Opinion
OPINION: President Buhari, The Real Enemy Of Nigeria, Not Nnamdi Kanu | By Timi Olagunju
By Timi Olagunju
Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” – Chinua Achebe
For some time now, I have taken time to conduct research on the question of ‘what or who is the architect (root) of Nigeria’s failure?’ By root (or architect), I mean ‘the origin’. Along these lines, I have also asked the question “what or who is the real enemy of Biafra (or Nigeria)?
In attempting these questions, I have discovered that some believe that the enemy of ‘Biafra’ (or Nigeria) is ‘the Fulani’, some say ‘the Yoruba’, and some believe ‘Igbos’ are the enemies. In all of these, I do not have all the answers, but would you like to join me on a journey in finding the real enemy?
As far back as 1400, there was a grand plan to increase commerce in European nations, and further leverage an opportunity to devalue Africans, for commercial reasons. As at 1787, the Encyclopedia Britannica which was read by students across Europe described the African man, as ‘ugly’. This was later maliciously consolidated by Charles Darwin, who postulated theories to push the commercial interest of slavery (against the logic of science or humanity) to affirm Africans as not fully evolved – thus it’s wide European acceptance because of its commercial value.
Further to that, as at 1806, Africans were displayed in Zoos across Europe, with the teeth sharpened to look more like an Orangutan’s teeth. All this in itself was to prepare for exploitation of the black race for monetary and commercial purposes, which is absolutely unnatural to the human conscience. But how else could the perpetrators with an insatiable love for money allow their people believe such evil? It had to be through structured and well-planned attempts at one thing: “indoctrination” or “programming”. It was easier to perpetuate such devaluing of the black woman and man, because of the significantly clear difference in skin colour.
With these, we can establish that the black race was programmed by default to fail and be considered a failure for personal gains of a few nations. And the saying goes ‘tell a lie often, and soon thereafter, it becomes true’.
Now, back to finding the real enemy of Biafra (or Nigeria). Quickly, you would remember that the current day Nigerian Army has it umbilical connection or birth from the 1900 Royal West Africa Frontier Force (RWAFF) made up of Nigeria, Gold Coast (Ghana), Sierra Leone, and Gambia. In 1956 (four years before Independence), the Nigerian Regiment of RWAFF was renamed the Nigerian Military Forces (NMF). Have you asked why all the countries that constituted the RWAFF, had military coup immediately after independence? It couldn’t have been coincidental, so what was it? Again, I do not claim to have all the answers, but let me explain.
Firstly, military coups were foreign to our tradition – and the military made up of extremely passionate and bright individuals, were trained to protect the British territorial and commercial interest, not necessarily that of their newly independent countries. If you remember, some of brightest military minds, were taken for training in places such as The Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, Surrey, to receive further training ahead of independence. Using the old European strategy of indoctrination (which we established earlier) and the well established British strategy of “Divide and Rule” that worked in English speaking West Africa (including Nigeria), the military minds that made up the first Republic, were armed with the knowledge of military coups, as well as heavy indoctrination around the concepts of the ‘divide and rule’ of power, ahead of the independence of their countries including Nigeria. These trainings were not received until the British perceived the imminence of independence through the efforts of civilian “freedom fighters” such as the Nkrumahs, the Azikiwes, the Awolowos, the Balewas, the Macaulays, the Enahoroas, to wrestle power off them, knowing so well that both the independence leaders and the military were themselves not immune to the ‘divide and rule’ programming inherited from the colonialists.
Now, why did I bring the programming of the Nigerian military into this? This is because the attempted secession of the Biafra region in 1967 was caused by the pogrom that was committed against the Igbo and other Biafrans living in the north in revenge of what the northerners termed the assassination of northern leaders by a group of young soldiers led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, an Igbo, in Nigeria’s first military coup early on 15 January 1966 which was followed by another coup that resulted in the death of the new head of state Major Gen JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi, also an Igbo, the same year.
Now, do we see the military as the enemy? No. The young military minds at that time, unaware of the subtle programming of their minds, exercised impatience and used what they had; knowledge of coups and barrels of the gun to topple civilian regimes, further dividing Nigeria along ethnic lines. The same scenario played out in other African countries after independence.
Some have argued that the reason for the Biafra secession was because Nigeria was birthed from an unholy union. That might be a point. However, by geographical and natural coincidence, most of the countries that form the current day Nigeria, were around the “Niger area”, whether the South, East, West, or North. So could nature be wrong? “No”. In fact, the popular history that starts the chronology of Nigeria from Lord Lugard’s amalgamation is wrong. Nigeria was already in the hands of one ‘George Goldie’ (except for Lagos and a few other places), who sold Nigeria to the British for £865,000 on 1 January 1900, as the Royal Niger Company. As at that time, the North and South were described as the lower and upper Niger, but the British employed Lugard, Goldie’s bodyguard to further Goldie’s work in the Niger area, because it was felt that he would understand the area better, since he worked and walked with Goldie.
Let’s not be deceived by using the same programming and divide and rule trap to hold ourselves hostage along dividing lines. Nature and geography supported Nigeria – if not our culture or beliefs.
It is worthy of note that the divide and rule strategy inherited from colonialists is the same indoctrination our military were programmed to inherit – the root cause of our woes. Even the leaders were themselves designed by default to fail because the divide and rule programming was already ingrained in their minds, not realizing that they simply inherited a failed system that will further the interest of colonial governments. Well, the question is ‘could this same scenario have been a coincidence across Africa?’. Mathematical probability states otherwise – it is the effect of subtle programming for commercial purposes. See, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa (with the blacks taking on blacks who stood by them during the apartheid). That same trend is what is being perpetrated in Nigeria? Building a history of distrust, disharmony, and a lack of belief in oneness, at least first as Africans, whether Igbo, Yoruba, or Hausa, or Fulani, or Ibibio.
On Biafra, let me proceed with a brief on geography and history. It is stated that Biafra got its original name from what is known as the Bight of Biafra – and it is true. The name ‘Biafra’ (a Portuguese name) was given by the Portuguese for commercial delineation of a large part of the present day Cameroon, as well as some parts of Eastern Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon – mostly counties within the Eastern area of Western Africa. The name lost its use after parts of these were given to the British and French colonies. In declaring secession in Eastern Nigeria in 1967, the name ‘Biafra’ was chosen for strategic reasons – as it brings back the historical naming by the Portuguese and the other nations that share historical roots to the Bight of Biafra – which was the more reason why Portugal, Gabon and countries within the Bight supported the secession plan. It was historical for them.
Now, laying all these before us, I must state that the agitation for Biafra, could propel Nigeria to discuss the core issues of its existence. This is good prima facie, but only scratches the surface. The root enemy is the early programming and indoctrination of the Nigerian mind along ‘dividing lines’, whether ethnic or religious, forgetting the ‘African’ roots. This is the real enemy of Nigeria (or Biafra), not the Yorubas, or Fulanis, or Hausas, or Igbos – and restructuring is not the way forward.
The way forward for Nigeria, Biafra (or the African race as a whole; including the diaspora) is a need for “Corrective Design”, not restructuring or a call for secession. Restructuring looks to the past to lead the future, but designing looks to the future and learns from the past to create alternative solutions. For example, if you want to be debt-free, you could either restructure or redesign the way forward. If you restructure a debt, it means you only spread the same debt over a period of time, but designing would require not only spreading the debt but also looking for alternative means of income (as well reducing excess spending) to be debt free.
By corrective design, which I plan to expand upon in my forth book “Corrective Design: The Path to Africa’s Prosperity”, we need to identify and agree there is a problem with our programming as Nigerians (Africans), and then begin a structured conversation and redesigning. That conversation should not be a politically motivated ‘National Conference’, it should be a dialogue from the 774 local governments in Nigeria, to the State and regional levels, and lastly, the National level – a bottom up conversation, as against a top bottom.
For Nnamdi Kanu (and IPOB), if you decide to drive a movement that brings to life these conversations (not only in Nigeria but across Africa), then you would be remembered in history, but to pursue a cause of secession in itself would only repeat the cycle of indoctrination and divide.
For the government, I challenge our imagination on how crippling the default programming has been- imagine the economic and creative benefit to the fashion industry in Nigeria, if at independence, Nigeria had abolished the mundane wearing of suits and tie (in a sunny weather) inherited from the colonialist, and embraced traditional Nigerian attires, as the official and formal corporate clothing? Further imagine the economic benefits of redesigning our education, our style of government, and our laws. Learning from Chairman Mao’s approach of massive re-education of the Chinese people, which laid the foundation for technology and economic advancement, if the Nigerian Government understands its role as a government first focused on correcting the default design of the Nigerian people – we will be a step closer to greatness.
Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Oriental Times
About Timi Olagunju
Timi Olagunju is a leadership and design thinking consultant, as well as Nigeria’s foremost Cyber/AI lawyer. He tweets @timithelaw
Deji Durotimi
September 7, 2017 at 8:48 am
Nice Piece. Very informative. However, Timi the caption looked too sensational for the depth of your write-up; read it through cos it was written by you.
Ifeoma
September 8, 2017 at 7:08 pm
My point exactly….I am glad you read it through too…but like I earlier stated; this is not the original caption, the column doctored it to gain traction. The original caption reads “An Open Letter To Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB, And The Nigerian Government”
Sunny Achike
September 6, 2017 at 5:44 am
Buhari is the world empty brain president ever.
Jack Wallace
September 6, 2017 at 5:09 am
buhari is nothing bad to Nigeria is a course to Africa that even when a siant happon to be president he will still be a theif becaurse their gred hart so i see no reasons for Nigeria betterment (2) everyone want to hammar$ billions because the #has lose his waith .,,,,,,,,,,but for Nnamdi KANU and the igbos they are tired of been a slave to the soverity of nigeria i believe they have %100 true to be independent Biafra’s ,,and I see some reason why Nigeria never agreed we Biafra be of the shame that will appear in a tweenco of eyes by its development
Solex De King
September 6, 2017 at 1:51 am
True
Anyanwu Chibueze Jude
September 6, 2017 at 12:52 am
Buhari is a blood sucking president nd a chief racist.
Wizzy Alfred
September 5, 2017 at 10:55 pm
Fuckin truth and fact! Thank you
Trisha Sonni
September 5, 2017 at 10:30 pm
True
Anthony Ekenze
September 5, 2017 at 9:10 pm
Nepotism disorganizes a Country
Anthony Ekenze
September 5, 2017 at 9:07 pm
Oby Sky
September 5, 2017 at 9:06 pm
True talk Man
Christopher Ochini
September 5, 2017 at 8:24 pm
Correct
James De Luckyone
September 5, 2017 at 8:20 pm
Uchenna Edward
September 5, 2017 at 7:26 pm
100% TRUE!
Ifeoma
September 5, 2017 at 7:09 pm
Ok first of all, by show of hand; how many people just juamped on to the comment section by just reading the headline?! Because this headline creates a diversion from the educative and informative content of this write up! I want to believe this headline was doctored by this column just to generate traffic but that in itself is doing Nigerians and people who would benefit from this article a dis service… it’s really sad that to say the least….BTW this same article was published on “The Page” and Ynaija with what I believe to be the original headline which reads “Open Letter to Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB and Nigerian Government” … This act by this column is one of the reasons why we aren’t moving forward as a nation by instigating falsehood. And to everyone of you lovely people who fell for the deception by commenting without even reading the article, please go back and read it, you will learn a thing or two that majority are not privileged to know about. Don’t allow the headline short change you and your opportunity to be informed! Cheers.
Reginald Ifeanyichukwu Biafra
September 5, 2017 at 5:00 pm
No is late buhari
John Nwaeze
September 5, 2017 at 4:55 pm
GBAGAM!
Merizzy Merit
September 5, 2017 at 4:46 pm
Yes I agree
Austin Utobo
September 5, 2017 at 3:58 pm
No Biafra no peace ✌ !
Austin Utobo
September 5, 2017 at 3:57 pm
Biafra or nothing !
Austin Utobo
September 5, 2017 at 3:56 pm
The problems of the zoo republic is Hausa Fulani cows that lack human sensitive in this life ‘ but I thank god for Biafra inspiration that he gave us to trough Nnamdi kanu
Ogechi Constance
September 5, 2017 at 3:50 pm
Supported
Paul Ezuo
September 5, 2017 at 3:29 pm
Plain truth.
Chinonso Basil
September 5, 2017 at 3:20 pm
God bless U
Zara Tony
September 5, 2017 at 3:16 pm
very correct.
Amaigbo Odes
September 5, 2017 at 3:12 pm
The problem of nigeria is buhari and apc
Kafir Baraka
September 5, 2017 at 3:01 pm
great brain…
Emmanuel Nkaa
September 5, 2017 at 2:39 pm
Raw truth
Princewel Jose
September 5, 2017 at 2:35 pm
If u are an Igbo and u don’t support Biafra u don’t hv any right to insult Mazi Nnamdi KANU yes bcos u are a fool, for accepting a country that has done everything humanly possible to make life miserable for u!, yes let me Educate u, u do not know Nigerian plan for u, bcos u where born in Lagos or Abuja and rest of the cities outside Igbo land u think u are one Nigeria, First they know who we are and what we are capable of, so they have sworn to make sure we don’t hv a breathing space to grow, Do u think its corruption that made sure we don’t have any viable International Airport in the east since after the war until the Enugu airport were made semi International by Goodluck Jonathan through Stella Odua, of which u knw that both of them are still paying for daring to go against the slave masters? , secondly do u think its corruption that made Obasanjo closed all the sea port in south souths which is close to the east and allowed only lagos sea port to serve the hole country? , knowing fully well that Nigeria is an Importation country, yes 99% of what we consume in Nigeria are being Imported by the Igbos, Obasanjo resently said he is going to make lagos the 3rd biggest economy in the world, dough he started it long ago, yes by allowing only lagos see port to function the ground plan is that the Igbos being the strength of comerse in Nigeria will come to lagos and clear their goods pay revenue that will benefits the west, nd so since there is no working refinery, the refined oil are being imported tru lagos too b4 it gets to east the owners must have put transport money on the supposed subsidised product, now this is why Igbos are running away from the east, bcos there is no good road and no railway system in Nigeria, Igbos are forced to relocate to lagos bcos they loose alot transporting the goods down to east, namely, bad road that causes accident, armed robbers that sometimes kill them and take away their goods, police, custom and immigration + so many Nigeria hungry looking law enforcement agency that are ever ready to extort them, they have no choice than to settle in lagos and do their business, bcos we love comfort we never shy away from developing those cities, now see the implications, bcos there is no viable International airport and sea port close to the east, no industry or big companies will trive there , any foreign investor will defintely look for were there is sea port for easy access to the country they end up coming to lagos and when they come the policy to employ Nigerian is there already who are the Nigerian that will get the jobs first ur guess is as good as mine, indigenous company wont trive too bcos most of the materials are being imported too, so when u go down to east there is no single industry or company, John holt, Anamco and the rest bcos of this reasons, so now what will happen to all the youths that is passing out of all the universities in the east and beyond? If everybody open business who will patronise who? so survival of the fittest sets in the male youths out of desperation and hunger will embrace crime the women will bail their selves with prostitution dough not all, some family will sell their land to send their son abroad, which some end up doing drug to make sure they pay their family back, but out of all this adversities we are still the pride of the stupid Nigeria. BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
Oby Ola
September 5, 2017 at 4:33 pm
Kudos Bros, this piece is very informative and an eye opener to the dirty politics going in Nigeria but be rest assured that the IGBO ‘s are an IRREPRESSIBLE RACE the harder they come at them the more they trive.
Ernest Jombo
September 5, 2017 at 4:44 pm
Exactly, thank u
Emmanuel Nkaa
September 5, 2017 at 5:10 pm
#100percent raw truth.
Goodluck Emmanuel
September 5, 2017 at 2:32 pm
Buharia Is One Of The Real Problem Of Nigeria And He Knows His Mission, He’s Only Acting As If He’s Helping.
Ikechukwu Paul Jesomba
September 5, 2017 at 4:21 pm
Well said….he milking Nigeria !!!
Tobechukwu Adunigwe
September 5, 2017 at 2:30 pm
But I promise him his head will roll like that of gaddafi on the streets of Abuja or daura
Tobechukwu Adunigwe
September 5, 2017 at 2:29 pm
Yes Buhari is the enemy of Nigeria
Joachin Nwaokeleme
September 5, 2017 at 2:28 pm
That is the truth.
Prince Chiedozie
September 5, 2017 at 2:22 pm
Reasoning dey her head,true true
Obaino D Tempoka
September 5, 2017 at 2:20 pm
BUHARI is a USELESS MAN without shame, Because a reasonable man cannot start what he can’t achieve, He fail before still failing.
Robinson Onah
September 5, 2017 at 2:19 pm
Before? Nnamdi kanu is fighting for freedom he loves human being no matter wherever you come from, not only for Biafras
Onyedikachi Eno
September 5, 2017 at 2:19 pm
True talk
Frank Prince
September 5, 2017 at 2:17 pm
Everyone knows that
Tunde Ladimeji
September 5, 2017 at 2:12 pm
Who is the lunatic called Timi Olagunju?