A few days ago, the media space was agog with the news of an exchange of words between Nigeria’s former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and Chief Edwin Clark. According to Vanguard Newspaper, Chief Clark, who was speaking in Abuja during a peace and security meeting, accused the former President of resentment for Niger-Delta people....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
In his response, President Olusegun Obasanjo alleged that he has nothing against the Niger-Delta region, and has always advocated the unity of Nigeria. However, he condemned the region for laying claim to resources in the Niger-Delta, insisting that it belongs to the federal government. Since the report emerged, many Nigerians have continued to take turns in reacting to it.
Recently, the Spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem-Baba Ahmed, who was live on Arise TV for an interview session, waded in on the matter. In supporting President Obasanjo, Hakeem-Baba Ahmed alleged that Abuja originally belonged to Northerners, before it was acquired by the military government. Presently, Abuja belongs to Southerners. He also stated that the North produces the food consumed by Nigerians.
With this, the NEF Spokesperson questioned what would happen if the North began to demand compensation for this. The statement has also continued to generate serious reactions from the public. While I totally disagree with the statement that Abuja now belongs to Southerners, I also wish to say that the North should stop boasting about being the region that produces food for Nigeria.
The reason for this is that food production in the region, is run as private businesses, with its profit taken by farm owners. Arguably, what farming is to the North, is what trading is to the South. As such, one can boldly say that the North is not producing food as favour to other regions, but with the sole objective of amassing wealth. This is evident in their ability to directly harvest, sell their farm produce, and give no account to the government.
With this in mind, it is my view that using Abuja, or the North producing food in the context of a debate over resource control, is totally out of place. As such, the North should understand that the food they produce, does not belong to the federal government; neither do they share it with the rest of the country for free. It is their business, established for the purpose of accumulating wealth.