Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation, has reacted
to the corruption allegations against a former Head of State, General Yakubu
Gowon, by a British parliamentarian.
The Peoples Democratic Party’s chieftain said he has always
berated Gowon over his role in the mass murder and genocide of 3 million Igbos
during the civil war but insisted that the former military leader is not a
thief and neither did he amass wealth for himself when he was Head of State.
Fani-Kayode described as false the allegation that Gowon
took half of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, with him when he went on exile to
the UK.
Recall that a member of the United Kingdom Parliament, Tom Tugendhat
(Tonbridge and Malling) on Monday took a swipe at retired General Gowon.
Gowon was Nigeria’s Head of State of Nigeria from 1966 to
1975.
During the debate on a petition on End SARS, Tugendhat
accused him and the country’s leaders of corruption
Decrying the situation in Nigeria, the lawmaker said: “One
of the great countries is, sadly, being racked by violence, and violence
against young people.
But in a series of tweets, Fani-Kayode said, “Whatever you
may say or feel about General Yakubu Gowon it is NOT true that he took half of
Central Bank with him when he went on exile to the UK and studied at Warwick
University after being removed in a coup by General Murtala Mohammed.
“I have my views about Gowon and what I consider to be his
role in the mass murder and genocide of 3 million Igbos during the civil war
and I have often expressed it but he was NOT a thief and neither did he amass
wealth for himself when he was Head of State.
“As a matter of fact he was the darling of the British
Government & no Nigerian leader, living or dead, has been as close to
successive British Governments as him.
“This very young British MP is trying to revise history and
demonise a man who served and protected British interests in Nigeria when he
was in power more than any other and this is most dishonorable and unfair.
“The truth is that the greatest looters in the history of
humanity were the British themselves and their Empire enslaved, looted and
pillaged entire nations and continents.
“If he wants to criticise Nigerian leaders let him do so
with facts and not fabricate lies in a scurrilous and essentially racist
attempt to confirm the stereotyping of every Nigerian and African leader as
being corrupt.
“The truth is that even though they pretend and sweep it
under the carpet, there are as many corrupt British leaders, government
officials and public servants today as there are Nigerian and this has always
been the case.
“The difference is that they are not so obvious and brazen
and they cover theirs up very well in a very sophisticated banking system which
thrives on taking in dirty money and keeping it.
“Whoever this MP is should get his facts right and stick to
talking about the #EndSARS protests rather than talk about our history which he
evidently knows nothing about.”
This Chief you have to keep quiet and allow the British MPs to do what they have to do. They have information which you don't have accept that. They are aware that all Nigerian leases including Gowon has been stealing. They must have their evidence or information right. Now they have proposed sanctioning all those involved in the killings during the #ENDSARS
ReplyDeleteIf the leaders of a country say your leader stole your money and hid it in their country, you shouldn't be attacking or defending your leader. You should be asking for evidence. Evidence is what makes a case move forward not sentiments. This is why Africa would always be behind. When it is time to think straight, we think to the corner.
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