“Says all of Sir Ahmadu Bello’s cherished legacies and patriotic zeal have been killed except for a few.
Where’s NNN, BON, Gaskiya Tafi Kobo?
ACF has outlived its usefulness.”
Alleges: “How Ahmadu Bello’s Arewa has been bludgeoned almost into extinction in the name of governance or ruling by the new generation of Northern Leaders.”
By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Former Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Col. John IP Uba (retired), has lamented the state of affairs in the region, stating that with the balkanization of the North into 19 self-centeredly confiscated and badly configured states, all cherished legacies and patriotic zeal of Sir Ahmadu Bello seem to have been swept into the River Kaduna, except for a negligible few.
Col. Uba, (JP, FNIM), a member of ACF’s Board of Trustees (BoT), representing Benue, also noted with dismay that Sir Ahmadu Bello’s legacies have been killed or selfishly mismanaged, with only lip service being paid to his memory, making it easy for one to shed tears at how Sardauna’s legacies have been killed.
The former military Governor of Kebbi State made these assertions in a paper he presented to ACF BoT members during a Board Meeting held on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, in the Kaduna headquarters of the forum, which was obtained by our correspondent.
In the paper titled: “Brief Comments by Col. John JIP. Ubah (rtd),” the author stated, “I have opted to paraphrase my thoughts on paper for the BOT Meeting to avoid wasting the valuable time of the eminent senior citizens. In case my thoughts swerve from matters considered more relevant to the current realities and priorities of our leaders, concerning religion and the economy for the Northern and National interests, albeit for the survival of humanity and society, cultural and economic stability, as I see the contemporary trends.”
On religion, he asked, “How many religions did the creator establish for the well-being of the human species?” He added that no form of religion, as practiced by humans, can guarantee salvation, especially if it is politicized, given that “Religion is the opium of the people.”
“My perspective is that the onus is solely on this house – ACF – to tell Nigerians that no religion is better, holier, or superior to the others. After all, Shaw, in the preface to his plays ‘Pleasant and Unpleasant,’ posited that ‘There is only one religion, though there are a hundred versions of it.’ Also, after surviving so long in life in the crooked world, and as a Northern Nigerian, I am convinced that Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria is complete, simple, correct, and capable of guaranteeing good governance with equity and an egalitarian society if ACF would make that its priority pursuit, along with applying Sections 23 and 24 on National Ethics and Citizen’s responsibilities.”
Continuing, he said, “But why ACF? As the Secretary-General of ACF, we convinced all the Delegates to the 2014 National Conference that the North constitutes about 80 percent of the entire country, Nigeria. Nigeria stands as the leading nation in terms of self-serving leadership, growing insecurity, and the management of the economy by deceit. With the North now balkanized into 19 self-centeredly confiscated and badly configured states, except for a negligible few, all cherished legacies and patriotic zeal of Sir Ahmadu Bello seem to have been swept into the River Kaduna.”
Regarding the North’s economy, Col. Uba noted that “Sir Ahmadu Bello’s Legacies” are in a sorry state. He pointed out that it’s disheartening to see how Sardauna of Sokoto singlehandedly managed his Northern Region, yet his legacies have been killed or selfishly mismanaged, with only lip service paid to his memory. He asked, “Where is the Bank of the North (BON)? Where are the New Nigeria Newspapers (NNN) and Gaskiya Tafi Kobo? How well is Arewa Suites in Abuja, built by patriotic Military Administrators, doing today? And how is NNDC doing with Arewa Textiles?”
“All our elders can tell how Ahmadu Bello’s AREWA has been bludgeoned almost into extinction in the name of governance or ruling by the new generation of Northern Leaders, especially those who claim to be democratically elected but remember no word of their oaths of office/oaths of allegiance. Only a few of them, led by Talba Minna, got together and established a Foundation in the name of the Great Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello,” he noted.
He stated that in his brief, the BoT should focus only on “my disappointment and grievance with the democratically elected or party-imposed state helmsmen of the present northern region, concerning only two areas of economic mismanagement.”
On NNN, he mentioned that Nigeria Tribune newspapers, set up by Chief Awolowo, is still thriving. He added, “Is it not shameful that NNN cannot be kept alive and in circulation by the northern Nigeria governors? Young northern journalists frustrated Obasanjo into handing over NNN back to the north when he could not manipulate or gag them. Now, the majority of them are left at the mercy of southern media practitioners and owners of newspaper industries/print media.”
According to him, when General Abacha was contemplating the setting up of the failed bank tribunal, the chairman of the northern governors’ forum meeting was an Ijaw-born military officer who led a delegation to Abuja to make a case for what he called “the survival of our bank.” He also said the Commander-in-Chief advised the North to strengthen the 19 states’ capital, so the tribunal would spare them. BON survived the axe of the failed bank tribunal by complying with the advice. After taking over, PDP governors competed for loans from BON to augment their budgets. “Now it’s doubtful if even 5% of the assets of the remaining bank, Unity Bank, belong to any northern interest. What a shame!” he stated.
Col. Uba’s stance is that ACF has outlived its usefulness since the dream created by Sir Ahmadu Bello for the North can no longer be revived due to leadership at all levels. Nigeria’s leadership at all levels has brought the nation to a state where the British were on February 27, 1871, which made Benjamin Disraeli cry out in the House of Commons: “We’ve legalized confiscation, concentrated sacrilege, and condoned high treason.”
He added that the North has been polluted by polarized religious bigotry, and ACF seems to be helpless. The rate at which religion is being preached and practiced is likely to lead humanity into a war that may end with not enough people alive to bury the dead. Uba, therefore, urged the BoT to prioritize and “discuss a few points and other issues that may arise from them, or ACF needs to wind up.”
