Nigerians Unite Against Past Colonial Sabotage: We Can Neutralize Treacherous Character (part 1)

Source: Omoh T. Ojior, Ph.D.
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United we Stand and Divided we Fall” An age old axiomatic saying

What has a beginning must have an end. This is to say that the Nigerian political experience has a beginning therefore it must have an end. This being the case, this exercise will do the following.

  1. Explain the reason why things (political-socio-economic) are the way they are in Nigeria.
  2. Point out that the dangerous political pit dug to stagnate Nigeria’s progress can be leveled by Nigerians.
  3. We will provide suggestions that will assist Nigerians to destroy the roots of the wicked continuous harm of our former colonizers.

The people of Ekphei in Etsako, Edo State say that Oboh okha pi. Oboh lo gbha ghie. The meaning is that when one native doctor or diviner throws a spear, it is another native diviner that will neutralize the Spear. Nigeria and Nigerians have a great future before us and the world. The Imperialists knew it and saw it when they came. “No Cross no Crown” was the Motto of the first national political party in Nigeria, and it was that of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroon, NCNC. It was one of the foremost political parties that engaged the British in the fight for Nigeria’s political Independence. The meaning of the Motto, “No Cross no Crown” simply means that without pain, there will be no joy and no sorrow, no happiness. In other words, Nigeria must pay a price to be great. Also, political history shows that most nations who obtained their political freedom from whoever may have colonized them prior, paid for their freedom with war in which many people spilled their blood for their freedom. Such countries include, America and Britain, Irish and Britain, Algerian and France, Spanish American war, Swedish and Norwegian, Angola and Portugal, Bosnian and Yugoslavia, Indian and Britain, Kenyan’s Mau Mau and the British Imperial power, Angola and Portugal, etc, etc. But Nigerians’ war for Independence was fought with the small Britain with pen, paper, and words of mouth; Nigerians did not shed one drop of blood for its freedom. This could explain the reason for the Nigerian civil war which was fought as nature’s way to fulfill the need to spill blood in order to have a lasting peace and freedom. In my opinion and calculations, the civil war and all the pains brought about by the perennial political harm of the colonial masters in Nigeria, all constituted the price Nigerians must pay for Nigeria’s greatness as a Black African nation. In the words of Marcus Garvey,

“Any sane man, race or nation that desires freedom must first of all think in terms of blood. Why even the heavenly Father tells us that without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sin. Then how in the name of God, with history before us, do we expect to redeem Africa without preparing ourselves some of us to die.”

For Nigeria’s greatness, therefore, there has to be pains before joy. But in my calculated and conscious opinion, Nigerians have shed enough blood and have paid the price necessary for Nigeria’s greatness. The time now is that Nigerians must buckle up and rescue the Nigerian State. Nigerians cannot afford to play the game of wait and see any more.

The key to stable governance in Nigeria is a determined effort that recognizes culture and traditions as determinants of the success of a people in a democracy, and culture is also a weapon for attack and for defense. The foregoing is followed by love that honors the spirit of give-and-take while unity is the supreme spirit and a factor that makes democratic system of governance possible. That is, the people of Nigeria must now accept their way of life that prevailed before the advent of the Whiteman in Africa as supreme; this will bring about a determined need with effort to rescue Nigeria and Africa. The people of now Nigeria must allow the spirit of love and co-existence among the people to foster a united spirit that repel any force that is opposed to Nigeria and it peoples. Nigerians are a conscious people while outside of Nigeria. This conceptualized philosophical thinking on Nigeria is both spiritual and scientific as a formula that Nigerians need to deploy with a view to solving the human-made problems that have plagued the country since the incursion of the Britain in the most prosperous territory on the African continent, Nigeria. Britain had been in Nigeria by 1400 and Britain’s First Colonial Development Policy was formulated between 1900-1929, (Britain and West Africa, Joyce Cary, 1946, p.50). So Britain had enough time to explore the in and out of the Nigerian territory, and to plan what to do, and its plan was to harm Nigeria and its people because of Nigeria’s natural wealth..

The United Kingdom’s harm against the great country, Nigeria, can be destroyed by the peoples of Nigeria. Those who are not in the know of the true nature of the British crime against humanity in Nigeria always recount the number of years of the flag Independence granted to Nigeria by Britain in 1960. Yes, it has been 58 years since Britain supposedly left Nigeria; but, has Britain actually left Nigeria when the political trenches they dug were to forever prevent Nigeria from moving forward progressively? The answer will reveal itself to you in the British’s unholy “hidden Agenda,” on Nigeria. Mr. Harold Wilson was a former British Prime Minister.

Britain’s Nigeria Hidden Agenda according to Harold Wilson

“Our agenda was to completely exploit Africa. Nigeria

Was my duty post. When we assessed Nigeria, this was

What we found in the southern region; strength, -

Intelligence, determination to succeed, well established history,

Complex but focused life style, great hope and aspirations…

The East is good in business and technology, the west is good

In administration and commerce, law and medicine, but

It was a pity we planned our agenda to give “power” to the

Northerner. They seemed to be submissive and silly of a

Kind. Our mission was accomplished by destroying the

Opposition at all fronts. The west led in the fight for the

Independence, and was punished for asking for freedom.

They will not rule Nigeria.”
(This was reported as a discussion in ‘The Main Square’ that was started by

Mark Lar in June 7, 2013). Old Market Square at Nottinghamshire, now known

as The Main Square is the largest public space in the UK after London’s Trafalgar Square.

Without any equivocation in my mind, the premeditated “hidden agenda” that was treacherously carried out by the Imperialist Britain; the devilish agenda that has paralyzed Nigeria’s development and political maturity and progress, since Independence on October 1, 1960, is destroyable by the industrious intelligent and egregious people of Nigeria IF only Nigerians become aware that irrespective of the diverse ethnicity, that Nigerians are one and the same peoples. Now that we have come to know the cause of the disagreement in the country all along, among the many ethnic groups that make up the country, it is the time for Nigerians to show the world, our humanity with strength, intellect, determination to succeed as a people, our well established history in the course of human evolution and development, our well focused lifestyle with great hope and aspirations and strong character. These are the attributes with which we as Nigerians are made of, which the British already found out when they treacherously invaded our land and colonized it. Nigerians need to correct the imbalance created that has haunted the country and its people right from the time of Nigeria’s creation.

I am quite aware that people are saying that we cannot point an “accusive” or accusative finger at Britain all the time because Britain has left Nigeria 58 years ago. Even though one may partially agree with such criticism, the nature and the degree of the great harm done to our country and the people by the British, does not exonerate Britain from blame and the causes of Nigeria’s political debacle, yesterday, today and tomorrow. I used to agree with the sentiments that Nigerians should blame themselves for the failure in governance and not blame others who have left them long time ago. With what is now known, I no longer agree with such thinking because Britain had the seeds of discord and imbalance that were planted, the seeds took root and spouted into trees and bushes, and continue to drop more seeds, and the circle continues uninterrupted and unbroken. We understand too that Nigerians overtime, have become part of Nigeria’s political and economic failure by their own insatiable greed, corrupt behaviours and self centeredness. Of course, there is traditional and cultural answer for corrupt behaviours and insincerity in our land. Design and conduct the Oath of Office in the way of our Fore Fathers for our politicians to prevent insincerity and corrupt behaviours in our affairs of governance. With this, and since we now understand “why we are where we are” (Vice President Osibanjo), Nigerians can correct their mistakes in misrule. Whenever a problem and its source are known, it seizes to be a problem because every problem has an answer.

One is in the know that everyone has the right to hold an opinion based on what he or she has known and everybody must have an opinion on an issue. However, opinions do varies; there are informed opinions as well as other opinions aired from disadvantageous point of information on the issue; in other words, there are informed and uninformed opinions. One also know that many people are angry with Nigerian politicians saying that with the resources in human and material available; and for the length of time since Britain let us go in freedom, Nigeria should have arrived its destination – in peace, progress, socio-economic-political development and real independence. One is able to agree with such opinion which is why one may have a little sympathy for people with such criticism. But one is unable to have an iota of sympathy for the corruption that pervades the entity called Nigeria and the corruption that has held it ransom for decades.

I sympathize with Nigeria and its teaming population and with some of its world renowned intellectuals who are suffocating under the poverty and shame brought about by the British Imperial willful damage done to the unsuspecting people of Nigeria while in bondage under the small Island, called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Island.

Harold Smith, a Briton and one of the facilitators of the British’s criminal acts in Nigeria, had of recent said that the original plan on Nigeria was

“to help build Africa after the ruins of slave trade, but

British only looked after themselves and not after Nigerian

interest. The British really let Nigeria down. When I

See Nigerian accused of fraud and from what I saw on the

Streets of Lagos; the British were the worst fraudsters.”

Watch out for Part 2 of this treatise; it will include 7 recommendations

May the good Spirit of our land and continent preserve us and keep us together stronger and more loyal to ourselves and loving in the New Year and may our enemies fall before us, now and forever. Amen, Itse.

Please watch out for Part 2 of this treatise, it will include 7 recommendations.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2019.
Omoh T. Ojior, Ph.D., FRC is a Professor of Political Science and Executive Director/CEO Onima Institute for Development USA, Inc. [email protected] Ph: 404-740-5597

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