10/10/2025
JUST A LITTLE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE FOR THOSE WHO THINK YOU CAN JUST COME INTO POLITICAL OFFICE WITH NO MONEY.
Even in 1921, when Herbert Macaulay wanted to form the first political party in Nigeria to challenge the British colonial master, he needed funding. So he worked as a clerk in one of the colonial officers' offices and saved money. When he got enough, he resigned and used the money to form the party, winning many seats in the only parliament then, the Lagos Parliament. The colonial masters, seeing his influence and move, got angry and waged a battle with him.
He moved on and formed the NCNC party with Nnamdi Azikiwe, who had just come back from America with some little savings, and they spread to some parts of Cameroon. Ziks needed money to continue the party after Herbert Macaulay passed away , but was now based briefly in Ghana with his friend Nkrumah, the father of Ghana politics.
That was when he heard about the young millionaire in Sapele( now in Delta state)Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, the man who tied the longest wrapper on Earth, a big-time businessman who traded in palm oil and plywood. He then asked him to support the party with finance. With Okotie-Eboh's money, he came back to Nigeria, and that was how they won many seats in the Lagos Parliament.
He became Nigeria's first president and appointed Festus Okotie-Eboh the first finance minister as a reward. Okotie-Eboh then went on to establish Nigeria's financial system, including the Central Bank and Stock Exchange, and became even wealthier.
So no be today money don dey Naija politics and you don't just win a political office with no money or fianacial backing.
Tino ✍️
10/10/2025
08/03/2022