00 ekechi fmt final 7/29/10 1:53 PM Page i Pioneer, Patriot, and Nigerian Nationalist 00 ekechi fmt final 9/3/10 12:40 PM Page ii Carolina Academic Press African World Series Toyin Falola, Series Editor African Entrepreneurship in Jos, Central Nigeria, 1902–1985 S.U. Fwatshak Pioneer, Patriot, and Nigerian Nationalist: A Biography of the Reverend M.D. Opara, 1915–1965 Felix Ekechi The Tiv and Their Southern Neighbours, 1890–1990 Emmanuel Chiahemba Ayangaôr 00 ekechi fmt final 7/29/10 1:53 PM Page iii Pioneer, Patriot, and Nigerian Nationalist A Biography of the Reverend M. D. Opara, 1915–1965 Felix K. Ekechi Professor, Department of History Kent State University Carolina Academic Press Durham, North Carolina 00 ekechi fmt final 7/29/10 1:53 PM Page iv Copyright © 2010 Felix K. Ekechi All Rights Reserved Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ekechi, Felix K., 1934 – Pioneer, patriot, and nigerian nationalist : a biography of the Reverend M.D. Opara, 1915 –1965 / Felix Ekechi. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-59460-805-6 (alk. paper) 1. Opara, M. D., 1915-1965. 2. African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church-- Biography. 3. African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church--History. 4. Nige - ria--Church history. 5. Nigeria--History--20th century. I. Title. BX8459.O63E34 2010 287'.83092--dc22 [B] 2010007569 Carolina Academic Press 700 Kent Street Durham, North Carolina 27701 Telephone (919) 489-7486 Fax (919) 493-5668 www.cap-press.com Printed in the United States of America 00 ekechi fmt final 8/4/10 2:31 PM Page v Contents Series Editor’s Preface ix Preface xi Acknowledgments xiii Sources xvii Methodology xxi Summary of Chapters xxiii Introduction 3 Prologamena on M. D. Opara’s Political Career 12 Abbreviations 15 Chapter 1 • The Making of a Missionary, 1930–1950 17 Education and Early Career 18 Birth of the Zion Mission and Its Travails 23 The Land Question 27 Denominational Problems 31 The Human Factor in the History of the Zion Mission 34 The Zion Mission-Calabar Relationship and Its Ambiguities 36 Church Recruitment 39 The Ajoku-Opara Imbroglio 40 The Ajoku-Opara Rapprochement 45 Chapter 2 • The Polygamy Question 47 Reflections on the Polygamy Question 50 Chapter 3 • Education: The Crucible of Missionary Work, 1942–1950 61 Education as a Survival Strategy 63 The Foundation of Zion Schools and Their Ordeal 67 v 00 ekechi fmt final 7/29/10 1:53 PM Page vi vi CONTENTS The Politics of School Approval 69 The Scape-Goating Syndrome 73 Zion School Approvals and Problems 74 The Resource Question and Impact 80 The Enrollment Question 83 Staffing 84 Recruitment of Graduate Staff 87 Chapter 4 • The Salary Dilemma, 1950–1970 93 The End of an Era 113 The Times of Mutual Distrust and Conflict 120 The CMS Episode, 1966–1970 125 Chapter 5 • Toward the Democratization of Education 129 The Higher Education Initiative 133 The Catalytic Impact of the Higher Education Initiative 137 Requests for College Admissions and Scholarships 144 The “Please Help Me” and “Thank You” Letters 149 Request for Donations, Loans, and Employment 155 Requests for Employment 160 Portrait of a “Benevolent Nationalist” 162 Voices of Gratitude and Appreciation 164 Chapter 6 • Expansion and Denominational Squabbles, 1948–53 171 Leadership Configured: M. D. Opara and His Admirers 18 5 Chapter 7 • The American Connection, 1950–1980 191 The Genesis of the ZM-EMC Relationship 192 From Conference to Partnership 193 The Roy Adams Fiasco 203 The Turning Point 209 The New Dawn 211 Chapter 8 • The American Missionary Episode, 1956–1980 223 The EMC Crisis and Its Aftermath 229 The Triggs’ Missionary Episode and Fiasco 235 The End of an Era 242 00 ekechi fmt final 7/29/10 1:53 PM Page vii CONTENTS vii Chapter 9 • Politics and Political Activism, 1948–1965: Part I 249 Prelude to the 1953 Election to the Eastern House of Assembly 252 The 1953 Elections and Political Activism 255 The Africanization Question 258 Diatribe on Judges and African Bureaucrats 265 Toward the Redeployment of District Officers 268 Campaign for the Liberalization of Grants-in-Aid, and Crusade for Education Reform 271 Devolution of Power and the Politics of Grants-in-Aid 272 Persistence of Financial Woes 274 Toward Education Reform; “Putting the Cart before the Horse” 274 Chapter 10 • Politics and Political Activism, 1948–1965: Part II 281 The Water Supply Question and Miscellaneous Concerns 281 Health and Health Care Delivery Systems 291 Concerns about Workers, Teachers, etc. 301 Armed Robbery and Social Insecurity 304 Miscellaneous Matters: The Chieftaincy Question 307 The Free Milk Donation Controversy 310 Self Government and Its Discontents 312 Chapter 11 • Confronting the Crisis of Underdevelopment: M. D. Opara and the Underdevelopment Dilemma, 1954–1965 319 Agitation for the Industrial Development of Owerri 324 The Clamor for Electricity Supply 328 Toward Improved Transportation and Economic Reforms 330 Towards the Establishment of Catering Rest Houses 337 Chapter 12 • Weathering the Storm: Political Opposition and Triumph, 1957–1965 341 Reflections on the “Home Rule Movement” and the Break-Up of the Ikeduru-Mbaitoli Federation 342 The Newspaper War 347 Sweet Victory 363 Epilogue 366 Accolades 370 Conclusion 373 00 ekechi fmt final 7/29/10 1:53 PM Page viii viii CONTENTS Appendix A • Reflections on Local Politics in the Mbaitoli Clan Based on Interview with Edmund U. Ajaero, August 12, 1995 377 Appendix B • Portrait of Abel E. Okwuoha 379 Bibliography 381 Notes 391 Summary of Chapters 391 Introduction 391 Chapter 1 393 Chapter 2 396 Chapter 3 398 Chapter 4 401 Chapter 5 403 Chapter 6 408 Chapter 7 410 Chapter 8 412 Chapter 9 415 Chapter 10 418 Chapter 11 421 Chapter 12 423 Series Board 429 Index 431 00 ekechi fmt final 8/4/10 2:32 PM Page ix Series Editor’s Preface The Carolina Academic Press African World Series, inaugurated in 2010, of- fers significant new works in the field of African and Black World studies. The series provides scholarly and educational texts that can serve both as reference works and as readers in college classes. Studies in the series are anchored in the existing humanistic and the social scientific traditions. Their goal, however, is the identification and elaboration of the strategic place of Africa and its Diaspora in a shifting global world. More specifically, the studies will address gaps and larger needs in the developing scholarship on Africa and the Black World. The series intends to fill gaps in areas such as African politics, history, law, religion, culture, sociology, literature, philosophy, visual arts, art history, ge- ography, language, health, and social welfare. Given the complex nature of Africa and its Diaspora, and the constantly shifting perspectives prompted by globalization, the series also meets a vital need for scholarship connecting knowledge with events and practices. Reflecting the fact that life in Africa con- tinues to change, especially in the political arena, the series explores issues em- anating from racial and ethnic identities, particularly those connected with the ongoing mobilization of ethnic minorities for inclusion and representa- tion. Toyin Falola University of Texas at Austin ix 00 ekechi fmt final 7/29/10 1:53 PM Page x 00 ekechi fmt final 7/29/10 1:53 PM Page xi Preface This book has been long in coming. The urge to write the book was gener - ated years ago, prior to the onset of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–70). But it was not until 1983, while I was on sabbatical leave in Nigeria, that the research on the subject started. Regrettably, the production of the book has dragged on almost indefinitely since then. The reasons are many, but largely due to in - terlocking factors. First, heavy university teaching and administrative respon - sibilities did not allow sufficient time for international travels to England and Nigeria for archival and fieldwork research respectively. Thus, because overseas travels were only possible during the summer vacations, the completion of re - search and the publication of the book itself took much longer time than orig - inally planned. Secondly, I must admit that my quasi-perfectionist tendencies entered into the equation. Dissatisfaction with earlier drafts of the manuscript led to frequent revisions, which, by the way, are normal and necessary. A friend once advised, “Felix, enough is enough; leave the drafts as they are, and pub - lish whatever you have. Remember, perfectionism is not the hallmark of a his - torian.” I finally listened, and herewith is the product of all the labor at last, even though as imperfect as it still is. My experience in the whole book enterprise reminds me of Karl Marx’s, who in 1858, explained to his friend Lassalle, why his work on the Contribu - tion to the Critique of Political Economy had taken such a long time to materi - alize. He wrote: The job is making very slow progress because things [,] which one has for many years made the chief object of one’s investigation constantly exhibited new aspects and call forth new doubts whenever they are to be put in final shape. Besides, I am not the master of my time but rather its servant. (Quoted in Temu and Swai, Historians and African - ist History: A Critique , 1978, p. xii) Given also that biographical writing is not only a difficult art, but indeed “per - haps the most demanding task of the historian,” it goes without question that xi 00 ekechi fmt final 7/29/10 1:53 PM Page xii xii PREFACE it should not therefore be a rushed job. After all, as Henry Lee Swint once ob - served, “the elaborate research and critical analysis that it entails” compels de - liberate caution (Henry Lee Swint, “William Campbell Binkley, 1889–1970: The Historian, Editor, Teacher,” in The Journal of Southern History , Vol.