The national association of airlords

The national association of airlords
The supreme eiye confraternity is a fraternity based in almost all the higher schools of learning in Nigeria. The Eiye group as it was called was founded by three students of the University of Ibadan to uphold the core nature of the African culture with a commitment to excellence. The history of campus confraternity can be traced to 1952 when Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka and six of his friends called the G7, formed the National Association of Seadogs a.k.a. Pyrates Confraternity, to fight against injustice and abolish foreign conventions. An offshoot called The Buccaneers a.k.a. National Association of Sea Lords was founded by Dr. Bolaji Carew in 1972 after he was expelled by the Pyrates Confraternity. The Eiye confraternity, which calls itself National Association of Airlords, was also founded by the likes of Professor Jide Osuntokun, a historian and diplomat, Dele Nwakpele, Bode Sowunmi and Delu Lipede, among others, in 1963. A study conducted by the National Universities Commission, NUC, in 2001 revealed that there are over 33 secret cults and associations operating in the universities across the country.
The symbols of eiye are foremost in the minds of all members which is to uphold the history and roots of the African culture
After the Pyrates Confraternity, came the Supreme Eiye Confraternity (S.E.C) in 1969 also at the University of Ibadan. Historically, the SEC started in 1965 as “EIYE GROUP” at the Nnamdi Azikwe hall, by such patriotic and visionary leaders like Goke Adeniji, Dele Nwapkele, Bayo Adenubi, Bode Fadase, Tunde Aluko, Kayode Oke, and Bode Sowunmi among others. This group of young adventurous students with strong commitment to excellence, desire to make positive impact on the socio-political psyche of Nigeria and ensure complete break away from colonial/imperial cultural domination of the time were also not prepared to be like other conventional clubs known for their foreign or imported names, hence the unique Yoruba name “EIYE”. The half a century old usage of “eiye o ni sa sun, on buta” (a bird has no pot, yet feeds itself) was in fact given by Nwapkele, an Ibo student who was fluent in Yoruba language and proud of local people’s heritage. The Eiye group later metamorphosed into the Supreme Eiye Confraternity as we have today, with Ibadan as its MOTHER NEST.

In 1972, a member of the Pyrates Confraternity, Dr. Bolaji Carew (code-named “Late Ahoy Rica Ricardo” and a few other members were accused of not following the teachings of Pyrates and they were expelled. This group of expelled members, led by Dr. Bolaji Carew later founded the Buccaneers (National Association of Sea Lords). Another organization was the Neo-Black Movement of Africa (Black Axe) which started at the University of Benin in 1977. There is also the Fraternity Order of the Legion Consortium, also called the Klansmen Konfraternity (KK) that was started in 1983 by five students at the University of Calabar. A year after the formation of the KK emerged yet another one called the Supreme Vikings Confraternity (SVC). A few other confraternities such as the Family Confraternity (Mafia), the Brotherhood of Blood, otherwise known as “Two-Two” (Black Beret) have also arrived and presently existing in many of Nigerian universities. Although the early Nigerian Confraternities were exclusive preserve of men, as time went by, we later witnessed the emergence of a few female confraternities that sprang up in our tertiary institutions. Examples are the Black Brazier (Bra Bra), the Viqueens, the Daughters of Jezebel, and the Damsel.

According to Section 40, Chapter IV of the Nigerian Constitution dealing with Fundamental Rights of Nigerians, “every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests”. This is the legal foundation for the existence of any association, confraternity, political party, religious body etc in Nigeria. SeC are not, and cannot be regarded as extra-constitutional associations notwithstanding whatever current shortcomings being used as propaganda against the confraternity

Every Nigerian, regardless of sex, ethnicity, or religion basically agrees and shares some common goals and desires with his fellow Nigerians. Among others for example, as a people, we need a functional and less corrupt government, drinkable water, steady and uninterrupted supply of electricity, security of lives and property, good and affordable housing and education as well as a society where there is rule of law, respect for human rights, enduring stability and social justice.
In the same vein, the government, like every other governments worldwide, is set up to make the country a better and orderly place to live by providing the laws, rules of acceptable conducts, punishments for violations, necessary services to the people in addition to overall security of lives and property. A good government must also at all time remain responsive to the needs of the citizens and respect the wishes of the people as expressed either in an election, referendum or opinion poll.
Members of every confraternity in Nigeria have common interests in good governance, respect for human rights, advocacy for a more just and equitable society where the “weak and downtrodden” have equal opportunity as the privileged and powerful. It is this desire to solve some known societal problems and protect common interest (personal and national) that led to the formation of these confraternities in the first place in accordance with the provisions of our Constitution. Noble as the ideas behind formation of the Nigerian Confraternities are, it is without doubt that many have lost sight of the noble objectives that led to their creation or the important task of nation building that today, rather be part of the solution to national problems; the confraternities are generally considered, and rightly so, as part of the problem.

The virtual disappearance of our collective aspirations as a people, the abysmal failure of successive Nigerian governments in the performance of their traditional ordinary governmental roles, coupled with societal lawlessness and high level of corruption in Nigeria have all combined for the present state of violence, lawlessness and destruction among various Nigerian Confraternities as we now witness.
Nigeria of today is a paradox of abundance. A country that is very rich but hungry.She is the 6th largest producers of petroleum in the world but the citizens spend hours or days at the gas pumps for gas if and when available, this is apart from ridiculously high prices for the gas, there is also widespread decay of the country’s infrastructure, erosion of work standards, lack of support services and of course, corruption problem that continues to frustrate any meaningful change and development.

According to former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Thomas Pickering in 1998, “when we think of the positive changes in Africa, we are not reminded of Nigeria. Instead, we think of Nigeria when we consider the Africa of lost economic opportunities, tragic abuses of human rights, and repression. This is disturbing because I know firsthand that Nigeria has every reason to be a success story, to be a model for its region and a leader of the continent. It has the human and material resources to provide for every one of its citizens. It has or had educational base to develop political, academic and artistic leaders that could have inspired a continent, enriched the world and led in international as well as regional cooperation and development”.
The supreme eiye confraternity remains true to the visions of her founders

The Role Of Confraternities In Nation-Building: Nigeria As Case Study
By
akin ogunlola

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