The article every Nigerian from the south needs to read.

Written by Duruebube

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.

Bayo Adeyinka is a journalist. This article was originally published on his blog, Bayo Adeyinka. Connect with him on Facebook.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

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A

That awkward moment when you're reading this comment to find an awkward moment but there isn't any, and still you're reading this comment and you're starting to realize it says nothing important and you just wasted a couple of seconds of your life, but you're still reading and you don't even know why. That's awkward... You should give me a like for wasting your time.

Ur hatred for dae North is what is killing u people in dis country.....keep on hating while we keep on dominating!

AmuDimpka:
The article every Nigerian from the south needs to read.

Written by Duruebube

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.

Bayo Adeyinka is a journalist. This article was originally published on his blog, Bayo Adeyinka. Connect with him on Facebook.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

About these ads

What's this one saying

moment of truthful reflection.
the author is looking for a traffic short cut to his blog.

delugajackson:
That awkward moment when you're reading this comment to find an awkward moment but there isn't any, and still you're reading this comment and you're starting to realize it says nothing important and you just wasted a couple of seconds of your life, but you're still reading and you don't even know why. That's awkward... You should give me a like for wasting your time.

Ahahah!

My brother, these are normal things in most egalitarian societies. There's no big deal in criticizing leaders or holding them to account. As a matter of fact, one can draw a correlation between a free society and quality of life within the context of northern and southern Nigeria poverty levels.  

What is ‎however unacceptable is an attempt to shield Buhari from criticism. An attempt to canonize or deify  him in spite of the monumental failures of his administration due to his gross incompetence. Such efforts as we are experiencing is leading to poor quality of life in the south as has been the norm in the north for centuries.  The export of poverty and intolerance that has been the signature of the north is gradually creeping down south. 

The danger is that resistance is weakning and poverty and misery are alarmingly expanding. The time tested character of boldness to challenge ‎incompetences of an average southerner is being sacrificed on the alter of ego, religious and group considerations by some people. That is the danger, my friend. The people who made a poor choice and utterly miscalculated would want everyone to be silent for their god, in the hope that things would turn around by magic.
‎
We would be playing with fire (inferno really) if we somehow copy the 'don't ask don't tell policy' of the northerners in holding these guys to account. It is dangerous to do so. Before you know what is happening, the 'ba bi Allah' principle would replace hardwork, tenacity and courage in the face of adversity for which the south has been known for centuries. 

The Yoruba nation, for instance, fought wars against any form of oppression and internal dominition which led to the freedom and independence of each tribe. The leaders also became aware that citizens won't tolerate any stupidity from them. The result is the free spirit to pursue one's goal and better life within the confines of the law without any inhibitions whatsoever. ‎And that is responsible for the tolerance, freedom and relative good standard of living being witnessed. 

What we should advocate is that the right thing should be done. Fairness and equity must be pursued vigorously. We should not tire to remind these people that no human being is worth worshiping. ‎If anyone is accused of corruption, he should be properly arraigned in the court and prosecuted, he would be able to defend himself. If he is found guilty the court would pronounce the sentence, and if otherwise, he is discharged and acquitted. 

A situation where someone would arrest his enemies and fail to charge the them to court or refuse to obey court orders on the constitutional rights to freedom and liberty for months is what should be attacked. ‎We should not encourage an Arab-like or North Korean type of society where the 'leader' is god. Believe you me, egalitarianism is most rewarding than the RANKADEDE lifestyle you are trying to encourage here.

Do you want us to join since we cannot beat them?