The economy of the former Eastern Region was planned from ground up by the US consulting firm Arthur D. Little

 The economy of the former Eastern Region was planned from ground up by the US consulting firm Arthur D. Little

Dr. Azikiwe brought them and they worked with M I Okpara at first, then with Sam Otti and later Eluwa who headed the Civil Service and later with Sir Louis Phillip Odumegwu Ojukwu who at the time was the Chairman of the Eastern Nicerian Development Corporation (ENDC) and also the Chairman of the Eastern Nigeria Commodities Board (ENCB)

Louis Phillip  Odumegwu Ojukwu also sat as Chairman of 15 multinational companies at the time - John Holt, PZ, Michelin, Costain, Thomas Wyatt, Guinness, GB Ollivant etc

He was so rich that he single handedly funded the establishment of the Lagos Stock Exchange but refused to list his company there for fear of losing control

His photo still hangs proudly on the floor of that exchange as its first chairman

Arthur D Little also worked with a coterie of young Eastern Nigerian economists at the time - Pius Okigbo (PhD Northwestern), Ukwu I. Ukwu (PhD Cambridge), Chukwu Sunday Okongwu (PhD Harvard). These young men in their early twenties worked with Arthur D Little to plan our economy from scratch

I know this because Ukwu I Ukwu taught me at Nsukka and I also worked in Dr Chu SP Okongwu's economic planning firm right during and after grad school in Nigeria.

Arthur D. Little recommended the setting up of a university in the East to produce key skills needed to drive economic growth as most of those skills were not being taught in Ibadan at the time

Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe sent Dr Akpabio (MA Columbia) who at the time was the East's Minister of Education on an extended tour to universities in Michigan and New York for collaboration in key fields like medicine, engineering,, surveying and photogrammetry and business administration.

UNN was the first school in Nigeria to offer many of these courses. Ibadan at the time taught mostly Classics, General Science and later Medicine

Palm oil, Palm  Kernel, Coal, Cocoa (from Ikom), Coffee from Obudu and later petroleum from firstly Izombe - Oguta area and later from Oloibiri in Ijaw land drove the economy of the East

In terms of development, the East started late, compared to the West.

"CHI" IN IGBO THOUGHT AND CULTURE

Written by Rev. Fr. Francis Anekwe Oborji, Pontifical Urban University, Vatican City (Rome)
Email: anekwe.oborji@gmail.com

Monday, July 10, 2023

Our concern in this short write-up is to articulate, briefly, the true meaning and significance of the concept, "CHI" among the Igbo in the context of the concept of the "Person" in African thought and culture as articulated in Igbo, African scholarship in recent years.

The Problem:

The pre-theoretical concern about the concept of the person in philosophical and theological discourse challenges us to give a unique and coherent response to the following questions: What is the person? What does it mean for a person to be the same persistent entity through time (or in a moment of time)? How many distinct ontological entities constitute a person? What relationship, if there is, exists between the subjective experiences of an individual first-person and our perspective third-person? What is the influence of our culture and society on our system of thought and interpretation of reality and 'non-regular causation' of things in the universe? What kind of relationship exists between the thinker and his cultural and religious context? What is the influence of this cultural context on our philosophical and theological thoughts?

The African scholars, especially, philosophers and theologians, including the Igbo scholars, take seriously the challenge of giving an adequate response to these questions in the African, Igbo context and perspective. This is why in the African, Igbo context, unlike that of the West, plausible answers to an application, are usually informed by plausible answers to other questions.

Therefore, to appreciate the rich meaning and significance of Igbo concept of "Chi" in the context of the concept of person in African thought and culture, I would like to explore the way in which the Igbo, African theory of the universe and of the ontological reality has provided us with the integrated responses to the question under consideration. And how we must build these answers on it. My approach, partly descriptive and partly imaginative, should be familiar; I adopted it by the tradition of the first African scholars, from their reaction as well as their appreciation of the pioneering work of Placide Tempels, La Philosophie Bantoue, published in 1945.

The foundation of the problem that we are treating derives from the famous proposition of Aristotle, "man is a rational animal." This definition of man as a rational animal did not apply, then to the (African) man or woman. The expression of Descartes "cogito ergo sum" (I think, therefore, I exist), was inspired and built on Aristotelian tradition. Therefore, Descartes, like so many other authors of the philosophy of the Enlightenment, did not see the African people as having the ability to think on the ontological level. The authors such as Hegel, Kant, Heidegger, and so forth, never assigned the ability to think at the philosophical and metaphysical level to the African man (or woman) mind.

Therefore, the Igbo, African philosophy today is responding to this historical legacy of the so-called classical philosophy and of the Enlightenment-Era in their comparison with Africa. African authors, including Igbo scholars, have already made good progress in this regard. Thanks to them, today no one has any more doubts about the capacity of Africans to think at philosophical-metaphysical level. In many countries, African philosophy and African Christian theology are studied today at university level.

"Chi" and Igbo (African) Concept of Person

In the first place, the person is a fundamental entity of reality. Therefore, its concept or meaning does not only belong to a people, because other peoples have their concepts of the person. So, what does the African (Igbo) originality of person consist of? To borrow from the words of Charles Nyamiti (a Tanzania theologian), the African (Igbo) originality of a concept such as the "person", goes beyond the normal accentuation of the term to assume a cultural coloring. In Africa, and in Igbo society, in particular, the person as such, is a concrete reality defined in its ontological humanity, existentiality and community. Therefore, the African Igbo philosophy speaks of three constituents of the person.

SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT ABOUT FIRST REPUBLIC PURPORTED IGBO DOMINANCE

~Anonymous Author

A scripted deception has been circulating all over social media, including WhatsApp groups, suggesting that Igbos, despite being dominant in Tafawa Balewa's government, went ahead to kill him. Nothing can be farther from the truth. This script has turned history on its head. The narrative is designed to present Igbos as disloyal power grabbers and confuse gullible readers, obfuscate the past and promote national discord.

Let us set the records straight; Igbos played no dominant role in Balewa's cabinet. The outline below will help demonstrate this.

Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, was the Prime Minister of Nigeria from the pre-independence era (1957) until the January 1966 coup, in which he died. During this period, he had three cabinets in total. Balewa established his first cabinet in 1957 after he was appointed Prime Minister by the British Governor-General. The second cabinet was formed after the general elections of December 1959, just before independence, in a coalition government. The third cabinet was formed after the disputed general elections of December 1964 and dissolved after the military coup of 15 January 1966.

Here are the ministers who served in all three cabinets;

First Cabinet 1957 - 1959

Raymond Njoku - Minister for Transportation

Aja Nwachukwu - Minister for Education

K.O Mbadiwe - Minister for Commerce

Samuel Akintola - Minister for Communications

Festus Okotie-Eboh - Minister for Finance

Mobolaji Johnson (later replaced by Adegoke Adelabu) - Minister for Internal Affiars

Kola Balogun - Minister for Information

Ayo Rosiji - Minister for Health

Muhammadu Ribadu - Minister for Mines

Zanna Bukar Dipacharima (replaced by Inuwa Wada) - Minister for Works

There were three Ministers of Igbo extraction in a ten men cabinet. 30%

Second Cabinet 1959 - 1964

Taslim Elias - Attorney General and Minister for Justice

Olu Akinfosile - Minister for Communications

T O S Benson - Minister for Information

Mobolaji Johnson - Minister for Labour and Welfare

Festus Okotie-Eboh - Minister for Finance

Aja Nwachukwu - Minister for Education

Jaja Wachuku - Minister for Foreign Affairs

Raymond Njoku - Minister for Transport and Aviation

Muhammadu Ribadu - Minister for Lands and Lagos Affairs

Zanna Bukar Dipacharima - Minister for Commerce and Industries

Inuwa Wada - Works and Survey

Maitama Sule - Minister for Mines and Power

Shehu Shagari - Minister for Economic Development and Natural Resources

Usman Sarki - Minister for Internal Affairs

Waziri Ibrahim - Minister for Health

Yisa Yar'adua - Minister for Pensions, Establishment & Nigerianization

As with the previous, Only *three featured in the cabinet of 16 Ministers. 18.75%

Third Cabinet 1964 - 1966

Ayo Rosiji - Minister for Information

Moses Majekodunmi - Minister for Health

Festus Okotie-Eboh - Minister for Finance

Alade Lamuye - Minister for Natural Resources and Research

Richard Akinjide - Minister for Education

Adeleke Adedoyin - Minister for Labour

Adeniran Ogunsanya - Minister for Housing and Survey

Taslim Elias - Attorney General and Minister for Justice

Ayo Rosiji - Minister for Information

Aja Wachuku - Minister for Aviation

Raymond Njoku - Minister for Communications

K.O Mbadiwe- Minister for Trade

Muhammadu Ribadu - Minister for Defense

Waziri Ibrahim - Minister for Economic Development

Inuwa Wada - Minister for Works

Zanna Bukar Dipacharima - Minister for Transport

Maitama Sule - Minister for Mines and Power

Shehu Shagari - Minister for Internal Affairs

Jacob Bande - Minister of Establishment

Yet again, three persons of Igbo extraction in a 19 men cabinet. 16%

It is also evident that at every point within the 9-year reign of Tafawa Balewa, only three persons of Igbo extraction were on the cabinet. Cumulatively, only four men made the cabinet under Balewa. The classification above should give you an idea of the dominant ethnic stock on Balewa's Cabinet. I leave the rest to your assessment.

Security/Service Chiefs

The Nigerianization program in the military pre and immediately after independence unwittingly stratified the army along ethnic lines. By the mid-1960s, the army’s most senior officers were career soldiers who had initially enlisted as NCOs and then risen through the ranks. Most of these were Yoruba (Samuel Ademulegun, Babafemi Ogundipe, Ralph Shodeinde, Robert Adebayo). Immediately behind them in seniority were the first Sandhurst trained generation of Nigerian officers. These men were largely Kanuri from the north (Zakariya Maimalari, Umar Lawan, Kur Mohammed). Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was the only member of the army’s top stratum that was not Yoruba or Kanuri. But the Lt-colonels were ethnically diverse (e.g., Ejoor, Ojukwu, Kurubo). However, many of the majors were Sandhurst trained Igbos. At the same time, most junior officers like lieutenants and NCOs were Northerners who had been encouraged to join the army’s infantry following an army recruitment campaign by Northern politicians.

Now, let's review the security positions claimed by the author of this malicious hogwash

Chief of Army Staff

Aguiyi Ironsi was the first Nigerian Chief of Army staff and served briefly under Balewa. The rest before him, who served with Balew, were Britons. Ironsi, as acknowledged by several research materials, was never a part of the coup that killed Balewa and is known to be the one who quelled the coup. Max Siollun, in his work, Oil, Politics and Violence, argued that Ironsi was marked for death but was missed by Major Okafor, stationed in Lagos. Same as Nnamdi Azikiwe, who was out of the country at that time.

Chief of Naval Staff

Until 1964 when Commodore Wey commanded the Naval Staff, no other Nigerian was the CNS under Balewa. This story is another bout of pile being peddled to evoke discord.

Chief of Defence Staff

This role was only established by the 1979 constitution and never existed under Balewa.

Inspector General of Police

Louis Edet and Kam Salem were the only Nigerians who commanded the Nigerian police under Balewa. I am still searching to find what part of their origin emanated from eastern Nigeria.

Other Positions

Vice-Chancellors of Unilag and University of Ibadan - Profs Eni Njoku and Kenneth Dike assumed their roles purely on merit. They had nothing to do with the murky politics of the pre-independence and the first republic. Dike served well into 1967, a clear one year after Balewa died and just when the civil war started. Njoku left his role in 1965, way before Balewa died. Saburi Biobaku was the VC when Balewa died; thus, we can assume he had a hand in the coup. I guess we can see the nonsense that is the assertion that academicians will have had anything to do with a military coup. Ethnic profiling through false narratives is terrible for a country in search of nationhood.

Nigerian Parliament

The power-sharing formula of the republican leadership in the first republic suggested that the NPC took control of the federal parliament and formed a coalition government with the NCNC. Akweke Nwafor Orizu was the Senate President since 1960 and had absolutely nothing to do with the coup.

Conclusion

Nigeria's history must be studied, especially the issues leading to the pogrom and civil war.

There is a need to address recent agitations within the context of our recent past and not return to 1960s fiction to rationalise a recent failure. Nine years after the war, an Igbo was Vice President, and another was Speaker of the House of Representatives. Let's look for the problems post-1979. We must stop peddling falsehood if we want to make progress as a nation.

Igbo And Igala – Geographical, Historical And, Cultural Relationships

By Joy

June 9, 20210

It is a vague fact that the Igalas have a close tie to the Igbos, just how close is this tie? In almost every Igbo state, a sprinkle of indigenous Igala people is found thriving, be it an element of their culture, religion, dialect, or descendants. Who are the Igalas and what is their relationship with the Igbos?

Igbo And Igala Relations

The Igala are an ethnic group in Nigeria. Their homeland, the former Igala Kingdom, is an approximately triangular area of about 14,000 km² in the angle formed by the Benue and Niger rivers. The area was formerly the Igala Division of Kabba province and is now part of Kogi State. The capital is Idah.

The Igala people rank amongst ethnic groups in Nigeria with the highest population, they are situated east of the river Niger and Benue confluence, straddling the Niger in Lokoja. Unlike every tribe in Nigeria, they practice Christianity and Islam almost in equal proportions, with few traditional worshippers. It is beautiful to note that both religions exist side by side without little or no squabbles. 

The Igala people are found in several parts of the country, with an estimated population of 4 million. In all the Southeastern states, traces of Igala descendants have been found over the years. 

Five Most Ancient Igbo Towns

On the northern border of the Enugu state, the Kogi Igalas overflow the boundary and dominates the communities there. In Abia state, communities like Onu-Aku, Umuogu, Amaogu, Umuogwu towns have traced their origin to the Igala kingdom of 15500, in every state in Igboland, there are communities who trace their origin of migration to the Igala kingdom.

ABOUT NIGERIA DEMOCRACY DAY - THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO FOUGHT FOR IT

~Anonynous Author

Many of the people on the list below fought for democracy.  Liberty is a delicate flower.  It demands vigilance.  Sometimes it demands sweat, and, sadly, blood.  Thanks to does who gave their all that we can have a voice. 

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Culled from University of Pennsylvania - Africa Studies Center

NIGERIA CIVIL LIBERTIES ORGANIZATION, 1/2, 1/7/98

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LIST OF DETAINEES

• Find stated below the updated list of political detainees

in Nigeria

Name + Position + Place of Arrest + Date of Arrest + Detained

At + Remarks

POLITICIANS

1. Chief Bashorun MKO Abiola + President Elect + Lagos 23/6/94 + Abuja + Detained for declaring himself as President and winner of June 12 1993 election 

2. Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo + Former Head of State + 19/3/95 

3. Chief Frank Kokori + NUPENG Secretary General + Lagos

20/8/94 + Bama

4. Chief Milton Dabibi + former Sec.Gen PENGASSAN + Lagos 

5. Otunba Biyi Durojaiye + Lagos + 12/8/96 

6. Dr Beko Ransome Kuti + Chairman, CD + Lagos + 27/7/95 

7. Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki + Sultan of Sokoto + Sokoto + 4/21/96

+ Zing in Taraba State + Yet to be charged to court or accused

of any offence 

8. Mr Polycarp Nwite + Ex-Senator + Lagos 6/8/97 + unknown + Arrested and detained without any reason

JOURNALISTS

9. Mrs Chris Anyanwu + Publisher, The Sunday Magazine (TSM) Lagos + 4/6/95 + Convicted by + Patrick Aziza led tribunal for being accessory after the fact of coup 

10. Mr Kunle Ajibade + Editor, The News Mag. + Lagos + 23/5/97 

11. Mr George Mbah + Asst. Editor, Tell Mag. Lagos + 5/5/97

12. Mr Ben Charles Obi + Editor, Classique + Lagos 4/5/97

13. Mr Alumona Jenkins + Editor, The News Mag. + Lagos +

8/11/97 + DMI

14. Mr Onome Osifo-Whiskey + Editor, Tell Mag. Lagos + 9/11/97 + DMI

15. Mr Hamid Danlami + Publisher of Al-Mazan, a Muslim

Newspaper