The State Of The Nation....My Random Thoughts
I am writing this post with a lot of caution and
trepidation. I have never subscribed to ethnic
chauvinism and I actually detest being labelled as a
tribal bigot. I am usually very careful because I have
friends and colleagues from every part of the nation
and some of my best friends are not even from my side
of the country.
However, recent events are making me to have a
deeper reflection and I wish we- Southerners in this
instance- can have some kind of introspection. Out of
25 appointments made so far, 18 are from the North, 3
are from the South West, 4 are from the South South
while the South East has ZERO appointments. A tweet
which I saw today stated that "southerners are only
competent when it's time for elections but northerners
are competent in terms of governance" and this made
the following thoughts run through my mind:


1. Only Southerners have been accusing fellow
Southerners of corruption. Oshiomole has been
attacking Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as if Ngozi turned
down his marriage proposal. The same Oshiomole tried
to make nonsense of Akinwumi Adeshina's successes in
the agriculture sector. Ambode tried to pull Fashola
down and successfully smeared him with stains. Maybe
that's why Fashola did not get the Chief of Staff role.
I'm yet to see a Northerner accuse another Northerner
of corruption, even when they belong to different
parties. The closest a Northerner got was when the
new Kano State Governor attacked Rabiu Kwankaso
but he quickly sheathed his sword and even disowned
previous reports of attacks. Why are we like this?


2. Are Southerners the only ones who are corrupt?
Were there no northerner heading the ministries and
parastatals? Did the outgone Comptroller-General of
Customs, Abdullahi Dikko not have an alleged case of
certificate forgery but he still served out his tenure
until he resigned voluntarily? I'm not in support of
corruption under any guise but the fight against
corruption must not be seen to be sectional.


3. How come it's easier for the President to believe
that Sanni Abacha was not corrupt in spite of
recovered loot while it is so easy for him to believe
Goodluck Jonathan is irredeemably corrupt?


4. I still remember that aside from God, Tinubu made
Tambuwal what he is today. The same Tambuwal
would later call Femi Gbajabiamila 'incompetent' and
rated Dogara as more competent. The same Tambuwal
was propped up by Tinubu, a Southerner against a
fellow Southerner, Mulikat Akande. Obasanjo was very
key to denying Goodluck Jonathan a second term. A
good number can still recall how OBJ tore his PDP
membership card in public glare. The Northerners find
it easy to support themselves but we are always
pulling ourselves down. Babangida Aliyu, Sule Lamido
and all the other Northern Governors including the
former PDP Chairman Adamu Muazu often times
refused to campaign for Goodluck Jonathan openly and
many times even espoused the virtues of the opposing
candidate on the rostrum!


5. Southern leaders and Presidents pull down Southern
business men but prop up Northern ones. How many
people still remember how Obasanjo ran Mike Adenuga
out of town but both Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan
made Aliko Dangote what he is today. No northern
leader goes against their own. I dare to put it on
record that President Buhari will never go against
Aliko Dangote for any reason.


6. How come OBJ pardoned Salisu Buhari, the ex-
Speaker who forged his credentials and he later was
given an appointment as a Governing Council member
of a University and heavens did not fall- but when
Goodluck Jonathan pardoned Alamieyeseigha it became
one of the major issues counted against him? Is there
one rule for some and another rule for others?


7. We find it easy to raise our voices in support of
the deportation of Buruji Kashamu but have no qualms
with Atiku Abubakar strutting around the corridors of
power.


8. Only Southerners find it so easy to abuse their
elders when they voice opinions not in tandem with the
popular opinion. We find it easy to diss Afenifere
elders and call them 'Afenifebi' while hurling
expletives and curses at them. We even abuse our
kings and priests. Northerners will never abuse an
Emir no matter how unpopular what he said is. Can
you imagine any Northerner raising his voice against
the Sultan? In spite of Tanko Yakassai, Balarabe Musa
and Dangiwa Umar's perceived support for Jonathan,
northern youths did not abuse them. But our own
youths run down our elders on social media while our
educated elite also support the act.


These are some of the thoughts that have been running
through my mind. I don't pretend to have all the
answers and I do this at the risk of being labelled an
ethnic bigot. The point however is that Southerners
have to get their acts right. We have to put our house
in order. The bickering must stop. Let's engage our
emotional intelligence. Let's not allow others to exploit
our tendency to self-destruct.
Just my one cent....