1. National Census: The gymnastics of Nigerian Politicians - Nigeria's problem since 1960
1962 census has serious problems of rigging.
According to results, the Northern region had about 31 million people - some six million more than the Eastern and Western regions combined
2. The West and East shouted "ojoro" and refused to accept that "the scattered north could outnumber the crowded remainder..." of the country
There was great crises brewing over census numbers... Each region threatening violence on the other.
Govt cancelled it to save peace
3. FG repeated census again in 1963.
Politicians with their mischief, demanded census inspectors to be exchanged to avoid being bribed by their host region.
Results still gave the North more numbers that the entire south combined.
This time, the number was less outrageous
4. Two million people were shaved off the 1962 figures in the North.
29 million were in the North.
Nigeria's population was put at 55 million
Protests from the south started again but hey, "fair is fair", it was done twice, census inspectors were exchanged... What more again?
5. However, demographers (the professionals) were aghast and befuddled!
The new population (obviously manipulated by Politicians) represented a 74% increase in the country's population in only 10 yrs- an alarming annual growth rate of 5.5%!
Wetin dey happen!
6. This immediately made Nigeria the 9th most populous country in the world, and the most fertile and fecund country in the world!
The south grumbled again...
1973 census was done by Gowon.
Population was 79m
The 6 Northern states turned in 51m
The 6 southern states 28m.
7. Gowon reprimanded Awolowo and some southern politicians for trying to use census as politics.
Both sides "rigged" inflation figures.
Gowon set up a census data review committee to try and make some adjustments to at least make the figures more "believable"
8. Committee were doing their work "jejely", Gowon was overthrown in a coup whilst outside the country
Coincidence?
Muhammad his successor immediately cancelled the 1973 results and reverted to the now old 1963 census for planning purposes
Obasanjo avoided census "wahala"
9. Shagari his successor stayed clear of census because of the nuisances politicians constitute during counting.
Buhari wanted to do census but his time was short.
Nigeria was doing planning with a 25+ yr old figure!
IBB took the challenge of census and inaugurated
10. The National Population Commision.
He gave a 3 yrs mandate for them to count Nigeria.
They did a rehearsal census all over Nigeria in March 1991... Yes rehearsal census - to see if there would be "wahala" then did the real census Nov 27-29 1991
11. IBB released census figure in March 19, 1992
The country was 88 million.
Now based on the 1963 figure of 55.6m and the U.N projections of 3.5% growth rate per annum, demographers expected the population to be 100million to 120million.
This revelaed that
12.
A. The 1963 census was greatly flawed.
B. The IBB census was reasonable (although not perfect)
The North was still more populous but the gap was much lower.
North (47 million) and South (42 million)
People came after IBB's head
They raised some points.
13. They said
A. The population should be higher
B. South should have more people
C. Men should outnumber women.
IBB set up census tribunal to judge census disputes 😂🤣
People started petitioning the tribunal from all the states mostly politicians - because party membership
14. Figures appeared to be inflated.
NEC (now INEC) ordered parties to reduce the inflated numbers of party members much to the grumbling of Politicians disgust.
Parties still went behind to produce new membership figures.
To cut the whole story short or rather to be direct
15. Nigeria's population since 1960 has never been transparent.
We all remember how GEJ had to fire Odimegwu (Chairman of National Population Commision) at the behest of Kwankwaso (Gov of Kano then)
Odimegwu clearly stated that no way Kano had all those population.
16. They almost rioted on his head. He lost his job quickly.
We don’t still know the exact number of Nigeria.
I believe the real population of Nigeria is between 140m-150m.
The population of Kano and Lagos might also be exaggerated.
THE END!
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You guys were too young to remember how Andy Uba and his brother Chris kidnapped a sitting governor at gunpoint because that governor was not loyal to the godfather (Chris Uba).
Even the President was quiet about it
Might be the most mafia moment this country ever witnessed
Most don't remember or were too young
It was July 10, 2003.
The Governor got to his office by 10am, by 11am, he saw his ADC being pushed out of his office by AIG Raphael Ige alongside a fully armed DSP.
The Governor senses trouble but keeps calm
Usually when a Police person comes into the office, they salute. AIG Ige (Now late) didn't do that.
He sits on the couch at the office and tells the Governor "Oga you have to leave that table and stop that work".
We may never know exactly if he was murdered or died from natural causes but I will do my best to clearly state what happened. You make your deductions.
Records to all these are public from witnesses primarily the Oputa panel.
A day that was supposed to be our democracy day but moved to June 12 in memory of Abiola
Let me take you back to Abiola's journey, how he was supposed to be Chairman of IBB Transitional Council which may have changed the course of history etc.
THREAD!!!
2. In 1982, MKO Abiola was a leading national executive for the NPN (National Party of Nigeria) and one of the major financiers.
He had eyes to contest for Presidency on the platform of the party in 1983.
However, party stalwarts frustrated him.
3. They simply didn't trust MKO Abiola. He got angry and quit politics in 1982.
He later changed his mind and got affected by the ban on former Politicians and public office holders by IBB.
The ban was later lifted and he joined SDP in January 1993.