EACH time a national icon like Chief Anthony Eromosele Enahoro passes on, the country descends into convoluted mourning to impress the uninitiated that Nigeria cares about its past, present or future. Nigeria remains uncaring even about issues that affect its existence.
A farewell to Enahoro
When Chief Anthony Enahoro died on 15 December 2010 at the age of 87 – he was born on 22 July 1923 – he could not have been a happy man. A foremost nationalist who first moved the motion for Nigeria’s independence from British colonial rule in 1953 when he was just 30, he died with his vision of a strong, united and federalist country on the verge of disintegration after the long years of military rule and a Fourth Republic in which the dividends of democracy were to be enjoyed only by a venal political class.
Oshisada: Enahoro, The Nation’s Beacon, Is Out
‘WE are starting a chain of events, the end of which nobody knows.’’ That was one of the prophetic statements by the late Chief Anthony Eronsele Enahoro. It was made on the floor of Nigerian Parliament. Tafawa Balewa Square (then, Race Course), Lagos. And the occasion was at the passing of motions on May 29, 1962, to declare a state of public emergency in the Western Region. He was supporting the Leader of Opposition, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, to move an amendment that the then Federal Government’s action was a dangerous precedent and a travesty of democracy. This writer was at the Gallery watching the Parliamentary proceedings. Today, Chief Enahoro, the nation’s beacon, is no more. But the circumstances that led to his prophecy are still with us. In other words, the chain of events has not ended. Continue reading “Oshisada: Enahoro, The Nation’s Beacon, Is Out”
Honour Enahoro With Credible Elections, Says Jakande
THE First Executive Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, has described the death of frontline nationalist, Chief Anthony Enahoro as a national loss. According to him, Enahoro was an icon, a titian, patriot, committed leader and freedom fighter and urged Nigerians to honour him with credible elections in 2011.
Continue reading “Honour Enahoro With Credible Elections, Says Jakande”
Akinola: Enahoro: The departure of a great leader
IT was with great sadness that I and the communities of Movement For National Reformation received the news of Chief Anthony (Tony) Enahoro’s death on December 15, 2010. He was old enough to have died, he came and left many positive marks and as such his departure is a celebration of a life well spent. Nevertheless, it has been very difficult to accept the fact that we will never see him again. Despite the gap in our age, he was first a friend before he was a leader to me. He was the most democratic Nigerian I have been privileged to associate with. He is one leader that will be greatly missed. Continue reading “Akinola: Enahoro: The departure of a great leader”
African Viewpoint: Looted legacy?
Anthony Enahoro campaigned for independence from the British in the 1950s and was at the forefront of the campaign to end military rule in the 1990s
In our series of viewpoints from African journalists, Sola Odunfa fears for the legacy of one of Nigeria’s great statesmen.
Senate urges government to immortalise Enahoro
The Senate on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to immortalise the late Anthony Enahoro by naming a national monument after him.
Continue reading “Senate urges government to immortalise Enahoro”
African Viewpoint: Looted legacy?
In our series of viewpoints from African journalists, Sola Odunfa fears for the legacy of one of Nigeria’s great statesmen.
He had joined in the struggle for the democratic emancipation of colonial Nigeria as a nation. In the next 60 years he was harassed, jailed and detained without trial innumerable times. Last week at age 87 he died still with his boots on. Continue reading “African Viewpoint: Looted legacy?”
Words on the Marble
“There are three periods in the life of a people or in the life of a country. The three periods are yesterday, today and tomorrow. Yesterday belongs to the dead and to chroniclers; today belongs to current functionaries and operatives and you will find them all over the place. Tomorrow belongs to visionaries and idealists, without whom you cannot build a new society”.
“The great Martin Lurther King postulated and popularised the dream of fundamental change when he said, “I have a dream”. We must not be shy to copy him and say “we too have a dream”, a dream and a vision and what Nigeria can be and what our peoples should be in the long-term. That is what idealism is about. But we must also appreciate what we are, where we are and what is attainable in the short-term. That is what realism is about. I would define one of the tasks of the current generation of Nigerians as reconciliation of idealism and realism”.
Motion for Self Government
Mr. President, sir, I rise to move the motion standing in my name, “that this House accepts as a primary political objective the attainment of self-government for Nigeria in 1956”.
‘Sir, this motion is an invitation to the Honourable Members of this House to associate the highest legislature of our land with the expressed desire of the peoples of this country, whose views we all represent, for political autonomy in 1956. It seeks to provide representatives from all parts of the country with an opportunity to exchange views on the most burning question of our time. It is an invitation to this House to make a declaration of objective with regard to Nigerian freedom.