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The historical reasons why I strongly support Tinubu – Omokri

Published

10 months ago

February 4, 2025

Reno Omokri

The historical reasons why I strongly support Tinubu – Omokri

Nigeria gained Independence on October 1, 1960, and, almost like in a fairytale, lived happily ever after in an idyllic union.

Until the coup of January 15, 1966, in which several of our best leaders were killed.

There were initial nationwide celebrations until the dust had settled and the rest of the nation realised that the Igbo coup plotters did not kill their own leaders.

And when an elected Northern Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa, was killed by Igbo soldiers and replaced by an Igbo General, instated of the next ranking member of parliament from the ruling Northern Peoples Congress (which would have been Zanna Bukar Dipcharima), protests broke out.

Sadly, Ironsi surrounded himself with only Igbo advisers, including Chief Francis Nwokedi, Dr. Pius Okigbo, and Colonel Patrick Anwunah. Calls for him to appoint at least one token non-Igbo were brushed aside.

Mr. Ironsi then promulgated Decree Number 34 on May 24, 1966, which ended regionalism and seized all resources, including oil. All resources previously belong to the regions.

Other members of the Supreme Military Council alleged that Ironsi did not consult them before promulgating the decree.

That decree ignited the counter-coup of July 29, 1966, during which Ironsi was killed and replaced with Lt. Colonel Yakubu Gowon.

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All Military Governors accepted him except Ojukwu. Eventually, the then Ghanaian military leader, General Ankrah, invited Gowon and Ojukwu for a peace meeting in Aburi, Ghana, between January 4-5, 1967. Agreements were reached, including that Gowon would broadcast first, AFTER CONSULTATIONS, followed by Ojukwu.

However, upon return, Ojukwu made his broadcast first, which shocked other regions and jeopardised Gowon.

Below are excerpts from a declassified cable by the U.S. State Department in Washington to the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, sent on March 3, 1967, at 5:13 PM:

“Ojukwu’s provocative broadcast, release of Aburi documents in Lagos and broadcast of Aburi tape recording in Enugu have heightened Department’s concern.

Re Gowon’s appeal of March 1, Dept. concurs in UK view that our response should be in general terms. We would prefer, however, that US response be oral and informal (Lagos 6714)3 particularly since we unwilling respond affirmatively to all Gowon’s requests and he apparently prepared accept oral response (Lagos 6586 para 3 A). Believe Ambassador Mathews’ expected meeting with Gowon on March 4 appropriate occasion and consequently we would wish to give him urgent instructions.”

If you are interested in the entire cable, you can read it on the Office of the Historian of the United States website.

if Ojukwu had proclaimed Biafra with only territories belonging to Igbos, then it might have still been possible to avoid war. But by seceding with the entire Eastern Region, Ojukwu made war inevitable.

My support for President Tinubu is because he is the first Nigerian President to try to bring Nigeria to that utopian state we were before the January 15, 1966 coup.

One of the cardinal principles of President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda was his promise to reform Nigeria by devolving power to the lower levels of government.

We have seen the first fruition of that promise with Local Government autonomy achieved via the Supreme Court on Thursday, July 11, 2024.

Next month, Local Governments will receive funding directly without going through state Governors.

And by the time the Tax Reform Bill passes into law, Nigeria will begin to look more like the idyllic pre January 15, 1966 paradise it was before the serpents, Majors Ifeajuna and Nzeogwu, cast us out of the Garden of Eden.

For the first time since Ironsi’s Unification of Assets decree, we are gradually seeing a return to true Federalism. Leading me to see President Tinubu the father of modern Nigeria.

This is beginning to look like the Nigeria we agreed with the British to have as a country.

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Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid

Published

7 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Trends Admin

File photo

Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid

Chairman of Sabon Birni Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Ayuba Hashimu, has dismissed viral reports alleging that bandits attacked a mosque in the council area, killing an Imam and several worshippers.

Some online platforms had circulated claims that armed bandits stormed a mosque in Sabon Birni, murdered the Imam and congregants, and abducted others.
However, Hashimu, speaking by telephone, described the reports as entirely false.

“I don’t know any mosque that was attacked, not to talk of killing of an Imam and worshippers. The story is false,” he stated.

A member of the state legislature representing the area, Hon. Aminu Boza, also debunked the claims, insisting that no mosque attack occurred on Saturday.

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“I don’t know how they got their story, but it is not true. No mosque was attacked by bandits,” he said.

While officials denied the alleged mosque incident, a separate early morning assault on Gatawa town within the same LGA resulted in five deaths and left one person critically injured.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Daily Trust that six people — including two married women, two teenage girls and two young boys — were abducted by attackers suspected to be bandits.

“The bandits invaded our community around 1:30 a.m. and started shooting sporadically. Our vigilantes engaged them, but four of them paid the supreme price on the spot. Two others sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to the hospital, but one later died,” the resident said.

He added that the attackers also stole livestock as they fled.
“We heard them exchanging fire with security agents, but none of the abducted persons was rescued,” he recounted.

Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid

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FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools

Published

7 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Trends Admin

Almajiri school

FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools

The Federal Government has commenced the official recovery of 157 model Almajiri schools built during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, in a renewed push to overhaul Almajiri education across the country.

The move was confirmed by Nura Muhammad, spokesperson for the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE), during an interview in Abuja on Sunday. He described the recovery process as a crucial step toward fully revamping and institutionalising Almajiri education.

Muhammad explained that the effort follows the establishment of a legally backed national body now responsible for all Almajiri-related programmes — a structure he said was missing during earlier reform attempts.

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While commending former President Jonathan for constructing the schools, which he described as “a noble and well-intentioned stride toward modernising the system,” Muhammad noted that the previous initiative struggled due to weak policy implementation, including inadequate engagement with Alarammas, the traditional Qur’anic teachers who play a central role in the Almajiri system.

He added that the lack of a strong institutional framework — with the project operating only as an initiative under the Federal Ministry of Education — contributed to its challenges.

According to him, the Commission is now strengthened by law and guided by the newly adopted National Policy on Almajiri Education, positioning it to deliver sustainable reforms.

Muhammad expressed confidence that harmful practices linked to the Almajiri system would be addressed, emphasising that all recovered schools would soon be fully under the Commission’s control and rehabilitated to serve their original purpose.

FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools

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Delta State Police Arrest Suspects in Killing of Retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu

Published

13 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Trends Admin

Justice Ifeoma Okogwu

Delta State Police Arrest Suspects in Killing of Retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu

The Delta State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the murder of retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu in Anambra State, arresting key suspects linked to the case.

Spokesperson SP Bright Edafe disclosed on Sunday that operatives of the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), acting on credible intelligence, apprehended 25-year-old security guard Godwin Mngumi on 6 December 2025. Mngumi allegedly murdered the retired judge, and authorities also recovered the deceased’s mobile phone from him.

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According to Edafe, Mngumi confessed to inviting a friend, Nnaji Obalum, and another accomplice — who remains at large — to the residence where the crime was committed. Obalum has since been arrested, while a manhunt continues for the third suspect.

The arrests mark a major step forward in the effort to bring all perpetrators of the high-profile murder to justice.