. Chief Awolowo was never in the same class with Dr Azikiwe in terms of input in the liberation struggles both in Nigeria and Africa continent.
However, Chief Awolowo tardy entry into the nationalist struggle did not take anything away from him as he was regarded by many Nigerians as a leader of tremendous capacity and recently we were informed by Gen Babangida book that the bloody Coup of January 15, 1966 was executed to enthrone Chief Awolowo as the Prime Minister though he was in imprison in Calabar at the time. This underscored the level of Chief Awolowo’s popularity.
The Igbo never hated Chief Awolowo as Adedamola claimed, though some might have haboured recentment based on what they perceived as Chief Awolowo inhuman role in the fratricidal war and his post war policies as the head of Nigeria finance ministry and the deputy to Gen Gowon. It was expected that given his scholarship and exposure, he would douse the impulses of the youthful and less educated Nigeria Head of State, Yakabu Gowon in his war policies that were inconsistent with international laws or that would not factor protections of non combatants, women children and the vulnerables. Unfortunately, the reverse was the case in Chief Awolowo’s input and actions in the civil war.
The “Total Blockage” which prevented food and medicine entrance into the Biafra territory ravaged the civilan population through mass starvation and health crisis was a brain child of Chief Awolowo. After the war ended, the policy of handing people of Eastern Region twenty Pound in exchange of their thousands and millions in their accounts in the bank came from Chief Awolowo portfolio as the Finance Minister.
Despite these ill treatments, the Igbo supported Awolowo quest for Presidency in 1979 and 1983. Chief Awo’s party UPN was popular in Igbo land and the party made appreciable impacts in the elections at various levels in 1979 and 1983.
Adetayo also claimed that the Igbo hated MKO About. How on earth can a person with stability of intellect put up such falshood in the name vitiating and sullying the Igbo in the eyes of their Yoruba neighbours and consigning them to the status of perennial suspects in Southwest. This is indeed most uncharitable against the backdrop of the facts on the ground.
Despite that, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, Presidential Candidate of NRC took his Vice Presidential candidate a person of Igbo extraction, Dr Slyvester Ugoh, the Igbo still voted massively for MKO, atleast he defeated his rival in all the Eastern states except in Imo and Abia States. It was indeed a false claim by Adedamola in his toxic piece that the Igbo loathed MKO premised on malicious extrapolation of the ignoble activities of Chief Arthur Nzeribe during 1993 General Elections through the infamous ABN which a Yoruba man, Abimbola Davies also participated actively as a leader of the group next to Chief Nzeribe.
The sophism of Adedamola in sweeping condemnation of the entire Igbo race on account of Chief Nzeribe cowardly activity is utterly repulsive. Nonetheless, it may be pertinent to ask Adedamola if he would also probe Mr Abimbola Davies, a Yoruba man, Nzeribe’s partner who actually obtained a Court Order from Justice Bassey Ita Ikpeme to stall the conduct of June 12 Election? Would he make similar generation on the Yoruba tribe on the ground of Abimbola Davies repugnant activities against Chief Abiola’s Presidential bid?
If the struggle for June revalidation was on the prism of tribe, then the next in line of the tribe that committed their lives, resources, time, intellect etc to reclaim Chief MKO mandate after the Yoruba is the Igbo. In fact, the only man who died in exile on account of June 12 struggle was an Igbo, Barr Nwosisi. It’s vital to note that prominent Igbo were members of NADECO and they played significant roles in advancing the cause of June 12. Chief Ralph Obioha, Ralph Uwechie, Ebute Ukiwe, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu to mention just a few were active participants in the political pressure group against June 12 annulment.
In the human right space, people of Igbo extractions were not absent in the struggle for the actualization of June 12 mandate given to MKO Abiola by of 14 million voters but torpedoed by the military. Many Igbo born human right activists faced different degree of threat by the military. Some were detained, while others were physically assaulted by soldiers on account of their irrepressible stand on June 12. Olisa Agbakoba, Clement Nwankwo, Chima Ubani, Chidi Odinkalu, Innocent Chukwuma and other Igbo chaps too many to mention made huge sacrifices for June 12 re- validation.
May be my personal story on June 12 struggles may reinforce the support of the Igbo to Chief MKO mandate. My narrow escape from gun shot in Enugu at the wake of Sit-at- home order coordinated by civil society to pressure the revocation of June 12 annulment was indeed an act of God.
A combine team of SSS and police were detailed to apprehend me. Our activities of combing major areas in the state distributing pamphlets and leaflets canvassing for Sit-at-home to compel the de-annulment of Chief Abiola mandate probably featured on the evaluations of the security agents whom we were rightly informed on their plan to preclude Enugu from joining in the June 12 Sit-at-home Order.
That fateful evening we had finished a meeting chaired by Mr Innocent Chukwuma from Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) who cordinated the Sit-at-home sensitization and mobilisation exercise in the Enugu axis. We had mapped strategic roads to ignite fire by 4am with used tyres. Our projection was that the flame would attract the police to the scenes. The presence of police in our calculation would send trepidation on the early morning crawlers and the scenario would compel them to return to their houses, thereby achieving our objective.
On my way home with my hands full of June12 handbills, posters and other mobilization materials, I decided a brisk one-on- one and group canvassing. I had finished addressing students in a school, when a man accosted me, “What are doing here?” he bellow and grabbed my belt. He was dragging me towards the gate when the students descended on him pulling me out of his grip, “This police man leave him alone.” The students yell revealed the identity of the stranger and I had to dashed out to escape from the scene.
Unfortunately, I did not know that the police team was inside the patrol van stationed besides the school which was on the road to my temporary resident Real Estate Uwani. Their bellicose voice echoed in my ears, “This is the boy.”
Still clutching the posters and handbills in my hands, in split second, I took a decision to run towards the stationary vehicle to the bewilderment of the offices. Before they could alight from the patrol vehicle, I had passed them as my choice was rare thing do. In my brisk pace, I was apalled by two gunshots, which sent everybody on the streets and its environ scampering hastily for safety.
Of course, in those days palpable tension was everywhere. The cloud was pregnant with uncertainty as security agencies were out to contain civil society and June 12 agitators.
The sense of danger the gunshot elicited in the already tensed atmosphere necessitated plethora of individuals scurrying for safety. The situation aided my escape as the security operatives were confused on particular compound I sought refuge.
As God would have it, I found myself in upstairs of a story building. When the family discovered that I was the person the police were hunting for I had to promptly assauged their fears by disclosing my identity as June 12 campaigner. The family were very pleased and welcomed me with open arm. It is Interesting to note that throughout our June 12 agitation in Enugu I did not meet any Igbo whether old or younger repulsive to Chief Abiola mandate.
When the security operatives advanced to the gate of the compound I was asked to hide inside the kitchen cardboard to evade arrest as they felt the securitymen had found my hiding place and would break into the house.
However, it turned out they had no clear picture of the particular house I ran into.
Two members of the family were students of the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus UNEC. Both young men volunteered surveillance to signal the depature of the security from the street. After waiting for some hours for the police departure from the street to no avail, the youngmen gave me their clothes and cap to disguise myself. With the new appearance, the two students escorted me out and we passed the securitymen without them recognising me. The following day, I came back to that house and picked the posters, handbills and clothes which the family kept intact.
Inclusion of this personal story was to underscore several sacrifices for June 12 ; there were countless Igbo who suffered various calamities, injuries, destructions of properties and other degrees of personal loss including death arising from the agitations for the restoration of Chief MKO Abiola stolen mandate.
It is likely that Adedamola might not have participated in June 12 struggles. His unsubstantiated allegation of the Igbo detestation of the winner of June12,1993 Presidential Election at comfort of his home is fraught with conceit egotism to raise the banner of idoicy.
It’s laughable, Adetayo abhored national honour for late Prof Nwosu who proved himself smarter than the military hierarchy that never wanted Chief Abiola Presidency. He approved the conferement of national honour to Alhaji Babagana Kingibe who betrayed Chief MKO Abiola and June 12 by allying with Gen Abacha to fustrate Chief Abiola mandate restoration in sundry ways.
How then can one justifies the contention against national honour to the man who risked his life and defied powers that be to ensure Nigeria had credible elections in 1992 and 1993. Prof Nwosu was wiser than the powers that were out to torpedo the election. He deliberately refused to read their body languages. He rejected their emissiaries and objected to their designs and made the election a possibility. Though he finally surroundered to the enemies of June 12, but that was achieved under gun point accelerated by physical assaults of the man who showed a rare courage in discharging his duty.
Perhaps late Prof Humphrey Nwosu is undeserving of posthumous national honour by Adetayo position because he was an Igbo man! How can we build a nation with this flawed character as champion in whatever guise.
Indeed, I sympathize with the Senators who rejected national honour for Prof Humphrey Nwosu because preponderant of them were mere onlookers in the June 12 struggles. I challenge the Senators if any of them that opposed national for former NEC Chairman Prof Nwosu participated in June 12 struggles. Otherwise, they would have realised the pluck and audacity the electoral umpire Chairman demonstrated by conducting June 12 Presidential Election against the backdrop of formidable oppositions and roadblocks mounted by the military hierarchy to frustrate the election in order to preclude Chief Abiola emergence as the President of Nigeria.
It is unfortunate Adetayo is now playing ethnic card, painting people of Igbo extraction in a bad light. If Igbo fits his description and hated Chief MKO Abiola as he posited in his nondescript article, Prof Nwosu, an Igbo man would have manipulated the conduct of the election to ensure the victory of Alhaji Bashir Tofa, Presidential candidate of NRC who had an Igbo man Dr Ugoh as his running mate.
President Bola Tinubu was one of the key actors of June 12 struggles and the most faithful to its cause. He understood the politics and dynamics of June 12, 1993 Election. His position that NEC Chairman deserves national honour is therefore the most valid as he was active participant of that era. Other contrary views are illogical and borne out of shallow appreciation of the patriotism and ingenuity Prof Nwosu demonstrated in the concept of Option A4 and in the conduct of the election adjudged as the freest and most transparent.
Adedamola Adetayo in his delusion thinks he has a monopoly of pen and the luxury to deploy it to diminish the Igbo through deliberate introduction of charlatanism, fraudulent misrepresentations, blithering falsifications and incredible falsehood by advancing personal prejudice and flawed character under the cocoon and veneer of Yoruba cause.
It is incontrovertible that his consistent excoriations of Igbo ethnic nationality by supplanting truth with falsity measure to hate speech.
It is therefore absolutely bewildering why he has not escaped the scrutiny of the law enforcement agencies in all his barrage of provocative, acerbic and caustic Igbo phobia write ups that are ultimately incitement for mayhem.
It has been revealed that Igbo ethnic nation has been victim of frightening deception, fraudulent interpretation and fabrications in such massive scale that culminated in pogroms and snowballed in three year fratricidal war where millions of Igbo were killed, countless women raped and infrastructure and properties destroyed on dimensions that were revolting.
The Igbo are yet to emerge diametrically from the effects of the civil war occasioned by closely or remotely misleading information, lies and falsehood sold to Nigerians particularly to the North after 1966 January 15 military putsch. This is exactly what Adedamola Adetayo and his allies want to replicate by their prejudicial project!
It may be detrimental and costly too for passivity in the face of relentless damage of the reputation and goodwill of the Igbo. Hindsight makes this response compelling.
It can be recalled that military officers from different tribes and regions executed a coup consistent with inherent military character and tradition, but the sad event was twisted by Igbo haters like Adetayo as Igbo putsch intentionally hatched for the tribe political ascendency. Despite the patent evidence that Igbo borne military officers Gen Ironsi and Col Ojukwu stalled the bloody military adventure from attaining the envisaged success in Lagos and in the north respectively, the lies prevailed until the nation was watered with innocent Igbo blood!
The ambition of Adedamola Adetayo and his collaborators afflicted with schizophrenic psychosis sailing in the boat of Igbo phobia is to deploy similar deceptions, falsity and misrepresentations of the Igbo in their writings as casubelli for Yoruba revolt and uprising against the people of Igbo descent resident in the Southwest.
However, it’s a cinch that their casuistry will ultimately be unavailing as the Yoruba have the sophistication, sapience and exposure that will not likely succumb to the whims and prejudice of these disgruntled elements. Indeed, the submissions of Adetayo in all deluge of his write ups in his personal fight are dismissable as cerebral film flam lacking the integrity of sythensis of sane mind and the Yoruba are too smart to buy into the prism of fallacious evaluations against a people who have been partners in the development of Southwest.
