Look auwal87 is making a very good point.

Would Anambra agree to have a Muslim Governor or Deputy Governor, will our Anambra people even agree to have a Muslim member of the State House of Assembly I ask you? Let's not be hypocrites, and expect the North, where they are mainly Christian to do as we like, even though the South would not do the same.

Goodluck should have been wiser in selecting a Vice President. With the Jos crisis still fresh it definitely was not wise for him to have chosen Namadi Sambo as VP, thereby leading to a Christian Governor in Kaduna. All things being equal, we should be able to ,

All of you people shouting down Auwal87 are just being blind and not sympathetic to the feelings of people in these states. You only have to realise that in Jos, people killed their neighbours that they had knows for years. It's better to be safe than sorry, and its better for Namadi Sambo to remain as Governor, this administration only has a few months left. Nigeria doesnt need another crises.

And for all of you people saying it gives an excuse for Nigeria to split up. We can all see your ulterior motives, pshhheeew. You dont deserve Nigeria, and you should be ashamed of yourselves.

osofia:

Look auwal87 is making a very good point.

Would Anambra agree to have a Muslim Governor or Deputy Governor, will our Anambra people even agree to have a Muslim member of the State House of Assembly I ask you? Let's not be hypocrites, and expect the North, where they are mainly Christian to do as we like, even though the South would not do the same.

Goodluck should have been wiser in selecting a Vice President. With the Jos crisis still fresh it definitely was not wise for him to have chosen Namadi Sambo as VP, thereby leading to a Christian Governor in Kaduna. All things being equal, we should be able to ,

All of you people shouting down Auwal87 are just being blind and not sympathetic to the feelings of people in these states. You only have to realise that in Jos, people killed their neighbours that they had knows for years. It's better to be safe than sorry, and its better for Namadi Sambo to remain as Governor, this administration only has a few months left. Nigeria doesnt need another crises.

And for all of you people saying it gives an excuse for Nigeria to split up. We can all see your ulterior motives, pshhheeew. You dont deserve Nigeria, and you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Your post ignores the fact that Kaduna is split evenly between Christians and Muslims while Anabra is a predominantly christian state. Christians in Kaduna have equal rights with Muslims in Kaduna

Wit d mindset of our muslim brothers, is it not time we listen to the "good & brotherly" advice of Gadaffi of Libya?

@ EzeUche, so your cardinal points have no south? FYI, we the ibibios, annangs & efiks would rather join an ijaw republic than a biafra

@poster, thanks for your well meaning post and the cool and civilized way you've responded to your critic so far.
I personally don't share your opinion, but I believe instead of name calling, we should as a matter of fact discuss in a more matured manner.
In 1999 when Obasanjo came to power, it was wided reported that the north, conservatively put, is about 40 to 50 years behind the south in
all development indexes. But some northern governors decided to introduce sharia instead of tackling head on the enormous economic challenges and I understand that many people in those states see sharia as a great leap forward. Ironically, some of these same (now former) governors are neck deep in corruption.
Now my question to you:
(1) Isn'tn it better for the north to educate the army of illitrate youth begging all over the place in order to create better challances for them in life?
(2) If the situation is so bleak as discribed in yours (and many others) threads, don't you think we should hold a sovereign national conference to sort things out now before they get out hand?

careytommy:

@ EzeUche, so your cardinal points have no south? FYI, we the ibibios, annangs & efiks would rather join an ijaw republic than a biafra

LOL!!!! While I advocate that all Eastern people get along I can't help but chuckle @ your post. You are definitely not Efik/Ibibio coz FYI most Efiks will rather be on their own or be with Biafra with or without the Ijo but not alone with the Ijo while many Igboswill like t be their own but at the sametime will love and won't mind being with the Efik, Ogoni and Ijo as a nation. Igbo people are not threatened by anyone and are self sufficient.

Osofia,
U are not Igbo so quit playing games. Olodo. U can't even spell your username right. Its Osuofia not Osofia. No Igbo dialect in Anambra or anywhere says Osofia. WTF is that. OSUOFIA!!!! EPIC FAIL. Next time do your research b4 trying to impersonate.



BTW!!! Half of Kaduna is made up of indigenous Christians like the Katafs so your argument is wrong. Are u telling me that they have no right to be governors? If so why don't we then split Kaduna in half? As long as Kaduna is a state they can rule and serve as governors not just Hausa and muslims.

95% of Anambra people are Igbo while the other 5% are Igala or mixed with Igala and they are all Christians. Now if we happen to have elected a xtian governor and muslim deputy we will be intelligent enough to know that the possibility of having a muslim governor if we lose the xtian governor is ripe hence like the civilized humans that we are we will simply accept the political process after all we could have voted for both xtian governor and xtian deputy when we had the chance. Got it?

bestman09:

Wit d mindset of our muslim brothers, is it not time we listen to the "good & brotherly" advice of Gadaffi of Libya?

Best comment ever.

sweet9ja:

@poster, thanks for your well meaning post and the cool and civilized way you've responded to your critic so far.
I personally don't share your opinion, but I believe instead of name calling, we should as a matter of fact discuss in a more matured manner.
In 1999 when Obasanjo came to power, it was wided reported that the north, conservatively put, is about 40 to 50 years behind the south in
all development indexes. But some northern governors decided to introduce sharia instead of tackling head on the enormous economic challenges and I understand that many people in those states see sharia as a great leap forward. Ironically, some of these same (now former) governors are neck deep in corruption.
Now my question to you:
(1) Isn'tn it better for the north to educate the army of illitrate youth begging all over the place in order to create better challances for them in life?
(2) If the situation is so bleak as discribed in yours (and many others) threads, don't you think we should hold a sovereign national conference to sort things out now before they get out hand?

First of all, Introduction of Shariah is not a barrier to any development in Northern Nigeria, places like Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, etc all use Shariah, but how would you compare their development to that of the whole Nigeria? So you should put Shariah aside in development, but If I understand, your point is that, instead of them to focus on development, they "deceived" people and Introduce Shariah to divert the attention of the masses towards that direction, after all the Shariah is not practised the way it is supposed to be.

To your questions;
1. Of course it is very much better to educate the Almajiris to become much more better citizens, I support banning of the whole system (i.e. sending young children from villages to urban areas to seek Qur'anic education). It will surprise you to know that none of those that have participated in the Qur'anic Recitation Competitions in Saudi, Doha, Dubai, etc ever come from the Almajiri roots, they are all well educated, well catered youths from respected families, this goes on to show that those who were sent from their villages focused more on feeding, clothing, and just survival than studying the Holy Book which they were sent to learn.

2. Yes, Nigeria needs a Sovereign National Conference, but not the like of the one held during Obasanjo's tenure, it should be more practical than that, and issues to be brought forward must be meaningful for the development of all Nigerians, not just one section of the country.

Just to add my own to the "mix" of hullabaloo around here

1.)Most Igbo commentators here-in have indicated their preference and invitation for the South-South to be part of a future Biafra (infact, one said S-South is an illusion!) The question that keeps coming back to my mind, each time these commentators "welcome" the Niger-Deltans, is: What is this Love and Romance with the South-South about? THEIR CRUDE OIL or they just love them for real? Pick your choice.

2.) During the discussion, some commentators have been trying to "scare the whole Nigeria" about what 'could' happen if Jonathan chooses Sambo as V.P.! What bothers me is that should these same Northern Muslims not be happy that Jonathan did not choose a Northern Christan? What would they have done if he actually picked the Deputy (Yekowa!)? Same peeps will start another story about how Christians have "dominated" everything!

Puzzle being that when it was expedient to "use" Yekowa to garner the Christian vote for the "Muslim Guv'nor (Sambo), Yekowa was "Okay" back then and now that providence (the same providence that is elevating a muslim Guv'nor to V.P) is elevating a Christian deputy toa Guv'nor, Nigeria is simply about to disintegrate Haaba, wetin?

3.) Let me comment on that apart about Yorubas fighting Igbos (or supporting the Hausas to fight the Igbos) as proposed by some posters.
Gone are the days (In Awolowo's days) when that would happen!
The Yoruba nation itself is receiving a "raw deal" from the current Nigerian state (remember that the most vocal proponent of Sovereign National Conference are Yorubas!) and Yorubas know and feel they would do better if devoid of the strangulating bond of "one Nigeria".

The Easterners want out, the S/South want out, The Westerners want out; What about the Northerners? Why dont they want out? Do they love Nigeria more than all other sum-of-parts? Or are they scared of the future? (No pun intended pls)

FYI: All regions can survive on their own only that some might need to re-configure their thinking and become more enterprising and globally proactive.

As for the minorities, none of them want to be with a domineering neighbor and as such, l dont see them willingly joining Biafra or the Northern Clique.
My guts tell me they would rather join (Mid-West) the West than go East or join another yoking alliance that would suck them of their natural resources. What would be the "situation" of a Kwara state for example, as part of a hegemonic North or an Akwa Ibom in Biafra? Of course, their best bet would be to stick together and stay by themselves though this would also expose them to "annexation" by stronger neighbors, except they form a strong military alliance but loose political alliance with one of the big three.

Finally, as foul as it may sound, The Northerners (Hausa/Fulani), especially the Muslims amongst them, must sit down and tell themselves some home truth.
The only thing still sustaining them TODAY is their domination of the Nigerian military establishment (remember what Dambazzau and his garrison commander did to Jonathan viz-a-viz smuggling our erstwhile President into Abuja?, Remember what happened during the Jos crisis and the role played by the military?) - but globalization, fight against terror and the current wave of Islamophobia (rightly or wrongly) - has diminished that effect so much that it will be inconsequential in an outright declaration of hostility between the North and other parts as l sense that the U.S and other European countries are looking for an excuse to stamp-out "Al-Quaeda" from Nigeria and hostility will present the perfect excuse (I cant see a powerful, Islamic nation that the North can rely upon? Even Russia, post 'cold-war' alliance, is reconsidering its suport for Iran!), moreso, the north does not have crude oil, if you get my drift!

Therefore, Northerners must sit down and address issues, discuss issues of common interest with their neighbors, for peaceful coexistence.
Northerners must adopt western education (After all, the Saudi Royal family has their children in the same western Universities and there is no point being more Catholic than the papacy) since that is the only vehicle of growth, right now.

Northern indigenes must also be ready to hold their leaders accountable, there is no point in declaring sharia in their state while maintaining a string of "delectable virgins" in their "State's Guest House in V.I. and Abuja! The same "Southerners" they preach against are the ones they spend their night with, in the most glorious romantic fantasy that would put ***** to shame! I dont want to mention that whereby Sharia has failed to amputate the hands of their thieving Guv'nors, EFCC is doing a better job! Wize-Up my people.

Having said all these, at times, l feel for Seun, who spent time and resources to put this site together (being not the only one that Nigerians visit to discuss Naija issues) but hoping it will be better than others, only to end up with infantile, childish and at best inferior jesters who cannot even put an article together other than make a few silly comments and fight each other in some baby-ish, ethnic and religious arm-wrestling!
Am sure the guy is wondering by now, how he could "sieve" such people from ever coming here or what others like NVS did, to attract the better brains and profile of contributors!
I feel you Seun, l really do.

Just my perspective, no offense intended and none should be taken.
Cheers.

Who go read all these long shit?

@ udezue, i am ibibio 4rm edemaya in ikot abasi. what i meant was, if biafrans dont recognise the existence of minorities, then we would rather form an alliance to have our own nation. we wouldn't want to leave nigeria only to end up in a similar situation.

Lastpage,
Naw its really because they have SWEET OIL.  What can Igbo ppl do without the sweet oil from Akwaibom, Bayelsa, and Ogoni land? OH MY GOD!! They don't like our own oil in Anambra, Imo, Abia and Rivers. They don't like their Coal in Enugu. They don't have any other way to run an economy except by selling and drinking sweet crude oil from these minorities. Their oil is not sweet enough.

*mchew*

careytommy:

@ udezue, i am ibibio 4rm edemaya in ikot abasi. what i meant was, if biafrans dont recognise the existence of minorities, then we would rather form an alliance to have our own nation. we wouldn't want to leave nigeria only to end up in a similar situation.

When were ur existence never recognized by Igbo people? In the Eastern region back then weren't the Efik-Ibibio very involved in the political process of serving the region? I wonder how Akpan, Effiong, Eyo Ita, Bassey, etc managed to ellude the Igbo.

Anyway your feelings are very relevant and if ur existence won't be recognized you have every right to SAY NO TO BIAFRA. Its not by force. The last thing I want to see is a repeat of what is going on in Nigeria in Biafra. That will defeat the whole purpose of it. The Biafra I know is the one that recognizes the Ogoni, Efik, Ijaw and Igbo as distinct people who deserve the right to have autonomy and participate.

@osama10

Who go read all these long poo?

I understand since we were kids, that some cant even read a small Novel like "Mills & Boons" or James Hardley Chase when their 10year old mates are already reading 450 pages of Jefrey Archer, 600 pages Robert Ludlum, e.t.c.

I hold no grudge against you for your short "Attention span" , just let the intelligent few (to whom it is actually intended for) read it.

Some Peeps are waiting for you in the "gossip column", l hear  .


BTW: See what some "enemies of Yekowa" have dug up!

[size=20pt]Sambo, VP Nominee dragged to EFCC over $17 billion fraud[/size]



[quote]17 May 2010


Date Published: 05/16/10

Sambo, VP Nominee dragged to EFCC over $17 billion fraud
advertisement
Namadi Sambo

The governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, who has been nominated to fill the vacant post of Vice President, has been dragged before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations of financial impropriety.

But Sambo who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Umar Sani, has dismissed the petition describing it as frivolous and lacking in credibility.

A Kaduna-based lawyer, Sadau Garba, petitioned the anti-graft body asking that the governor be investigated for allegedly misappropriating N153.6bn with the support of the state legislature.

A copy of the petition which was obtained by our correspondent on Saturday alleged among other things that the N1.2bn spent by the state government in hosting the U-17 World Cup championship was yet to be accounted for.

Nigeria hosted the championship in 2009 and Kaduna State was one of the states where the tournament was held.

The governor whose name has been forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration and confirmation as the Vice-President was nominated by President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday night after he had a meeting with Peoples Democratic Party governors.

He added that the petitioner needed to be examined to determine whether his claims had any substance.

But in the petition, Garba averred that the state obtained a $17.32m loan guaranteed by the Minister of Finance from the Islamic Development Bank, but that the loan was not captured in the 2009 budget as required by law.

He also accused security operatives of acting out the script of the state government by harassing him on account of the petition([/Quote]

Its all about who really becomes the Guv'nor of Kaduna, not about some games that have concluded three yrs ago!
How come some Lawyers have completely lost it? Such a reputable discipline, in the past?

@lastpage shut your mouth up there! What do you know? Your analysis is not better than that of kindergarten. Can't you recognize the fact that the call for sovereign conference by the Yoruba is mere rhetoric and only when it suits them?
How many Igbo control oil well in your backyard now or even shown interest on the oil that flow beneath Nigeria?
Who even need your lazy backside in Biafra? Do you know the quantity of oil reserve in Igbo land that the Nigeria government tagged strategic reserve? Shut the heck up my friend; yeye man.

Lol no mind the lazy oaf. His life starts and ends with oil. His self worth lies on how much oil he thinks his land has. I wonder how much they have gained from that oil personally.

^^^^^@Odi and Udueze
When the two of you decide to resort to gutter language, l think it means its time to separate the "boys" from the "men"!
I thought we were having a polite conversation but it seems my types have gone to bed so, l will call it a "day" as well.

Have a good conversation between two'aya!

Good night! A sleep will do you a whole lot better than disparaging Ndi Igbo or Biafra for no apparent reason.

Yeah sleep and marinate whatever we just told u maybe when u wake u'll something better to say. Never make comments or assertions u can't back up. Thanx

Lets not heat up the already not too good situation amongst Nigerians in the North, after all he was voted as deputy and has been functioning as a deputy. If the same happened in Nigeria with Yar'dua and Goodluck, I see no reason why this should be an exception. Our concern should that he performs when he's the Governor.

The campaign against Sambo is coming on the heels of rising discontent in Kaduna State over the fact that the Deputy Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, a Christian from the Southern part of the state, would automatically replace him.

The state government has beefed up security to prevent a religious crisis and breakdown of law and other.

Riot policemen were deployed by the government while Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) were stationed at strategic locations.

Reports quoted the Police Public Relations Officer in Kaduna DSP Aminu Lawan as saying that the force had placed its officers at alert.

Text messages are said to have been sent out to whip up sentiments and insinuate that Christians have taken over the state.

One of the text messages reportedly claimed that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has "won".

Kaduna has been a hotbed of conflict between Christians and Muslims in the past. However, there has been relative peace for sometime.

Source here

For Peace sake, is he the only person in Nigeria capable of becoming the VP at this crucial time?

Please, I beg Jonathan to withdraw this designation, Please!

Who cares? Let Kaduna be the spark to ignite Nigeria. Let the beginning of the civil war happen in the north. We Igbos will have your back if it allows us to have our Biafra and deal with this pesky South-South nonsense.

@Auwal87

For Peace sake, is he the only person in Nigeria capable of becoming the VP at this crucial time?

Please, I beg Jonathan to withdraw this designation, Please!

^^^^^ And in essence, PREVENT A CHRISTIAN from becoming Guv'nor in Kaduna State?

Would you consider that a "fare" decision on Yakowa himself, and the Christians citizens of that state?

Remember, DO UNTO OTHERS, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT TO BE DONE UNTO!

Why cant we just ACCEPT OURSELVES AS EQUALS, IN THIS COUNTRY?
Or are some people MORE NIGERIAN THAN OTHERS, by virtue of their RELIGION OR ETHNIC GROUP?

*Scratches head over and over again*

@ODI & Udezue.
If commenting and analyzing situations as they appear is what you call "disparaging Igbos", l think you're wrong

BUT if "per-chance" l made comments that appear to disparage IGBOS, l tender an unreserved apology.
It should never be construed as intentional as l am not in that category of bigots who can not see people for what they are (descent humans) but as "ethnic this or that".

It will be wrong and will always be wrong for one person (you or me) to disparage a whole nationality, be it Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba or even the ethnic minorities.
I also dont buy your idea of using "foul, gutter language" to communicate your opinions.
I think l would still understand you, even better without such crude remarks.

Thats why we can claim to be "adults".
No beef, no grudges, just sharing ideas.

@ Ezeuche , Igbos have  a lot to loose in kaduna if kaduna burns and Nigeria does not eventually break up. Some of thier investments ( hotels , real estates, shops , warehouses and other sundry businesses, will go up in flame and get looted , so dont pray people to throw stones into the market , you might not know who will be hit most.

^^^^^^^

I have no pity for Igbos who have investment in other parts of the country. They should have focused their investments in Igboland. They reap where they sow.

So Kaduna can go down in flames for all I care. It will teach my brothers and sisters again. You would think they would have learned.

EzeUche:

Who cares? Let Kaduna be the spark to ignite Nigeria. Let the beginning of the civil war happen in the north. We Igbos will have your back if it allows us to have our Biafra and deal with this pesky South-South nonsense.

i'm still struggling to understand why the term south south so irritates you.

i dont get it.

na una sabi sha.

^^^^^

Igboland is too densely populated. The South-South should be made for living space for us Igbos. If we had our own nation, it would only be a matter of time when all these minority languages would die out.

Actually I understand the posters cynicism.
But if Kaduna State is bounded by a constitutionally democratic rule, the VP--whoever is he (Christian, Agnostic or Atheist) should be the next governor of KD.

Am a Muslim and Islam is for justice. It's an un-Islamic thing to say: the Christian shouldn't rule a state mixed with Christians and Muslims.
Does governorship means hijacking your religion?
Is there no ways to resolve the Christian-Muslim conflict apart from not allowing the Christian to govern?


Peace to y' all.