It is indeed 50 years after the demise of Sir Ahmadu Bello, Premier of Northern Nigeria in a botched coup masterminded by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, others in 1966. Sardauna of Sokoto was killed and so was other prominent Nigerians from the North and a few spread across the country by the mutineers.
The coupists who were mostly from the Igbo extraction, thought they wanted to change the political landscape for the better, but they ended abruptly a process of decorum, they opened a new chapter of counter-military reactions based on cleavages and prebendal orientation which completely changed the history of Nigeria forever.
The coup was premised on wrong ideas peddled by misguided politicians on account of political heat at that time. Interestingly, Nigerians and indeed the world was soon to realize the foolery and absolute drivel borne out of buffoonery supporting the unnecessary bloodbath, targeted at select leaders. Most of the victims died without money or properties. The reprisals that subsequently followed is however played up and the sentiments that influenced the coup almost forgotten.
Without bordering readers on the narratives, the resultant implication culminated in reprisals and indeed the macabre civil war that lasted three nasty years, killing more than a million hapless men, women and children. Yet those who have flimsy historical knowledge of what transpired are stirring the hornets nest for another human carnage 50 years after under the codename “Biafra” agitation.
The modern day Nigeria may be a product of a continuous process propagated by founding fathers, but the chequered history of our nationhood has indeed battered the nation, mutated the ideals envisaged by our great leaders and indeed birthed a hybrid which promotes high octane volatile citizenry, where cleavages undermines national agenda, where self overrides patriotism.
It is therefore instructive to intimate that 50 years after, Nigerians have learnt a lot. Nigerians have learnt to be self based, regional champions, corrupt, have less value for sanctity of human lives and hatters of their own leaders. It is indeed educative to highlight that most Nigerians assume leadership positions with afore mentioned underpinning, they unleash all the negative values, then become hated and thereby continuing a vicious circle of bad leadership borne out of bad leadership orientation and recruitment system based once again on above mentioned facts.
Our founding fathers may not be perfect but they peacefully changed the minds of colonialists for a smooth independence – at our own dictate. They may not be perfect, but they set the stage for today Nigeria socially, politically and economically. They may not be perfect but they maintained regional governments without undermining the weaker government at the center. They were sent to their early graves and the Aguyi Ironsi unitary government , though with best of intentions, set the stage for a stronger and richer center, weaker poorer region/ states.
It is indeed instructive to note that overtime, the stronger and richer center attracted political plunderers like insects before light. Hence the feeding frenzy at the center where the winner in a political contest and party platforms takes it all. Suddenly Nigeria with great potentials fit enough to rank among progressive nations in the world, crashed belly-first in corruption, its people in abject poverty, its resources plundered and impunity became a status symbol.
President Muhammadu Buhari may not be perfect, but he is arguably on the right path towards rebutting Nigeria from where our founding fathers roles were truncated. Obliterating indigene/settler dichotomy, making political offices unpalatable for plunderers, repatriating stolen funds, reducing corruption and impunity is indeed the change needed 50 years after Nigeria was bludgeoned off its aspirations towards being a great nation and giant of Africa.
The value of corruption is however the expected war against change. Even the politicians within the system are not totally committed to the new mantra. Overtime, politics has become business where winners pocket the commonwealth of the entire country. The battle against the hydra headed monster called corruption is being won in piecemeal, but the war is certainly not over.
The posers worth pondering upon are; are Nigerian politicians paying lip-services for change, is Buhari having enough lieutenants to rebut the system for good, will the National Assembly cooperate with him, will the change end with him, will the value of corruption change for probity, accountability among leaders and followers?
We must therefore continue to pay tribute to those cut down by the coup plotters; the Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the country’s first Minister of Finance and Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh; killed the Premier of the Northern Region and Sarduana of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello; and killed the Premier of the Western Region, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola. Other notable persons that were killed included Brig-Gen. Samuel Ademulegun and his wife, Brig-Gen. Zakariya Maimalari, Col. Kur Mohammed, Col. Shodeinde and Lt.-Col. Abogo Largema.
The best tribute Nigerians can offer to those who sacrificed their lives for their country many years ago is to work genuinely towards making the country settle on the mandate of oneness, accountability, probity, justice, peace geared towards common developmental aspiration.
Written by Israel A. Ebije
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@ebijeisrael
