When
a people have suffered for too long, they will drink fairytales on fairylands
with insatiable gullibility." (Hamilton Ayuk) My admonition this week dwells with a section of Nigerian--the North and it is a do-no-favors essay, call it the truth, or falsehood, call it nonsense, be bitter or be complimentary about it, I really do not care--or better still I care enough to tell us the way I see it.
The
words of Malcolm X sums up my next few paragraphs. "You're not supposed to
be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no
matter who says it."
The
myth--Aboki is supposedly an Hausa term that is used to describe the man up
North, he may be hausa, nupe, berom, fulani, shua, but largely he is ignorantly
Hausa to all and poor, he is either mai-guard (gateman), mai-ruwa (water), mai
shai (tea), mai-doya (yam), mai-reke (sugarcane), mai-miaa (blackmarket fuel);
whatever he is, he just has to be mai-something or mai-everything. He is a
symbolism today to other Nigerians of violence and false face of Islam. He is
'misunderstandingly' understood.
Then
we have the Alhaji, he is everything above 'cept that he is presumed rich, and
in recent times dangerous too, he could be a sponsor of Boko Haram too, but for
a 'typical' southerner, there is the allure of his riches whether via politics,
oil, or 'voodoo' who cares. He is there in abuja, port harcourt and lagos. He
really doesn't care about his North, he is a hypocrite to the core without his
knowledge.
Now
to more of those mythical realities and issues, that has left a region on her
knees, no other time than now has the North faced an identity crisis and fight
within herself. Who are the Hausas, who are the Fulanis, and how about the
Hausa- Fulanis, what really is the place of the Islam North, real, media
creation and when or how really did Boko Haram begin, how about the Christians
in the North?
Is
the North still united as was the case, what about her oligarchy and a few
leftist socialist activists that set the talakawa agenda, what happened?
What
is it that needs to be understood about the alamanjiri system and institutional
begging in the North?
Now
wait, this is a lie but who is afraid, I challenge any Christian to explain the
myth of killing in the name of religion because there are 70 virgins somewhere.
And before we scream, has the North been this violent, is it really about
marginalization and if indeed, who marginalized who, Abacha, Shagari or IBB, it
certainly isn't the new kid on the bloc Jonathan, that doesn't even know
Zungeru or Toro?
During
the week, it was Jonathan violates Nigerian laws, corners N3billion general
hospital for own town, Otuoke. Can Namadi violate the law too, imagine if
Northern governors violate the law to bring hospitals and good roads and
schools even in their villages?
The
North and the agitating Middle Belt is an emotional wreck, a perfect picture of
an abused bride, that today is even afraid of a hug of reconciliation, with
rehabilitation and reconstruction a far cry.
If
the North decides to go away from Nigeria, will the other component part fight
to keep it and would it be really 19 states, is Plateau North, when there's no
love lost between the Plateau people and the North, does Taraba believe in
North, Southern Kaduna, parts of Nassarawa, Benue, Kogi etc?
People
still believe that up North we are all empty land mass and goats, unproductive,
and leeching termites stuck on Nigeria because of the oil, if not, why the hue
and cry of PIB when Zamfara's mines are gold for the asking and we could
develop a self-sufficient and exportable agrarian community?
We
don’t share Boko Haram’s ideologies, according to Borno state governor, Kashim
Shettima, but really who believes him or us. What is the arewa ideology?
Everyone
is on a blame ride, the bulk stops at Jonathan's table, but as 'Northerners'
have we blamed brother TY Danjuma, or alfa IBB, mallam Lamido, dr. Babangida
Aliyu or rev Yuguda and Ministers, legislators, and their ilks, what examples
have they set?
So
much is wrong with the North--I challenge my brothers from
Katsina/Jigawa/Kebbi/Zamfara etc to tell me two companies that make 30 million
naira a month after salaries are paid and utilities are sorted.
Niger
State Governor, Dr Babangida Aliyu who happens to be one of the gubernatorial
problems in the North, laments that the economy of the North has crumbled due
to insecurity unleashed on the region by Boko Haram insurgents.
He
regrets the huge army of unemployed youths in the North pointing out that there
was urgent need for the revival of the Northern economy and job creation. But
how are we doing that, other than power must come back to the night, and our
usual its a birthright mentality.
How
many Ashaka/Larfarge cement companies do we have in the North, NASCO in Jos is
dead, funeral rites only being delayed baring a miracle. Same for the Kaduna
textiles industry.
What
and where have the billions of 14years gone to in the North? Universities out
of private initiative litter the South and up here what are we doing, arguing
who has suffered more casualties between Christians/Muslims.
Okay
it has to be poverty, that's one ideological school of thought for the
bloodbath and mayhem, even Obama thinks so, I agree only to the extent that
really ... “countries are not delivering for their people and there are sources
of conflict and underlining frustrations that have not been adequately dealt
with”. In this case, the North has failed herself.
The
North has equally failed...“to give her people opportunity, education and
resolve conflicts through regular democratic processes,”.
...
“in terms of human capital and young people, I think the greatest investment
any country can make, not just an African country, is educating its youth and
providing them with the skill to compete in a highly technological, advanced
world economy”.
Nigeria
has failed in this regard and the North has woefully crashed in same vein.
The
North will rise again, how, if I may ask, by threatening a lame duck presidency
that includes her son as veepee or by sharia-lizing, 2015: Northern govs set to
dump Jonathan, how foolish can we be, who told us that we are the majority
anymore?
The
South-west despite Tinubu's crookedness is chasing a semblance of regional
integration, the South East and South-South are not left out. States have even
gone ahead to show/use their emblem/insignia and are creating identities. We
are still seen as Fulani herdsmen asking for reserves on other peoples' lands
and seeking nomadic education because we can't do regular school.
We
need to bash ourselves, the North, arewa needs to stop lying to itself and her
people, there are current realities, where do we fit into it?
I
will end this admonition in the words of one of the problem sons of the North,
Bro. TY Danjuma, "We need to think more, pray more, plan more, work
harder, RELATE BETTER, and talk less. Battles are better fought and won through
wisdom and strategy than through inflammable pronouncements and political
tantrums." This is to the North but it does apply to Nigeria, the current
hate quotient is high--for how long, only time will tell.
with
compliments.
BURNING POT BY PRINCE CHARLES DICKSON
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