Thither, Whither Middle Belt?



Nigeria is a fluid situation at the moment.

There are reactants, catalysts, and of course the neutral substances. Forces are being realigned, old foes are smarting, bonds are being forged, old ones are being renewed, and some are being reviewed with skepticism and distrust!

So I asked in similar manner, who are the Middle Belt?

Is Middle Belt real or imaginary? Is it a creation of the South, or borne out of genuine frustration with the 'North' by their old friends?
What are the political, ethnic, religious, cultural, social, and of course political dynamics of the people we called the Middle Belt?

If it exist, is the Middle Belt awakening, or slumbering? What is their relationship with 'Core' or 'Sharia North'?
Where will they pander if/and when the curtain fall? On their own? To the North, to the West, to the East?

Answers please. Original middle belters, lets hear from you.

Sentiments are appreciated, insults and bigotry will be ignored to the maximum extent possible!

Well, you have been ignored enough.
Lemme help ya out,
Mu he he he he he he

BootyOnMe:

Well, you have been ignored enough.
Lemme help ya out,
Mu he he he he he he

What is worth doing at all is worth doing well.
You might have as well given your honest and frank opinion.

No offence.
Take a hint.
This question has been asked a billion times on NL and all over the world.
The reason no one can add or subtract from it.
My opinions on this middle-belt issue has resonated all over NL for eons.
No need to repeat them.
Not that bored.

Besides, you are NOT new to NL. . . just saying.
Some things/TOPICS get old.
Google NL and see for yourself.

BootyOnMe:

No offence.
Take a hint.
This question has been asked a billion times on NL and all over the world.
The reason no one can add or subtract from it.
My opinions on this middle-belt issue has resonated all over NL for eons.
No need to repeat them.
Not that bored.

Besides, you are NOT new to NL. . . just saying.
Some things/TOPICS get old.
Google NL and see for yourself.

Sounds better.
But in view of currently realities on ground. A fresh perspective is not out of place.
That said, your candour is very much appreciated.

The Middle-Belt can form own country after the relevant parts join South/South and South/East. Simple

Old wine in new wineskins?
The story of NL and Nigeria.
Goodluck 'SISTAH'!
Nice thread.
Enjoy!

The middle belt is a combination of somany countries/ethnics, even in one state u hardly find tribes with similar cultures. And since most of the tribes (if not all) are minorities, every tribe tend to pull the strings towards his/her particular country therefore no tribe is fronting a common middle belt course.

Geo-politically, the middle belt is supposed to be what we call the north central but states like kwara tend to have closer affinity with the south west. Kaduna south for example claim to be middle belters while geopolitically they're zoned to the north west. States like Niger have closer ties with the core north even though they are carved geopolitically into the middle belt, even the fct is in the middlebelt.

Opinions are so variant and divergent that the middlebelt itself appear to be more immaginary than real. Apart from Benue and Kogi states and probably some part of plateau that look so comfortable to identify with the middle belt, i think other states in the sone just see themselves as children of circumstance. Plus there is ohaneze indigbo in the east ooduwa congress in the west, arewa consultative forum in the north, an emerging south south alliance, there's hardly any formidable organisation to front for the middle belt.

In my opinion, if any problem arises, the middle belt will be the bride all zones will scramble to win to its side as was the case of the Nigerian civil war.

Bliss4Lyfe:

The Middle-Belt can form own country after the relevant parts join South/South and South/East. Simple

Thank you my sister, and off course the South West.

I am really curious though as to these 'relevant parts.' SS/SE is easier to manage is a case of split. They have been there before, ironing out few notty issue will not be a big deal.

But in the middle belt, the situation will be different, and this region hold the ace, as par how far the Sharia North will maneuver.
For instance, what will be the reaction of the Plateau/Jos Berom? Would they march South ward to war with the Hausa Fulani?

Will the Tiv and Idoma see it as an opportunity to completely cut ties with the North, and perhaps  forge alliance and a country comprising Berom, Igala, Nupe, Southern Kaduna, and other ethnic groupings within the belt willing to form alliance. Or will the various tribes in the belt cheery pick which region/people to go with?

It is almost certain that the Yorubas in Kogi and Kwara will go with the SW. The question is will the hausa/fulani in the those places resist the move? And will SW flex their muscle or wag their tongue to ascertain their sovereignty over their kith and kin.

Knowing the dynamics of what will happen and what could happen will help everyone prepare for it. This is what the thread is about - an impending/inevitable split!





Further Background:

On 9 August 2001 a delegation from the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), which represents the North, visited Jos, Plateau State, in the heart of the middle belt. Major General Abdullahi Shelleng invited his audience to join the ACF. However, in response governor Joshua Dariye made it clear that he was not interested in being marginalized and would prefer to remain a "middle-belter". In an interview, retired Air Commodore David Jang put the position simply: "Middle Belters are Middle Belters, and we will remain Middle Belters".[3]

In September 2001 retired Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, former governor of Plateau State and chairman of the forum, said the middle belters are grossly marginalised and have become an endangered species on the brink of extinction and cultural annihilation. He was supported by retired General Zamani Lekwot, a former military governor of Rivers State, who attributed the failure to create a Middle Belt region in 1963 to politicians perceiving the Middle Belt as a threat.[4]

- Wikipeadia

Joey82:

The middle belt is a combination of somany countries/ethnics, even in one state u hardly find tribes with similar cultures. And since most of the tribes (if not all) are minorities, every tribe tend to pull the strings towards his/her particular country therefore no tribe is fronting a common middle belt course.

Geo-politically, the middle belt is supposed to be what we call the north central but states like kwara tend to have closer affinity with the south west. Kaduna south for example claim to be middle belters while geopolitically they're zoned to the north west. States like Niger have closer ties with the core north even though they are carved geopolitically into the middle belt, even the fct is in the middlebelt.

Opinions are so variant and divergent that the middlebelt itself appear to be more immaginary than real. Apart from Benue and Kogi states and probably some part of plateau that look so comfortable to identify with the middle belt, i think other states in the sone just see themselves as children of circumstance. Plus there is ohaneze indigbo in the east ooduwa congress in the west, arewa consultative forum in the north, an emerging south south alliance, there's hardly any formidable organisation to front for the middle belt.

In my opinion, if any problem arises, the middle belt will be the bride all zones will scramble to win to its side as was the case of the Nigerian civil war.

Interesting.

Is there any possibility that the various minority interests can be represented by the Middle Belt Forum, and with Plateau, Benue, and Southern Kaduna giving them the muscle to form a strong bond and ultimately a nation?

@point b

There's hardly any possibility since the comprising ethnics hardly have anything in common.

they are on their own.whatever they wish, let them do.nothing 'consign' me

we are like a bride?

The whole Northern Region is highly polarized. Middlebelt is just a figment of our imagination. Although during electioneering it helps and allows for political expediency just like what happen in the last election when the bulk of this imaginative zone threw their lot behind Jo-Boy. But carving it into a dinstint zone like SW or SE or even SS would be a bit far-fetched.

Do you know even in Boko-Haram Country of Borno State the whole Southern Borno Senatorial zone is majority Christain's centered on the town of BIU,  that is one fact that would surprise most people yet these Christina's are part of the far North Eastern zone.

Joey82:

@point b

There's hardly any possibility since the comprising ethnics hardly have anything in common.

hmmmn
Not even a chance? So what in your opinion do you think will happen to them in the even of a split. Any conspiracy theory?

KnowAll:

The whole Northern Region is highly polarized. Middlebelt is just a figment of our imagination. Although during electioneering it helps and allows for political expediency just like what happen in the last election when the bulk of this imaginative zone threw their lot behind Jo-Boy. But carving it into a dinstint zone like SW or SE or even SS would be a bit far-fetched.

Do you know even in Boko-Haram Country of Borno State the whole Southern Borno Senatorial zone is majority Christain's centered on the town of BIU,  that is one fact that would surprise most people yet these Christina's are part of the far North Eastern zone.

In throwing throwing their lot's behind GEJ, there appear a sort of unison is their action. It was quite co-ordinated, very much similar to the SS/SE block vote.

Do you know even in Boko-Haram Country of Borno State the whole Southern Borno Senatorial zone is majority Christain's centered on the town of BIU, that is one fact that would surprise most people yet these Christina's are part of the far North Eastern zone.

Frankly, I didn't know this. Which ethic groups inhabits this part - certainly not hausa/fulani, or the Kanuri, or?
And what is their relationship with the accursed sect -Boko Haram is this part of the state - victim, or valuable?

@POST

I do not give a ratarse if Middle Belt is real or imaginary. It does not constitute an inch of space in my daily political stream of thoughts.

one thing is for sure, the younger middle belters, especially the christian ones (myself inclusive), coming up are not gonna be used and manipulated by any major tribe as in the past. Within a space of a decade, 2001-date, we've learnt alot (the bitter way though, but nonetheless we've learnt). Things will never be the same again. U-know-who had shot themselves on the foot.

Dede1:

@POST

I do not give a ratarse if Middle Belt is real or imaginary. It does not constitute an inch of space my daily political stream of thoughts.

I would be lying if I say I dont understand how you feel about the middle belt. However, that feeling is albeit mixed. Some are willing to move on and let the middle belt sort out themselves, but some seeing what could become of middle belt, if Plateau/Jos falls are genuinely concerned, if not alarmed.

emmke:

one thing is for sure, the younger middle belters, especially the christian ones (myself inclusive), coming up are not gonna be used and manipulated by any major tribe as in the past. Within a space of a decade, 2001-date, we've learnt alot (the bitter way though, but nonetheless we've learnt). Things will never be the same again. U-know-who had shot themselves on the foot.

Ultimately, your generation will have to chart your identity, and future. But should the middle belt (or any of it component) need allies or want to choose a foe, they will need to think deep and long, and of course, it wont come cheap nor without compromise, either way.

Very thorny question.

@Topic: The Middle-Belt has existed right from before independence. They have always demanded a separate identity (Google and read the Willinks Commission Report). . .but were denied by the British.

See posts #127, #128, #129, #132, #134 on this pre-election thread.

Have you read the Willink commission report. We the minorities of the North have waited 50 years for this day.