Lets go back to the drawing board when Nigerians got their independence in 1960. Tafarwabalewa was the Prime Minister of Nigeria hailed from the Northern part of Nigeria. Nigeria was split into four regions. Every leaders of this four regions wanted to be Prime Ministers, envy and jealousness kicks in. The military planned a coup to overthrow the government in which Iseagwu Kaduna spearheaded the killing of Sadauna of Sokota and Tafarwabalewa in the Northern part of Nigeria. When asked the reason why the coup happened the only reason at that time was corruption. Aguyi Ironsi became the head of States. He failed to prosecute the soldiers who did the killings. Even though they were arrested no major punishment befell those who planned the coup. Instead they still retained their ranks in the military.
Lets go back to the drawing board when Nigerians got their independence in 1960. Tafarwabalewa was the Prime Minister of Nigeria hailed from the Northern part of Nigeria. Nigeria was split into four regions. Every leaders of this four regions wanted to be Prime Ministers, envy and jealousness kicks in. The military planned a coup to overthrow the government in which Iseagwu Kaduna spearheaded the killing of Sadauna of Sokota and Tafarwabalewa in the Northern part of Nigeria. When asked the reason why the coup happened the only reason at that time was corruption. Aguyi Ironsi became the head of States. He failed to prosecute the soldiers who did the killings. Even though they were arrested no major punishment befell those who planned the coup. Instead they still retained their ranks in the military.
The damaging aspect of the entire coup was when the British journalist interviewed Kaduna. He stated that he wondered why in Lagos his Bosses were calling them rebels when this was planned and executed with the knowledge of the higher ups. This in itself went to proved that their was dishonesty from the get go. The ego and ambitious power settle in the minds of Nigerian leaders. Base on this assertions the Northern Military Officer seek to revenge what happened to Balewa and Sadauna of Sokoto. This lead to counter coup by the Northern Soldiers, which got rid of Aguyi Ironsi.
The Northern soldiers took this action as a pay back coup. When the center cannot hold, Ojukwu then who was appointed by Aguyi Ironsi as at that time as the Governor of the Eastern Region declared that since the Hausas have started slaughtering any Igbos they laid their hands on in the North, those who escaped the death went back to the Eastern region. He later declared for succession that is to breakaway from Nigeria. Before this the Hausas have decided that since Gowon was the most senior officer in the Military they made him the head of State. This did not settle well with Ojukwu who considered Gowon at that time as being his junior in military ranking.
Again, ambitious became imminent. When they could not resolve their differences they went to Aburi Ghana to see if they can resolved their issues. In Aburi, Ojukwu used grammar to hammered on Gowon, using the word confederation that will be appropriate thing for Nigeria. Gowon at that time did not quite understood what confederation meant agreed on getting to Nigeria, when Gowon realized what that meant he refused such a measure where power is concentrated at the state level and at the National level will be like a figure head. After Gowon realized what he has just agreed to, he decided to back off from it. Ojukwu came with the slogan that in Aburi we stand. From Nigeria we came up with a song that goes, "Ojukwu wanted to separate Nigeria, Gowon said Nigeria must be one. We are now fighting for the Nation, so dear Nigeria must be one."
This was the slogan of both Biafra’s and Nigerians during the war. The actual war began in 1967, which lasted till 1970 until Nigeria troops declared victory after Ojukwu fled from Biafra side and went into exile. Gowon stayed in power until 1975 when he left to Adisa Baba for OAU meeting his leadership was over thrown because he extended original timeline to hand over the government to civilian rule in 1976 to 1979. A coup was planned as he departed for OAU meeting, his government was toppled, and Muritala Muhammed was installed as the head of state.
Muritala ran the affairs of Nigeria for approximately less than a year and he was assassinated on Friday 1976 in the street of Lagos. Then Baba Iyabo came in, who did not have an agenda of his own. He mainly executed the agenda of his Boss Muritala. In respect to Muritala he handed over the power to Shagari as Muirtala originally planned it. Shagari ruled from 1979 through 1983, then he was overthrown by Buhari regime as a result of hunger for power. He claimed that Shagari regime was corrupt.
Maradona Babangida overthrew him after he spent two years in office in 1985. He then wanted to stay in a leadership role forever. Babangida changed the status of military head of state to President of Nigeria, instead of head of state he preferred to be called President Babangida. As he is known to be an evil genius when his government became unpopular in the hearts and minds or ordinary Nigerians he knew it was time to go. He played the card. An election was held, one of the fairest elections in the history of Nigeria. Abiola was declared the winner. Babangida however declared the election null and void. This eventually led to the death of Abiola. Shonekan was installed by Babangida who retired all the top officers of the army and left Abacha to followed Shonekan like a hawk.
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Shonekan was eventually pushed aside by Abacha and declared himself as the President of Nigeria. He later died in office and interim government was installed until election of Baba Iyabo. After Baba Iyabo, Yaradua was elected as the President of Nigeria. Baba Iyabo hand picked Jonathan Goodluck as a vice President of Yaradua. He died in office GEJ became the President of Nigeria.
Looking at such history, it is clear that each time greed propelled every Nigeria leaders. None of them genuinely went there to lead. They were all self centered and just wanted to taste that office. The only true leader African ever produced, is Mandela that just passed away and Kwame Kuruma of Ghana.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of SaharaReporters
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