Elder statesman and chairman of the Northern Elders Council (NEC),
Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, has warned Igbos against becoming victims of
Yoruba instigation, following calls to restructure the nation. He
recalled that the ongoing calls for restructuring across the country was
similar to what the Yoruba people instigated that caused the civil war.
Speaking in an interview with a newspaper, Nigerian Pilot, Yakassai
alleged that Igbos were instigated to go into secession for Biafra by
the Yorubas who later turned around and occupied positions left vacant
due to the war. He said in case the Igbos were unaware, he had to inform
them as a man who was a star witness to all that took place at the time
of secession declaration.
“Even if they are not in true position of all these things, people
like me happened to know a whole lot. When the constitutional crises
took place in 1963, I was already a journalist and Hausa editor of Daily
Comment, dedicated to Northern Element Progressive Union (NEPU), my
party.
“I was an assistant publicity secretary of the party, so I know all
the happenings – the action of Tony Enahoro, the boycott by northern
members of House Reps, the riot that followed the plan to turn Nigeria
to confederation, and those who protested,” Yakassai said. Speaking
further, he said: “Only two people are everywhere in Nigeria – Igbos and
Hausas.
This is because Igbos are hardworking, and Hausas are everywhere
because they are the only ones that can do menial jobs. “Before the
civil war started, the Yorubas said if Igbos were allowed to go, they
too would go on the secession declaration. “It was Chief Awolowo who
said it openly and publicly; it was published in newspapers. He was the
one that was sent by Yakubu Gowon to talk to Odumegwu Ojukwu in the eve
of the secession declaration not to secede.
“They met at the Niger Bridge. When he (Chief Obafemi Awolowo) came
back, even though we did not know what they discussed personally, he
said if the eastern people were allowed to go by any act of omission or
commission the west would follow. “If they secede the Yor-ubas will
follow. That was what he said.
By the time he said that he was already mounting pressure on the
northern soldiers stationed in the west to be removed, and Biafrans
overran Midwest. “A Yoruba man, name forgotten, captured Ore. So if you
look at agitation for restructuring that is coming, by and large, it is
from the Yorubas.
“Now the Biafra agitation is in the South-East. My fear now is that I
don’t want a situation where the Igbos will be instigated by Yorubas to
commit another suicide. “Because by the time the Igbos went on Biafran
secession they were the ones occupying the position of influence and
power, economically and in the civil service.
“They were made to leave and Yorubas took over, and look at Yoruba
now; I’m not anti-Yoruba. The places Igbos left were occupied by Yoruba,
particularly the civil service. “Till today the Yoruba are the dominant
elements in the bureaucracy of Nigeria. The Igbos lost that position
almost forever.”
0 comments:
Post a Comment