BIAFRA:
REVEALED - THE MOTIVE OF SHAGARI’S "ONE DESTINY" CAMPAIGN
It has been proven overtime that in desperation, a man brings out the best in him. His best might not literally have anything good in it, but the tool he thinks he can use to get whatever he is craving for. That is the story of Shehu Shagari and his path to the presidential seat of Nigeria. It was a heated campaign in 1978, the late Obafemi Awolowo had a very firm grip of the majority and even commanded a larger crowd in Shagari’s home town of Sokoto. Awolowo was still basking in the euphoria of the British-led massacre of Biafrans, hence he adopted the "V” (Victory) sign to cheer his admirers. Awolowo’s Sokoto campaign was the most obvious sign of defeat to Shagari and in the words of Enwerem, "Determined to undermine whatever impact Awolowo may have made on the people, Shagari adopted a mode of greeting that was intended to reach the core of the people’s most treasured experience.” He acknowledged the cheers from his audience by simply raising a finger. This simple gesture caught the imagination of the populace. Shagari’s single finger signified his commitment to "One Nation, One Destiny’’. That partly, did the trick for the NPN; Awolowo lost the election to Shagari, especially in the Muslim North whose religious or cultural centre is Sokoto.
OBAFEMI AWOLOWO
The man who starved 3 million
Biafran children to death
In Shagari’s inaugural speech on the 1st of October 1979, he stated "this administration is determined that the slogan of "One Nation, One Destiny’’ shall be translated into reality’’. Yes, he wants one destiny for a scientist and a cattle herder, one destiny for a student that scored 3 in Unity School Exam and another that scored 132, one destiny for a citizen that sits lazy at home waiting for national cake and another that works round the clock, one destiny for the almajiris who roam the streets and bushes like wild animals and some others who are seated in the classrooms to learn, one destiny for a citizen who upholds Sharia laws as supreme and another that upholds the national constitution as his guide. Yes, this "One Destiny’’ has been rebranded severally from "Federal Character’’ to "Quota System’’. Utterances like "we are born to rule’’, "the South will never rule’’, “we will never allow south control their destinies” and “the south is conquered territory”, goes further to clarify how they intend to control the destiny of the South. In Akinjide’s words, "the situation is that, to the Southerners today, the 1914 amalgamation was a mistake, to the Northerners, it is a blessing’’.
"Everybody has the right to his/her own destiny’’ - Bob Marley, but that is what the North is depriving Biafrans with the help of Britain. What is the destiny of the North, as compared to that of the South? They are purposely dragging the Japan of Africa to be the mockery of all nations. Buhari is only acting the script, because that has been the Northern agendum. Let us wake up from slumber and rule our destiny. We cannot afford to leave it in the hands of these almajiris or even in the hands of men like Uwazuruike, Willie Obiano, Peter Obi, Okorocha, Okezie Ikpeazu etc, who are greedy, insensitive, selfish, lacking vision and love, mortgaging our futures for Naira and Kobo with the Northerners. Our future and destiny, lies in our hands. If not for our sake, then for the sake of posterity. Let us define our path, pressing with diligence towards the restoration of Biafra, knowing that the Almighty who has given us the grace to come this far, will grant us a glorious end. God bless Biafra.
Written By Chinedu Ewulu.
Edited By KeneChukwu HalleluYah Okekenta
For BIAFRA WRITERS
REVEALED - THE MOTIVE OF SHAGARI’S "ONE DESTINY" CAMPAIGN
SHEHU SHAGARI
It has been proven overtime that in desperation, a man brings out the best in him. His best might not literally have anything good in it, but the tool he thinks he can use to get whatever he is craving for. That is the story of Shehu Shagari and his path to the presidential seat of Nigeria. It was a heated campaign in 1978, the late Obafemi Awolowo had a very firm grip of the majority and even commanded a larger crowd in Shagari’s home town of Sokoto. Awolowo was still basking in the euphoria of the British-led massacre of Biafrans, hence he adopted the "V” (Victory) sign to cheer his admirers. Awolowo’s Sokoto campaign was the most obvious sign of defeat to Shagari and in the words of Enwerem, "Determined to undermine whatever impact Awolowo may have made on the people, Shagari adopted a mode of greeting that was intended to reach the core of the people’s most treasured experience.” He acknowledged the cheers from his audience by simply raising a finger. This simple gesture caught the imagination of the populace. Shagari’s single finger signified his commitment to "One Nation, One Destiny’’. That partly, did the trick for the NPN; Awolowo lost the election to Shagari, especially in the Muslim North whose religious or cultural centre is Sokoto.
OBAFEMI AWOLOWO
The man who starved 3 million
Biafran children to death
In Shagari’s inaugural speech on the 1st of October 1979, he stated "this administration is determined that the slogan of "One Nation, One Destiny’’ shall be translated into reality’’. Yes, he wants one destiny for a scientist and a cattle herder, one destiny for a student that scored 3 in Unity School Exam and another that scored 132, one destiny for a citizen that sits lazy at home waiting for national cake and another that works round the clock, one destiny for the almajiris who roam the streets and bushes like wild animals and some others who are seated in the classrooms to learn, one destiny for a citizen who upholds Sharia laws as supreme and another that upholds the national constitution as his guide. Yes, this "One Destiny’’ has been rebranded severally from "Federal Character’’ to "Quota System’’. Utterances like "we are born to rule’’, "the South will never rule’’, “we will never allow south control their destinies” and “the south is conquered territory”, goes further to clarify how they intend to control the destiny of the South. In Akinjide’s words, "the situation is that, to the Southerners today, the 1914 amalgamation was a mistake, to the Northerners, it is a blessing’’.
"Everybody has the right to his/her own destiny’’ - Bob Marley, but that is what the North is depriving Biafrans with the help of Britain. What is the destiny of the North, as compared to that of the South? They are purposely dragging the Japan of Africa to be the mockery of all nations. Buhari is only acting the script, because that has been the Northern agendum. Let us wake up from slumber and rule our destiny. We cannot afford to leave it in the hands of these almajiris or even in the hands of men like Uwazuruike, Willie Obiano, Peter Obi, Okorocha, Okezie Ikpeazu etc, who are greedy, insensitive, selfish, lacking vision and love, mortgaging our futures for Naira and Kobo with the Northerners. Our future and destiny, lies in our hands. If not for our sake, then for the sake of posterity. Let us define our path, pressing with diligence towards the restoration of Biafra, knowing that the Almighty who has given us the grace to come this far, will grant us a glorious end. God bless Biafra.
Written By Chinedu Ewulu.
Edited By KeneChukwu HalleluYah Okekenta
For BIAFRA WRITERS
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