Writing distorted history can mislead its audience. While Kayode Esho was a renowned jurist, Akunne Oputa was hailed as the “Socrates” of Nigeria’s Supreme Court. Anthony Enahoro was a prominent editor, but it was Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who gave him that platform, appointing Osita Agwuna as his assistant at the Southern Nigerian Defender, a newspaper in Ibadan. Interestingly, my father started his career at this same paper before transitioning to the civil service.
The idea that Chief Obafemi Awolowo initiated the first major developmental projects is a popular myth. The historical facts do not support this, especially when compared to the economic accomplishments of Eastern Nigeria. From 1954 to 1964, Eastern Nigeria was recognized as the “fastest-growing economy in the world” by the Harvard Review—outpacing China, Singapore, and the Asian Tigers. While Awolowo is often praised for introducing “free education,” few have examined the lack of lasting physical infrastructure from that period. On the other hand, Eastern Nigeria witnessed the construction of several enduring schools through community efforts and matching grants from the Eastern Nigeria Development Corporation, despite having the smallest revenue base among the regions.
Examples include Mbaise Secondary School, National High School Okigwe, and Ngwa High School, among others. These institutions were built to last, while many of the so-called modern schools in Western Nigeria were makeshift. Furthermore, the Catholic Church’s influence led the Azikiwe government to end its scholarship program, but it is important to remember that the Eastern government was the only one globally to invest 45% of its revenues in education. Eastern Nigeria boasted the highest number of schools, the largest student enrollment, extensive medical services, and the best road network in West Africa.
To this day, many of the public hospitals and schools in Eastern Nigeria were established by the Azikiwe and Okpara administrations. Each division in the region had a Joint Hospital, forming part of the comprehensive Eastern Medical Services. Although Awolowo is credited with building the first television station, skyscraper, and sports stadium (Liberty Stadium in Ibadan), these were more symbolic or “prestige” projects.
The government of Eastern Nigeria also made significant strides in communication and education. The Eastern Outlook was the first government-owned newspaper in Nigeria, outpacing the Nigerian Sketch by 15 years and contributing significantly to the high literacy levels in the region. While the Western Nigerian Broadcast Services (WNBS-TV) started in 1958, the Eastern Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (ENBC-TV) followed just seven months later.
Azikiwe’s contributions also extended to commerce, with the construction of the Onitsha Modern Market, the first trade emporium in West Africa, which attracted traders from across Africa. Comparatively, the economic impact of Onitsha far surpassed that of Cocoa House in Ibadan. Azikiwe also built the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), the first Nigerian university with faculties like law, engineering, business, journalism, music, and more. By 1963, its graduates were already making waves, sparking accusations of “Igbo domination.”
Azikiwe also pioneered the first modern library system in West Africa, with city and rural libraries across the East. Many schools in the region had libraries, and students could borrow books from the public library using their library cards—an innovative system for the time. These achievements far outweighed the symbolic establishment of the first television station.
It’s not to undermine Awolowo’s contributions, but historical narratives often skew toward highlighting his role while minimizing the significant contributions of others, especially the Igbo. According to the esteemed historian Prof. Tekena Tamuno, “The Igbos are the makers of modern Nigeria. When they abandoned their project, Nigeria collapsed.” These truths must be consistently conveyed, particularly to Igbo youth, to balance the narrative, as Chinua Achebe famously argued for “a balance of stories.”
Many today still believe Awolowo founded the universities of Ibadan and Lagos, yet it was Azikiwe’s advocacy in 1946 that prompted the establishment of the University College, Ibadan. Furthermore, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) was an NCNC project, overseen by Aja Wachukwu as the Minister of Education. Sadly, during UNILAG’s 50th anniversary, there was no mention of Prof. Eni Njoku, its pioneering Vice-Chancellor, who laid the foundation for its current success.
