Nigeria at 61: The Nigeria we want
By Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim
While growing up in Nigeria, we learned that we are lagging far behind in terms of agriculture, education and information technology. Why? It could be a result of bad governance, laziness and selfishness of our leaders. Should we not try to produce good leaders, become more caring, work harder, and become selfless, Nigeria would deteriorate to something else worse than present Nigeria.
The Nigeria we are living in is far from the Nigeria we want but we all hope to get there. How we are reaching there matters. Is it by folding our arms and watching? Is it by sitting down and looking or by laying on our beds to sleep? Let us tell ourselves the truth. We all know what should be done. We all know that those countries laughing today had really worked hard and made sacrifices before they could now (today) enjoy. They did not reach there by just mere wishful thinking. But was it through revolution? No, never. It is a crime. Revolution is not in any way and can never be the way out for Nigeria. However, there are peaceful and constitutional ways.
It is no gainsaying that it is not all Nigerians are doing what they ought to do. Instead of planning for a better future, the future is being killed. It is very sad. There were days when the headlines of the national dailies were about the call for revolution. There were so many debates even on social media platforms. Is revolution what we need now in Nigeria? This is what we should have asked ourselves first. Revolution is however not the best for us.
Mr Attahir Esq. in a paper he presented in 2018 in Gombe titled “Restructuring Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and The Way Forward”, cautioned Nigerians about the challenges of restructuring Nigeria and I quoted: The tendency to indulge in corruption is a major factor that retards progress. Therefore, whether Nigeria remains united or not we must restructure our attitudes.
Most importantly, he stressed the need for us to restructure our attitudes first. it is good to have good attitudes. We cannot swallow the bone at once. We have to break it, chew it and then swallow it if we want to. Culture has a vital role to play in our society more especially these days. But it seems like we have abandoned it.
The level of corruption in Nigeria is very high, more especially amongst top government officials and those at the grass root. If there is any factor that has been retarding Nigeria from attaining fast development is corruption. Until honesty and integrity are returned back into our system before things will smoothly move the way they are supposed to. In addition, a corruption-free society is needed.
Unity is a challenging factor that we need to reach the Nigeria we want. It is often ignored or maybe it is considered as less important. Najib Adamu Usman, a poet, called for unity among Africans. He said so in his hausa poem, “Wakar Hadin kan Afrika”. Upon his concern, I built this point. Without unity, in other words, brotherhood, we cannot achieve the aims and/or goals of modern governance. We have to wake up from our sleep and do the needful at the right time. We still have time, the sun is not yet down.
Another challenging factor is our literacy level. The level of literacy today is quite low because the level of our government investment in the education sector is low. That’s why our educational sector is in a sorry state. At this juncture, the government and the educated elites must see investment in youth (the most important pillar of every society) through education as a priority, if only they want the teeming youth to collaborate with them to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.
There is no country in this world that can develop in the world without immensely investing in the education sector at this time of ours that I can call a digital era. This is in line with what Justice Ayo Salami (retd.) said and I quoted: Education is power” in his paper, “how ex-CJNs Sold Our Independence of The Judiciary To Executive”. A typical example is without the education imparted in me, I cannot write this article.
Believe me or not, education in general plays a great role in the moral upbringing of a person. Let’s take a look at some countries that advanced through investment in education. Take for example Japan, Korea, China and the rest of them. Their governments see investment in education as a top priority. The above-mentioned countries are not blessed with many natural resources but they are talented. They used human resources to develop their country. They import raw materials and export manufactured products to other countries. Even to countries bigger than them in age, size and everything. But that isn’t what we are doing, trying to do in Nigeria.
Knowledge should be considered. Knowledgeable can be found in learning institutions. Therefore, institutions should be put in place to teach our younger ones leadership traits before it becomes too late to overcome the present challenges.
The Nigeria we want should have good leaders. From the mere look of things here, there is the absence of effective leadership/good governance and the best system of government. These are also some of the problems of Nigeria today. Our leaders are corrupt, selfish and incapacitated to lead. But whose fault? Sorry to say that not all Nigerians can differentiate between suitability and eligibility and legality and legitimacy as Dr Usman Bugaje asserted in a lecture he delivered at Gombe High School in December 2018 in Gombe.
At this age of Nigeria, 60, then, it must be a shame on us. The world will laugh at us. Because the differences are very obvious. There is no day that this fire will stop burning since we know the extinguisher hence we are still looking for something else.
We want creativity to flourish in Nigeria. We Nigerians are creative and at the same time, we are careless. Maybe we don’t know. In Nigeria, most of the youth are willing and able to work but unable to find paid jobs. Unemployment is growing bigger by the day yet, there are scarce jobs. Why? We limit ourselves to only one source of employment i.e the government which also generate its revenue from the oil sector.
We want a Nigeria with a digital economy. The world is changing from an oil-based economy to a knowledge-based economy. We
We the subjects or more preferably the ruled or the led have our various contributions to good governance at our various levels of life. Aside from obedience and compliance with the laws so long as they are not evil and abominable. There are other positive contributions, like constructive criticisms, advising the government on good things and warning against evil as asserted by Prof. Salisu Shehu, in his book Social Justice Leadership Responsibility in Islam and prayer as well. But today we are relentless to all of these. Not all, but only a few of us are doing that.
It is high time we should pray for more peace and security in Nigeria than calling for riots. It was not too far when we cried daily. Have we forgotten when some of us could not even eat, not to mention farm? And now, some people have forgotten. Is like Nigerians don’t learn their lessons. We prioritise what is less important or unimportant in place of the most important.
Prof. Salisu Shehu, 2016 has identified justice as a very important aspect in any given society. A leader, therefore, must be just. We should pay special attention to this quality before selecting any leader in Nigeria. After this, then we can expect to have the just Nigeria we want.
Competence is another most appealing quality. The ability of a leader to overcome situations and how he handles matters mattered a lot. But do we care about that? We should not just go ahead and select a representative knowingly that the person is not competent. Prof. Shehu and Dr Bugaje have emphasised the need to select a competent, suitable leader in Nigeria for our betterment.
Our future depends on our vision earlier. We have to shape our future right from now. The Nigeria we want is attainable if only we are ready to change our attitudes in order to survive all the challenges of modern democracy we have been facing. We can reach where we want if we are ready to implement the points expounded earlier in this piece.
Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim is an award-winning journalist, fellow African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC) 2020, Wits University, Johannesburg, South Africa. He can be reached via awwalbinibrahim@gmail.com.
Nigeria at 61
By Abba Muhammad Tawfiq
In her tattered garments, the old woman shrieks out of excruciating pains alone. Without even an iota of mercy, her progenies are malevolent to her in all aspects. There is neither honesty nor good followership or rather citizenship in a substantial number of them. Some of them have become vicious bandits, terrorists, kidnappers; some are suffering from the deleterious sickness of kleptocracy; looting from her treasury solely to attain their insatiable desire for materialism and of affluence.
These beastly pernicious whims and delights are bred into the dear hearts of her younger children as they too set their minds with the view to following the aberrant footsteps of their elders, having no sincere affection and compassion for the senile Mother by indulgence in the follies of the elders!
Albeit the kind-hearted ones amidst the children come to salvage her, kissing her forehead with intensive love, the vicious ones and their vices will never cease to drive them to distraction only to leave the fate of old weeping Mother in a doom and gloom. What a horrible fate of a mother!
The deplorable story of Nigeria today is equivalent to the analogy of the prologue mentioned above. The ineptitude of those who have had the privilege to govern our country has mercilessly caused mayhem to the country in terms of development in almost all sectors in the nation.
This, however, is not because their neural tissues are devoid of intelligence but their failure to think widely cognitive beyond their narrow interests and selfishness in rendering loyal servitude to the nation.
It is pathetic that our youth, the anticipated leaders of tomorrow, recommend spearheading embezzlement and corruption in its broadest sense which they know will further impoverish the people and weaken our economy as a country. Our youths are increasingly developing a fondness for political offices or leadership, not really because they are looking forward to promoting good governance, ameliorating and fixing broken Nigeria. Thus, alleviating the plights of her citizens who have been subjected to untold hardship. Unfortunately, they solely seek offices to get wealthy swiftly, even at the expense of the masses. Their eyes are fixed at the attendant spoils of high office in all its negative manner: riding exotic vehicles and live a life of luxury–exalting kleptocracy to the apogee.
We are not created to weep eternally. The need to equip ourselves with honesty, patriotism and the spirit of good governance for the greater glory of Nigeria starts today and precisely now. Our toils and troubles shall only strive to mend by us coming together under one umbrella of unity and harmony. Having all hands on deck and keeping our tribal sentiments, religious bigotry, and regionalism will enable us to put our potentials to optimal use to figure out our problems without much ado and efficiently climb the ladder of success in halting Nigeria from wallowing in the misfortunes of the past.
We pledge to Nigeria our dear Mother. We pledge to Nigeria to be faithful, loyal, and honest. We pledge to serve Nigeria with all our strength, vigour and zeal. We pledge to elevate her honour, glory and unity to the zenith.
Oh my God! Are we really fulfilling these obligations? Biafrans, Hausa/Fulani relatives, the Oduduwa clan, It is high time we kept our differences and strived collectively for the betterment of our dear nation. The labour of our heroes past! Shall never be in vain. One Nigeria, one people, let peace_reign. Happy Independence day.
Abba Tawfiq can be reached via abbamuhammadtawfiq@gmail.com.
Zamfara: Government directs restoration of telecom services in Gusau
By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq
The Government of Zamfara State has directed for the restoration of telecommunications services within the state capital of Gusau with effect from today, Friday, 1st October, 2021.
According to the State Governor’s Special Adviser on Public Enlightenment, Media and Communications, Mr. Zailani Bappa, the restoration of the service at the state capital becomes imperative following the tremendous success recorded in the fight against banditry in the state and to ease the hardship faced by both the private and public sectors of the state.
Mr. Bappa further stated that the “Government finds it necessary to ease the tight measure after the recorded success desired of it which has no doubt destabilised the syndicate of criminals terrorising the state leading to the successes recorded against them by the security operatives”
Re: 2023, Osibanjo-Zulum ticket
By Tajudeen Ahmad Tijjani
This is a response to the mischievous interview published by the Dailypost on Friday, which was credited to one Dr Garus Gololo. This brings the camp of Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo to our feet and compels us to officially clear the air on this purported interview lest the general public confuses the pseudonym Garus Gololo as the reputable Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo.
Dr Garus Gololo was quoted by the Daily Post to have said, “APC should field Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo, and Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, for an overwhelming victory in the 2023 presidential election”. In the interview, he uttered many unprintable statements on some of the party’s critical stakeholders like our National Leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Secretary to the Federal Government, Boss Mustapha and the incumbent Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.
To avoid doubt, Gololo is a name of a particular village in Gamawa LGA of Bauchi State, which many aboriginals use as their last name as it’s a common practice in Northern Nigeria. Therefore, anybody can pick the surname Gololo, but there is no APC chieftain with such a name in our blessed constituency to the best of our knowledge. We suspect it’s done to soil the courteous relationship between our Boss and the APC hierarchy.
Our Boss, Honorable Muhammad Garba Gololo, who was a representative of Gamawa Federal Constituency 2015-2019 in the green chamber, and a stakeholder in his own right and a loyal member of the APC, has nothing to do with that malicious interview.
It’s pertinent to remind the public that the relationship between Honorable Muhammad Gololo, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, Bola Ahmad Tinubu, Governor Babagana Zulum, Mr Synergy, Boss Gida Mustapha and Governor Akeredolu is cordial and intact. Therefore, no amount of blackmail would jeopardize the long-standing friendship that was built on trust and disposition.
Indisputably, Honorable Gololo is a firm believer in destiny. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, only God, the creator of the universe, gives power to whom he so wishes at his appointed time, regardless of tribe, religious or political inclination. Besides, health and life are prerogatives of God; none of us has the guarantee of reaching tomorrow talkless of 2023 that’s far ahead.
Notwithstanding, Hon. Garba Gololo as a devoted APC member is opposed to anything contrary to the provisions of our great party’s Constitution, which has yet to zone its presidential candidate to any region. However, let’s make it clear that our camp will not allow any deliberate or coincidental attempt to set up our principal against the party he laboured for right from its founding days all through the thick and thin that brought it to power.
We hope the general public will accept this as a disclaimer from the political camp of Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo, which categorically disassociated our principal from the said interview.
Tajudeen Ahmad Tijjani writes from Bauchi State.
We have arrested 2000 bandits’ informers—Zamfara gov’t
By Muhammad Sabiu
Following the ban placed on telecommunication services and other commercial activities in Zamfara State due to incessant killings and kidnappings, the government on Thursday says about 2000 suspected informers assisting bandits have been apprehended.
Ibrahim Dodara, Zamfara State Commissioner for Information, disclosed this during a press conference in Kaduna.
Mr Dosara was quoted as saying, “The government has set up a situation room where complaints are being received to ensure prompt action.
He added that the terrorists are being eliminated by troops and have been hit by acute hunger due to the ban placed on commercial activities in the state.
“Many bandits have been neutralised by the army. Most of them are forced to eat raw food like millet because they have been cut off from their collaborators in town,” he said.
Based on the reports coming from the state in recent weeks, there has been tremendous success in the area of the fight against the terrorists in north-western Nigeria.
Afghanistan: Superpowers’ invasion and history of resistance
By Aminu Rabiu Kano
The history of Afghanistan is one characterized by epic tragedy. The narrative of the “Afghan problem” has been diverse, with each actor telling their side of the story in a bid to justify their action or inaction as the case may be. A poor, landlocked Afghanistan is one of the few countries in the world which events happening in and around it have been dominating the headlines for decades. Both the mainstream and social media are obsessed with happenings in the country. Indeed, even the layman on the street is more or less interested in the Afghan problem to the extent that virtually everyone can say one or two things about it. The question that follows, therefore, is, why is the world interested in happenings in Afghanistan? In other words, why are developments in Afghanistan capable of generating reactions around the world? Also, why have the superpowers in history found it necessary to invade Afghanistan?
To answer the above questions, we must begin by establishing the geopolitical relevance of Afghanistan on the world map. Afghanistan is doubtlessly strategically located. It is at the crossroads of Central and South Asia. It borders Pakistan, China, Iran, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It is predominantly mountainous and inhabited by approximately 32 million people – nearly 45% of whom speak the Pashtun language. Moreover, the Afghan population is primarily Muslim. This reason, coupled with the fact that it borders Iran, Afghanistan is sometimes seen as a part of the “Wider Middle East.”
From the list of the countries bordering Afghanistan, one will realize the geographical importance of Afghanistan in the international political environment. Of the five countries that bordered it, Iran and China stand out. However, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan had been part of the former Soviet Union that fell apart in the 1990s. This implies that Afghanistan has been a neighbour to glorious powers both in the past and present.
Therefore, it was invaded severally by several empires across ages due to its essential, strategic location. For example, Alexander The Great of the Macedonian empire invaded Afghanistan in 330 BC as part of the war against Persia. Alexander saw that he could only get the Persian empire subdued by invading Afghanistan. Similarly, foreign powers such as the Persian Empires, the Mongol Empire led by Khan Ghengis, the Mughal Empire, the Timurid Empire, the Rashidun Caliphate, and the Sikh Empire conquered Afghanistan.
Little wonder, Afghanistan, even in the modern era, grappled with yet other rounds of invasions, but this time around by the “superpowers”. The superpowers being the USA and the USSR. During the cold war, these superpowers used Afghanistan, among other countries, to test their military, economic and political powers. It all started when, in April 1978, the People Democratic Party of Afghanistan overthrew the Afghanistan government. Nur Muhammad Taraki, secretary of the PDPA, became president of Afghanistan. But Taraki’s government was communist in orientation and enacted some policies that were not well received by the masses. Thus, the masses hated government, and, as a result, Taraki was overthrown by Hafizullah Amin in September 1979. Despite the change of government from Taraki to Amin, opposition to communist rule continued even under Amin. In December 1979, Amin was shot and replaced by Babrak Kamal, who was in exile in Moscow. Kamal’s government heavily relied on the Soviet military for support and protection against his vast opponents.
Opposition to the communist government continued, which prompted the USSR to invade Afghanistan, deploying more than 50,000 soldiers. This occupation was even met by fierce resistance by Afghans, who have joined the Mujahedeen – a guerilla movement that proclaimed to be fighting anti-Islamic forces in Muslim lands. The Mujahedeen would later be referred to as the “Taliban”. The Taliban was formed by Mullah Muhammad Umar, who recruited young Muslim students from Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan to fight the Soviet Military. Over the next ten years, hundreds of thousands of lives were lost. In the end, the Soviet military was forced to withdraw from Afghanistan.
However, the mujahedeen (or the Taliban, if you like) did not fight the war alone: they were heavily supported, armed and financed by the USA, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. USA was mainly instrumental in its support to the Taliban because it feared that if the USSR succeeded in occupying Afghanistan, its national interests would be threatened. In fact, the US’s intervention was informed by the need to resist the advance of what former President Reagan called the “evil vampire”. Then, the two superpowers – the USA and USSR – were in the heat of the cold war. Therefore, the US saw that if the Soviet Union succeeded in implanting communist rule in Afghanistan, the domino theory would materialize. This means that the USSR would also succeed in spreading communist ideology into those countries neighbouring Afghanistan. Most Fundamentally, by gaining the control of the Middle East, the USSR would determine oil and gas supply to the US and its allies in the West. This meant that the Soviets could do great harm to the US economy and those of its allies by cutting off the oil supply since oil was a vital product so crucial that military and industrial operations heavily depended on it.
After the withdrawal of the Soviet military from Afghanistan, the Taliban formed an Islamic government. Osama Bin Laden – a Saudi citizen – was instrumental in fighting the Soviet army. As the son of a rich and influential citizen in Saudi Arabia, Osama contributed substantial financial resources to the Afghanistan war that lasted for ten years. He later formed Al-Qaeda, which was said to be a terrorist movement determined to liberate the Muslim land from Western influence. On 11 September 2001, 4 aeroplanes were hijacked by, allegedly, the Al-Qaeda. Two were flown to the Twin Towers housing the World Trade Centre, one flown to the Pentagon and the other to Pennsylvania. As a result, more than 5000 people lost their lives, and critical government infrastructures were destroyed.
The US was quick to blame Osama’s Al-Qaeda for the tragic 9/11 event. The US President George Bush soon declared war on terror. The war was first on Afghanistan, which led to the overthrow of the Taliban government. After that, the American forces established a democratic government with its foundation in and allegiance to American imperialism. However, after 20 years of occupation, the Taliban expediently returned to power when the US forces willingly decided to withdraw from Afghanistan.
From the foregoing, three lessons can be learned. One, Afghans have a genetic history of resistance to foreign domination. Second, Afghanistan is a strategic country that played an important part in the Great Game power struggles for centuries. Finally, it is evident from the above that Afghanistan’s series of invasions was no end in itself, but a means to an end. Put it more succinctly, Afghanistan is a gateway for foreign powers. Its invasion would allow the superpowers to dominate the Asian continent, including the oil-rich Arab world. Overall, Afghanistan, despite its myriad of aggression by foreign superpowers, is still in existence. It survives!
Aminu Rabiu Kano is a political and public affairs analyst. He can be reached via 08062669232.
Does North want to retain power?
By Aliyu Nuhu
Northern leaders are expressing their position on 2023 election. The North wants to retain power. They rely on the Constitution and tenets of democracy to reach their conclusion. Nigerian constitution does not recognize power rotation or zoning. They said democracy is a game of numbers, and that since the North has the numbers it can rule forever.
For North to actualize its “day”dream, it should also field both presidential and vice presidential candidates from the North. That will ensure they keep power even if the president dies or suffers from infirmity.
Well let us just say our laws are flawed given our peculiar plural nature. Leadership of Nigeria cannot follow the law and still keep Nigeria in one piece and we are entirely to blame.
In every election win, Nigerians know how to bask on ethnic triumphalism and use power to alienate other tribes. Nepotism defines Nigerian leadership. If the North has been treating Nigeria as a one entity in fairness, the complain from the South will not be much. But look at Buhari presidency and tell me why a Southerner will want to remain under the northern rule, where both the Northerners and Southerners suffer greatly!
Fortunately APC does not think like northern elders. The party will pass its ticket to South West. APC has what it takes to win 2023 election. PDP will field a northern candidate, and surely that will be its funeral.
So far Nigeria is not matured for democracy. We are still learning the ropes. One day we shall get to that point where the origin and religion of leaders don’t matter. That will only happen if we eschew tribalism, nepotism and bigotry and appoint people to position based on competence.
Aliyu Nuhu is a socio-political analyst, from Abuja, Nigeria
20 new programmes to be introduced in Federal University Birnin Kebbi in 2022 – VC
The Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK) inaugurated a Joint-committee on collaboration with Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi on Thursday, September 23, 2021.
The collaboration which is aimed at promoting symbiotic relations between the two institutions would be geared towards experience sharing, staff and students exchange, use of instructional and workshop facilities, among others.
In their separate remarks, Vice Chancellor Prof. BB Shehu and Rector of Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi emphasized that the collaboration could not have come at a better time as the University started ten (10) new programmes in relevant of common interests.
The Vice Chancellor who frowned at frightening statistics and low-level gap of educational status in northern Nigerian states, particularly Kebbi also disclosed that the University would commence twenty (20) new programmes in 2022. This includes Urban and Regional Planning, Estate Management, Industrial Design, Software Engineering, Biotechnology, Medical Laboratory, Science Laboratory Technology, among others.
He highlighted that while the Polytechnic groom students to attain Diplomas and NCEs, the partnership would enable them to secure regular and top-up Degree Programmes in their various fields of human endeavour at the University.
In appreciation, the Rector who was represented by Deputy Rector, Dr. Usman Tunga acknowledged the “speedy” transformation of the University. He said the Polytechnic is delighted to affiliate with the University to commence new programmes on Environmental Studies and other relevant fields.
He further appreciated the University for accommodating staff of the Polytechnic on sabbatical and visiting appointments, hoping that the dream of the collaboration would come true in no time.
Meanwhile, the Registrar of the University Mal. Abubakar Aliyu and his Polytechnic counterpart, Mal. Atiku Muhammad Bello harped on optimal synergy while presenting members of the Joint Committee.
FUBK Bulletin reports that the Committee is chaired by the Director Post Graduate Studies of the Polytechnic, Dr. Sani Ahmad Alhaji, while Barr. Abdulkadir Abubakar of the University Legal Unit serves as Secretary.
Members of the Committee from the Polytechnic are Director Academic Planning, Isiyaku Abdullahi; Director Environmental Studies, Dr Utenge Jonathan and Head of Statistics Department, Dr. Abubakar B. Dallatu.
Other Committee members from the University include the Dean of Post Graduate School, Prof. UM Chafe; Director Academic Planning, Dr. Aliyu A. Turaki and Director, Management Information System, Dr. Abdulhakeem Ibrahim.
(Signed)
Jamilu M Magaji,
Public Relations Officer,
Federal University Birnin Kebbi.
September 28, 2021
If there was Biafra
By Ahmadu Shehu, PhD.
It is no longer debatable that Nigeria, despite its crippling challenges, may never disintegrate, at least geographically. Of course, the animosities, hatred and distrust between the ethnic and regional nationalities might worsen, but Nigeria’s elasticity is exemplary and uncommon. However, I still do not accept the convenient folktale deployed by politicians that our country’s unity is non-negotiable. By now, our experience as a nation should have liberated our minds to begin a conversation on any topic of national interest, no matter the controversy or emotional delicacy.
As we approach the 61st birthday of our beloved country, I find it imperative to discuss this controversial but important issue. From the outset, let me clarify that this article is not about the Igbo as an ethnic group or the southeast as a region. Given the rise in pro-Biafra sentiments and agitations at the moment, this article is only meant to provide an outsider view of some arguments espoused by the secessionists in their attempt to generate sympathy and popularity.
When you think of Nigeria’s disintegration, the first thing that comes to mind is Biafra – a defunct Igbo separatist nation in the country’s southeastern part. The attempt to curve this region from Nigeria in 1967 remains one of the most gruelling experiences of our country. A barely six-year-old nation was thrown into chaos by a set of greedy politicians and unscrupulous military officers who wanted power at the centre. Within those thirty months, millions of innocent citizens lost their lives, got injured or lost their possessions. In addition, Nigeria lost a large chunk of its national treasury meant to set the country on the right footing. The rest, as they say, is history.
Instead of learning from our past mistakes to avoid the recurrence of this destructive, reckless and unnecessary event, Nigerians of this generation seem to be oblivious of the necessary truth. As with most factual historical events in the Nigerian psyche, this painful experience, its true causes, and damning consequences are not well-known to the younger generations. The biased narratives in various country sections ensure that our population only hear the stories that suit their mindsets without alternative facts that would open their minds to self-criticism.
In the case of Biafra, most of the young Igbo folks have a pretty false image of their fate as a people if Biafra had happened. This skewed imagination is not unconnected with the biased, often imaginative stories these young Nigerians were told about their defunct “nation”. The Igbo popular culture and the intelligentsia depict a fictional image of Biafra as a dream-nation where the Igbos shall live in peace and prosperity devoid of challenges.
They imagine, albeit naively, that Biafra will be unlike Nigeria and that their lot would have been better than it is today. These unsuspecting chaps are led into believing a mirage of living in a nation flowing with honey and milk. They are also told that other ethnic and geopolitical sections of Nigeria are responsible for all their woes. They argue, albeit ignorantly, that if not for the North, the West, Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, etc., theirs would have been a heaven on earth. These ignorant tales conclude that a united Nigeria does not help their course as a people.
Well, I think that these views are simplistic. I also believe that it is our responsibility to tell our brethren the truth that they need to hear. Firstly, the creation, proclamation of Biafra was not in the interest of the ordinary Igbo people. It was the last-ditch by Igbo politicians to hide their faces from problems they caused and ensure they stayed in power. Secondly, our brethren are mischievously told that the Igbo were so rich that the Igboland was the largest economic contributor to the federation. Unfortunately, the falsity of this assertion is not far-fetched, as the southeast was and is still the least contributor to the Nigerian GDP. Moreover, during the attempted secession, Nigeria’s GDP was mainly from the agricultural sector, predominantly from the North.
Thirdly, it seems that many people are misled into believing that Biafra would be an oil-rich country even though none of the Southeastern states is truly oil-producing. The Niger Delta, Nigeria’s oil pot, was not and will never be part of Biafra.
Fourthly, young Igbo people tend to believe that the southeast was Nigeria’s cash-cow at independence. The bitter truth is that even in the ’60s, the perceived strong Igbo economy depended entirely on other regions. This scenario is worse today as there are probably more Igbo people and Igbo businesses in other parts of the country than in Igboland. Worse still, the Igboland is closed and unfriendly to Nigerians, making external investments impossible.
The most supposedly intelligent argument advanced by the secessionists hinges on the current centralized federal system. They claim that the centre is too powerful and that Igbo states are marginalized. This is an argument of convenience, at best. Nigerians are not oblivious that the current unitary system was the handwork of Igbo politicians who saw a unitary arrangement as the answer to their political agenda. Today, the tides have turned, and these very people are calling for the system they abolished. Restructuring this country – whatever that means – might be a good idea, but only after a genuine debate that will ensure we do not return to the same vicious circle.
People with secessionist tendencies have used the challenges in northern Nigeria as reasons for disintegration. However, Biafra will by no means be a safer or better place. Currently, some of the most terrible crimes bedevilling this country are not unconnected with the southeast. From drugs to internet fraud, armed robbery and kidnapping to arms smuggling, if not worse, the southeast is not holier than other parts of this country.
Another commonplace argument is that the industrious nature of the Igbo people is enough evidence that Biafra will be a great country. But this argument, too, has failed to account for the fact that the wealthiest and most successful Igbo people and their businesses owe their success significantly to Nigeria and not Igboland. The Igbo people are traders, and the economic success of trading lies in the customer market, not the number of sellers. What do the Igbo people actually produce or sell that does not rely on the larger Nigerian population?
On the one hand, there is nothing that the southeast offers that cannot be produced or sold by other Nigerians. But, on the other hand, everything from food to livestock, energy, and the market for everything sold depend on the other regions. The southeast is asking to leave under this situation is the most absurd strategic blunder of the century.
Similarly, Igbo politicians and administrators have not distinguished themselves from the rotten Nigerian public servants. We do not see a difference between southeastern institutions or southeasterners in Nigerian public offices and their counterparts in other regions or ethnic groups. The same crop of people will lead Biafra. So, nobody should be enthusiastic.
Therefore, it is evident from the preceding that the viability of Biafra as an independent state is not assured. For one, it will be a landlocked, forty-one thousand kilometres square piece of land, which is just a half of Niger state and less than the size of Kaduna state. Worse still, it will be circled on all four corners by its biggest adversary, the Nigerian state. Secondly, it will depend on its biggest adversary for nearly everything except air, including waterways, food, and labour. Third, it would be one of the most overpopulated countries vis-à-vis its landmass and population.
The bitter truth is that these ecological, geographical, demographic and economic factors do not support the presupposition that the Igboland is better off as a separate entity than it is within the Nigerian federation. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that even if Biafra was to happen on a platter of gold, it is not going to be the rose garden these populists have configured our brothers to believe. Thus, we should all look before we leap!
Dr Ahmadu Shehu is a nomad cum herdsman, an Assistant Professor at the American University of Nigeria, Yola, and is passionate about the Nigerian project. You can reach him at ahmadsheehu@yahoo.com.
Gunmen kidnap former minister, Solomon Ewuga, in Jos
By Hussaina Sufyan Ahmad
Solomon Ewuga, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has been kidnapped.
Ewuga, who also served as a Senator, was kidnapped in the late hours of Wednesday in Plateau State.
The former Senator, who represented Nasarawa North Senatorial district from 2011-2015, was returning home when the gunmen waylaid and abducted him.
His abduction is coming after the gruesome killing of the husband of former Minister of Information Prof Dora Akunyili, Dr Chike Akunyili, was reported.