₦airaland Forum

Tunji Ajibade

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Did anyone see as southerners put up a display at the National Assembly the other day? Lawmakers invited stakeholders for a hearing on the Petroleum Industry Bill. Two factions claiming to represent oil producing communities showed up. When asked to present their views, an intense physical display of mixed martial art followed. I’m not concerned about why there were two factions, and why both were invited. My focus is how, once again, southerners made a show of themselves. I do this so that whenever some of us state that southerners generally conduct themselves unseemly in comparison to northerners, those who call us names won’t forget where we’re coming from.


I stated it before on this page that northerners are smarter than southerners. The latest show of shame at the National Assembly is another illustration as to why I take such a stance. Northerners, I mean core Muslim North, would never conduct themselves this way. People have accused me of speaking in favour of northerners. It’s because I pick some useful values from them. I did the NYSC programme in the North, and unfortunately, in December 2020, I lost the respectable elder who was my first window into the manner, attitude, and orientation of the typical core northerner. He was the Durbin Gombe, Alhaji Lamido Abubakar, a member of the Gombe Emirate Council and a kingmaker, former Commissioner of Health in the old Bauchi State, as well as the former Chairman, Gombe Local Government Council. He was on that last seat at the time I did my NYSC in his town.


Durbi as I fondly called him was my godfather and I actually regarded him as my own father. He remains one of the reasons I tell people, especially southerners, that I don’t understand it when people complain that they go into environments other than theirs and they don’t have access to one thing or the other. I always say when you are in a new environment, form useful relationships with the owners; those same people will be the keys to open doors for you. Durbi opened many doors for me in his town.

And so does his son, my friend and brother, Shehu Abubakar Durbi, former Commissioner of Land and Survey, and former Chief Whip, Gombe State House of Assembly. Shehu’s father and his son are two out of many other people across the North who make me feel good about northerners. My attachment to Durbi in particular was such that when we lost him in December 2020, his son, Shehu, found it difficult to inform me. He knew the passing on of his father was as much a blow for him as it was for me. Someone else informed me. When I called Shehu, he said, “You know, Tunji; I didn’t know how to inform you. I picked my phone on two different occasions, but I dropped it each time.” I suppose that summarises my closeness to at least one northerner.


Why do I focus on core north Muslims? Many of them have the kind of virtues and values that I like to see in people. Durbi and his son, Shehu, put these on display for me to see – Good heart, kindness, love for truthfulness, dignity, decency, what is edifying, and they see every fellow human being as someone to be treated with respect. Fact is I’ve heard people across town say the same thing about Durbi and his son and I’m not surprised. Attitude, character, is smoke, cover it, it will escape. Of all the virtues that I stated, I focus on decency. You find this in abundance among core northerners. They display decency in how they relate with people. They do things properly. They resolve differences among themselves, internally, and come out to put up a common front. From decades of sitting and listening to Durbi, I learnt this and saw it in many of the public life experiences that he shared with me, especially at the time we worked on his memoirs.


There’s no way one would have this kind of experience, and even more among several other northerners that I have interacted with, and one wouldn’t see the difference in how some southerners do things and how northerners do theirs. I assume that when a people say they are smart, intelligent, better educated and have this big picture of their own self-importance, it implies that they lack a sense of decency. Was decency on display on that occasion at the NASS? If you are educated, it should show in the manner you conduct yourself, approach issues in the public space, and how you talk.


I think part of the challenge for the average southerner is that they mistake being educated for a right to be vociferous and outlandishly indecorous. To me, the more educated you are, the more refined your manners should be. Northerners display this better, whether educated or otherwise, and I’ve sat in rooms with a host of them over the years. Has anyone watched especially the Americans? As outspoken as they are, many of them raise the matter of decently presenting their views even in a heated public debate to the level of art. I imagine they know a Yoruba saying which states that it is how to suavely present a case one should learn, rather than how to engage in physical assault.

You win more people to your side that way. Who have the feuding parties at the NASS won to their side with that show of shame? Certainly not me, and it’s the reason I point this issue out. So that the day I state once more that southerners aren’t as smart as they claim to be, I will have another evidence to refer to as I had done in recent past.

There were occasions in the past when I did a comparison of what southerners put on display on the national stage. I stated that northerners who many southerners took pleasure in looking down on wouldn’t behave that way. It’s one reason northerners have been more successful in regard to securing leadership positions in this nation – military and civilian. It’s one reason they sometimes easily get what they want from the federal bowl while groups and interests in the South are still busy quarrelling among themselves. Yet, when the deed is done, the same groups and interests that cause the South to lose out turn around to blame a tribe other than theirs for their loss. Meanwhile, they’re blaming a tribe that’s obviously smarter, better organised, and one that knows exactly what it wants; it doesn’t make much noise, but would simply go for it as circumspectly as possible. Southerners hardly act this way. Everyone is a boss. No one respects the other. Disharmony is rife. An outcome was that display at the NASS lately. These are differences some of us with decades of active contact with the North have seen.


Others may see it differently, but for me what transpired at the NASS is an example of weakness on the part of southerners, rather than strength. It’s another display that informs all how easy it is to divide and rule people such as those whose representatives showed their style in full view of the world that time. This weakness has been exploited again and again. To some, what transpired was nothing. To me, it’s much. Some may not be embarrassed. I am. Others may even applaud the show at the NASS. I don’t applaud a shameful, atrocious display of lack of character.

Those who applaud such disgraceful shows are free to continue though. But let no one come out tomorrow to claim their tribes are the best thing to happen to Nigeria and people in the north are the only imperfection Nigeria has. Some of us will consider it laughable as usual, and simply repeat the same thing we’ve always been saying – northerners are smarter. If southerners think otherwise, let them prove it. This thing isn’t about making some anger-driven, ego-fuelled assertion. It should be seen in the decent conduct, guarded utterance and organised action that’s a hallmark of statesmanship, an art in which the core north has traditionally excelled.

Islie:
https://punchng.com/unlike-northerners-southerners-show-their-style-at-nass/


Lalasticlala

Rugaria:
All these hype is tiring.. The north is sophisticated, the north is heavenly, the north is foresighted..., bla bla bla bla bla...
Physical combat in the heat of verbal confrontations can happen at any any place if there are no stringent rules against such! Humans are like that. It's actually not an abnormally. That's why most countries have tough laws on physical violence. Yet, MAGA rioters just invaded the capitol, HK lawmakers just had a free for all physical combat few months ago... Ditto South Korean, Indian, Taiwan, some Arab and African legislative houses! I think it's more rampant where there are serious stratifications of views/ideologies across ethnicities/nterest groups with differing strong beliefs.

Notherners being calm at the national assembly should be expected! Why should they be fighting? Fighting for what really? They already have the presidency and all that to themselves! Oil and gas, NPA, NNPC, FIRS etc... Why should they be shouting? As far as I'm concerned, a robber is always more interested in looting peacefully! He only starts to make noise when cornered or in danger of being caught or loosing his loot. Otherwise, he needs all the peace he can get to loot in peace.. The north will always prefer the status quo and the only way to maintain the status quo is to maintain tranquility..

Rugaria:
All these hype is tiring.. The north is sophisticated, the north is heavenly, the north is foresighted..., bla bla bla bla bla...
Physical combat in the heat of verbal confrontations can happen at any any place if there are no stringent rules against such! Humans are like that. It's actually not an abnormally. That's why most countries have tough laws on physical violence. Yet, MAGA rioters just invaded the capitol, HK lawmakers just had a free for all physical combat few months ago... Ditto South Korean, Indian, Taiwan, some Arab and African legislative houses! I think it's more rampant where there are serious stratifications of views/ideologies across ethnicities/nterest groups with differing strong beliefs.

Notherners being calm at the national assembly should be expected! Why should they be fighting? Fighting for what really? They already have the presidency and all that to themselves! Oil and gas, NPA, NNPC, FIRS etc... Why should they be shouting? As far as I'm concerned, a robber is always more interested in looting peacefully! He only starts to make noise when cornered or in danger of being caught or loosing his loot. Otherwise, he needs all the peace he can get to loot in peace.. The north will always prefer the status quo and the only way to maintain the status quo is to maintain tranquility..

Aderr:
One million likes for this.

The writer of the article was in a coma when Kaduna lawmakers were punching each other blue black the other day.
Northerner ko, Nordstrom ni. The poorest region in a poor Nigeria with all their sophistication.

360degreess:
.. just accept the bitter truth.. what you are saying was within kaduna,but when they get to national level, they conduct themselves and cooperate to achieve their aims..

People have accused me of speaking in favour of northerners. It’s because I pick some useful values from them.

Rugaria:
All these hype is tiring.. The north is sophisticated, the north is heavenly, the north is foresighted..., bla bla bla bla bla...
Physical combat in the heat of verbal confrontations can happen at any any place if there are no stringent rules against such! Humans are like that. It's actually not an abnormally. That's why most countries have tough laws on physical violence. Yet, MAGA rioters just invaded the capitol, HK lawmakers just had a free for all physical combat few months ago... Ditto South Korean, Indian, Taiwan, some Arab and African legislative houses! I think it's more rampant where there are serious stratifications of views/ideologies across ethnicities/interest groups with differing strong beliefs.

Notherners being calm at the national assembly should be expected! Why should they be fighting? Fighting for what really? They already have the presidency and all that to themselves! Oil and gas, NPA, NNPC, FIRS etc... Why should they be shouting? As far as I'm concerned, a robber is always more interested in looting peacefully! He only starts to make noise when cornered or in danger of being caught or loosing his loot. Otherwise, he needs all the peace he can get to loot in peace.. The north will always prefer the status quo and the only way to maintain the status quo is to maintain tranquility..

360degreess:
.. just accept the bitter truth.. what you are saying was within kaduna,but when they get to national level, they conduct themselves and cooperate to achieve their aims..

Aderr:
Nonsensical opinion! If you want to asslickk your northerner masters, do it in peace and don't drag the rest of the South in the mud for it.

Those fighting at the petroleum bill hearing were Niger Delta lawmakers. Don't see that as an opportunity to validate your slavish attitude to northerners or to throw blanket statements here.

KosiGee:
I concur...the writer was patronising the northerners. That wasn’t really a very sincere opinion.

This is not to plead on or argue for the Niger Delta law makers but people express their emotions and pent up frustrations in various ways.

Those individuals who fight and shout have exhausted themselves compared to the very calm ones who’d take up the matters later and cause some serious damages.

You don’t expect Lawan or someone in the physical mould of El Rufai of kaduna to square up and start shouting and throwing punches...they’d get crushed in secs but guess what he’ll do when he leaves the venue?

That’s why fulanis as skinny and no bigger than comedian Saka will arm to the teeth and scare the shiiiiits of a full grown man built like Anthony Joshua.

OneTemplate:
Great post. The Tunji Ajibade chap who wrote the article is a self-hating Yoruba and Southerner. The same Northerners with their entire families living on the Street and being brought up in median traffic demarkations, in different parts of Lagos, are "smarter and more sophisticated" than Southerners? What an insult.

Would all those people be living the most wretched and appalling lives if there is sophistication of thinking and attitude where they are from?

The only thing I give Northern leaders is that they are cunning, Machiavellian, callous and obsessed with power for the sake of it alone and not because they know what to do with it or have any interest in using it developmentallyto the benefit of all.

When Northern leaders and elite, traditionally disdainful of the talakawas, have fed fat on the wealth of Nigeria, why will they fight or argue passionately? People who are not interested in uplifting their people will argue or fight for what exactly?

Even on NL here, how many Northerners contribute anything let alone do so as passionately as Southerners do daily and 24/7?

Some people just say the dumbest things to shore up their redundant and partisan view points.

Aderr:
One million likes for this.

The writer of the article was in a coma when Kaduna lawmakers were punching each other blue black the other day.
Northerner ko, Nordstrom ni. The poorest region in a poor Nigeria with all their sophistication.

Liposure:
Is it not:
The same northerners that can turn violent when things don't go their way.
The same northerners that can maim and crucify persons all in the name of religious extremism.
The same northerners that can make the nation ungovernable if they dont win the presidential election.
The same northerners parading as blood sucking herdmen, bandits, terrorists and other criminal elements.
The same northerners encouraging child marriage.

Aderr:
Nonsensical opinion! If you want to asslickk your northerner masters, do it in peace and don't drag the rest of the South in the mud for it.

Those fighting at the petroleum bill hearing were Niger Delta lawmakers. Don't see that as an opportunity to validate your slavish attitude to northerners or to throw blanket statements here.

Rugaria:
All these hype is tiring.. The north is sophisticated, the north is heavenly, the north is foresighted..., bla bla bla bla bla...
Physical combat in the heat of verbal confrontations can happen at any any place if there are no stringent rules against such! Humans are like that. It's actually not an abnormally. That's why most countries have tough laws on physical violence. Yet, MAGA rioters just invaded the capitol, HK lawmakers just had a free for all physical combat few months ago... Ditto South Korean, Indian, Taiwan, some Arab and African legislative houses! I think it's more rampant where there are serious stratifications of views/ideologies across ethnicities/interest groups with differing strong beliefs.

Notherners being calm at the national assembly should be expected! Why should they be fighting? Fighting for what really? They already have the presidency and all that to themselves! Oil and gas, NPA, NNPC, FIRS etc... Why should they be shouting? As far as I'm concerned, a robber is always more interested in looting peacefully! He only starts to make noise when cornered or in danger of being caught or loosing his loot. Otherwise, he needs all the peace he can get to loot in peace.. The north will always prefer the status quo and the only way to maintain the status quo is to maintain tranquility..