A federal government delegate, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN yesterday called for change of the present name of Nigeria to a proposed one called “Airegin” because according to him, the name Nigeria was twisted by the colonialists and it would make a clean brake from the past.
Speaking yesterday while contributing at plenary during debate on report of committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government with Gen. Ike Nwachukwu and Mohammed Umara Kumalia as co- Chairmen, Ozekhome also called for a reversal from the present National Anthem to the former and older one which was written by Taiwo Akinwumi, adding that the old flag that was designed with the rising sun on it should be re-introduced against the backdrop that it was peculiar with all parts of the country.
The delegate who noted that when the country replaces all these, it would then help Nigeria wash off the colonial legacy, adding, “It was a colonial imposed name which should be changed to reflect originality.
“I want to move that this conference should consider changing the name of the country to reflect our originality. The name Nigeria was a colonial imposition which must be corrected. The name was given to the country by Lady Flora Shaw who later became Lady Lugard”.
According to him, prior to the change of name, Nigeria as a country was known as the Northern and Southern Protectorates meaning Niger Area or areas within the River Niger by Lady Flora Shaw, adding, “The country was known formally as the Southern and Northern Protectorates before the name change. It was changed because they said it was too long for them to pronounce.
“I suggested that the name should be changed from Nigeria to Airegin. It was just gotten when you write the name Nigeria from “Right to Left”.
On the additional one state given to the South East geo-political zone, while disagreeing with a delegate representing Federal Government and Environmental activist, Ledum Mitee who opposed the state, Ozekhome said that he supported the additional state as it will integrate the zone into the system.
He also lend his support to the Committee’s recommendation for states to serve as federating units, stressing that there is need for states to have their own constitution to reflect their peculiarities.
Meanwhile, aides of delegates particularly drivers yesterday protested to the entrance of Andrews Otutu Obaseki hall, venue of plenary sessions of the on – going National Conference over what they termed ill- treatment, but were stopped from entering by men of the department of State Security Service, SSS.
According to the aides who were led by Egwuata Remigius, they were deprived of allowances, welfare ranging from food to accommodations adding that while the delegates whom they drive sleep in hotels, they sleep in their cars.
Their placards read, “many drivers sleep in cars at hotels and parks, have we lost our moral compass?
“Justice Kutigi please do justice to our matter. We are citizens of this great country, we are in this together. Take care of us please . There is God O Mama please intercede for your children OOO. Our mothers at the conference, please speak for your Children.
“Drivers and Aides unwatered for which way National Conference, 2014. We are degree holders as aides and drivers; we are no pushover. Obasanjo paid Aides and drivers at 2005 Political Conference whitter 2014 National Conference.
The protesting Aides were however stopped by the SSS led by Emmanuel Emordi who asked them to leave with their placards.
Kutigi admits Igbeke to replace Akunyili
Meanwhile, Senator Alphonsus Igbeke was yesterday announced by Chairman of the Conference, Justice Idris Kutigi as a replacement for a former Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili.
It would be recalled that the former Director-General of the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration, NAFDAC and a delegate representing Anambra State, died Saturday June 7.
She was the third delegate to die since the inauguration of the confab by President Goodluck Jonathan 17 th March.
Igbeke’s name was announced to the plenary by Kutigi amidst applause and clapping of hands from fellow delegates.
The Senator who represented Anambra North Senatorial District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was earlier sited by on Tuesday evening when he came to finalize his documentation with the Conference Secretariat and later confirmed that he was at the Conference to replace Akunyili . Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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These artificial and cosmetic changes will make no difference in a country that is being eaten alive by corruption. The issues that we face is not about country name, flag design, national anthem, etc. Let's talk about what our real issue is.....CORRUPTION!
ReplyDeleteChanging the flag,national anthem and state creation is not the problem of Nigeria. It is the problem of corruption, tribalism , Nepotism, indiscipline, impunity and lack of patriotism which has made all institution of government and governance weak. Major Gen. Tunde Idiagbon ,May his soul rest in peace saw all these problems and wanted to remedy it before it got to this level and the rest is history. Time will come in this country when people like Idiagbon will be remembered and revered for what he stood for in this country. Idiagbon will one day be officially made a national hero and icon.
ReplyDeleteChanging of name or renaming the country or doing anagram with the current name is far from the problem at hand. What we need is change of attitudes of all inhabitants of this nation. Everybody ranging from political leaders, elder-state men, religious leaders, politicians, political thugs, marketers, traders, learners, the learned (lawyers and judges) the communals, militants, rich and poor, old and young, ladies and gentlemen, skilled and unskilled, families and individuals, we all need to change our attitudes first. Do we love ourselves?, leaders, do you love your followers? government, do you love the governed? Representatives, do your love the people you are representing? From the look of things, the response is capital No! Including you, Oszekhome and others in this on-going confab. You are collecting millions every month. at least for this confab, a whooping sum of 12 million naira for just four months and you find it difficult to fix or approve a minimum of 40 thousand naira as minimum wage! Please, workout how long it will take a worker on the salary scale of 40 thousand naira per month to earn sum gross total of 10 million naira. How do you want them to send their children to school with the current hike in school fees or there is no need for them to train their children as long as your children are going to school? The future only belongs to your children! Weldone
ReplyDeleteit is not a terrible idea... I Like the name Nigeria regardless of its colonial past, but I see the sense in completely rebranding Nigeria. With that said, if the same people who are running down Nigeria run Airegin, the whole point of rebranding would be lost. Germany was once an awful country to be a citizen of. same for japan and south Africa. Even though their names stayed the same, our perception of them have changed.
ReplyDeleteProf. Dora Akunyili should be replaced with a female delegate not male delegate. Justice Kutigi please do justice to this.
ReplyDeleteWHAT A SHAME. YOU MEAN WE PAY THESE PEOPLE THIS HUGE SUM JUST TO BE TALKING NONSENSE. IF YOU LIKE, CHANGE YOUR NAME MILLION TIMES, YOUR CONTENT IS THE REAL YOU. THE NAME NIGERIA IS NIT TE PROBLEM, THE LEADERS LIKE ALL THESE ELSE THIS, ELSE THAT AT THE CONFAB ARE THE PROBLEM. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE YEYE PROPOSED NAME. I THINK THESE PEOPLE HAVE RAN OUT OF ISSUES TO DISCUSS, THEY ARE ONLY MARKING TIME. YEYE FORMER THIEVES.
ReplyDeleteYes young man I support u bcs the word Nigeria' has a meaning and it has purpose of being called Nigeria. We do not accept the change and besides that we want to know the meaning of Airegin bcs such a name if has bad and forged meaning could cause bad effect to the land / Nigeria. We must be careful for not accepting such name referring to illuminate cultists at last like it is happening in the U.S trying t impose things to be under illuminati governance. I gues this wat they r try to do bcs d U S might of bought the government with money that is why they making such suggestion like this bcs changing our beautiful name and flag wouldn't solve and it is not the problem
DeleteThere is nothing wrong with the name NIGERIA. It has history or at least we know where it originated from. So by changing it the way our vehicle plate numbers were changed amounts to nothing. Human communities are supposed to be guided by enforced rules and regulation which currently everyone runs away from. All our systems are fully corrupted as we run away from hard choices of implementation. We currently have BLACK ON BLACK racism which is worse than APARTHEID. We are a group of people who neither loves ourselves or our nation). All societies that have developed or are developing implement hard choices without any special preference for anyone. Since the Creator made us all equal in form but different shapes, there shouldn't be any preferential treatment for anyone under our laws. If truthfulness take place in our dear country in lets say a period of twenty years, there will be amazing transformation in all our development statistics. In other words if we change internally, the rest of the world will see this and start to regard Nigeria as GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD NATION.
ReplyDeleteI have a name for Nigeria. Call it UTOPIA!
ReplyDeleteThis man is mad. How do people go to National Conference and suggest some shit like dis. The name Nigeria has a profound basis of River Niger which is our landmark. Then you just want to call the name from right to left without any basis or significant meaning...? This just proves that you have nothing better than the bloody colonial bastards... an aggregate of fools will surely lead a nation to full blown insanity.
ReplyDeleteThank u young man for your contribution I love everything about ur comment
DeleteAre the confab delegates allowed to smoke weed?
ReplyDeleteWell Nigeria will remain the same if it's not divided, you guys have to understand that we are on different tribes and religion and we do not like each other. It's not about changing name of the country or whatsoever,the best is to divide the country and let them have their rulers, for an example northern wants the country to be 100% Islam which easterners will not allow and southerners also northerners wants to lead for ever claiming the country belong to them. You see we did not march in any way. Give the easterners freedom also to the northerners southerners and westerns.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the raison-deter for the Fed Char. Comm? If it could be empowered to ensure equity among const. parts of the country, barring fraud*, we may have a stop-gap, while reconsidering our unity.
ReplyDelete* situa where our leaders aided false state-of-origin. e.g. so many Imorites/Abiites claimed Enugu/Ebonyi orig. and took job quotas into Fed. Min. of Xtnal Affs when Ik Nw.. was the Mins! Such crimes