THE United Middle Belt Youth Congress (UMBYC), a group at the forefront of mapping out the North Central geopolitical zone as Middle Belt has lampooned the north for lining up soldiers from the zone against the Igbos during the Nigerian civil war.

They said the core north easily achieved this by exploiting the command structure of the military and manufacturing fear that Biafra is out to overrun them.



'We know the ignorant years that have passed when we went to war. When they mobilised us to war and told us 'ah they want to terminate you people. The Igbos are majority and in fact they are coming to swallow you people'

'A lot of us went to the bush to fight. I know how many families of our brothers that we lost in that war. Not to talk about our other brothers, the Igbos who we went to fight ignorantly.'

The president-general, Abuka Omababa disclosed this during a courtesy visit of the group to The Moment in Ogudu, Lagos recently saying that the hackneyed concept of 'one north' was also crafted with the connivance of the British to mislead the rest of the country into believing an existence of a gigantic and awesome 'north'.

He added that while it was disheartening enough that they were manipulated into a fratricidal war with the Igbo, the Hausa/Fulani 'were in Sokoto and Kano relaxing and watching the two of us kill each other.'

The group consequently declared that the days they were plaything in the hands of 'the north' are over for good. They therefore extend a hand of fellowship to other ethnic nationality groups in Nigeria saying that 'without us there is no north; no Middle Belt, no North. If we remove ourselves they are disconnected from Nigeria. So we are the bridge. We have served as the bridge.'

The group said that serial cases of religious intolerance in the north are championed by the Hausa/Fulani who are moulded to perceive non-Muslim practitioners with distaste. They dissociated the Middle Belt from it saying they see others as members of a single humanity rather than with religious or other colourations.

'Prior to the coming of the British, we were occupying our land. We are democratic. We are freethinkers in our various nationalities. If you see a Langtang family; they may have one Muslim, one Christian and one pagan; they cohabit and you will not know the difference.'

'Whenever there is riot in the north, it affects us. Our people run like any other southerner. If you look at these youth corps members that were killed, they brought two to Kogi. So, if Kogi is north, then why is north burying their children?'



Though they blamed the British for grouping and lumping them together with the north, they were insistent that the Middle Belt is not north. Thus, they ask for the official regrouping of Nigeria where they are recognised as distinct federating unit.

'We want our identity to be known. We want to bear our name. We don't want to be covered again, we have the right to determine our own identity,  And we have decided that we are going to do it legitimately. We want to be officially regrouped as Middle Belt region.

'We have the Niger Delta that has been officially regrouped. They are minorities in the south like we are minorities lumped into the north.'

They maintain that gone are the days when they are used as a buffer to protect and comfort the north. They did not see any reason why they would only be used by the north to gather votes during election, and food during scarcity but discarded just as soon as the 'hegemonic' north is satisfied.

'Our resources and land remain closed under the northern Nigeria. And what they do is; if it is time to make use of numbers, our population, they say yes we are relevant. After that; no we are no more relevant.'

'Thanks to the struggle of June 12 which brought President Olusegun Obasanjo to power in 1999. While making appointments he brought General Victor Malu as Chief of Army Staff, Saliu Ibrahim and the rest, then, the north through late Alhaji Wada Nas rose and said that these people do not represent northern interest.

'It is a clear thing that we do not belong there. We want to be separate people, and so shall it be.'

They went on to reiterate their backing to the evolution of a fiscal federalism where the federating units will control the resources in their geographical sphere.

'Make the centre less attractive, so that if you are going there, it is for service. We from the Middle Belt, we will pay our taxes. They should leave Ajaokuta for us; they should leave all those gold, columbite, timber and other solid minerals found in the Middle Belt for us to develop our community.

'What we are saying is that they have concentrated too much power at the centre which is the reason everybody wants to kill others in order to get there. Every region will have to pay tax to the Federal Government.'

Then they upped the ante with some other bold demands.



'We said we need our own 13 per cent from electricity. We need 13 per cent from Ajaokuta, from solid minerals coming from Middle Belt, even from our food. If you see the level of farm work going on in the Middle Belt, you will see why we agitate for Farming Development Commission to provide modern equipment and health facilities.

'Give us also HYPODEC - Hydro Power Development Commission - which Jonathan has already granted and signed into law but has not constituted the board.'

While tracing the history of their struggle for identity, they say that at great cost their progenitors like Ameh Oboni, David Lot and JS Tarka had kick-started this resistance which people like Paul Unongo had continued.

They say that while they remain in touch with their parent body - United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC) - they are determined to add youthful vigour to it, and facilitate the realisation of their dreams of emancipation from northern hegemony and resource control.

'The issue of Middle Belt identity started with the late Ameh Oboni and Attah of Igala. At the northern emirs' meeting, when the Sultan of Sokoto and the rest came, he was told to remove his cap; he said no that the Hausa/Fulani has never been commanders of Igala, and Igalas has never bowed down to them.

'So they threatened that they will show him where he belongs at the next meeting; he too retorted he will show them where they belong. At the next meeting, they insisted and forcefully removed his cap, from which emanated stinging bees that disrupted the meeting. All the emirs ran away except him. But that is the local way of struggling against the domination of the Hausa/Fulani.

'Late Dr. JS Tarka and Paul Unongo, because they were educated, brought it to international attention through the UMBC - United Middle Belt Congress of those days. So the struggle for Middle Belt identity has been on.

They added that when Usman Dan Fodio came with a jihad in 1804, he conquered Kastina, Sokoto and Kano but could not conquer the Lantang and the Birong peoples of Plateau. He was also said not to have defeated Taraba when the state comprised Igala, Jukuns and Tiv peoples.


'He could not conquer us. He could not conquer Middle Belt. So when the British were going they said that these people are difficult to conquer in war, so give them indirect rule system. Co-opt them through the Atta of Igala, through the Gbomgbom of Jos. That is how the British played us to the monolithic north' the group's president-general explained.

The Moment's Editor in charge of daily operations, Martin Azuwike who received the group urged them to continue in the part of non-violent struggle. He said that the nation has so much security concerns which if they resort to violence, Nigeria will have more than a mouthful to chew.

He also said the newspaper will always report their activities with a sense of balance and fairness to others.


http://allafrica.com/stories/201112191306.html

Very interesting revelations .

The truth is becoming clearer to them everyday. They see Igbos, the supposed enemies, live among them in peace while their supposed brothers up North kill them at every opportunity.

Well it's good that they are regretting it now and acknowledging that they made mistake in taking part in the war.

Like they are regretting taking part in that war, so will other groups that took part. One by one, they'll say, I think it was a mistake. No matter their spin, today or tomorrow, "One Nigeria" will visit them, hunt them and traumatize them that they'll wish that word was never coined.

make everybody rest na. We done hear o!

'So they threatened that they will show him where he belongs at the next meeting; he too retorted he will show them where they belong. At the next meeting, they insisted and forcefully removed his cap, from which emanated stinging bees that disrupted the meeting. All the emirs ran away except him. But that is the local way of struggling against the domination of the Hausa/Fulani.

jazz pass jazz!

The UMBC ringtones should be louder.

middle belt (NC) needs to take one more step forward - declare a political alliance with se/ss immediately. only when they do that can we take them seriously

yeah yeah. lol.

yeah, and one of the victims of the 1966 coup, brig. Pam, was a middle belt man, yet they needed to be tricked into the war? lol. What kind of trick? Gervinho's trickery?lol

gutter nonsense! why are igbo's always trying to play the victims here?

history cannot be denied! flash back 1966, a group of igbo soldiers(mostly anioma) out of no just reason decided to murder cold bloodedly(if u've read the story well, u will knw how they massacred their victims) northern officers and politicians including lt.col pam(a middle belter) thus establishing nigeria's 1st tribal hate war! aguyi ironsi(after cajoling the ministers) assumed office and refused to bring the murderers to book instead made military appointments with igbo coloration thus establishing nigeria's 1st nepotic administration! igbo traders out of sheer stupidity taunted the northerners around them celebrating nzeogwu as a hero and the result; july 1966, which eventually led to the civil war! the rest of the country having been inroduced to this inhuman violence called 1st coup or revolution(depending on your bias) fought the igbos and history was made!
nobody(these middle belt groups) should try and re write history because of current convenience! with out a doubt the misadventure of jan 1966 introduced mlitary rule,unitary system of govt(what we mistakenly refer to as federalism),nepotism and tribal hate!

no one should try to re write history because of current situations!

From what I can see, it will be impossible for a Hausa/Fulani to become president ever again. The more they fight, the weaker they become.Buhari lost because MB rejected him. The true problem of Nigeria is the Hausa Fulani Agenda and thank God it is crumbling down.

These middle belters should do the following if they really want to breakout from hausa/fulani domination and have a real,workable political region of their own just like SW,SS,SE.

1. Their traditional rulers--ie the Tor Tiv,Gwom Gwom Jos and elected representatives should make series of well publicised trips to the South East states and to the traditional councils in Igboland [--the Igwe,the Igwes councils,the Obi of Onitcha] and apologize for killings of innocent,unarmed civilians of Igbo origin in the middle belt,benue state and Igbo land before,during the civil war and after the war.
2.Their apologies should be published in all the dailies and news magazines such as newswatch,tell.At least 10 newspapers and 7 magazines.
3. Southern Kaduna state should be created from the present Kaduna state and southern kaduna state will be part of the middle belt geopolitical region.
4. Their governors,elected representatives,politicians should stop attending the northern governors forum.The should attend only the middle belt governors forum.
5. The middle belters, especially in Plateau State and Benue State should never allow a hausa,fulani or kanuri man stand for elective office in their states.If an Igbo living in SW and a yoruba living in SS or SE doesnt contest for public office in these areas,Plateau and Benue indegines should never allow a hausa,fulani,kanuri man contest for political position in their areas.
6. Jos North local governent area should be scrapped.
7. The middle belters should form a very strong,well armed militant group such as [mend,massob] to protect their territorial interest against fulani/hausa jihad tendency/intentions.
8. The middle belt millitants in Benue,Plateau State,Southern Kaduna should always carry out pre-emptive strikes against the hausa/fulani in their land.They should not wait for hausa/fulani to attack them before they strike.They should just plan,go out and attack the hausa/fulani invaders frequently and with much ferocity.They should not allow hausa/fulani treat them like slaves/tenants in their own land.

DRANOEL:

gutter nonsense! why are igbo's always trying to play the victims here?

history cannot be denied! flash back 1966, a group of igbo soldiers(mostly anioma) out of no just reason decided to murder cold bloodedly(if u've read the story well, u will knw how they massacred their victims) northern officers and politicians including lt.col pam(a middle belter) thus establishing nigeria's 1st tribal hate war! aguyi ironsi(after cajoling the ministers) assumed office and refused to bring the murderers to book instead made military appointments with igbo coloration thus establishing nigeria's 1st nepotic administration! igbo traders out of sheer stupidity taunted the northerners around them celebrating nzeogwu as a hero and the result; july 1966, which eventually led to the civil war! the rest of the country having been inroduced to this inhuman violence called 1st coup or revolution(depending on your bias) fought the igbos and history was made!
nobody(these middle belt groups) should try and re write history because of current convenience! with out a doubt the misadventure of jan 1966 introduced mlitary rule,unitary system of govt(what we mistakenly refer to as federalism),nepotism and tribal hate!

no one should try to re write history because of current situations!

Has nothing to do with Igbos trying to play the victim. Igbos weren't the ones who made those comments,the middle belters did. And now that they are not agree with your bias Yoruba azz they are now "trying to rewrite history". Laugh at yourself.

It is clear, and becoming more clear by the day. After the death of the Ikemba so many things are coming to light from non-Igbos and they are vindicating the Igbos.

The was nothing inhumane abt the coup. It was a COUP for G's sake. Also u are crazy for saying ironsi's admin was nepotic. You're funny son.

Anyway the middle belt know their history,i dont think they need a s'westerner to tell them how it goes.

hmph

Obiagu1 were is ur source?

I find it funny that now that these people are being annihilated by their brothers they now are coming to get sympathy from Ndi Igbo. It's now that they know that they were wrong. What if their brother weren't killing them, I'm sure nothing like "we were wrong" would have come out from their mouths. They should just do whatever it is own their own, especially the Idoma and Igala who are family with the Igbos.What a shame. Let them prepare for their own progroms.

Ndi middlebelt anyi anugo. Now go to your masters. What exactly do these people want us to do for them?

afam4eva:

Ndi middlebelt anyi anugo. Now go to your masters. What exactly do these people want us to do for them?

These youths are the future of Middle Belt, and maybe their elders are using them to fly a flag reach out to us. I would first send Ohanaeze youth council (if they are still active), or MASSOB (under the radar) to go and reach a quiet rapport with them.

These middlebelters need help figuring out what to do next, and I won't turn my back on them one bit.
Don't forget that wise men come from the East.

I'll be back.

.

EzeUche:

Any Igbo who wants to provide support to these people need their heads examined and they are not a representative for the Ndigbo.

They dug their own grave, let them lie in it.

Igbos should have learned by now not to fight other people's battles.

There can be NO ALLIANCES with those who butchered us.

In today's world, political alliance with the MB is not a bad option, I personally think it'll be a good idea and great for us.
Of all those that fought against us, MB are the ones that don't gloat about fighting us.

Those youths in UMBYC are the future of the MB; they don't have "One North" mentality.

.

Good. Who do you go into an alliance with politically in order to maintain your access to the corridors of power in Nigeria?

.

EzeUche:

That is your personal view.

How can Igbo join an alliance with the children and grandchildren of those who butchered Igbos in cold blood and violated our women?

You may be more forgiving, but I am not.

They may not gloat, but they did the most damage, because they provided the bulk of the military more than any other group.

Foolish Igbos would look to their support. Let them fight by themselves. It is of no concern for the Ndigbo, and I know many of my brethren who agree with me.

Ezeuche,
I think obiagu may be right. Today France and Germany  are buddies. But their grandfathers were cutting each others throats 70yrs ago.

Ojukwu once said in owerri( first and only time I saw him face to face) " anyi amaro ndi fulu anyi na Anya mana anyi amalugo ndi iro anyi" we all now know who our enemies are; the northern Islamic fascist oligarchy.

Let's reach out to te middle belt if they are truly with us now.

.

Today, both the middle belt and the ijaws have realized that the igbos are not the problem. They know who their problems are. But there is a realignment going on. It's no more Igbo vs Yoruba vs Hausa. It's more of southerners and northern xtians and progressive minded northern mus.lims vs the extreme northern Islamic fascists and their southern collaborators. These people want to run down this country either by greedy incompetent rule or by violence. These are the people that went on rampage after the last election when their candidate lost. It's either their way or the highway. They are organized and very efficient in politics and violence. No one region can engage them effectively. We must form alliance against this hegemony.

pres-elect:

Ezeuche,
I think obiagu may be right. Today France and Germany  are buddies. But their grandfathers were cutting each others throats 70yrs ago.

Ojukwu once said in owerri( first and only time I saw him face to face) " anyi amaro ndi fulu anyi na Anya mana anyi amalugo ndi iro anyi" we all now know who our enemies are; the northern Islamic fascist oligarchy.

Let's reach out to te middle belt if they are truly with us now.

Eziokwu kwu oto!

pres-elect:

Today, both the middle belt and the ijaws have realized that the igbos are not the problem. They know who their problems are. But there is a realignment going on. It's no more Igbo vs Yoruba vs Hausa. It's more of southerners and northern xtians and progressive minded northern mus.lims vs the extreme northern Islamic fascists and their southern collaborators. These people want to run down this country either by greedy incompetent rule or by violence. These are the people that went on rampage after the last election when their candidate lost. It's either their way or the highway. They are organized and very efficient in politics and violence. No one region can engage them effectively. We must form alliance against this hegemony.

You covered all the basic FACTS of the matter.
Thank you.

Don't know wat to say!
Igbo's are not going to fight anybodies battle for dem.
We have died enough for this cursed country, were wicked souls dwell.
Thank you for finally realising wat u did was wicked and wrong after karma has bitten u in the azzz.

Note: Action speaks louder than words and in the late 1960s u gave us raw action that we felt  and quivered but not defeated.  your words need to be supported with action to carry credibility or it is  nothing but the singing of a bird. Period!

^^^^^^^^ Bliss Omalicha nwanyi Oma.
Bia nso iwero ozi dinkpa.

You know guys, I have a flag that goes off anytime someone uses the keyword "Yoruba". This topic iyself has nothing to do with West but someone may have used the word in passing. I hope you guys find a common ground in that middle belt directionm but limit it to that.

Onlytruth, grapevine told me you have a title, that you were given some title. Is this true?

Negro_Ntns:

You know guys, I have a flag that goes off anytime someone uses the keyword "Yoruba". This topic iyself has nothing to do with West but someone may have used the word in passing. I hope you guys find a common ground in that middle belt directionm but limit it to that.

Onlytruth, grapevine told me you have a title, that you were given some title. Is this true?

Bingo, do not derail this thread.