Prof Ita Eyo, A Pioneer Of Youth Movements

PEyo Ita was an educationist, philosopher, activist and a politician. He was among the nationalists that laboured and fought for the independence of Nigeria on October 1, 1960. He was a leading nationalist during colonial rule.

Influenced by the teachings of James Aggrey to further his higher education, Prof Ita returned to Nigeria to encourage youths to embrace Western education and work to takeover the mantle of leadership from the colonial masters. He had a clear vision to reposition Nigerian youths for political activism and economic self-reliance.

Born in 1903 at Ibeno in present day Akwa Ibom State, Ita attended the Presbyterian Hope Waddell Training School, Calabar, before going to the United Kingdom and United States for further studies.

Returning from the United States, he and other youths formed the Lagos Youth Movement in 1934 and by 1937 the group changed its name to the

Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM).

Through NYM, the youth were spurred for nationalism. The mantra of the movement was centred on nationalism, intertribal harmony, selfless service and a greater tomorrow. The movement became a catalyst for championing Nigeria’s Independence.

In the 1930s, he worked with different youth organisations to promote natiotionalism and education across Nigeria, especially in the South, and the West African sub-region. He established the Nigerian Youth League (NYL), Calabar, and also campaigned vigorously for Africans to embrace western education as a tool of freedom from tyranny.

He was a deputy national president of the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroon (NCNC) and in 1951 became leader of the Eastern Nigeria Government.

Prof Ita, with some other politicians left NCNC to form the National Independence Party (NIP), which became one of the five Nigerian political parties that sent representatives to the July 27, 1953 London Conference on Nigerian Constitution. He was the presidential candidate of the party.

Ita, in 1938 established the West African People’s Institute in Calabar. He died in 1972 and was buried in Calabar.

He was one of the recipients of a posthumous award during Nigeria’s centenary celebration.