Happy Independence Day To The Land Of The Two Horses

As Nigeria celebrates its independence today from the shackles and manacles of colonialism and slavery, I tend to remember the founding father, Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe. He is of special interest to me because he mentored my African Icon, Kwame Nkrumah. A young Kwame Nkrumah highlighted the fact that his spirit of nationalism was kept alive and kicking by the articles of one Nigerian from Onitsha called Nnamdi Azikiwe. He made a lasting impression on Nkrumah when the latter witnessed him address a meeting of Gold Coast Teachers’ Association in the 1930s. Nkrumah determined more than ever to go to America and study because of Azikiwe (who was then a graduate from an American University).

When Nkrumah was leaving to the States to study, he received a telegram aboard the vessel Apapa at Takoradi containing Azikiwe message which stated: “Goodbye. Remember to trust in God and yourself.” Nkrumah hinted that “these few words, so well timed, at once cheered him.” That was a solid message by the man who could have built a Pan-Nigeria free from the troubles of deep-rooted tribalism but for the ‘foolish’ actions of Chief Obafemi Awolowo as lamented by Chinua Achebe in his essay “The Trouble with Nigeria."

Nnamdi Azikiwe propounded Zikism which sort to project the African into the limelight. It states that “the realization of New Africa can only be possible by the African cultivating spiritual balance, which leads to the practicalization of social regeneration, to realizing economic determination, becoming mentally emancipated, and ushering in a political resurgence.”

This is what Ibrahim Babangida, a former Head of State of Nigeria had to say about him: "Zik (as he was called) believed in a nation in which people are free to practice their faith without losing faith in our common patrimony, a nation of proud men and women able to hold their heads high among humanity because as Africans they possess a certain dignity.

At the tactical level, his belief in compromise meant that he survived major political battles in order to fight the next battle.

With regard to the evolution of democracy in our country, our present experience can benefit immensely from politics as it was played by Zik and his contemporaries. In this regard, one thing that marks out men like Zik … is that they believe in something. Their political activities were informed by certain core values which subsequently grew into a body of beliefs which largely inspired their politics. Those who followed them understood that they had to abide by those beliefs. In other words, the politics of ideals and ideas were the guiding principles of our founding fathers.

In the case of the great Zik, it became fashionable among his adherents and supporters to be a Zikist. But interestingly, Zikism was not synonymous with an ethnic ideology nor did it a divisive cause. Instead, Zikism was more an ideology for African renascence emphasizing the restoration of the dignity of the black man after centuries of colonial imposition and exploitation.

It sought to empower the black man in general and the Nigerian in particular to attain great heights especially in the pursuit of knowledge which, for Zik, was critical to the emancipation of the black man. Yet Zikism did not degenerate to the level of a theology for a personality cult. This in fact is one of the refreshing and intriguing facets of Zik's political legacy."

In 1959, when Nkrumah as a Prime Minister then visited Nigeria and reached the Eastern House of Assembly at Enugu, Nnamdi Azikiwe honored Nkrumah and made a very powerful speech on that occasion. He stated “ it is a very special pleasure to us, because Dr Nkrumah is not merely the Prime Minister of Ghana, but is an outstanding pioneer in the fight for the freedom of a sister nation in West Africa. We who are battle-scarred and are now on the verge of attaining our statehood and who eagerly await the great day, 1st October, 1960, when, God willing, our dreams shall be realized, have been especially emboldened by the tenacity of purpose of Dr Nkrumah and his immortal comrades to make Ghana free. Indeed, Ghana’s independence is the successful accomplishment of their lives’ mission.” He continued in later paragraphs “Mr. Speaker, permit me to add a personal note in this address of welcome to my old friends. It gives me a personal pleasure that is indescribable to have Dr Nkrumah with us in our House of Assembly and to have him designated Prime Minister of Ghana. I remember so well the days, nearly twenty-five years ago, when, in spite of handicaps, many nationalists aspired and struggled together in order to win freedom for the country which used to be called the Gold Coast. I was then a new arrival at Accra and an energetic journalist in charge of the African Morning Post, whose motto was: ‘Independent in all things and neutral in nothing affecting the destiny of Africa.’

Those were the days when party politics, even at their inchoate stage, reached a crisis at Accra, and for the first time in the history of Gold Coast politics, the Ratepayers’ Association, composed mainly of the aristocrats, intellectuals and the landed gentry, was decisively defeated by the Mambii Party, the common peoples’ party. That was during the 1935 municipal election to the Legislative Council. It was not long before I found myself in the warm embrace of the Sedition Ordinance: I and another nationalist, Mr. I. T. A. Wallace Johnson of Sierra Leone, were the first to experience a baptism of fire at a criminal trial under this most unpopular law. It is all history now, it is true, but I can still see the gleam of hope and the dream of greatness which flashed in the eyes of a young ‘merchant of light’ who left us in Accra in to study in the United States and later covered himself with academic and political honors to the glory of his country and our race. He is now a fellow alumnus and a fraternity brother. On behalf of my Government and the eight million people who inhabit Eastern Nigeria, I salute him as one who has proved himself a victor after many bitter political campaigns, and I congratulate him as the first Prime Minister of the first sovereign and independent State in West Africa to emancipate itself from colonial tutelage.”

Happy Independence Day to the land of the two horses.

Happy Independence Day to Nigeria.
Okoromaazi@gmail.com
Inusah Mohammed
NB: The Writer is a Youth Activist and a Student of Knowledge.

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