Obiagelli: Op how does the average northerner view boko haram and its ideology, do they buy a bit into these ideology or are they outrightly against it 100%. (i wonder why it is easy for boko haram to find recruits)

Is there true unity in the north?

arewaqueen:

I don't agree with most of your statements. [b]There is poverty in the north because of the Colonial Policy not to educate Northerners so as not produce Muslim progressives like in India & Pakistan (Its open knowledge) [/b]thats why we are some years behind. Education is one of the ways out of poverty. Lazy and depend on free food? Do you know why? Because an average northerner is generous as the predominant religion in the North enjoins giving voluntary and the compulsory annual zakat (1/40 of your savings) which is suppose to eliminate poverty if its done well. Imagine the likes of Dangote giving 1/40 of their annual earnings to prospective entrepreneurs , that will reduce poverty by 50% in 10-20 yrs but some of them prefer to give chicken change so as to remain in control and satisfy their ego. As a result of this some of them became lazy and feel they dont have to work after all the religion preaches that and they feel its their birthright. Am also not exonerating the so called Northern leaders because they have failed us. When people get on that sit all they think is themselves regardless of region, tribe or religion.

barcanista: @ Arewaqueen with due respect to your northern folks, saying that "Nigeria is our ONLY nation" is not only a fallacy, its an insult to all the ethnic nationalities that was forced into this pseudo arrangement called Nigeria.

I have nothing against the north or its tribes, but I want to know why you guys keep fighting tooth and nail Against True Federalism, SNC and Absolute Resource Control.

Curlieweed:


There is nothing "open knowledge" about the highlighted. One over-entitled clown made this plausible explanation and people parrot it. The statement forgets that the south wasn't uniformly gifted with access to education. In the beginning of the last century, the coastal elite (people from what is now Lagos and Rivers states) and to an extent Ogun state (Egba) and Anambra (Onitsha) dominated the educational sector. The majority of the educated elite came from those places. People from the hinterland didn't waste time lamenting the unfairness of the "colonial policy", they made both personal and communal effort to close and eliminate the gap. Today, you can't even find vestiges of that gap.

The northern response has been rely on such tools of affirmative action as "quota system" and "federal character" which have only succeeded in entrenching the Northern elites at the expense of talakawa and doing nothing to address the educational achievement gap between the core North and the rest of the country. This is after almost six decades of self government! Leaders from the southern hinterland like Awolowo and MI Okpara didn't use affirmative action to close the gap in the south, they merely expanded opportunities for all, ensured merit and closed the gap in much less than one generation. That should be your model, not talking about some feeble colonial policy.

domack99: God bless you arewaqueen, I will employ you to ignore any abusive posteras if they never exist and continue to clear the air on any question on northern perception.

arewaqueen:

I don't agree with most of your statements. There is poverty in the north because of the Colonial Policy not to educate Northerners so as not produce Muslim progressives like in India & Pakistan (Its open knowledge) thats why we are some years behind. Education is one of the ways out of poverty. Lazy and depend on free food? Do you know why? Because an average northerner is generous as the predominant religion in the North enjoins giving voluntary and the compulsory annual zakat (1/40 of your savings) which is suppose to eliminate poverty if its done well. Imagine the likes of Dangote giving 1/40 of their annual earnings to prospective entrepreneurs , that will reduce poverty by 50% in 10-20 yrs but some of them prefer to give chicken change so as to remain in control and satisfy their ego. As a result of this some of them became lazy and feel they dont have to work after all the religion preaches that and they feel its their birthright. Am also not exonerating the so called Northern leaders because they have failed us. When people get on that sit all they think is themselves regardless of region, tribe or religion.

domack99: In your opinion what do you think is the way forward for northerner in term of development

arewaqueen:


For now Nigeria is what we have and I mean no insults to other tribes too. The people @ the top fight tooth and nail but for an average northerner like me I am for true federalism and Absolute resource control. Those against are speaking for their pockets.

Let me ask you a question. A troubled country can never ever disintegrate into small peaceful countries. Imagine we break up do you the other minority groups in our different regions will not seek for an independent country or do you the usual oppression of minority will not continue?

Having lived in a heterogeneous society I will tell you that Nigerians don't like themselves. There's tribalism and mistrust among people of same region, tribe and religion.

Obiagelli: Op how does the average northerner view boko haram and its ideology, do they buy a bit into these ideology or are they outrightly against it 100%. (i wonder why it is easy for boko haram to find recruits)

barcanista: That Bold is my problem with you Northerners notable Hausa/Fulani. It is absolutely fallacious and Insulting. You can't force people into a Union when they clearly are not satisfied. It is not done in any sane society. You may want True Federalism and Resource Control but saying that an average Northerner want same is so untrue. The Population of Northerners that prefers the Status Quo outweighs the ones that shares your sentiment(If they ever exist).

What makes Nigeria a troubled country? It is because every ethnic nationalities are not satisfied with the present arrangement. Peace and Unity can ONLY be achieved if we are sincere with ourselves and renegotiate the unity of Nigeria. Otherwise, an Ijaw man will continue to see others as strangers, Hausa will continue to view yorubas as Strangers, Igbos will see others as outsiders and so on.

EasternLeopard:

Nigeria gained independence since 1960 which is 54 years ago and your guys keep blaming the British for your educational backwardness despite ruling Nigeria for more than 38 yrs.

My sister face reality

You guys are a disgrace to black Africa.

How many schools scholarships etc have you successful ones created.

Blaming the British after 50 years of independence and doing nothing about it despite the opportunities given to your guys by GOD is the height of madness

arewaqueen:

In my opinion theres alot to be done.

Mass quality education. We also understand not everyone is cut out for school so vocational studies should be promoted.

Reduced reliance on federal government. Every state should bring something to the table and use that to sustain themselves. My state has cotton, groundnut, neem, grains, gum arabic and suitable sand type to start a glass industry.

Introduction of State Youwin to empower our youths with entrepreneurial skills.

Regulation of religious houses (both religions).

Capital punishment for corruption.

Introduction of entrepreneurial and business courses @ tertiary institution.

THIS WILL NOT SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEM BUT IT WILL REDUCE IT. I DON'T HAVE MONOPOLY OVER KNOWLEDGE AM SURE OTHERS HAVE INPUTS

EasternLeopard:

Nigeria gained independence since 1960 which is 54 years ago and your guys keep blaming the British for your educational backwardness despite ruling Nigeria for more than 38 yrs.

My sister face reality

You guys are a disgrace to black Africa.

How many schools scholarships etc have you successful ones created.

Blaming the British after 50 years of independence and doing nothing about it despite the opportunities given to your guys by GOD is the height of madness

Mogidi:

Come on, you should know the answer to that, abi you be supporter of APC for nothing?

arewaqueen:

I said FOR NOW. or do we have any other. If yes please tell me. Like I said one or two Nigeria its all the same for an average northern Nigerian like me. If others want to go their thats fine but what I know and am sure of our mini countries will be worse than what we have today. Left to me I dont have anything to gain or loose if we break up.

barcanista: Whether for NOW or before now, Nigeria cannot be said to be our nation in its true sense. That is the reality we all need to embrace. Don't get me wrong, it is not about disintegration it is about renegotiating the future of this country. The Present arrangement has made things extremely difficult for anyone to effect change(I am not holding brief for any of our failed leaders). The North, Your leaders are fighting Tooth and Nail Opposing True Federalism, resource Control and Sovereign National Conference, working in alliance with their Southern Friends(Who unfortunately parade themselves as leaders). If you northerners are sincere, you should have pressured your leaders just like the way we do in the south to give the SNC a rethink especially with the state of insecurity in your domain, rather than cheering them.

You Northerners Cheer Major Hamza Almustapha and the Abacha Family despite their antecedents-all because they are Northerners.

Your lands have Minerals, but you all are bent on exploiting the Oil in the Delta but not interested in the well-being of the people in the Delta.

Lastly,should there be disintegration saying the mini-countries will do worse can't be entirely true. You are only entitled to project on where you belong and I am sure others will do theirs.

arewaqueen:

Least you forget I have blood relations, family and friends of southern and northern extract and their safety, peace and well being is my business whether under one Nigeria or not. Look around you check out the oil rich south Sudan. They still are not living in peace because the different tribes are @ war with each other.

This is Africa and Nigeria is no different from the Sudan example.

Curlieweed:


There is nothing "open knowledge" about the highlighted. One over-entitled clown made this plausible explanation and people parrot it. The statement forgets that the south wasn't uniformly gifted with access to education. In the beginning of the last century, the coastal elite (people from what is now Lagos and Rivers states) and to an extent Ogun state (Egba) and Anambra (Onitsha) dominated the educational sector. The majority of the educated elite came from those places. People from the hinterland didn't waste time lamenting the unfairness of the "colonial policy", they made both personal and communal effort to close and eliminate the gap. Today, you can't even find vestiges of that gap.

The northern response has been rely on such tools of affirmative action as "quota system" and "federal character" which have only succeeded in entrenching the Northern elites at the expense of talakawa and doing nothing to address the educational achievement gap between the core North and the rest of the country. This is after almost six decades of self government! Leaders from the southern hinterland like Awolowo and MI Okpara didn't use affirmative action to close the gap in the south, they merely expanded opportunities for all, ensured merit and closed the gap in much less than one generation. That should be your model, not talking about some feeble colonial policy.

barcanista: Let me clear some misconception. IF Nigeria is to divide today, It won't be shared into North and South. Like defunct Yougoslavia, Nigeria will split into many components. I can Assure you that the Ijaw Nation will most likely stand on its own(I can only speak for my tribe). As for South Sudan, the scenario is absolutely different from what we have here.

BTW: You still didnt respond to the "SNC" I made mention of.

arewaqueen:

My brother the disposition of a northerner and Nigeria as a whole is God will come to our aid when it comes to our Leaders so pressuring our leaders is abit difficult especially when you have to change mind set of people.

As for SNC why not? Am for it but selfish leaders who have everything to benefit from it will kill it.

barcanista: Don't you think the first step of Northerners is to enlighten the Northern populace that it is their right to hold their leaders accountable and dictate to their leaders and not the other way round?

arewaqueen:

An average northerner detest Boko Haram because we do not know what they want, who they are or their ideology or the their own brand of Islam. We pray that God exposes the sponsors and the root cause of this menace. Contrary to what most newspapers report the North especially the Muslims are most affected by the Menace of BH.

I watched a documentary a few months ago on BBC News and they found out that some of these BH members are recruited from Neighboring countries. Hausa is widespread so the language is spoken in many of these countries. They youths confessed with their faces covered that they were given 500,000 which is equivalent to 3,000usd to carry out atrocities in Nigeria. They are poor, no money no food so they easily take the deal. After they finish operation they cart away with food and livestock to Niger.

From rumors, they say young boys are kidnapped and the evil doctrine is preached. so they grow up not knowing wrong from right.

murtalaa: It only takes a few educated people who know how to run a region to turn the fortunes of the North around. With good administrative skills, all the almajiris and illiterates you mentioned could be made productive through job creation and a new breed of highly skilled and educated people could be harvested if carefully planned.

Obiagelli:
interesting, i also watched the documentary. Thanks for your response.

arewaqueen:

I don't agree with most of your statements. There is poverty in the north because of the Colonial Policy not to educate Northerners so as not produce Muslim progressives like in India & Pakistan (Its open knowledge) thats why we are some years behind. Education is one of the ways out of poverty. Lazy and depend on free food? Do you know why? Because an average northerner is generous as the predominant religion in the North enjoins giving voluntary and the compulsory annual zakat (1/40 of your savings) which is suppose to eliminate poverty if its done well. Imagine the likes of Dangote giving 1/40 of their annual earnings to prospective entrepreneurs , that will reduce poverty by 50% in 10-20 yrs but some of them prefer to give chicken change so as to remain in control and satisfy their ego. As a result of this some of them became lazy and feel they dont have to work after all the religion preaches that and they feel its their birthright. Am also not exonerating the so called Northern leaders because they have failed us. When people get on that sit all they think is themselves regardless of region, tribe or religion.

arewaqueen:

Absolutely! This I agree with you 100%