The Igbo and the Yoruba are jointly responsible for all the negative developments in Nigeria. For as long as the Igbo and the Yoruba go lone-ranging in the Nigerian system, neither party will get what it wants. But the moment the Yoruba and the Igbo play joint venture in Nigerian politics, the Hausa, the Fulani and all the groups in Nigeria, large and small, will begin to celebrate the greatness of Nigeria. Yes, you talk about genesis; I will give factual history without blaming anybody.
In 1952, with (Dr. Nnamdi) Azikiwe taking over from Herbert Macaulay against the Yoruba to run the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, the NCNC won the election into the Western House of Assembly and Zik (Azikiwe) went there to go and become premier. Because they had a comfortable majority, on the day the assembly was inaugurated and things were supposed to be done, Awo (Chief ObafemiAwolowo) and the Yoruba had lobbied the majority of the people, who were elected under the NCNC, to change camps, ‘cross carpet’ to the Action Group.
The result was supposed to be that Azikiwe became the premier of Western Nigeria. But because of that magic of ‘carpet crossing’ which was an anti-Igbo affair, Zik failed to become premier and didn’t want to be irrelevant, and so, decided to go to the East to become premier and he did, causing problem between the Igbo and some of the minorities in the East, who were already given the office of premier. Then, for years, the Igbo continued to ‘carry briefcase’ for the Hausa/Fulani and they were made vice president. The Yoruba were out of government but they had the press. They (Yoruba) worked hard and they were politically sagacious. They understand politics well. But there was this continuing strife: ‘Let’s displace the Yoruba from access to the Hausa. Let’s displace the Igbo from access to the Hausa.’
