“Nattering nabobs of negativism”, this was one of the phrases used by the then administrator of East Central State, Dr. Anthony Ukpabi Asika (1936 – 2004) in 1972 to attack the former President, Dr. Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe (1904 – 1996). The phrase itself was first used by Mr. Spiro Theodore Agnew (1918 -1996), former Vice President of the United States of America, in a speech delivered on November 13, 1969 in Des Moines, Iowa.
The old East Central State is made up of the present Abia, Imo, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi States. The major offence of Dr. Azikiwe then, was to advocate for an increase of 12 states to 22 states and to complain about the neglect of the then East Central state, especially the roads in the state.
Dr. Asika felt offended and launched a tirade of attacks on Azikiwe, calling him “ex this”, “ex that”, who harbor “nattering nabobs of negativism”. Asika died on September 14, 2004 and I accompanied my then boss, Chief Ufot Ekaette, the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to his befitting traditional burial in Onitsha. The phrase no doubt, describes best the nature of things in the states right now.
It was gladdening that the governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, on January 13, was able to pay pensioners and workers in Osun State with N9.5 billion naira up to December last year.
As we celebrate the golden anniversary of states creation on Saturday, May 27 this year, the pertinent questions are, have the objectives of states creation being met? Should we have reverted to regionalism or confederation?
I know of some states that have not paid salaries of workers and judges for the past nine months, not to talk of paying pensioners. On May 27 this year, it will be golden anniversary for states creation by General Yakubu Gowon.
In creating the states, he told the nation in a broadcast on November 30, 1966, that “I wish to make it clear to the nation that I have no vested interest in the creation of any particular state. But there is no doubt that without a definite commitment on the states question, normalcy and freedom from fear of domination by one region or the other cannot be achieved.
“The principles for the creation of new states will be: (i) no one state should be in a position to dominate or control the central government; (ii) each state should form one compact geographical area; (iii) administrative convenience, the facts of history, and the wishes of the people concerned must be taken into account; (iv) each state should be in a position to discharge effectively the functions allocated to regional governments; (v) it is also essential that the new states should be created simultaneously.”
He then named 12 governors for the 12 states he created at that time. They included BrigadierGeneral Mobolaji Johnson (81), first Ggovernor of Lagos State.
Johnson’s administration was responsible for the demolition and disinterment of people buried at Ajele Cemetary in Campus area in Lagos Island, such as Samuel Ajayi Crowther, James Pinson Labulo Davies, Madam Tinubu, Thomas Babington Macaulay, and many others. The demolition met with a lot of criticisms.
Brigadier-General David Bamigboye (76) was the pioneer governor of Kwara State. His classmates then were General Alani Akinrinade (77), General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (78), Major-General Samuel Ogbemudia, MajorGeneral Emmanuel Abisoye (76) and Brigadier-General Godwin Alabi- Isama (76).
A zoologist, police commissioner Joseph Gomwalk (1935 – 1976) was the first military governor of Benue-Plateau State. He was Ngas from Ampang in the present Kanke Local Government of Plateau state.
Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo (88) was the pioneer governor of the Western State. He joined the army in 1953 and by 1957, was already a regiment signal officer. His son, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo (58) was elected the first civilian governor of Ekiti State in 1999.
Commander Alfred DieteSpiff (75) was the first military governor of Rivers State. He was 25 when he was appointed governor. At present, DietteSpiff is the Amayanabo (King) of Twon-Brass, Bayelsa State.
General Abba Kyari (79) was the first military governor of North Central state. After retiring, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the First Bank of Nigeria, Standard Alliance Insurance and Merchant Bank of Commerce.
General Kyari is of no relation to the present Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari. Alhaji Usman Farouk (82) was the first military governor of the North Western State.
In a 2006 press interview, he said that the poor pay and equipment of the police could not be justified and was the cause of the state of insecurity in the country. In July 2009, his sixth son, Police Superintendent Abdulaziz Farouk, was killed during violence in Maiduguri, triggered by the Boko Haram Islamist sect.
Brigadier Udoakaha Jacob Esuene (1936 – 1996) was the first military governor of South Eastern State, which is made up of Cross Rivers and Akwa Ibom states today. A stadium is named after him in Calabar. Brigadier Musa Usman was the first military governor of the North East State.
He died on September 19, 1991 at the age of 50. North Eastern state now consists of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states. General Ogbemudia (82) was the first governor of Bendel State. Bendel State now consists of Edo and Delta states. He was later elected governor of Bendel state in 1983.
Alhaji Audu Bako (1924 – 1980) was the first military governor of Kano State. After his death early in 1980, the Tiga irrigation dam, built during his governorship, was renamed the Audu Bako Dam.
Following his retirement in 1975, he began farming and died at a farm he had in Sokoto State, leaving a widow and 11 children including, Dr. Lawal Bako, a doctor, and Hajiya Fatima Yusuf Imam Wara.
As we celebrate the golden anniversary of the states created on Saturday, May 27 this year, the pertinent questions are, have the objectives of states creation being met?
Should we have reverted to regionalism or confederation? We seem not to be getting it right these days as a nation. With inflation on the rise, daily kidnapping everywhere, religious intolerance on the increase, competition and rivalry among the tribes, no restructure in sight, operating a costly presidential constitution, anxiety and discomfort in many homes, no light, insecurity everywhere, no good roads, no pipe borne water, no national objectives and with Boko Haram refusing to be tamed, suspicion and division among us, paucity of funds, recession worsening, no other phrase could be applied on Nigeria today than the phrase of Dr. Asika – Nattering nabobs of negativism.
