In November 2013, Ahmadu Abubakar circulated on a private platform an article denouncing the historical excursion undertaken by renowned constitutional lawyer Prof Ben Nwabueze. Nwabueze had drawn attention to the weakness of the very structure of the Nigerian federation deliberately created by our British overlords at the turn of the 20th century. Abubakar wrote:
Nwabueze as Adult Delinquent
I had joined him in the debate there and then. However I discovered that he had taken his arguments to the popular press a full seven months later, specifically the Peoples Daily Newspaper of Thursday, June 19, 2014. It is only proper that I present my hitherto unpublished rejoinder to the discerning public.
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Re: PROFESSOR NWABUEZE AS AN ADULT DELINQUENT by Ahmadu Abubakar. Nov 18, 2013
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I have found it extremely difficult to understand Ahmadu Abubakar's beef with Prof Nwabueze. He had enough grounds and is supposed to have the tools, (a logical legal mind), to try to dismiss the renowned professor's rendering of what was essentially HISTORICAL FACT. On this score, he failed woefully.
He could have disputed the stated sinister motive of the British colonial overlords in the persons of Lord Lugard and his masters in Whitehall. Ahmadu Abubakar made no effort to apply demographic data in his own favour to show or at least endeavour to prove that the north as defined was actually more populous ab initio than the south. Whereas Prof Nwabueze dutifully pointed out the very uneven splitting of primordial Nigeria, forcing a very large number of non-Hausa/Fulani tribes into a vastly disproportionately large "north", for motives that were less than noble, Abubakar made no effort whatsoever to debunk the notion of perfidy. Insults have now taken the hallowed position reserved for rigourous debate and scholarship.
It is rather difficult to discuss or analyse his opinion, if we can call his outburst one. Or is he expecting Prof Nwabueze, his teacher, in his old age to recast himself in the image of a new fangled Abubakar? That will be the day. One gets the impression that by trying to develop himself through the medium of Prof Nwabueze's seminal books, Abubakar was actually doing the professor a favour! In this country anything is possible.
THE NORTH, Revenue Allocation, etc . .
Having read Nwabueze, I would rather spend my time fruitfully commenting on some of the relevant statements credited to Senator Paul Unongo, the latest stalwart co-opted to speak for the Arewa Consultative Forum. Nwabueze quoted him as follows:
" . . I see the allocations and see what has happened and I am intelligent enough to know and say that this is not fair, this is not good enough? Why did THEY allocate so much money there and not here?"
Why does it always have to be about sharing? Can we ever find something positive and lifting to disagree about, arrive at a common ground and then proceed to make progress?
If I may ask: "Who are THEY?" Do they include the following? Ahmadu Bello/Tafawa Balewa (1955-1966); Yakubu Gowon (1966-1975); Murtala Muhammed (1975-76); Shehu Shagari (1979-1983); Muhamadu Buhari (1983-1985); Ibrahim Babangida (1985-1993); Sani Abacha (1993-1998); Abdusallam Abubakar (1998-1999). . Perhaps we should leave the short, illness-prone presidency of Alhaji Musa Yar'Adua out of the discussion for now.
If we are honest, we must recognise that the foundation of what is good or bad in Nigeria was laid much earlier by these northern rulers at a time the current President Goodluck Jonathan was not even in high school. I am often taken aback for example when agitators ask President Jonathan to resolve already settled issues of Abuja land compensation. Short of calling back Minister Mark Okoye from the dead, why were the agitators mute while Pres Yar'Adua was alive? Why not start with quiet consultations with OBJ, Gen Theophilus Danjuma, Pres Shehu Shagari, etc. and finally IBB? Pres Jonathan may be incompetent, but we have seen worse before. Unnecessarily harassing him only makes matters worse by distracting him from needed governance. Efforts to defeat him fair and square at the upcoming polls may turn out to be a better investment than the current rabble rousing by the elite.
WHY DID "THEY" ALLOCATE SO MUCH MONEY THERE AND NOT HERE? - Sen
Paul Unongo
Any analysis and/or objection to the current petroleum-derived revenue allocation formula, so much decried by ALL, must be placed at the very doorsteps of the above named former Heads of State. Unongo and his ilk, while complaining about the disparity in revenue allocated to the northern states, compared to the oil-producing states, deliberately ignore two facts. One is that the 13percent derivation was not what the oil-producing states demanded in their effort to get back to the constitution-based status quo of 1966. It was the much they could get from a no-nonsense dictator, Sani Abacha, a blood brother of Paul Unongo, if we are to believe the later on who is a northerner. My take on this matter is that the oil-producing states (often synonymous with the Niger Delta states) won the war together with the rest of Nigeria, but then proceeded to SNATCH DEFEAT OUT OF THE JAWS OF VICTORY. Gen Ogbemudia probably understands this, whereas the more ebbulient Chief E K Clark certainly does not. Having a son in Aso Rock has nothing to do with it, more of a side show.
The second point is that the typical state in the "south" with no oil, gets about the same (or in some cases far less) revenue compared with the "marginalised" states in the north. The published data speaks for itself.
Based on the current structure of things in Nigeria and specifically in the "north", it is doubtful if the "north" can make much progress EVEN IF THE ENTIRE OIL-DERIVED REVENUE IS APPROPRIATED BY THE NORTH. Experts in Econometrics can quite easily project the disastrous impact of such a development. The current dismay expressed over the Oil/Resource Curse will be like a walk in Paradise in comparison.
As an illustration, why on earth are we still discussing Almajiri instead of mass education? When was the last time the "north" had a candidate to the CEO position in our top three government ventures viz NLNG Ltd, Shell Petroleum Dev Co Ltd, SNEPCO? Don't get me wrong. There are brilliant people all over. But when such are corrupted by lavishly remunerated non-work position, (very, very low hanging fruits), it becomes extremely difficult to go back to working for a living. One may ask for example, "What exactly does Dr Junaid Mohammed do?" But he eats.
The typical northern political pundit will probably achieve less intellectual work in one month than a less intellectually endowed Alhaji Aliko Dangote achieves in a good day. Just see the kind of people with which he surrounds himself!
I GET AM BEFORE NO BE PROPERTY, and Similar Matters
I have said this before over and over again. The average northerner, farmer, cattle rearer, teacher, carver, glassbead maker, tanner and leather worker, goldsmith and brasswork artisan, milkmaid, butter and cheese maker, brewer (a la burukutu), etc is not lazy. He or she cannot afford to be. His very hard life, in which he strives to find some measure of happiness, depends on hard work. It is only the parasitic elite that are irredeemably lazy, including those with no aristocratic pretensions. The good life available to the few who manage to be accepted in THE IN-CROWD is well nigh impossible to pass up, even when ethics, morality and good conscience dictate otherwise.
Does anybody recall the who-is-who that cornered grains issued from the National Grains Reserve the last time government intervened to boost supply and lower prices? No prize for the correct answer: the emirs, other traditional rulers and men of influence who had absolutely no need for the grain. Who routinely corner all the fertiliser, subsidised or not? Same answer.
In view of the above, why then is Sen Paul Unongo threatening to unleash on the nation such an explosion of agricultural and minerals production from the "north" as to comfound our very own Dr Akinwunmi Adesina and maybe Chief Kola Jamodu? The byline of the Nike Inc ad says "JUST DO IT!" Enough of the talking.
The current brave corps of northern farmers, whose contribution only a fool can dispute, are most worthy of their ancestors who built the famous groundnut pyramids out of their sweat. Their productivity is in spite of, but definitely not because of the contribution of their own governments. By no measure have their own elite helped matters.
IF THE CAP FITS, WEAR IT
The elite, no matter how defined, encompasses a very broad range of people, backgrounds, education, experiences, world view, attitudes, analytical ability, religious fevour, life expectations. Hence a huge swathe of hard working and decent northerners must necessarily escape my tar and feather. Down south we have our own misfits too. The tragic difference is that in the north the attitude and mindset that I am railing against has alas been institutionalised.
I suggest that Ahmadu Abubakar goes back to redo his essay. His current attempt merits an F grade.
Oduche Azih,
August 2014
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