NGR: NDM_Info_Release_Anenih_And_Co_In_Maryland
Debra Guzman
## date : 22.11.95
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NDM INFORMATION RELEASE
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ANENIH, OJUKWU & CO. IN BLADENSBURG, MARYLAND
GUESTS OF LaROUCHE'S SCHILLER INSTITUTE
Saturday, October 21, 1995
A public forum organized by Lyndon Larouche's Schiller
Institute and featuring several members of Nigeria's
Constitutional Conference was held in a suburban Maryland
hotel Conference room ( a way-side Howard Johnson's) on
Saturday, October 20, 1995, between 2 pm and 6 pm. Leading
the Nigerian delegation was Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu,
accompanied by Chief Anthony Anenih, Barrister Baba Adi,
Senator Ali Sharif and one Mr. Oladimeji (not a CC
delegate). The Chairman of the forum was Mr. Larry Freeman
(Schiller Institute). In addition to the five Nigerians,
one Mr. Uwe Friesecke, a German 'Larouchie', also spoke.
The small conference room was packed with about 150 persons.
At the beginning of the event, there were prolonged periods
of fracas among the participants, between supporters and
opponents of the Nigerian delegates. Many Nigerians in
colorful traditional regalia, periodically shouting
"Ikemba", or "Akwukwo" and the like when Ojukwu spoke,
where present. Loud verbal exchanges, shovings (and at some
point) threats of a chair-throwing melee erupted, until four
beefy county police officers were called in and displayed
prominently by Larry Freeman who threatened eviction of
further protesters. The room calmed down somewhat after
that, and the affairs proceeded with only with the
occasional but manageable interruptions.
Speakers (in order of speech) and Highlights
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Mr. Uwe Friesecke: A rehash of Larouche's standard
positions about rape of Africa and the developing world by
western financial institutions, the need for the dismantling
of institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank (he
characterized them as "genocidal institutions"), the
machinations of the House of Windsor, Lynda Chalker, Henry
Kissinger and their apologists, including many individuals
in and out of Nigeria, and particularly followers of the
pro-democracy movements. He named NADECO, NDM and others.
His speech lasted about 1 hour. It was after this rather
long uninspiring rambling speech that many in the audience
loudly demanded to know the agenda of the forum, that they
had not come to listen to any German attempting to
brain-wash us, that they had come to listen to what the
Nigerians had to say. It took about 15 minutes to calm the
room down. [Note: Uwe Friesecke and Larry Freeman had both
travelled to Nigeria to interview Ojukwu, Karibi-Whyte and
Rimi in separate interviews published in Executive
Intelligence Review of December 16, 1994.]
Barrister Baba Adi: Outlined why the Constitutional
Conference became necessary after the June 12 crisis, how
the delegates were chosen, that their deliberations were
unguided, that most of their decisions were accepted.
Concerning rotation, he explained that while the CC
recommmended North-South presidential rotation, the PRC
recommended a 6-zone 6-position rotation because "the CC
forgot that while there was a political North, there was no
political South" - a curious explanation indeed. A short
speech, lengthened by a few interruptions from the back of
the room. [A soft-spoken, patient man; likeable. For his
short speech, his pay rate is high.]
Mr. Oladimeji. Introduced as the President, Nigerian
Patriots, UK. [note: please refer to the account of Ojukwu
and Co visit to London; it was organized by Oladimeji's
"Patriots"]. Oladimeji's initial patronizing greeting of
the audience in Yoruba ["E ku ijoko o!"] was loudly
dismissed by all in the room ["Hey, guy, speak in English
!"]. He called for "constructive engagament" with the
government, citing many past personal instances in which he
"got scholarships for many Nigerians, for example Oyo State
and Bendel State students, by making personal
representations to government officials within Nigeria
rather than camping out in front of the Nigerian High
Commission's office in London." He received not a few
hisses for his self-serving speech. [Contribution to the
forum: practically zero.]
Chief Anthony Anenih: Introduced as former Chairman of the
defunct SDP, "Abiola's party." Started by saying that he
expected louder boos than he got when he was announced, and
implored the crowd to "listen to him, even if he was talking
rubbish, and that he would listen to their questions, even
if they were asking rubbish." Proceeded with long rehash of
all the political machinations that went on long before and
soon after the Presidential elections, including annulment
and post-annulment manoeuvers. Talked about a N 20 million
being obtained overnight from a "banker Agbor boy of mine
Godson..." (he provided his full name) on behalf of SDP in
order to pay polling station managers when it became clear
that Babangida had a ploy to scuttle the election by not
compensating the election workers. Claimed that Babangida
told them that why he annulled the election was that the
Service Chiefs did not want either Abiola or Tofa as their
Commander-in-Chief. Talked about SDP intransigence about no
new elections requested by Babangida, NRC willingness to go
along with new elections, and finally SDP-NRC compromise to
form interim government under Shonekan, with tacit agreement
by both parties that come March elections, Abiola would
somehow win, and then follow with national government, an
arrangement which he said Abiola later scuttled. He made
very many disparaging remarks about Abiola, referrring to
him as "my friend" and "Presido-o-o" several times. Blamed
Abiola for too much coziness with Babangida. Stated that
apparently because of the allure and glitz of Presidency
which Abiola saw on his trip to Mandela's inauguration in
South Africa, he came back to hastily announce his own
Presidency, despite his (Anenih's ) advice not to, "carrying
a Coat of arms above his head, without the support of the
Army, the Police or even people in Immigration or customs",
and retiring to his Ikeja home, where he was promptly
arrested. [Some hisses comingled with laughter here !] In
answer to a pointed question about whether or how many times
he had seen his "friend" Abiola, Anenih responded "To the
extent that the law allowed", that "if he could, he would be
cooking for Abiola where he is", and that he did not want to
make anything worse for Abiola by "sneaking in to see him."
Implied that since he himself had been jailed by Buhari for
18 months, so what was new about Abiola's situation ?
Finally went into a long-winded explanation as to why he
moved (in the CC) for the date of military exit to be
changed from Jan 1996 to indefinite. [Note: Anenih is not a
very likeable guy, the way he carries on. Certainly not
someone to have as a "friend" - with friends like him, who
needs enemies ? ]
Chief Ojukwu: Accompanied by dishy Bianca, his young young
wife, who sat in the front row. Introduced as former Head of
State of Biafra, to a long and loud ovation by various
elements in the crowd (Some of the colorful regalia got into
the way of the "celebrations.") Ojukwu emphasised all of
his credentials - soldier, rebel leader, exile, detention,
politician, etc. Surveyed the crowd, saying that many were
at the age when "at 33 years old, I was ruling 7 states, and
could not be accused to be a coward." Stated that his whole
motivation for speaking out now, after the Biafra
experience, was "to prevent war in Nigeria by all means
necessary." Characterized as "cowards" those who in the
relative safety of their abodes abroad are contributing to
the possibility of war at home, and challenged people in the
room to go back home to make their positive contributions.
Said that he was in support of constructive dialogue with
the military in Nigeria because "they have the guns, and the
only way to defeat the military is that if they have one
tank, you better get two or three tanks." Stated that human
rights abuses and lack of freedom of speech are implicit
with military rule, and hence should not be surprising.
Felt that all this cry about human rights etc. by the West
was an attempt to destabilize Nigeria and other nations,
noting that Saudi Arabia was far less democratic than
Nigeria, yet President Clinton would most likely meet the
Saudi Arabia Sheik at the airport if he came visiting.
Stated that the CC had come up with some "revolutionary
decisions" such as rotation, increased revenue allocation,
Federal Character Commission, criminalization of coups, etc.
He said that "OK, Abiola has been wronged, I have been
wronged in the past too.", and "Nigeria has structural
defects from its inception which I pointed out 20 years ago,
and which many Nigerians are only now realizing. Maybe 20
years from now, you all will see the wisdom in what I am now
saying" [he smiled broadly here; nice smile.] Furthermore,
he said "I am an Igbo man first, and a Nigerian second, and
I see nothing wrong with a Yoruba man or a Hausa man seeing
themselves as that first, because at the inception of our
country, no person voted in a referendum to be called a
Nigerian." About the Ogoni crisis, he said (with a very
toothy and wide grin) that at an Mpoki Igbo meeting that
Saro-Wiwa attended before his arrest [Note: this forum on
October 20 was before Saro-Wiwa was hanged on November 10],
Saro-Wiwa had complained bitterly to the assembly about the
plight of the Ogoni, to which he (Ojukwu) effusively
responded with wide open arms: "Welcome, my brother, to what
I told you all twenty-five years ago." About questions
about why we should trust the military transition program,
he said in jestful protest (and to loud guffaws, which
enraged him):"I may look like God, but I am not God", but
that he aims to be a "watch dog" for the fulfilment of the
electoral promises given by the regime, and that through
direct access to its key players, he could serve as an
"early warning device." [Good luck to him, our AWAC. On the
whole, an engaging speaker, living 25 years in the past.
Catch him at the next show near you.]
Senator Sharif: Did not speak at length, except in response
to a question as to his own involvement, to which he stated
that at 29 he was the youngest senator during the old
republic, that he was truly saddened by the June 12
annulment and the demolition of the democratic structures
because "I was Chairman of one of the most important
committees in the Senate" (name of committee undisclosed).
But that now he does not want war in Nigeria, just like "His
Excellency" (he referred to Ojukwu by this pompous title
several times during his short speech; so did Baba Adi. We
later learnt that Sharif's wife used to be Ojukwu's subject
- Aha ! Very broad-minded guy, we must admit, in his
conjugal affiliation.)
P.S. There were warm hand-shakes and autograph signings
later on, with Ojukwu the main attraction (again the
colorful regalia got in the way !).
Filed November 21, 1995, by a Special NDM Correspondent
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