Beaf:

As I read from the article, GJ has cancelled the dredging of the River Niger. Is that true? If so, be informed that he has already lost the Igbo vote as we will make sure of that. Thanks.

Mr Fire:

Beaf:

As I read from the article, GJ has cancelled the dredging of the River Niger. Is that true? If so, be informed that he has already lost the Igbo vote as we will make sure of that. Thanks.

You are not a good reader. You might have to go back to school. Read it again or go and buy WAEC form.

Mr Fire:

Beaf:

As I read from the article, GJ has cancelled the dredging of the River Niger. Is that true? If so, be informed that he has already lost the Igbo vote as we will make sure of that. Thanks.

I hope he revokes the Niger river dredging . In my humble opinion it is a misguided and selfish project. The priority should be the upgrade/renovation of the Calabar and Warri ports. We shouldn't be so hung on having a port in Onitsha and Kogi that we neglect the adverse effect the project will have on communities along the river bank.

I am no construction guru but I reckon it will be more cost effective and environmental friendly to fix/upgrade the two redundant ports we have on ground.

Beaf:

[size=14pt]Dark Clouds Over The North [/size]
Written by Dahiru Yusuf Yabo
Monday, 05 July 2010 04:30

When thick, dark clouds hover over the sky, all cognitive creatures scamper to safety and earnestly wait to see the outcome and even pray against any disaster that might come out of the uncertain clouds. This can rightly be said of the situation of Nigeria's north today. In fact, the north can be likened to a pig tied in shackles in an open field and when rain began to drizzle, it turned out to be hot water. Thus, the beast cannot escape despite the scathing hot water which is harmful to it. The hitherto powerful Northern region which is seen as a force to reckon with in the socio-political equation of Nigeria has lost its grip.

The north is not forced to stay with the union, they are staying in Nigeria, because of the enormous advantage they enjoy. Remember when they wanted araba? The example of a pegged pig in the rain is not correct.
Hitherto powerful north? That's a myth. Whenever we have true democracy, you will see the underbelly of the beast. "The emporor has no cloth" North appears powerful only when the northern boys in the army stage a coup. Some of the benefits of democracy is true and correct representation, correct census, correct alignment of political forces; none of these favor the north, because the north is a myth, a figment of your myopic imagination that has been enabled for outside interests for the past 40 years.

With the loss in political power by the by the north, it has become so vulnerable like a helpless orphaned teen. The challenges bedeviling the north today both within the region and in the Nigerian state, are so enormous that the future looks bleak as we march aimlessly into wilderness.

There is the chronic dearth of respectable leadership in the face of homeward challenges and eroding relevance at the centre. And because the north is too obsessed with power, any time the rudder slips away, it takes a serious toll on the region and bare its internal and external wounds.

This is called political reality.

The ascension of President Goodluck Jonathan to the office of the president following the demise of President Umaru Musa Yar’adua has yet again bring us to face the sad realities of this region. Some people who have ill-will against the north have plotted against us and as if we are blindfolded, we are forging earnestly toward the abyss constructed by our enemies. I am referring here to the much ado about the rotational presidency which was instituted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through which the then powerful north conceded the top leadership position to the South in the spirit of brotherhood and national integration.

Historically, you know that nobody conceeds power willingly, the north reliquinshed power, because the alternative would have been worse for them---imagine Hausa people being kicked out of the federation by Yorubas, Igbos, Tiv, and others.

However, on completing their full two terms of four years each, the south, with President Olusegun Obasanjo acting the script, chose to compensate that gesture of the north with evil by imposing a sick person perforce on the people of the north and by extension Nigerians. Though the time bomb took longer time than expected to explode, it finally did with the death of Umaru Yar’Adua on May 5. The plan of scuttling the north’s turn to enjoy power by having a sick person as the flag bearer has thus materialized. In fact, well before his death, at least after his first two years, Yar’adua ceased to be the man in charge. Technically speaking, the north only served for two years instead of the supposed four years of Yar’adua’s tenure making Dr Goodluck Jonathan to take over his powers under the title of Vice President, acting president and later the President.

By this, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo the principal beneficiary of north’s magnanimity of power rotation has successfully paid the north with a different coin altogether. However, it should be noted that all this did not succeed without active connivance and approval of some northerners especially in the face of lack of any astute regional leadership to look up to it. Again, this in turn led to another scenario where we see the north being forcibly ejected from the scheme of things by an administration that come into being through a northern ticket. Take it or leave it, President Jonathan is there as the president today because a northerner had picked him as his running mate. Ultimately, therefore, he is serving under the northern ticket. Regrettably however, from the time of his declaration as acting president, in controversial circumstances by the national Assembly, every move of President Jonathan proved to be anti anything north.

Jonathan has not been anti-north enough! He should move fast to correct many of the lop-sided appointments and developments the north see as their spoils from the civil war. Have you ever gone to the oil producing areas of Bayelsa, the President's home state, now compare it with your own naturally desert  home state of Sokoto that produces no drop of oil, yet depends on oil resources for more than 90% of its budget. Nature simply doesn't allow anybody, not even the Greek and Roaman empires, or the Britain to be slave masters for ever. Hausa/Fulani people must be cut down to size in Nigeria, the time has come.

We have seen, for example, how few days after his ascension to office, President Jonathan turned to bite the fingers that fed him and show his true colour without any camouflage. His decision to revoke dredging of River Niger awarded by late President Umaru Yar’adua and sack of northerners in key positions are all pointers to what Jonathan’s Friday would be like as seen on Wednesday. However, to utter disbelief, there was almost nothing was done by the North to checkmate the ugly tendencies apart from some uproar in the media which later led him to shelve the idea of revoking the dredging project. Yet, that all-important project is still full of uncertainties.

But indeed as a Hausa proverb blames crack on the wall for a lizard to peep through, all the threats facing the north within the Nigerian state have only come to be because the unity and common voice known of the region have all crumbled. It is pertinent to remember that naka shika bashe ka, as another Hausa saying alludes.

With his confirmation as substantive president, Goodluck Jonathan is now testing his muscles and has launched an onslaught on the north and its interest while everybody is helplessly watching the script being acted. While he is busy eroding the political base of the north, some people including some unpatriotic northerners are agitating for him to contest the 2011 election. If these calls succeeded, then the move (which is an addendum to the Obasanjo script of undermining the north) will be a nefarious and classical case of betrayal ever to happen in Nigeria ’s political history.

Lies, mis-statement of facts, concotions. Northerners supporting Jonathan like the younger Shagari are smarter than you are. They also understand that a true federation is made of equally representative parts, not one ruled by force by Hausa/Fulanis.

However, 2011 is, sadly, a lost for the north head or tail. If the PDP abolished its zoning arrangement and gave Jonathan the nod to run, we all know what we are in for. Likewise, even if they decide to allow the north to produce the next president, the tendency is that they either paved way for a northern traitor and their crony or else give the ticket to Vice President; the former option is more likely to materialize. In fact, Daram-dam-dam, was particularly selected overnight to serve as the vice president because of the realization that he, like late President Yar’Adua, is sick and may not stand the rigours of administering Nigeria or even the campaign pressures. At the end of the day, if the drama unfolded as planned, we will be having a repeat of Yar’adua/Jonathan saga. God forbid!

Looking for somebody sick? Look in the mirrow, because you maybe the one who's really sick. Everybody characterized as being sick by you doesn't mean they're going to die in office

With all these clear writings on the wall, the so-called northern leaders (governors especially) could not sit down and ponder over all the issues with a view to mapping out a chart for the region. Rather than seeking relevance through internal authority, the northern leaders are desperately looking for national recognition. Alas, they, like many Nigerians are poor students of history. History has taught us that most successful leaders begin with their localities or regions before they assumed wider jurisdiction and history has shown that most leaders who catapult at once to the national level with shallow grip on their region rarely succeed or have a lasting impression.

Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto whom everybody in the north is now praising for his achievements and looking up to, achieved that prominence and power not as a national leader but as rather as a firm national leader who believed in the unity and progress of the north. He remained relevant and revered by all and sundry to this day and while he was alive, his firm grip as a regional leader gave him an age over others to assert certain authority at the national level. With all due respect to first Nigeria ’s Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, he did enjoy similar goodwill and relevance as did the Sardauna because the former was a national leader and the latter was regional leader. It was the same case with other regional leaders like Chief Obafemi Awolowo who, because of his influence as regional leader, is still revered and respected by all Yorubas.

You have a warped sense of history, because while Othman dan Fodio killed northerners Benue Plateau people for sports in his quest to islamize them, Sarduana simply used them like a rented mule.

It is this simple analogy that the present day northern leaders failed to realise hence they desperately aspire to national leadership while they lack any tangible presence in the north itself. Similarly, it is lack of the Sardauna-model northern leadership that thrown the region into chaos and mistrust especially between its people notably the Hausa/Fulani (predominantly Muslims) and minor tribes of the Middle Belt (predominantly Christian). Despite been intensely religious man, Ahmadu Bello rallied his subjects together and united them under one umbrella without any discrimination. At that time there was no fear of domination or subversion from any quarters.

It is that trust in ourselves that we lack first and indeed it is the sine qua non of any synergy upon which any progress can then be built. We the people of northern Nigeria have to quickly woke up from our slumber and realise the danger we are in for to get redress before it is too late to make amends. We need to be remembered that nobody and no part of this country can neutralise a united north. In unity we can achieve anything because population is to our advantage hence since democracy is the game of number, with unity we can do and undo anything in this country.

Dahiru Yusuf Yabo, a former commissioner in Sokoto State, He can be reached on dyyabo@yahoo.com
http://saharareporters.com/articles/external-contrib/6449-dark-clouds-over-the-north.html

The northern leaders focus on federal positions, because that's where the find the money and power.

Beaf:

As I read from the article, GJ has cancelled the dredging of the River Niger. Is that true? If so, be informed that he has already lost the Igbo vote as we will make sure of that. Thanks.

You are not a good reader. You might have to gop back to school. Read it again or go and buy WAEC form.

Quote from article

His decision to[b] revoke[/b] dredging of River Niger awarded by late President Umaru Yar’adua

Papa brown:

What does the above quote mean? What do you have a problem with in my response? Use of cancellation (instead of revocation)? Is Jonathan still deciding whether to cancel the dredging contract or he has carried out that decision already?

Mr Fire:

Quote from article
Papa brown:

What does the above quote mean? What do you have a problem with in my response? Use of cancellation (instead of revocation)? Is Jonathan still deciding whether to cancel the dredging contract or he has carried out that decision already?

Mr Fire. . . . don't mind the writer. First, Jonathan never revoked the dredging. It was propaganda used by the Yar Adua cabal to paint Jonathan as anti-north. But, if you read the artticle properly, you'd find he said the decision was rescinded. There was no decision in the first place, however, if he said it was rescinded, then there is no reason for you to ASSUME IT WAS CANCELLED.
Anyway was joking when I said you'd have 2 gop back 2 school.

PapaBrowne:

Mr Fire. . . . don't mind the writer. First, Jonathan never revoked the dredging. It was propaganda used by the Yar Adua cabal to paint Jonathan as anti-north. But, if you read the artticle properly, you'd find he said the decision was rescinded. There was no decision in the first place, however, if he said it was rescinded, then there is no reason for you to ASSUME IT WAS CANCELLED.
Anyway was joking when I said you'd have 2 gop back 2 school.

No qualms; my bad too. I never got to finish the article and so did not read where he wrote that the decision was later rescinded. Just read that now. Generally, the article is one piece of crap anyways, fit for kindergartens. Very simplistic, yet very lamentatious.

Beaf:

Case closed. IBB.

NO its Not IBB i am also his critic i said that so to counter any argument you may have
Hahhaah you just answer my question indirectly by not answering the question , you admitted hating North and knowing someone close to President but who?
Maybe you work Together with Ima Niboro

Roflmao!!!

olabukola:

You are gradually sliding to the ranks of mekus, becomerich and Sefago/bkbaby99. Why must all your post be against north.

And why is my name in ur mouth, eh, slowpoke!?!?

wallworth road immidiatly after traffic ligth @ de otherside of macdolnad going 2wards east street market south east london there is ghanian shop selling african food u can miss it,,,,,

ONE NIGERIA!!!!!!!!


Nigeria does not need a powerful North nor a powerful South, it just needs a powerful, strong Nigeria where everybody has a voice and can individually speak up for what they believe in regardless of the contrary opinions of Imams, Emirs, Obas, Ezes or Pastors.

So that instead of the "the dark clouds over North" as the writer will like to think; I will say "bright light at the end of the tunnel for Nigeria".

The North has been powerful in the last 50years of Nigeria's history . . . we know what our story has been in the last 50years in terms of development. May be it is time to seek for something different and this includes all in the North.

The voice of the progressives and moderates in the North needs to be heard louder if this country is to make any progress.