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Tag: Arewa youths

  • Sultan berates Arewa Youths over quit notice to Igbo

    Sultan berates Arewa Youths over quit notice to Igbo

    SULTAN of Sokoto, Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, came down hard on the Northern youth who issued a quit notice to the Igbo.

    He said he was never in support of the Arewa Youths’ October 1 ultimatum to the Igbo to leave the north.

    The Youths have since withdrawn the notice following the Intervention of some well-meaning Nigerians, including governors.

    The Islamic leader threw his weight behind restructuring, saying it does not mean dividing the nation but fixing imbalance in distribution of power and wealth.

    The monarch said:” If anybody or group of persons plans negative attack on the Igbos it should be done to him first.”

    Abubakar spoke in Sokoto when he received the World Igbo Union Leader, His Imperial Majesty (HIM) Sir Dr. Meshach Ahanta yesterday.

    On calls to restructure the nation, he said it does not mean galvanizing or dividing Nigeria but simply means making adjustment here and there for equal accommodation to all and sundry in the country.

    He said it was a purposeful agitation for pure equity and fair play religiously, socially and economically.

    He however pointed out the agitation for pulling out by some people or calls for disintegration cannot solve any of the problems facing the country.

    Abubakar rather said the way forward is round table dialogue, talking humanly, not carrying arms or dangerous weapons.

    The royal father blamed the politicians for most of the problems bedeviling Nigerians, saying: “they come to you during campaigns, promise you heaven in your house, air conditions on all roads and milk entering your mouth hourly without any effort from you.

    “As soon as they win, they zoom to Abuja and start planning or arranging comfort for themselves while some from rural areas move to state capital with careless abandonment of the voters.”

    He called on the electorates to ensure their votes go to credible persons seeking political offices.

    “That is the only way forward even as I condemn all about the quit order, the violent method of agitations for independence, kidnappings, vandalisation and hiding under religion to kill through the use of suicide bombing instruments, believing that it will lead one to heaven”.

  • Igbo quit notice: Why we haven’t  arrested Arewa youths, by Fed Govt

    Igbo quit notice: Why we haven’t  arrested Arewa youths, by Fed Govt

    The Federal Government has explained why it has not arrested the architects of the Coalition of Northern Youths’ quit notice issued to the Igbo living in the North.

    The explanation came on the heels of calls by United Nations (UN) experts for the arrest of those behind the June 6 quit notice.

    It also came on a day the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) lashed out at the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) over the pan-North group’s warnings to Ohanaeze Ndi’ Igbo, a pro-East organisation.

    At a news conference in Abuja yesterday, Attorney-General of the Federation & Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) said they did not go after sponsors of the quit notice due to the “security implications”, adding that the Federal Government was being strategic in handle the issue.

    He said: “The way the government works is that a lot of considerations naturally come into play. One is investigation, which is not time-bound; two, security consideration; three, expeditious determination and consideration of public interest.

    “But one thing that is certain is that the government is ever alive to its responsibilities and whoever is found wanting, regardless of the length of time, will definitely be brought to book.

    “That is the way it works. I assure you that the government will, within the context of its responsibilities, work to ensure good governance, justice, peace and fairness in the nation.”

    The Northern youths have withdrawn the quit notice on the Igbo to vacate the North on October 1.

    ‎Their spokesman, AbdulAziz Suleiman, said the withdrawal was as a result of consultations and pressure from various groups.

    Also yesterday, the IPOB, through its spokesman, Emma Powerful, warned the Federal Government against re-arresting its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    It said doing so will have dire consequences.

    The IPOB spokesman was reacting to what it called an attack on the Ohanaeze. Some ACF elders had berated the Ohanaeze leaders for trivialising a criminal matter.

    According to Powerful, Kanu has not committed any crime that could warrant his rearrest.

    He said: “If Nigeria ever had a case against our leader, why have the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) not commenced the trial since October 2015 when our leader was first arrested?

    “Instead, the Arewa North thought they could intimidate this present Ohaneze Ndigbo as they did to previous executives, into allowing Nnamdi Kanu to be arrested.

    “The idea of wanting to use baseless trumped up charges to justify the extra-judicial detention of Kanu will be resisted by all men and women of good conscience.”

    The UN human rights experts called for the prosecution of those behind the ultimatum issued to the Igbo.

    The experts,  Mutuma Ruteere, Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance; Fernand de Varennes, Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues and Anastasia Crickley, Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, described the ultimatum as a “grave concern”.

    They also deplored a hate song and audio message being circulated on the internet and on the social media targeting the Igbo.

    The UN experts said: “We are gravely concerned about this proliferation of hate messages and incitement to violence against the Igbo and their property, especially considering the previous history of such violence.

    “The government must be vigilant, as hate speech and incitement can endanger social cohesion and threaten peace by deepening the existing tensions between Nigeria’s ethnic communities.”

    The human rights crusaders said that though some local and national figures, as well as some media representatives had publicly denounced any form of hate speech and incitement, other officials still needed to follow suit.

    They added: “We are deeply concerned that some prominent local leaders and elders have not condemned the ultimatum, hate speech and the perpetrators.

    “We call on the government, media and civil society representatives, and local and religious leaders, to reject and condemn hate speech and incitement to violence unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms.”

    The UN experts said any incidents of hate speech and incitement to violence had to be investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted and punished.

    “This includes the people behind the ultimatum and those responsible for the creation, publication and circulation of the hate song and audio message,” they added.

     

  • Between Arewa youths and IPOB

    Between Arewa youths and IPOB

    Sir: The federal government lost a golden opportunity to de-escalate lawlessness by not immediately clamping down on Nnamdi Kanu and members of Arewa youths who have overtly challenged the corporate existence of Nigeria. It lost the opportunity to use the instrumentality of the law to keep them in the cooler at least until more urgent problems are resolved.

    The Arewa quit notice will continue to resonate in its novel template as the most infantile erosion of national value and a new low in overreaching the threshold of decency.

    It’s never too late to effect the arrest of the so-called Arewa youths and IPOB’s exuberant leaders to put all secessionist incendiaries in abeyance.

    The disciples of IPOB ideology are quick to interpret it as the right to associate and even venerate it with the garb of freedom of speech as if freedom of speech is an entitlement for a licentious infringement on the freedom of others.

    History has recorded many ideologies that survived generations not because of the incendiarism and hostility of their founders but because of the positive values they project.  The hallmarks of such ideologies are never shrouded in esoterica or equivocations as it is apparent in the cases of IPOB and the northern youths.

    Martin Luther was able to immortalize his dream, part of which culminated in the emergence of Barack Obama as the first black president of the United States not by violence or insensate rhetoric but through persuasive intellectual engagement. Such was what compelled Abraham Lincoln and generations of white technocrats to buy into the abrogation of slave trade even though this historical denouement is being circumvented by Trump’s supremacist hegemony.

    Nigeria is not an exclusive fiefdom of those that want to defend suicidal ideologies and have brainwashed thousands who are herded into confrontation with the state apparatus in their hypnotized gullibility.

    The demographics of the patriotic, peace-loving and law-abiding citizens who also reserve the rights to the existential indivisibility of Nigeria are left vulnerable and at the mercy of the northern youths and the Kanus of this world.

    Why would the IPOB overreach itself and threaten those that want to exercise their franchise in the upcoming Anambra election? Is one right superior to another?

    Kanu and Arewa youths should face the full wrath of the law and the federal government must not vacillate on it. Nigerians are tired of these repugnant threats to their peace.

     

    • Bukola Ajisola

    bukymany@yahoo.com

  • Quit Notice: Arewa youths/Igbo leaders peace parley deadlock

    Quit Notice: Arewa youths/Igbo leaders peace parley deadlock

    The 10-man Committee of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) and Igbo Leaders in the North set up to find lasting solution to the quit notice issued to Igbos in the North by Arewa Youths appeared to have more responsibilities than envisaged as it has extended its sitting to the next 10-days.

    However, beyond expectations that the Committee would have come up with a stand to call off the quit notice order Monday, The Nation gathered from impeccable sources within the Committee that there are more that meets the eye.

    According to a source, “we sat for more than three times and we find out that there are more issues on ground that should be extensively deliberated upon if we really want to find a lasting solution that will settle the dust already raised.”

    The Nation recalled that after a crucial peace-parley of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) and Igbo leaders in the North last week, a 10-man Committee was set up to further find better ways of resolving the contentious issue.

    However, after three days of brainstorming, the joint committee with five representatives from each side adjourned sitting to the next 10 days to make way for wider consultations.

    According to a Press Statement issued by the 10-man Committee and made available to The Nation in Kano Monday, there was need for more time so as to enable the committee do a thorough job.

    The statement was signed by Chief Chi Nwogu (representative of Igbo leaders), Alhaji Dauda S. Shamakiri (representative of the Coalition of Northern Groups) and Comrade Isa Tijani (convener of the peace parley).

    It reads: “Reference to the peace meeting held on the 4th August, 2017 by leaders of the Coalition of Northern Groups and Igbo Leaders in the 19 northern states and the FCT which resulted in the formation of a 10-man committee to find a solution to the quit notice issued.

    “The Committee sat and deliberated extensively and agreed that there is need for further consultations from both sides.

    “Accordingly, the meeting adjourned to reconvene in the next ten days where a final resolution on issues will be achieved.”

    Meanwhile, the Coalition of Northern Groups in a Press Statement issued after their Town Hall meeting in Kano, accused the leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of sowing the seed of discord in the corporate existence of Nigeria as a country.

    According to the statement, “his (Nnamdi Kanu) recent action of forcefully grounding movement of people including those from other regions by shutting down most South-East cities notwithstanding the mild and ineffective condemnation by some Igbo political, cultural and religious leaders has foreclosed the avenues for an expected early peaceful resolution.

    “It is further justification of our concern expressed in the Kaduna Declaration and subsequent correspondences with the Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the International Community.

    “These renewed threats contained in Kanu’s unwarranted utterances and actions compel us to push further for definite national and international action that would decide the Biafran matter to conclusion once and for all.

    “In our usual truly patriotic aim to forestall the drift toward anarchy in Nigeria, and also to alert the international community as to where responsibility would ultimately lie if such momentous events ever came to pass, we have followed up our earlier effort by another round of initiatives of extending similar communications to relevant authorities.”

    They added that, “accordingly, we have met with many leaders and groups with positive developments while our doors remain open for discussions with more groups, leaders and agencies genuinely interested in addressing the separatist issues with a view to finally achieving a peaceful and stable Nigeria.”

  • Quit Notice: Igbos must remain in the north – Ganduje

    Quit Notice: Igbos must remain in the north – Ganduje

    Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Saturday affirmed that not even the Igbos or any other ethnic nationality resident in Kano will leave the state as a result of the recent quit notice order by Arewa Youths.

    The Governor who stated this during a meeting with the Igbo Delegates Assembly (IDA)  and Igbo Traditional rulers in the 19 northern states, led by IDA President- General, Chief Chi Nwogu, at the Government House in Kano.

    He added that as leaders in Northern Nigeria, all governors in the region are solidly against ethnic prejudice, as promoted by certain group of youth, declaring categorically that Igbos in the region will stay forever.

    According to him, “even if you want to go on your own, we will not allow you to leave. There is a difference between I will not go and there is no where I can go. You don’t have anywhere to go, this place is your home.”

    According to him, even foreigners are residing comfortably in Kano and other parts of Northern Nigeria and are engaged in legitimate ventures, adding that there is no basis to threaten other Nigerians, who collectively fought for the nation’s independence.

    “Those advocating ethnic agitation from the East are not speaking for all Igbos. Those of us, who as youth witnessed the Civil war, will never advocate secession,” he stated.

    Governor Ganduje said the Northern youth who issued quit notice to Igbos in the region have also been called to order by elders, civic and political leaders, including governors and the Sultan of Sokoto, because all well-meaning people believe in one Nigeria.

    “When you have youths who have no elders, they are similar to riding a horse without a bridle. It can behave anyhow and anything can happening. This is what is happening,” he maintained.

    He, therefore, described the meeting reconciliatory between the IDA leadership and Coalition of Northern youths as timely, asserting that all ethnic groups in the country have advantages which if collectively harnessed would make the country greater.

    “What is happening in Sudan is a lesson for all of us. The breakup of that country has not taken them anywhere. We cannot afford to make that class of mistake,” he said.

    In his remarks, the President- General, Igbo Delegates Assembly, Chief Chi Nwogu, said there were in Kano to meet the Coalition of Northern Youth Groups, in respect of the quit notice issued Igbos in the North by the youths.

    “Both of us have agreed to set up a committee to sort out things and ensure that there is peace”, he stressed.

    Meanwhile, Governor Ganduje also met with members of the Coalition of Northern Youth Groups, where he expressed happiness that they have listened to the voices of elders and accepted to stride the path of peace.

     

  • Quit notice: Igbo, Arewa youths set up 10-man peace committee

    Quit notice: Igbo, Arewa youths set up 10-man peace committee

    Arewa youth  and Igbo leaders appear to be moving closer to the resolution of the angst triggered by the recent quit notice issued to Igbos residing in the north.

    The Coalition of Northern Groups and Igbo leaders in the North met yesterday Kano on the issue and formed a 10-man committee to work out terms for  the suspension of the quit notice.

    The committee’s assignment is expected to be accomplished within 72 hours, convener of the meeting, Alhaji Ali Tijani,said at the end of yesterday’s meeting.

    Its terms of reference include coming up with the best modalities for the suspension of the quit notice.

    Each side is represented by five members in the committee.

    They are: Chief Chi Nwogu, Eze Ngozi Nwaiwe, Igwe Boniface Ibekwe, Mr. Magnus Ihejirika and  Mr. Chris for the Igbos,and  Mr.. Abdullahi Toro, Dr. Abba Bukar Kagu, Dr. Yima Sen, Dauda S. Shamakuri, and Ado Mohmoud for the Arewa group.

    Meanwhile, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), in Kano, said yesterday that the quit notice in the Kaduna Declaration was not part of an agenda to use force to eject  Ndi-Igbo from the Northern part of the country

    In his remarks at the  Zonal Town Hall Meeting of the North West Zone, the spokesman of the  coalition, Suleiman Abdulazeez, alongside  Ambassador Shettima Yerima,  who is the co- chairman of the group, said that the goal of  the ongoing  agitation was to save the integrity and the unity of this country, as well as to ensure a peaceful society.

  • Arewa Youths soft pedal on quit notice to Igbos

    Arewa Youths soft pedal on quit notice to Igbos

    Arewa youths comprising of sixteen northern groups under the platform of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) on Tuesday soft pedaled on its threat to send Igbos away from the North by October 1st.

    The groups, few weeks ago, had issued the threat ‎following the agitations for the State of Biafra by the Indegenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    But the coalition on Tuesday had jettisoned its hard stance and consulting towards resolving the matter.

    The President of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF) and Chairman of the coalition, Yerima Shettima gave the hint in Abuja during a joint briefing with former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu.

    According to him, a lot of events since the threat was issued have changed a lot of things.

    He said that many prominent traditional and religious rulers, governors and well-meaning Nigerians have spoken to the groups.

    Stressing that they believed in one united Nigeria, he said that more consultations are ongoing after which they will carry out review and give the final position on the threat.

    According to him, the youths are not in a good hurry to withdraw the threat.

    He said “‎The public might think probably this is the first time we are meeting. Certainly no. We’ve been talking on phone ever since this issue of ultimatum came. He has been engaging us in talking until today that we agreed to honour his invitation and to also speak to the public.

    “His worries and concern was basically on the issue of how do we maintain the unity of this country in line with the present situation of things in the country. It is only those who are blind or ignorant that will say the unity of this country is not being threatened.

    “It has been threatened, but you have prominent Nigerians, people like him who have shown a lot of concern and worried over the situation.

    “To us, we strongly believe that Nigeria is for us and Nigeria belongs to everybody and in one spirit we believe strongly that we are all equal in this project. We will not in any way accept anybody who want to undermine the unity of this country, and on that basis is what even prompted our first frustration when we gave the issue of quit notice and also the ultimatum.

    “But events and time have changed a lot of things and this is one of the reasons why today you see us also having a meeting. We’ve had several meetings with prominent leaders from our region. The likes of the Sultan of Sokoto, northern Governors under the leadership of Kassim Shettima, the present Governor of Borno State among others who have engaged us on how to resolve the issue amicably.

    “This is also one of the engagements to ensure that we discuss amicably and find a lasting solution to Nigerian problems.

    “We are proudly Nigerians, we want the unity of this country and we want to also associate ourselves with those who believe strongly in Nigeria. And Dr Orji Uzor Kalu is one of those we have a lot of respect for, not only because he has been bred in the north, or because he schooled in the north, but also his actions and inactions have clearly demonstrated that he is a man who believes strongly in Nigeria.

    “On that basis we don’t attend to people who we are not too sure of their commitment to the unity of this country. But to him, of course, a lot of us can attest to that. We have seen him when he was a governor, we have seen him when we were younger as a student, and we have seen what he has been demonstrating, he has never changed in believing in one Nigeria and on that basis is why we are here today,” he said.

    Continuing, he said “We have discussed and we discussed extensively since morning and in fact, our discussion was very fruitful.

    “Very fruitful in the sense that we have discussed to a length and also we have assured him of our commitment to one Nigeria. We have also assured him that we will work within the framework to ensure that at no point will we allow anybody to hold the country to ransom, we’ll ensure that we build a Nigeria of our dreams, a Nigeria that all of us will be proud of. In line with that was also why we are here discussing.

    “But to Nigerians, you can be rest assured that so far, so good a lot of you have been following our stories ‎in recent times on our issues and our position to also begin to go into discuss with allies at the level of the coalition to review our position on the issue.

    “But we need to do a lot of work and we are on consultations now. We are likely going to go on consultations in the northern regions, and then we will discuss the issue before we will now finally review our position.

    “But you can be rest assured, to those who believe in Nigeria should remain where they are and be assured of their safety. But to those who do not believe in Nigeria we cannot guarantee them of their safety. So, is better if you want to go to your Biafra you go to Biafran country and stay and do your Biafran over there. But if you believe in Nigeria we intend to work side by side with you to build the nation of our dreams,” he said.

    On efforts to meet and douse tension following the quit notice, he said “We had a meeting and you could see that just two days interval we are here talking. I am sure this sitting today will also go further to douse the tension. We are doing that.

    “But I do not also remember that we specifically said we are going to finally withdraw the quit notice in a week’s time, no. Certainly no. But we said within a week we are going to make a statement.

    “But you can be rest assured there is no course for alarm. We are more concerned about Nigeria’s unity, we are more concerned about the interest of Nigeria.” he stated

    Noting that there are moves towards a common ground on the matter, Orji Kalu said that the coalition is making consultation to ensure peace and order in one united Nigeria.

    He also assured the Igbos residing in the North that everything is being done to resolve the matter.

    ‎He said “Our discussions were very fruitful. The diversity of this country is the strength of the country. The diversity is very critical, both the diversity and demography are very essential to what we are doing. People who think that any part of the country have nothing to contribute for its development are making mistake.

    “Agriculture remains important if this country want to be serious. Agriculture can make more money than anything on earth and the second thing to make money is tourism.

    “This is the only country that can proud itself of the Sahara desert and the Atlantic Ocean. I want to thank Yerima Shettima for first accepting to attend this meeting even though, we have been talking.

    “All through last week, I was in China and we were talking and we are getting to a common ground. There is no need letting the cat out of the bag but they are making wide consultations.

    “When people are in the north, you don’t really know those who are Igbo or Orobo and from Bayelsa. I want to assure the Southerners who are in the northern part of Nigeria that we will continue to put our heads together to resolve the matter, nothing will happen, they will be safe, Nigeria will be safe and our country will prosper.

    “We should be proud of who we are. This country should be thinking of bringing other smaller countries around us to form a united state of Nigeria,” he said.

    He also pointed out that the call for restructuring does not mean breaking up the country.

    He said “Yerima, I will like to tell you while you are going on the tour that restructuring does not mean breaking the country. We need to look at addressing issues of our economy and how the poor masses will benefit from the efforts of government.

    “The poor cannot continue to live on hope; it’s no longer fashionable to spend a lot of money in recurrent expenditure rather than capital projects that will impact directly on the people. When I was governor, I was able to allocate 25 percent of budgetary for recurrent while the rest of 75 percent was for capital expenditure.

    “So, I want to see all states in Nigeria go back and take a second look at their recurrent including the Federal Government so that Nigerians can benefit from government.”

    He added “In a house, you must quarrel, both the quite notice and the un-quit notice, it’s a good thing. It will only bring the best out of us. This is what I feel. I believe part of the country needs to be restructured, economically, financially. Otherwise, the way we are going, states will not be able to pay salaries.

    “That’s why we need to discuss and know what we really need. Let me be honest with you. If the Federal and State governments invest well in agriculture, the northern Nigeria is supposed to be making over N100 billion every year. Our problem should not be quarrel.

    “Most Igbo leaders do not support that Nigeria should break. But most of them are afraid of what the north will do to them. I usually tell them speak out, because you have nothing to hide in speaking the truth.

    “Like late Ahmadu Bello said that every other thing will fade but truth will stand the taste of time. What Nigerians are asking for is very little. They are asking for equal rights and justice, respect for the judiciary and respect for the rule of law,” he said.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘Arewa youths, Biafra agitators must apologise to Nigerians’

    THE National President of Arewa United Consultative Forum, Alhaji Ado `Huaibu Dansudu has called on the Arewa Youths and the Biafran agitators to apologise to Nigerians for making a divisive statement capable of disintegrating the country.

    Ado described the youth groups as lazy and jobless people who were not ready to work. He advised members of the group to emulate people of their ages who always engage in activities that unite the country. He remarked that some of the agitators were hiding under the guise of Biafra to get something from other regions and advised them to stop deceiving people.

    He said that his greatest surprise was that some people in the South East were agitating for Biafra when man Igbo people were busy buying land and houses in other regions. He also noted that “many Igbo men were importing goods into other regions I have not seen any of them carrying his bag and saying he wants to go to Biafra.”

    Ado also hinted that “the so called Arewa Youths were not even known by the Arewa leaders and elders which the Arewa general secretary confirmed. So, they are on their own. I am not in support of the creation of state police because it would not protect the interest of non-indigenes. On the issue of Niger Delta, he said: “They should lay down arms and embrace peace.

    The people in the Niger Delta would sound ungrateful considering what the government has done for them, especially the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta and Derivation. The only way forward is unity where an Igboman sees himself as a Yoruba man and an Hausa man. Likewise the Yoruba man sees himself as an Igboman and an Hausa man. The same thing with an Hausa. Nigeria is stronger in unity.”

  • Dangote And Arewa Youths’ Uncouth Ranting

    Madness has no defined pattern. To insist on orderliness in insanity is asking for the impossible or the Biblical camel passing through the eye of a needle. I also know that personal idiosyncrasies cannot be garbed in general conviction for every person.

    What has got me thinking is the insistence of Northern youths on the rightness of the three months quit notice they issued Nd’igbo resident in Northern Nigeria to relocate to their ancestral Southeast region of Nigeria. More arcane is the inclination of these youths to insult, hurl invectives and lampoon anybody who does not share this barbaric thought.
    The latest signals from these Northern youths on intolerance against opposing voices to their recipe for violence and destabilization of Nigeria is the umbrage against a prominent Northerner. The iconic Nigerian and international business tycoon, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who is Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Group came into their baseless crossfire when he counseled them to have a rethink over such manifest pomposity. So, the youths imagined that they have a greater stake in Northern Nigeria than Dangote.
    Nothing is impossible in Nigeria. When Dangote pleaded with Nigerians to ignore the so called Arewa youths, who issued eviction order to the Igbos in the North as inconsequential, the near faceless northern youths went berserk, crazily insulting a man who is unpretentiously a pillar of their survival as a people and a region.
    A public statement issued by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) through its spokesman, Abdul-Azez Suleiman, these demented Northern youths described Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man in very despicable terms.
    Nothing can ever be so disheartening like this apparent display of ingratitude and debauchery by these crooked Northern youths, incensed for inexplicable reasons. What I cannot fathom is that much as people have reasons for their madness or remain dogmatic in silliness, it is idiotic to compel followership by force. The weird thought that everybody must coercively accept the excuse or reason for certain genus of madness as exuded by CNG is not tenable anywhere.
    Any attempt to decipher the mission of the statement on Dangote by these patently demented Northern youths leaves me with a nagging dilemma. I am really confused because youths claiming the toga of the conscience and voice of a large region like Northern Nigeria display the least grasp of the traditional afflictions of the region.
    No one knowledgeable about the North would claim its problem is barrenness of morality. Morality has no placement in the science of development or the econometrics of the region. It is sloth and the unbridled appetite for violence, as even presently canvassed by the Northern youths that is the burden of the North. That’s why it is largely undeveloped. Islam or Christianity has taken care of moral values in the North.
    If the North is presumed poor as they have canvassed, it’s because the youths have refused to copy the Dangote example, who, as a budding, energetic young man, traversed the nooks and crannies of Nigeria trading in small wares. And today, his business has appreciated in leaps and bounds, to place it high on the list of world recognized business conglomerates.
    And like self-indictment, the youth’s preachments on upholding Northern values and its abuse by people like Dangote dissects and exposes their poverty of the mind. Nigerian borders are very porous, particularly in the North and so aliens, smuggle themselves into the country.
    And the Northern youths strike me like such people. This is how Nigeriens illegally migrated into Nigeria and left us with Boko Haram insurgency. The insistence of members of the CNG on lighting up a conflagration in the North and Nigeria compels my deep suspicion in this direction.
    And there are proofs. Precisely, if members of CNG are truly Northerners, they would understand that the culture of its people pay utmost respect and regard to elders. Even those influenced by drugs know the limits of madness and could not do as little as point a finger at an elder, much more unleash insults like the perverse minds in the CNG delight in doing. And like Dangote rightly qualified, just to earn underserved relevance.
    The Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello never at any point canvassed such volatile or dissenting views on Nigeria. He preached peace and love; lived and died for the progress of the North and the unity of Nigeria. So, where have they borrowed the ideology of violence as means of resolution of disputes, on which platform they have tethered their present campaigns of hate against the Igbos or any group in Nigeria?
    Dismissing Dangote as inconsequential is immaterial. He does not need their endorsement or consent to preside over his global business empire. The idea of patriotism is subjective; So, if the youths believe that the resort to hate speeches, segregation and campaigns for Nigeria’s break-up is patriotism, Dangote and millions of other Northerners do not believe in it, period!
    They can go ahead and lick their wounds, but should neither drag others into their nightmare nor expect sympathy from sane minds. When they talk of Professor Ango Abdullahi in patriotic terms because of his support of their destructive intentions, it makes me seek.
    Much I would not like to drag his personality into mud, it suffices to say, he remains the only Northerner of repute who has openly supported the insanity of the CNG. Even at that, he has done it criminally, by usurping the platform of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), taking undue advantage of his position as Spokesman of the group. NEF has widely disowned his comments on the eviction order to Igbo. If characters like Ango Abdullahi are the Northern elders CNG worship, it means the future of the North is irretrievably gambled to vultures.
    And it is understandable. In the first place, the CNG membership itself is packaged on fraud because when you have Northern grandfathers and uncles above the age of sixty or septuagenarians’ , claiming to be youths for the sake of railroading a selfish and armchair revolution, they have no option than to support debased elders. So, the natural option is to make loud noise to be noticed, while they veil the fraudulence.
    At their ages, Dangote had already become a notable name in business in Nigeria and Africa. Today, the Dangote Group has created countless jobs for idle youths like them all over Nigeria. And Northern youths are the majority beneficiaries. If the verbal restlessness of CNG members is a result of idleness, they are free to approach any of his companies for engagement. What will keep destroying the North is when youths spend productive age and hours spreading hate campaigns instead of investing in productive and lucrative ventures.
    I do not see how the Igbos quitting the North would make its economy better. The solution is in productivity whether in business or farming. And Dangote is a model in this respect and CGN members shall do their souls some good if they emulate him.
    History and posterity will gleefully remember Dangote as one Northerner who opened the doors of development and progress in the North. But on the flipside, these CNG members shall only be gloomily remembered as apostles of violence.
    It’s unfortunate that the loquaciousness’ of CNG members has laid bare their cursed senses. Initially, Nigerians thought they had genuine convictions. But on the contrary, like IPOB’s leader Nnamdi Kanu, I now know violent youth activism in Nigeria is propelled by hunger and joblessness. I plead with Dangote to get some trailer trucks ready for these idle CNG members to work, hauling cement, sugar and rice from his factories to markets around Nigeria for us to have some peace.
    Working and indeed, hard work is the only way to develop and free the North from poverty, and not the hoopla of disintegration. While the Southeasterners’ have not abandoned the traditional occupation of their forefathers, like trading in “Okporoko” (stock fish); their half-educated counterparts in the North, especially in the CNG have forgotten the traditional occupation of our forefathers-cattle rearing and farming. Until they return to these, there can never be peace in their souls, but they cannot plunge the North nay Nigeria into violence. Finally, Dangote is a self -fulfilled man in business and wealth. He has never been interested in politics, even now. He has been prodded several times to pick up Nigeria’s Presidency on a platter of gold, but he rejected it. He has no Trumpian instincts, which are only known to American’s in President Donald Trump. So, the grandparents camouflaging as youths in CNG should focus their tenuous and vindictive energies elsewhere.

    Okanga, a traditional warrior contributed this piece from Agila, Benue State.

  • The Biafra/Arewa youths confrontation

    SIR: The present posturing of two major ethnic groups in Nigeria should have been foreseen. The gathering storm began quite casually with the ‘resurgence’ (for lack of appropriate word) of the young people, mostly romantics and adventurists who relish the expression ‘Republic of Biafra’.  They are youngsters who are invariably below 50 years, who only heard the story of the civil war from their older ones.  The way  the deadly combats of the three year destruction of lives and properties  was told to the new ones perhaps makes them wish to have a re-visit to that national calamity.  Surely the elders did not tell the young ones of the suffering, the disaster, the untold destruction that the nation, particularly what is now South-east, and parts of the South-south experienced. What they passed on to the new ones was the bravery, the resistance, the prowess and the fighting spirit of the Igbo man.  Tragically fictions rather than facts have been fed to these innocent youngsters.

    Of course society, or rather government bears much of the blame. For about two decades history has been banned as a subject or study in our schools, rather government pays lip service to the study of science – the definition of which is not clear.  If our secondary and tertiary institutions include the study of history in their curriculum, many of our youths in the South-east would hesitate to canvass splitting Nigeria into ‘Biafra’, ‘Oduduwa’ or ‘Islamic Republic’.

    Of all the ‘elders’ that have commented on the festering issue, only two have come out speaking the truth.  The others have spoken from both sides of the month.  The first is Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State who warned his restless people of the dangers inherent in their pursuit of an independent Biafra.  He reminded them (he should have gone further by giving some details) to desist from a pursuit which can dislocate our delicate Federation.  He affirmed that Igbo people can achieve their ambition within the Nigeria Federation if certain modifications were made in the polity. The Second leader is Prof Ango Abudulahi who I knew very well from the days of the 1988-1989 Constituent Assembly and of the People’s Front (PF) led by the Senior Musa Yar’Adua.  Ango talks his mind so easily that he could be misconstrued to be a warmonger.  An intellectual who combines radicalism with some fringe nationalism, he is assumed to speak for the core – North.  He says the northern youths are only helping the Igbo in their political ambition.

    It is very unfortunate that rather than chastising the dissidents and separatists, respectable leaders including governors, a past vice-president, an international public servant of repute and several notable people in the South-east asked the federal government to sit and negotiate with the Biafrans.  Some have suggested that this tacit support ignited the not too favourable reaction of notable people from the North.

    The above does not mean the Ibos have no valid grouse against the Nigerian state.  Their main concerns are an Igbo President, and creation of another state in the South-east. On the first, one would honestly inform our brothers across the Niger that the six years prior to the Buhari administration was essentially or a de facto Igbo presidency.   Just refresh your minds on the activities of the trio – Goodluck Jonathan, Mama Peace, SGF Pius Anyim.  What would a people want that the troika did not provide the South-east and the South-south?  Over 70% of political and senior management positions in the federal set up went to these lucky regions.  The South-west had less than 5% of these positions. South Easterners should plan and hope for six years i.e 2023, then no one would grudge them of their right to the presidency.

    The other request is achievable in a restructured Nigeria –creating a new state to match those of other regions.   But the imbalance has to be rectified further.  It is inconceivable that Lagos with a population of over 15 million has 23 ‘constitutional’ Local Government areas, whereas Kano with less than eight million has 44 Local Governments. But are these adjustments possible in today’s Nigeria?

     

    • Deji Fasuan MON. JP,

    Ado Ekiti.