Why the North is in Crises

news update

Why the North is in crises-Sen .Akume

Monday, 16 March 2009

Written by Ibraheem Musa, Kaduna Daily Trust

The recent crises in Jos and Bauchi towns which culminated into loss of lives and property are clear indications that the people of the north have departed from the ideals and goals that united the north in the past, Senator George Akume, the immediate past governor of Benue state said yesterday.

The senator who spoke at an Arewa Media Forum lecture with the theme, The north yesterday, today and tomorrow, at Arewa House Kaduna, lamented that people have taken up arms against their fellow brothers whom they have been living peacefully with for centuries. “We recognise that both Islam and Christianity preach peace and love and so we must look beyond religion to find the cause of this wanton destruction of lives and property,“ he said, asking rhetorically, “could it be political manipulation by the elite?“

According to him, the north has lost the majestic spirit of tolerance, fairness and shared aspirations that were its rightful inheritance from its founders. He recalled that the biggest achievement of north was its leaders’ philosophy of one north, one people, one destiny. It was under this philosophy, Senator Akume said, that Sir Ahmadu Bello related in a brotherly manner with people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds in the north in his cabinet.

“It was the philosophy that drove the Sardauna to fight hard for our brothers who were trapped under the United Nations Trusteeship in Cameroun. But for him and his large heart, large portions of today’s Adama-wa and Taraba states would have been in Cameroun,“ he added, adding that he saved the north the trauma and humiliation of a “northern Bakassi“.

Senator Akume recalled that the philosophy of being your brother’s keeper, was not limited to the leadership of the party in power. “The opposition also upheld this principle of fairness and tolerance as demonstrated by Joseph Tarka through the election of Ibrahim Imam from Borno to the regional assembly“, he pointed out. Imam won the election from Jemgbagh constituency of Benue province overwhelmingly into the northern house of assembly, he recalled.

The former governor said that the northern legislators at the federal level saw things from “the perspective of collective northern interest while at the same time supporting causes that ensured national unity“ According to him, when the north attained self rule in 1958, the region was the most backward of the three regions, adding that Sarda-una was able to narrow the gap, especially in the area of manpower development..

He blamed the current decline in the north “on our failure as northerners to collectively internalise and realise the big dreams of our founding fathers.“ According to him, “a sharp vision, courage and selflessness compensated for their limited exposure to western education.The problem of our decline is our own creation.“

The senator praised Sir Ahmadu Bello’s commitment to education by establishing AhamaduBello University, Zaria in1963.. He recalled that missionary schools enjoyed generous grants from the regional government, adding that Sarduana visited St Michael’s Secondary School Aliade in Benue province to present gifts to the school when Master John Onaiyekan, the current catholic archbishop of Abuja, came first throughout the country by scoring As in all his subjects.

Senator Akume recalled that the north came from behind and took the lead in information dissemination, by establishing Radio Television Kaduna which was equipped with the most modern equipment at that time. The radio station mobilised the people towards shared goals, aspirations and national development, he added. The New Nigerian Newspapers was the first to introduce the web-offset press in 1966 when it debuted, he further said.

“On the economic front, we remember with nostalgia the Bank of the North and the Norther Nigeria Development Company(NNDC) and the vision and foresight involved in their establishment. These institutions recorded successes in promoting viable economic activities in the north,“ he recalled.

As we enter into the 21st century, according to Akume, the north must work hard in order to take its rightful position in the country. To this end, it must share strategic positions equitably amongst its people, cultivate a leadership that is honest, committed, courageous and visionary. At the same time, the north should build bridges across other geo-political blocs in order to enhance national unity, he said.

In addition, northerners should maintain religious tolerance, give priority to education and wealthy northerners should pool resources and jointly finance projects, especially in banking and telecommunication sectors as well as establish agro-based industries, he added.