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The North needed a new capital which would not only make them not to be vulnerable "se...Read the full article.

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We can do nothing more than cry out our eyes dry regarding the Hausa/Fulani domination of Nigeria. Through successive military rule and therefore total control they have been able to reach their goal of controlling Nigeria Perpetually. We had a chance to stop this move in the mid 60s but we blew it due to selfishness. This is why I will always raise my hat to the then Easterners for daring.

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Mr Bode Eluyera,
This is a well-researched article.
I however want you to note some things:
1.) The Chairman of the panel that recommended Abuja as the nation's capital was a Yoruba man (Akinola Aguda, the eminent jurist).
2.) Tai Solarin was also a member of that panel.
3.) The government that gave effect to the panel's recommendation was headed by a Yoruba man (Olusegun Obasanjo).

In all, you have brought out enough facts to justify your premise of an irrational decision to move the capital from Lagos to Abuja. However, I will rather believe it was due to a lazy and escapist approach to problem-solving rather than an ethnic agenda.
Look at the scenario: country awash with petro-dollars with an unaccountable regime in power and all levels of government headed by mediocres and averagely intelligent and largely illiterate people. It is just easy to decide say 'Let's build a city from the scratch' rather than brainstorm on how to solve the multifarious challenges facing Lagos.
It does not appear sensible to me that the eminent members of the panel will be implementing an ethnic agenda for the Hausa-Fulani oligarchy. Unless their intellectual capacities could not fathom the wider and long-term implications of their decision, which is even less likely.

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=Kabikala;200177>Mr Bode Eluyera,
This is a well-researched article.
I however want you to note some things:
1.) The Chairman of the panel that recommended Abuja as the nation's capital was a Yoruba man (Akinola Aguda, the eminent jurist).
2.) Tai Solarin was also a member of that panel.
3.) The government that gave effect to the panel's recommendation was headed by a Yoruba man (Olusegun Obasanjo).

In all, you have brought out enough facts to justify your premise of an irrational decision to move the capital from Lagos to Abuja. However, I will rather believe it was due to a lazy and escapist approach to problem-solving rather than an ethnic agenda.
Look at the scenario: country awash with petro-dollars with an unaccountable regime in power and all levels of government headed by mediocres and averagely intelligent and largely illiterate people. It is just easy to decide say 'Let's build a city from the scratch' rather than brainstorm on how to solve the multifarious challenges facing Lagos.
It does not appear sensible to me that the eminent members of the panel will be implementing an ethnic agenda for the Hausa-Fulani oligarchy. Unless their intellectual capacities could not fathom the wider and long-term implications of their decision, which is even less likely.

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@Kabikala:

My brother, the Yoruba have always helped the Hausa-Fulani in achieving their agenda in Nigeria.

Take the civil-war for example, while Ojukwu was shouting his head off that Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe a Yoruba should be the next head of state, the Yoruba quietly alligned with the North to wage a war against their Southern brethren.

This is not minding that the so called "Igbo coup" was carried out to stop the carnage (wetie) in Yorubaland which was claiming hundreds of lives daily, and not minding that the coupists originally intended to handover to Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

The Yoruba had the options to have played a mediatory role to find a peaceful solution to the crisis, or they could have remained neutral, or they could also have opted for seccesion which given the progress the Western region was making then could have been much more better for the Yoruba, considering the decay and dysfunction in present day Nigeria. Chief Awolowo had also repeatedly called Nigeria a "mere geographical expression" yet when the opportunity presented itself the Yoruba against all wisdom ended up backing the North only to end up as second class citizens in a nation they fought for.

The fact that Abiola's freest and fairest election was cancelled because he is from the South, and the fact that Obasanjo was asked to sign an agreement before he was selected for the presidency by the all powerful North is proof that the inequality in Nigeria has relegated even the Yoruba to 2nd class citizens.

I wonder why in spite of the education in Yorubaland nobody had the wisdom to forsee the present day domination and "born to rule" attitude of the North.

Obasanjo had a great opportunity to restructure the country and bring permanent change, but he refused to do that and ended up giving power back to the North on a plate of gold. Even when Dr Peter Odili was already poised to win, he typically betrayed him at the last minute.

So my dear Bode Eluyera quit complaining, because the Yoruba actively participated in the conspiracy that has kept Nigeria were she is today. Let us continue to endure Northern domination untill Southerners learn their lesson.

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The article is a well researched as well as a well written piece. It is a fact that prominent members of the panel on the relocation of Nigeria's capital city were Yorubas. However, apparently they didn't think of it in the way you highlighted. But then, we are living witnesses to the result of their action. So, since we've agreed to keep Nigeria one, it's incumbent on us to find amicable ways of putting up with each other without resort to ethnicity and any form of divisive tendencies in our actions and behaviors.

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=Kabikala;200177>Mr Bode Eluyera,
This is a well-researched article.
I however want you to note some things:
1.) The Chairman of the panel that recommended Abuja as the nation's capital was a Yoruba man (Akinola Aguda, the eminent jurist).
2.) Tai Solarin was also a member of that panel.
3.) The government that gave effect to the panel's recommendation was headed by a Yoruba man (Olusegun Obasanjo).

In all, you have brought out enough facts to justify your premise of an irrational decision to move the capital from Lagos to Abuja. However, I will rather believe it was due to a lazy and escapist approach to problem-solving rather than an ethnic agenda.
Look at the scenario: country awash with petro-dollars with an unaccountable regime in power and all levels of government headed by mediocres and averagely intelligent and largely illiterate people. It is just easy to decide say 'Let's build a city from the scratch' rather than brainstorm on how to solve the multifarious challenges facing Lagos.
It does not appear sensible to me that the eminent members of the panel will be implementing an ethnic agenda for the Hausa-Fulani oligarchy. Unless their intellectual capacities could not fathom the wider and long-term implications of their decision, which is even less likely.

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Thank you Kabikala. You are pointing in the right direction. Mr Bode Eluyera, it may not have been your intention but you should know that articles like this are the irresistible bait that lure our village bigots into once more unleashing their ignorance as they bewail the marginalisation of their haemorrhoids.

Ethnic-bashing on fellow Africans is the intoxicant de jour on this village square (ah beg, make I speak de little frunsay wey ah sabi). Not a day goes by that we do not hear from the igboid supremacists, the ijoid liberators and the yoruboid champions.

Not a day without some demented fashion show featuring various severe cases of travelling haemorrhoids. Un-hun, na so dem dey do am, dem go dey rub dem diseased yansh agains ish oder and oh mother theresa, hear them crying piteously from the resultant agony. Why won't they stop?

Kabikala, only one ethnic group/tribe in nigeria has had its act together and that is the chopoid nation. They have gorged and "parrehed" (thank you Auspicious!) on the resources of the country without regard or discrimination about what language group the pig at the next trough belongs to.

If I lie, let someone prove it. Tell me what triboid in nigeria has never produced a member of the chopoid nation. (And please don't come with some Gongola mountain tribe; don't cheat!)

A truth often told but always conveniently ignored is that the so-called 'Hausa-Fulani' oligarchy have only ever served the interests of a very narrow group. And, most of those who come on this village square to rain down curses on the entire population of 'the North' are actually people who should know better. Most have at least an O Level education. Therefore, when you look at what they are doing, how they are doing it and the likely but ignored consequences of the various inflamatory words, it is hard not to see these faceless yapoids as nothing more than agent provocateurs.

Saboteurs who are intent on planting the seeds of ethnic discord between peoples already inextricably linked. Mischief makers busy laying the intellectual foundations for a wide-spread conflagration.

If there were truly a 'Hausa-Fulani oligarchy', then please, why is northern nigeria still the least materially developed part of the federation? Why are there so many who are destitute in that part of nigeria? Or maybe that is part of the plan. Oh, wait, maybe it is because they are muslims. Yes, islamism is what has held them back (unlike the people in the non-islamic countries called Malaysia and Dubai). Yes, because they are muslims, they are genetically predisposed to be educationally backward (unlike those people in non-islamic Iran and Pakistan who are rumoured to know how to build a nukular bomb).

@Mr Bode Eluyera, I have enjoyed your previous articles. Please don't fall for the easy temptation of demonising some conspiratorial group that does not exist. The 'Hausa-Fulani' who have acted against the interests of Nigeria have not acted with the intent of creating benefits for the so-called north. They, like thier compadres from all across nigeria have only acted for self. There is a conspiracy for sure, but it bears no resemblance to the one you are talking about. Articles like the one above and other types of talk that seek to demonise ones who we need to find a way to work with are actually retarding progress. They serve to divide. Which makes it easier for numskulls to run things.

Mr Eluyera, I work in accordance with one indispensable rule : There is nothing within our various African natures that irrevocably divide us one from another. The only real divisions among us are the ones that came from outside; characteristics that were imposed on us. Those are the divisions I oppose.

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Hey Bode,
I do enjoy some of your work honestly speaking, not because I agree with your positions most of the time, but because you are fearless and have a strong conviction in your beliefs. We are all entitled to one.

But as a brother I will advise that you will have to thread softly, otherwise you may end up being group with irritating bigots like Tony and Felix

You may have your points about above, but personally I think the decision to move the capital to Abuja was a noble one, like many other beneficial moves in Nigeria was implemented not by Hausas but Yorubas.

Philadelphia and New York used to be the capital of the United States. The US capital was moved to Washington DC for administrative convenience. When New York became too congested for easy operation of governmental duties.

Same can be said of Lagos. Lagos population was becoming uncontrollable, the oil boom, Udoji arrears and high influx of people especially our Easterner brothers post war, led to high traffic situation in Lagos, it becomes difficult to move from one part of the city to the other, there was also the talk about security, Ballistic Missiles were not here at this time, hence the decision to shift the capital.

Murtala Mohammed died a few days after the decision was taken, the constitution of the committee and the implementation was carried out by Obasanjo.
Justice Akinola Aguda the chairman of the committee, by any standard is an upright man, an eminent jurist and a man of integrity. I need not tell you about Tai Solarin, who at that time was unrepentantly pro-Awolowo and an uncompromising man of honor.

It was desirable to move the capital to Abuja, all sentiments apart, but what the government of Nigeria has failed to do is to give Lagos its dues as the mega-city of Nigeria.
Since the Federal Government left Lagos, Lagos has been abandoned to suffer after the Federal presence has brought in the good, the bad and the ugly of Nigeria to its territory. There was even a consciuos effort by the begoggled devil known as Abacha to wreck Lagos out of his hatred for the Yorubas.

Instead of talking about why the capital was moved to Abuja, we should be talking about restoring Lagos.

Lagos is a great city by all standard, if the Federal Government had not come with its "wahala" and undesirables, it would survive and be great on its own.

That Obasanjo withheld Lagos State Fund for years and Lagos still survived, and never owed its workers is an indication that it can survive without Nigeria and the so called NigerDelta oil.

How many states in Nigeria today can survive if their fund is withheld for so long?
I cry not for Lagos though, but Nigeria, because it is the most popular and the most populous city in Nigeria and also the first point of contact for most visitors to Nigeria.

Nigeria as a whole has a lot to lose by the degradation of Lagos.

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Another ethnophobic ramble by this irredentist and ignorant wordsmith. The "capital" of northern Nigeria is Kaduna and shall remain so. Lagos is a filthy, congested and crime ridden maelstrom of a city unbefitting of a federal capital. It is full of grubby merchants and riff raff. How this is a precondition for a political capital where all can belong, makes sense to only the likes of Eluyera.

Abuja is geographically in the centre of Nigeria and its land does not belong to any hausa or fulani. However, the blind and rabid influence of irredentism does not allow for the education of inane and misguided writers like this nor their equally handicapped chorus boys.

Today, 70% of private assets in Abuja are possessed by Igbo people but that fact does not register on the richter scale of this Mr Parapo miss road.

If this man is not yet done spewing his garbage of ethnophobia, then he urgently needs the attention of that Professor of Aro issues.

Aluta!

Gwobezentashi

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Fellow Villagers,

I want to draw your attention to the fact that my article titled "ABUJA: Capital of Nigeria or Northern Nigeria? (Part 1)" is not complete. To my greatest surprise and disappointment, the admin. (aka. Big-k) has purposely cut off half of the article for reasons unknown to me. Six text messages written to him imploring him to publish my full article were ignored. I consider the action of Big-k as "unjustified censor" which is very harmful for freedom of expression. I have decided to publish below the full article. Or you can read the full article and other parts on nigeriansinamerica.com. LONG LIVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH!



ABUJA: Capital of Nigeria or Northern Nigeria? (Part 1)

"Imagine a situation in which a good acquaintance - but not a close friend - suggests that you start a joint venture that requires you to invest all your savings. If you hesitate, he whips out a revolver and threatens to shoot your close relatives. This is how Russia's most recent suggestion for co-operation with the United States on a joint anti-ballistic missile defense system comes across. But the main point is that if the United States were to accept the Russian offer, it would have to entirely reject its present strategy of intercepting enemy warheads in space using missiles with a range of more than 2000 kilometers. In addition, the joint project would mean that the billions of dollars that the United States had already spent on its unilateral anti-system would be for naught. The other problematic aspect of Russia's proposal is that it would require an unusually high level of trust in each other to make this new relationship work. And Russia has done everything in its power to undermine this trust. A case in point: Ivanov has promised that if the United States does not cancel its plans to place a radar in the Chech Republic and elements of anti-missile batteries in Poland, Russia will deploy Iskander rockets in Kaliningrad aimed at U.S. installations in Europe. If Russia deploys these weapons, it will violate the terms of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. This in turn could lead to a new stand off with Europe. On the surface, Moscow has offered to create a joint global anti-missile system that would significantly improve U.S.-Russian relations. But Moscow has threatened a new military stand-off if Washington refuses its proposal anf if it develops its anti-missile system in Europe. Thus, Moscow has proposed an absolutely meaningless and unrealistic initiative that will only distract and irritate Washington at a time when the Kremlin is frantically looking for U.S. support for Putin's successor."
Alexander Golts. Columnist on Defense issues for Moscow's English language newspaper.
excerpt from recently published column titled; "An Anti-Missile Proposal Doomed to Fail."

ABUJA: 419 CAPITAL.

If you are ever asked to name the new capital of Nigeria and you mention Abuja, I am afraid to tell you that you are wrong simply because Abuja is not the capital of Nigeria. Or to be more precise, de jure, you may be right, but de facto, you are wrong. The reason for making this assertion will be stated in this article. But first, it is worth mentioning that the issue of the relocation of Nigeria's capital from Lagos to Abuja was addressed briefly in one of my previous articles titled "A battle cry to restore the poor state of the nation. (Part 1) (nigeriansinamerica.com)" However, because of the importance of this issue and the effect of this decision on Nigerians and Nigeria's economy, I have decided to devote a whole article to this topic in order to treat it comprehensively.

Undoubtedly, the costliest decision the North and the military have ever made was the choice of Abuja as the new capital of Nigeria. This is another case in point that the north has succeeded in manipulating the country to its own selfish interest at a great cost to the rest of the country. As could be recalled, the decision to relocate the capital was taken by Murtala Muhammed sometime in 1975. The official reasons given by the northern military government for relocating the capital from Lagos were the following:

(I) Security reason - Lagos due to its location was vulnerable to attack from the ocean.
(II) Lagos was too congested.
(III)Because of its location at the edge of the country, it's not very convenient and expensive for other Nigerians to come to Lagos.
(IV) Lagos belongs to the Yorubas; one of the major tribes in Nigeria.
Let us examine these reasons one by one together objectively and verify whether they hold water or not.

(I) SECURITY.

ICBM-INTER CONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILES.

Has the relocation of the capital from Lagos to Abuja made the President of Nigeria safer in any way? The answer is a capital NO! Why? You don't have to be a military expert to know what is called ICBM - Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles. In case you don't know or have not heard of this acronym before, these are missiles that could be shot from one continent to hit a target or targets located in another continent. In other words, supposing Nigeria is at war with another country, the enemy can fire rockets/missiles at Abuja even from the open water/sea/ocean or from land/air - outside Nigeria's territory or air space or even outside Africa . I will like to remind you that when the Iraqi war started, the American soldiers started by shelling and bombing Bagdad from the sea. Later Iraqi's capital was subjected to another heavy bombings from the air. It was after the massive bombings that the American soldiers entered Iraq. Therefore, security wise, Nigeria's new capital has in no way become safer due to the relocation.

Secondly, another question we need to ask is what was the probability then - when the decision to move was taken - and now, of Nigeria going to war with another country? I would rather say that the probability was very low then, and is still low now. Despite the fact that Nigeria played a major role in the campaign against apartheid regime in South Africa, nevertheless, the probability of Nigeria going to war with South Africa was practically zero.

Thirdly, even if the probability was high then, we did not have to move the capital because of that. During the second world war, when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union, what the Russians did was to shift the capital 'temporarily' to Kirov. Europe for centuries had been battle ground where many wars were fought. But, there were no cases of relocating capitals permanently because of a likely out break of another war.

If you don't mind me asking you for a little favour. Could you please log onto google and check out where the respective capitals of the following countries are located on the world map:


(1) Washington - United States; (2)Ottawa - Canada; (3) London - Britain; (4) Rome - Italy; (5) Tokyo - Japan; (6) Stolkohm - Sweden; (7) Oslo - Norway; (8) Helsinki - Finland; (8) Dublin - Ireland; (9) Moscow - Russia; (10) Lisbon - Portugal; (11) Rejavick - Iceland; (12)Monrovia - Liberia; (13) Freetown - Sierraleone; (14) Accra - Ghana; (15) Lome - Togo; (16) Cotonou - Benin Republic; (17) Dakar - Senegal; (18) Bissau - Guinea Bissau; (19) Mogadishu - Somalia; (20) Tripoli - Libya; (21) Algiers - Algeria; (22) Rabat - Morocco; (23) Cairo - Egypt; (24) Luanda - Angola; (25) Maputo - Mozambique; (26) Buenos Aires - Argentina; (27) George town - Guyana; (28) Caracas - Venezuela; (29) Havana - Cuba; (30) Nouakchot - Mauritania; (31) Peking - China; (32) Sidney - Australia; (33) Teran - Iran; (34) Seoul - Korea; (35) Pkhenyan - North Korea; (36) Libreville - Equitorial Guinea; (37) Abuja - Nigeria; (38) Lagos - Nigeria

OBSERVATIONS.

I will like to share my observations with you. They include the following:
(1) With the exception of France (Paris) and Spain (Madrid) all the other countries of the G7, i.e. the 7 richest countries in the world, have their capitals located right by the sea just like Lagos. By the way, though Paris and Madrid are not located right by the sea but are quiet very very close to the sea.

(2) Practically all the countries in West Africa have their capitals located right by the Atlantic ocean like Lagos.

(3) Practically all African countries that are not land-locked have their capitals located right by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans or very close to them like Lagos.

(4) Even China with the highest growing economy in the world has its capital, Peking, located very very close to the sea, almost like Lagos.

(5) The United States with the largest economy in the world has its capital, Washington, located right by the ocean just like Lagos.

(6)Dublin, the capital of Ireland, with the fastest growing economy in Europe, is located right by the sea just like Lagos.

(7) All the Scandinavian countries with the highest standard of living in the world have their respective capitals located right by the sea just like Lagos.

(8) Apart from the fact that the capitals of these countries are located right by the sea/ocean, they are as well located at the "edge" of their respective countries like Lagos too. These include Moscow, Paris, Brasilia, New Delhi.

(9) The 3 biggest countries in the world by landmass Russia, Canada, and the United States have their respective capitals located at the edge like Lagos, and two of them, with the exception of Russia have their capitals located right by the sea just like Lagos. It is worth mentioning here that though Moscow is not located right by the sea, but it is very very close to the sea and the Moscow river had been dredged to give it access to the sea. There is a port in Moscow. Infact, Moscow is called " The port of seven seas" because it has access to seven seas.

(10) The 3 most populated countries in the world China, India and the United States all have their capitals located at the edge like Lagos.

(11) Nigeria is practically the only country in the world with its capital, Abuja, located in the center!

Those who are familiar with European history will recall that practically the whole of Europe were battle fields until 1945 - after the end of the Second World War. Russia too had fought so many wars in the past. The former Soviet Union and the west led by the United States were engaged in the cold war for almost half a century. The former Soviet Union alone lost more than 20 million people in the Second World War! What about Japan which once colonised China and took an active part in the Second World War. And please don't forget Mussoloni's Italy. So, why didn't any of these countries relocate their respective capitals to the center for "security reasons" like Nigeria? Why didn't Britain for example which is practically an island relocate its capital from London to the center to strenghten its security? Why didn't the former Soviet Union after the end of the Second World War relocate its capital from Moscow to the center or to Siberia or to the Urals or to the Far-east? As big as the former Soviet Union was, why didn't they move their capital? Afterall, being the biggest country in the world, they had more than enough land to do that. Please take a look again at the location of Moscow . You will notice that apart from the fact that it is located right at the edge of Russia and very very close to the sea, it is as well very close to other European countries and their respective capitals. Why didn't Hugo Chavez who is theoretically at war with the United States relocate the capital from Caracas to the center for "security reasons" like Nigeria? Hugo Chavez has visited Russia many times to arm his army to the teeth with the latest weapons available and money could buy incase of an attack from the U.S. I also want to remind you that Venezuela is the fifth largest exporter of crude oil while Nigeria comes sixth. So why didn't Chavez who is a military officer build a new capital for his security? Afterall, he has more than enough money to do it? What about Fidel Castro who has been at a logger heads with America for almost 40 years? It's a known secret that the C.I.A. had made several failed attempts to eliminate Fidel. And do you remember the "Bay of pigs" operation? The invasion of Cuba by opposition army sponsored by the United States of America. Why didn't Castro shift the capital from Havana to the center for "security reasons?"

Are we to conclude then that these countries are not as "security conscious" like Nigeria? Of course they are. Infact, they are not only more security conscious than Nigeria they are equally more "unity conscious than Nigeria. The reason why they have taken such a stupid decision is simply because they know very well that:

(1) "Water is life." "No water, no life."

(2) There are substantial economic and commercial benefits for the country when a capital is located by the sea compared to locating it in the middle.

(3) A country is in no way better secured because its capital is in the middle. There are other cheaper and more effective ways of ensuring the security of a state and its capital other than building a new capital from scratch which is considered a very costly venture even for very rich countries.

(4) Incase of an out break of war, the government, if the need arises, could easyly be transfered temporaryly to another city till the war ends. They don't need to build a new capital to accomplish that.

(II) CONGESTION AND INFRASRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.

MODERN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM


The federal government told us that Lagos was too congested for a capital. In that case, I have a couple of questions. How many houses did the federal govternment build in Lagos compared to the number of inhabitants? How many power plants/stations did the federal govterment build in Lagos compared to the number of inhabitants? Why didn't the federal govt. build a modern underground rail transportation system in Lagos to facilitate transportation?

As may be recalled, the Lagos state government led by Alhaji Lateef Jakande had already finalised agreement with a foreign company to build an underground rail system in Lagos in 1983. Unfortunately, this project was killed when the military led by by Muhammadu Buhari toppled the civilian government of Shehu Shagari through a military coup detat. It is worth mentioning that plans are underway to build an underground rail system in Abuja while there are no such plans for congested Lagos with a population at least 4 times more than that of Abuja

More than 13.5 million people live in Moscow today, and at least about 2.5 million people commute to Moscow by rail everyday from neighbouring towns to work. Nevertheless, I have never heard anybody say that Moscow is congested. Moreover, more and more people; including from the former Soviet republics, foreign companies and foreigners from other countries troop into Moscow everyday, and I have not heard any complaint. why? Because the Russian government even right from the Soviet time had invested and still continues to invest "heavily" in infrastructures.

Moscow boasts of one of the best public transportation network system in the world. Moscow underground rail system; called 'Metro' is one of the best in terms of reliability, safety and efficiency in the world.The length of the underground rails is more than 260 kilometers About 7.3 million people ride the Moscow Metro everyday! And the figure keeps increasing everyday. It works from 5.30 a.m to 1 a.m. in the night non-stop! The average waiting time for a train is 3 minutes! And during rush hour, it is about 45 seconds! The Moscow Metro celebrated its 75 years anniverssary of succesful uninterrupted operations in 2005! I even bought 2 special albums about the history of Moscow Metro published in commemoration of this historical event. More stations are still under construction to meet the high increase in traffic. Apart from the Metro, there are more than 6,000 electric buses and trams and ordinary buses ( that run on petrol) each that ply the streets of Moscow.

HOUSING

In terms of housing the Russian govt. used to build houses and rent it out at a very reasonable rate to its citizens. Though, after the collapse the govt. decided to give out the flats to the citizens for free. Moscow has experienced an unprecedented boom in real estate for the past 10 years. Apart from oil, it is the most profitable sector in the country. And the Moscow government with the full backing of the federal government is taking an active part in the construction of residential and commercial buildings. Investors are running over themselves to invest in real estate. And all the major western real estate companies are super active in the construction and real estate market.

POWER SUPPLY

I n terms of electricity supply, believe it or not, ever since I have been living here, I can't remember when there was no light. The very few occasions when there was no light were due to repair works being carried out which does not take more than an hour, and normally, residents of the affected houses are warned in advance. Recently, the Russian government voted a wooping $90 billion investment plan to upgrade the electricity sector! The sector is presently undergoing an unprecedented reforms. RAOAES, the biggest power generating and distributing company in the world is presently undergoing a historical restructuring which will see it broken down into regional and private generating, transmitting and distriburing companies similar to the breaking up of the giant U.S. telecommunication company AT&T and the Bells laboratory into regional baby bells by Judge Green in 1984. Apart from the huge investment in the power sector by the Russian government, private companies and private individuals are being encouraged to invest too in the sector in order to meet the fast growing demand for power due to the rapid growth of the Russian economy.

In addition, there is always hot and cold water throughout the year except 3 weeks in a year in Summer when hot water is switched off to carry out mandatory maintenance works on hot water pipes in order to keep the hot water running throughout the rest of the year. I vividly remember my conversation with a senior Nigerian diplomat while we were driving where he commented that even London can not boast of the amount and quality of infrastructures in Moscow. It was a pleasant surprise for him.

As may be recalled, power generation in Nigeria today has been fluctuating between 1400-3500MW and marring the development of the manufacturing sector in the country. This figure is just a minute fraction of what Moscow alone generates and consumes!

A DELIBERATE ACT

I hope that you have not lost focus, the point I am trying to make is that when Lagos was the capital, northern military Head of State invested only a drop or a fraction of what was needed in infrastructure and housing. The north led frederal government had not invested a single kobo in electricity generation in Lagos for the past 15 years before OBJ took over. This explains the reason why Lagos was congested and always in perpetual darkness. The only way for the federal government . to rectify this congestion problem then was through heavy investments in infrastructures, power, housing e.t.c However, they purposely didn't do it because they had made up their mind to relocate the capital to the north; consequently the money was saved for Abuja.

(III) ACCESSIBILITY TO OTHER NIGERIANS.

Perhaps this may sound a little bit convincing, at a first glance. But taking a closer look, I am asking the following questions. Should the fact that Lagos is far from the north justify spending billions of dollars that belong to the south to build a new capital from the scratch that will be closer to Kano, Kaduna, Zaria, Maiduguri, Sokoto, e.t.c.? To avoid repeatation, I want to implore everybody reading this article to please go back and read my observations again most especially those relating to the location of capitals at the edge. I want to remind you again that practically all the above mentioned countries have their capitals both by the sea/ocean and right at the edge.

How many countries in the world choose their capitals on the basis that it must be in the center so that they may be "equally accessible" to all its citizens? The former Soviet Union ( and the Russian Federation), the United States, China, India, Pakistan, Brazil, many African countries are made up of diversified nationalities like Nigeria. Why didn't all these countries whose capitals are all located at the edge and close to the sea/ocean build new capitals in the center so that they could be equally accessible to all its citizens? The reasons are simply because:

(1) Building a new capital even for rich countries is an expensive expenditure which is not justified;

(2) Capitals of many countries emerged historically and naturally due to many economic factors and the role these cities had played in the past and still continue to play in trade and commerce today.

(3) You don't use mathematics or geometry (except in Nigeria) to calculate or determine the center or equilibrium point where the capital should be located.

(IV) LAGOS BELONGS TO THE YORUBAS.

Undoubtedly, this was the main reason why the capital was moved from Lagos, but other excuses were just used as cover up. However, mere saying that the capital was moved to Abuja because Lagos is a Yoruba territory is not enough. We need to ask more questions and carry out further analysis. The official reason given by the military was that Nigeria needed a new capital that would not be located on the territory of any of the 3 major tribes. At a first glance, this reason may sound reasonable and convincing. But, one may want to enquire further. In that case, why wasn't the new capital built in other locations that also do not belong to any of the 3 major tribes? Afterall, there are more than enough cities in the South that met this/these requirement(s)(s). So, why was the new capital located in Abuja which happens to be in the north? Why should the new capital be built in the north a region whose contribution to the economy in terms of mineral and human resources (intellectually) is practically zero? You will surely agree with me that it is not out of place to ask this/these question(s), moreso, for our objective analysis.

So, what was the "main and hidden" motive of the north for shifting the capital to Abuja? What do you think? The main reason was because of the civil war! To be more precise, the main reason was to guarantee the security of a northern military or civilian Head of State. I will expantiate on this.

The civil war showed and proved how really vulnerable a northern military Head of State was. If the Yorubas had maintained a "neutral position" in the civil war, it was obvious that the north was no match at all for the Biafra's military machine. If Awolowo had not drawn the Yorubas into the war, the outcome would had been a foregone conclusion. There was no way the north could had defeated the Biafrans. Gowon released Awolowo from prison after the failed Nzeogwu (R.I.P) coup not out of sympathy but for his own personal protection. It was a pragmatic and well calculated move. Gowon knew very well that keeping Nigeria together lied entirely in the hands of the Yorubas. He needed not only the moral support of the Yorubas but their military support especially, at any cost, incase of an outbreak of war which was already on the horizon. Therefore, based on this analysis, it would had been unwise of Gowon or should I say even impossible for Gowon to wage war against the Biafran army while the leader of the Yorubas, Pa Obafemi Awolowo, would continue to be held in captivity.

The location of Nigeria's capital in Lagos, a Yoruba territory, created a problem for the northern military officers. What Gowon and the north in general feared most was the Yorubas declaring Oduduwa Republic simultaneously with the Biafrans or a sabotage from them. Unfortunately, Awolowo fell into Gowon's "psychology trap." He wrongly felt that he owed Gowon a "big favour" for releasing him from prison. He had forgotten that his imprisonment in the first place was illegal. Moreover, Gowon was only doing the right thing by releasing him. Thus, Awolowo joined the "one Nigeria" bandwagon of Gowon and the North!


To be completely honest and objective, in my opinion, another reason why Awolowo decided to join Gowon to fight against the Biafrans could also be:

(1) His wrong interpretation of Nzeogwu's failed coup. Awolowo could had wrongfully interpreted (he might had been purposely misinformed or misled) the coup to be an Ndigbo coup to capture the whole of Nigeria. The unfortunate outcome was a strong reason for this. It would be recalled that the coup plotters assasinated all the Premiers except the Premier of the Eastern region. This created a serious suspiction and doubt as regards to the genuine intention of the coup plotters led by Nzeogwu who though was born in Kaduna and spoke Hausa fluently but nevertheless was an Igbo man. The north, at least saw him this way.

(2) Awolowo's personal political ambition. It was no secret that Papa Awo nurtured a presidential ambition and was determined to achieve his political ambition at any cost. He considered Pa Zik his main opponent for the seat then. Most like;y, Papa Awo naively thought that if he supported Gowon in the so called "One Nigeria" war against the Biafrans, the north would appreciate it and thank him by voting overwhemingly for him whenever Presidential election would be organised by the military. Afterall, the military can not be in power forever, he might had reasoned. Unfortunately, Papa Awo miscalculated. He naively thought that he knew the north very well or could trust them. If he had known better.

If we are to go by the second argument, then, it might be possible to assume that Awo was playing his own game too and did not fall into any Gowon's trap. We will never know why Awo decided to join Gowon. Only history can judge him if he sacrificed the interest of the Yorubas in order to achieve his own political ambition which unfortunately did not materialise. Perhaps, Papa Awo meant good for the Yorubas.

While reflecting on the tragic events that took place in between 1967 and 1970, I want to point out that in my opinion, the fact that Lagos was the capital and a Yoruba territory created a big dilemma for the Yorubas too. Why? Because in order for the Biafrans to win the war, they either had to capture Lagos or/and kill Gowon in Lagos which invariably mean that they had to lauch an attack on Lagos. There was no other way out. In that case, the Yorubas would be left with no other choice than to pick up arms and defend their territorial integrity. There was no other way out. Even, if they were neutral to the war, they could not sit down, fold their arms and watch the Biafran soldiers run over Lagos. Moreso, they could never read what Ojukwu really had in mind after entering Lagos. Would he retreat back voluntaryly or capture it. What if Lagos fell to Ojukwu and he decided to match further into Yoruba territory, capture the whole of their land and annex it to Biafra Repuplic? Thus, in my opinion, irrespective of Awo's or the Yoruba's neutral position to the war, they would had still being drawn into it against their will. And this was exactly what happened when Ojukwu turned his army towards Lagos.

As I have said before, if the Yorubas had declared Oduduwa Republic together with Ojukwu, that would had been the end of the war. There would not had been any dilemma before them. Why? Because if the north had rejected or opposed the two declearations, Gowon would definitely had been assasinated right in Lagos and they would had to fight two wars on two fronts simultaneously which was practically impossible to win. The access the Yorubas and Ndigbos have to the sea is of strategic advantage. What this means is that ammunitions and other military supplies could easyly be shipped in in very large quantities. With this advantage alone and the north being land-locked, it was practically impossible for them to win the war. Unfortunately, Papa Awo made a different choice for the Yorubas. His authority was so strong in Yorubaland even till his demise that it was practically impossible to oppose him or his decision. Therefore, going by this reasoning, it may not be fair for Ndigbos to hold the Yorubas as a nation responsible for their calamities in the tragic war. Decisions were taken on our behalf by our Leader.

The civil war opened the eyes of the north. Suddenly, they realised how vulnerable they were in the hands of the Yorubas who constituted one of the 3 major tribes in Nigeria. On one hand, they were glad that they were in control of power, on the other hand, they suddenly realised that they were very vulnerable, "security wise," with the capital located not in the north. They thought to themselves, what would had happened if the Yorubas had declared Oduduwa Republic together with Ojukwu, or if tomorrow, the Yorubas like the Biafrans suddenly decided to declare Oduduwa Republic? How could they (the Hausas) resist them (the Yorubas) with the capital located in Lagos? Based on this analysis, Lagos, henceforth, became "completely unacceptable" to them as a capital irrespective of other economic and commercial advantages Lagos had. Right at that moment, the decision to relocate the capital to the north was born.

Northern military officers needed a new capital which would not only make them not to be vulnerable security wise to any of the two major tribes, but which would also give them a complete protection, most especially, a base to launch attacks and mobilise in case of another civil war. This is the secret behind the emergence of Abuja as Nigeria's new capital. The bitter truth is that the relocation has in any way made the President of Nigeria safer or strengtened Nigeria's security.

TO BE CONTINUED...

abm1900@mail.ru

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=tonsoyo;200253>Hey Bode,
I do enjoy some of your work honestly speaking, not because I agree with your positions most of the time, but because you are fearless and have a strong conviction in your beliefs. We are all entitled to one.

But as a brother I will advise that you will have to thread softly, otherwise you may end up being group with irritating bigots like Tony and Felix

@tonsoyo:

Of course you will enjoy Bode's articles that bash others, but will hate the ones that expose how the Yoruba political elite has contributed to the "born to rule" domination all of us including the Yoruba are suffering today in Nigeria.

And if i may ask, what makes Tony and Felix a bigot and you a saint?
How many people here in the NVS see you as anything other than an ethnic apologist and rabble rouser?

In terms of intellect you come nowhere near Felix, and that is a fact anybody in the NVS can attest to.

Everything i wrote in my comment was true and i stand by them, if you have anything to the contrary please dispute it with facts in a civilised manner. And stop trying to chide Bode or run away from the truth.

(1)Ojukwu insisted Brig. Babafemi should become the head of state TRUE!
(2)Coup was instigated by crisis in Western region TRUE!
(3)Yoruba had the choice to mediate, remain neutral or seccede TRUE!
(4)Chief Awo. repeatedly called Nigeria a mere geographical expression TRUE!
(5)Abiola's freest and fairest election was cancelled because he is a Southerner TRUE!
(6) Obasanjo was given certain agreements to sign by the North TRUE!
(7) Obasanjo spent 8 years but refused to restructure the nation. TRUE!
(8) Dr Odili was heading for a win before he was betrayed by Obasanjo in the last minute TRUE!

And so on and so forth.
If telling the truth makes one a bigot, please let me be the King of bigots.

Let me conclude however that my diatribe is targetted at the Yoruba elite and political leaders of the time who did not show any wisdom by joining the North, and not the ordinary Yoruba people who had no hand and no choice in the matter. Afterall many Yoruba's like Victor Banjo, Fola Oyewole etc also fought on the Biafran side, and not forgeting the supreme sacrifice of Col. Fajuyi, and the staunch support of proffesor Wole Soyinka. Not also to forget that there was no abandoned property in Yorubaland, and infact accumulated rents were returned to the returning Igbo landlords.