Nigeria: Remembering Anthony Enahoro (2)

analysis

The Western House of Assembly session convened on May 25, 1962 ended in a fracas - orchestrated, of course, by Akintola's men. Akintola was merely working in cahoots with Balewa's Federal Government, which controlled the machinery of force. Political brigandage and misuse of law enforcement agents have since become a stock in trade of the powers that be in Nigeria - the seed was sown in the First republic.

A meeting of the Federal House of Representatives was hurriedly slated for May 29, 1962 to consider declaration of a state of emergency in the West, and end the 'menace' of the Federal Opposition Leader and leader of the Action Group, Obafemi Awolowo, at once. But even before the division, the Prime Minister declared THE EMERGENCY RULE WAS ALREADY IN FORCE! The meeting was convened to eclipse the Action Group leadership but it was Nigeria that was eventually eclipsed, for that conspiratorial session of the House of Representatives set the stage for the installation of unpopular government in the West, which elected to hold on to power at all cost; same was enacted at the centre. The members of AG leadership were sentenced to different terms of imprisonment. Enahoro fled to Britain but lost the bid for a political asylum and returned to the country to serve a jail term. The military struck, followed by massacres and a civil war!

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