Re: ||NaijaObserver|| RE: [africanworldforum] Awos diary: Ironsis release was to be CONDITIONAL release What really makes me happy is that Nebu and Obi can no longer be said to write about things that are not in the public domain. We were both clear about who released Awo and why. Awos diary basically confirmed the following: (a) A plane had been sent to Calabar to bring him to Lagos on 27th July, two days before Ironsi was killed; (b) the SMC expected him in Lagos on July 29th the day Ironsi and Fajuyi were killed in Ibadan. In fact, they were desperate that he must arrive Lagos by the 29th! It prompts the question: Why the hurry to bring him to Lagos on the 29th? Were these facts communicated to the coup plotters? If so, who but those in the inner circle of the SMC could have communicated this highly classified policy to the coup plotters who had to act quickly to eliminate Fajuyi and Ironsi before the effectuation of the orders on July 29? (c) Awo refused to travel in the one-engine plane for fear of his safety and (d) But above all, no other order is required once the order of release has been gazetted for the release of a prisoner. Therefore, Gowon could no longer have re-issued an order already being carried out. It is elementary. Obi Nwakanma On Thursday, October 2, 2014 6:27 PM, Rex Marinus rexmarinus@hotmail [NaijaObserver] wrote: Steve, the problem is that this story is very central to the argument about Ironsis alleged non performance and the excuse for his murder. Ironsi is also often linked to the general story of Igbo antinomy, and the excuse for which a section of the Yoruba intellectuals prefer to justify Awolowos actions in the war and his fervent support for Gowon. As far as Im concerned it will serve no great purpose to Nigerian history to have what we might simply call an equal opportunity history that compromises on the truths of the event because the real truth is starker and more uncomfortable for a particular group of people in Nigeria. If Ojukwu did not release Awo, Id have no business disputing Ayos attempts at crass revisionism. Ill simply accept it. But as his increasing vacillation shows, the truth haunts because it is stubborn. Ayo has moved from one angle to the other in a shifting sand that only amuses people like me. Note: the story has since gone from Ironsi did not release Awo to Ironsis release was CONDITIONAL. I have never before in my life found greater irony. Now he is squirming under the weight of interpretation - the wheres and wherefores that belong to legal doublespeak - which is when you really need to close an argument. Awolowos letter is rather self-explanatory. Emissaries sent to him to Calabar arrived Calabar with a plane on July 27, 1966. The SMC wanted him in Lagos on July 29. In the early mornings of July 29, Ironsi and Fajuyi were murdered in Ibadan by a coup in which Gowon was very active. On the day that Ironsi was supposed to make the announcement publicly in the gala planned for his final day in Ibadan as a gesture of goodwill to the West, he was killed. The crucial point to note here from Awos diary is that (a) his release was already final. A plane had been sent to him to leave Calabar to Lagos.. He did not leave because it was a one-engine plane and he just did not like the idea of traveling in that plane. (b) Having being released, a second declaration of release was no longer necessary by Gowon because the papers releasing him had been signed and sealed and effected. The only person who could stop further action on that release document in the circumstance was the Eastern Regional governor whose authority was required to effect the wishes of the Federal government, (c) there is no place in the annals of Nigerias administrative records where you will find an order or paper of release for Awolowo in which Yakubu Gowons signature appears.. But Id like to bet Ayo and co $1000 that if we go into the archives of the Nigerian Cabinet Secretariat, the signature that will be on the release order for Chief Awolowo will be Ironsis signature by the power conferred on him by the SMC, and that there is no second release order unless it was backdated. Ironsis order was fully carried out by the administrative requirements that compelled the Governor of the East to issue administrative writ to the Director of Prisons in Eastern Nigeria to comply. It is as simple as that. If Gowon issued an order in that regard, Emeka Ojukwu would have very clearly and deliberately ignored it to fully press the point that he was under no obligation to heed Gowons authority and Chief Awolowo would not have been released. He would most likely have ended up in the East, like Banjo and co during the war all of whom were released by Ojukwus orders. Awos diary confesses quite clearly that Ironsis regime had kept his release secret. Why did Ironsi feel the need to thread carefully about such a matter? Would it be to placate the East, the West, or the North? From whom was Ironsi keeping this secret and why? Who would be more grieved by the news of Awos release? Awos release was apparently affected by the confusion in Lagos. If Ayo were Ojukwu, would he have let him go on July 29th 1966, the day he was expected to be taken to Lagos from the East and the day Ironsi was murder or wait for things to clear up a bit? Why did Ojukwu feel the need to release Awo on the 3rd before a reconstituted SMC? Clearly, Ojukwu thought that Awos presence in the West would help rally the rump of his supporters in the West to act against the coup in evolution. Awo told Ojukwu plainly when they met in Enugu later in May that he could not act because of the presence of Northern troops in the West. As soon as he arrived Ibadan, Awo was placed under clear surveillance. Military sentries were kept daily at his gate in Ibadan and Ikenne. That is a version of House arrest. Anyone who talks about conditional release does not know how governments function. Awo was to be put through a safe, transitional house, no more than a week after the public announcement of his release, debriefed, and released to his home. The same thing happened to Mandela. It is the normal administrative process in these matters. What really makes me happy is that Nebu and Obi can no longer be said to write about things that are not in the public domain. We were both clear about who released Awo and why.. Awos diary basically confirmed the following: (a) A plane had been sent to Calabar to bring him to Lagos on 27th July, two days before Ironsi was killed; (b) the SMC expected him in Lagos on July 29th the day Ironsi and Fajuyi were killed in Ibadan. In fact, they were desperate that he must arrive Lagos by the 29th! It prompts the question: Why the hurry to bring him to Lagos on the 29th? Were these facts communicated to the coup plotters? If so, who but those in the inner circle of the SMC could have communicated this highly classified policy to the coup plotters who had to act quickly to eliminate Fajuyi and Ironsi before the effectuation of the orders on July 29? (c) Awo refused to travel in the one-engine plane for fear of his safety and (d) But above all, no other order is required once the order of release has been gazetted for the release of a prisoner. Therefore, Gowon could no longer have re-issued an order already being carried out. It is elementary. Obi Nwakanma ________________________________ Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2014 13:01:26 -0700 From: africanworldforum@googlegroups Subject: Re: RE: [africanworldforum] Awos diary: Ironsis release was to be CONDITIONAL release To: africanworldforum@googlegroups Rahman, Thank you. I wrote what you wrote close to the beginning of the discussion. I even suggested that the antagonist cooperate and find someone close to Calabar and get a copy of the release document to see whose signature was on it. But nobody bought into that because neither side was really interested in the truth; just to argue satisfactorily that theiir stance carried the day. I, also, pinted out the bottom line you identified, i.e., no matter who it was that released Awo, Ojukwu gets kudos for not stopping it because he was in a position to. If Nigerians could drop their primitive tribalism just for a year, we will be exporting electricity to Ghana, instead of the other way around! Stevek. Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android From:RAHMAN ASHIRU Date:Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 2:54 AM Subject:RE: [africanworldforum] Awos diary: Ironsis release was to be CONDITIONAL release All, While I was enjoying and learning form the discourse about who released Awo, I must confess that the discussion was confusing and sad at best. It was confusing to see a simple fact generates such a diverse interpretation. It is sad because a great country like Nigeria failed to record history adequately or to make such history easily accessible. With the below disclosure while I am not vouching for it, should settle the question. The fact is that neither Ironsi nor Ojukwe issued the definitive order to released Awo. Did Ironsi consider releasing Awo? Again the answer is clear yes and we all should be appreciative of such gesture. Did Ojukwe acquiesce to Awos release? The answer to that is yes and again we all should be grateful. Now, can we move on to how we (Ibo, Yoruba, Hausa and all others ) all can live together in peace maximizing our specific strengths and minimize any difference we may have. Rahman ________________________________ Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2014 06:28:39 +0000 From: africanworldforum@googlegroups To: africanworldforum@googlegroups; omoodua@yahoogroups; nigerianworldforum@yahoogroups; nebukadineze@aol; vincentotuonye@msn Subject: Re: [africanworldforum] Awos diary: Ironsis release was to be CONDITIONAL release Egbon Ayo, If you review my previous post on the matter and relate it to Awos self made statements, you will now see that I am justified, eventhough I didnt have this record before. You will know that my father spoke the truth on the matter. Awos release was kept secret by Ironsi. Otherwise, my father was too close to Fajuyi not to hear when he was actually prompting Fajuyi to prevail on Ironsi to get him released in the first place. Conditional release would have been a compromise and not sincere to show Ironsis love for power and distaste for Awos style and popularity. This is why Gowons unconditional release with little push by Adebayo and without any special influence gives a lead to who should take the credit for Awos release. Jadesola. ...Freedom does not consist in the dream of independence from natural laws, but in the knowledge of these laws,...freedom of the will, therefore, means nothing but the capacity to make decisions with knowledge of the subject... Engels ------------------------------------------------------------------- ...The things that will destroy us are: politics without principle; pleasure without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business without morality; science without humanity; and worship without sacrifice...When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall — think of it, always...An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind...There are many causes that I am prepared to die for but no causes that I am prepared to kill for. - Mahatma Ghandi On Thursday, 2 October 2014, 7:01, Ayo Ojutalayo via AfricanWorldForum wrote: I will let my Diary for 3 August speak briefly here. (1) Crossed the prison gate into freedom at 7.56 a.m.(2)Plane took off from Calabar at 8.30 a.m.(3) Arrived Ikeja airport at 9.32 a.m.(4) Saw Gowon at his Headquarters. (5)Returned to Ikenne alone in triumph. At this juncture, it is of interest to narrate the nature of Ironsi’s proposed release as it was disclosed to me after my actual release. The plan was to take me to Ikoyi prison until it was judged safe to set me free. A cell had been prepared for me there which contained extra facilities . If I did not like the place, I could be placed under house arrest at Ikenne. If I wanted to travel abroad, every facility would be afforded me to do so. That was why my intended release was not announced, even though a plane had been dispatched to Calabar to bring me to Lagos. Until negotiation with me on the above lines had been concluded, Ironsi’s team did not want the public to know that I had been transferred back to Ikoyi prison or to my house under house arrest, with my own consent. Read more at ooduapathfinder Ayo Ojutalayo ________________________________ From: Leye Ige via AfricanWorldForum To: omo oodua Sent: Wednesday, October 1, 2014 2:42 AM Subject: [africanworldforum] ooduapathfinder Awo:The Release(3) Awo: The Release(3) I will let my Diary for 3 August speak briefly here. (1) Crossed the prison gate into freedom at 7.56 a.m.(2)Plane took off from Calabar at 8.30 a.m.(3) Arrived Ikeja airport at 9.32 a.m.(4) Saw Gowon at his Headquarters.(5)Returned to Ikenne alone in triumph. At this juncture, it is of interest to narrate the nature of Ironsi’s proposed release as it was disclosed to me after my actual release. The plan was to take me to Ikoyi prison until it was judged safe to set me free. A cell had been prepared for me there which contained extra facilities . If I did not like the place, I could be placed under house arrest at Ikenne. If I wanted to travel abroad, every facility would be afforded me to do so. That was why my intended release was not announced, even though a plane had been dispatched to Calabar to bring me to Lagos. Until negotiation with me on the above lines had been concluded, Ironsi’s team did not want the public to know that I had been transferred back to Ikoyi prison or to my house under house arrest, with my own consent. Read more at ooduapathfinder Catalan authorities appeal against the suspension of self-determination vote but stop direct preparations The Catalan Government and Parliament announced on Tuesday that they will file allegations against the Constitutional Court’s temporary suspension of the Catalan Law on Consultation Votes and the decree calling the 9th of November’s self-determination consultation vote.….. since the temporary suspension already entered into force this Tuesday morning, the Catalan Government has also decided to suspend the institutional campaign to inform citizens about the consultation vote as well as any direct actions for its preparation; to prevent “public employees from being backed into a corner”…… The day after the Constitutional Court decided to temporarily stop the independence consultation vote, citizens have peacefully gathered together in front of each of the 947 town halls throughout Catalonia to protest against the decision made by this Madrid-based body, for which most members are directly appointed by the same party that runs the Spanish Government ……. The left-wing Catalan independence party ERC, which shares a parliamentary stability agreement with the governing CiU, questioned the Court’s “legitimacy” in “deciding what it is deciding. The Secretary General of the social-democrat party, Marta Rovira, stated that “we will continue to defend the democratic and legal mandate that we have”, referring to the results of the last Catalan Parliament elections held in November 2012……..” Read more at ooduapathfinder Let’s turn Brown’s petition back on him So the cat is out of the bag…..So powerless is Brown to implement any of his promises that he has asked us, the Scottish people, to help him by signing a petition. Gordon Brown’s much vaunted pledge of Home Rule was always a con-trick perpetrated on the Scottish electorate…….The Yes campaign has emerged strengthened by the referendum, but small factions within appear unable to accept the result or even acknowledge the opportunities that Darling and Brown’s pre-referendum pledges offer. There have been some who suggest that demands for Darling’s Devo Max promise to be honored should not be pursued, that it’s somehow a betrayal of the independence movement. However they miss the point that it’s precisely this pledge that needs to be brought to the public’s attention. The electorate must be educated as to what Devo Max, or its less well known cousin Home Rule, actually are. The Yes campaign have to define these terms. That way voters will know instantly when neither is delivered. An electorate that is aware they have been duped, is an electorate that won’t be as eager to take Unionists at face value again. The indyref mark II will be a different game altogether.” Read more at ooduapathfinder Divided south Yemen separatists vow to achieve independence Exactly two days after northern Houthi rebels tightened their hold on the Yemeni capital Sana’a on 21 September, a group of retired army officers in the southern port city of Aden declared the birth of a military council…..The council seeks to exploit instability in the north, with the officers announcing the revival of the former state of South Yemen, a key demand for many separatists since 1994…..The council leaders have now called for massive rallies in southern cities including Aden, and say they will organize campaigns of civil disobedience, all with the aim of taking control of these cities and, ultimately, declaring their much sought-after republic……Houthi leader Abdel Malek al-Houthi said that he would stand by the southerners until their grievances are addressed. But he did not say that he would support secession of the south…Tammah responded: “We have nothing to do with what is going in the north. The Houthis want to seize power in the north and our aim is to regain our state [in the south].“…The southerners should know that the ball is their court, and must not expect the northerners to give them their state on a plate,” he said. Read more at ooduapathfinder -- --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups AfricanWorldForum group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to africanworldforum+unsubscribe@googlegroups. To post to this group, send email to africanworldforum@googlegroups. Visit this group at groups.google/group/africanworldforum. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google/d/msgid/africanworldforum/1412145723.82853.YahooMailBasic%40web125602.mail.ne1.yahoo. 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To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google/d/msgid/africanworldforum/1462980613.15152.1412231319207.JavaMail.yahoo%40jws11102g.mail.ir2.yahoo. For more options, visit https://groups.google/d/optout. -- --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups AfricanWorldForum group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to africanworldforum+unsubscribe@googlegroups. To post to this group, send email to africanworldforum@googlegroups. Visit this group at groups.google/group/africanworldforum. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google/d/msgid/africanworldforum/1412280086.76442.YahooMailAndroidMobile%40web125106.mail.ne1.yahoo. 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Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 01:32:42 +0000
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