REVIVING THE NIGERIAN CONSCIENCE AND ACTIVISM  

 By: Olu Akeredolu

Right from the days preceding Nigerian independence up to the present moment, there have always been people with pure mind, who for their love for the entity called Nigeria, have stood firm in raising their voices and embarking on activism so that Nigeria could have its pride of place within the comity of nations. Since the time of the struggle for self rule, people have placed their comfort on the line so that Nigeria could be a country of progress, hope and promise. Let us face the fact,there have always been people also, either because of selfish interests and greed or for sectional advantage who have continued to constitute themselves as bottleneck in the way of Nigerian progress.  Nevertheless, the pre independence struggle for Nigerian nation succeeded. The struggle which faithfully attracted many I could call the fathers of our nation like Herbert Macaulay, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Festus Okotie-Eboh, Dr. Chike Obi, Dr. Sam Aluko and et al led to Nigerian independence of 1960.

Long before independence, Pa Michael Imoudu led the workers to stand up to the colonial authority and likewise, the Aba women riot and activism of Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti are also of note. But Nigeria was so lucky that it got its independence without going to war. Our founding fathers only used the media and conferences to secure Nigerian independence. Political history showed us that after independence, there were young men like Mr. Lateef Jakande, Dr. Tunji Otegbeye, Mr. Ayo Adebanjo, Mr. Ajuluchukwu, Mr. Bola Ige and etc who sacrificed their freedom in order to wrestle Nigeria from the grip of the reactionaries. In their own case and like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Agunbiade Bamise, Chief Anthony Enahoro, they came out as progressive politicians who wanted to see that the young Nigeria moves into glory. From the north were progressives like Malam Aminu Kano and J. S Tarka. There were also non-politicians like Professor Wole Soyinka, Mr. Gani Fawehinmi who in the sixties offered themselves as the conscience of the Nigerian people. In doing so, they too suffered brutalities and detention in the hands of the Nigerian military rulers.

From the military coup of 1966 to the thirty months civil war, there were people who acted as the conscience of this country. The civil war of 1967 to 1970 to some extent was part of the struggle for liberation in spite of its negativity and complexities. Major Nzeogwu, Major Victor Banjo, Major Ifeajuna and Isaac Adaka Boro were so prominent in the struggle for liberation around the middle of the 60s. Although nearly all of them went with the civil war but their names have continued to reverberate each time one Nigeria is being discussed. It has always been struggle between the progressives and reactionaries except when we are faced with religious and tribal influences in Nigeria.

In the 70s and 80s, radical movements by the labour, lawyers, doctors, journalists, university lecturers, professional associations and student activists were at their epic, that they were constantly putting the military rulers on their toes. People like Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Pa Tai Solarin, Prof. Ade Ajayi, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Akin Oyebode, Mr. Hassan Sumonu, Chief Alao Aka Bashorun, Dr. Bala Usman, Prof. Ayodele Awojobi, Mr. Ebenezer Babatope, Prof. Itse Satge, Mr Balarabe Musa, Mr. Jola Ogunlusi, Dr. Ayo Falope, Mr. Segun Okeowo, Kunle Adepeju, Akintunde Ojo were always in the news agitating for good governance in Nigeria. In fact, Kunle Adepeju and Akintunde Ojo lost their lives untimely to the struggle. One can also find courageous and radical Judges like Justice (Dr) Akinola Aguda, Justice Kayode Esho and Justice Chukwudifu Oputa who will damn any consequence in their rulings and judgments in government matters.

In the 80s and 90s, Nigerians were loudly hearing about Olisa Agbakoba, Femi Falana, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, Chief Wole Olanipekun, Rotimi Akeredolu, Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti, Ms Ayo Obe, Mike Ozekome, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Kunle Ajibade, Dare Babarinsa, Femi Ojudu, Dr. Reuben Abati, Sonala Olumhense, Mr. Chima Ubani, Mr. Nwankwo, Olawore Sowore, Bagauda Kalto, all of them fighting either through the pen or actions for the common good of the poor and ordinary Nigerians. When considering those who stood for justice in the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential elections, you will find names like Colonel Abubakar Umar, Dr. Fredrick Faseun of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the radio Kudirat fame, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko and others.

The said annulment and subsequent Abacha’s iron rule led to the formation of NADECO which features names like Pa Alfred Rewane, Pa Abraham Adesanya, Dr. Alex Ekweme, Chief Olu Falae, General Alani Akinrinade, Chief Solomon Lar, Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rear Admiral Ebitu Ukiwe, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Otunba Olabiyi Durojaiye and the others in the G34. They worked with other local human right organizations and international community to fight the Abacha junta to a standstill. I remember how in 1994 Chief Fred Agbeyegbe, Femi Falana, Dele Adesina, Bisi Ademuwagun, my humble self and Mrs Nike Akerele were leading others, travelling at night from Lagos to Abuja in civilian buses to attend to Chief MKO Abiola’s treasonable felony charges at the Abuja High Court.

Ken Saro Wiwa led the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) and brought them to limelight. He took their case to the United Nations. He was a showcase leading to the present struggle by the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) and others in that region. They took their destiny in their own hands matching words with actions which led to the Federal Government granting them amnesty recently with its attendant negotiations.

 Very many powerful articles are being published daily by newspapers and online citizen journalists but do Nigerian rulers read them? Articles being published daily by The Punch, The Guardian, Daily Independent, Tribune, Vanguard, Thisday, Sahara Reporters, Nigeriavillagesquare, Nigeriaworld, Nigeriannews etc are enough to make Nigerian rulers change their attitude from personal wealth accumulations to one of good governance that will positively impact ordinary Nigerians. Even if they read newspapers, articles alone cannot change them, they need actions. Sadly, some of the activists who were putting the military rulers in check are dead while many have become old and weak that they no longer have the strength to continue the struggle or risk detention.

The young ones who ought to be aggressively championing or supportive of actions that can change Nigeria are unfortunately born into an era of settlement and monumental corruption. They are not willing to take over the struggle. Up to the 1980s, students were the most aggressive when it comes to radical actions, picketing, demonstrations and mass rallies against bad policies of the government but now-a-days, lull is the word. The present activists must revive and sustain the tempo of activism as witnessed during the time of Pa Tai Solarin, Chief Alao Aka Basorun and Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti. Nigerian students, youths and young professionals must also wake up to their moral responsibilities by actively participating in the aluta in order to have a better Nigeria.  

Those who acted as the Nigerian conscience from 1960s up to 1990s were matching their writings with boycotts, mass rallies and actions which the then military rulers could not ignore. Resuscitating those actions is imperative if Nigeria must move forward. Nigerian Conscience and activism must be kept alive.  

Robot  # 1 | 29.07.2009 00:54

Those who acted as the Nigerian conscience from 1960s up to 1990s were matching their writings with boycotts, mass rallies and actions which the then military rulers could not ignore. Resuscitating those actions is imperative if Nigeria must move forward. Nigerian Conscience and activism must be kept alive. ...Read the full article.