Letter to Biafrians
DID KANU AND THE IGBOS PUSHING FOR SECESSION FORGET THEIR HISTORY LESSON? With the exception of a lot of smart and great thinking igbos who understood that Kanu is nothing but a paid Charlatan, I think most igbos have CONVENIENTLY forgotten that Chief Awolowo actually wanted The Secession Option to be legally included in the Nigerian Constitution at independence (and the North supported him), BUT IGBOS, LED BY NNAMDI AZIKIWE, "Zik Of Africa" the most popular Nigerian politician then, backed by the colonial Masters, OPPOSED the need to put a secession clause in our constitution and won.
Zik himself admitted as much while he was still alive! So contrary to the baseless claim of many, this matter about secession is not about a military imposed constitution. Even when we debated our constitution way back before independence, the IGBOS ARGUED, AND WON, that it should NOT be included. Later constitutions were simply carry-overs from what the leaders voted about before 1960. Now that they voted for GEJ and lost, they want out. Yeah right!
My honest advise is for Kanu and the agitators to go and repackage and form better alliances to get better positioning in power sharing in 2019 elections. You cant expect prominent positions in a government you voted against by a factor of 90% to 10% in most cases. Thats political REALITY people, not tribal marginalization.
Ojukwu himself was part of the establishedment early and only decided to pursue secession when he lost out in the power game following the military coup of 1966.
Now, I think it is IRONIC that Kanu and his fellow travelers are now calling Yorubas and Hausas goats for remaining in the Nigerian Union when it was actually the Igbos who frustrated the attempt to make it legal
THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEBATE AND HOW NNAMDI AZIKIWE PREVAILED ON KEEPING THE UNION PERPETUAL AND INDIVISIBLE IS STILL THERE FOR ANYONE TO READ!
HESE IGBOS ARE POOR STUDENTS OF HISTORY.
CAN SOMEONE REMINDS THEM.
REMINDER:
Awolowo advocated for secession to be included in our constitution, backed by the North led by The Sardauna. Azikiwe was against it, backed by the colonialist British. Now history and posterity has proven Awo right.
Here is an Excerpt: Zik Interview with New Nigeria in 1975 as researched and posted by Edwin Ogunbo
...........
Here NNAMDI AZIKIWE: "Again, however, when the 1954 constitution conference started, my good friend, Chief Obafemi Awolowo tabled a motion to the effect that in the new constitution, provision should be made that any state which feels like seceding should do so. I was opposed to it and said ‘no’ and said that once we have a federation, we are indivisible and perpetual. That was when we began to use that expression - ‘The Indivisibility and perpetuity of the federation’ - and that to secede would amount to treason. And so, a debate ensued.
The Secretary of State then was Oliver Littleton, later Lord Chandos and he was very much interested and that was his first time in seeing that people of African descent were people actually debating at a high level. So a full day was given to Chief Awolowo to make his points. He spoke brilliantly as a lawyer. He made his points why secession should be incorporated in the constitution. He cited the case of the Soviet Union which is a federation, and that secession is written there so that any state in the Soviet Union can secede at will. He also cited the case of Western Australia and eventually he finished his case and was applauded.
We adjourned. The next day, I had to reply.
I availed myself of the opportunity to, well, demolish the arguments of my friend Chief Awolowo, and I cited the case of United States which based its constitution on that of the Swiss Confederation. That is Switzerland. I pointed out a case, I think, that of Texas versus White, where Mr. Salmon Chase, the Chief Justice laid down the principle - he was really an arbiter - that the union was intended to be perpetual and indivisible and that any attempt to divide the union by secession was treasonable.
The North (NPC) supported Action Group. The question was then: Should we have secession? The Colonial Office came to our rescue. You know, the usual principle of Britain - ‘divide and rule’ (laughs) but this time, it was in our favour.
So, the colonial office backed us in the igbo delegation. Lord Chandos said that on the face of the arguments before him it would be suicidal to incorporate secession in our constitution and that is why we have section 86 in our constitution that if any region or state should secede, then it will be an act of treason and that was what led to this war, because Col. Ojukwu seceded and so violated the constitution."
Posted by: Edwin Abigail Ogunbor
Now, what exactly is Kanu's point again? Why was he now shouting for secession because the Igbos once again lost out in the polITical game, this time through LEGITIMATE ELECTIONS again.
Worse, unlike Ojukwu who even had the support of most Igbo Leaders, ALL THE ELECTED GOVERNORS OF IGBO EXTRACTION just disavowed him and his rag-tag team of hungry Red Menace. So, who exactly will be fighting this mother of all wars he is talking about from the bush where is hiding right now?
Call me whatVEer name you want, Kanu is misguided and all he would end up doing is causing the loss of lives AND property of MANY MILLIONS OF IGBOS AGAIN!
Zik himself admitted as much while he was still alive! So contrary to the baseless claim of many, this matter about secession is not about a military imposed constitution. Even when we debated our constitution way back before independence, the IGBOS ARGUED, AND WON, that it should NOT be included. Later constitutions were simply carry-overs from what the leaders voted about before 1960. Now that they voted for GEJ and lost, they want out. Yeah right!
My honest advise is for Kanu and the agitators to go and repackage and form better alliances to get better positioning in power sharing in 2019 elections. You cant expect prominent positions in a government you voted against by a factor of 90% to 10% in most cases. Thats political REALITY people, not tribal marginalization.
Ojukwu himself was part of the establishedment early and only decided to pursue secession when he lost out in the power game following the military coup of 1966.
Now, I think it is IRONIC that Kanu and his fellow travelers are now calling Yorubas and Hausas goats for remaining in the Nigerian Union when it was actually the Igbos who frustrated the attempt to make it legal
THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEBATE AND HOW NNAMDI AZIKIWE PREVAILED ON KEEPING THE UNION PERPETUAL AND INDIVISIBLE IS STILL THERE FOR ANYONE TO READ!
HESE IGBOS ARE POOR STUDENTS OF HISTORY.
CAN SOMEONE REMINDS THEM.
REMINDER:
Awolowo advocated for secession to be included in our constitution, backed by the North led by The Sardauna. Azikiwe was against it, backed by the colonialist British. Now history and posterity has proven Awo right.
Here is an Excerpt: Zik Interview with New Nigeria in 1975 as researched and posted by Edwin Ogunbo
...........
Here NNAMDI AZIKIWE: "Again, however, when the 1954 constitution conference started, my good friend, Chief Obafemi Awolowo tabled a motion to the effect that in the new constitution, provision should be made that any state which feels like seceding should do so. I was opposed to it and said ‘no’ and said that once we have a federation, we are indivisible and perpetual. That was when we began to use that expression - ‘The Indivisibility and perpetuity of the federation’ - and that to secede would amount to treason. And so, a debate ensued.
The Secretary of State then was Oliver Littleton, later Lord Chandos and he was very much interested and that was his first time in seeing that people of African descent were people actually debating at a high level. So a full day was given to Chief Awolowo to make his points. He spoke brilliantly as a lawyer. He made his points why secession should be incorporated in the constitution. He cited the case of the Soviet Union which is a federation, and that secession is written there so that any state in the Soviet Union can secede at will. He also cited the case of Western Australia and eventually he finished his case and was applauded.
We adjourned. The next day, I had to reply.
I availed myself of the opportunity to, well, demolish the arguments of my friend Chief Awolowo, and I cited the case of United States which based its constitution on that of the Swiss Confederation. That is Switzerland. I pointed out a case, I think, that of Texas versus White, where Mr. Salmon Chase, the Chief Justice laid down the principle - he was really an arbiter - that the union was intended to be perpetual and indivisible and that any attempt to divide the union by secession was treasonable.
The North (NPC) supported Action Group. The question was then: Should we have secession? The Colonial Office came to our rescue. You know, the usual principle of Britain - ‘divide and rule’ (laughs) but this time, it was in our favour.
So, the colonial office backed us in the igbo delegation. Lord Chandos said that on the face of the arguments before him it would be suicidal to incorporate secession in our constitution and that is why we have section 86 in our constitution that if any region or state should secede, then it will be an act of treason and that was what led to this war, because Col. Ojukwu seceded and so violated the constitution."
Posted by: Edwin Abigail Ogunbor
Now, what exactly is Kanu's point again? Why was he now shouting for secession because the Igbos once again lost out in the polITical game, this time through LEGITIMATE ELECTIONS again.
Worse, unlike Ojukwu who even had the support of most Igbo Leaders, ALL THE ELECTED GOVERNORS OF IGBO EXTRACTION just disavowed him and his rag-tag team of hungry Red Menace. So, who exactly will be fighting this mother of all wars he is talking about from the bush where is hiding right now?
Call me whatVEer name you want, Kanu is misguided and all he would end up doing is causing the loss of lives AND property of MANY MILLIONS OF IGBOS AGAIN!
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