By Oduche Azih
(Published on Monday, 12 September, 2022)
I REGARD Lasisi Olagunju as one of my favourite columnists; and this is not because we agree on all issues. We don’t. However I find his effort to remain faithful to the methods of Logic quite endearing. Not this time around.
His latest contributions on the reaction of Ndigbo to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II could easily have been a review of Chido Onumah ‘s WE ARE ALL BIAFRANS with which I had strongly disagreed. I have said so in several writings which have kind of bonded me with the author.
Fortunately whether in Engineering, Development matters or Politics, I have the knack to pick on issues that ARE NOT TRENDING, not on anyone’s front burner. Hence I take great exceptions with the notion that Ndigbo, of which I am one, waited for the death of Queen Elizabeth II, before expressing their disapproval for the decades of what I regularly call British Perfidy in dealing with peoples of the colonies. My exertions may not have counted for much considering that I am not a professional writer, columnist or agitator. However I doubt that the last UK High Commissioner Paul Awkright is completely unaware of my consistent position on the sordid legacy of British colonia rule in Nigeria and beyond. Whatever, I rail for a Nigerian audience.
I repeat my earlier conclusion: WE ARE NOT ALL BIAFRANS! .
Where everyone can ignore 55years of recent history and like Olagunju suddenly claim victimhood as if it is a new fad. This is why apart from collating old views and opinions attributed to other sources, I actually have absolutely nothing NEW to say about the British/UK Establishment encompassing Buckingham Palace and Whitehall. “We love the North!” said a certain Colonial Governor.
We from the South especially Ndigbo have been living with the consequences these past 100years plus!
I have decided to restrain myself from taking on point by point all that Olagunju took great liberty to address, often irrationally, in responding to Prof Uju Anya. I had stated somewhere else that although I personally wouldn’t necessarily adopt Anya’s approach, style and emphasis, that does not automatically delegitimise her. Olagunju, like many, took the trouble to quote Jeff Bezos in support. You do not necessarily achieve a majority by siding with a powerful Bezos. At best that makes two of you. By this singular effort, Olagunju’s column did not advance the cause of the study of History or even the more elusive national reconciliation. Meanwhile our case with Brittannia remains. With a new Prime Minister and a new King, deeply connected to modern ideas and fresh appreciation of the past, perhaps there is ground for renewed optimism.
LATEST POSTS
- Tax Bills: Nigerians reject Governors’ VAT sharing formula, back Tinubu
- How we survived crash in flight heading to Washington DC – Passenger (video)
- Police Neutralise Kidnappers of AIG Hakeem Odumosu’s wife, Recover Ransom
- Nigeria Still Far from Solving Electricity Challenges, Declares NLC Chair, Joe Ajaero
- Ekiti State Denies Existence of Sharia Court or Similar Panel in Judicial Structure
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER NOW
TEXT AD: To advertise here – Email ad@matazarising.com
