Eyo Ita
Encyclopedia
Eyo Ita was a Nigerian politician from Cross River State
who was the leader of the Eastern Government of Nigerian in 1951. He was one of the earliest Nigerian students who studied in the United States instead of the frequent route of studying in United Kingdom
. He was a deputy national president of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons
in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
before pursuing his tertiary education at London University and Columbia University
in New York
. He stayed in the U.S. for 8 years.
While in Calabar, he was exposed to the teachings of James Aggrey
who pursued academic opportunities for African students in Historical Black Colleges and Universities in America. Calabar became a training ground for some nationalist politicians due to the early site of secondary schools in the city and the influence of people like James Agrrey.
, the Youth movement and the Education movement. He was a member of the former with the establishment of the Nigerian Youth League in Calabar
and he also campaigned vigorously for education as a tool of freeing the African mind
and soul
and liberating it from forces of political repression
. He later became the proprietor of the West African People's Institute in Calabar. He joined the National Council of Nigerian and the Cameroons in the 1940s and was elected Vice President after the death of Herbert Macaulay
, which saw Nnamdi Azikiwe
emerging as the new leader of the party
Some of his mentors were W. E. B. Du Bois and Edward Wilmot Blyden
who were notable Pan- Africanists of their eras.
political framework for the country to enhance regional political and economic autonomy
became law. The constitution was made law
without the proper consultation of Nigerians, leading to Nnamdi Azikiwe and Eyo Ita opposing the regional political arrangement, while they presented a minority report
of a federation of eight states. However, in 1951, the constitution was reviewed with minor changes to the original but opposed by Azikiwe. The major politicians of the time resorted to work within their ethnic and regional base as a foundation to gain political power, this led to regional politics
and concentration of power in regional and federal
ministers
, who were largely nominated by the party and the regional House of Assemblies. In 1951, major election
s were held in the Eastern region of Nigeria with Eyo Ita becoming leader of the Eastern government and Azikiwe, leader of opposition in the Western Regional Assembly, a potential obscure position in light of his national repute.
However, a few federal ministers from the N.C.N.C supported a trial run of the Macpherson Constitution of 1951, in contravention of Azikiwe's view of opposition. The ministers had an ally in Eyo Ita. This led to internal wrangling, and a power struggle began, leading to the exit of some of the ministers and Eyo Ita. The new group latter formed the National Independence
Party and Eyo Ita later became a member of the movement for the creation of the Calabar, Ogoja and Rivers State (COR State). However, he left the movement and re-joined the N.C.N.C in 1956.
Cross River State
Cross River State is a coastal state in southeastern Nigeria, bordering Cameroon to the east. Its capital is at Calabar, and it is named for the Cross River , which passes through the state...
who was the leader of the Eastern Government of Nigerian in 1951. He was one of the earliest Nigerian students who studied in the United States instead of the frequent route of studying in United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He was a deputy national president of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons
National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons
National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons , was a Nigerian political party from 1944 to 1966. The name included 'Cameroons' because Cameroon had become an administrative part of Nigeria in 1945. Cameroon had been a colonial territory of Germany...
in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Early life and education
Eyo Ita attended the Presbyterian Hope Waddell Training School in CalabarCalabar
Calabar is a city in Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria. The original name for Calabar was Atakpa, from the Jukun language....
before pursuing his tertiary education at London University and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He stayed in the U.S. for 8 years.
While in Calabar, he was exposed to the teachings of James Aggrey
James Aggrey
James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey was an intellectual, missionary, and teacher. He was a native of the Gold Coast who later emigrated to the United States, but returned to Africa for several years....
who pursued academic opportunities for African students in Historical Black Colleges and Universities in America. Calabar became a training ground for some nationalist politicians due to the early site of secondary schools in the city and the influence of people like James Agrrey.
Political career
In the 1930s, Eyo Ita was a member of two movements in West AfricaWest Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, the Youth movement and the Education movement. He was a member of the former with the establishment of the Nigerian Youth League in Calabar
and he also campaigned vigorously for education as a tool of freeing the African mind
Mind
The concept of mind is understood in many different ways by many different traditions, ranging from panpsychism and animism to traditional and organized religious views, as well as secular and materialist philosophies. Most agree that minds are constituted by conscious experience and intelligent...
and soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
and liberating it from forces of political repression
Political repression
Political repression is the persecution of an individual or group for political reasons, particularly for the purpose of restricting or preventing their ability to take political life of society....
. He later became the proprietor of the West African People's Institute in Calabar. He joined the National Council of Nigerian and the Cameroons in the 1940s and was elected Vice President after the death of Herbert Macaulay
Herbert Macaulay
Herbert Samuel Heelas Macaulay was a Nigerian nationalist, politician, engineer, journalist, and musician and considered by many Nigerians as the founder of Nigerian nationalism.- Early life :...
, which saw Nnamdi Azikiwe
Nnamdi Azikiwe
Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe , usually referred to as Nnamdi Azikiwe and popularly known as "Zik", was one of the leading figures of modern Nigerian nationalism who became the first President of Nigeria after Nigeria secured its independence from the United Kingdom on 1 October 1960; holding the...
emerging as the new leader of the party
Some of his mentors were W. E. B. Du Bois and Edward Wilmot Blyden
Edward Wilmot Blyden
Edward Wilmot Blyden was an Americo-Liberian educator, writer, diplomat, and politician primarily in Liberia. He also taught for five years in Sierra Leone, and his writings were influential in both countries....
who were notable Pan- Africanists of their eras.
National Independence Party
In 1946, the Richards Constitution which advanced a regionalRégional
Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne, or Régional for short, is a subsidiary airline wholly owned by Air France which connects hubs at Paris, Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand, and Bordeaux to 49 airports in Europe. The airline operates in Air France livery, retaining its name in small titles and logo on...
political framework for the country to enhance regional political and economic autonomy
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
became law. The constitution was made law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
without the proper consultation of Nigerians, leading to Nnamdi Azikiwe and Eyo Ita opposing the regional political arrangement, while they presented a minority report
Minority Report
"The Minority Report" is a 1956 science fiction short story by Philip K. Dick, first published in Fantastic Universe. The story is about a future society where murders are prevented through the efforts of three mutants who can see the future...
of a federation of eight states. However, in 1951, the constitution was reviewed with minor changes to the original but opposed by Azikiwe. The major politicians of the time resorted to work within their ethnic and regional base as a foundation to gain political power, this led to regional politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and concentration of power in regional and federal
Federal republic
A federal republic is a federation of states with a republican form of government. A federation is the central government. The states in a federation also maintain the federation...
ministers
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
, who were largely nominated by the party and the regional House of Assemblies. In 1951, major election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
s were held in the Eastern region of Nigeria with Eyo Ita becoming leader of the Eastern government and Azikiwe, leader of opposition in the Western Regional Assembly, a potential obscure position in light of his national repute.
However, a few federal ministers from the N.C.N.C supported a trial run of the Macpherson Constitution of 1951, in contravention of Azikiwe's view of opposition. The ministers had an ally in Eyo Ita. This led to internal wrangling, and a power struggle began, leading to the exit of some of the ministers and Eyo Ita. The new group latter formed the National Independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
Party and Eyo Ita later became a member of the movement for the creation of the Calabar, Ogoja and Rivers State (COR State). However, he left the movement and re-joined the N.C.N.C in 1956.