SIR: When politics in Nigeria is mentioned, the likes of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Abubakar Balewa cannot be forgotten in haste. Nigeria was scheduled for independence from Britain in 1960, and three main political parties ran in the preparatory elections in 1959.
The National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) had control of the Eastern Region (Igbo) led by Nnamdi Azikiwe; the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) had control of the Northern Region (Hausa-Fulani), led by Ahmadu Bello and the Action Group (AG) had control of the Western Region (Yoruba), led by Obafemi Awolowo.
When no party won a majority during the 1959 elections, the NPC combined with the NCNC to form a government, and when independence arrived in 1960, Abubakar Balewa was made the Prime Minister, and Nnamdi Azikiwe was appointed Governor-General.
When Nigeria became a republic in 1963, Nnamdi Azikiwe was elected President of the Federal Republic, and Balewa remained as Prime Minister. However, there was great controversy over the 1963 population census, which the Igbo thought overestimated the number of Hausa-Fulani in order to give the Northern Region more representation in the federal parliament. The NCNC split with the NPC and joined with a splinter of the Action Group led by Obafemi Awolowo to form the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) while the NPC led a coalition with Akintola’s faction of the old AG to form the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) and alot of other issues culminated and led to what we call todays ‘Democracy’.
However, the nature of politics played in today’s democracy cannot be compared with what we had during the times of our founding fathers. Personal issues and interests were never placed against the interest of the general masses. There was respect for one another; little was known about politics being played along cultural,religious and tribal lines but focused on a common goal which was to have a better Nigeria for all.
It is sad that in recent times, alot has happened in the political landscape. There are divides from religion, tribal and cultural caused by political affiliations. Politicians who are supposedly role models find it so pleasant to use derogatory and unguarded utterances in their speeches against their political opponents to get cheap popularity relegating to the background, speeches that are purely anchored on ideologies capable of transcending these speeches to tangible votes.
Lives and properties are lost in the course of this politics of bitterness which is nothing but described as very unhealthy for our democracy. It beholds on us all to kick against this kind of politics before it metamorphoses to a more dangerous one.
- Thomas Terungwa-Kumba,
Galadimawa, Abuja.
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