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DAILY TRIUMPH-For North to succeed (II)
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER
8, 2004 |
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For North to succeed (II)
By POUL MAMZA
Apart from Kanem � Borno empire (made up of
Borno and Yobe States) � where even civilisation based on religious values
(Islam and Christianity) were established for more than a century before the
advent of the 1806 Jihad led by Sheik Othman Dan Fodio and Christianity
flourished alongside without religious irredentism �my nature home � town
(Lassa) in Borno State had long before independence enjoyed good roads,
schools, hospitals etc. courtesy of Christian missionaries. Lassa produced
the first two professors from Borno State and in my family there�s
inter-mixture of Islam and Christianity, Fulani and Marghi -virtually all
the States are divided, sharply either along tribal lines or religious
planes. It is not uncommon to hear people equating Hausa-Fulani group as
Muslims as if there are no Hausa-Fulani Christians, and other tribes as
Christians as if there are no Muslims in other tribes, even amongst elite.
The same elite will equate American war as one against the Muslim world
(Palestine, Iraq etc.) As if Palestine, Iraq or Arabs don�t have Christians
or the fight against Liberia, Cuba, South Africa as persecution of
Christians as if there are no Muslims in Liberia, Cuba and South Africa.
Either by pretense or ignorance these under-achievable views fails to assert
that it is war against humanity because injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere. Forgetting the fact that American�s Economic interest
supercede any other primordial interest. It is this singular attribute of
truth�telling that characterises a key factor of strength of the North in
the earlier times not the otiose trivilisation of grave matters and
sensationalisation of salient issues as erroneously perpetuated by today�s
politicians and selfish individuals to deceive and lure the society for
selfish interest. Left for me, let us tackle the socio-economic problems of
the north like education, poverty alleviation before venturing into
launching the region at the political centre stage. The thirty-five years of
northern dominance in politics had tendered less effective effort in the
region�s socio-economic emancipation and educational empowerment thereby
upgrading poverty level in the North. Let us first nurse our wounds before
tendering a benefiting disposure politically. This case of Plateau State is
clearly a bastion of show of shame by the region where people living
together for years carry daggers against each other�s throat whose cause is
just a hidden hand of political profiteers. No matter the offence of Chief
Joshua Dariye just as what Chief Gani Fawehinmi said recently �Obasanjo is
definitely hiding some truth from us on this matter, Plateau State�. We were
first served with a menu that Governor Dariye abdicated his responsibilities
while his state went on flames of ethnic rage and is culpable in the
harrowing situation in the state but with the Minister of Justice and
Attorney-General of the Federation�s recent release close to the expiration
of the emergency rule imposed on the state and Federal Government�s
Video-clips persuasion. Obasanjo�s actions earlier and now lack transparency
in the matter and more than it meet the eyes. This is because the charges
are issues bordering only on financial recklessness rather than the initial
charges, which I believe is just a pitch in the dosage of financial crimes
by most governors and even the presidency. Before this event, the Minister
of State for Finance, Mrs. Esther Nenadi Usman had alerted the nation on
this matter and even the respected Transparency International depict such,
by mentioning the seat of power as place where most corrupt practices
flourish more. If the latest charges is what Dariye was humiliated for, it
is not a good news, what will be a good news is that the search would be
extended wide enough to cover all and sundry. Based on these inconsistencies
and double standards prominent Nigerians like General Yakubu Gowon �who
initially refused to comment while studying the situation �throw in the
towel to call for the re-instatement of democratic rule in Plateau State.
That brings us to the wider attribute of the Northern concept, which
requires a modest approach towards public funds. If the North did not
abandoned its cherished attributes, people like Dariye and most current
Governors and Senators would not have tasted power in the first instance but
we are in the period of moral decadence, which needs restitution. I depicted
such fears long before the advent of the present democratic model in a press
release issued by Arewa Foresight Front �a youth organisation
�co-signed by myself (Chairman) and Alhaji Tasiu Muhammad Ringim
(Secretary-General). Instead of providing temporary and hasty solutions to
these fundamental of problems engulfing the region like the erosion of
spirit of brotherhood, suspicion and betrayals of other core value that
provides a solid Northern Solidarity front there is the need for the North
to forget for now the patched clamour for political power at the centre by
2007. Let us extend our support for either a South�East or South-South
Presidency in 2007 and use the ample time ahead to go back to the drawing
board/political sickbed to genuinely strategise a more formidable approach
to political leadership to avoid presenting a mediocre. Let that period be a
period of sober-reflection, self-supplication and building rational
consensus. Let us collectively but with courage and convictions tackle our
multi-faceted problems in a practicable way without recourse to the present
situation where sentiments overtake reasoning and bad blood is gradually
eroding the spirit of brotherhood. Let us re-orientate ourselves once more
to re-engineer our past glory where merit is the order, justice is the law
and equity is the game. Let us pursue the path of self-abnegation to relieve
ourselves of the orgy of self � inflicted miseries and malignant
retrogressions in order to demystify the mysteries behind our collective
failures and perpetual misfortunes. Let us rediscover the lost cherished
matter of the proper North whose strength lies in the Omnipotence of God and
His bountiful mercies. Let us dismantle the foundations of this our apparent
pride- without � substance by instilling humility � with- value. Let us
inculcate the culture of hard work, devotion and skills � acquisition in
this and future generations of Northerners in order to allow for favourable
competitive contest. Let there be a North that will research for hidden
potentials in a practicable and beneficial manner. Let us denounce laziness,
short cuts and material worships. Let a new North be born based on new hopes
in the changing dynamism of world politics and its power-game. Power in
world politics is quantifiable only on technological scale; let the North
invest in the pursuit of qualitative and sustainable education in order to
survive the technological power play that has dominated world trends. Let
the privileged class ask not what the region will do for them but inquire on
what they can do for the region. Let us for once gauge our emotions and
illfeelings and embrace the respect for our mutual cultures and that of
other Nigerians in order to allow peace and prosperity to reign in North and
Nigeria. Let us pontificate on why the injustices meted on our fellow
Northerners such as; General Ishaya Bamaiyi and Co. along with that on
General Muhammadu Buhari during the last feast of electoral scavengery
called the Presidential elections treated with mere watch and hypocritical
pretentions. Temporary and hasty advocates like Northern Governors or
re-grouping faceless or even barefaced youth organisations can secure power
to the North but after success, managing success is more desirable. More so,
the Governors are politicians and most of the youth organisations are tools
in the hands of politicians. The varying camps of political, ethnic and
religious disenchantments need to be wipe away completely through a
practical and discernable approach of enlightenments, persuasions and
negotiations in order to offer a consensus candidate that every Northerner
will be proud of, in terms of quality of character, moral conduct and
political savvy. It is worthy to note without prejudice that we have a long
way to go in order to sincerely establish the basis for the mandate. The
Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) �a non-partisan group should be allowed to
serve as a buffer to these mediator roles with active participation of all
and sundry �be it political leaders, traditional rulers, businessmen. For
the North to succeed, the surest way is to take this humble advise with
large heart before the national feast coming up in 2007. It should resist
any temptation by other regions to convince now until 2011 or 2012 as the
case may be.
mamza can be reached at
Email: [email protected]
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�
Triumph Publishing
Company Limited 2004 |
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