SIR: The usual rhetoric of marginalising the north and protecting the region’s interest has once again taken the centre stage. Hakeem Baba Ahmed — a leader of the Northern Elder’s Forum (NEF) recently reinforced the usual position of the north on national television.
He warned that marginalisation of the region should stop and that no candidate can win the 2027 elections without the northern support. He further emphasised that the north would soon define its political direction. ‘‘In the next six months, the north will decide where it stands.’’ Incidentally, this was not the first time Ahmed reminded Nigeria of the consequences of marginalising the north whenever the nation warms up for elections.
Before, the 2023 elections, this same man warned of marginalisation and protecting northern interest with the same gusto as he did during the interview. Marginalisation and protection of northern interest have been an elitist deceptive political tool used to ‘settle’ hungry northern leaders.
With the above position coming from Ahmed who served as the Special Adviser, Political, Office of the Vice President a few months ago, it is evident that there is no longer any love lost between the All Progressives Congress and the northern elements which he represents.
It is clear that marginalisation and agitation for northern interest has become a regular, lucrative elitist pass time. The benefits only reflect in deep pockets of northern leaders while talakawas (the poor) who are usually used as foot soldiers to further those interests are left to live, suffer and die in penury. They are only remembered in times like this and brainwashed to be used again when the elite are denied crumbs from the national till.
He warned against further marginalisation of the north, noting that continued disregard for the region would have consequences. “If they plan to rig the election, they should be careful. It won’t be good for Nigeria. The north is watching. Elders, masses, and interest groups will soon say ‘enough is enough.’ The injustice and sidelining must stop,” he said. He concluded by asserting that the northern electorate had learned hard lessons from past choices and would approach 2027 with a new mindset.
Let it be stated in clear terms, that northern electorates are bad students of history — they had learned no hard lessons from past choices they made and would still approach 2027 with the same skewed old mindset powered by the intents of northern elites and cry later.
The northern electorates will surely be led by their noses as usual and misled by their leaders. These same people who mount the podium of northern interests are the same deceiving the north while their personal interests take centre-stage.
This position and grandstanding have been the political context and old fashioned antics of the northern hegemons deployed to exert influence and extract patronages weaved around regional or tribal interests. Many high profile northern figures, who depend on political hand outs and government patronages, are hungry.
One wonders why what he and northern interest groups often brings to the table is the issue of marginalisation. The north is overwhelmed by terrorism, crime and criminality. Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping and banditry have become insurmountable, but the likes of Ahmed have no answers to the over a decade-old scourges. The best they do is window-dress the evil and move on.
Sunday Onyemaechi Eze is a lecturer, Department of Mass Communication and head, Internationalisation and Partnership, Coal City University, Enugu.
