by Munonyedi Val
In 1956 there was a country… whose first Mayor in a place
called Enugu was a Fulani man by the name of Mallam Umaru
Altine. He was not appointed but elected TWICE as Mayor.
There was a country which has a place called Port Harcourt.
The people of Port Harcourt elected a man called John Umoru
(from Etsako in today’s Edo State) to represent its
municipality in the Eastern Region House of Assembly.
In 1959 there was a country, a country where when its Eastern
House of Chiefs was constituted a man named Mallam Umaru
Yushau, the Sarkin Hausawa or Chief of the Hausas in
Onitsha, was elected as a member of the Eastern House of
Chiefs.
In 1957 there was a country which has a city called Kano.
Kano celebrated the appointment of one Felix Okonkwo, as a
special member of the Northern House of Chiefs.
In 1950 in a place called Lagos Olorunimbe was the first
Mayor of Lagos with Mboni Ojike as his deputy
In 1952 a man from Ogwashi Ukwu, by the name of Chike
Ekwuiyasi represented Benin West in the Western House of
Assembly
There was a country….What happened to that country?
To the Nigerian youth. Those who knew this country have
deprived you of knowing your history to satisfy their own
selfish needs.
One day we will get back on the passionatly set course to
nationhood, and fix the one that has so sadly derailed.
