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Opinion: Ibom Air And The Need For Continuity In Akwa Ibom Come 2023
Published
3 years agoon
By
Editor
By Michael Effiong
Early this week, I got a call from a respected senior colleague and this dovetailed into a conversation about the future of Akwa Ibom State. The call went thus: ” Hello, Miccolo Jay, how you?. I replied “bros, good morning sir”. He continued: “Guess What? I just landed in Abuja aboard your Ibom Air”? My heart skipped.
My heart skipped a beat because this senior colleague who spent many years living abroad is an incurable critic. He almost always wears the toga of that fierce-looking teacher, who is stingy with marks and you have to perform extraordinarily well to score good grades. He never sees anything good about Nigeria especially about our poor service delivery culture.

Having consistently preached and waxed lyrical to him about Ibom Air, I was brazing up for him to reel out his 1001 reasons the airline has not met his very high expectations. But he shocked me.
He told me how he was well attended to at the check-in counter, how the boarding formality was smooth, how clean and fresh the aircraft was and how courteous the flight attendants treated passengers. He even mentioned the multilingual translation of the onboard safety instructions “Trust me, the airline was worth your hype. I was really impressed”. He rounded off.

Governor Udom Emmanuel with PDP Gubernatorial candidate, Pastor Umo Eno
Of course, I heaved a sigh of relief and wanted to go on to say a few more good things and he cut me short. ” Don’t get carried away, are you sure this is not initial gra gra, do you think this will last and they will not be affected by the usual Nigerian factor?
These last words really touched me but it was an opportunity to inform him that I was sure that Ibom Air will not lower its standards. I went out to explain that the airline has been in business for over three years and I was so sure of its continued existence because of Pastor Umo Eno, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate.
His next words were: “what do you mean? I took time to explain to him that the airline was the brain child of Governor Udom Emmanuel who has told everyone that Pastor Umo Eno is his worthy successor, which is the reason any lover of Akwa Ibom State should back and vote for continuity.
I explained that Pastor Umo Eno, unlike other candidates in the race, is not a dye-in-the-wool politician, he is a man of integrity, a thoroughbred businessman who has been in the hospitality and tourism industry for over two decades. Therefore, Ibom Air will be a familiar turf for him.

Pastor Umo Eno with his Deputy Governorship Candidate, Senator Akon Eyakenyi
Indeed, he is a seasoned entrepreneur who began his business with a 5-room facility, and nurtured it into a behemoth, a group of companies, that employed over 2,500 people and was at one time the second largest employer of labour after the state government.
Having caught his attention and knowing full well his penchant for soaking in information, I then went on to reel out more facts about Pastor Umo Eno and his vision for the state.
Born on April 24, 1964, Pastor Umo Eno attended Local Government Authority Primary School, Ikeja, had a stint at St. Francis Secondary School, Ikot Ataku, Eket and finished as Senior Prefect at Victory High School, Ikeja.
The ordained Apostle and Undershepherd of All Nation’s Christian Ministry International likes to refer to himself as a Barrack Boy because his father was a police officer and he lived within the barracks in Enugu, Lagos and Kaduna.
Being the first child, he was very close to his father, a thorough disciplinarian. His father was very clean, strict and paid attention to the minutest of details. He was so much influenced by his father, that he imbibed some of these traits too as he was growing up and looking forward to a bright future.
The tragic death of his father changed all his lofty plans. He had to re-engineer his life and priorities and this decision to brave the odds, and work harder to support the family, is reason there are some gaps in his educational history.

He however never let go of the thirst and quest for knowledge. Years later, being a very cerebral person, he got admission to the University of Uyo and graduated with a B.Sc. in Political Science and Public Administration. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Science and Public Administration.
There is no doubt that his life is divinely engineered. A fact that becomes more and more apparent as you weave your way through his story. How this unassuming gentleman moved from zero to hero, shows that the virtues of hard work, courage, diligence, dedication when imbibed and applied with the grace of God will ultimately lead to success.
It shows how his awe-inspiring doggedness, tenacity, sense of purpose and never-say-die spirit which were not acquired from any ivy league school but from the university of life have combined to catapult him from grass to grace.
A common thread that runs through the course of his entire life is his ability to prove people who never give him a chance wrong, by turning his challenges to opportunities and his tests to testimonies.
A Rotarian, 3-star Paul Harris Fellow and philanthropist, Umo Eno began his working life at Union Bank Plc, then he was convinced by Mr Albert Inyang, Chairman, Bertola Machine Tools Ltd, Lagos to leave banking. From here, he went on to Norman Holdings were he rose to Group General Manager (Commercial Services) which was his last paid employment before he started his company, Royalty Hotels now Royalty Group, where his title from the get go was Executive Governor.
His stint in public service of Akwa Ibom State began in 2004 when he was invited and appointed by H.E. Obong Victor Attah as Chairman, Akwa Ibom Hotels and Tourism Management Board.
Like any other assignment he has been involved in, Umo Eno is always very committed and ensures that he makes a mark, blaze a trail and leave legacies that people will talk about for years to come. He seems to have God’s grace to be a start-up person and a change agent everywhere he goes.
He held the appointment for three years, during that period, his achievements included conducting the first-ever state-wide hotel inspection for categorization and classification. He also developed and printed the first Akwa Ibom Hotels Directory which has served as a veritable source of information for the sector and guide to external and internal tourists.
His next port of call was an appointment in September, 2019 by Governor Udom Emmanuel as the Executive Director, Agricultural Investment at Akwa Ibom State Investment Corporation (AKICORP).
The corporation is a Special Purpose Vehicle, established by an act of the Akwa State Legislature to facilitate accelerated industrial development and investment promotion in the state.
Pastor Umo Eno and his team, began by ensuring that for the first time, there was documentation for farms and farmers in the state. So an enumeration exercise was activated and today, at the touch of a button, sitting anywhere in the world, one can know the number of cassava, corn or animal farmers there are in the state. In addition, because of this innovation, government can easily target its intervention projects or loan schemes to the sector.
Furthermore, to help realise the governor’s vision of ensuring that 70-80 per cent of the food eaten in Akwa Ibom are processed locally and also to be involved in the value chain, cassava warehouses were built as well as Off-taking Centres. That was not all, his team also began the process of revamping or privatizing moribund government Agribusinesses.
The state-owned Hatchery was brought back to life and Akwa Palm which was rechristened Dakkada Oil Palm Limited also got a new lease of life when its encroached land was reclaimed, the facility was fenced, new site office built, 100,000 seedlings purchased and funds disbursed for the purchase of a new mill.
In addition, plans had reached an advanced stage with Globus Bank to process funding from the CBN Oil Palm Financing Initiative to be injected into the company before he left.
On January 4, 2021, he was appointed by Governor Emmanuel into the state Executive Council as the Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources. The Ministry under his leadership, recorded remarkable strides and tangible achievements such as: Establishment of the Akwa Ibom State Geographical Information System (AKWAGIS), payment of compensation to the Lagos Fishing Settlement in Eastern Obolo for the area designated for the establishment of Sterling Petrochemical and Fertilizer Limited, began the process of acquisition of a 630.21 Hectare of land at Ntaikong, Ibeno LGA for the siting of Bua Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, Establishment of Dakkada Luxury Estate, compulsory acquisition of former Timber Market on Uruan Street for building of primary school, Establishment of The Emily Haven Estate and much more.
His penchant for taking and executing tough tasks must have really impressed Governor Udom Emmanuel because also in 2021, he was appointed as Chairman, Ibom FADAMA Microfinance Bank, a financial institution for famers and SMEs.
Though others had worked on the project before, in typical Umo Eno style, he hit the ground running from day one and ensured that all hands were on deck.
Within a very short time, the proposed Directors of the bank including himself, all passed the very rigorous security screening clearances, scaled through the tough CBN approval process and Ibom FADAMA got its licence in record time and commenced full operation.
Even before he won the party primaries, a sure-footed Umo Eno like every good leader had already outlined his vision for the state. He christened his ideas and ideals the ARISE Agenda.
This blueprint for economic consolidation and expansion aimed at growing the economy and developing the people has been applauded for its depth.
ARISE is acronym for Agricultural Revolution, Tourism, Sports/Social Development & Environmental Management, Rural Development, Women & Youth Empowerment, Infrastructural Maintenance/Advancement and ICT Development, Security Management, Sound Educational & Health Sector Management, Economic/Industrial Advancement & Wealth Creation.
Pastor Umo Eno believes that building upon the legacies of past administrations will engender faster and sustained development. And that is why many believe that continuity should be the way for Akwa Ibom indigenes come 2023.
There is no need to break this chain of development and experimenting with another person. It is too much a risk to take for a state that is on the upward swing.
In his campaign stumps so far, it is obvious that Pastor Uno has spent time conducting a thorough needs assessment across the state.
He showed capacity, character and competence at Uyo Senatorial District Campaign flag-off where he promised to turn the capital city, Uyo, into a centre of commerce as well as centre of innovation and technology. He promised to revamp the science park too.
It was that occasion that he also stated thus “Your Excellency, you saw the future that was why you gave us Ibom Air. We will not only expand but use it as a foundation to turn our state to a tourists’ haven. We have 21 tourists’ sites and we will explore all of them”
In Eket, he promised to build a sports academy to compliment the recently built Eket Stadium, for the riverine communities, he noted that the 129 kilometres of shoreline from Mbo to Ikot Abasi will be developed for tourism purposes. He noted that there are many parts of the world were their main economic stay is tourism and Akwa Ibom is ready to do well in that area if he becomes governor.
That was not all, he also spoke about revamping the blue economy. Noting that one-third of the wealth of the state is in the deep sea, his government will encourage young people, farmers and fishing communities to engage in industrial fishing complete with trawlers and freezer and ensure that the coastlines are effectively secured, protected and preserved for commercial viability.
In Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, he promised to give the people an international market and help them upgrade their raffia production to meet international standards. He promised production hubs for different trades adding that he will prioritize big-time agricultural production.
The key goals of his plan will be poverty reduction, job creation, sustainable economic growth, improved standard of living, environmental sustainability, highly educated, healthy and skilled populace, safety and security.
He intends to motivate the civil service and public sector workers, take care of their pensions and gratuities and inspire them to deliver services comparable to the private sector.
His blueprint also mentions skills acquisition initiatives for women and youths, promote and encourage creativity, and innovation as well as develop sports and the creative sector, fast track tourism development and launch a deliberate destination marketing campaign. He also mentioned the Ibom Film Village and grants for the creative industry.
In addition, he plans to set up Senior Citizens homes, revive and upgrade existing primary healthcare centres, establish a Medical City and incorporate wellness and health spas, leveraging on the serene and scenic environment, wonderful cuisines and natural remedies, start a state-run health insurance scheme, reassess the free maternal, newborn and child healthcare services.
In education his plans include: building state of the art primary and secondary schools, prioritize training and retraining of teachers, extensive renovation of dilapidated school buildings and related infrastructure, establish and expand vocational and technical training, promote scholarship schemes for Akwa Ibom Students, reassess the free compulsory education policy with a view to make it functional and provision of free school uniforms and shoes (which will be produced in Akwa Ibom) to primary students.
He also intends to promote use of Made in Akwa Ibom products and services, encourage the formation of co-operatives amongst SMEs, promote and support the establishment of industrial layouts and clusters.
For Oil & Gas, he plans to domesticate the Nigerian Local Content Law, facilitate the creation of job opportunities through collaborative efforts with operating and oil servicing companies in the state, promote and support citizens to engage in Oil & Gas activities, promote long-term investments in the education and training of indigenous highly-skinned manpower in the Oil & Gas sector and ensure the use of sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices in the Oil & Gas value chain.
In all, Pastor Umo Eno’s ultimate vision is to take Akwa Ibom from a land of promise to a land of achievements. Therefore, for Akwa Ibom people to take their rightful position economically and socially, there is need to return to the basics and take a firm hold on those micro- economic enablers that would see the people driving the economic vehicles of the state and live comfortably from the work of their hands, instead of relying on government, public institutions and personalities.
Without any shadow of doubt, Pastor Umo Eno is the candidate for stability, cohesion and consistency and he is the best man for the job of Governor and I added jocularly: the only candidate that will ensure Ibom Air continues to soar excellently.
My senior colleague seemed to have heard enough “He just blurted:”Enough, enough. For your own good, I pray he wins and performs, so I will not have the opportunity to do my usual and prove you wrong” he laughed heartily and hung up the phone.
Effiong: A journalist is Editor of Ovation International Magazine
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Featured
Ribadu’s Office Denies Arming Miyetti Allah in Kwara
Published
10 hours agoon
December 19, 2025By
Eric
The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the office of the National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has refuted claims that it armed members of the Miyetti Allah group for counter-terrorism operations in Kwara State.
The Head of Strategic Communication at NCTC, Mr. Michael Abu, issued the rebuttal on Wednesday in Abuja.
Abu described the reports circulated by some online platforms as false and misleading, saying they misrepresented ongoing security operations in forested areas of the state.
He said that in line with the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022, it continued to coordinate and support law enforcement, security and intelligence agencies in countering all forms of terrorism across the country.
NCTC spokesman explained that Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts guided by the National Counter Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST), involved the deployment of hybrid forces comprising regular security personnel and trained auxiliaries such as hunters and vigilante elements, particularly in difficult terrains.
According to him, the hybrid approach, which was previously deployed with the Civilian Joint Task Force in the North-East, is currently being applied in parts of the North-West and North-Central, including Kwara State, and has recorded several successes against banditry and other criminal activities.
He stressed that the Federal government was not conducting kinetic operations with any socio-cultural group, adding that claims that the Office of the National Security Adviser provided arms to such organisations are unfounded and should be disregarded.
According to him, all auxiliary personnel involved in hybrid operations were recruited directly by authorised security and intelligence agencies after due diligence, and that all operations were conducted strictly in line with the law and established standard operating procedures.
He urged the media to exercise responsibility by protecting sensitive security information and seeking clarification through designated official spokespersons, while advising the public to ignore unverified reports capable of undermining ongoing operations.
He reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to transparency and stakeholder engagement to deepen public understanding of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
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Featured
Respite As Court Stops Police, IGP from Enforcing Tinted Glass Permit Nationwide
Published
13 hours agoon
December 19, 2025By
Eric
A Delta State Court sitting in Orerokpe has restrained the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Nigeria Police Force from resuming the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy nationwide.
Justice Joe Egwu, while ruling on a motion ex-parte in a suit marked HOR/FHR/M/31/2025 filed by Isreal Joe against the IGP and two others, through his counsel, Mr. Kunle Edun (SAN), who led other lawyers, restrained, stopped and barred the respondents from resuming the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy nationwide.
The order was sequel to the announcement by the Nigeria Police of its decision to resume the tinted glass permit enforcement on January 2, 2026.
Aside from the IGP, the court also restrained the Nigeria Police Force and the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command, from resuming the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy nationwide.
Justice Egwu also barred the police from harassing, arresting, detaining or extorting citizens and motorists on account of the said policy, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The case has also reignited a dispute between the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). The NBA has maintained that the matter remains before the courts and warned that enforcement could constitute contempt.
The association said a suit challenging the constitutionality of the policy had been filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, and that a judgment had been reserved following the conclusion of hearings.
The NBA further cited a Federal High Court order in Warri directing parties to maintain the status quo pending an interlocutory injunction. The association accused the police of disregarding the rule of law and urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene. “Any contrary executive action amounts to overreaching the Court and undermines the rule of law,” NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) said.
The police, through Force Public Relations Officer CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, insisted that no court order barred enforcement and defended its planned resumption on grounds of public security. Hundeyin noted a rise in crimes facilitated by vehicles with unauthorised tinted glass, citing incidents ranging from armed robbery to kidnapping.
“The Inspector-General of Police, out of respect and understanding, temporarily suspended enforcement to give Nigerians additional time to regularise their tinted glass permits.
That decision was not based on any court order but was a discretionary move to accommodate public concerns,” he said.
The announcement prompted warnings from the NBA that enforcement could trigger committal proceedings against the IGP and the Force spokesperson. The police, however, maintained that enforcement continues until directed otherwise by a court, highlighting recent incidents in which occupants of vehicles with tinted glass allegedly attacked officers.
The ruling by the Delta State High Court now legally bars the police from implementing the tinted glass permit policy nationwide while litigation on the policy’s constitutionality continues.
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Featured
Operation Wetie of the Western Region in Sweet Retrospect: Its Metaphors and Lessons
Published
15 hours agoon
December 19, 2025By
Eric
By Hon. Femi Kehinde
History, it has been said, is a reflection seen through the eyes of others into events of the past.
The world rotates around its history, and the universality of its lessons and constancy. Like beauty, history is in the eyes of the beholder.
In the old Western Region, attempts were made to stifle democracy, and give the region a government she did not vote for; that really drove the people wild, and justifiably so.
The disturbance was confined to the floor of the House; it did not extend to other parts of the city, and all other parts of the region were completely at peace and were not in the least aware of what was happening in the House of Assembly, until they heard the broadcast of the Prime Minister from Lagos.
The trail that started from the crisis in the Action Group went on to cause at the federal level, a major crisis between the coalition partners that destabilized the Western Region, ultimately leading to the intervention of the military and the collapse of the First Republic. The ramifications and scars of that crisis are still visible today.
The crisis in the Action Group was in retrospect, a watershed in the course of Nigeria’s journey to nationhood. All countries that became Nation-states have their watersheds, which at the time they were happening looked insignificant. Their significance is usually realized long after they have happened. The storming of the Bastilles in France was a spontaneous reaction to the excesses of the monarch and his wife, but it led to a revolution. This revolution, which caused the death of Louis the sixteenth and his wife – Marie Antoinette.
The Action Group crisis which started as a localized brawl, catalyzed into a bloody civil war and much more. During the debate on the motion which was to authorize the state of emergency in the western region, Chief Anthony Enahoro warned against setting in motion a chain of events, the end of which nobody could see or desire. What a prediction! So prophetic, so profound and so historic. He was not taken seriously then. The protagonist of the state of emergency could not see through their noses. They forgot to take to heart the lessons of history.
Ibadan is anything but far away, in fact below 100 miles to Lagos. Just about three years later, not only the prime minister, but two regional premiers, several civilians and military leaders lost their lives. Had the warning of Chief Anthony Enahoro been heeded and had there been no precipitous rush to declare state of emergency in the region, the course of Nigerian history might have been different and certainly less bloody.
A French philosopher, Paul Valery said “History is the science of things which do not repeat themselves”. History does not repeat itself. It is fools who are forced by their folly to repeat history.
The West was demonized and the plot to create disorder was hatched to give a pretext to take over running of the government and use that period to install a puppet government.
Nigeria has always suffered for lack of courage and conviction on the part of those whose duty it is to advise and counsel. Sycophancy, spinelessness, and lack of moral courage, intellectual dishonesty in the ivory tower are commonplace characteristics in all echelons of life in the country and the leadership has to be acutely focused, courageous and discerning not to fall victim.
The leaders did have moments to pause and reflects on the catastrophe they were about to unleash on themselves, but they failed to utilize these opportunities because they were blinded by their own self-interest and personal aggrandizement. They walked into the trap set for them with their eyes wide open. It was a tragedy of errors.
The Western Region, gradually going into the abyss, formally inaugurated the Egbe Omo Olofin, as against the well known Egbe Omo Oduduwa at the Mapo hall, Ibadan. Very prominent dignitaries and first class Yoruba Obas, Oba Akran, Oba Olagbegi, Oba Gbadegbo, the Alake of Egba Land, Oba Abimbola, the Oluwo of Iwo, were very prominent. Chief S.L.A Akintola and the highly partisan Chief Justice of the Federation- Justice Adetokunbo Ademola were the host. The leader of the opposition, Alhaji D.S Adegbenro, a man with few words, regarded these developments as “a sad mistake”. It should be well noted that the Supreme Court of Chief Justice Adetokunbo Ademola had in 1964 affirmed the treasonable felony jail sentence imposed on Obafemi Awolowo by Justice George Sodeinde Sowemimo in 1963.
The Federal Cabinet in its super belief of being all in all, accepted the census result and asked NCNC members, unwilling to accept the result to resign.
The Ogunde Concert Party organized a theatre tour of the Western Region, to show Yoruba Ronu, its new play from March 28 to April 25, 1964. The concert was to kick off at Ile-Ife and thereafter, move to Abeokuta, Ibadan, Oyo, Owo, Shagamu, Ilesha Ikare, Oka, Osogbo, Gbongan, Iwo, Ado-Ekiti, Ijebu Ode. In the midst of this Concert Tour, the epic play, Yoruba Ronu, was banned by the Government of the Western Region and thus, another gradual descent into anarchy.
Earlier, on the 27th of March, 1964, Kola Balogun lost his seat as a special member of the House of Chiefs, following the withdrawal of recognition of his Chieftaincy title as Jagun of Otan Ayegbaju, by the NNDP Government of the Western Region. Kola Balogun had lost face with the Akintola Government. The electioneering campaign towards the 1965 election had started. The Premier, Samuel Ladoke, was on tour of Ijesha Division on Saturday, the 4th of April, 1964. At Ilesha, in front of Ilesha Grammar School, the Premier and his entourage were booed by students of Ilesha Grammar School, perhaps with the encouragement of their principal – Rev. Josiah Akinyemi, a staunch member of the Action Group and father of Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi.
Rev. Akinyemi was the following morning, transferred to Oyo to replace Bishop Seth Kale as Principal of St. Andrews College, Oyo. An NNDP Chieftain in llesha and a member of the Western House of Assembly- Barrister Oladiran Olaitan, had his car severely damaged and in an attempt to escape the onslaught, bottles and stones were thrown at him.
Ilesha Grammar School was eventually shut down and was only reopened after the intervention of prominent Ilesha elites, like Chief S.T Adelegan, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly and also Principal of Ipetu-ljesha Grammar School, the Attorney-General, Chief Olowofoyeku and the Governor, Sir Odeleye Fadahunsi.
Also in April, 1964, a scion of the Agbaje Family, Mojeed Agbaje, was removed as Minister for Information and the Odemo of Isara, Oba Samuel Akisanya, a first class Oba, was removed as a member of the House of Chiefs.
On the 8th of June, 1964, Chief SLA Akintola, the Premier, was driving to Mapo hall, when a pregnant woman hopped her head out of the crowd and shouted, “SLA OLE! SLA THIEF!” The visibly disturbed Premier, ordered his driver to detain the woman, who was put in the Land Rover that carried the Premier’s Body guards. The accused, Kehinde Arowolo, a native of Ikenne, was charged before the Ibadan Magistrate Court for conduct likely to disturb public peace. The accused pleaded not guilty, and she denied the charge. The case was subsequently adjourned to the 4th of November, 1964.
Alhaji Busari Obisesan for the defence said, “don’t forget to bring Chief Akintola to court as his evidence would be vital to the case!” What an audacious statement.
Around this period, an Oba in one of the Ijebu towns was burnt to ashes for being sympathetic towards Akintola’s cause. Ayo Rosiji, an Akintola apologist in July 1964, had his car stoned at a car park in Marina Lagos. His confidant in his constituency, Shittu Bamidele, had also been killed by thugs, who drove a six-inch nail through his forehead. Rosiji eventually lost the Federal Election in 1964.
When there is a quarrel, even ordinary songs would have added meanings and political songs, drums, its coinages and interpretations were now being stronger than even bazooka guns. To Awolowo’s loyalist, the popular sing song was “Se lo lo ko ogbon wa o hee, Se lo lo ko ogbon wa haa, Awolowo, baba layinka i.e. Awolowo has gone to the Prison to be fortified. Interestingly, Awolowo had no child by the name Layinka.
The Federal General Election of 1964 conducted by E. E. Esua as Federal Electoral Commissioner had showed that the Government had lost control of the Western Region, but it also introduced violence throughout the electioneering campaign, arson and assault featured throughout the election. It was a precursor of what was to be expected at the Regional General Elections coming up in 1965.
In some towns and communities, arson visited upon dwelling houses, and public buildings were also added to public roasting of government supporters in the so called “operation weti e”.
The petrol poured on human beings, and such individuals were left to be burnt to death. Indeed, law and order had broken down and perhaps irretrievably and yet, NNDP was declared the winner of a massively rigged general election and his leader, was called upon by the Governor of the Western Region, Sir Odeleye Fadahunsi to form the new government.
Undoubtedly, the region was in an uproar and tumoil. Security had broken down and no one was safe on the road. There were several unofficial road blocks, everywhere and the high level of fear, indignation and security was heightened. When the Chief Justice of the Federation, Sir Adetokunbo Ademola was manhandled on the road between Abeokuta and Lagos, the gravity of the situation became very apparent to all. It became urgent that something must be done to restore law and order to the Western Region. The NNDP was a member of the COALITION – the Nigerian National Alliance (NNA), which it had formed with the ruling NPC and so it was difficult for the Federal Government to intervene to remove a regional Government formed by its surrogate, the NNDP. Yet, something must be done.
The events in the Western Region was certainly laying the foundation to the apocalypse, that was to engulf the country. The Premier of the Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara told his counterpart in the Western Region, Chief SLA Akintola, that he was coming on a visit to Ibadan. SLA Akintola told him he would not be welcome, because he could not guarantee his safety.
The visit took place nevertheless, and as an act of defiance, Premier Michael Okpara still went ahead to visit the Premier at the Premier’s lodge, Iyaganku, Ibadan. The host Premier, SLA Akintola, was nowhere to be found. Michael Okpara nonetheless, signed the visitors register and left.
It was an irony of circumstance, that Premier Ladoke Akintola, who in 1962 was prepared to defile his Party, to welcome a Northern Premier and aristocrat, on the grounds of protocol and hospitality, could not do the same thing for the Premier of the Eastern Region, who was his ally not too long ago. It would be recalled that Okpara had now joined forces with the Action Group, led by Chief (Mrs) H.I.D Awolowo and Alhaji D.S Adegbenro to form UPGA.
In the north, in the west, and in the mid-west, all was confusion. A team of lawyers sent to northern Nigeria by the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) for the purpose of looking after the legal interest of AG members was not allowed to function.
In the Western Region, trenches were dug, all in order to prevent political opponent the freedom of expression and movement. In October 1965, the Western Region went to the polls to elect a new House of Assembly, the first regional election since the Action Group crisis, an opportunity for Chief Akintola to test his popularity.
The conduct of the election caused wide spread anger which resulted in so much incidence of arson, murder, rioting and general insecurity that the army was sent to the region to maintain law and order. More than 2000 people were killed during and after the election.
After winning the 1965 election, Samuel Ladoke Akintola was called by the governor, Sir Odeleye Fadahunsi to form the new government in October 1965. His taped recorded acceptance speech and message to the people of western region to be rebroadcast by the Nigerian broadcasting corporation (NBC) had been removed and replaced with another recorded message by a mystery gunman who had stepped into the studio and made his own broadcast, denouncing Akintola. This popular gunman was later alleged to be a popular playwright, Wole Soyinka.
On the 15th of October, the newsroom of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) was more fortified than ever. It was a fortress which was armed to the teeth. In the newsroom was a cubicle where the whole activity normally took place. That evening, the occupants of the cubicle, apart from the leader of the crew were Lajide Ishola, Stephen Oyewole and John Okungbona. The crew men had in their possession the recording of the speech of the Premier of the western region of Nigeria, Chief Ladoke Akintola, which had earlier been recorded at the premier’s lodge at lyaganku. The recordings which contained the message of the premier were made in both English and Yoruba. The premier had finished with the recording a few minutes before 7 o’clock in the evening and he was looking forward to listening to his speech which he had regarded as a masterpiece that will explain the situation of things in the western region.
At about quarter past 7 in the evening, Oshin breezed in into the studio cubicle with his crew men, taking with him the 2 recorded tapes which contained the premier’s speech i.e. both the English and the Yoruba version. Funnily and interestingly, just as Oshin was about to slot in the first tape, a bearded man appeared at the door, and suddenly from nowhere produced a gun and held it to Oshin’s head. There was an abrupt silence. The gunman, goatee-bearded and unmasked, demanded that the radio technician hand over the two tapes he was holding. Oshin quietly handed over the tapes to him, while the other three men in the cubicle, watched the unfolding drama with apparent shock and disbelief.
The gunman handed a tape over to Oshin and ordered him to play it. For fear of his life, Oshin slotted in the gunman’s tape and played it. The gunman listened to part of the content and quietly disappeared as mysteriously as he had come in. The whole operation was swift, brief, effective and decisive.
Pandemonium broke in as soon as members of the public heard the recording on air. Oshin had apparently run out of the studio and the gunman was nowhere to be found. The other three occupants of the cubicle were arrested and taken to the police station, where they made statements to the effect that they had no clue to who the gunman was. They had a clinical description of what exactly happened and the near unanimity about the description of the unmasked mystery gunman. The mystery gunman was eventually arrested and brought before a newly appointed Judge of the High Court, Justice Kayode Esho, sitting in High Court 6. Justice Esho was a stern, disciplined and incorruptible judge. Before the trial, the Chief Justice of the western region, Justice Adeyinka Morgan called Kayode Esho, and straight to the point said, “I have an assignment for you. It is this very important case of the hold-up of the radio station and the robbery of the premier’s tapes. It is a very sensitive assignment, which I would have undertaken myself, having regard to the importance and sensitivity, but the accused person, Wole Soyinka, is a relation of mine. I have full confidence that you will handle it very well’.
Interestingly, the Chief Justice further said, “by the way” and in a measured tone said “they are already saying you will not be able to jail this man”, Justice Kayode Esho wondered ” who are the “they”, “they” “they”. Who are those that the pronoun “they” represent.
According to Esho, why should those “they” be talking to the Chief Justice? why according to Esho? If the “they” talked to the Chief Justice, should he mention it to me while I was trying such a sensitive case, or even any case, for that matter? I got up, pretending not to have been ruffled by the statement, thanked the Chief Justice again, and left for my chambers.”
On the 26th of October, 1965, i.e exactly two weeks after the general election, Akintola lost his most cherished daughter and confidant, Omodele. Omodele died as a result of an overdose of sleeping pills.
After Omodele’s death, Akintola was beginning to have a second thought about his ability to continue with the crisis, and asked rhetorically “whether the whole warfare was worth it at all”. It was apparent then that Ladoke Akintola was greatly distressed.
According to one of the sentries at the Government house, Mr Olabode, a regional police officer attached to the government’s lodge, the premier was in a state of utter confusion, and after meetings, however late, will still travel to Ogbomoso to sleep, and come back to Ibadan in the morning. The Premier’s driver confided in the young police officer, Olabode, that the premier was fond of this trip, because the late night trip from Ibadan afforded him the opportunity of a thoughtful silence and a deep sleep.
Prince Adewale Kazeem, another known confidant of the Premier, also noticed a premier whose hands were shivering and could no longer append his signature on a straight line. Prince Adewale noticed this again and advised the premier, “Baba, why don’t you resign?” and the soberly premier replied “Adewale, O ti bo, iku lo ma gbeyin eleyi- Adewale, it is too late, it is only death that will end this feud.”
Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola was in this state of disillusionment when on the 14th of January 1966, he asked his aide, R.A Obaleke, upon resumption of duty to get prepared for a trip to Kaduna. There was a plane already waiting for them at the Ibadan Airport, arranged from Lagos. On the premier’s entourage to Kaduna were Chief Lekan Salami, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, R. A. Obaleke, N.A.B Kotoye and a host of others, to meet with the Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello. At this meeting at the Premier’s lodge in Kaduna, the two premiers went into a long private session. Before the commencement of the meeting, Premier Ladoke Akintola had given some money to his Personal assistant, R.A Obaleke to buy some books for him at the bookshop.
After a long while, Obaleke came back to still find the two premiers in a very serious dialogue. Obaleke informed the premier of the need to go back to Ibadan in a good time, because there was no night landing facility at the Ibadan Airport. Premier Ladoke Akintola immediately proceeded to the Kaduna airport and was seen off by his host- the Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello. On arrival in Ibadan, the Premier and his entourage proceeded to the premier’s lodge. The cook, Effiong, a Calabar man, provided dinner for the premier, before their departure. On the 14th of January 1966, the Premier had earlier told his wife, Faderera to proceed to Ogbomoso to prepare their Ogbomoso residence for a private visit of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. In the Premier’s lodge were Yomi, his eldest son and his wife Dupe, and their son, Akinwumi, and Gbolahan Odunjo, Omodele’s son, and the visiting Tokunbo Akintola, who came in on holidays from Eton College London. It will be recalled once again, that the British Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, at the Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Conference in Lagos in January 1966, warned the host of the conference of an impending military insurrection and offered the Prime Minister, Tafawa Balewa, asylum in one of the British frigates on the Atlantic water.
The Prime Minister rebuffed this intelligence report and Akintola’s report, fears and apprehensions, as mere hearsay and unfounded.
In the early hours of January 15, at about 2am, and as predicted, the army struck like a thief in the night. The army mobilized from the Alamala Abeokuta Garrison of the Nigerian Army. It was led by Captain Nwobosi, to effect a change of government in the Western Region.
The Military officers after picking Deputy Premier, Fani Kayode, moved to the Premier’s Lodge. At the Premier’s lodge, with their Military trucks, they forcibly entered the lodge. The head of sentries/Police security, Chief Inspector Sokunbi, an Ijebu man, immediately put off the flood light and was chased by the soldiers. The officer manning the back of the premier’s lodge, Police Corporal Bernard Olabode, a native of Gbongan, was equally chased, but was not discovered inside the drainage where he hid.
The Military officers, immediately put off the electricity supply to the Premier’s lodge. The officer from the ministry of works, posted to the Premier’s lodge, and whose responsibility was maintenance of the two generators at the Premier’s lodge, thought it was a power outage and immediately went to put on the manual generator, since the automatic generator could not come up immediately after the power outage. He was shot on the forehead by one of the officers and he died instantly.
The leader of the Military officers, shouted the name of the Premier, “Akintola come out you are under house arrest.” They also asked his Deputy, already in their custody, to call him, “Sir, Ladoke Akintola, it is me Fani Kayode please come out.” After hearing this voice, the Premier who had immediately upon the arrival of the army officers moved his family through the walkway from the official residence, to his office in the Premier’s lodge, knew there was real danger.
A maid of one of his children, started crying saying “E jo woooo E jo woooo” meaning “please please.” The outcry of this maid exposed the location of the Premier. There was then a gunshot from the Premier to the rampaging soldiers.
According to the Police Officer, Bernard Olabode, in his hiding location he saw bullet shots going towards the Premier’s Office. One of the shots, hit the Premier on the wrist and the Officers were still insisting that he must come out of hiding. They had promised to finish the entire family.
For the Safety of his children, the Are Ona kankanfo of Yoruba land had no choice, but to come down. He was instantly arrested by the soldiers. The leader of the group according to PC Olabode, asked Fani Kayode to identify the Premier. Apparently, they didn’t even know him. Fani Power identified him as the Premier.
According to Olabode, two Officers were placed on his right and left hand, as if facing a firing squad and volley of bullets were hurled at him. The first shot hit the Premier on his forehead, some on his chest and later the Premier gave up.
When he fell down, the leader of the group placed his leg on the Premiers forehead and asked some of his soldiers to rain further bullets on the lying Premier. The group leader, speaking in various languages, said according to Olabode, “he is a juju man, perforate him further with bullets” and thus the end of Are-Ona Kankanfo, who had fought a bitter struggle with his tongue, pen and strength.
The army had also arrested Lt. Col Largemma of the Ibadan Garrison and killed him. Col. Largemma was very close to the Premier of the Western Region, and also Premier of Northern Region. The Federal Brigade of Guards Commander in Lagos, was also killed. Major Okafor had ordered the abduction and eventual murder of the Prime Minister, Tafawa Balewa, the Minister of Finance, Okotie-Eboh, whilst Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu, also invaded the Premier’s lodge in Kaduna and killed Sir Ahmadu Bello, one of his wives, Hafsat and some Military Officers, like Brigadier Ademulegun, Col. Ralph Sodeinde and several other officers and thus the end of Civil Government in Nigeria and the beginning of Military interregnum, that did not end effectively until the 29th of May 1999, when another Military man and former Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo, became President of the Civilian Government.
In retrospect, the state of emergency on the Western Region was declared on the 29th of May 1962 by the Federal Government of Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa. No wonder, George Santyana rightly said- “those who do not know history are doomed to repeat its failures”. The “operation weti e” of Western Region certainly left its metaphors and lessons for the discerning minds!
Hon. (Barr.) Femi Kehinde is the
Principal Partner, Femi Kehinde & Co (Solicitors), and Former Member, House of Representatives, National Assembly, Abuja, representing Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-Oluwa Federal Constituency of Osun State, (1999-2003).
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