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Thursday, March 14, 2013

Is Northern Nigeria colonising the South?

Written by Sabella Abidde 
(sabidde@yahoo.com)
To hear some Nigerians of southern extraction tell it, they are being colonised by Nigerians of northern extraction. By colonisation, I do not mean it in the classical sense: the establishment and perpetuation of hegemony, and the spread of its political, cultural, social, and economic order. In the classical sense, and insofar as continental Africa was concerned, seven European powers dominated and controlled the public and private spaces of individuals and the state. But in this context, in this instance, I think of colonisation as the exploitation, the oppression, and the domination of a weak southern Nigeria by the powerful northern Nigeria. At least, this is what some southerners are saying.

Some southerners speak of northerners as if they are speaking of a people and a region that is thousands of miles away. They speak and act as if northerners are not their brothers and sisters and in-laws and neighbours - neighbours, in-laws, sisters and brothers with similar aspirations and with common historical experiences. This is not to say that northerners do not speak of southerners in uncomplimentary terms. And they seem suspicious of the south: that overly liberal, Americanising and increasingly secular, politically disorganised, and polytheistic people and place.

I am a southerner with good fortune to have lived in many parts of the country; and mightily blessed to have nieces and nephews from all parts of the country, too. Within my circle of friends and family, you barely hear the northerners complain about the southerners. Well, maybe they do when "outsiders" are not listening. But hell, you can't keep the southerners from expressing their fears and anger.
In the mind of the average southerner, the northerners are the "problem with Nigeria." Many believe that the North is holding the South back in terms of political and cultural progress and economic development. They believe that "without the oil, the north would have seceded." And that once oil is found in commercial quantity anywhere in the North, the drums will start rolling for the separation of the country. They blame the North for all the military coups and counter coups; yet, forgetting that rich, ambitious and manipulating southerners, in many cases, financed and encouraged failed and successful coups.
But the greatest of the fears, insofar as one can tell, is the belief that the North has a grand design to rule Nigeria from 1960 until eternity. The oft-quoted passage that frightens many is this: "This New Nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great grandfather, Uthman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We use the minorities in the North as willing tools, and the South, as conquered territory and never allow them to rule over us, and never allow them to have control over their future" (Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier of Northern Region: The Parrot of October 12, 1960). In spite of this, there is nothing in the memory of Nigeria to indicate the North intends to colonise or lord over the country forever. But don't tell this to the average southerner.

Some southerners have data that seem to confirm their fears. Show up on the social media on any given day and you will see/read many of the fearful and fear-inducing commentaries about northerners. When the Niger Deltans are not going well, they blame the North for "taking their money and oil blocks." They blame the North for the poverty and social dislocations that have befallen them (instead of blaming themselves and their leaders). Since 1999, indigenes of the Niger Delta have been running their respective states (as governors, commissioners, and local council chairmen). What have they done for the people and for their states in spite of the billions and billions of dollars in budgetary allocations? Is that the fault of northerners, too? The other day, a Niger Deltan governor, suffused with so much money and nothing to do with it, dashed out two brand new Prado jeeps bought with unbudgeted state funds, to a popular Nigerian musician simply for marrying, finally, a lady from his state during a traditional wedding ceremony. Yet, the road to the wedding venue is a big disgrace to behold.

As far as I am concerned, Niger Deltans should stop blaming northerners for their woes: they should look inwards, question and challenge their state governors. A thief is a thief whether or not he/she is an insider or an outsider. Today, the collective voice of the Niger Delta is almost silent. How many are today talking about the inhumanity, the indifference, and the Stone-age condition of the region? Where are all the so-called commanders and generals that were pounding their chests and who waived AK 47 and other weapons in and around the Niger Delta? The answer is simple: the vast majority have become caviar eaters and champagne drinkers - wining and dining with political and economic heavyweights in and outside of the country.

On any given week, you will find some of these wannabe commandants and imaginary generals flying to and fro choice vacation spots. And you will occasionally find them at the Presidential Villa (or safe houses) giving and or receiving reports and briefings. Many can also be found on the premises of the Presidential Amnesty Office in Abuja conducting million dollar business. "Forget the struggle," they will tell you to "chop as much as you can...who knows what will happen after 2015." So, are they going to blame future calamities on the northerners?

And then there are the Yoruba. One cannot but wonder "what's going on amongst the Yoruba?" From Action Group to the Unity Party of Nigeria, it was achievement galore. But you go to western Nigeria today, what you see and feel are confusion and economic stagnation. Meaningful progress halted! It is as if the Yoruba, since 1985 or thereabout, suddenly ran out of ideas. For whatever reason, they became unsure of themselves, became unsure of what to do and how to do it. They ceded leadership to "rascals", as the President would call them. What can small boys and small minds, read rascals, do - except attempt small and inconsequential things? Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, they will wake up then blame the northerners. The same unsightly scenario is evident in Igboland where political governance has been taken over by merchants and desperadoes leaving the region, known for its enterprise, as a den of kidnappers and decrepit roads.

Is northern Nigeria colonising southern Nigeria? The answer is a resounding No! Collectively, is the North more politically clever than the South? Of course, just as the South is more economically developed than the North. Are there primordial suspicion and latent animosity between the two divides? Yes, of course! Are there compelling reasons for the breakup of the country? No, no, no! Is there a way forward? Yes! In a week or so, I shall offer a set of recommendations.

No comments:

THE IGBO RANT

I am an Igbo, I was born an Igbo, I live the life of an Igbo, I come from Igbo, I speak Igbo, I like to be Igbo, I like to dress in Igbo, I eat Igbo food, my heritage, culture and tradition is Igbo, my parents are Igbo.

Am sorry I cannot help it if you hate my lineage. Am sorry I cannot help it if you detest Igbo, am sorry I cannot help it if you hate me because am Igbo. Igbo is who I am, my name is Igbo and I must die an Igbo.

You see Igbo as a threat, why? You call Igbo rapist, criminals, ritualist, prostitutes, kidnappers. You attribute all negative vices to represent Igbo? Why do you do that? You do because you feel threatened that Igbo might outrun the rest of the tribes. Why do you hate Igbo and despise us? You do that because we are creative, enlightened, hardworking, industrious, genius, intelligent, smart, rich, beautiful and amazing. But its difficult for you to admit it because you feel jealous of my race.

Igbo do not own politics, Igbo do not control the economy neither do we control the natural resources and the common wealth of the nation. You do, we don't and yet, despite the fact that you own everything, we still remain one indispensable race that has outshined the other race in all ramifications.

You fear us because you want to exterminate and annihilate our race, you deny us many things and yet we are stronger, richer and mightier. You fear us because we are everywhere. You fear us because no matter how rural a place might be, when Igbo steps in, they turn it into a Paradise. We have our own resources, which lies in resourcefulness, we do not bother you and your control over the polity, but yet when we cough you and the other race begin to shiver.

Am proud being an Igbo, am proud of my heritage and culture. Igbo means high class, Igbo means independence, Igbo means hard work and strength, Igbo means riches, Igbo means resourcefulness, Igbo means self belonging, Igbo means self esteem, Igbo means pride, Igbo means swag.

Udo diri unu umunnem.
# IgboAmaka
# AnyiBuNdiMmeri

Michael Ezeaka
------------------------------

This is beautiful poetry ...

In response to Alaba Ajibola, the Babcock Lecturer Hate Speech against Igbos.

BIBLICAL TRADITIONS OF NDI IGBO BEFORE THE MISSIONARIES CAME TO AFRICA* IGBO 101.

1. NSÓ NWANYĮ
In Igboland women live apart from their husbands and neither cook for them nor enter their husband's quarters when they are in their period. They are seen as unclean. Even up till today such practice is still applicable in some parts of Igboland especially by the traditionalists. Before a woman can enter the palace of Obi of Onitsha, she will be asked if she is in her period, if yes, she will be asked to stay out.

Leviticus 15: 19-20
When a woman has her monthly period, she remains unclean, anyone who touches her or anything she has sat on becomes unclean.

2. ANA OBI
An Igbo man's ancestral heritage, called “Ana Obi” is not sellable, elders will not permit this. If this is somehow done due to the influence of the West the person is considered a fool and is ostracized by the community.

1 Kings 21:3
I inherited this vineyard from my ancestors, and the Lord forbid that I should sell it, said Naboth.

3. IKUCHI NWANYĮ
Igbos have practiced the taking of a late brother's wife into marriage after she had been widowed until the white men came. Now it is rarely done but except in very rural villages.

Deuteronomy 25:5
A widow of a dead man is not to be married outside the family; it is the duty of the dead man's brother to marry her.

4. ĮGBA ODIBO
In Igboland, there is a unique form of apprenticeship in which either a male family member or a community member will spend six (6) years (usually in their teens to their adulthood) working for another family. And on the seventh year, the head of the host household, who is usually the older man who brought the apprentice into his household, will establish (Igbo: idu uno) the apprentice
by either setting up a business for him or giving money or tools by which to make a living.

Exodus 21:2
If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve you for six years. In the seventh year he is to be set free without having to pay you anything.

5. IRI JI OFŲŲ
In Igboland , the yam is very important as it is their staple crop. There are celebrations such as the New yam festival (Igbo: Iri Ji) which are held for the harvesting of the yam. New Yam festival (Igbo: Iri ji) is celebrated annually to secure a good harvest of the staple crop. In the olden days it is an abomination for one to eat a new harvest before the festival. It's a tradition that you give the gods of the land first as a thanksgiving.

Deuteronomy 16:9
Count 7 weeks from the time that you begin to harvest the crops, and celebrate the harvest festival to honor the lord your God, by bringing him a freewill offering in proportion to the blessing he has given you. Celebrate in the Lord's presence together with your children, servants, foreigners. Be sure that you obey my command, said the Lord.

6. IBE UGWU
In Igboland it's a tradition that the male children are circumcised on the 8th day. This tradition is still practiced till date.

Leviticus 12:3
On the eighth day, the child shall be circumcised.

7. ÓMŲGWÓ
In Igboland, there is a practice known as "ile omugwo ". After a woman has given birth to a child, a very close and experienced relative of hers, in most cases her mother is required by tradition to come spend time with her and her husband. During which she is to do all the work of the wife, while the new mom's only assignment to the baby will be to breastfeed. This goes on for a month or more. In the Igbo old tradition, at this time, the new mom lives apart from her husband, would not cook or enter his quarters.

Leviticus 12:1-4
For seven days after a woman gives birth, she is ritually unclean as she is during her monthly period. It will be 33 days until she is ritually clean from the loss of blood; she is not to touch anything that is holy.

THE IGBO TRIBE AND ITS FEAR OF EXTINCTION

The Igbo tribe is in a serious problem and danger of extinction for the following reasons:

50% of Igbos are born outside Igbo land. Meaning that those children are not likely to live and work in Igbo land and cannot speak Igbo language but foreign language (Yoruba, Hausa, French, English).

40% of Igbos girls between the age of 25 & 45 are single with no hope of marriage because 35% of Igbo boys live overseas and they have all married white ladies.

75% of Igbo youths leave Igbo land every year in search of opportunities in Yoruba, Hausa land or overseas.

85 % of Igbos have family houses and own investments outside Igbo land. They strongly believe in one Nigeria but failed to know that NO Yoruba or Hausa man has a family house or investment in Igbo land.

Igbos are the only people who believe that living outside their land is an achievement.

Igbos are the only tribe that celebrate their tradition outside their land e.g. Eze Ndi Igbo, Igbo Village in America and this is because they have family homes in foreign lands.

Igbos have failed to know that the children you have outside Igbo land especially overseas will never think of living in Igbo land. So what happens to the properties you are building for them when you are gone?

Igbos are the only tribe who see their land as a place to visit or a tourist site than a place to work and live.

Igbos are the only tribe who instead of promoting and appreciating their culture through movies and documentaries they have sought to ridicule it by portraying rituals, killings, wickedness, love for money and other social vices which were not originally inherent in our culture thereby cursing more harm than actually promoting their culture.

Igbos are the only people who without hesitation believe their history and description when it is told or written by an enemy or a foreigner. E.g. that you do not love yourselves or that you love money.

Igbos are the ONLY largest tribe on earth who fought for their independence and failed to achieve their freedom after 40 years.

Igbos are the only tribe who fails to honour their brave heroes and heroines especially the innocent children starved to death during the Biafran war.

Igbos are the only tribe who embraced their enemy after a bloody civil war and subsequently become slaves.

Igbos do not find it necessary to teach their own version of history to their children.

Igbos fight for marginalisation in Nigeria but has no collective strength or teeth to bite.

Igbos how long are you going to fight for your relevance in Nigeria?

How long are you going to fight for a functional airport, rail networks and other structural establishments that underpin sustainable development?

How long are you prepared to wait for your enemy to guide you to your destiny?

Oh Igbos!
Where are your leaders?

Unfortunately, none of them live and work in Igbo land. If you wish to save the future of your children, your identity, your generation and your race then you need freedom and that freedom is Biafra.

Ukpana Okpoko gburu bu nti chiri ya!

By Chime Eze
#COPIED

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.

RT. HON. DR. NNAMDI AZIKIWE TO DR. CHUBA OKADIGBO (1981)

"My boy, may you live to your full potential, ascend to a dizzy height as is possible for anyone of your political description in your era to rise. May you be acknowledged world-wide as you rise as an eagle atop trees, float among the clouds, preside over the affairs of fellow men.... as leaders of all countries pour into Nigeria to breathe into her ear.

But then, Chuba, if it is not the tradition of our people that elders are roundly insulted by young men of the world, as you have unjustly done to me, may your reign come to an abrupt and shattering close. As you look ahead, Chuba, as you see the horizon, dedicating a great marble palace that is the envy of the world, toasted by the most powerful men in the land, may the great big hand snatch it away from you. Just as you look forward to hosting the world’s most powerful leader and shaking his hands, as you begin to smell the recognition and leadership of the Igbo people, may the crown fall off your head and your political head fall off your shoulders.

None of my words will come to pass, Chuba, until you have risen to the very height of your power and glory and health, but then you will be hounded and humiliated and disgraced out of office, your credibility and your name in tatters forever...”
THE REST IS HISTORY AS EVERY WORD OF THE CURSE ON CHUBA CAME TO PASS.

LET'S BE AS PASSIONATE AS WE WANT TO AND BE MODERATE IN OUR CONTRIBUTIONS IN PUBLIC DISCUSSION TO ISSUES AS WORDS OF OUR ELDERS ARE WORDS OF WISDOM

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