By Prisca Sam-Duru
LAGOS — ELDER statesman and President of Ndigbo Lagos, Professor Anya O. Anya, yesterday, declared that Nigeria is not yet a nation but that a nation will emerge out of her soon.
Anya made the statement at Sam Ohuabunwa’s Outreach, in Lagos, to mark the 65th birthday of Ohuabunwa, former chairman of Neimeth Pharmaceuticals.
The event was also to launch Ohuabunwa’s books, Sam Ohuabunwa’s Paradigm: Thoughts on Contemporary National Issues and The Port Harcourt Volunteer.
The professor, who chaired the occasion, said it was sad that Nigerians are not learning from history, averring that the much-criticized immediate past administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan was better than that of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He said Ohuabunwa is one personality that embodies true stewardship and recognizes the values of a Christian, saying the country will be a better place if we learn the importance of true stewardship from people like the celebrant.
His words: “Sam has done an important thing by writing the books. I was privileged to write the foreword of Sam’s previous books. But the unique thing about today is that one of the books we are launching captures his experience during a particular time in our nation’s history.
“Unfortunately, we don’t write books enough and because of this, our nation does not have the opportunity to reflect on what has happened in the past and learn lessons from it. It is out of a people’s experience that you can write history. A nation that cannot learn from history cannot make the kind of progress that we expect.
“Once upon a time, history was a very important subject in the Nigerian education system, it got to a point when history is no longer there. If we don’t learn to stand on the shoulders of those who went before us, we cannot build as an individual, you cannot build as a community and as a nation.
“When you listen to our people, especially the politicians, it is as if we have learned nothing. God has been very kind to this country. It is not easy to see whether there is any common value that Nigerian leaders have which is why today you hear one thing and the next day, you hear the opposite.
We don’t have a nation
“The problem now is that we are now trying to build a nation. We don’t have a nation but whether we like it or not, a nation is going to emerge out of Nigeria. And it is going to be from the contributions of Sam and all of us putting our individual experiences on the table and drawing lessons and teaching the lessons to others.
“When people put down their experiences, it keeps others informed and when you collect them, it gives you an idea of the society’s experience and from there, you can write the history of that nation. A nation without a history cannot learn lessons and build on those lessons, and the nation will be in trouble.
“This is what is happening to Nigeria today. A great nation is built by succession of generation of giants. Each generation of giants stand on the shoulders of past giants and the nation moves forward.
“Unfortunately in Nigeria, we are all in a haste to pronounce opinion and we take opinion as if it is the truth. The past government has been heavily criticized but this past government was not worse than the government before it. In fact, the immediate past government was better than the one before it. Sadly, those criticizing past government are those who were in Obasanjo’s government.”
The review
In his review of The Port Harcourt Volunteer, Prof Jemie Onwuchekwa said the “book encapsulates the two and half years story of horror, told by a teenage soldier on the Biafran side. When we see pictures of child soldiers with machine guns, in war-torn countries in the continent, we usually think of Sudan, Sierra Loene etc, we fail to remember that it also happened right here in Nigeria. The author was a teenage soldier that witnessed all the gun fires, starvation and explosions that consumed over two million people but survived and toiled through to living a very successful life.”
He described the book as a material that is hard to put down, adding that “the author believes that the war could have been avoided if Gowon had stood firm on the Aburi Accord, which could have dismantled Aguiyi Ironsi’s military command…”
Prof Ayo Olukotun while reviewing Sam Ohuabunwa’s Paradigm: Thoughts on Contemporary National Issues, said that the book collates 55 chapters of weekly interventions published in newspapers by the author, which brings us to the author’s dream of a reinvented Nigeria. He congratulated him for serving Nigerians and posterity.
Former Governor of Anambra State, Sir Peter Obi, described the author as “someone who has lived a life worthy of emulation and contributed in building a better society.
He said: “The problem with Nigeria is that those who have not created wealth manage the wealth of the people who created it. If you have to allow some people to manage public resources, then we ought to know whether they have been able to manage their own resources. It is a global thing. People who manage resources must have created or managed their own otherwise there will be problem.’’
I write to send a message—Author
Responding, Ohuabunwa said: “I write because God gives me the inspiration to do so and I write to send a message. Every book I write has an audience.
“The Port Harcourt Volunteer is about my experience during the Biafran war and I thought that I should write on this because with the way the nation is going, it looks like we have forgotten about the war. And so much mistakes have been made.
“So, this is to remind ourselves that we have passed through this path, lost almost three million people, national wealth and we do not want to walk through that road again. We need to speak about what to do to strengthen Nigeria’s unity.
“Every four years it looks like we will break up. We must make our contributions now that we have a new government, to learn from what has happened, make our contributions so that Nigerians and the government can be guided.
“The major problem is that we are running a country in which everybody does not feel like they belong to, some people are marginalized deliberately or inadvertently, maltreated and there is injustice.”
Those at the event included Prof Adebayo Williams, Dr Christopher Kolade, Mrs Stella Okoli, Jimi Agbaje, Prof. Ibidapo Obe, Jimoh Ibrahim, Bishop James Odedeji, Arch Bishop of Lagos West Anglican Church, members of Pharmaceutical Associations, captains of industry.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/jonathans-govt-better-than-obasanjos-anya/

Everybody knows thats not true...its only your Ndigbo people that'll agree to this...

It is very much true, it's just the issue of marginalization.... If Jonathan were to be not from a minority ethnic group, he would have gone for a second tenure...

Noted...

One ran the country ragged than the other. Thats what you should have said sir.

Mod why una dey Ban me from creating topic.. Lawa for you oh.

Lalasticlala, Ishilove

Every reasonable Nigerian knows that.. Its just the slaves that wouldn't agree to that.

Obasanjo is the most corrupt man alive and deserves to be stoned to death.

He kept Nigeria in the mess we are in today..

GOD bless the father of Democracy Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

Anya is a Biafran eddiot if truly he made such statement
These Biafrans are just so phholishh and pathetic.

otabuko:
It is very much true, it's just the issue of marginalization.... If Jonathan were to be not from a minority ethnic group, he would have gone for a second tenure...

If President Buhari performs as woeful as President Jonathan, he will be voted out. The issue of Minority is a miscalculated notion

yes in looting and corruption

.

Under Jonathan, the middle class grew in numbers never seen in the history of this country. . Just a month after he left, Nigerias earnings from non oil exports, overtook earnings from oil. Under him, Nigeria became the favourite deztination for FDIs in Africa and amongst the top emerging economies worldwide. The auto policy under Jonathan led to Nigerias inclusion as a car manufacturing cuntry. . Freedom of the press, free and fair election, revamping of the refineries and airports and ewual and fair distribution of government appointments and largesse. . It is an insult to put jonas name on the same sentence with that Ottah blood sucker

Mynd44:

If President Buhari performs as woeful as President Jonathan, he will be voted out. The issue of Minority is a miscalculated notion

OBJ got a second tenure! When we say woefully here, what do we mean, the both who did better?

Jonathan is d worst president Nigeria has ever produced
even the insane knows dat. dat was y he was d first president dat was disgraced out of office despite maximum rigging of election

#NEVERAGAIN shall we vote for dat kind of leader

I totally agree with him. What Nigerias failed to understandeas OBJ is Oga of corruption.

Not if not for the passage of FOI bill most of us will not know what goes around and within the government.

This is what the likes of OBJ,Tinubu,some gov. Including fashola didn't want the passage.

Nigerians be wise

ifyan:
I totally agree with him. What Nigerias failed to understandeas OBJ is Oga of corruption.

Not if not for the passage of FOI bill most of us will not know what goes around and within the government.

This is what the likes of OBJ,Tinubu,some gov. Including fashola didn't want the passage.

Nigerians be wise

Well said Obasanjo was the most useless president we have ever had

owobokiri:
Under Jonathan, the middle class grew in numbers never seen in the history of this country. . Just a month after he left, Nigerias earnings from non oil exports, overtook earnings from oil. Under him, Nigeria became the favourite deztination for FDIs in Africa and amongst the top emerging economies worldwide. The auto policy under Jonathan led to Nigerias inclusion as a car manufacturing cuntry. . Freedom of the press, free and fair election, revamping of the refineries and airports and ewual and fair distribution of government appointments and largesse. . It is an insult to put jonas name on the same sentence with that Ottah blood sucker

One of GEJ failure was not satisfying every ogad

Mynd44:

If President Buhari performs as woeful as President Jonathan, he will be voted out. The issue of Minority is a miscalculated notion

Bros that is the koko of the matter Obasanjo's regime was very useless but his kinsmen keep painting it as an Eldorado. GEJ is only been vilified because he came from a minority tribe. If not for the igbos that stood behind him,I wonder what would have happened.

gej was the most criticized president in this Nigeria and obj was the most greedy president. both of them have high level of corruption in their blood. they both had security issues to tackle in their era..

They are in the same level

otabuko:
OBJ got a second tenure! When we say woefully here, what do we mean, the both who did better?

President Obasanjo did not have opposition this strong neither did he contest when the nation was this politically aware

President Obasanjo might be corrupt but he did not institutionalize corruption and make it seem like his administration condoled it.

President Obasanjo did not sit around while a terrorist group killed over 10,000 people and kidnapped a region of the country as big as Belgium

President Obasanjo did not make Nigeria a disgrace in the international community.

President Obasanjo did not attempt to play ethno-religious politics

President Obadanjo was in charge of his cabinet.

chukwudi44:


Bros that is the koko of the matter Obasanjo's regime was very useless but his kinsmen keep painting it as an Eldorado. GEJ is only been vilified because he came from a minority tribe. If not for the igbos that stood behind him,I wonder what would have happened.

President Obasanjo's biggest critics came from the SW so please don't even try to go there.

President Jonathan is a minority and not liked yet a greater percentage of those that campaigned and marched for him to be sworn in as acting president after the death of President Yar'Adua were from this "majority"

I wonder why you people like to think everyone else have forgotten history because in 2011, these people who you say were against President because he is from the minority actually voted for him in 2011

In reverse order

chukwudi44:

Bros that is the koko of the matter Obasanjo's regime was very useless but his kinsmen keep painting it as an Eldorado. GEJ is only been vilified because he came from a minority tribe. If not for the igbos that stood behind him,I wonder what would have happened.

which planet are you from? please tell us which tribe criticized OBJ government most

Mynd44:

If President Buhari performs as woeful as President Jonathan, he will be voted out. The issue of Minority is a miscalculated notion

You're either a joker or a learner.


Whether Buhari performs well or not, the northerners will resist voting him out with their last blood and you in particular cannot withstand that. Forget about typing what you wish on nairaland.


Why didn't you vote out Balewa in 1964? Why didn't you vote out Shagari in 1983? Why didn't you force Babangida out in spite of the mess in 1980's and early 90's? Why didn't you force Abacha out?


If you don't know, northerners don't believe that their sons don't rule well. They have a way of making you agree with that. Of course you don't have a choice.


The issue of not doing well is always heard loudest among southern leaders. Right now, how many northerners have been dragged to EFCC? Lamido's case we all know how he openly opposed Buhari and that is why he is paying for it. Nyarko's case is clinically dead.


I pray Buhari does well because whether he performs well or not, southerners have no power to change government in Nigeria. After all southerners are not united unlike the northerners where a Benue man ( north central) believes a Sokoto man ( north west) is his brother.

This man is talking trash.... It is audible to deaf and visible to the blind that GEJ's government is the worst government in the history of Nigeria. Nonsense Goat and Yam theory regime.

Mynd44:

If President Buhari performs as woeful as President Jonathan, he will be voted out. The issue of Minority is a miscalculated notion

Lol...voted out by who? Assuming he even allows a clean election, how will you get the numbers to vote him out if the north stand behind their own? But he won't even allow you the luxury of clean election as he has already made his in-law the INEC chairman

Sincere9gerian:

Lol...voted out by who? Assuming he even allows a clean election, how will you get the numbers to vote him out if the north stand behind their own? But he won't even allow you the benefit of clean election as he has already made his in-law the INEC chairman

In 2011 was the North behind President Buhari? Did he win?

Mynd44:

President Obasanjo did not have opposition this strong neither did he contest when the nation was this politically aware

President Obasanjo might be corrupt but he did not institutionalize corruption and make it seem like his administration condoled it.

President Obasanjo did not sit around while a terrorist group killed over 10,000 people and kidnapped a region of the country as big as Belgium

President Obasanjo did not make Nigeria a disgrace in the international community.

President Obasanjo did not attempt to play ethno-religious politics

President Obadanjo was in charge of his cabinet.

Obasanjo was very corrupt and abused critical institutions like the EFCC,INEC etc.Elections were not conducted as results were written in hotel rooms. That man was a disgrace to the very institution of government

Mynd44:

In 2011 was the North behind President Buhari? Did he win?

Did GEJ win in the north? Are you just coming back from mars?

Mynd44:

In 2011 was the North behind President Buhari? Did he win?

Let's watch and see, God keeping us all alive. whether buhari performs or not, he'll get a second term. and even after the second term, he'll hand over to an anointed successor. you can take that to the bank. there's nothing you can do about that

Subsidy payments rose from N200 billion under Yaradua to N3 trillion under Jonathan.

That was just the beginning.

Under Jonathan, the sudden increase in private jets was seen as a sign of a prosperous nation meanwhile, the corrupt class just exploded in numbers.

The record oil bunkering and oil theft cases were encouraged by the new support they had from the presidency (stealing is not corruption),

The fight against boko Haram was crippled due to increase corruption.

Mynd44:


President Obasanjo's biggest critics came from the SW so please don't even try to go there.

President Jonathan is a minority and not liked yet a greater percentage of those that campaigned and marched for him to be sworn in as acting president after the death of President Yar'Adua were from this "majority"

I wonder why you people like to think everyone else have forgotten history because in 2011, these people who you say were against President because he is from the minority actually voted for him in 2011

Make I hear word jare!!! Critics like Tinubu who threatened to ban Arthur Nzeribe from coming to Lagos for moving impeachment motion against Obasanjo.

In the words of Tinubu then " Do not come to Lagos, I cannot guarantee your safety".

chukwudi44:

Did GEJ win in the north? Are you just coming back from mars?

Which brings the question of did President Buhari win in the south in 2011? Did that result change in the SE and SS in 2015?