WE SALUTE!

( A BRIEF INSIGHT INTO THE HISTORY OF NIGERIA BEFORE THEY CAME)

 WITH THE PASSING OF MANDELA-THE LAST OF HIS KIND

MY THOUGHTS GO OUT IN PRAISES TO ALL UNSUNG HERO’S OF OUR PAST

MY LEFT HAND IS RAISED IN A FISTED PRAISE FOR THEIR ROLES IN OUR TURBULENT PAST

FOR THEIRS WAS A FIGHT FOR FREEDOM FOR THEIR PEOPLE...THAT WE MAY NOT ONLY WALK OUR LAND IN PEACE BUT RAISE OUR HEADS IN PRIDE....

• WE SALUTE YOU, KING JAJA OF OPOBO (JUBO JUBOGHA)(1821–1891) FORCEFULLY ARRESTED TRIED IN ACCRA  IN THE  GOLD COAST (NOW GHANA) AND  EXILED TO SAINT VINCENT IN THE WESR INDIES.IN 1891, JAJA WAS GRANTED PERMISSION TO RETURN TO OPOBO, BUT DIED EN ROUTE, ALLEGEDLY POISONED WITH A CUP OF TEA

• · WE HAIL YOU, CHEIF NANA OLOMU (1852–1916) ) OF THE ITSHERI KINGDOM.DEPORTED FROM THE SHORES OF HIS HOME LAND     OLOMU SURRENDERED IN   LAGOS AFTER HIS ARREST HE WAS DEPORTED TO THE GOLD COAST(GHANA) IN 1894 AND LATER TO THE WEST INDIES

• ·         OBA OVORAWMEN NOGBAISI OF BENIN OF THE GREAT BENIN EMPIRE (RULED 1888–1897), FORCED TO GO INTO EXILE IN TODAY’S CALABAR. WHILE THE BRITISH, STAYED BACK TO STEAL AND LOOT THE ANCIENT CITY’S RICH ART TREASURES WHICH THEY CATERED OFF TO THE UNITED KINGDOM. NIGERIA IS STILL NEGOTIATING THE RETURN OF BENIN’S TREASURES TILL TODAY.

• ·         WE SALUTE THE GREAT EKUMEKU RESISTANCE MOVEMENT UNIQUE IN ANIOMA HISTORY FOR ITS GREAT SOURCE OF NATIONALISM AMONG THE ANIOMA PEOPLE.A RESPECTED ARMY MADE OF THE BEST OF IBO WARRIORS FOR THEIR VARIOUS UPRISINGS (1898, 1902, 1904, 1909, 1911, ETC.).
•      THEY WERE A WELL ORGANISED FORCE WHOSE LEADERS WERE JOINED IN SECRECY OATHS WHO EFFECTIVELY UTILIZED GUERRILLA TACTICS IN ATTACKING THE BRITISH.
•      MEMBERS OF THEIR FORCE, WERE DRAWN FROM THOUSANDS OF ANIOMA YOUTHS (FROM ALL PARTS OF ANIOMA LAND), THEY CAUSED SO MANY PROBLEMS FOR THE BRITISH SO THAT THE BRITISH WERE FORCED TO EMPLOY FORCEFUL TACTICS AND HEAVY ARMAMENTS THUS DESTROYING HOMES, FARMS, AND ROADS  IN A BID TO SUBDUE THE ANIOMA PEOPLE.

• ·         WE SALUTE THE WOMEN OF ABA,WHO TOOK PART IN THE ABA WOMEN’S RIOT OF 1920, WHEN MEN BACKED DOWN,THEY TOUCHED THE FLAMES
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•      WE SALUTE THE GREAT SULTAN MUHAMMADU ATTAHIRU I (OCTOBER 13^TH 1902-AUGUST 1903)OF THE GREAT SOKOTO CALIPHAT WHO LED HIS ARMY AGAINST THE BRITISH IN WAR UNTIL HE DIED IN BATTLE AT BRUMI NEAR PRESENT DAY BAUCHI IN 1903

·         WE AGAIN SALUTE NELSON MANDELA THE LAST OF HIS KIND.

YOUR GIST MATE,

SHY