Molotov

Fellow workers,

The class struggle is in full session in the USA. However we must not neglect to stay informed about the struggles in other countries. Today I want to speak to you about the class struggle in Nigeria. Nigeria never existed as a country, empire, or chiefdom. Instead what we call Nigeria today was an amalgamation of entities created by the British. Before the British colonized the area Nigeria was home to plenty of tribes. In the South there was a variety of Negro peoples, most prominent were the Igbo, Yoruba, Egbas, and Ijaw. In the North were the Hausa-Fulani people, alongside smaller groups like the Kanuri and Tiv. The Southern groups are majority Christian, while the Northern groups are Mohammedans. The Middle Belt has some animist groups.

There was a recent rebellion in Africa by the Yoruba and Igbo people. This rebellion failed, but it shows that the people of Africa are awaking to fight against the yoke of Imperialism. What must it take for Nigeria to break free? We believe that only a united strike by all groups in Nigeria will be able to cripple the German system. German rule is overstretched in Nigeria. It depends upon local chiefs and sultans to do its bidding. If the tribes of Nigeria united in opposition to Germany, stopped collecting hut taxes, stopped providing police officers and soldiers for Imperialism, German rule in Africa would collapse. There are over 20 million Nigerians. How many Germans would it take to Pacify such a population? Using past military campaigns we estimate 150,000 German troops would be necessary for the task. If Germany did commit that number of troops it would be costly. So costly in fact that the accountants of Imperialism would see not benefit in this campaign. Nigeria would win its independence.

What is necessary for this strike? We believe that the more civilized and developed Fulani must lead the lesser Negros in the revolt. The Fulani have migrated South and West. Recent anthropologist research suggest that they are descendants of those who once populated Egypt. Such men are indeed natural leaders and can be the vanguard of resisting Imperialism. We call upon the Sultans of Northern Nigeria to cease their cooperation with the Germans. They should instead take up their position as the natural leaders of Nigeria.

These Northern Aristocrats already adhere to proto-syndicalist principals. Their flocks are held in common and they have not become the slave of currency like their southern cousins. As opposed to the crafty Igbos, they have not yet been made decadent by high capitalism, but instead retain the barbaric spirit, the same spirit of the followers of Mohammed.

We call upon the Syndicates of the world to make inroads among the brave Hausa-Fulani. They must lead the coming revolution.

There once was a worker who was taking his goods from his factory to the market. He was proud of the fruits of his labor and let the sun shine upon his products. However, these mighty good attracted envious eyes. A group of capitalists saw the wares of the worker, and coveted them even though they had done nothing to shape or create these goods. They followed the worker along his path. The noble worker, ever trusting, paid little heed to the gathering vultures. In his innocent naiveté he assumed his crooked fellow travelers meant him no harm, as his pure mind could not comprehend malicious intent.

However, as his path turned a corner, the covetous capitalists set upon the worker. They shoved him from behind and struck him with blows. They planted a boot upon his face as they stole his supplies, and even his shoes, leaving only a few scraps behind. The wounded worker could not stand, his injuries were great. He lay in a ditch on the side of the road.

Sometime later a burly man was walking down the path and spotted the wounded worker. This Southern gentleman started walking towards him, seeking to offer him assistance. However, as he drew nearer he realized that the worker’s skin was not white like his own but tanned from years of labor. Disgusted the Southern gentleman went along his way to Dixie.

A second man came walking along the path, carrying an arrowhead in his back pocket. He spotted the worker and approached him. He stood next to the worker and considered him for some time. “You seem to be in a predicament my dear worker. Have you considered pulling yourself up by your bootstraps?” The redman continued his path smugly smiling, while the worker continued to lay in the ditch.

A third man came walking along the path. He noticed the worker and walked over to him. He crouched beside the worker and patted him on the back a few times. “There, there! Life can be tough! I hope this helps”, he said as he wiped some blood off the workers forehead. “I wish I could do more but the capitalists wouldn’t like it at all.” The man stood up and began to wander about aimlessly.

The half-conscious worker was losing hope, when a fourth man appeared. Seeing the injured worker, he ran over to him. This good soul poured water down the man’s throat and wiped the blood off the man. He treated the man’s injuries the best he could. He stayed with the worker until he regained his health. He gave the worker food and a new set of clothes. “Gifts from your fellow workers”, the kindly man said. He provided the worker with the finest tools, far better than any he had before. Finally he provided the worker with a pistol for protection. The worker began to follow this man as they set out to find others who needed their aid?

Who was this kindly man that cared for the worker? The Good syndicalist.