As a northern minority, I am convinced this war against
terrorism can be won if it is pursued truthfully. Sadly, many
northerners will rather blame the government of President
Goodluck Jonathan for deliberately setting up Boko Haram to
destabilize the north. Many have been brain-washed to believe
this. Only a few ever see anything good in this government. As
usual, emotion and religious bigotry have beclouded the
judgment of many. As long as it was a Christian problem, no one
saw it as a big deal until it became a northern problem with
casualty cutting across the board.
The solution to Boko Haram lies with the north seeing it as what
it is: An enemy that must be defeated. When it was becoming a
threat to the business life of Kano State, it was quickly
quenched through giving out information to security operatives.
When Maiduguri became uninhabitable to all, the citizens rose
up against the insurgents. Without doubt, the solution lies with
the people. The people of Sokoto and Katsina states who are
historically opposed to fanaticism and Islamic violence have
been shielded from this scourge. There is an Hausa adage that
you can’t do business in a market without an indigene. Only few
prominent northerners have spoken against Boko Haram either
out of fear or for their subtle support of it because it is
troubling Jonathan. The body language of many prominent
northern religious and political leaders supports the insurgency.
In fact, some boast their knowledge of the insurgents and
arrogantly refuse government overtures to help address the
security challenges attendant to the Boko Haram insurgency.
Yet these are people who want to rule Nigeria.
The pace of development in the north has greatly slowed down
compared with the south where there is peace. Industries are
daily springing up especially in the South-West contrary to
what is happening in the north. President Jonathan, it must be
noted, isn’t our problem. It is the selfishness of the northern
elite. They will prefer people gathering at their gates
scrambling for stipends falling on one another and dying in the
process like it happened in Ilorin, Kwara State recently. While
the elite in the South-West are building universities, their
northern counterparts outside Atiku Abubakar, are giving tacit
and overt support to terrorism.
Time is running out for the north where a majority of the
citizenry are lovers of peace. The PUNCH must continue to lead
in this struggle to restore peace to our beloved country. Kudos
to you!
Aina Sesan
Angwan Makama
Sabo, Kaduna

Culled from PUNCH website
www.punchng.com/opinion/punchs-salutary-contribution-to-anti-terror-war/

This is the first time I have read something from punch that's on the money, objective and nationalistic. Maybe there's hope after all.