" Truth
Will Always Triumph Over Falsehood" John Milton
I have witnessed so many
religious and ethnic crises within this years. The first was
in 1992 , during the early days of my Secondary School, the
second was February and May 2000, then followed by the
November 2002. In all this crises, I lost many friends , I
mean being killed, Dauda Johnson Akoka and Danladi Bala were
few of many that were murdered. I can go on to mention many
that were killed. Our houses were burnt, properties looted ,
we found our selves running from one end to another, thanks
be to God for being alive. Even now I carried mark on my
person and bullet still roll in my cousin’s leg, Emmanuel
Saleh.
Having come this far , I
think whosoever will do justice to me , will certainly know
that I can speak or make an appeal on how to live in peace
without always using violent to settle our problems ranging
from marginalization, injustices, under-representation and
over-representation etc. It was in this spirit or pain in
other words that I wrote an article" Northerners Wake Up!!!"
. The said article appeared on the most viable online news
sides AmanaOnline and Gamji. In my piece I raised issues
ranging from religious to ethnic crises , the inability of
our leaders to chart a better course for our common good.
The low standard of living in the North, then how our
northern based media do exacerbated our problems by creating
tension. I crown it all by providing what I feel is the
solutions to our problems. Furthermore caution on the need
to avoid being manipulated and emasculated.
Immediately AmanaOnline news
and Gamji carried the said article, e-mails upon it’s dozen
begun to reach my mail box, mails are still coming as I am
writing this piece again. As for now I have received almost
thirty-three mails . Thirty-one of such mails were full of
encouragement for a good piece and best wishes, two of the
mails were personal attack or assassination of character as
it is being referred. In Nigeria. Of all the mails which
were all challenging and courage to me, considering my
personality, I find the one from a scholar in Oxford, UK ,
as the most inspiring "I appreciate your brilliant piece of
work. There is wisdom in it.”
Here was one who was not even
a Nigerian nor from our region, but was conscious of our
peaceful existence, via pluralism, where people of different
religions, races and political beliefs can live together
peacefully in the same society.
In my writing I never
subscribe to ethnocentric, chauvinistic or egocentric, one
don’t believe in sectional course nor become biased and
prejudiced. One cannot make what is wrong to be right simply
because I want to defend our own religion, what is true
should be protected to be true, it’s through this that we
can build an egalitarian society. However , what I said was
there is indeed problems facing the region and there is
actual negligence on the side of our elites and leaders. The
so-called people entrusted with governmental power , be,
them Christians, Muslims, Hausa-Fulani and rest of the
minority tribes have completely failed us and squandered our
future , destiny. Very, very, few are sincere in fulfilling
their responsibilities or obligations. Coming to my made
mention of our religiousity, where I asked a question :Where
is the Godliness in our dealings? Religion is truly a
blessing for every society , but it depends on how it is
being practiced. When practiced with honesty and full
adherence, life then will be of good for the people , but if
it is on the contrary society shall experience , crises,
rebellion and so on and so forth, and we are all bearing
witnesses to our present Cancer that poses a problem of
management. Infact it is getting worse by the day, it has
gotten to our various higher institutions of learning that
are supposed to stand for national integration. Worse still
our Secondary and Primary schools have also get infected
with the deadly cancer. What a bad orientation for
heterogonous and diverse society.
These are realities we are
living with . For so long as we continue to struggle as
Christians or Muslims , then no matter how hard we try , we
can never arrest conflict and violence. Then the idea of
ethnic or religion will be permanently etched on our
landscape and we can never escape the violence that will go
with these as the basis of our competition. Justice will
continue to elude us because it will never be justice for us
as people , but justice for us as Christians or Muslims,
Bajju, Fulani etc.
Let me digress, One Jonas
Okwara, wrote me insulting and bashing me for , calling me
names, he said" Stop being stupid" . However , talked about
the non monolithic of the north. His mail was full of
contradictions and has no competence as far I am concerned.
Who is saying the north is monolithic? Who is stopping
others from liberating their people? He talked about Orkar,
Dimka and Vatsa being killed in an alleged coup, by
Hausa-Fulani Muslims, he went further about Middle-Belt and
urging me to join the struggle or remain in slavery. To me
this satire lack facts or concrete references to disprove my
write-up. His comments about my piece was immaterial, what
he is saying is entirely different from my views. Freedom
and liberation is of course what I believed in and that’s
why one is doing what you came across. But in doing this one
cannot be sentiment. For record purpose I only believe in
where there is justice.
There is no relationship by
commission or omission. I advised he take a look again at my
write-up. If out of thirty-mails only one or two could
blindly attacked my writing, of what negative effects will
that tell on my person or efforts towards building bridges
in my small ways, no way: rather it will make me to redouble
my efforts, in saying the truth without being biased or
taking side. The other mail of this type was from one Lyla
who also join in exhibiting his or her ignorance by asking
me " What have you done for your state?” Ended saying,
Samuel sounds to be name core-north will never want to hear.
I never wanted to waste my
time on the issues I am familiar with and sure of what one
put down for our good and unity irrespective of our colours,
race, faiths or whatever. His response , to me lack
understanding and what I will referred as a case of two
bald-headed men fighting for comb. What an irony!. I was
pushed to write again because one wish to demystify those
who don’t want peace , but will always capitalizes on crises
to harness their selfish interests or desires. He was trying
to lure me in to being egocentric and what is best known to
him alone.
I was expecting issues to be
raised and make critical analyses, then demanded
explanations and criticize, what he found to be distorted
and maliciously done. But could not find that, rather issues
that could drown us to ocean of failure and confusion. What
I understood is the likes of Jonas, were only out to
discourage and mislead me, but one have sailed through. For
no matter how long, truth, will always triumph over
falsehood.
This brought my memory back
to the interviews I granted to the BBC Hausa Section on 30th
January and 29th March 2004 respectively, I said both
Christians and Muslims elites have done nothing for their
people, rather exploited them and confused them in killing
and maiming themselves (The Haves not) The both weakened
Christians and Muslims, who are usually indigents have no
food on their table, have no shelter but streets to sleep or
spend much time begging for alms but with little
understanding of events, will be fooled in killing his
co-sufferer chorusing" We are killing our enemies" . Not
knowing that they are preparing path for their real enemies
whom the State shall invite sooner or later for resolving
the tragedies they themselves birthed. Later on the state
will accord them incentives, positions or make them relevant
in all ramifications of governance. And that will be the end
of the story, till another opportunity comes. All this to
the detriment of the poor, who are Northerners,
Middile-belters, Christians or Muslims.
This has been our history.
With the exception of those who are sincere and committed to
the betterment of our communities. For good and bad are
found in virtually all societies of mankind be them whatever
religion, tribe or colour. Prof’s Ishaya Audu and Adamu
Baikie are both Hausa-Fulanis but are Christians. The same
for Alhaji Yahaya Kwande , Air Vice Marshal Usman Muazu, who
are both Muslims from minority tribes, all are men of higher
repute and integrity. I can go on and on.
It is on this that one is
asking: Where did I go wrong? If someone had a point, the
best I think he can do is to pick up the pen and set the
ball rolling not to castigates others, it is all about
agreeing or not. I cannot force one to concede my idea the
same for someone to me. As Hausas will say" In ji dole ne
yadda ba ba dole bane" . One believed we were all created by
one God, and supposing God wanted the world to be a one
religion dominated world. He would have done that, but since
it is not so, the best we could do is to live in peace and
harmony together, practiced our faiths without persecuting
one another and so on, waiting for judgment day, where all
will be accountable before God.
One is a Nigerian so have the
right to air his views on how peace and justice shall become
other of the day despite our differences. From the beginning
of my piece I did mentioned of my personal experiences of
all this crises in my place. This indeed has placed one in a
good small position to speak out, having seen the worst of
this fracas at a time one romance with death, it was only
God that saved me.
No matter what, we cannot
fold our arms and be fooled, no amount of unnecessary and
irrelevant comments can weak me, for I have just begun.
For Miss Dorcas Sunday, who
passed away as I was writing this piece. May your gentle
soul rest in perfect peace Amen. I missed you, but your good
character and virtues shall be my driving force. Adieu. And
for Gideon Adamu Duniya, who just finished his Master’s
Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy ABU Zaria,
Nigeria. I say a big cheer. Wishing you all the best.