By Comrade Aminu Saad Beli
While I condemn the unprovoked havoc, wreaked on members of Northern Community in Rivers State, by IPOB involving loss of lives, and destructions of properties, I also harbour profound appreciation, at the prompt and decisive action taken by His Excellency Governor Nyesom Wike Nzenwo of that State, to make amends, and avert reoccurrences.
Against this backdrop, I can’t help feeling shocked at both inexplicable and untenable threat, and some reported reprisal measures, by the Community of Northerners which hurt the trio of Governor Wike, Government and people of Rivers, who demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt, unalloyed altruistic solidarity with both the victims and their families and well wishers.
School home feeding Programme:Why Nigeria needs strong Crazy dude like Nyesom wike.
Needless to say, His Excellency, Governor Wike has been showing will and readiness, to go the whole hog to see people of Rivers State and others, especially members of the Northern Community, are integrated both socio-economically and politico-culturally so that the State is taken to greater heights for the good of all.
Following the recent sad development, sparked by the proscribed IPOB, the Governor stuck his very neck out, to declare war on that Organization, which elicited counter declaration of war on him, with the IPOB leader, offering mouthwatering one hundred million naira for the head of the indomitable Governor Wike.
By this, Wike is literally sacrificing his own life, just to protect lives and properties of members of the Arewa Community in Rivers State.
If I may ask Alhaji Usman Ibrahim, who among Northern Governors has ever made such move of a supreme sacrifice, for the Southerners living in the North? I am not aware of any. Maybe some compensations.
Therefore, the least to say is that, the threat issued, and reprisal measures taken on behalf of those Northerners in the business of transporting foodstuffs down South, to Rivers State in particular, is a clear act of ingratitude to Governor Wike in particular. He certainly hasn’t, bargained for this unfortunate antagonistic treatment.
Alhaji Usman Ibrahim who claims to be the Chairman of Rivers State branch of Arewa Consultative Forum, can’t say, he doesn’t understand that, cutting supplies of food items to Rivers State, simply means creating hyperinflation, deficiencies and chaos in that accommodating State, that way causing hardship for the Governor in running the affairs of his State.
Even contemplating such a reckless approach to the whole issue, is unfortunate, therefore upsetting to the Governor.
I can’t help asking the Northern Community: what really do they want with Governor, who consistently tries to do everything possible, to make his State conducive for socio-political interactions, and business transactions for all and sundry.
It’s also on record that, many inconsiderate members of the same Arewa Community in Rivers State, have been allowing themselves to be used by some influential indigenes of that State in the opposition Party, to make things difficult for the Governor, sometimes putting them on the crest of religion to cause disharmony between that Community and people of the State, as well as hostility towards the State Government.
May I at this juncture, on behalf of all right thinking people of the North, ask the Northern Community in Rivers State to grow up, to avoid all manner of ingratitude, and gullible tendencies capable of further hurting the protracted, enduring and mutually beneficial socio-economic relations and political alliance between the two regions, dating back to 1950s. These disturbing tendencies first reared their ugly heads towards the 2015 Presidential election. I have been troubled by that far-reaching machination which only continues to widen the gap between the North and the Niger Delta.
I believe, and very strongly so, that the Northern Community in the State, would fare better if all its members make it duty-bound, to entrench internal harmony within themselves, so that they live in peace, prosperity and harmony with their accommodating hosts.
Lest I forget, I will always appreciate the fatherly way Governor Wike addresses People in the State, as RESIDENTS, not INDIGENES and NON-INDIGENES, as other Governors across the country do.
The Arewa Community should akways strive to be law abiding, as well as forthcoming, whenever approached by the hosts, to participate in any move to advance cause of the fast developing State, forward.
As pointed out, you can’t fight a war without casualties.
Undeniably, by attempting to tamper with sustainable supplies of foodstuffs to Rivers State, the Northerners are also bound to in many ways feel brunt of the move, in the form of also suffering from the resultant inflation, and delay in disposing the perishables, leading to making bulk of the items stinking wastes and huge loss economically.
As the Hausa proverb says, ‘Idan zaka gina ramin mugunta, to gina shi gajere’. Meaning, ‘Whenever you want to dig a ditch for others to fall in, make sure you make it shallow, or not too deep, lest you’re destined to fall in it.’
By, Aminu Sa’ad Beli in Kano.
08036317028
08122837429
amindomai@gmail.com.
