So here we are. I was discussing with a friend recently. She said something that bothered me and, I hope, should bother you too. She went to a Lagos market to buy foodstuff. She, being an economist, started comparing year-on-year price differences. The trend has been upward. She asked the seller why this is so. The market woman had her own explanation: the unrest in Northern Nigeria has been taking its toll on food prices. “No be today the thing start,” the woman told her. As my friend told me the story, an alarm went off in my head: with the unrelenting bombings and shootings, we may be heading for a food supply crisis as insecurity drives farmers out of business.

I have noticed a tendency among Southerners to disdainfully describe the terrorism challenge facing us today as purely “a problem of the North”. It may not be that simple. Last year, in the heat of the tomato crisis that hit Lagos markets, I did a snap survey among my colleagues at THISDAY. I asked a one-line question: “Did your wife make stew last weekend?” or “Did you make stew last weekend?” The instinctive response was laughter, followed by “Simon, you’ve started again o!” Then, a pause. A quick rethink. And then a different answer: “Wait, my wife said there was no tomato in the market, so she couldn’t make stew.” Some would say: “We used tin tomato. We don’t know what’s happening. They said it’s because of the crisis in Jos.”
My research motive was simple: to point out the important role of the North in the food supply chain. We normally take this for granted. If the crisis in the North gets out of hand, it is the whole of Nigeria that will suffer the consequences. But I can imagine someone snap at me: “Don’t worry, we’ll use petrodollars to import food when we break up.” Yes, anyone who has money can import, but any country that survives on importation of its staple food is doomed. We also seem to easily forget that the economic lives of ordinary people are being ruined by these terrorist activities. Cattle sellers were massacred the other day. When people can no longer go to their farms because of insecurity, how do they sustain their families? How do they send their children to school? How do they provide for their medical needs?
What are the implications for the North in particular and Nigeria in general?
Some Nigerians are so shallow-minded that they cannot even see the bigger picture of how interconnected and interrelated we human beings are. All they see is tribal marks. They only think in terms of North and South, Christian and Muslim, Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo (and now Ijaw). The only thing that ever excites them is whipping up ethnic and religious sentiments. The solution to every problem, including husband and wife quarrels, is the balkanisation of Nigeria. On the other hand, you also have some opinion leaders up North who are playing the ostrich while the region is gradually being destroyed by terrorists. The only sense they can make out of this bloodbath is that it is Christians that are bombing churches and killing Christians. The only explanation they have to offer is that it is President Goodluck Jonathan that is behind the terrorist attacks. Some have even gone to the ridiculous extent of saying there is no Boko Haram.
How does this kind of mentality help? The North has been set back by decades. Livelihoods are being destroyed. Businesses are being crippled. This is a region that desperately needs massive investment to be able to keep its head above water. By many development indicators, the North is behind: access to safe water, school enrolment, access to basic healthcare and general infrastructure. These areas require constant and concentrated injection of cash. Can you imagine then that the budgets are now being channelled into security because of terrorist activities? Meanwhile, how many investors would like to go to the North today? How many contractors would be eager to construct roads there? How many donors would feel safe to continue working in the region?
To those Northerners who are gloating that the terrorist attacks “serve Jonathan right”, I have a message for them: it is their land that is being ruined. Therefore, the rational thing to do now is work out how to stop this carnage, no matter who is behind it. I care little about the conspiracy theories. I care more about the solutions to the problem. Boko Haram leaders have come out time and again that they are behind these attacks. They released their mission statement the other day, saying: “In our struggle, we only kill government functionaries, security agents, Christians and anyone who pretends to be a Muslim but engage in assisting security agents to arrest us.” The pattern of attacks is consistent. Those who call themselves Northern elders must step in and stem this slide. Enough of politicking and grandstanding. The North is dying a slow death. The North is bleeding. Wise Northerners who have access to the Boko Haram hierarchy should do everything possible to stop this haemorrhage. It makes sense to preserve the North first and ask questions later. It is not about Jonathan.
And to those Southerners who harbour nothing but hate for the North and continue to gloat at this monumental misfortune ravaging the region, I have a message for them: if one part of the country is in turmoil, there cannot be stability in the system. Everybody is affected. Even a problem in a neighbouring country is a threat to us, much less on our territory. In fact, there are millions of Southerners up North whose livelihoods are being destroyed too. They are not doing the North any favour by living and working there; they went there for their own economic end. The Yoruba, Igbo and other Southern nationalities buying and selling and operating businesses in the North are not doing the North any favour.
They are there as economic beings. They too are adversely affected. If all the opportunities were in the South, no Southerner would go up North. It is therefore crass narrow-mindedness for anyone to gloat over this catastrophe rocking the North.
As I would forever argue, Boko Haram is a threat to all Muslims, Christians, atheists, Northerners, Southerners, foreigners, all! To reduce this huge problem to a regional or political issue is to miss the point entirely. We are all in this together. The earlier we realised this, the better.

Source: [url]http://www.africaeagle.com/2012/08/opinion-destruction-of-northern-nigeria.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Africaeagle+%28AfricaEagle%29[/url]

well this is for those who do not see the bigger picture.

When the bigger picture is broken down into its component part, Kolawole is right, the north is being destroyed by active collusion of its people and elders. If the Northern elders want to solve the problem, they very well know what to do. They should take the lead, while we follow.

'Tomatoes' can be grown in Green Houses, while fish, and chicken are better substitute for 'red meat.'

kq: So here we are. I was discussing with a friend recently. She said something that bothered me and, I hope, should bother you too. She went to a Lagos market to buy foodstuff. She, being an economist, started comparing year-on-year price differences. The trend has been upward. She asked the seller why this is so. The market woman had her own explanation: the unrest in Northern Nigeria has been taking its toll on food prices. “No be today the thing start,” the woman told her. As my friend told me the story, an alarm went off in my head: with the unrelenting bombings and shootings, we may be heading for a food supply crisis as insecurity drives farmers out of business.

I have noticed a tendency among Southerners to disdainfully describe the terrorism challenge facing us today as purely “a problem of the North”. It may not be that simple. Last year, in the heat of the tomato crisis that hit Lagos markets, I did a snap survey among my colleagues at THISDAY. I asked a one-line question: “Did your wife make stew last weekend?” or “Did you make stew last weekend?” The instinctive response was laughter, followed by “Simon, you’ve started again o!” Then, a pause. A quick rethink. And then a different answer: “Wait, my wife said there was no tomato in the market, so she couldn’t make stew.” Some would say: “We used tin tomato. We don’t know what’s happening. They said it’s because of the crisis in Jos.”
My research motive was simple: to point out the important role of the North in the food supply chain. We normally take this for granted. If the crisis in the North gets out of hand, it is the whole of Nigeria that will suffer the consequences. But I can imagine someone snap at me: “Don’t worry, we’ll use petrodollars to import food when we break up.” Yes, anyone who has money can import, but any country that survives on importation of its staple food is doomed. We also seem to easily forget that the economic lives of ordinary people are being ruined by these terrorist activities. Cattle sellers were massacred the other day. When people can no longer go to their farms because of insecurity, how do they sustain their families? How do they send their children to school? How do they provide for their medical needs?
What are the implications for the North in particular and Nigeria in general?
Some Nigerians are so shallow-minded that they cannot even see the bigger picture of how interconnected and interrelated we human beings are. All they see is tribal marks. They only think in terms of North and South, Christian and Muslim, Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo (and now Ijaw). The only thing that ever excites them is whipping up ethnic and religious sentiments. The solution to every problem, including husband and wife quarrels, is the balkanisation of Nigeria. On the other hand, you also have some opinion leaders up North who are playing the ostrich while the region is gradually being destroyed by terrorists. The only sense they can make out of this bloodbath is that it is Christians that are bombing churches and killing Christians. The only explanation they have to offer is that it is President Goodluck Jonathan that is behind the terrorist attacks. Some have even gone to the ridiculous extent of saying there is no Boko Haram.
How does this kind of mentality help? The North has been set back by decades. Livelihoods are being destroyed. Businesses are being crippled. This is a region that desperately needs massive investment to be able to keep its head above water. By many development indicators, the North is behind: access to safe water, school enrolment, access to basic healthcare and general infrastructure. These areas require constant and concentrated injection of cash. Can you imagine then that the budgets are now being channelled into security because of terrorist activities? Meanwhile, how many investors would like to go to the North today? How many contractors would be eager to construct roads there? How many donors would feel safe to continue working in the region?
To those Northerners who are gloating that the terrorist attacks “serve Jonathan right”, I have a message for them: it is their land that is being ruined. Therefore, the rational thing to do now is work out how to stop this carnage, no matter who is behind it. I care little about the conspiracy theories. I care more about the solutions to the problem. Boko Haram leaders have come out time and again that they are behind these attacks. They released their mission statement the other day, saying: “In our struggle, we only kill government functionaries, security agents, Christians and anyone who pretends to be a Muslim but engage in assisting security agents to arrest us.” The pattern of attacks is consistent. Those who call themselves Northern elders must step in and stem this slide. Enough of politicking and grandstanding. The North is dying a slow death. The North is bleeding. Wise Northerners who have access to the Boko Haram hierarchy should do everything possible to stop this haemorrhage. It makes sense to preserve the North first and ask questions later. It is not about Jonathan.
And to those Southerners who harbour nothing but hate for the North and continue to gloat at this monumental misfortune ravaging the region, I have a message for them: if one part of the country is in turmoil, there cannot be stability in the system. Everybody is affected. Even a problem in a neighbouring country is a threat to us, much less on our territory. In fact, there are millions of Southerners up North whose livelihoods are being destroyed too. They are not doing the North any favour by living and working there; they went there for their own economic end. The Yoruba, Igbo and other Southern nationalities buying and selling and operating businesses in the North are not doing the North any favour.
They are there as economic beings. They too are adversely affected. If all the opportunities were in the South, no Southerner would go up North. It is therefore crass narrow-mindedness for anyone to gloat over this catastrophe rocking the North.
As I would forever argue, Boko Haram is a threat to all Muslims, Christians, atheists, Northerners, Southerners, foreigners, all! To reduce this huge problem to a regional or political issue is to miss the point entirely. We are all in this together. The earlier we realised this, the better.

Source: [url]http://www.africaeagle.com/2012/08/opinion-destruction-of-northern-nigeria.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Africaeagle+%28AfricaEagle%29[/url]

Where are the ones who say they go to the North to "develop" the North and not for "economic reasons?? Southerners have been killed since the 1950's yet we rush back there like chickens to be slaughtered. Abeg, go develop your region!!!! We southerners simply go there for economic reasons and if that's the case, why agitate for a split Sometimes, I think these Northerners are a lot smarter than the average Southerner.


Simon, thanks for a lovely write up!

kq: But I can imagine someone snap at me: “Don’t worry, we’ll use petrodollars to import food when we break up.” Yes, anyone who has money can import, but any country that survives on importation of its staple food is doomed.

Currently, those items are "imported" from the north. What difference does it make if they are imported from the north or from Zimbabwe, or from Uzbekistan? Why does the latter = "doomed"?

Kolawole is a bit annoying sometimes, I can tell you that.

He seems to be a one-Nigerianist by all means, even against logic and reason.

ekt_bear: Kolawole is a bit annoying sometimes, I can tell you that.

He seems to be a one-Nigerianist by all means, even against logic and reason.

maybe he is being reasonable.if you live in nigeria you will know he is saying the truth.most food items in the south now have skyrocketed.

ekt_bear:

Currently, those items are "imported" from the north. What difference does it make if they are imported from the north or from Zimbabwe, or from Uzbekistan? Why does the latter = "doomed"?

Long time bro!

Not to sound big and all. I would have engaged you but as you might have noticed, I simply don't have the patience and time for long epistles. All I'll say is , " think about the highlighted." (I apologize if that sounded condescending).

There is a simple way to bring down those prices: allow free importation of them from elsewhere.

Or is Northern Nigeria the only place on earth where tomatoes grow?

I have never understood how southern Nigerians would let someone squeeze their balls over...tomatoes! Of all things on earth. It would be comical to me if it weren't so sad.

"Sh1t, Nigeria is a really messed up country....but let's stay together and ignore our problems. Because of tomatoes!"

If someone reasoned like the above, what name would you use to describe them?

ekt_bear: I have never understood how southern Nigerians would let someone squeeze their balls over...tomatoes! Of all things on earth. It would be comical to me if it weren't so sad.

"Sh1t, Nigeria is a really messed up country....but let's stay together and ignore our problems. Because of tomatoes!"

If someone reasoned like the above, what name would you use to describe them?

fact still remains that we are one country until otherwise.no region is ready to break of yet.as for opening borders gor free importation that is laughable.

Maybe that story in the Bible about Esau selling his rights for red stew...I wonder if it was tomato soup?

Na wa o

Kolawole don fall my hand

asha 80:
fact still remains that we are one country until otherwise.no region is ready to break of yet.as for opening borders gor free importation that is laughable.

Why is free importation of tomatoes laughable?

You would rather allow someone to squeeze your balls arbitrarily rather than importing from countries/regions that aren't chaotic?

My question to you is...why?

Why is buying tomatoes from the Hausa man different from buying it from the black Zimbabwean (for example)?

Wean yourself off of any economic dependence you have on the North. Then there is less reason to care about whether that entire land is destroyed or not.

ekt_bear:

Why is free importation of tomatoes laughable?

You would rather allow someone to squeeze your balls arbitrarily rather than importing from countries/regions that aren't chaotic?

My question to you is...why?

Why is buying tomatoes from the Hausa man different from buying it from the black Zimbabwean (for example)?

Wean yourself off of any economic dependence you have on the North. Then there is less reason to care about whether that entire land is destroyed or not.

until the the south begins to take agric serious again then i am afraid we in the south will depend more on the north.it seems you do not know how cheap tomatoes form the north are on normal conditions.already we have imported tin or canned tomatoes but to switch totally to that?i am not sure.moreover it is not only tomatoes.onions,some species of potatoes,beans etc.

The current situation is as follows:

1) There are certain agricultural items that for whatever reason the south doesn't make
2) Nigeria bans the importation of many of these items
3) As a result, southern Nigerians have no choice but to buy them from the north

So, as you can see, the current situation is highly favorable to them. And in fact props up their economy. If you removed bans on these goods that they make and you consume, they would be crushed by competition from outside of the country.

Rather than giving in to their demands and pressure, instead, use this as an excuse to squeeze their balls. If they want to make the prices of tomatoes high...so be it. Then we will force them to compete against the rest of the world for our money.

ekt_bear: The current situation is as follows:

1) There are certain agricultural items that for whatever reason the south doesn't make
2) Nigeria bans the importation of many of these items
3) As a result, southern Nigerians have no choice but to buy them from the north

So, as you can see, the current situation is highly favorable to them. And in fact props up their economy. If you removed bans on these goods that they make and you consume, they would be crushed by competition from outside of the country.

Rather than giving in to their demands and pressure, instead, use this as an excuse to squeeze their balls. If they want to make the prices of tomatoes high...so be it. Then we will force them to compete against the rest of the world for our money.

you talk like southern nigeria and northern nigeria are two different countries.

What on earth are you talking about "taking agric seriously."

Have you thought about the possibility that given an acre of land, it might be more profitable for a farmer to grow rice than say tomato?

Is he unserious because he wants to maximize his profit?

This has nothing to do with taking agric seriously or not.

asha 80:

you talk like southern nigeria and northern nigeria are two different countries.

Well, those who are behind the increased food prices seem to think this way, yes? So perhaps that is the right mentality to adopt.

It is really hard to defeat an enemy if you think you are buddies, while he is secretly plotting to kill you.

So perhaps you need to adopt this mentality as well.

ekt_bear: What on earth are you talking about "taking agric seriously."

Have you thought about the possibility that given an acre of land, it might be more profitable for a farmer to grow rice than say tomato?

Is he unserious because he wants to maximize his profit?

This has nothing to do with taking agric seriously or not.

what are southern state governmnets policies on education to encourage farming?please it is not only tomato we are talking about here.there are many other items

ekt_bear:

Well, those who are behind the increased food prices seem to think this way, yes? So perhaps that is the right mentality to adopt.

It is really hard to defeat an enemy if you think you are buddies, while he is secretly plotting to kill you.

So perhaps you need to adopt this mentality as well.

this is theoritical thinking.nigeria has not divided yet so the issue of we against them mentality when you share the same national flag,policies as them does not count.forget emotion and face reality.

So you claim sharing the same flag and country means that everyone should have the same interests.

And you call me the one who is being theoretical?

Anyway, I have said what I have to say. Perhaps you and I should leave it at that.

I do not see any reason why the North is allowed to run roughshod on the south. You want to sell your ''tomato'', yes, but you also need the money to buy (crude oil) fuel and other things you do not have. How is tomato more important than fuel lacking in the North but abundant in the south? And who says the south can't grow ''tomato''? Southerners have been lazified (my coinage) by oil money and if we separate today, the southern parts without oil will natural wake up and begin to grow ''tomato''. The North cannot do so for oil.

PointB: When the bigger picture is broken down into its component part, Kolawole is right, the north is being destroyed by active collusion of its people and elders. If the Northern elders want to solve the problem, they very well know what to do. They should take the lead, while we follow.

'Tomatoes' can be grown in Green Houses, while fish, and chicken are better substitute for 'red meat.'

gbam,worse case scenario we import from ghana or cameroun. thread closed.

Many lazy Nigerians, primarily exiled slaves who reside in diaspora, hide their shame, by positing that Nigeria is better off disintegrated and in their warped minds, act and think as if Nigeria is already divided. These people have no sense of nationalism and do not have the intelligence to understand that you can have regional interests and be a nationalist at the same time. These people are sick and are essentially tribalists and bigots.

The good news is that the vast majority of Nigerians believe in one Nigeria and do not think like theses daft people. Nigeria will survive and continue to improve, with or without these traitors. We do not need these diaspora slaves here, they can continue to slave for their masters in the UK,USA, and elsewhere.

On a separate note, it is quite reasonable to assume that organic tomatoes will cost more, if they were imported from outside the shores of Nigeria, than to buy them from local farmers or from the North.

lol

commot for here aboki...my words are not for your consumption. The target audience is quite different

Fwiw, while imported organic tomatoes might be more slightly more expensive, at least the price will be more stable than northern tomatoes. No doubling or tripling of the price just due to regional instability.

And certainly, tomatoes grown on industrial farms from abroad will be a fraction of the northern nigerian price - at least, assuming import restrictions are reduced or eliminated.

Kolawole sure gets the big picture. Like I have argued with fi\l
riends and even on this forum, problems in any part of Nigeria had better be seen as everybody's problem. Because we are in a country that share security forces, economy, immigration and custom etc It's a system that is interwoven on so many fronts so problems should not not be treated in isolation. The other day, it was OPC calling on BH not to attack SW, this is very myopic because BH attacks has already affected SW and will continue to one way or the other.

for instance, due to BH menace, budget for security alone was almost 1 Trillion naira in a budget of about 4 trillion, almost 25% of annual budget. If this was not to be, a huge part of that could have gone to projects accross Nigeria even in SW. Many other things are even involved that affects everybody; There are Yorubas, Igbos, hausa, fulani, etc in the security forces, they are affected. security forces are going to be moved from relatively peaceful states to troubled states meaning less provision for security for those places, those places can hardly afford any securty breach. Our local economy is affected and when you import things especially food, you weaken nairas position. BH is going to affect our relationship with other countries and so on.

So this is not a time to be talking North or South because we are in a country and therefore all in it together. If you feel strongly that Nigeria should be divided, kindly raise your army, declare your independence and defend your territory. Until then Nigerias problem should be discussed at such.

People need to look beyond these food matters. If the people don't want to be together, we should at least talk.
Tomatoes is not enough reason to stay one Nigeria. There are many aggrieved parties, so many grievances that must be addressed. Why doesn't Mr Kolawole add his voice to the vanguard calling for a national conference? Why are people like him scared of a break-up?

AjanleKoko: People need to look beyond these food matters. If the people don't want to be together, we should at least talk.
Tomatoes is not enough reason to stay one Nigeria. There are many aggrieved parties, so many grievances that must be addressed. Why doesn't Mr Kolawole add his voice to the vanguard calling for a national conference? Why are people like him scared of a break-up?

Thank you my brother, and may good bless you.

It is very simplistic to narrow down the Boko Haram to price of tomatoes, and onions, and food stuff. People are dying daily, lives are being disrupted and the country tether on the brink of war. Yet, some writers find time to romanticized the price of tomatoes, as if we are Lilliputians.

Nigeria needs serious restructuring; either through the National Assembly or SNC I couldn't care less. Solving the Boko Haram problem, only for MEND, OPC, or MASSOB to start another, is simply fighting fire. Nigeria must change course for probity, justice, equity and fairness, and it must been seen by all to be so, not just the aggressive minority or loud majority!

^^
It's people like him that have earned Yoruba the undeserved name of cowards.
The frigging IITA is in Ibadan; with all the arable land down south, who stopped us from planting tomatoes? We can import and grow, and become self-sufficient over time.
Nigerians are too frigging lazy, always scared of taking a step forward.

AjanleKoko: People need to look beyond these food matters. If the people don't want to be together, we should at least talk.
Tomatoes is not enough reason to stay one Nigeria. There are many aggrieved parties, so many grievances that must be addressed. Why doesn't Mr Kolawole add his voice to the vanguard calling for a national conference? Why are people like him scared of a break-up?

Some of you people who are exposed to democracy may actually be tyrants or believers in dictatorship, at heart. The vast majority of 160million of proud Nigerians want to stay together. Sooner or later you people will realize that you are in the powerless minority. In the meantime your governors and neighbours will arrest and imprison you promptly, if u try any nonsense.

Think about new cases of cancer and other exotic diseases which will result from the preservatives contained in imported vegetables before clamoring for importatiion.

ndu_chucks:

Some of you people who are exposed to democracy may actually be tyrants or believers in dictatorship, at heart. [b]The vast majority of 160million of proud Nigerians want to stay together. [/b]Sooner or later you people will realize that you are in the powerless minority. In the meantime your governors and neighbours will arrest and imprison you promptly, if u try any nonsense.

Think about new cases of cancer and other exotic diseases which will result from the preservative contained in imported vegetables before clamoring for importatiion.

Have you conducted a state by state referendum to reach this conclusion?