I have often been questioned at various fora for my views on the 2015 presidential election in Nigeria and now widely acknowledged zoning to the Northern part of the country. Most times I have shied away from discussing ethnic based issues as such moves always leave one with an identity of bigotry from other side of the divide. However, there seems to have been an over boarded laundering of sentiments and marginalization as a political tool by politicians in the North when issues regarding 2015 are been discussed, hence it is important to cut short this sudden attempt to distort and rewrite the pages of history.
Firstly, I must confess I do not like Goodluck Jonathan but neither do I hate him, I have disagreement with his policies and mode of governance purely based on principle and ideology but there seems to be a sudden fledge of hatred against the president and the South by some Northerners who either by error of commission or omission have not been privileged to lay hands on the political history of Nigeria.
Today, one of the most sold tales by Northerners is the rate of poverty and insecurity in the North; most have even gone further to point accusing fingers on Southern leaders as being responsible for this imbalance. Alas, these set of unguided individuals are victims of intellectual wobbly. While I agree that President Jonathan may have been too slow and indecisive with his approach against Boko Haram, I strongly believe the North and its leaders are responsible for any form of muddy water it is presently in.
Nigeria today has become a hallmark of corruption, nefarious acts and nepotism around the world and our identity has been smashed and bruised. While we all may want to directly blame our leaders for this despicable identity, it is worthy of note that the North instituted graft and sharp practices into the nucleus of our nation during the inglorious days of Babangida, Shagari, Abacha to mention but a few. Our current state of hullabaloo is a result of the greed these ones exhibited at the infant stage of our nation’s life when all was still rosy and smooth.
The North has no reason to be poor if its leaders have been visionary ones who care more about the future of their ruled against unnecessary political maneuvering. The leaders were preoccupied with claiming ownership of Nigeria and controlling the system through flocking the armed forces with their peers while the likes of Chief Awolowo, Nnamidi Azikwe had foresight to see the importance of education and self economy development and consequently positioned their region for it. Particularly, the likes of Alhaji Ahmadu Bello were busy concretizing a generational slavery system where the average Northerner will be subjected eternally to the their generations. The ‘rankadede’ system of socio-economic profiling has continued to mute the future of intellectual youths who have been caged in the realm of inferiority complex and made tool of actualizing their aspiration. Rather than create a delusional image marginalization, Northern youths should brace up and take charge of their lives. The likes of the Sarakis, Atikus, Abachas currently been worshipped today should be used in cleansing the land.
The continuous activity of Boko Haram is inhuman and very demoralizing but seeing President Jonathan or the South in extension has been responsible is pathetic. As far as am concerned, Boko Haram is a Frankenstein; a compound result of the decades of neglects, injustice, oppression, poverty by Northern leaders against their community. It is unfair to blame the South for this genocide as this at inception is purely a misguided war by the North against the North, drawing up sentiment from it as a reason to get power is a dream far too dreamt.
Often I have asked what the North has benefitted from the decades of dictatorial rule. From October 1st 1960 till now the North has done everything to take charge of the administration of the country but every time such move succeeds it only reflect in the account balances of their masters without any visible effect in the region. Am yet to understand the joy Northern youths derives from the ego of ‘We are the ones in power’, which power are you in? What effect does it have on your immediate life?
I stand to be corrected but the North lacks the locus standi to criticize the administration of Goodluck Jonathan until it has successfully shown that such emergency analysis isn’t egocentric but one made in truth and fairness to the development of Nigeria. And to those who will jump to say yes, then you can go one more step further to support any candidate from the South in 2015 against the mushroom of aspirants that are currently on display.
I as an individual desire change to this current political situation in this country but it is an insult to myself and my generation if I will be left with no other choice than to vote a spent general who was once a president before I was born or a corruption-laden all-timer whose graft activities reverbrated in far away United States while the likes of Tunde Fashola, Kayode Fayemi are readily available. I am not moved by the sudden show of support for the All Progressive Congress (APC) by the Northerners, their patriotism is better put to test if a credible candidate who is not a Northerner is put forward.
The time for the Northern youths to stand up is now, politics or Aso rock isn’t the only means of survival. The current level of imbalance and poverty is designed by your leaders as a tool to continuously control your life. Giving you a paid trip to Haji while their children enjoy a life of affluence and luxury is injustice and fraud. Take a trip to the South, we don’t take orders, we ask questions before actions, we hold our leaders accountable and above all, we shun unholy glorification of nonsense.
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Adekoya Boladale wrote via [email protected]. Please engage on twitter @adekoyabee and Facebook www.facebook.com/adekoyabee.
Adekoya Boladale is a political scientist and scholar on good governance, a social commentator and consultant on political and intra governmental affairs. He is the Convener, Advocacy for Better Leadership (ABEL), Nigeria.
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