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aoabada@yahoo.com Cape Town, South Africa

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POVERY, JIHAD AND THE NIGERIAN QUESTION:
TIME TO HEED ABUBAKAR UMAR

am still not sure how I got around writing this piece of article. Suffice to say that the timely response of Col Abubakar Umar to the misguided threat of some northerners to declare jihad on the rest of the country elicited my interest. It is important that I issue this disclaimer! I hold no brief for Col Umar, or General Obasanjo, but like of citizens of Nigeria, my right of reply is constitutionally assured.

Those traditional leaders that went to see General Obasanjo were within their rights to articulate the aspirations of their people, and if the platform to do that is via religion and should it be in their best of interest to do so, they are free. However, this freedom must be exercised within the collective freedom of others as guaranteed in our constitution.

One is amazed that after 4 decades of independence, these people remain subjective in their understanding of current configuration of Nigeria, in terms of its peoples. The North as they want us to believe is currently disadvantaged, and therefore the Centre which they have remotely controlled must act to address the imbalance. This is a shame is all respects.

As Col posited, these leaders are misleading the gullible amongst them in order to force the hands of the National government into acceding to frivolous demands. When one takes a developmental census of the North, the result of such is a shocking disaster. The question that comes to mind is what transpired when billions of naira meant for development of the people exchanged hands. Buhari, Babangida, Abacha, were at one time or the other, despots who remained unaccountable to Nigerians.

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They were first and foremost northerners before declaring their Nigerian-ness. They were first and foremost Muslims before declaring interest in secularity. Those who are crying wolf today should go back and look at the mirrors to have a full view of themselves They aided and abetted, like their counterparts in the south these crooked generals. They paid spiritual homage to them and offered them prayers, even when it was abundantly clear that the generals never meant well for the country. Has anyone questioned the outright denial of the rights of Christians in the Borno state? Despite their huge numbers, they are unrepresented in the Confab at Abuja. What kind of injustice is this?

Has anyone asked why for instance Nigerians from the south are placed on contract appointment in the north, whilst non Nigerians from Muslim countries are given permanent employment? When some of these northern leaders systematically sought to destroy national education standard, whose interest were they protecting? When the turbaned leaders were busying sharing money meant for education of their people, whose interest were they guiding? When a sitting governor says polio vaccination meant to protect the innocent children against the killer disease is un-Islamic, whose interest was he protecting?

Northerners must begin to ask their so called leaders very salient questions. Religion never meant that the people must remain subservient to the will of an oppressive feudal system. The middle-east is home some of the most decorated individuals in field of medicine, engineering, law, and history in the world.

These people, like the turbaned northern leaders, are Muslims. They should stop using their poor as cannon fodders, and face the real challenge confronting their people, that of uplifting majority of northerners from debilitating poverty and lack of development. The irresponsible behaviour of the Zamfara governor is a clear indication that he is ill advised and suffers from historical hemorrhage.

1967-1970 remain a dark period in our national history that Nigerians would rather want to leave alone. However, he should be reminded that declaring war on the rest the country will be resisted, and 1967-1970 is a different bottle of whiskey all together. Northern leaders should be ashamed that till tomorrow, Muslims from the north are still being exported in trailer loads to the south as street beggars. What have they done to ameliorate the pains of their people?

Like the masquerade that fails to note that his time his up, their nakedness will eventually become public. A word is enough for the wise. They should listen to Col Umar! They should study the history of Nicolae Ceausescu of Romania was a modern despot who paid the price when freedom came for his people. Sooner, freedom for the north will also come.

N/B: I am really disappointed that the developments emerging the hearings on the N55m bribery. The FUT Vice-chancellor had memory lapse. He is saying different things at different places. He is a professor. Wabara is seeking soft landing in order to avoid jail. Which one em dey sef? Awo, uncle Sege, Mandela, Gani, and came out stronger. His, is just 'small' offense. That of disgracing PDP and stealing small when plenty dey to hammer. Anyway he too can come out stronger and become President. But he should first visit Gashua.