VOICE OF COURAGE: Selected speeches of Obafemi Awolowo (Vol 2)

A most courageous articulation of the nationwide feeling of disgust for the Sir Adetokunbo Adetola’s alarming Provisional Census figure of 1973 to which the Supreme Military Council of General Yakubu Gowon gave a loud acceptance and open protective support. It is the filial part of the historic University of Ife Convocation Speech by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, on Saturday, 6th July, 1974.

Continued from last week

THE fear and dreadful forebodings which the provisional figures struck into the minds of many Nigerians have been further heightened, on reflection, by the steady erosion of the powers of the States in favour of the Federal Government. A close analysis of the situation will reveal that the country is already sliding back to a unitary form of Government behind an imposing facade of federalism. And as we all know, under a unitary form of Government, by whatever name called and no matter how many ineffective States there are in the country, whichever party controls the Central Government controls all, and dominates all.

The seeds of fierce inter-ethnic strife are already sown by the provisional figures; all Nigerian patriots, both in the North and the South, must unite in an appeal to the Supreme Military Council to prevail on the National Census Board to remove the seeds before they germinate and grow.

I am aware that those responsible for the 1973 census figures would like us to treat them as PROVISIONAL ONLY. I am also aware that they have assured us that they are immediately embarking on rigorous post-enumeration tests, surveys and checks which by the end of this year, would produce final accurate figures which could be greater or less than the so-called provisional figures.

It is my humble, respectful, but considered view that, again, we should all appeal to the National Census Board and to our Head of State, H.E. General Yakubu Gowon, to prevail upon the Board, to desist from this post-enumeration exercise. It can have no useful or beneficial end: it can only produce result which would exacerbate feelings which are already wounded and embittered; or embitter those that are now at peace with the Board.

In the end, it would only involve the nation in further colossal dissipation and waste of energy and money. During the period of waiting, greater inter-state and inter-ethnic tension would be generated, and their deep wound already inflicted on our body politic would have that much time to fester and become traumatic.

There are other reasons why the proposed post-enumeration exercise should be abandoned.

In the first place, final census figures after post-enumeration checks, etc., are never more than 5 per cent above or below the provisional figures. In the instant case 5 per cent above would land us in a desert of deep inter-ethnic distrust from which it would take us long to escape: 5 per cent below would only confirm us in the present deplorable and intolerable position. Up to and more than 10 per cent below would be proof positive of the worthlessness of the provisional figures.

In the second place, it is idle, in the extreme, to rely on the same inefficient machinery by means of which the National Census Board had produced these appallingly indefensible provisional figures to mend itself in the short time at our disposal, and produce acceptable final figures.

• The growing menace of rape

In this connection, it must be borne in mind that, to be acceptable, the final figures must show unmistakably that those States which Were made to score minus – or low – growth rates have been restored to normalcy; whilst those which had been gratuitously endowed with maxi-growth rates have been made to diminish drastically their abnormal oversize.

In the third place, I do not see how the Census Board could achieve these manifestly desirable ends. For one thing, those who have been endowed with maxi-growth rates are not likely to cooperate in cutting themselves to size. For another, the National Census Board, for the sake of their own reputation,.and because of the encomiums which they have received from pre-eminent quarters, are not, likely to have the incentive to achieve a final result which is widely at variance with their provisional figures. Already they have been made to believe that their performances so far, which we all heartily deplore, are nonpareil. Superlative public tributes not to mention innumerable private ones) which, by all accounts, are wholly undeserved, have been paid to the National Census Board by our Head of State himself, and by another member of the Supreme Military Council.

To be continued