Ebenezer Babatope
10 October 2008
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No one can dispute the fact that the late Professor Ambrose Alli led a progressive and purposeful regime in old Bendel State between 1979 and 1983. He was very much concerned with the execution of the then four cardinal programmes of his Party which were:-
-Free education at all levels
-Free medical services for all Nigerians (both curative and preventive)
-Integrated rural development and
-Full employment for all Nigerians
Though I am not with this lecture claiming that everything was perfect in the Alli/UPN governance of old Bendel State, but it cannot be disputed that Alli tried his best to sustain the image of a forward looking and progressive administration that Samuel Osagbovo Ogbemudia military regime in old Bendel State in the Gowonist years had represented. Professor Alli was all over the state in the execution of programmes to benefit the people.
He discovered and mobilized progressive youths to assist his administration. Young men of that time like Tony Omoaghe, Gabriel Enaboifo, Tunde Osaimoje, the late Paul Ehizokhale (who later died in a motor accident), Dr. Robson Momoh, Tom Egbuwoku, Sam Iredia a.k.a. 'Idi Amin', Dickson Amagada, the late John Omo-Ikirodah, Comrade Ebohon, the late Tom Otsu of Ukpilla, the late Nelson Ubi, Femi Okun, Patrick Agbobu, the late Madam Suzzie Ogbebor, Madam Grace Bazuaye, Clement Benedo-Osagie, Theodora Giwa Amu, Rowland Owie, Dr. Salubi, Stephen Odigie and several others too numerous to mention were all at hand to make the Alli era unforgettable in the history of the old Bendel State in Nigeria's politics. I can still recollect very well that it was the late Paul Ehizokhale who had travelled abroad on behalf of the Alli administration to purchase all the equipment used to put together the then Bendel State television. There was of course the establishment of the old Bendel State University at Ekpoma (the first state-owned university in the country), which now bears the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. Roads were opened up by the Alli administration that aided the agricultural life of the state. Some of the Alli achievements are still visible today in Edo State.
It was, therefore, sad that when the coup of the 'Beret' Generals of the Nigerian Army took place on 31, December 1983, Professor Ambrose Alli was one of the politicians of the time who were gracefully marched to prison by the soldiers. I was in Kirikiri prison with Ambrose Alli in February 1984 before many of the then former civilian governors were taken to Ikoyi prison to prepare for trial by the various military tribunals. Professor Ambrose Alli was later jailed by the Military Tribunal for offences that today cannot stand the legal test of time. I cannot forget the discussions I had with Professor Alli in prison. He expressed his sorrows and bitterness at the turn of events in Nigeria where heroes of the country's democratic struggle were easily turned into villains by some young men in uniform who were all unfortunate victims of the political instability that had been a feature of life in Nigeria.
Let me mention it here that immediately Professor Alli was declared the loser in the 1983 gubernatorial election in old Bendel State, he withdrew to his simple building at EMAUDO quarters in Ekpoma where he established a private clinic. When I visited Professor Alli in November 1983, I wept to see him in his medical attire attending to some patients that he definitely was treating virtually free from the ramshackle building that he called his Private Clinic. I narrated the event to Papa Obafemi Awolowo on my return to Lagos.
Professor Ambrose Alli's life was dedicated to the service of the common people of Nigeria. He was a nation builder who believed in the eventual triumph of the poor in the struggle for social justice in Nigeria.
This great leader of our history died at the age of 60, nineteen years ago. Professor Alli that we gather here to honour will be remembered for long in Nigeria's history.
His life and times adequately epitomize the theme of this lecture which is 'Leadership and The Challenges of Nation Building in Nigeria' .
Nigeria has been a complex and diverse country in the hands of God. Why do I say this? It is by divine providence that Nigeria has continued to exist as a country up till today. Our federation is virtually the only federation still existing successfully in the world. Others like the old U.S.S.R, Yugoslavia and Chekoslovakia have collapsed like a pack of cards.
Though we have moved from one crisis to another in the history of our country's, socio-political development as a nation since the amalgamation of 1914 by our erstwhile British Colonial masters, we must give praise to God that our dear country Nigeria has always managed to survive all political vicissitudes. Today, Nigeria still remains an indivisible entity with the Nigerian people ever loyal to our unity and togetherness. We must, however, admit that the problems and challenges of nation building are still bedeviling our body politic as a nation today.
Our country Nigeria had to pass through terrible moments in her history of nationalist struggle for independence from our British Colonial masters. It was a struggle to neutralize the ethnic chauvinistic politics that the British had cleverly planted in Nigeria to ensure that the country's, nationalist fighters never had a common ground in warding off the oppressive colonial activities of the British in our dear country. All the British inspired constitutions starting from the Richards Constitution of 1946, MacPherson and Lyttelton Constitutions had been well designed by the British Colonial masters to widen the tribal divisions in Nigeria. This was why between 1949 and 1966 (January 15), the then regions that made up the federation of Nigeria were governed by political organisations that had tribal origin.
While the Northern region was governed by a Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) under the Premiership and leadership of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, the Eastern region was led by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe of the NCNC. The Western region which then included this part of Nigeria was led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the Action Group. While the NPC was a Northern based political party administering the affairs of the Northern region, the NCNC was largely an Igbo dominated party with its power base in the Eastern region. Awolowo's Action Group (AG) was largely a Yoruba dominated party with its base in the old Western region of Nigeria.
These tribal divisions of the country were designed by the British to weaken the nationalist agitations against their oppressive and rapacious rule. It is, however, to the credit of the Nigerian leaders of the time (Sir Ahmadu Bello, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and others) that they were able to drown their differences in the struggle for the independence of Nigeria from British Colonial rule.
By the time Nigeria got to the Lancaster House Conference of 1957, it was the unanimous decision of the Nigerian nationalist leaders (contrary to what the British Colonial rulers had expected) that Nigeria be granted independence on October 1, 1960.
These nationalist leaders had started by 1954 to attempt a spread of their political parties to other parts of Nigeria. Alliances were formed by the major political parties with other parties particularly from the then minority areas of the country with the view to defeating the antics of the country's British Colonial masters.
It must be stated here that it was the Action Group of Nigeria led by Papa Obafemi Awolowo that started the widening of the base of political parties to other parts of Nigeria. The Action Group by 1956 had formed solid alliances with the United Middle Belt Congress then led by the late Chief Joseph Serwuan Tarka, the Bornu Youth Movement led by the late Kashim Imam, the Ilorin Talaka Parapo Movement (Movement of Poor People) led by the late Alhaji Sule Maito and the Calabar Ogoja Rivers Movement (COR Movement). Shortly before independence, the NCNC led by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe had equally formed an alliance with the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) then led by the late Mallam Aminu Kano. The NPC alliance with the Chief Akintola led Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) came later in 1963 after a major split in the populist and socialist Action Group had taken place leading to the break away of Chief Akintola's NNDP from the Party. The alliance of NPC with the NNDP, the late Chief Dappa Biriye's party and the Mid-West Democratic Front led by the late Apostle John Edokpolo later became the Nigerian National Alliance (NDA) in the 60s in Nigeria.
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