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Sunday, June 16, 2019
THE HAUSA-FULANI ARE NOT OUR MATES
Southern Nigeria [Igbo, Yoruba and Niger Delta] listen to me carefully.
Forget your PhDs, businesses, "abroad exposure", "open-eye", big big grammar, social media sagacity etc. Get your notes, go and beg the Hausa-Fulani to tutor you on how to play politics.
The average Fulani man may look dirty, uneducated, unexposed, deprived or stupid but he possesses a knowledge of the importance of political power and how to use it. The Hausa-Fulani are not by any means stupid. In fact, they are masters of Nigerian politics.
Nigeria's transition to democracy in 1999, was heralded as a new dawn for a brighter future. In preparation to enthrone himself as a civilian President, the late General Sani Abacha created Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Nassarawa, Zamfara, Gombe and Ekiti States. Now making 36 in total. The South had absolutely no idea that by this, the balance of power would forever tilt towards the North even in a democratic setting. Only on this premise did Abacha agree to an eventual transition to democracy which General Abdusalam would see through. The 1999 constitution [the one supervised and crafted by the Caliphate], put paid to the aspirations of the South and set the stage for its perpetual subservience to the North. Our politicians didn't think much about it-we were happy Obasanjo was made President.
In today's Nigeria, Northern Nigeria dominates virtually every aspect of the nation's political dynamics. Democracy is a game of numbers and with this fact, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger etc., will continue to play significant roles in who becomes President of Nigeria, their members in the national assembly will continue to constitute the majority without which key bills would falter if not in their interests-PIB, NNPC sale, oil blocks licensing, electoral reforms, restructuring etc.
No matter your wealth, the real power lies with who calls the shots in politics. By fiat, your billions could be frozen by the President whimsically. The average Southerner is not politically conscious. He doesn't understand politics nor does he think beyond an election cycle. The Hausa-Fulani plan across generational lines. They think ahead. You often see the shoemaker, sugarcane seller, herdsman, suya man and others glued to their transistor radio. They don't bother about Davido, Tuface or Teniola. They are focused on what's going on in the polity-propaganda, religious directives, strategies, policy etc.
Their mosques are centers for religious, political and social engineering. In every election, they vote en bloc for a particular candidate regardless of performance. Once their leaders direct, they follow. Some may call this foolishness but I beg to differ. It is exactly why Buhari was so confident going into the 2019 elections having performed disastrously. Southern Nigeria's churches focus on tithes, wealth and bogus spiritual promises of a "better life".
You don't find Hausa-Fulani killing themselves during elections. But the supposedly "Educated" South is always a war zone at every election cycle.
While Southerners target Shell, Mobil, Total, Chevron, Zenith bank, traveling abroad, bagging degrees etc, the average Northerner's focus is the NDA, military, CBN, NNPC, DPR, NAPIMS, Police, DSS and other organizations that have considerable strategic influence in the affairs of the country.
Northern Nigeria is way smarter, united, politically mature and coherent than the South. Kwankwaso may disagree with Buhari but he would never get into a war of words with him like Amaechi did with Jonathan in 2015. Kwankwaso and Ganduje may be political enemies but you would never see their supporters shelling themselves with bullets like those of Amaechi and Wike. Buhari and Atiku [both Fulani men] contested the 2019 elections, not a single bullet was fired in the North but over 50 persons were killed in Rivers State alone due to the feud between Amaechi and Wike.
We need to come down from our high horse, go on our knees to beg them to lecture us for we are but babies in this game.
THE IGBO RANT
BIBLICAL TRADITIONS OF NDI IGBO BEFORE THE MISSIONARIES CAME TO AFRICA* IGBO 101.
THE IGBO TRIBE AND ITS FEAR OF EXTINCTION
The Igbo: We die for causes, not for personalities
Written by Emeka Maduewesi
~on fb. 28th September, 2016.
The Igbo will never die for anyone. We will not even riot for anyone. But the Igbo will die for any cause they believe in because the Igbo have a true sense of justice and a determination to obtain it.
The Igbo will not riot because one of their own lost an election. Operation Wetie was the Western response to a massively rigged 1965 election. The Yoruba doused fellow Yorubas in petrol and burnt them alife. Properties were burnt with occupants. The Igbo will never do this.
In 1983, the Yoruba went on a rampage again over the massive rigging by NPN. Lifes were lost and properties destroyed. The riots were over personalities.
Contrast that with Anambra State where Chief Emeka Ojukwu was rigged out by his own NPN, who also rigged out Chief Jim Nwobodo. The Igbo did not protest because the goat's head is still in the goat's bag.
In the North, ba muso was the battle cry when Sultan Dasuki was imposed on the Sokoto Caliphate. The riot and protest lasted for days and crippled economic activities.
The Igbo will riot over issues and causes. The Aba Women Riot was over Tax. The Enugu coal mine riot was about conditions of service. The Ekumeku Uprising was over British colonialization.
Those of "Ekumeku" ancestry - Umu Eze Chima and Umu Nri - were at the forefront of the struggles for Nigerian independence, with people like Dr. A A Nwafor Orizu and Chief Osita Agwuna serving prison terms. Any struggles the parents could not conclude is continued by the children by other means.
The Biafran war was a response to the genocide. The war in fact was brought upon us. The battlefield was Eastern Region. The war ended in 1970 but the issues and causes were not resolved. That is where we are today.
The Igbo will also jointly rise to fight evil in their midst. They did it in Onitsha in the 1980's, Owerri in the 90's, and with Bakkassi in the 2000.
The Igbo will not die for any man. But the Igbo will stand by any man who symbolizes their cause and their pursuit of justice. Even if the man dies, the struggle continues, and like the Ekumeku warriors, the children will pick up the baton from their parents.
This is the Igbo I know, the Igbo I am, and the Igbo we are. This is my story. Feel free to tell yours.
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