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

Broadcast by Chief Obafemi Awolowo as Nigeria’s Commissioner for Finance and Vice-Chairman of the Federal Executive, during the Biafran war. The speech was made on 1st October; 1967.

Continued from last week

ACCORDINGLY, it has decided to launch on 1st December, 1967, a Compulsory Savings Scheme. The Savings Scheme would take the form of mandatory deduction of 5 per cent from your salaries and wages for investment in bonds to be known as the ‘one Nigeria Bonds’. This scheme will also apply to all self-employed persons who pay tax. Professionals, traders, businessmen, farmers, and all, will be included. In their case, the deduction of 5 per cent will be made from their taxable Incomes. With regard to flat-rate taxpayers, however, only a flat rate of 10/- will be required from each of them. In every case, the amount of savings collectible will be added to the 1968 tax assessment and, after collection, will be invested in the bonds in the name of the payer. The funds invested, under this scheme, will be redeemable after ten years with interest. Compulsory subscriptions to the bond will last for only twelve months. Thereafter, the Government will examine the possibility of making it voluntary.

This Scheme will be limited to Nigerian citizens only in both the public and private sectors; but institutional investors and expatriates who wish to show their appreciation for Government efforts in keeping Nigeria one may buy the bonds on a voluntary basis.

Conservation of foreign exchange

In order to conserve our foreign exchange, and to assist the growth of indigenous industries, the importation of a number of commodities will, henceforth, be either subject to quota or completely banned. By these measures, it is expected that, in a full year, savings in foreign exchange to the tune of more than £6 million will be effected. The details of the commodities involved in this exercise and the manner of their treatment will also be published later tonight. In this connection, I would like to warn that the list of commodities liable to this kind of treatment is by no means closed.

At the moment the Board of Customs and Excise is making an elaborate tariff classification of all imports, in order to enable the Federal Military Government to determine which of them are necessary and essential in the national interest. In future, all unessential items of imports will either be subject to quota or totally banned. It should be clear from all that I have said that in the midst of the present strife which has been forced upon it, the Federal Military Government looks firmly and confidently into a glorious future. A future in which all the national units in Nigeria will live in harmony and unity with one another; a future in which political equality and social justice will be guaranteed to all. These being the declared and ultimate objectives of the Federal Military Government, the present military operations must be consistently regarded and supported for what they truly are. They have been designed, not for the gratification of hatred for any group of Nigerians; not for the extermination of the Ibos, as has been wickedly suggested in some malevolent quarters; indeed, they have been launched for noble and imperishable ends, namely; the federal unity of Nigeria, and the happiness and prosperity of its people.

It follows, therefore, that those who support the Federal Military Government in all its endeavours, including its current search for additional revenue, do the manifest will of God. For, God is the God of unity and progress, not of division and stagnation.

I thank you very much for listening.

Good night.

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

If we are united we shall succeed collectively and severally

Chief Obafemi Awolowo s closing address to the fifth session of the Organisation of African Unity ill Algiers Oil Monday 161h September, 1968.

In the name of Nigeria’s Head of State and Government, Major-General Yakubu Gowon, and of people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and on behalf of myself and my colleagues on the Nigerian delegation, I extend my very hearty and warm thanks to His Excellency the President of the Revolutionary Council and the Head of the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, Colonel Houari Boumcdienne, for the profuse kindness and lavish hospitality which I and my colleagues have enjoyed, since the Ministerial Council of the OAU commenced its meetings here on the fourth of this month. I also want to seize this opportunity to reiterate Nigeria’s great admiration for the gallant and indomitable people of Algeria, for the bravery and selflessness which they demonstrated, throughout the period of their long and historic fight for freedom. The inspiration which their struggles gave to other countries in Africa will never die or abate. Indeed, their epic struggles will, forever, constitute an imperishable episode in the annals of man’s long and arduous march to liberty.

The impressive attendance, especially of the Heads of State and Government, at this OAU Summit, is, at once, a glowing tribute to the great Algerian people, and a measure of the affection which all countries of Africa have for them and their leaders.

To be continued