By Hashim Suleiman
Recall my article of 5th June 2022 tiled ‘ The Fragile North and The Power Shift Dilemma’ which can also be further gleaned here: THE FRAGILE NORTH AND THE POWER SHIFT DILEMMA By Hashim Suleiman « oneheartnaija (wordpress.com). In the article, I had highlighted the circumstances of the northern Nigeria as at then especially as relates to the economic realities and how it was almost impossible for the north to be optimal or recuperate especially in a situation where the incoming president will not give them majority political patronage and if he decides to formulate critical economic reforms that will discourage rent seeking, the rest is history and some will look at the happenings today and say I have been vindicated, oh well, it is what it is.
Fast forward to the happenings today, the consequences of my postulations have come biting and the north has further dived from the initial economic indices of 2022 into further abyss and rather than agree to be strategic this time around, they are asking to proceed on a protest, whatever that means, in fact, I asked on a post on my Facebook page what Nigerians will specifically be protesting for? Because in comparison with Kenya, those ones were protesting a certain tax bill. Perhaps, some may say, it is about the removal of fuel subsidy? But that was done over a year ago, so isn’t the protest belated?
To be specific, my article today is attempting to insist on northern Nigeria to desist from participating in the planned protest because just like they have always held the short end of the stick since the emergence of the current republic owing to little or no strategic participation and in this case of choosing to perhaps participate in the protest, it is as usual not strategic and one that is capable of finally throwing the north down the cliff amidst the current absolute fragility.
Recall also that all necessary economic indices of Nigeria are the most negative in the northern Nigeria and I had also held the position in same article highlighted above that considering how much the southerners must go through to become Nigeria’s president, if I were in their shoes, I would demystify such political dominance if possible. Therefore, considering that the economy of the south is lot better than that of the north as well as awareness and education, would it not be foolhardy for the northern Nigeria to attempt to go into a protest that would further demystify the economy and polity of the region? Those southerners itching to have a political liberation from the northern Nigeria must be celebrating to see the north desiring to go into this planned protest because I am not sure it will ever bounce back as strong, at least not soon. Any southerner asking the northerners to go out to protest is not a lover of the north, definitely not. Who wants to light a match into a keg filled with petrol? Who?
Looking at all of these, it is safe to say that it is such mundane thoughts that have let the insecurity of the region to fester without any solution at sight, why has there never been the sort of Amotekun regional security formation in the northern Nigeria? Why has dialogue and unity of purpose eluded us in the northern Nigeria? Why has there never been a productivity and industrialization agenda in the northern Nigeria after leading the country for the greatest number of years? Wouldn’t all these efforts if present have dissuaded any need for a protest? Is there even any rallying point for the region that could provide answers to the questions in this paragraph?
In any case, let these words remain for posterity but the northern Nigeria must be wary of the proposed protest and efforts like mine and those of others must be heeded to avert any form of protests, leaders at all levels especially state governors have a lot of responsibility on this, we must quit this insistence on everything Abuja, let’s look inwards.
A word should be enough for the wise….
God bless Nigeria.
Hashim Suleiman