I SEE A BIG CLOUD HANGING OVER NIGERIA – ELDER STATESMAN MBAZULIKE AMAECHI (PART 5)

You just mentioned corruption and massive stealing. Remember it was cited by the military junta as the main reason why they struck and removed you people in office in 1966. Between then and now, would you say there is an increase or decrease?

First of all your question is based on a wrong assumption. The military struck in 1966 out of a sheer unpatriotic and criminal intention. There was no corruption then. There may be one or two dishonest things here and there. If there was that kind of corruption that would justify military intervention there should be evidence of it. Military taking over from the military; if the military was patriotic in taking over from Balewa and the rest of us, what brought about the 

takeover from Gowon? What brought about the killing of Muritala Mohammed? What brought about the overthrow of Shagari? What brought about the take over from Buhari to Babangida, and then to Abacha? Nigeria was unfortunate to have an unpatriotic, criminal, treasonable military. And it was the military that introduced corruption and stealing in this country. The people must be educated enough. You the pressmen, the media, you owe it as a duty to tell the people the true story. The military got into government and abolished history as a subject in schools, because they don’t want the younger generation to know the true story of the country; what happened in the country. There is no more history in all schools, even in the universities, in Nigeria now. They don’t teach history again. That was because the military did not want the younger generations to know the true story of how they battered the country, through massive stealing and looting and then, planting their surrogates in government. That is what we have now. There are a few clean people in the government now, but most of the people in government now are the surrogates of the military, friends of the military, collaborators with the military, who amassed wealth through corruption during the military era.

You said the military committed treason by taking over power from the politicians. What about the 10% inducement or commission alleged by the coup plotters in 1966?

Good. If 10% was a charge, there must be evidence of it. Balewa was the prime minister of Nigeria. Even before independence and the six years he was in power, did anybody see anywhere he built a house or estate. Dr. Zik was premier of Eastern region for six years and governor general and president of the country, could anybody get any evidence of corruption or where he built estates? Dr. Okpara was premier of Eastern region. He was minister for many years before he became premier. Dr. Okpara did not have a house in his hometown. We built a house; I, Dr. Mbanugo, Dr. Walter Eze and Chief C. C. Onoh built a house for him. We went and completed the house which the wife started in the 70’s, after the war. This effort was to give him a home in the village. I was a minister for six years. I did not own a house. This House (pointing to his house), this building was built after the war. I moved into this house in 1973, after the civil war. The other house I had, I built it before I won election into the parliament. Where is the evidence? The military claimed the politicians were corrupt. Chief Awolowo, the same thing, Osadebey the same thing. The Sardauna of Sokoto the same thing, he, the Sardauna of Sokoto did not even have a personal house. If the military took over in 1966 from the politicians because, according to you the politicians were corrupt what about the six or seven other military takeovers?

To be continued tomorrow..

Culled from Sunday sun