ANA Press Release -Reply
Maurice O. Ene
>>> Johnson Agbinya <jagb...@rp.CSIRO.AU> 01/15/97 03:34pm >>>
Maazi Agbinya:
In your ANA "Press Release" of January 15, 1997, you wrote:
>>On January 15 1966, Nigeria's history of official lawlessness was
initiated by the Nigerian armed forces, and since that date, the armed
forces have become a scourge and a retarding factor in Nigeria's
progress. Every military coup is a lawless act. Our history is replete
with the use of violence to change governments as evidenced by all the
military coup d'etats. This law of the jungle has for long been allowed to
usurp the rule of civilised law and dialogue.
Sir:
I must point out a historical inaccuracy in the above assertion. "Official
lawlessness was" NOT "initiated" by the Ifeajuna/Ademoyega coup [If
we must mention names] which you referred to. There were at least four
attempted "use[s] of violence to change governments as evidenced by"
the attempted COUPS D'ETAT before the military majors struck this day
thirty years ago. These attempts are marked instances of "lawlessness."
"Official" or not, an attempted coup by any other name is simply an
attempted COUP D'ETAT: an illegal attempt to change the government of
the day.... a "strike at the state." Even countercoups are coups, are they
not?
I do not intend to delve into the politics of coups in Nigeria nor comment
on your narrative, but the following briefs will buttress my point.
1. The Action Group Coup. Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his party lords
were LEGALLY convicted by Mr. Justice George Sowemimo of a
treasonable felony. Whether Pa Awo was DIRECTLY involved or not,
and for whatever reasons the AG Turks had to import weapons from
Kwame Nkrumah's Ghana, the fact is that there was a plot to destabilize
a government of the day. Some of these men are still alive: Lateef
Jakande is in Nigeria. SG Ikoku is there; he has owned up to his part of
the plot. Tony Enahoro is here in the States, on his second flight from a
colonial contraption he moved the motion for its independence. Sad, huh?
Because I am delving into this coup from a purely historical angle, I must
not overflog the dead horse with that "MOEesque exuberance" some of
us find too hot to handle. But then the truth is always hot, which is why
some people cannot handle it (apology to Ade Talabi of Waffi fame). Shall
we look at other pre-Jan. 15, 1966, coups? Read on with an open mind.
2. The Soyinka Coup: Okay, it was "localized"... "regionalized"(?) but
since Wole Soyinka walked into a radio station and tampered with the
"official" situation of things, radio stations have become the first point of
call for subsequent putschists. Some people find this "outrageous," but
then again the truth is still oven-hot. I harp on this because Majors
Ifeajuna and Ademoyega were Ibadan-based. The January 15, 1966,
coup was hatched in Ibadan. I must add here that Wole Soyinka was not
convicted of any charges -- which is quite kosher given the sociopolitical
status quo ante in the so-called "wild, wild West" of Nigerian politics. Did
this attempted coup take place? Ask our beloved Nobel Laureate,
Professor Wole Soyinka. Or read "The Man Died" and find out how this
idea was re-invented during the Civil War, and for which Soyinka
became the guest of, in his own words, "boy scout dictator" Gowon!
3. The Adaka Boro Coup: Another "local" storm? Okay, but Mr. Boro's
UDI was not "lawful" according to Nigeria's legal documents. Come to
think of it, Mr. Boro's action was a much more bigger event than the
Saro-Wiwa saga. But Boro came before CNN! To deny Boro his place in
the evolution of Nigeria's political turbulence is unfair. I refuse to so do.
4. The Lieutenant-Colonels Coup: Yes, it was plotted and attempted --
AND SO WAS THE JANUARY 15, 1966, COUP. The fact that neither
Ojukwu nor Gowon has touched on this plot is rather intriguing. But it
must not detract from the fact that Ojukwu, Gowon, Ejoor and Banjo had
stitched a plot to take out the Tafawa Balewa government. Trouble was:
Ojukwu was too much of a "military politician" than the likes of go-getter,
professional military men like Major Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu,
the Executive Director (North) of the January 15, 1966, Coup.
NB: It was this same coup that Colonel Victor Banjo tried to re-invent
against General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi's regime. It
landed him in jail. In Enugu. He took a command in the Biafran army even
when Aguiyi-Ironsi's regime had died -- following the worst military
mutiny in the Nigerian army. You want to know why? As Professor
Yakubu Gowon. The rest is "modern" history.
On the rest of the interesting write-up, I will not tread nor thread on. As I
have confessed, I am giving up politics until Lent, or until we begin to
address the REAL fundamental factors fracturing our flawed federation.
Suffice it to say here and now that our unpredictable "military messiahs"
masquerading as defenders of the masses may not be as much our
problem as the parasitic "political prophets" running around with the
complex of a messiah. General Sani Abacha will leave power. One day.
And we will still be here talking about the Nigeria federation: to be and
how to be. Whoever thought we would ever see the back of IBB... the
Mighty Maradona? Or that Umaru Dikko would wound up in a crate
headed for Laspor'? These people, no matter their intentions and deed,
are NOT the problem: they are but symptoms of a corroded core.
I post this response because, no matter my politics, today is a day of
morning (for many personal and political .. and nationalistic reasons). As
John Donne put it: the death of any man distresses me, because I am a
part of humanity. May the soul of all those who died thirty-one years ago
this day rest in perfect peace, viz: Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa
Balewa, Sarduanan Sokoto Ahmadu Bello, Bashorun Kakanfo Samuel
Ladoke Akintola, Finance Minister Festus Okotie-Eboh, Brigadier Zachary
Maimalari, Brigadier Ademulegun, Colonel Shodeinde, and Lt. Colonel
Arthur Unegbe. And not to forget all those who lost their lives in the
events leading up to this tragedy, the over 30,000 victims of the Pogrom,
and the three million who died in the murder mayhem and massacre
madness which followed this tragedy, including one million victims of
kwashiokor-- a manmade disaster that churns the stomach.
For whatever reason these abominations took place, may we NEVER
walk this route EVER AGAIN. May we NEVER find it in ourselves to kill
each other like savages -- even savages do not their own kill.
Remain blessed.
Brotherly,
MOE
GOLDEN NWANOKA
Mazi MOE,
This day[15th of january] in the chequered life of that british
creation tagged niger/benue area is a day for SOBER REFLECTION. A day
for soul searching. Most importantly, a day when BEARERS OF FALSEHOOD
are deluged and BOMBARDED at ALL FRONTS WITH FACTS and FIGURES. No
half-truths, untruth, hearsay, rumour, innuedos, vile threats and all
MANNER OF SATANIC intentions...
An addendum to your well written and INCONTROVERTIBLE FACTS; you may have
forgotten or ignored, the J.S. Tarka led uprising in the Middle Belt of yore.
For it was young indignant Tarka, acting in his capacity as a true educated
elite; asked other young men to join him in dethroning the northern
oligarchy. An effort that earned Tarka praise and euloghies in the front
pages of major nigerian newspapers of yore. That action by J.S. Tarka et
al, was undoubtedly a coup of some sort - going by the definition you
offered hereunder.
Those of Middle belt extraction, may VERIFY, CONFIRM or DENY the
aforementioned HISTORICAL FACT !
May your like INCREASE.
Nwanoka
QUOTE
======
...We shall NO LONGER BE ASHAMED to be called nigerians....
Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzegwu - 1965
[then a 27 year old]
Statement was issued soon after his
brillliant military campaign in the
Congo Crisis.
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Johnson Agbinya
Dear Maurice,
The issue in the ANA Press Release on coup d'etats is not
the persons who staged them, but on the principle. In every
civilised society, governments are changed by popular mandate
from the people. The traditional African chieftaincy systems
follow one form or the other of this principle. Even in
Royal families, there is a constituted channel for selecting
kings and queens.
Changing governments "by force" rather than the rule of the law
and dialogue is what we are writing about. Once this norm is
disobeyed, the end does not justify the means. The personalities
involved as well can not sanitise the act. It is this point
we want to bring home that "Every coup is a lawless act".
Think about these points: To stage a coup, what are involved?
a) Intrigue
b) Disregard of democratic procedures
c) Disregard of the country's constitution
d) Disregard of the people in seeking their mandate for change
e) Selfish desire to acquire power whether one is qualified or not.
f) Add more reasons for yourself here.
Thanks for reading the Press Release and reacting to its
contents. If by discussing these issues we help to build
a better Nigeria, the Press Release and your response are
not a waste of efforts.
Okoro
Agbinya and ANA anarchists:
In your response to Maurice's posting, you wrote:
"The issue in the ANA Press Release on coup d'etats is not
the persons who staged them, but on the principle."
What principle? I read this gentleman's posting on another newsgroup, and
I find it very very interesting. I find your dismissal and denial of the
simple historical error in your "Press Release" troubling. What are you
guys hiding if you cannot admit a simple mistake? How dare you criticize
Abacha's regime if you cannot take a simple correction offered in good
faith.
You know what: he is right: The truth is always too hot to handle.
You statement above shows you want to avoid "persons"! Since when? He did
not mention persons who did not matter. There were four coups d'etat
before January 19966. How come ANA's definition of "lawlessness" started
on this day? What about the others. SACRED COWS? PLEEEEEEEEEAASE!!!!
Or are you saying he should not have mentioned the names of those who
died? You avoid names just like we have been avoiding to name the millions
who perished in your savagery. Not even those your village people robbed
at the point of death. You want names, we have the names, Johnson. We have
the facts.
This is exactly Nigeria's problem:
YOU CAN'T FACE THE PAST: IT IS TOO DISGUSTING!
YOU CANNOT FACE THE FUTURE: IT IS TOO GLOOMY.
YOU JUST SIT DOWNUNDER & WALLOW IN IGNORANCE.
What to do: you wallow in more ignorance and denial.
ANA is nothing but a bunch of anti-Abacha anarchists who have no clue what
the average Nigerian is going through.
If you cannot handle the handle the truth, TOO BAD!!!
You wrote: "Every coup is a lawless act".
YES: and every denial of history is a terrorist act against the collective
psyche of a people, and generations yet unborn. There is nothing worse
than intellectual terrorism. Speak the truth and you shall be set free.
Okoro Obi Okoro