History 101: What is your status as a Nigerian citizen living in Nigeria.

In 1960, the Premier of the Northern region and Saurdauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello while being interviewed by a BBC journalist boldly declared that the Nigerian government will first consider Northerners (qualified or not) in government positions. He announced that further consideration would be given to foreigners before  other Nigerians. 

Here is the text interview.

Interviewer: One thing I have noticed while I have been here is that northerners seem to have the worst form of obsession about the Igbos, could please explain that?

Ahmadu Bello: Well, the Igbos are mainly the type of people whose desire is to dominate everybody. If they go to the village or town, they want to monopolise everything in that area.

If you put them as a labourer, within a year they will try to emerge as the headman of that camp...and so on...well.

We are not alive to their responsibilities because you can see from our modernisation policy that in 1952 when I came here, there weas less Northerners in our service. Then I fought. Now all important posts are being held by Northerners.

Interviewer: Is this policy of filling all the posts in the north solely with northerners and no Nigerian a temporary or permanent one?

Ahmadu Bello: In actual fact, what it is, is a northerner first. Then if we can't get a northerner, then we take an expatriate like yourself (looking at the interviewer), if we can't then, we can employ another Nigerian, but on contract too. It is not going to be permanent as far as I can foresee, because it will be rather vengeance to see many of our boys are now turning from all institutions without having work to do. Am sure whatever government it will be, it will be rather embarrassing; it might even lead to black-sheep.

 Ahmadu Bello made it clear that the igbos must not be treated as Nigerians. When asked why his views were against what Nigeria fought for and stands for after gaining independence from Britain, Ahmadu Bello said "the igbos are a dominant breed in Nigeria who excel in anything and everything they set their hearts to do, they become your apprentice today, tomorrow be your Master.

Text transcribed from YouTube interview video.

This was the same sentiment Adolph Hitler echoed against the Jewish people that led to the Nazi genocide of the second world war, killing about 3million Jews. 

Ahmadu Bello in his own words feared the igbos and their ingenuity hence he sowed the seed of hatred, division and  oppression against the Igbo people.

 This led to the first coup by Patrick Chukwuemeka Kaduna Nzeogwu which eventually led to the civil war between Nigeria and Biafra. 

The situation that led to the civil war is still prevalent today even greatly so, as the igbos are still being killed by the Nigerian military under Buhari.

The international community should stepped in to another genocide happening in Nigeria. 

The Nigerian government should acknowledged this evil and a commission should be set up to redress and rectify these issues else the people that do not learn from their history will continue to repeat the same mistakes.