Richard Osuolale Abimbola Akinjide! When some two years ago, Vanguard sought his views, the interview dwelt more on the controversial 12 two thirds majority of the 1979 presidential elections which brought Alhaji Usman Aliyu Shehu Shagari to power as Nigeria’s first executive president.

Getting to the country home of Chief Mbazulike Amechi in Ukpor Nnewi, was no easy task, even in a Jeep. But when we eventually got there on Wednesday, February 3rd 2010, we met a man of 80 plus a couple of months still standing tall, still handsome and still very sharp in the mind and memory. Our mission was to encounter him in this interview to get a clearer picture of some historical issues surrounding the early political life of Nigeria before it degenerated to the sorry state in which we find ourselves. When I was through with him, he autographed three of his books which I have since found to be invaluable for the better understanding of Nigeria’s early beginnings. It is my pleasure to present to you, Chief Amechi, A PLEASURABLE READ.

We were lucky . By the time many of us were going to school, my father was transferred to the North and in the north the truth was that there was free education. So, he did not need to pay, the way he was paying in Lagos. There is free education in the South West but I think immediately after Chief Obafemi Awolowo left power,(as Premier of Western Nigeria) nobody can really say education was free.

Professor Pat Utomi is a rare individual and many would agree. But he is also a concerned Nigerian. His shot at the presidency in 2007 was considered a fool’s errand in some quarters – a wasted effort – but the man believes and, therefore, insists that it was one wonderful experience which has touched and continues to touch many lives. How? It is about changing the mind set of the leaders of tomorrow, making them realize that Nigeria can not get anywhere with the present template on which it is governed.

When you look at the remaining candidates: Uche Ekwunife, Soludo, Uba, you will see that these three are virtually PDP people. They all belong to PDP just like me. But the difference is that for the first time, a woman has the confidence to run seriously and I believe that we should support her if the polls favour her. I will say the same thing about Soludo who is my friend and Andy Uba. So, my position is that the best candidate should win.

How do you present a Sunday Interview and the only thing you discuss all through is GARRI, the Nigerian staple? Or, how do you interview Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, former governor of Oyo State, and you will be barred from asking questions that border on politics?

The electoral process
is fraudulent, too much rigging, too much thuggery and so, decent people run away from it. So we do not really have quality
people in government

Chief Benjamin Ndi Obi seldom talks to the media. Starting from his days in the Nigeria Advance Party, NAP, Ben Obi, as he is simply called, makes no bones about his foray into politics and his mission. But in this session, Obi speaks on the state of the nation and the mega party being packaged by some politicians.

*Says section 143 is the only option before National Assembly *Manner of president’s absence is cause of confusion *Declares: ‘Nigerians are watching’ Olorunimbe Mamora is a two-time senator. Before going to the Senate, he was Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly where his four-year tenure was marked by exceptional leadership. Therefore, when Senator […]

Those who were to help us raise the money said no problem, that even if we needed N1trillion, they would raise it. But there was a condition which they gave and that was that the foundation cannot be a Presidential committee. They said they could not give their money to such foundation except it is purely a private foundation that is run by a committee, by the private sector people that would be accountable to them.

In the 50s, 60s before independence, people like Zik, Chief Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and many others, who were political giants, were in the field. Many of them owned newspapers to fight for independence

Between 2001 and January 2003, the House of Representatives held the nation spell bound. This was the handiwork of the duo of then speaker, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, and his vice, deputy speaker, Chibudom Nwuche. They were dubbed Tiger. In this interview, Nwuche, who served as a very loyal deputy to Na’Abba, explains the intrigues of that era: “There was coincidence and a confluence of aspiration and vision; Ghali was a nationalist and I am.

It is really very sad that 49 years after independence, we’ve not developed ourselves. It is just like one having a child who is supposed to be a full grown man but is still developing clay feet at 49. You find out that in terms of education, people in Nigeria even take their wards to study in Benin Republic and Accra because of the fact that our institutions have not been developed.

We as civilians tend to have our own skewed perception of this country. But the military, because of the training they’ve been through and whatever you may say about their incursion into politics, they felt it was more holistic and more patriotic.

I will give a good example: Once IBB (Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida) called me and said: What then do you think we can give you? I said, nothing, just this national service is a pleasure and that my wish is to serve the nation free of charge. I am just someone serving my own country and I derive joy for doing so without any hope of acquiring anything from there.