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 Politics / Re: Fulani Herdsmen Kill Over 50 In Agatu, Benue State by bombay: 6:11pm On May 14, 2013 |
The Fulani at War, As Nigerians Helplessly Looks On. There is a war raging in Nigeria between the Fulani and various ethnic groups. It is a classical multifaceted war; stimulated, driven and fuelled by environmental, political and cultural differences. Clausewitz defines war as “an act of violence to compel our opponents to fulfill our will.” In the past years the Fulani- and various other ethnic groups skirmishes manifested as a full-scale war, and can as well be likened other armed conflicts taking place globally, in the last years. The combatants are armed with sophisticated assault weapons, and are determined to wreck maximum havoc. The killing of men, women, and children and the destruction of farm crops and animals are a regular feature of this war. Recent happenings in Nigeria have unfortunately given the impression that top ranking Fulani elite have already taken sides with the Fulani herdsmen, in the agenda to partition farmlands land into Fulani cattle grazing reserves and resources are being garnered to actualize this agenda. A national grazing bill is being introduced at the National Assembly to give legality to this conspiracy of land dispossession, and usurpation. The fact must be pointed out that the nomadic Fulani are conflicted in much of West Africa. In Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Ghana, Niger as in Nigeria, the story of clashes between Fulani herdsmen and crop farmers abound. In all cases it starts with a Fulani herdsman or herdsmen driving their cattle into crops farms to graze. The farmers in order to protect their crops, farms and livelihood, attack the Fulani or attempt to chase them away. The Fulani retaliate by opening fire or violently defending their cows by killing or maiming the farmers. The conflict escalates as the Fulani migrate from that scene to yet another. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 6:09pm On May 14, 2013 |
The Fulani at War, As Nigerians Helplessly Looks On. There is a war raging in Nigeria between the Fulani and various ethnic groups. It is a classical multifaceted war; stimulated, driven and fuelled by environmental, political and cultural differences. Clausewitz defines war as “an act of violence to compel our opponents to fulfill our will.” In the past years the Fulani- and various other ethnic groups skirmishes manifested as a full-scale war, and can as well be likened other armed conflicts taking place globally, in the last years. The combatants are armed with sophisticated assault weapons, and are determined to wreck maximum havoc. The killing of men, women, and children and the destruction of farm crops and animals are a regular feature of this war. Recent happenings in Nigeria have unfortunately given the impression that top ranking Fulani elite have already taken sides with the Fulani herdsmen, in the agenda to partition farmlands land into Fulani cattle grazing reserves and resources are being garnered to actualize this agenda. A national grazing bill is being introduced at the National Assembly to give legality to this conspiracy of land dispossession, and usurpation. The fact must be pointed out that the nomadic Fulani are conflicted in much of West Africa. In Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Ghana, Niger as in Nigeria, the story of clashes between Fulani herdsmen and crop farmers abound. In all cases it starts with a Fulani herdsman or herdsmen driving their cattle into crops farms to graze. The farmers in order to protect their crops, farms and livelihood, attack the Fulani or attempt to chase them away. The Fulani retaliate by opening fire or violently defending their cows by killing or maiming the farmers. The conflict escalates as the Fulani migrate from that scene to yet another. In Ghana and Nigeria, the clashes between the Fulani and crop Farmers have been intensified as desertification, deforestation, and climate changes continue unchecked by successive governments. In Ghana the Fulani are fighting in Agogo, Kanongo, Brong-Ahafo, Northern, upper East and western Ghana, Volta and Eastern regions. In Nigeria, the Fulani have continued to clash with sedentary farming communities in Plateau, Ogun, Oyo, Sokoto, Nassarawa, Benue, Rivers, Bauchi, Yobe, Enugu, Cross-Rivers states and the Federal Capital Territory. The war being fought with the Tiv is fought in Tiv territories of Benue and Nassarawa state, where the Tiv have lived in the last three centuries, farming; rice, yams, cassava, beniseed, soya beans, and keeping their own cattle the Muturu cows. The Benue state and Tivland is Nigeria’s bread basket. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 4:05pm On May 14, 2013 |
look at those pleading for amnesty for the sect-in all from the same tribe with elrufai, sanusi Yerima sultan and many more |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 3:59pm On May 14, 2013 |
Genocide Upwards of 30,000 Igbo were killed and 2 million were displaced after the massacres, but they are not officially recognized as ‘genocide' |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 3:57pm On May 14, 2013 |
Civil War And Genocide “Let’s go kill the damned Igbo/ Kill off their men and boys/ Rape their wives and daughters/ Cart off their property…” A radio broadcast in the Hausa language of Nigeria’s northern Hausa-Fulani people delivered this message in the Northern state of Kaduna on May 24, 1966. Only a few days later, an unknown number of Igbo peoples in the North were sought out and killed. People were reportedly targeted in churches and in their homes. The killings were seen as revenge on the Igbo for the deaths of the Northern government officials who perished in the coup. A New Government A mere six years after attaining independence, Nigeria became entangled in the unavoidable net of differences that existed between its people. Political parties split the nation on levels equivalent to ethnic and regional divisions with the Action Group of the Yoruba in the West, the Northern People’s Congress of the Hausa-Fulani in the North and the National Council of Nigerian Citizens of the Igbo in the East. The scene in 1966 included a dense population disgruntled by the corruption and apathy of the government under Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa of the NPC. In the early morning hours of January 15, Prime Minister Balewa was awakened, shoved into a car, taken to the outskirts of Lagos, and shot in the head. A full military coup had begun. Several other prominent men, both of the government and the military, who were seen as threats to the revolt were also killed. Sooner rather than later, however, the rebels had to surrender to army loyalists who had them outnumbered. Nevertheless, as the government of Balewa had favored the Northern Region in a blatant manner, many southerners took joy from the fact that he and some of his regime’s primary men had been forced from power. The government wiped clean, the army loyalists who had detained the rebels were left with an orphaned nation to piece together. Major General Johnson Aguyi-Ironsi became Nigeria’s new leader. Unfortunately, Ironsi was a known Igbo from the southeast; many of the original coup’s leaders had also been Igbo. On top of regional disparities, Igbo are predominantly Christian while Hausa-Fulani practice Islam. Northerners immediately took the new government as a drawn-out scheme by the Igbo people to win power over the North and the country as a whole. Soon enough, Igbo were persecuted. Massacres “Let’s go kill the damned Igbo/ Kill off their men and boys/ Rape their wives and daughters/ Cart off their property…” A radio broadcast in the Hausa language of Nigeria’s northern Hausa-Fulani people delivered this message in the Northern state of Kaduna on May 24, 1966. Only a few days later, an unknown number of Igbo peoples in the North were sought out and killed. People were reportedly targeted in churches and in their homes. The killings were seen as revenge on the Igbo for the deaths of the Northern government officials who perished in the coup. The violence continued into the following month and many Igbo were forced from their homes in the North to the Eastern region where they would be safe amongst other Igbo. The East, in turn, was overflowing with injured and maimed refugees with little resources and shelter. Even after the counter coup of July 29, 1966 gave the North the upper hand once more, Igbo continued to be hunted down in a second wave of hatred that lasted from September to October. Why? Many speculate the Igbo were still experiencing the anger of officials who had lost power in the original coup. Others think the economic prosperity and educational superiority of the Igbo may also have aroused resentment against them from the Hausa majority. Whatever the case, thousands upon thousands of Igbo were dead in a matter of months. Prior to the counter coup, Ironsi’s philosophy of centralized government and reduction of regionalism kept him from taking any decisive measures; and even after the north regained power, Igbo were targeted, mutilated, killed. Those who survived were driven to the East in search of refuge. In response to the agitation caused by hatred from the people and apathy from the government, the Eastern states of Nigeria declared sovereignty from Nigeria on May 30, 1967, calling themselves the Republic of Biafra. Nigeria-Biafra Civil War The Nigerian federal government’s primary strategy during the war with the self-proclaimed state of Biafra drew numerous negative responses from all over the world in terms of humanity, but many nations did nothing to get in Nigeria’s way due to issues that would arise politically. The federal government, under General Gowon immediately disregarded Biafra’s claims of sovereignty and promulgated that its main objective was a unified Nigeria, under any circumstances. Whereas Biafra started out as encompassing most of Nigeria’s southeast regions, the end result was a landlocked Biafra who had no access to food or medicine with which to aid its dying population (as depicted on the map: the green area in the second frame is all that’s left of Biafra, which was originally the entire tan area). Nigeria’s strategy to impose sanctions and blockades on Biafra began immediately in 1967 and even warned outside nations from assisting Biafra as it would infringe upon Nigeria’s authority as a sovereign state. The effects of the strategy were so swift and profound that a 1968 report from the International Red Cross stated three million children were nearing death. The UN could do little as Biafra was not recognized as a state and governments responses varied in terms of their political relations. France upheld a people’s rights to self-determinations as outlined in Article 1 of the ICCPR while Britain and the US refrained from interfering, saying Nigeria’s sovereignty would be infringed. Many organizations not affiliated with governments did come to Biafra’s aid, however, including UNICEF and OXFAM. The unfair distribution of military power coupled with a dying economy (and population) ultimately led Biafra to surrender to Nigeria on January 15, 1970…exactly 4 years after the original military coup overthrew the government. Genocide? The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide states “genocide” is “an act committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” Did the Hausa-Fulani commit genocide against the Igbo during the massacres of ’66? Did the Nigerian federal government commit genocide against Biafra by starving its population during the Civil War? The Igbo definitely constitute as a “national, ethnical, racial, or religious group,” and many would argue that the radio broadcast and the simultaneous outbreaks of violence against the Igbo prove the killings were engineered. However, although the Igbo were systematically targeted in the killings of 1966 with full intent to harm, there is nothing proving that the government or the Hausa was trying to wipe the Igbo out completely, especially since most of the attacks against them were in the Hausa-dominated North as opposed to the entire country. But, the Convention states “in whole or in part,” one of the most ambiguous of descriptions in Human Rights law. Why did no one act? Nigeria itself had an Igbo man in power at the time of the first massacres, but his principles of unifying Nigeria while Nigeria was splitting at the seams kept anything productive from happening. Upwards of 30,000 Igbo were killed and 2 million were displaced after the massacres, but they are not officially recognized as ‘genocide.’ Could the systematic starvation of an entire population, therefore, be genocide? This time Nigeria was targeting the whole of Biafra and it was relentless in its agitation right up until Biafra’s surrender. The famine induced by Nigeria’s blockade left another 2 million dead. Some nations offered their help, others respected political ties. It is easy to see why the situation was difficult to handle as, more than anything at this point, Nigeria was fighting with itself. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 3:50pm On May 14, 2013 |
The fragile peace in Southern Kaduna State has once again been interrupted with an overnight attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen. Reports reaching us indicates that soldiers stationed around Kagoro township were engaged in fierce gun battle with suspect Fulani herdsmen last night following series of attempts by the marauders to access the area. The gunmen were reported to have started the onslaught on Sunday evening in Zangan, Kaura Local Government area, but were successfully repelled by the soldiers. They however remobilised and retuned to Zangan, burning several houses and touching churches. At the time of filing the report, it was confirmed that no one knew the whereabouts of the village head, with suggestions that he may have been missing. Following the attack, it has been reported that the area has become desolate, as most villagers have resorted to taking refuge in neighbouring villages. http://www.viewpointnigeria.com/politics-mob/item/408-southern-kaduna-another-attack-by-suspected-fulani-herdsmen |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 3:43pm On May 14, 2013 |
THE crisis between Fulani herdsmen and Agatu farmers in Benue State assumed another dimension on Sunday, when suspected Fulani herdsmen were said to have launched an attack on the people at Ekwo Okpachenyi council area while at a burial site, killing about 45 people. Governor Gabriel Suswam who spoke to newsmen after an emergency meeting with security chiefs on Monday, confirmed the attack on Agatu people, but explained that he could not give the actual figure of the casualty. According to him, “the Fulani invasion on some parts of the state has continued unabated. Just Sunday evening, there was a fresh attack on people of Agatu. As a result of that, I have sent delegation to the place for an on-the-spot assessment. So I cannot say for now the number of people killed in the incident. Perhaps by tomorrow (today), we will be able to give the accurate things that happened there. “But I can assure you that the security operatives are on top of the situation. As I am talking to you now, soldiers and mobile policemen have been drafted to the place to keep surveillance, so also other areas like Guma and other parts of Makurdi. If you notice you will discover that normalcy has returned to the area,” he said. The governor promised that he would formally present the situation to the president, but assured that there was no cause for alarm. This is just as he denied the rumours doing the round that the marauders were kept in the neighbouring state of Nasarawa. According to eyewitnesses, people from the village were said to be at a burial site of one of the slain police officer in Nasarawa State, who hailed from the village, when the herdsmen launched the attack. The liaison officer to Governor Suswam, Chief German Adobunu, who confirmed the report, expressed shock at the unprovoked attack at Ekwo-Okpanchenyi, adding that the suspected herdsmen struck immediately after the burial. He said the herdsmen destroyed most of the houses at Ekwo-Okpanchenyi, forcing many of the residents to become displaced people in Apa and Otukpo local government areas, as well as part of Kogi State. A member of state House of Assembly, Honourable Sule Audu, while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on phone, confirmed the report and put the casualty figure at 40. Similarly, the state Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr John Ngbede, who is an indigene of Agatu, described the attack as “an attempt to eliminate the people of the area,” stating that the attack came without any provocation. In a swift reaction, the secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Rearers Association in Benue State, Garus Gololo, said the herdsmen attacked the Agatu people in order to recover their cows, numbered about 550, which he alleged were hijacked by the Agatu people. Gololo, speaking with newsmen on phone, said people should know that the herdsmen valued their cows more than anything, alluding that the Agatu people were being economical with the truth. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ezeala, when contacted, said the police authorities were yet to confirm the number of casualties, adding that the command had deployed its men in the area. Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan, again, met with security chiefs early on Monday, the second time in less than a week. At the meeting, held at his office, were all the service chiefs, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd); the Director-General, State Security Service (SSS), Mr Ita Ekpeyong and the Inspector General of Police, M. D. Abubakar. Though nothing was disclosed about the meeting, it was expected to have been in connection with the recent killing of policemen by the Ombatse cult in Nasarawa State, as well as the insurgency by the Boko Haram sect in the North. http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/11828-45-killed-in-fresh-communal-clash-in-benue-jonathan-security-chiefs-meet-in-abuja |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 3:41pm On May 14, 2013 |
More killings by the fulani people are you people so blind that you can not see what they are doing.Even your state governors are scared of them,it is upto you people to fight for yourselves. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Herdsmen Kill Over 50 In Agatu, Benue State by bombay: 3:39pm On May 14, 2013 |
An eye for an eye middle belt arm yourselves meet your enemy before they kill you all this is the the plan of the jihadist |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 8:17am On May 13, 2013 |
2015: North should forget power now –Ezeife Our Reporter May 12, 2013 63 Comments » 2015: North should forget power now –Ezeife BY OMONIYI SALAUDEEN Dr Chukwuemeka Pius Ezeife is one of the most respected voices in the South East. Blunt and down-to-heart, he makes no pretence about issues that concern the Igbo race. He likes calling a spade a spade, no matter whose ox is gored. In this interview, he insists that Igbo must have their own share of power before presidency returns to the North. Excerpts… The debate of the PIB bill at the senate has revealed that 83 percent of oil wells in Nigeria belong to the cabal in North. What do you have to say about this? The only thing worth saying is that there should be a re- distribution of oil wealth in Nigeria. Everybody knows it is unfair. It was a wrong use of power by those who have been in power. They don’t produce a drop of oil and they are controlling 83 percent of oil well. The other 17 percent is not just to other Nigerians, I am sure; they are directly to those friends of the North. It is like a monopoly of power. Again, by the structure of the society, the money doesn’t go down. It is only feeding the banks overseas. That is one of the reasons why we have Boko Haram. If it were those who think they can Islamise Nigeria, it would have been nipped in the bud. The mission to Islamise Nigeria is a mission impossible. When all the governors were asked to coin out a name like epitaph for their states, some chose heart of the nation. As governor of Anambra State, I chose home for all. But the Governor of Sokoto State chose born to rule. If not for lack of space, they would have added exclusively. But they were implementing exclusivity in the rulership of Nigeria. Yet, these are people who are feudal; a contradiction in a democracy. In democracy, the wellbeing of the people is the supreme goal of governance. In a feudal system, keeping the ordinary people down is the wise thing to do. This is unlike southern Nigerian people, especially Igbo where egalitarianism as well as upward social mobility is the norm. These are people who can make Nigeria great. These are people who have a social system of encouraging all for achievement. The Igbo, indeed, contrary to what people say, are the people who like money least among the tribes in Nigeria. But they like success very much. They pursue success anywhere they are and they encourage other people to pursue success. Because of achievement orientation, entrepreneurship, industry, education, everybody believes they like money more than other tribes. It is not fair; it can only happen in a society that is not normal or where people don’t think fairly, where there is no sense of justice, equity and fairness. If the problem of Boko Haram is as a result of injustice, how will the amnesty solve the insurgency? I support amnesty if it can stop the killing of people. People are being killed in many wicked ways. However, as the president said: do you extend amnesty to ghosts? That is a very legitimate question. In principle, you can support amnesty, but in practice, you may find nobody to give it to. That means, if they are ready to come out to dialogue, you will support it? I am blindly in total support of amnesty if that will stop the killing and the ruining of Nigeria. However, they have to help us to help them. Do you support the section of the PIB bill that says 10 percent of revenue earnings of oil companies must be set aside for the host communities? I don’t fully understand. Is that in addition to 13 percent derivation? The host communities they are talking about include those areas which host refineries and pipelines. I think ultimately, derivation principle on oil will lead to oil producing states getting 25 percent instead of 13 percent. So, it is a matter of choice. We can leave the issue of oil producing communities and emphasise derivation and give them 25 percent. Let us give them 25 percent derivation and end the incessant agitations. Nigeria is moving gradually to 2015. Where do you expect power to shift in 2015? Power will remain in the South in 2015 either held by Jonathan who is holding it now or held by an Ibo man. That is what will happen. And that will be for the stability of the country. Igbo forces and Jonathan forces will play a game of cooperation. Before the primary, the forces of Jonathan and the forces of Igbo will meet and look at the field. If Jonathan can win cleanly, without obstructing or damaging democratic structure already in place, Ibo will support him. If after the analysis, it is difficult for him to win, Ibo will run. And it will be a win-win situation. But anybody in the North thinking of power should think again. You mean they should forget power in 2015? For 52 years of our independence, they stayed in power for 331/2 years. They should just cool off. They should wait and let the South get to equal number of years before they think of power. By that time, they would have imbibed the lessons of progress for everybody; they would have imbibed the correct lessons of democracy. By that time, democracy will dominate feudalism. By then, there will be no occasion of some people taking their children abroad and leaving the children of others as almajiris. By the way, it is not only the North that is responsible for almajiris. I blame my people in the North for seeing those children and allowing them to run in the streets without setting up educational foundation from the money they are making in many areas to get the people integrated into the society in a meaningful way. It is time for Igbo to make friend with other tribes in Nigeria. It is time for Igbo to correct things that make other Nigerians jealous of them. If you are talking of cooperating with Jonathan, will that not amount to trading off Igbo’s right to the presidency of this country? No, you are wrong. We, the Igbo people of Nigeria dumped all our eggs in Jonathan’s basket in 2011 during election. We inspired South South to cohere and do the same. We inspired the Middle Belt to do the same. It is not our job to throw him out of office. The constitution allows him two terms. But it is not automatic. It depends on performance. That is why we are aspiring and he is also aspiring. If he has done enough to make people want to vote for him, we will support him. So, that doesn’t kill Ibo aspiration. After Jonathan, nobody will make any noise about it; it is Ibo’s time. It is automatic, no negotiation. Will Igbo also spend eight years, if the constitution still remains the same? When we spend four years in the first instance and the person is electable without spoiling the democratic structure we have set up, he will go for a second term. After that, another group of people will take their turn. Ibo doesn’t have to spend eight years. Nobody has automatic right to spend eight years. Constitution provides for four years but if the people accept you, you go for a second term. This administration is already close to midterm. By your assessment, do you think Jonathan would have done enough to deserve a second term by the end of his tenure? In assessing Jonathan’s performance, all of us must take account of empirical condition under which he operated. What is that empirical condition? It is the condition in Nigeria created by politicians who promised to make Nigeria ungovernable for Jonathan. They promised it and implemented it. We are still mourning the dead from the 2011 elections, including National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members whose lives were wasted. In assessing performance of Jonathan, Boko Haram impact must be taken into proper account. It is like putting a bag of salt on somebody and making rains to follow the person. At the end of the day, do you have the right to ask him how much salt is left in the bag? So, assessing Jonathan is not easy. But there is progress; progress in power, progress in peace, progress in integration, progress in the image of Nigeria abroad, progress in emergency management. We didn’t know anything about flood control before. But look at what the government did with flood control when it came. It is not going to be simplistic to assess Jonathan’s performance. If you are simplistic, you will say nothing is happening. Assessing Jonathan’s performance requires deep thinking not shallowness. If this Boko Haram insurgency continues till 2015, do you see Nigeria having a peaceful election? The longer Boko Haram stays, the longer the North stays out of power. In fact, for each month they stay, the more years they stay out of power. The world is guided by a Superior Being. It is not easy to just short change everybody. As an Ibo man, I feel bad. But like I told you, I support unconditional amnesty, if it will end killings of innocent people. If power remains in the South after 2015, will there not be an escalation of this crisis? People are to choose. No group of Nigerians can walk away from a working Nigeria feeling triumphantly. The North has vested interest in Nigeria remaining one. Indeed, it was because of the North that we were amalgamated in 1914 to use the resources of the South to support the deficit of the North. The Ibo man being killed all over the place and still remaining partially in the North will want Nigeria to remain one forever. We are traveling people, we are everywhere. We pursue wealth anywhere we find ourselves. When we get it, we come home and share it with the people. The Yoruba controls the finance and industry. They need the market Nigeria offers. Ibo too need Nigeria for market for their industrial products and financial services. Hausa need Nigeria for their agricultural produce. So, everybody has vested interests in Nigeria that can be made to work and we must make it work before completing this centenary celebration. It is a matter of getting Nigerians together in a constitutional conference. Let them think freely about how to make permanent of one Nigeria. All these other ideas people are parading about are just mere details. When we get there, we can walk out the details. But successive governments have not shown any commitment to this constitutional conference that you are talking about. Ignorance is a disease. My people die for lack of knowledge. Our holding on to power will mean nothing, if we do not take action like national dialogue to ensure the permanence of Nigeria. Anything can happen subsequently, but if we take action now before 2014 to ensure permanence of Nigeria, that will be an achievement. If Jonathan does that, he has achieved a lot because he has given Nigeria a platform that can work. He shall have transformed Nigeria from a cheap rate situation to a country where things work. The greatest legacy Goodluck Jonathan Ebele can leave for Nigeria is a country whose permanence is assured through a peoples’ constitution developed in a constitutional conference and approved by a referendum. Is there any indication that that will be done before the centenary celebration? The National Assembly is doing well by trying to involve Nigerians in the various localities in the constitution they are amending. But National Assembly has no right to review the constitution of the people. It is like a tenant; you can amend cracks in the house, but rebuilding it is responsibility of the owner of the house. The people of Nigeria are the sovereign maker of the constitution. So, Jonathan must know that the greatest achievement he can make is to leave behind a country where things work. A country where things work is a country where people who make up the country agree on how they live together. In spite of the killing and maiming of innocent lives, Igbo have decided to stay put in the North. Why do they appear to be so undaunted? It is now an easy thing to relocate. There is what we call geographical inertia. Geographical inertia makes you stay where you are in spite of inconveniences and attraction of other places. You may not know enough from what you have said. Go to Damaturu, you may not find Igbo there. Go to Postiskum, Kano, Kaduna, and Maiduguri, what you find is an exodus of Igbo. Some women covering their faces came to interview me here and they asked me what can be done to get back the Igbo to the North. And I said, Igbo are in the North. They said yes, Igbo are there, but many had left. Igbo have a tradition of success like Jews. There are other elements of tradition. You adopt as your home where you live. And you do everything as if it is your home. There are so many dimensions of the Igbo man. The only autochthonous Nigerians are the Igbo. Nobody likes to die. Shooting and killing a person can be very painful to the relations. Is there an end in sight to all this? Some leaders of Boko Haram came out and called for a ceasefire. If they are serious, the end is near. But there is a development in Yoruba land that is frightening me. What is that? Let no one deceive himself. Any group of people can be radicalized. We use Yoruba today as an epitome of proper management of religion in the society. In a Yoruba family, you have Christians and Muslims. I live all my life in Yoruba. A woman died a Muslim but most of his friends were Christians. But the friends proceeded to the house of the woman and pleaded with the family for her to be buried in the Christian way and the family agreed. So, a person who lived as a Muslim was buried as a Christian. In Yoruba land, whether it is Christmas time, Eid- malud or Eid-Kabir, it’s all festivity. The permanence of that situation cannot be taken for granted. That is the point I am trying to make. But it is possible to radicalize Yoruba Muslims. I read a report in a paper recently of an alleged plot to kill IBB and I discovered that those who were to do this thing were Yoruba. In fact, they appear to be close to Lagos and they were trained in Iran. It is possible to radicalize Yoruba Muslims and we should do everything within our powers to stop it. For me, I have a special place for Yoruba in my mind. As a civil servant in Lagos, I observed the Nigerian politics and found Igbo and Yoruba going parallel lines in Nigeria politics. And as parallel lines, they will remain parallel slaves in Nigeria politics. When Abiola came out for president, everywhere he went in the East, he went with siren of Anambra State. Anywhere he went, I was there with him. In fact, I was punished before that election. I was summoned to Abuja by the military Head of State to be told off and tongue whipped for giving excessive support to Abiola. As an elected governor, I had to follow a plane to drop military men in Lagos before taking me to Enugu. Indeed, I was summoned to Abuja without transport at the Airport. I had to take a taxi even as the only SDP governor in the East. When the military wanted to return Nigeria back to civilian government, I became a member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) because I wanted to stay with my brothers in Lagos. I only left when Yoruba didn’t have any space left for me anymore. Today, we have southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly made up of South West, South East, and South-South. No more parallel lines, no more parallel slaves. Do you see Nigeria evolving a two-party system like SDP and NRC? Yes, it is easy. It can even be done very fast. But it will not be automatic because of interests. Many conservative people are hiding in PDP. Many progressives too are hiding there. But there may be more progressives in PDP than the conservatives. So, if somehow we can resurrect SDP and define who can come into it and who cannot come into it, may be, SDP can ally with PDP. The spirit of a two-party system is integration. It shouldn’t be based on any sentiment except ideology. Our people must know the truth; SDP and NRC were not created by Babangida. If you want to give credit to anybody, you will praise John Oyegun, former governor of Edo State. He was then a Permanent Secretary. I was then the chairman of privatization. There were eight of us who were Permanent Secretaries in the committee for return to civilian government. None of us was interested in politics but we had permanent interest of Nigeria in mind. And we asked ourselves, what is the way to create a country where things work? We ended up in adopting a two-party system- a little to the left, a little to the right. One of the Permanent Secretaries disagreed and absented from voting because he staunchly believed in born to rule. Eventually, we suggested a two- party system to IBB. That man is intelligent. He is not only brilliant in memory, he is also intelligent. IBB was God’s gift to Nigeria. As human being, he probably has his own weaknesses. But when he saw the thing we crafted, he made no change whatsoever. All he did in a very simple political language was to put it as a little to the left, a little to the right. Most successive countries in the world have only two party system with independent candidates allowed. President Goodluck Jonathan recently granted state pardon to former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, and some other individuals who have soiled their hands in corruption. How do you see this development in the light of the government’s anti-corruption war? Corruption is the bane of Nigerian society. It has turned our lord justices to our lord injustices. Corruption is everywhere. The conscience of the country is gone. To fight corruption is not impossible, but Jonathan has to lead the fight. But the question is: what did Alamieyeseigha do that other governors of his time did not do. Giving pardon to Alamieyeseigha is like giving pardon to the spirit of Nigeria because everything about his case was a violation of the norm. A few members of the House of Assembly who impeached him didn’t form a quorum as required by the constitution. The same thing happened to Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State. Nothing Alamieyeseigha did that his other colleagues didn’t do but Obasanjo picked on him and all the forces of government were turned against one man. Two wrongs don’t make a right. But if the second wrong is to correct the first wrong, we tolerate it. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 9:12pm On May 12, 2013 |
Spread the word |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 8:57pm On May 12, 2013 |
Gunmen Attack Southern Kaduna Village By SaharaReporters A military source told Saharareporters that unknown gunmen have just carried out an attack in Southern Kaduna. The attacks, according to the source occurred in Zangan-Attakar Chiefdom in troubled Southern Kaduna region. The source said scores of people have been shot by the gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in the area. He stated that Nigerian soldiers have been drafted to end the attack. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 8:55pm On May 12, 2013 |
1.Vice President =North. 2. Senate President = North. 3. Speaker House of Reps = North. 4. PDP National Chairman= North. 5. Head of Service = North. 6. INEC Chairman = North. 7. Inspector General of Police = North. 8. CBN Governor = North. 9. Chief Justice of federation = North. 10. President Court of Appeal = North. 11. EFCC Chairman = North. 12. President Federal high court = North. 13. National Security Adviser = North. 14. Chief of Defense Staff = North. 15. Controller, Customs Service = North. 16. Controller Prison Services = North. 17. Richest man in Africa= North. 18. 85% of Petroleum Marketers in Nigeria = Northerners. 19. 80% of Oil Block Owners in Nigeria = Northerners. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 1:32pm On May 12, 2013 |
A People in Terminal Decline Super Super we need more people like this http://zainabusman./2012/02/17/a-people-in-terminal-decline/ For a while now, I’ve had reason to believe that the people of Northern Nigeria, especially the (in)famous “dominant” group, the Hausa-Fulanis seem to be in terminal decline. Could this conviction have stemmed out of the aftermath of the 2011 Nigerian general elections and the rampage of the Northern youths against the so-called Northern leaders or the recent spate of Boko Haram attacks in the northern cities of Kano and Kaduna? Perhaps it is the intensification of the unfair media bias and the recent vitriolic, virulent and hateful diatribes against the mostly Muslim Hausa-Fulani Northerners in the mainstream and social media or the serial decline and retardation of the economy in the north and/or the region’s growing political irrelevance in the scheme of things in Nigeria. This conviction is coupled with a growing realization that little or nothing is being done by us, the victims, of our mostly self inflicted problems to salvage our future which is in dire jeopardy. The most obvious problem is the serious leadership deficit in the North which became magnified before and after the 2011 general elections. There is almost a general consensus that Northerners who were at the helms of affairs in the country for several decades did little to better the life of ordinary people in the region in terms of provision of healthcare, education and other infrastructure, direction of useful investments and creation of economic opportunities for the population. The leaders are seen to have enriched themselves and their cronies while using an adept mixture of religion and ethnicity to keep people subjugated in the shackles of illiteracy, ignorance, poverty, and misery. Few leaders have utilized accumulated wealth towards establishing profitable enterprises that employ people, philanthropic organizations that empower others or other productive ends. Rather accumulated wealth is squandered in consumerist behaviour, in opulence in the midst of absolute and abject poverty. Interesting exposés on the leadership deficit have been written by analysts such as Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed and the columnist Adamu Adamu amongst several others. While the deficit of transformational leadership is not exclusively a Northern phenomenon, it is more magnified in the North. It is these leaders who are perceived by many to have “sold out” the north during the 2011 elections hence the rampage of the youths against various emirs, a former speaker of the House of Representatives amongst others. Consequently traditional, religious and political leaders who used to command tremendous respect from people have lost their credibility, and to an extent legitimacy to speak on behalf of the people. Certain enigmatic “geniuses” have been de-robed of their toga of mystique. The people in turn are plagued by frustration, helplessness and hopelessness in the wake of un-inspiring leadership. The newbreeds like Nuhu Ribadu and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi who are viewed with suspicion or seem more interested in embroiling themselves in political controversy provide virtually little solace. Closely following the heels of the leadership deficit is the economic decline and retardation of the region. This economic decline has been accelerated by the Boko Haram insurgency, thanks to which the holy grail of foreign investments will now become ever so elusive. Once the basket of the nation on account of its agricultural productivity – the legendary, towering groundnut pyramids of Kano come to mind – and its budding industrial activity, the north is now plagued by rapid de-industrialization. Buildings housing hitherto bustling factories lay derelict and abandoned in ominous gloom in Kano, Kaduna and Zaria. Poor incentives to farmers, lack of storage facilities and access to credit has led to a decline in agricultural productivity as state governments are embroiled in one fertilizer corruption scandal or the other. With the exception of Kano and to a lesser extent Kaduna, few businesses, and enterprises especially SMEs are owned and managed by Northerners. In many state capitals, the bulk of the labour force engaged in the formal sector are civil servants. The neglect of agriculture, manufacturing and other economic activity for easy oil money coming from the federal government by the state governments has aggravated this situation as the allocation is hardly directed towards reviving infrastructure, capital projects, empowering the populace or investment in non-oil sectors of the economy. The CBN governor recently stated that many states, especially in the North are economically unviable without such allocations. Instead, monthly allocations which run into billions of naira each month are expended towards recurrent expenditure and unproductive ventures such as subsidies on annual Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage trips mainly to reward cronyism. This dependence on oil revenues which has done little to benefit the ordinary Northerner has created an impression of the North as an unproductive region, a “liability” which contributes virtually nothing to the nation’s kitty but consumes so much because of its population and its size. Though a cursory look at history deflates this impression since the proceeds from agricultural produce of the North virtually sustained the nation before the discovery of oil. A socio-cultural aspect of our numerous problems and which lies at the heart of it is our mind set as a people, especially amongst the Hausa-Fulanis . We have developed a mind-set that paradoxically makes us feel culturally superior when infact we are progressively retrogressing in many aspects. We look down on fellow Northerners of a different religion and ethnicity, we feel our own brand of Islam is better than the Islam practiced by a Yoruba man, an Igala or a Tiv such that you’d forgive anyone for thinking the Holy Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Hausa language somewhere in Kano. We feel many career choices especially those which involve working our way to the top are demeaning; our educated youths have been brought up with the mind set to only aim for the ultimate “secure government job” or bust, and as a result many an enterprising and creative youth’s dreams have died at stillbirth by the patriarch’s final fiat. This paradoxical superiority complex has pitched us against other “minority” groups in the north who used to be our brothers but now regard us with contempt and derision and has been played upon by mischievous people to ferment ethno-religious tensions. Many are quick to blame Islam or the mixture of religion and politics, but a comparison of predominantly Muslim societies who are doing relatively well-off such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Malaysia and Indonesia for instance shows Islam is not the problem, rather a crude cocktail of ignorance, and the perversion of religious teachings and cultural prescriptions. While in Iran, women outnumber men in Universities as many are highly educated and articulate, female literacy in Northern Nigeria by contrast remains abysmally low, one of the lowest in the world and ditto women empowerment though attitudes are positively changing at snail pace. The problem appears as a friend once stated that we haven’t found the right interface between culture and religion in the North. Lastly is the all-out media war and propaganda against the North. From the mainstream media to social networks, online forums to blogs, it is hunting season for anything Northern (in this context, synonymous with the Northerner of Hausa-Fulani extraction but also any of the predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in the north: Kanuri, Nupe etc). At most you need an advertorial on the pages of the numerous dailies, at the very least, you need an internet connected mobile phone and you are set to begin unleashing your full arsenal against “Northerners”. The activities of Boko Haram which have claimed more Muslim lives, wreaked more havoc to Northern cities than anywhere else are attributed to desperate Northern politicians who lost out in the political chess game, a view peddled around even by erstwhile respected intellectuals; sectarian crises and conflict which abound in every part of the country, but more frequently in the North are mostly attributed to the Hausa-Fulani Muslims who are seen to be the culprits even in situations where they are victims; even the lacklustre performance of the Jonathan administration is attributed to the “evil Northerners”. The problems highlighted above: leadership, economic decline and socio-cultural challenges have rendered us a voiceless people in this media war and propaganda, we are unable to tell our stories strongly from our own perspective while others do it for us, and they paint their version of the truth in whatever colour hue they deem fit. Alleged Boko Haram Members Arrested in 2009 We are a people bedevilled by so many challenges which of course, this writer has barely scratched the surface of. The leadership deficit has aggravated our economic decline and retardation, and threatens not only our social cohesion but our very identity as a people. In times like these, a strong and transformational leadership is what is required to mobilize our abundant human and natural resources for us to realize our full potentials, but this deficit forms the bane of our problems. Paradoxically, while we acknowledge the failure of leadership, and the incapacity or inability of the present crop of leaders to do much to salvage our pathetic situation, we are still waiting on them. Obviously our leaders cannot do much because they are constrained, because they are not interested or because it is a Frankestein’s monster has turned on Dr. Frankestein situation. While we “wait”, Boko Haram seems to be the only force filling this leadership vacuum in a very destructive and warped sense by co-opting the vast number of idle, unemployed and frustrated youths as willing recruits to its campaign of death and terror. Gradually, Boko Haram could become the only thing that defines us as a people, if this leadership vacuum persists and by then we WOULD BE DOOMED! Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau To further buttress my point, when I googled “Northern Nigeria” and “Arewa Nigeria”, at least 50% of the images that came up in the search results were of Boko Haram, scenes of its attacks or images of its victims. That speaks volumes. Whatever the case, it is our generation which will suffer most because the present crop of leaders have little to lose; we will live with the consequences of their actions while our children’s future becomes increasingly uncertain. Perhaps the tone here is a tad too pessimistic when this writer concludes that the numerous problems we face in the North crowned no less by Boko Haram’s deadly insurgency gives a gloomy premonition of a bleak future . We are in a terminal decline, the question is are we doing enough to address this? What can we or should we do to reverse this certain reality? |
| Politics / Re: Bokoharam And Niger Delta Militants Will Fight The Next Nigerian War.. by bombay: 1:14pm On May 12, 2013 |
This war is between good and bad, what is right and wrong.This a fight for freedom.This not just the niger delta vs the north this is about freedom from the strong hold of the Fulani feudalistic system which is parasitic and dangerous. |
| Politics / Re: Atiku Abubakar:governors Armed Boko Haram, Niger Delta Militants! I Warned Them by bombay: 1:09pm On May 12, 2013 |
The trust shall set you free |
| Politics / Re: APC -the Best Thing To Happen Since Hope93 Mko Abiola by bombay: 1:04pm On May 12, 2013 |
The Fulani has a character that is antithetical to the hopes and yearnings of other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and around West African sub-continent. They are used to taking things that do not belong to them by force. Exploiting the oil of the Niger Delta in the way and manner it had been for this long is not out of character for the Fulani. Spending the national resources to which they contribute next to nothing like a drunken “gambler” is part of the Fulani nature. The Fulani has no capacity to be compassionate where his interests are at stake. Thus the murdering of a Ken Saro Wiwa here and a Dele Giwa there, or another Akaluka here and Oluwatosin there means nothing to the Fulani. Murdering in coldblooded massacre, several Junkun women and children has no meaning to the Fulani. Wiping out the entire villages of the Birom people does not mean anything to the Fulani. Looting, Molesting, maiming and murdering innocent and generous Yoruba hosts has no meaning in the consciousness of the Fulani. It is just a way of life. APC = Arewa Peoples Congress the new party very funny you this this is the dark ages i laugh in kanuri |
| Politics / Re: Atiku Abubakar:governors Armed Boko Haram, Niger Delta Militants! I Warned Them by bombay: 12:59pm On May 12, 2013 |
The Fulani has a character that is antithetical to the hopes and yearnings of other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and around West African sub-continent. They are used to taking things that do not belong to them by force. Exploiting the oil of the Niger Delta in the way and manner it had been for this long is not out of character for the Fulani. Spending the national resources to which they contribute next to nothing like a drunken “gambler” is part of the Fulani nature. The Fulani has no capacity to be compassionate where his interests are at stake. Thus the murdering of a Ken Saro Wiwa here and a Dele Giwa there, or another Akaluka here and Oluwatosin there means nothing to the Fulani. Murdering in coldblooded massacre, several Junkun women and children has no meaning to the Fulani. Wiping out the entire villages of the Birom people does not mean anything to the Fulani. Looting, Molesting, maiming and murdering innocent and generous Yoruba hosts has no meaning in the consciousness of the Fulani. It is just a way of life. 1 Like |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 12:57pm On May 12, 2013 |
The Fulani has a character that is antithetical to the hopes and yearnings of other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and around West African sub-continent. They are used to taking things that do not belong to them by force. Exploiting the oil of the Niger Delta in the way and manner it had been for this long is not out of character for the Fulani. Spending the national resources to which they contribute next to nothing like a drunken “gambler” is part of the Fulani nature. The Fulani has no capacity to be compassionate where his interests are at stake. Thus the murdering of a Ken Saro Wiwa here and a Dele Giwa there, or another Akaluka here and Oluwatosin there means nothing to the Fulani. Murdering in coldblooded massacre, several Junkun women and children has no meaning to the Fulani. Wiping out the entire villages of the Birom people does not mean anything to the Fulani. Looting, Molesting, maiming and murdering innocent and generous Yoruba hosts has no meaning in the consciousness of the Fulani. It is just a way of life. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 12:51pm On May 12, 2013 |
The Clifford Constitution (1922) created a legislative council, from which the north was excluded, with the first-ever African elected members in British Africa. From 1922-1939, the British did not involve Northern Nigeria in political affairs, which enabled Southern Nigeria to become, for a temporary period, more politically advanced (Nmoma 315). The Richards Constitution (1946) stated the Nigeria must allow for “unity in diversity” within separate regions and legislatures; this separation of powers served to prevent single ethnic group domination and present territorial politics as the only viable option for political advancement, with each region united by a history of advantages and disadvantage. Do you understand this statement |
| Politics / Re: Picture From CPC Convention In Abuja by bombay: 12:47pm On May 12, 2013 |
APC=Arewa Peoples Congress Tinibu the new Akintola Yoruba's beware of Tinubu 1 Like |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 12:45pm On May 12, 2013 |
Enjoy your ignorance |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 12:13pm On May 12, 2013 |
The problem with Nigeria is the Hausa-Fulani people The problem with Nigeria is the Hausa-Fulani people. They have destroyed every institution of government by the appointment of semi- or not- qualified people. They contribute little or nothing to the current development of the country. They do not have oil, but they benefit more than any other group in Nigeria from oil wealth. Go to each ministry in Nigeria. Check the list of Directors and other senior personnel's. Check the armed forces, custom, immigration and the police. Nigeria was doing well in sport until they saw it as a gold mine and came in. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 12:10pm On May 12, 2013 |
THE MILITARY AND THE POLITICIANS At times, I am amused by the comments of the supporters of the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar on his former friend and boss, former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo. The pertinent question is, will our politicians ever learn? It was the view of former Vice President Atiku‘s supporters that former President Obasanjo stood between their hero and the prime position of PRESIDENT. Many political comments have been made against the former President several times without a reply by the retired General. It was Sir Winston Churchill, a soldier and statesman, who was a former British Prime Minister who noted that, “But in craft, in slow intrigue, in strength of personality, in doubtful dangerous manoeuvres the soldiers beat the politician every time.” One can conveniently conclude, Anytime. However, former President Obasanjo will be remembered for not allowing Military adventurer to pollute the nascent political waters. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 12:09pm On May 12, 2013 |
The Sokoto ‘Caliphate‘ which later became a powerful religious, political and dynastic power spreading its tentacles to many parts of the country throughout the 19th century was conquered in 1903 by the British. Though it had lost its political hegemony in the Northern region, it had been able to retain and keep its administration intact, especially in the former Sokoto Province through the Emirates headed by Sokoto Princes. Thus, as I have noted in this column, in the political history of modern Nigeria, the ‘Caliphate‘ (represented by Hausa/Fulani political leaders) have exercised great political power since 1960 and up to the present time. Many analysts, in the past, have tended to attribute the supremacy of the Northern political leaders to many reasons, some of which were based on myth of administrative capability. Mallam Maitama Sule was once reported to have said that, “Northerners are endowed by God with leadership quality” That statement, though offensive to others, has some semblance of truth. The question is how could the political dominance by a section of the country for more than four decades could be explained or rationalized? Some examples of political ingenuity of the Hausa/Fulani leaders could be inferred from the past political settings. In the 1959 elections, the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) won 134 seats in the House of Representatives – all won in the North (scoring 43% of the total votes) while the NCNC, the Action Group (AG) and all others combined won 176 seats all over the country. The story was that the NPC with 134 seats (all in the North) had no over-all majority, and it could have been possible for the Action Group (AG) and NCNC to form the Federal Government. But for some selfish reasons, the NCNC leader, (late Dr Azikiwe) became a strange “beautiful bride” to be courted by both the North and the West. The roving eyes of the `beautiful bride` caught the fancy of the North and the post independence government was formed by the NPC and NCNC, with the AG of the West pushed into opposition. It was no surprise also that the Federal Government of 1979 was formed between Shagari`s NPN and Dr Azikiwe`s party (NPP), with Shehu Shagari as the President. The UPN under late Chief Awolowo was thrown into political wilderness. In that election, Shagari of the North scored 163,164 votes against Awolowo`s score of 9,063 votes in Anambra State. Viewed from any angle, the political machine of the time oiled by Hausa/Fulani elite showed ingenuity. Some have attributed the earlier rise in the fortunes of the Hausa/Fulani leaders on the Nigeria‘s political horizon to the formidable personality, political sagacity and strong character of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, a great grandson of that religious legend, Uthman Dan Fodio, the founder of Sokoto Caliphate. As an astute politician and devout Muslim, Sir Ahmadu Bello was associated with an open door policy which embraced and recognized Christian talents in his administration and in his party, the Northern Peoples‘ Congress (NPC). If the foundation of political hegemony of the North was laid by Sir Ahmadu Bello with his northernisation policy based on the common concept of ‘One North, One Destiny‘, his lieutenants in the Federal Government complemented that concept with an agenda of ‘facilitating a national balance‘ within the Federal Ministries, thus allowing northerners to be appointed into top positions in various Ministries, irrespective of year of service or qualifications. The hegemony of Hausa/Fulani political leaders had been based on solid ground supported by disunity and acrimony among Southern leaders. Having tasted power and enjoyed the sweetness of it, perhaps it might be too late to deny the North that aroma which is not only pleasing but also refreshing. That is the essence of the 1999 Constitution. If the often quoted statement of Mallam Maitama Sule is correct that, “The Northerners are endowed by God with leadership qualities; the Yoruba man knows how to earn a living and has diplomatic qualities; the Igbo man is gifted in Commerce, Trade and Technological innovations”. Where then lies the position of Igbo President of Nigeria? |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 12:08pm On May 12, 2013 |
The problems of the North: The caliphate in politics By Adisa Adeleye As many attempts has been made by the political leaders of the North to forge unity in order to bring power back to the North in 2015, the question is being asked, why the Northern political leaders want power so desperately?. The answer is that the ‘North‘ is so used to having an exercising ‘political power‘ that it feels unfulfilled without it. It is a matter of fact that since independence, power (headship of Federal Government) has resided in the North for more than three quarters of the period. Though the North is made up of several tribes and cultures, political power in Nigeria has always been in the hands of the Hausa/Fulani elites. The Sokoto ‘Caliphate‘ was established in the early 19th century as a result of cultural and religious jihad. It covered a large portion of the old Northern part of Nigeria and Ilorin, except Bornu, Borgu, Igalla, Idoma, Tiv, Jukum and most of Plateau area. The illustrious founder, Shehu Usman Dan Fodio (1754-1814) was a religious crusader without any dynastic orientation. The military wing of the Religious and Cultural Revolution was led by his brother Abdullah (1756-1828). |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 12:03pm On May 12, 2013 |
Hausa, Fulani in Jos a colonial conspiracy Nigeria’s Northern elite have betrayed colonial lords from Britain and the western nations with the Boko Haram insurgence by saying western education is a sin, having benefitted immensely from the Christian colonial masters. In fact they forgot Ahmadu Bello’s and Sardauna’s policy of peaceful co-existence and co-operation shortly after the military handed over power in 1979. During the colonial period, the north became the darling of the British colonial rulers because they were co-operative and supportive of Her Majesty’s government and Western countries. The North was not in a hurry to be independent of the British, especially when the nationalists agitated for independence. The Sardauna had commanding intellect and prestige from the religious point of view, Sokoto was a holy city and he was the spiritual head not only of the Muslims in the North of Nigeria but also of the west coast of Africa. He was the descendant of the old Fulani kings and had some European education. He opposed the 1956 target date for independence and saw it too early a date for independence in that, the north was not anywhere near as politically mature as the south; he was afraid that the southerners could dominate and control Nigeria as they were already ahead of their time educationally and politically. When the central legislature broke up in march 1953 as a result of the motion passed by Anthony Enahoro asking for the 1956 target date for independence, Ahmadu Bello walked out of the Chamber muttering “Ah now we pay for Lord Lugards mistake in 1914”. By this, he meant presumably, that Lord Lugard should not even have attempted to unify the country. It was the pressure from Awolowo and Azikiwe and the nationalist leaders that forced early independence. The north had been afraid at the time, saying the south would boss and control them as they were a more advanced and enlightened people. The south during colonial rule had provided most of the workers up north of Nigeria to handle the railways, post office, banks, and more advanced position that had to do with administration. The southerners were sent up north to help run the machinery of state. The telegraph system especially, only southerners could operate it at the time and other advanced jobs, as there were only a handful of competent and educated northerners at the time, as it was a feudal system that operated at the time. The fear of domination had brought the colonial masters to their rescue. The British colonial masters decided to favour and help the north as they found them easy going and easy to get along with. They never challenged the white man at the time nor did they make too many demands. The colonial authority under Her Majesty’s government, as it was called at the time, had favoured the north with high population figures. They also advised northern leaders and taught them to enroll their male children in the army, police, etc, as it was a way to gain control of Nigeria. The partiality was extended further to the Hausa/Fulani groups, when they introduced to them the policy of unoccupied land, territory. They had told the northerners through their leaders that for effective control of the frontiers of the north, the Fulani who roam with their cattle should expand their frontiers by going further into territories that did not belong to them, especially up north, in places like Jos and middle belt areas and look for unoccupied settlement within the frontiers of their distant neighbours and take control of the place by settling down in the deep forest, which also gave them allowance to graze their cattle. The idea was that by the time population expansion got to the area they will surprise the inhabitant of those areas when they discover Fulani settlement is already within their frontiers. At times they were successfully apprehended and sent packing, but many times they were left to stay because they had something to offer, cattle, and the inhabitants knew cattle dung fertilised the soil for planting. This was the genesis of having settlers springing up all over the north of Nigeria that were not the indigenous people of those areas and also outside the north to the southern territories till date. After Nigeria got her independence, people began to move freely in different regions, especially when the north and south were merged in 1914 through indirect rule by Lord Lugard and Nigeria formed as one union, people started trading freely between the regions that formed the nation. This brought free movement, which later led to inter marriages which linked families from one region, either south west or south east with the north and vice versa. The failure of the first republic and civilian government brought freedom through independence to Nigeria. But bad governance and corruption invited the army in 1966, dominated by the north and the military held sway for over thirty years with the head of state emerging from the north with a short three year stint of a southern leader. The Muslim north had controlled Nigeria for three decades. Then in the 1970s, we had creation of states after the military took control from the civilians in 1966, bringing an end to the regional system of government operated in the first republic. The end of the civil war brought in a more United Nation state, which consisted of the federating states we operate today under democratic regimes. During the military Era with General Babangida as head of state and President, he created a local government in 1991 known as Jos north, carved out from Jos east and Jos south local government councils. It was designed to make the Hausa/Fulani settlers legal and legitimate, but since this act was done, the territory has known no peace. The Senate and House of Representatives should summon Babangida, he has a case to answer! The Hausa/Fulani with this local government council felt it was now time to put this conquest to test by provoking crisis. A local government council of this nature legalised their stay as settlers, now changing their status to indigenes. That is not possible, you cannot make a Yoruba man the Sultan of Sokoto because the Yorubas have lived for a century in Sokoto or then create a local government exclusively for them when they are merely settlers. It was the same with Ife and Modakeke, settlers don’t become the landlords of the indigenes of an area. What Babangida did was totally wrong and it should be corrected immediately. The problem of Nigeria is enormous, but national issues should be dealt with in a manner that requires courage, justice, and equity. The original ethnic groups are the Berom, Afizere, Anaguta and Buji people. They are the indigenous people of Jos. The Hausa/Fulani are settlers in the town. The political space in Nigeria is controlled by hypocrisy and false hood and the fear to stand on the right path when it’s against the tide. What is happening in northern Nigeria and Jos is the development of new Era politicians. The incessant violent uprising in the north has made several children orphans, countless number of Nigerian women widows and vice versa. It is a political and ethnic crisis with religions colouration and camouflage. It becomes disturbing in the millennium years that sadistic acts from before independence are still perpetrated, where over 500 innocent Christians and human beings of your fellow kind were killed in their sleep in three villages of Jos South. It is political, social, economic, tribal and cultural genocide, where Muslims are made and encouraged to target Christians. The continued sadistic acts extremist apply have been covered by the veil of religion. They want to take the right of Christians and others from the right to worship and that of association enshrined in the Nigerian constitution. The people have been taking all the pains and Governor Jonah Jang is a target of Fulani, Hausa and Muslim anger, because he knows they are settlers and have no business causing trouble in the state. This has led to violence; a politics of personal agenda has made the peace impossible. The crisis today has made certain areas a danger zone to others, Angwan Rogo is no go area for Christians, just as Jenta Mangoro is for the Muslim, Hausa/Fulani living in Jos. It is the duty of the government at all levels to play their part as expected, eminent citizens as well as stakeholders whose interest are believed to have contributed to the mess. They must put aside their individual collective interests in the larger interest of the society and allow peace to return. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 11:59am On May 12, 2013 |
Important message from the Hausa-Fulani nation: Is Nigeria listening? IN today’s message, I summarize the contributions of the Hausa-Fulani nation to the on-going debate on the structure and conditionsof the Nigerian federation. As you would remember, this debate has been generated by the worries among most Nigerians over the condition of our country. Nigerians are experiencing more poverty today than at any earlier time in our history. The National Bureau of Statistics says that about 70% of Nigerians live now in “absolute poverty”. Almost all the states of our federation are in a coma. Almost all the funds the states receive from the federal allocations go into the payment ofstate government employees. In order to be able to do anything in the field of development, most of the states have been compelled to raise loans from various sources, and almost all now owe heavy debts and are close to bankruptcy. Meanwhile, the earnings of Nigeria from petroleum, after all the robberies by the few influential Nigerians have been taken account of, are still enormous – but much of it is consumed by the excesses and corruption of the people managing the federal government. Merely for the purpose of buying electoral officials to help rig elections, Nigeria’s rulers consume trillions of Naira at every election. Great dangers hang over Nigeria today – the danger of uncontrollable citizens’ uprisings, and even of total collapse. Our country’s disaster has been compounded gradually since 1960 – almost totally under Northern rule. Almost totally under Northern rule, the structure of the Nigerian federation was massively distorted, and virtually all power and resources were taken over for the federal government. Certainly, Nigeria must do some major thing expeditiously – or face the danger of cataclysmic implosion. Here below are the responses of the Northern political leaders to the whole situation. On our country’s failings, poverty and conflicts: The Hausa-Fulani leadership, speaking through many voices, including the ACF, agrees that Nigeria is in a big mess, especially in terms of the economy and security. The ACF says as follows: “No one should downplay the scale of the challenges facing Nigeria as a nation today - - -. We are grappling in the North with the dangerous insurgency mounted by the religious sect, the Boko Haram, as well as chronic problems of ethnic extremism. We are also dealing with communal conflicts that compare only with the rampaging organized crime, including the violence perpetrated by the O’dua Peoples Congress, OPC, in the South-West. The people of the South-East are compelled to live with kidnappings, communal clashes, and the disorder stirred by the renegade Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB. And for a long time, the South-South has been wrecked by violence and chaos instigated by the so-called militants such as the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger-Delta, MEND, and more and more by the oil thieves, pirates and other criminal gangs. All these are on top of the endemic problems of poverty, illiteracy, diseases, unemployment and the fact that too many Nigerians live pathetically below humanity’s minimum material standard of existence”. In an earlier public lecture, a very prominent Northerner, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, admitted that the poverty that now afflicts Nigeria is “paradoxical and embarrassing”. On the demands for the restructuring of our federation: Nevertheless, the Hausa-Fulani leaders oppose any suggestion to change or modify the federal structure under which we now live, or to change or modify anything whatsoever. The ACF statement says that comparing our federation with other federations in the world is of no use, since no two federations are identical. It says, “Those who are agitating for the six geopolitical zones want a ‘confederal’ arrangement which will make the federal government very weak”. They also oppose the suggestions made by most other Nigerian nationalities and countless citizens that we should restructure our federation, basing the new structure on respect for the identity and boundaries of our nationalities (as India has done). On the need to grant some more powers to states in our federation: The Hausa-Fulani leaders oppose the granting of any new powers or increased revenue to the states. “Such power wets the appetite for separation”, they say. In an earlier statement, the ACF said: “We do not support State police because our democracy is not ripe for it. If the 36 State Governors take charge of the police in their States, there will be disunity in Nigeria”. On how our Constitutions are made: They say that it is “an odd thing” for Nigerians to complain that only a handful of people, under a military dictator, wrote the 1999 constitution for Nigeria. “What seems to be wrong”, they say, “is not who writes the constitution but the manner of its execution”. On secession or breaking up of Nigeria: The ACF statement says: “Some extremists have gone as far as asking for the outright break-up of Nigeria. No doubt, these comments come from those who seem to think that the problems of our country have arisen as a result of our size and the diversity of our population; as if Nigeria is the only country built with ethnic or religious diversity. There are many countries whose societies are also diverse. Yet, they remain well managed with strong leadership, vibrant economies, free of strife. For example, India is huge, very diverse and also religious, yet it has one of the strongest growing economies in the world with world class, stable democracy. The same is true of Indonesia, Germany, Tanzania, Brazil, etc. None is looking to blame diversity of its population as a reason for lack of development”. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 11:56am On May 12, 2013 |
Harold Smith was on a program to reveal what went behind the scene before the independence. The Oxford University graduate had this to say about his role in Nigeria pre and after independence era. ‘Our agenda was to completely exploit Africa. Nigeria was my duty post. When we assessed Nigeria, this was what we found in the southern region; strength, intelligence, determination to succeed, well established history, complex but focused life style, great hope and aspirations… the East is good in business and technology, the west is good in administration and commerce, law and medicine, but it was a pity we planned our agenda to give power “at all cost” to the northerner. They seemed to be submissive and silly of a kind. Our mission was accomplished by destroying the opposition at all fronts. The west led in the fight for the independence, and was punished for asking for freedom. They will not rule Nigeria! Harold Smith confessed that the Census results were announced before they were counted. Despite seeing vast land with no human but cattle in the north, we still gave the north 55 million instead of 32 Million. This was to be used to maintain their majority votes and future power bid. He stated that the West without Lagos was the most populous in Nigeria at that time but we ignored that. The north was seriously encouraged to go into the military. According to him, they believe that the south may attend western education, but future leaders will always come from military background. Their traditional rulers were to be made influential and super human. The northerners were given accelerated promotions both in the military and civil service to justify their superiority over the south. Everything was to work against the south. We truncated their good plan for their future. “I was very sorry for the A.G; it was a great party too much for African standard. We planned to destroy Awolowo and Azikwe well, the west and the east and sowed a seed of discord among them”. We tricked Azikwe into accepting to be president having known that Balewa will be the main man with power. Awolowo has to go to jail to cripple his genius plans for a greater Nigeria. However, Harold Smith justified the British agenda of colonialism in Nigeria, which he believed was originally to help build Africa after the ruins of slave trade, but lamented that the British only looked after themselves and not after Nigerian interest. The British really let Nigeria down. When I see Nigerian been accused of fraud and from what I saw on the streets of Lagos; the British were worst fraudsters. Looking at the northern leaders now he said, “If they have any agenda in Nigeria at all, sadly it is only for the north, and nothing for Nigeria. He stated that the British look after the British people and this is so all over the world. He said the time has come now to see people of intelligent minds with an open and inclusive agenda for all Nigerians in power…people who will really look after Nigerians large population…but ”I still curiously and sorrowfully see now that the British has not let go of Nigeria…her wealth,. her potentials, her future. He opined that the Caucasian people now assert themselves as the keeper of the “New Age” keys. He therefore said that it is only logical for Europeans to maintain their position of power, scientific superiority, economic exploitation, they must continue to perpetuate their lies and falsehoods and this is the most unkindest cut of all in relation to Nigeria situation! |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 11:49am On May 12, 2013 |
A New Try for Democracy In 1999, a new try for democracy resulted in the election of Olusegun Obasanjo as president. Obasanjo, a retired general and former military ruler, along with his People’s Democratic Party, won control of the government by a wide margin. Despite many reports of election fraud, the Nigerian people accepted the new civilian government. They did this to prevent another military take-over. In 2003, President Obasanjo won re-election in another vote tainted with ballot-box stuffing, the use of child voters, and other forms of fraud. During his two terms, corruption continued among the civilian political class that ran the government. By this time, Nigeria was one of the 20 poorest nations in the world. This astounding development mocked Nigeria’s ambition to become the “giant of Africa.” During President Obasanjo’s two terms, a major dispute arose over the distribution of oil revenues. Complaints came from the Nigerian states and especially the ethnic minorities who lived in the Niger River Delta, the country’s main oil producing area. The U.S. gets 10 percent of its oil imports from the Delta. The Delta minorities complained bitterly that they got little money from the oil taken from their lands. Moreover, 50 years of careless oil spills by big foreign companies like Shell Petroleum severely polluted Delta farmlands and fishing waters. The Delta minorities began to organize peaceful protests against Nigeria’s government and the oil companies in the early 1990s. The minorities demanded a fair share of oil revenue from the government and help from oil companies to get clean water, electricity, and health care. The Ogoni minority declared, “[I]t is intolerable that one of the richest areas of Nigeria should wallow in abject poverty and destitution.” When their peaceful demands got nowhere, some protesters turned violent. They sabotaged oil facilities and pipelines, kidnapped and killed company workers, and clashed with the army. In addition, widespread stealing of oil caused up to a 15 percent drop in daily production. As time went on, youth gangs emerged to kidnap, steal, and extort money for their own benefit. President Obasanjo tried and failed to change the constitution to allow him to run for a third term. Obasanjo, a Christian from the south, then handpicked a former Muslim governor of a northern state, Umaru Yar’Adua, to run as the presidential candidate of his People’s Democratic Party. The party has an unwritten rule that candidates for president must rotate between a southerner and a northerner after two terms. Known as an honest politician, Yar’Adua promised to reform the government. In 2007, he won easily, but in perhaps Nigeria’s most corrupt election. Nevertheless, he became the first elected Nigerian president to take power from another elected president. Moreover, a Gallup Poll found that 82 percent of Nigerians favored democracy as the best form of government followed by 8 percent for military rule and 6 percent for a religious government. Illness prevented Yar’Adua from accomplishing much reform. He did, however, negotiate a shaky truce in the Delta that reduced violence there. After an extended period of medical treatment, Yar’Adua died on May 5, 2010. The vice president with the unlikely name of Goodluck Jonathan, a southern Christian, replaced him. President Jonathan faces numerous longstanding problems in Nigeria. Great distrust still prevails between the Hausa-Fulani in the north and the Yoruba and Igbo in the south. Violence between Muslims and Christians recently broke out again. No agreement exists on a fair distribution of oil revenue among the states and Delta minorities. The fragile truce in the Delta is starting to fall apart. In addition, the dependence on oil money for most of Nigeria’s income rather than a diverse economy has enabled a deeply entrenched and corrupt political class. One historian has called Nigeria a “kleptocracy,” a form of government that exists for the political class to loot it. A new presidential election is due in 2015. If southerner Goodluck Jonathan decides to run, will resort to more political turmoil could result. |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 11:47am On May 12, 2013 |
Military Rule II A new string of military rulers proved to be just as incompetent as the civilians in managing Nigeria’s worsening economy. Continuing low oil prices caused more unemployment and a drastic drop in the standard of living for all Nigerians except for the corrupt officials in the military government. In the midst of this economic disaster, religious conflict between Muslims and Christians erupted. Since Muslims make up the country’s largest religious group, some have long demanded that Nigeria become an officially Islamic nation. They have called for Islamic religious law, called Sharia, to apply throughout the land. The Christian minority has opposed such a move, fearing second-class citizenship and even their mass slaughter. In 1989, the military government oversaw the writing of another constitution. The new document declared that federal and state governments “shall not adopt any religion as State Religion.” It did, however, permit states to create Islamic courts to apply the Sharia, but only to Muslims. Christians and other non-Muslims could still go to civil courts that applied secular laws passed by the federal government. The compromise over religion and the law did not satisfy Muslims who wanted the Sharia applied everywhere or Christians who wanted no mention of the Sharia in the constitution. This dispute led to outbreaks of violence between the two religious groups. In 1993, Gen. Sanni Abacha grabbed control of the military government and brought on Nigeria’s worst period of dictatorship. He imprisoned his opponents, gagged the press, and staged a phony election in which all “official” political parties nominated him for president. He also looted the treasury and encouraged a “rush to steal” among others in his government. Gen. Abacha suddenly died under mysterious circumstances in 1998. His military replacement announced a timetable for the return of civilian-elected government |
| Politics / Re: Fulani Aristocracy by bombay: 11:46am On May 12, 2013 |
The Second Republic Faced with economic decline and the growing unpopularity of military rule, a new regime leader, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, supervised the writing of a second constitution. It enabled the people to elect a president directly. The constitution also required all political parties to include different ethnic groups from all parts of the country. In 1979, Shehu Shagari of the conservative National Party of Nigeria won the presidency in a relatively fair election. Thus began Nigeria’s Second Republic. At first, Shagari’s government took positive steps to improve Nigeria by expanding the public school system, universities, and hospitals. It did not take long, however, for party politicians to capture the machinery of the federal government and distribute jobs, contracts, and favors to their followers. Government officials again feasted on bribery and other kinds of corruption while most Nigerians suffered high unemployment and inflated food prices. In the heavily Muslim north, an Islamic preacher provoked riots against the corrupt and secular (non-religious) government. He called for the revival of pure Islamic faith throughout Nigeria and demanded death to those who opposed it. Rioting killed more than 10,000 persons, often brutally with machetes, before the army finally restored order. In 1983, amid widespread reports of massive election fraud, Shagari and his party were re-elected to power. The Nigerian people seemed to lose confidence in the civilian government and even democracy itself. At the end of the year, another military coup overthrew President Shagari’s government. Military rule returned to Nigeria. |
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