The North of Yesterday and Today: Myths versus Reality

The debate about the existence or otherwise of the North has been a recurring phenomena especially at times of political disputations. In the recent history, we saw it in 1992/93 politics of presidential elections and in 1998/99 over the presidential election which brought General Obasanjo out of the dungeons to State power. Yet again, the […]

The debate about the existence or otherwise of the North has been a recurring phenomena especially at times of political disputations. In the recent history, we saw it in 1992/93 politics of presidential elections and in 1998/99 over the presidential election which brought General Obasanjo out of the dungeons to State power.

Yet again, the debate is rearing its ugly head now that President Yar’adua is dead and his Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan is the president and desirous of contesting elections in 2011 despite the unwritten PDP protocol which was said to have zoned political offices to the different sections of the country.

The North in terms of geography and politics has always been the same North. Taking a curious look at the political history of the region even before the advent of colonial rule, it was made up of various empires, emirates and principalities that were in some cases similar but different in some other cases.

Colonial intrusion to a large extent succeeded in redefining the contours of politics and inter community relations between the various groups that make up the region. Now that a new system of governance and administration had replaced the old, patterns of relations amongst the various communities had to also change.

To be noted here is that even communities that were hither autonomous were now brought into the new fold of modern governance and forced relationships were thus established. Consequently therefore, the new pattern of relationship began to brew one form of hostility or the other.

It is important therefore to place on record that at no time in the history of the North as a region had the people ever laid claim to being a monolithic entity. There has always been one form of question or the other. One form of agitation or the other especially given the British colonial policy of divide and rule which was effectively used to deploy colonial exigencies not only in the region up North but in the country at large.

Nigeria of 1960 was a better federal arrangement than it is in the year 2010. In 1960, there were three regions that exercised some measure of autonomy within the federation. The regions had some liberty and politics was thus both regional and national. The capacity of the federating units was high as a lot of the aspirations of both the citizens and even members of the political class were met at regional level without insisting on getting the attention of the center.

Consequently in the Northern region, the pattern of politics played was shaped by many factors among which were the issues of ethnic identity as well as religious inclination. The struggle for the creation of the Middle Belt region was an integral part of this politics of identity which lasted until the military coup in 1966.

The coup of January 15th 1966, which terminated the first civilian administration in the country perceived to be against some sections of the country, by Ibo military officers by and large resulted in uniting the different political tendencies in the North of Nigeria. This culminated into the counter coup of July 1966 and the product of that military action was the government of General Yakubu Gowon which ruled Nigeria across a tumultuous civil war until 1975 when it was over thrown and replaced by another military government.

The point here is that even during the politics of the first republic there was a lot of acrimony between the various groups that made up the Northern region. Apart from ideological issue that stood between the dominant political forces in the region and other political groups such as the NEPU and BYM, the biggest challenge was dealing with the minority question.

A great chunk of the region’s minority ethnic groups aligned with major parties outside the region. There were political alliances with the NCNC and AG mostly around the Plateau area, Southern part of Kaduna state and so on. Many reasons are responsible for that. The point being made however is that at no time in the contemporary history of Nigeria as a nation will it be argued that indeed the North was a monolithic entity.

A substantial part of the politics of the second republic was a replica of what obtained in the first. There were shifts in alliances in some cases while there wasn’t in others. For instance, the hard core North Central state of Benue had shifted from its earlier positioning of UMBC and joined the predominantly Northern and South Southern National Party of Nigeria, NPN.

The Plateau area and Southern part of Kaduna state remained in alliance with Southern politicians. For example, Plateau State was won by Nigeria Peoples Party, NPP which was a dominantly Eastern Nigerian party in its leadership and followership. Equally, the seats to the Kaduna state House of Assembly from Southern part of the state went to NPP or the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN.

In the Gongola area there was better understanding amongst the political elites and most of ten people revolved around the GNPP which was a North Eastern party by its leadership and content.

At best, it was under the successive military governments that the so-called North enjoyed a great deal of relative unity. This may be due to several factors but two are of importance to this discussion. One, the predominance of Northerners in the rank and file of the military gave them the opportunity to lead in every military coup. They knew very well that any crack would spell doom as such they rather remained united. Except the aborted coup of Major Orka which sort to expose the division even within the rank and file of military officers from the North, the situation was brought under control with the necessary dispatch.

Secondly the military as an institution is run more on the basis of hierarchy and discipline as against the random and inordinate political class whose major trait is anything goes. It will be right to assert that the concept of North is more at times of military rule than civilian era. Freedom of expression is truncated during military eras and as such people lose the right to determine who gets what and how.

In my view, the North is a reality both in geography and politics. There has never been a time when the elites of the region agreed uniformly on any issue politically. Typical of peripheral third world elites, opportunity avails itself from where these elites scramble to fend for themselves and not necessarily for the people they claim to be representing or speaking for.

The whole argument about the North is currently predicated on the question of power rotation which is a PDP issue. I have said time without number that every sensible Nigerian must pay attention to what is happening in the PDP because they control over 75% of the nation’s political landscape and by implication the national economy.

How well they decide will impact on our lives and vice versa. I don’t want to join in the debate of zoning or otherwise. My views on zoning were expressed since 1998 when the contraption was crafted. I knew a day like this would come and here we are.

In as much as it is not a constitutional provision, it cannot be categorized as undemocratic. I never liked it but the claim that it was a child of necessity made it attractive.

I am worried that the politicians are as yet immature, insincere and typically dishonest. Democracy can only be built on a foundation of sincerity and mutuality. Federal systems have their peculiarities and such peculiarities are better addressed to deal with emerging problems and realities.

I hope that in the near future those who are saying no to zoning will not be the ones to call for it again. Without zoning, some specific categories would not have attained certain positions in life. The president is a case in point. If those who are there today desire to remove the ladder so be it.

The focus of Nigerians must be on how to evolve viable electoral practices. Votes must count. People’s votes must retain their sanctity. If we get our elections right, a lot of other things that are bothering the nation would have been addressed.

I am of the view that truly the history of the Nigerian nation is replete with tremendous mysteries. The failure of the nation to make reasonable headway in development is closely tied to the very nature of its political and economic elites. The nation is lacking in quality leadership and sincere followership.

The story is likely going to be the same thing for some time to come as long as concerted efforts are not made towards radical attitudinal change and transformation. The attitude to democracy is in deficiency. The tenets of existing in a federal structure are weak and in some instances nonexistent.

The North as a geo political entity is a reality. As a conglomerate with diverse peoples and views and a region with elites that are parasitic and scavengers due to their weak economic standing in comparison with their other colleagues in the other sections of the country.

To me, the North of yesterday and today is real.