Between sacrifice and self-destruct

An individual may render selfless service for the sake of another individual or for the sake of the society. Such selfless service may get to the level of self-sacrifice and paying the ultimate price- death. The man or woman who dies for another or for the society is a hero or heroine. This is a […]

An individual may render selfless service for the sake of another individual or for the sake of the society. Such selfless service may get to the level of self-sacrifice and paying the ultimate price- death. The man or woman who dies for another or for the society is a hero or heroine. This is a virtuous act expected of every individual. However, when it comes to a whole society the issue is completely different. No society should render selfless service without gain. No society should sacrifice itself for the sake of an individual or for the sake of another society. If a society self-destructs for the sake of another society or an individual, it is not heroism but a disaster.  You may have read how America does everything including giving humanitarian aid for the sake of its national interest. America is not alone in this. 

One of the reasons northern Nigerians are materially getting backward is that, its political, academic and business classes have grossly misunderstood this survival principle. While the south opposes every project and every policy beneficial to the north unless they have commensurate or better project and policy in their favour, the north is always making economically dangerous concessions. The intellectually senile northern elite would explain away this error with, “Politics is a matter of give and take,” but they have been giving without taking as much. The south opposes the dredging of the Niger and converted the fund to Amnesty payment for Niger Delta terrorists. They opposes trans-sahara road that could link the north with other countries, but proposed coastal road that will link the south with other country down south. They opposes Hausa as a National language, but are slowly imposing that coastal slave lingo called pidgin as semi-national language. They oppose oil exploration in the north and propose deep sea oil drilling. But on the other hand northern elites and their ill-educated famished journalists and jaundiced social media paparazzis are always making concession without commensurate recompense.

They accepted policy that handed over Banking and insurance industries totally to the south. They accepted 13 percent derivation share to so called oil producing states without asking for anything over the electricity generated in Niger State for many decades. They accepted foreign Telecommunication companies that employ mainly southerners. They accept huge cross regional trade gap in almost all lines of business thereby losing trillions to the south without compensatory gain in any sector.

Northerners are making the fatal error of making their society to sacrifice for another society. This will never bring peace or prosperity. Northerners will continue to wonder why they are poor till the day they stop this wanton and misguided sacrifice.

The Southerners may talk about oil. Oil money is a mirage and pure deceptive propaganda. Nigeria’s wealth is beyond oil. Experts, like Sam Aluko, have shown that oil constitutes less 15 percent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, and it is not oil alone that is shared, and budget is not the only means of wealth distribution in Nigeria. If you would sit down and do the elementary calculations you will discover that Northerners get far less than they contribute given the fact that Agriculture constitutes 70 percent of Nigeria’s GDP and out of this, 70 percent is from the north. Do the little mathematics and you will be shocked. You are poor because you give up your rights and wealth to another society that calls you parasite. They call you parasites to instill the illusion that you produce nothing and oil is everything. They call you parasite so you can feel un-entitled to ask for your rightful share in all formal, non-formal and informal economic sectors and sub-sectors. They call you parasite to instill a sense of worthlessness in you so you will continue to be ever ready to retreat. There is no way to peace and prosperity for any society that makes sacrifice without gains. Sacrifice is the realm of individual not society.

You are poor and you shall remain backward so long as you fail to understand this and take action. And finally, let me tell that you northerners are not lazy, you simply stupid. Stop being stupid and all will be well with you.

Jamilu Bello Dogarawa, Zaria, [email protected]