How death of Adebanjo, Clark shook Nigeria

•Clark, Adebanjo, Iwuanyanwu’s demise, end of an era — Ogbonnia

LATE Afenifere Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; and Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, had many things in common.

They were elder statesmen, nonagenarians, ebony black, bulky and strongly built. They were also lawyers. The duo were pillars of The Patriots, a group of eminent Nigerian citizens. They belonged to the Southern Leaders Forum, SLF; and Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF.

Pa Adebanjo and Clark were also at the 2014 National Conference and till their expiration remained a loud and path-charting voice for true federalism, resource control, restructuring and enthronement of equity and justice in the country.

Born 11 and a half months apart, the duo, strikingly, died three days apart. Pa Adebanjo, who was born on April 10, 1928 died on February 14, 2025 exactly 55 days to his 97th birthday. On the other hand, Pa Clark, who was born on May 25, 1927, joined his ancestors on February 17, 2025, exactly  97 days to his 98th birthday.

The duo were renowned for their unbending belief and principled stand on issues. Indeed, they were ‘brutally frank’ and with certitude, observers could always predict their stance on any burning national issue.

Their views on restructuring of the country, ceding the presidency to the South-East in 2023 and implementation of the 2014 national conference recommendations among others were similar.

On Igbo producing president in 2023

Clark said: “I have said South-East has not got it. Therefore, in fairness to them, let them get it. Being part of this country, they should produce the next president. Not because they are Igbo, not because they are South-East, but because they are part of this country.”

Clark stated that after the civil war, General Yakubu Gowan announced that there was no victor, no vanquished and he was surprised what had happened to that declaration if the people of South-East were denied a shot at the Presidency.

On his part, Adebanjo said it was the turn of the South-East to produce the next president after President Muhammadu in the interest of fairness and equity.

Speaking at the Greater Nigeria Conference organised by Nzuko Umunna in Abuja in April 2022, he said: “In 2014, when they were campaigning for Buhari, he said it was the turn of the north, and when we heard it, we had it for keeps. When it is now the turn of the south and the south-east, they’re now propounding a new theory — the question of merit. If it was based on merit, till today, till kingdom come, the east alone will produce a president.”

On restructuring, devolution of power

Clark said: “Currently the federating units lack control over their resources and the capacity to develop at their paces. Thus, there is little healthy competition among them as they try to provide for their populations, populations that are largely detached from the primary source of government revenues. It is no wonder, therefore, that our country finds it difficult to make appreciable progress in the key indices of development, and accountability.”

Clark also said: “I want a Nigeria where everybody is equal, where every citizen can aspire to any position in the country, even becoming the president. Restructuring is vital for the survival of the country. Without restructuring, there may be no Nigeria. It is what Nigeria needs urgently. The regions must develop at their own pace.”

To Adebanjo: “A true federal constitution would give power to the federating units and propel their development. Anybody opposing restructuring or a federal constitution wants to break the country. We are worse than we were before the civil war. The only thing that can bring us back is to scrap this constitution, which is skewed against the South.”

On 2014 national confab implementation

Adebanjo said: “I implore Nigerians not to play with the report and recommendations of the 2014 National Conference. Whether we like it or not, President Goodluck Jonathan meant well for the country regarding that conference and history will be kind to him. You cannot get such a group of people to come together again for such a national assignment.

“The greatest job we have on hand today is to change the current constitution to be in accordance with the 2014 conference. Nigeria should not waste money on any conference again. We are going nowhere if we don’t implement the report and recommendations of the conference.”

Clark said: “The immediate restructuring of Nigeria must be carried out if this country is to remain one, and I appeal to Mr. President to take immediate action to implement the historic 2014 National Conference Report, which submitted over 600 recommendations to the Presidency on how to restructure Nigeria in every aspect of our lives.”

Nigerians mourn Adebanjo, Clark

Giving their iconic roles in shaping the country from the 1960s and especially since the birth of the Fourth Republic in 1999, the death of Adebanjo and Clark shook and is still shaking the polity.

Among those who have paid glowing tributes to them are President Bola Tinubu, former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari; governors, eminent Nigerians and groups.

Clark, Adebanjo, Iwuanyanwu’s demise, end of an era —Ogbonnia

Looking at the death of Adebanjo and Clark in view of the demise of immediate past Ohanaze Ndigbo President-General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who died last year, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, said the losses marked the end of an era.

The Ohanaeze national publicity secretary wrote: The death of Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, the Ijaw National Leader, Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF and National Leader of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum SMBLF, on Monday, February 17, 2025 marks the end of an enviable era in the political discourse of Nigeria. The death of Clark followed closely after the death of yet another Titan, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the National Leader of Afenifere and the Deputy Leader of the SMBLF on February 14, 2025. The two deceased had late last year mourned the death of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. The SMBLF comprises the PANDEF, Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, and the Middle Belt Forum with Clark, Adebanjo, Iwuanyanwu and Dr. Bitrus Porgu as leaders, respectively. The meetings which attract the prominent dignitaries of the South-South, South-East, South-West and the Middle Belt always hold at the Asokoro residence of Chief E. K .Clark.

“The major ideology of the SMBLF is to enthrone a restructured prosperous Nigeria where the rule of Law, equity and justice shall thrive. The SMBLF laments the socio-economic condition of Nigerians; a country well-endowed with abundant natural, material and human resources yet the citizenry are in abject poverty. The SMBLF expresses deep concern that if the rate of corruption in Nigeria and the concomitant borrowings by the federal government continue unabated, the Nigerian masses and the generations unborn will be exposed to the worst of human conditions on earth.

“Among the issues that agitate the SMBLF are the self-aggrandizement, display of obscene wealth, and all forms of impunity by the powers that be. The scariest of the problems is the destruction of farms and the violent invasion of communities by the Fulani herdsmen. The release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu by the federal government has remained a constant agenda in the SMBLF meetings.

“Nigeria is a bizarre country that thrives on abnormalities and contraries. It is a country where the votes cast in any election are more than the accredited voters. It is a country where the public office holders pillory the state with impunity; and where the rogues in power are celebrated even by the churches...

At a point, the SMBLF was the only strident voice, the only opposition, against the President Muhammadu Buhari extremities and indeed the conscience of Nigerians. The SMBLF rose against the clandestine moves by Buhari to install another Northerner as a president after his eight years tenure. The Forum called on the Buhari government to embark on the Eastern rail line with a standard gauge; and queried the essence of the $1.9bn Kano-Maradi rail project at the expense of the poor infrastructure in Nigeria. When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed Office, the SMBLF warned Tinubu against treating the organized violence in Northern Nigeria the same way his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, did...

During the 2023 general election, the Forum stood vehemently for Mr. Peter Obi on two major reasons. The group maintained that for any country to have sustainable development, its foundation must be anchored on equity and social justice. The group argued and maintained that going by the rotation and zoning principles which have been entrenched in the Nigerian democracy, it is the turn of the South-East to produce a president for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The second reason was that Mr. Peter Obi presented an attractive blue print and manifesto that will transform Nigeria from a consumption to a production economy.

Without any fear of contradiction, the resolute unwavering supports of the likes of Chief E K Clark, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Engr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Bitrus Porgu, Chief Nnia Nwodo, etc, lent enormous credence to the Obi-Datti political hurricane wind that blew across Nigeria. Pa Adebanjo in one of his remarks stated that ‘the survival of Nigeria is tied to Peter Obi of the Labour Party winning the presidential election in 2023.’

“To draw closer his point, Pa Adebanjo warned Nigerians, saying ‘you will suffer the consequences if obi is not the next president of Nigeria.’ He added ‘as you already know, I am 94 years old. I will be enjoying myself in my grave soon and you will suffer, particularly the youths of this nation if you fail to vote for Peter Obi.’

“On his side, Chief Clark maintained that ‘Obi would unite the country with his move to restructure it, if he wins the presidential election.’ Clark added that ‘the Niger-Delta people wish to see a Nigeria where there would be true federalism, especially in the areas of devolution of power and resource control, and that this aspiration has been presented by the PANDEF to Obi.’

“In one of the public statements, Clark urged the rest of the country ‘to either vote an Igbo as president of Nigeria or allow them to go, instead of the persistent injustice against the Igbo.’

Irreplaceable three musketeers

Like the Three Musketeers, Clark, Adebanjo and Iwuanyanwu, believed in one for all and all for one. Iwuanyanwu, not only was in full support of the presidential ambition of Peter Obi, of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election but was in constant touch with all the men that mattered in Nigeria. The Musketeers believed that the only option that can guarantee the corporate existence of Nigeria is through restructuring of the polity. They were committed to restructuring Nigeria, fiscal federalism, rule of law, constitutionalism, prudent leadership, impeccable judiciary, genuine separation of powers, social justice, cordial inter-ethnic cultural relations, and curbing wastes in governance, among others.

Any patriotic Nigerian should know that the exit of Chief Edwin Clark, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has created a huge vacuum. In the absence of a credible opposition to the government, the death of the three Musketeers will trigger a downward spiral for the country. I weep as I write. I weep that Nigeria may not be able to produce the likes of Clark, Adebanjo and Iwuanyanwu in years to come.”

Their views on restructuring of the country, ceding the presidency to the South-East in 2023 and implementation of the 2014 national conference recommendations among others were similar.

Culled from Vanguard