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October 3, 2007 - December 2, 2007

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Where Did I go wrong?

Northerners Wake Up?

Samuel Peter Aruwan

sparuwan@yahoo.com

" 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,Dawodu 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.

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