Lifestyle
Lest We Forget: A Historical Reflection on Yoruba-Igbo Tensions
Many people today speak of betrayal and mistrust between the Yoruba and Igbo, but few understand the deeper context or the actual conversations that took place among the leaders of both ethnic groups. I had the rare privilege though just a young observer who had learned “how to wash his hands” of sitting in on some of these meetings between Yoruba and Igbo elders.
One such memorable gathering took place in Owerri around 1989. There, I listened in awe as Uncle Bola Ige and other Yoruba leaders addressed claims made by some prominent Igbo figures, including Chief Mbakwe and R.B. Okafor. The accusation? That Chief Obafemi Awolowo had promised to support the Igbo in seceding from Nigeria, and then betrayed them by not following through.
Bola Ige responded with clarity and fire. Turning to Mbakwe, he asked directly:
“You were present at the meeting between Awolowo and Ojukwu, as I was. Did Awo ever make that promise?”
He then turned to two other Yoruba and two Igbo leaders who were also present at that historical meeting.
“I have the transcripts,” he warned. None of the Igbo elders refuted him.
Awolowo, according to Ige, had never promised to follow the East into secession. What he did say was:
“If the Igbo are ever driven out of Nigeria, the Yoruba will take it seriously and reassess their own position.”
The room fell quiet. The accusation crumbled in the face of truth. The Igbo leaders did not deny this version of events.
Then came Bola Ige’s thunderous retort:
“Who are you to accuse the Yoruba of betrayal?”
He laid out a powerful chronology:
1. At Independence, Awolowo offered a joint NCNC-AG government Zik as Prime Minister, Awo as Finance Minister. Negotiations were ongoing when suddenly Zik announced a coalition with the NPC instead. The East aligned with the North to crush the West, jailing Awo and his allies.
2. In 1965, the West and East agreed to boycott the election. They reached consensus in the early hours, but by morning, the Igbo broke ranks and voted while the Yoruba held the line.
3. In 1979, post-election negotiations for a Yoruba-Igbo coalition (UPN-NPP) were underway when the NPP suddenly entered a coalition with the North’s NPN without notice.
4. In 1983, the same betrayal occurred. Yet Awolowo still sought unity. He met Zik again in Benin, pleading that only a Yoruba-Igbo alliance could rescue Nigeria. The meeting ended inconclusively, and again the East returned to align with the North.
With visible emotion, Uncle Bola continued:
“We can go on and on. But let me ask you: how many Igbo have been killed in Yoruba towns like Lagos, Ibadan, Akure, or Oshogbo? You thrive in our cities, build your businesses here, and attend our schools yet you call us enemies. Meanwhile, your people are regularly killed in Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Zaria, and your shops looted. Yet you count the North as allies. If you choose to be perpetual slaves, we cannot help you.”
The silence that followed was deafening. No one interrupted him. No one challenged the facts. The Yoruba delegation stood and ended the meeting. I can only hope Chief C.O. Adebayo’s memoirs will someday detail that historic exchange further.
Key Takeaways:
A. The Yoruba have long extended a hand across the Niger. The Igbo, for decades, declined to take it until recently.
B. Many Igbo leaders of the 1970s to 1990s actively propagated the myth that Awolowo betrayed them, using it to solidify internal unity and distract from internal failures. The one common rallying point was hatred for the Yoruba.
C. Time is a great healer. Many Igbo reading this today may be learning, for the first time, that their leaders knew Awolowo never betrayed Ojukwu or the East during the Civil War.
A Call to Our Generation:
Even if our parents quarreled, should we, their children, inherit their grudges? Must we perpetuate old divisions in a Nigeria struggling for unity and growth?
It is time.
Time for a genuine handshake across the Niger.
Time to heal, to build, and to move forward together.
Originally shared on the “Friends Ikoyi Club 1938” Forum by Dr. Adenike Marinho
(Medical Doctor and Social Commentator)
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The Ghanaian Economic and Organised Crime Office, in collaboration with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Justice Department, has revealed that it has seized a luxury vehicle, a 2019 Lamborghini Urus, from Ghanaian dancehall artiste, Charles Armah, popularly known as Shatta Wale.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday by the acting Executive Director of the agency, Raymond Archer, and shared on X by Ghanaian TV station, Joy News, EOCO disclosed that the operation followed a request from the FBI and the US Justice Department in 2023, which culminated in a lawful search of the rapper’s apartment at Trassaco Valley Phase 1 in Accra, Ghana.
The search was carried out by EOCO’s Surveillance and Asset Recovery Unit, leading to the discovery and seizure of a 2019 Lamborghini Urus. According to the statement, US authorities have linked the vehicle to criminal proceeds of one Nana Kwabena Amuah, currently serving an 86-month sentence for financial crimes in the United States.
“In June this year, the Economic and Organised Crime Office, acting on a 2023 request from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the United States Justice Department, undertook an operation which led to a lawful search in a home at Trassaco Valley Phase 1, in Accra.
“The operation which was undertaken by the Surveillance And Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) of EOCO led to the discovery and seizure of a 2019 Lamborghini Urus which the the FBI and the Justice Department have tied to the proceeds of the criminal enterprise of one Nana Kwabena Amuah who is currently serving an 86 month sentence for several financial crimes in the US”, the statement partly read.
According to the statement, the vehicle was reportedly found in the possession of Shatta Wale, who was allowed to voluntarily surrender the car to EOCO operatives.
“The car was seized from one Charles Nii Armah, aka Shatta Wale. The officers were professional and civil, and the search and seizure occurred without incident. Nii Armah had pleaded with officers that he did not want the seizure to be made public because the vehicle was a big part of his brand, and that if his supporters saw the vehicle being driven away in the company of EOCO, it would destroy his brand. Nii Armah was allowed to surrender the vehicle himself, which is currently in the possession of EOCO”, the statement explained.
The agency also explained that SARU officers were armed during the operation, describing it as standard safety protocol. “It is a standard safety protocol practice for officers of the Surveillance and Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) to carry weapons whilst on operation for the safety of officers”, the statement added.
EOCO explained that further steps are being taken by US authorities to repatriate the seized car as part of the restitution owed by Amuah.
The anti-graft agency also revealed that Shatta Wale and a former senior officer of the National Signal Bureau (NSB) are being investigated in connection with the case.
It said, “The FBI and the Justice Department intend to send a formal Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) to the Government of Ghana to return the car to the United States as part of Nana Kwabena Amuah’s $4,743,443 restitution. Charles Nii Armah, aka Shatta Wale and a former senior officer of the National Signal Bureau (NSB), have been assessed as persons of interest and will be invited by EOCO to assist in further ongoing investigations in the coming days.”
The agency also confirmed that a final report may be submitted to the FBI and the US Justice Department as part of their collaborative efforts. “EOCO may share the final investigations report to the FBI and the Justice Department as part of our ongoing cooperation”, the statement concluded.
The controversial rapper had earlier posted a disturbing message on his Facebook book page, condemning the EOCO boss for storming his apartment with armed operatives of the agency. He wrote, “Raymond Archer, EOCO Boss, Ibe, you go make NDC go out of power next 4 years. Bringing guns to my house was uncalled for.”
In another post, he wrote, “EOCO boss, the president of Ghana didn’t put you in that office to come and humiliate the citizens of this country. Remember, God no sleep.”
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In this deeply emotional video, a young Nigerian boy shares his heart-wrenching experience of racial and cultural discrimination in a foreign school.
His only wish? To come back home to Nigeria where he feels he belongs.
But the harsh reality hits hard — the state of things back home is not encouraging. From insecurity to poor infrastructure, his dream of returning feels more like a painful trap than a comforting escape.
This video captures the raw truth many Nigerians in the diaspora silently endure. It’s a cry for acceptance, identity, and the longing for a better Nigeria that can welcome its own with pride.
💬 Share your thoughts in the comments. Can Nigeria ever truly become home again?
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Historic Declaration: Oba Sen. Abdulrasheed Ladoja Crowned as 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland | Full Council Pronouncement
In a momentous and culturally significant event, the Olubadan-in-Council officially pronounces His Imperial Majesty, Oba Senator Abdulrasheed Adewolu Akanmu Ladoja, as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.
This video captures the traditional pronouncement ceremony, a sacred rite deeply rooted in the rich heritage of the ancient Yoruba kingdom. Witness history as Ibadan land ushers in a new era under the leadership of a revered statesman, respected elder, and true son of the soil.
📍 Location: Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
👑 Title: Olubadan of Ibadanland – The Paramount Ruler of the Ibadan People
🔔 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more cultural and historical moments from Nigeria.
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