Nevertheless, with the information which is available to us, we in Nigeria feel there are several important factors to be constantly borne in mind in dealing with the problem. Below is the speech delivered by the Nigerian Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa… UN urges countries to cooperate to prepare for the next pandemic. ( Log Out / Change ), This is a text widget. Nigeria has long waited to celebrate freedom from the British colonial leaders, for an independent Nigeria. And so, as we gratefully take the place to which you have invited us, we feel an immense responsibility to the world which you represent. This will entail giving additional powers to the United Nations force and to its other agencies, but only for a limited period, until new elections have been held. Many of the new African States are, indeed, potentially rich and should contribute to improving the world, but for the fact that they lack the technological knowledge and the financial capital necessary to develop their resources. We can also lend professors and teaching staff from the time to give short courses and lectures, and I assure you that many qualified Nigerians are eager to take part in such work during their school and college vacations. And the truth is that the elder statesman's assertion that Sir Tafawa Balewa, the former Prime Minister of Nigeria, was not murdered by soldiers and that he in fact died of asthma is a sordid and shameful attempt at distorting history. On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained its independence from Britain following years of struggle for sovereignty by leaders from various ethnic groups in the country. Will the result be a confederacy or a federation? Secondly, Nigeria, a large and populous country of over 35 million, has absolutely no territorial or expansionist intentions. And here the United Nations can be of the greatest assistance, by providing the necessary experts to inquire and advise. Nigeria's Statement at the 69th General Assembly Notable buildings. Here I would say that to my mind it is most important that none of the great powers should be represented on the fact-finding commission because, however honest their intentions, it would be inevitable that they should be regarded as having a particular interest in the problem. We African States should come together to assist the Congolese to solve their problems. The Tafawa Balewa Square, (TBS) is a 14.5-hectare (35.8-acre ... Tafawa Balewa, delivering his speech. At last, our great day has arrived, and Nigeria is now indeed an independent sovereign nation. If I think correctly, the whole purpose of this organization is to enable the different countries to work together in a friendly atmosphere to procure the peace and progress of mankind, and this cooperation is meant to link all the member nations, no matter what sort of Government each individual country enjoys within its own boundaries. HON YAKUBU DOGARA AT NORTHERN SECURITY MEETING AT SIR AHMADU BELLO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, KADUNA ON 6TH FEBRUARY, 2020. Now to deal with the more general problems of Africa; problems which are bound to arise when the Powers which colonized Africa in the last century are now relinquishing their control and granting independence to their former colonies. First, it is the desire of Nigeria-as I have said already to remain on friendly terms with all nations and to participate actively in the work of the United Nations Organizations. Last Saturday the country which I have the honor to represent, the Federation of Nigeria, became independent and assumed the rights and responsibilities of a sovereign State. ... Flashback: Tafawa Belewa’s Speech on October 1st 1960. Nigeria First Independence Day Speech, 1960 By Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Nigeria is prepared to make its experience available and to send technical experts to assist in planning and development for the future. Nigeria@60: What Tafawa Balewa said in his independence speech Nigeria became a sovereign nation on October 1, 1960. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa's speech delivered in Lagos at the Nigerian Independence Ceremony, on Saturday, October 1, 1960. And so, as we gratefully take the place to which you have invited us, we feel an immense responsibility to the world which you represent. One great advantage which we new nations have is that the accession to independent makes a clear break with our past and presents us with the opportunity to enter into the field of international relations untrammeled by prior commitments. We must do it together and we must be entrusted with this responsibility by the United Nations and be given its full backing. So I think that the United Nations must take a much firmer line than hitherto and quite firmly support the Central Government in maintaining law and order and in keeping the machinery of day-to-day government moving. Nevertheless, with the information which is available to us, we in Nigeria feel there are several important factors to be constantly borne in mind in dealing with the problem. For instance, there can be no question of the United Nations taking on the role of administering Power or of the Republic of the Congo being regarded as United Nations Trust Territory. It is true that elections cannot be held overnight. Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, KBE (December 1912 -- January 15, 1966) was a Nigerian politician, and the only prime minister of an independent Nigeria. 4 min read Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Mr. Prime Minister: A Selection of Speeches Made by Alhaji the Right Honourable Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, K.B.E., M.P., Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Apapa: Nigerian National Press, Ltd., 1964). ... Flashback: Tafawa Belewa’s Speech on October 1st 1960. Now to deal with the more general problems of Africa; problems which are bound to arise when the Powers which colonized Africa in the last century are now relinquishing their control and granting independence to their former colonies. We are properly grateful for this recognition and for the generous friendly gesture made by so many Members who sent very distinguished delegations to join us in celebrating our accession to independence. I am in some doubt as to the exact manner in which the Constitution granting independence to that country was drawn up by the colonial power which formerly administered the territory, and as to the degree of consultation there was with the Congolese peoples themselves, and at what level that consultation was carried out. On behalf of my countrymen in Nigeria I thank you all most sincerely for accepting us as a fellow Member of this organization. We in Nigeria appreciate the advantages which the size of our country and its population give us, but we have absolutely no aggressive intentions. I do not think that it was ever the intention of any of those countries which were responsible for the creation of this Organization to turn it into an arena where party politics could be played on the highest level, and where ideological differences would obscure the main objective of securing peace among the nations and stability in the world at large. Fourthly, Nigeria hopes to work with other African States for the progress of Africa and to assist in bringing all African Territories to a state of responsible independence. The root of the problem will lie in revenue allocation. I hope that this policy will bring about an atmosphere of trust, and that if each country is given proper recognition and respect as a sovereign State, it will be possible to have effective cooperation on all matters of common concern to us. We in Nigeria have been fortunate in achieving our independence without bloodshed or bitterness, and I hope that this will lend weight to the proposals which I am about to set before you. Yet the truth must be told no matter what and no matter whose ox is gored. I refer to the West and the North and to Central Africa and do recommend joint consultations about non political matters such as the coordination of the transport and communication systems, research in connection with natural resources, and above all, education. I do not know how widely the provisions of the new Constitution were known in that country, or whether there is any pattern of administration going up from the village to the provincial and to the national level. Nor would I limit advice and assistance to African countries, but would welcome the participation of other States; though I repeat I think it would be advisable to exclude the greater powers. The General Assembly is the supreme conference in the world, and if the ideas on which it is based are really accepted, then one would expect every representative, no matter from where he comes, to feel absolutely free to express the mind of the country he represents, to feel that he is in no way restricted either by the lobbying of other representatives, or in the case of under-developed countries, by being put under an obligation through technical and financial aid. It may be that, when we hear the world crying out for peace, we may receive the inspiration to deal with these intractable problems and be able to really devote all our resources to the advancement of mankind by applying those eternal truths which will inevitably persist long after we ourselves are utterly forgotten. Those are but a few of the ways in which the Congo can be helped. I have said already that much of the present situation in the Congo is obscure. Today is Independence Day. The best way for them to assist us in reaching maturity is not by ideological propaganda, in whatever form it may be disguised, but by helping us genuinely, with really good will, to develop our resources and to educate our human material up to those standards which are necessary for proper development. October 1, 2019. in News, Nigeria, Politics. The speed with which troops were sent to maintain law and order was most commendable. This article has been rated as Start-Class. The State House of the Government of Nigeria But now I feel that it is my duty to put before you, and to ask for your sympathetic consideration, the possible solutions which are presented before us. Fourthly, Nigeria hopes to work with other African States for the progress of Africa and to assist in bringing all African Territories to a state of responsible independence. The Independence Speech of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa on October 1st, 1960. In all of its activities it is most essential that the United Nations make use of only the most able and experienced experts. Nigeria@60: What Tafawa Balewa said in his independence speech Nigeria became a sovereign nation on October 1, 1960. by Adejumo kabir. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. I hope that priority will be given in the various geographical groupings. Our Home Based Officers I think that all will agree that the present tension in the world is due to mutual suspicion and the efforts made by groups of countries to impose ideological notions of one kind or another on their neighbors. Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, KBE (December 1912 – 15 January 1966) was a Nigerian politician, and the first prime minister of an independent Nigeria. At last, our great day has arrived, and Nigeria is now indeed an independent sovereign nation. What follows is Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa's speech delivered at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos at the Independence Ceremony. The first of October 1960 is a date to which for two years every Nigerian has been eagerly looking forward. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, K.B.E., M.P., Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The colonizing powers of the last century partitioned Africa in haphazard and artificial manner and drew boundaries which cut right across former groupings. We are willing to learn before we rush into the field of international politics, but we are totally unwilling to be diverted from the ideals which we think to be true. On behalf of my countrymen in Nigeria I thank you all most sincerely for accepting us as a fellow Member of this organization. Nigeria is a populous country. I, therefore feel that if the advanced nations of the other continents are really desirous of seeing the new African States stand on their own feet and make their own particular contribution to the peace of the world and to the happiness of mankind, they should make a real effort to desist from fomenting trouble in any of the African countries. Spreading political propaganda or more insidious infiltration through technical assistance can virtually rob any under-developed country of its freedom. We must do it together and we must be entrusted with this responsibility by the United Nations and be given its full backing. Nigeria became a sovereign nation on October 1, 1960. It was also, I believe, the intention of the original promoters to see that countries which are now backward should be assisted in every possible way to develop so that they become world assets and not liabilities. But for the present, it is unrealistic to expect countries to give up their sovereignty which they have so recently acquired, and I am quite sure that it is wrong to imagine that political union could of itself bring the countries together. I feel sure that we can do so, but it must be done collectively and not done merely as so many individual States. Many of the new African States are, indeed, potentially rich and should contribute to improving the world, but for the fact that they lack the technological knowledge and the financial capital necessary to develop their resources. SPEECH DELIVERED BY RT. That is the reason we in Nigeria will not be found to align ourselves as a matter of routine, with any particular bloc. I frankly admit that there are many features of this seemingly intractable problem which remain obscure to me. So I wish to state that I think that it will be the greatest threat to peace in Africa if any country sets out to undermine the authority of the properly chosen leaders of other states with a view of imposing political union. For this reason the Congo situation must be a matter to be dealt with primarily by African States at the political level. It is especially in this field that I commend the many schemes which the United Nations has sponsored for assisting the underdeveloped countries. I am told that the lower branches of the civil service are efficient, that the public utilities continue to function and that there is a fair amount of executive capacity. ... Balewa, Nigeria’s first prime minister, delivered this speech on October 1, 1960. But, being human, we are naturally concerned first with what effect our immediate neighborhood. We are willing to learn before we rush into the field of international politics, but we are totally unwilling to be diverted from the ideals which we think to be true. We see nation wrangling with nation, and we wonder how we can help. I would not necessarily limit technical assistance to the United Nations, but I do seriously suggest that it is in the best interests of world peace for assistance from elsewhere to be given only to those countries which, although still under-developed, are politically stable and have a properly constituted government which is capable of understanding the risks of accepting aid from another country. Nigeria is a populous country. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa has been listed as a level-5 vital article in People, Politicians. The Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria ( Log Out / Re: Read Nigeria's Inaugural UN Speech By Prime Minister Sir Abubakir Tafawa Balewa by Teacher1776(m): 3:41pm On Sep 20, 2017 The colonizing powers of the last century partitioned Africa in haphazard and artificial manner and drew boundaries which cut right across former groupings. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Please do not think that we are not interested in other regions, and we hope to be allowed to assist in finding solutions to them through this organization. While you are on our website, we also recommend that you visit the pages listed below: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria That is the reason we in Nigeria will not be found to align ourselves as a matter of routine, with any particular bloc. He reassured them of their future if they decided in the plebiscite to rejoin Nigeria and … UN urges countries to cooperate to prepare for the next pandemic. It may be that, when we hear the world crying out for peace, we may receive the inspiration to deal with these intractable problems and be able to really devote all our resources to the advancement of mankind by applying those eternal truths which will inevitably persist long after we ourselves are utterly forgotten. On Saturday, October 1, 1960, Nigeria became an independent nation. First, it is the desire of Nigeria-as I have said already to remain on friendly terms with all nations and to participate actively in the work of the United Nations Organizations. At last, our great day has arrived, and Nigeria is now… That way can only bring trouble. But now I feel that it is my duty to put before you, and to ask for your sympathetic consideration, the possible solutions which are presented before us. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 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