IBADAN— FORMER Governor of old Oyo State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo, says that current events in the country have shown that those who died in the civil war died in vain. Dr. Olunloyo who spoke in Ibadan therefore called for a national conference to discuss political and economic relationships among the various ethnic groups in the country.
Dr Olunloyo in a lecture to mark the 50th anniversary celebration of the 1954 –– "64 set of the old boys of the Government College, Ibadan entitled: "Observations on Living and Dying for Nigeria: But Which Nigeria"said “This is perhaps the World headquaters of hypocrisy. I may be wrong”.
The former governor who reiterated in his paper that Nigeria is not worthy of dying for said”those who are interested in tackling the problems of living or dying for Nigeria should take into cognizance the Aburi Accord” signed by Nigerian leaders in Ghana in 1967.
“It is a brief but purely military affair. Significant it must be and indeed it is because military officers are apparently ipso facto people who must be ready and willing at any time to die for Nigeria,” he said..
National Conference necessary now
Said he: “Some events of the last two weeks give me the terrifying hunch that most of those who died in the Biafran Civil War or is it Nigerian Civil War probably died in vain and this (is) irrespective of what side they were.”
According to him, truth and merit have been destroyed in the country, and it was just a miracle that the nation was still surviving as one. “We need a national conference before OPC, ACF and MASSOB prise open the rickety fragile welds that hold us together. Good Lord, deliver us from corruption, from quota system, from senseless rotation and topsy-turvy zoning. Help us establish the truth and let it reign supreme over us”.
The statesman expressed his regret that in spite of the human and natural resources abundant in this country, government has chosen to adopt the economic policies of the IMF and the World bank, which the two organizations have admitted have not succeeded anywhere in the world. The two institutions, he said have succeeded in putting their men in charge of the nation’s Central Bank and the finance ministry.
Olunloyo also lamented the surrender of the civil politicians to military politicians who have decided to continue their reign after retirement.He asked Nigerians searching for solution to the country's problems to read books written by Dim Ojukwu and Gen,Chris Alli on the nation especially books such as “Because I am Involved”and The Federal Republic of Nigerian Army-- The Seige of a nation” respectively
Dr Olunloyo went further that the incumbent President Chief Obasanjo once said about Nigeria “no death is worth dying for except truth saying “Now that is just my stand,no more no less.I am not convinced that I should lay down my life for a nation where truth is almost constantly trampled upon thus making of it a failed nation”.
The former governor who said that President Obasanjo made the excellent statement on Saturday June 20,1998 in Abeokuta at a thanksgiving service asked Nigerians”please be prepared to live in and for a refurbished Nigeria; be prepared also to die in and for a regenerated Nigeria” .
The President of the GCIOBA 1954-’’64 set, Mr. Olukunle Alamu, urged members of the association to act as a pressure group on national issues so that things would not be left to be degenerating further. The Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Dr Olutunde Oni, said that the training members got from GCI should put them in good stead to participate actively in public life.
