Remarks By Wada Nas at the foundation laying Ceremony of Igbo House, Kano

Protocol

 It is with a great pleasure that I accepted the invitation to be present here with my Ndigbo brothers and sisters and their well-wishers. For me, it is a great moment of the past playing itself presently.

I very much cherish the presence of His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Dr Ado Bayero, a man who has always stood by fairness and justice. As a member of the defunct NEPU, I can testify before this audience today that, as the Chief of NA Police, Dr Ado Bayero did his utmost best to ensure fairness and justice to the followers of the party in spite of pressures from certain quarters. He is a great personality imbued with considerable human kindness. All of us here know the commendable role he has been playing to ensure peace in his domain.

In him, therefore, our Igbo brothers and sisters resident in Kano have a father whom they could always look up to. I really don’t know when the first Igboman set his foot in Kano. For sure, it must have been a long time ago. Both the Igbo and their Kanawa hosts are enterprising commercial people. In this regard, contacts between them date back into history; especially that Kano has been the center of commerce in this part of the country. The two therefore have been long standing friends and ought to remain so as human beings equal in the sight of Allah.

The Igbos demonstrated the spirit of brotherhood when, during the colonial era, one Alhaji Altine, a Hausaman from Katsina, was twice elected chairman of Enugu council, first on the ticket of the NCNC and later as an independent candidate. Through the accommodating spirit of the lgbos, they ditched their fellow Ighos and voted for him. This is a lesson for Nigerians. They saw Alhaji Altine not as a northerner but a Nigerian with equal rights wherever he lives.

I also want us to remember that the NCNC did a lot to ensure that Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa became the first prime minister of the independent Nigeria. When the 1959 federal elections did not produce a winner that could form a government, Chief Obafemi Awolowo of blessed memory offered Dr Nnamdi.. Azikiwe the prime ministership in an AG-NCNC alliance.

The Igbos, who formed the majority of the NCNC members, would have grabbed the opportunity but with their usual accommodating spirit, they reasoned that since the NPC had majority members, it would be unfair to deny them the opportunity of producing the first prime minister, even as this was not in the interest of the Igbos. Thus, instead of accepting the AG offer, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe accepted the NPC offer, which gave him the post of the governor-general and later ceremonial president under an NCNC-NPC coalition. This was quite remarkable.

During the Second Republic, the NPP then dominated by the Igbos, rallied support to stabilize the Shagari administration in an NPN-NPP working alliance, thus demonstrating once more their spirit of accommodation and brotherhood.

During the Babangida transition, although there were Igbos who contested on the platform of both the SDP and the NRC, it was remarkable that the choice of the Igbos were Adamu Ciroma and Umar Shinkafi in the NRC and Shehu Yar’Adua in the SDP, all northerners and Muslims; while the Igbos are Christians. Neither tribalism nor religion blinded them in making their choice. This noble demonstration is a lesson for all of us in the politics of principles as against that of religion, tribe or region.

Effective from the Babangida transition, the Igbos have been voting along the same line as northerners. This is why I have been saying that the best political friend of the north is the east and this dates back to the pre-independence era, perhaps, as far back as 1954. It is for this same reason also that I have been saying that the north has a historical obligation to the east. Two excellent friends have no business to fall apart after so many years of courtship and over matters they could dialogue and come out with a common position. On no account must the north allow this mutual relationship to diffuse and vice versa. The first root of north-east friendship was first planted here in Kano when NEPU, under the leadership of Mallam Aminu Kano, went into an alliance with the NCNC. It was in that spirit that Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe set up one of his newspapers here,

The Comet, which was effectively used by NEPU. In a way therefore, the Igbos gave NEPU a voice of its own through that paper.

In appreciation during the sad events of 1966-70, Mallam Aminu Kano, along with others, initiated a scheme, which took custody of all Igbo property left behind. Rents from such houses were preserved in banks and when their owners returned, their property and rents were all handed over to them. This was the situation in the whole region. It was only in Jos that one individual who wasn’t a northerner wanted to cheat, but he was never allowed to do so. This was why there was never any case of abandoned property in the north.

I am making mention of these to bring to light the type of friendship and understanding that has existed between the north and the east, which we should build on for the benefit of the people of the regions and Nigeria as a whole.

This explains why I get disturbed when some elements from the regions haul verbal insults against each other. When someone spoke ill against the Igbos on a radio programme not quite long ago, I took the pain to reply to him. I have also read verbal war drums against the north by a few Igbo elements, which I think is absolutely unwarranted. Friendship can never be sustained through insults, hate, rumour mongering and name-callings; nor could you secure the support of a person you constantly insult. Northerners and easterners should therefore ceasefire in this regard and always learn to cultivate the spirit of friendship and brotherhood no matter the political and other differences.

The occasion which we are witnessing today is once more a testimony of the Igbos’ belief in the unity of Nigeria and also their trust in the people of Kano. It is a mark of their belief that every part of Nigeria is home and fertile for investment.

I once remarked that the Igbos have human structures in all parts of the country enough to strengthen and build bridges of friendship based on trust, equity and justice. I see this project as one of such moves to utilise these structures and should therefore embark on same in all parts of the country. The initiators of the scheme therefore deserve commendation for their foresight and patriotism.

I want to call on the people of Kano to see the Igbos as their brothers with whom they have been together since long time in history. Always bear in mind that as there are Igbos here, so also northerners in Igboland. Both sides should therefore ensure cordial relationship for the peace, harmony and unity of the country.

It may not be out of place to call for the formation of North-East Forum in all parts of the country, having cells in council areas where people from the two regions meet from time to the to iron out differences and harmonise strategies for the common good of the country.

I strongly believe that this will secure sense of peaceful co-existence between the people of the areas and also the unity of the country. There nothing more important than peace except life, and when peace does not exist, we hardly can talk about life and human existence.

Finally, let me once more thank the organisers of this forum for offering me the opportunity to address this gathering. I thank you all. May Allah take you safely back to your houses.

 November, 2004