Hi, this is my first post but I've lurked on these forums for a short while now. As everything seemed to be kicking off in terms of Nigeria's position in the world, I've seen a lot of misinformation and I really wanted to come in and clarify some things - I hope my post isn't too long! I'm a Nigerian national currently at university in the UK.
My brother
@Dreamestorical has done a very good job of explaining everything but a few people seem to still be doubting some of what he's said. I wasn't going to make an account but when I watched Hillary Clinton's speech today in which she called the Nigerian government "derelict" and in which she said the Northern Nigerians were "marginalised" (a ridiculous notion), I had to clarify some things.
I'll start with the "bad" before I move on to the "good".
First of all, the idea that the Northern Hausa and Fulani have been marginalised is just too ludicrous a claim to back up. These very same Northerners have been in power for 40 or so years. During these years, more money was allocated to the Northern states than to the Southern states. With less Government supplied revenue, the Southern states still managed to build Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar and other cities/regions. With more money, the Northern states managed to build Kano which, still to this day, looks live an oversized village rather than a world-class city. In addition to this, the Southern leaders encouraged social progression by building numerous schools and hospitals etc. Polio, which has been eradicated in many countries and in Southern Nigeria, is still a problem in the North. The Southern leaders also provided numerous overseas scholarships for those who wished to get a better education than could be provided for in Nigeria(a reason why you will see MANY Yoruba/Igbo/Ijaw/Efik/Ibibio in the diaspora but almost no Hausa/Fulani at all). Due to this, the South continued to develop to a certain extent (despite the actual marginalisation they experienced).
On the opposite side of things, the Northern leaders did nothing to encourage the education of their own people. Female enrolment in education across Nigeria currently has these figures:
South East (Igbo): 85%
South West (Yoruba): 85%
South South (Ijaw/Efik/Ibibio): 75%
North West (Hausa): 25%
North East (Hausa/Fulani): 20%
In fact, the World Bank said in a report that Northern Nigeria had the highest number of children not going to school in the world. There are Northern states with a 77% illiteracy rate. That is ridiculous. Those who wish to blame the Federal Government or Jonathan need to know that the Federal government is only in charge of University education. Primary and Secondary education is the job of each state governor. In other words, if education is bad in a certain region, it is resoundingly the fault of the governor of that state - the Northern leaders are not very good in other words.
Now in terms of wealth distribution, the list earlier in the thread which makes it out to seem as though Southerners are the wealthier does not tell the full story. Firstly, Abacha stole around $4-5billion(just cash embezzlement - not including property etc.) in his 5 year leadership before he died but you will not see his son on that list. Secondly, Northern military dictators such as Buhari and Babangida are known embezzlers (yet Buhari is going to be the leader of the opposition party APC). In fact, Mike Adenuga (the "second richest person in Nigeria" on that list and on forbes) is widely thought to be Babangida's money carrier. His rise to oil riches during Babangida's cabinet through select oil contracts is suspicious.
To now touch upon the oil issue, a large majority of the oil is currently owned by Northern oil barons even though it is in the South.
Injustice: 20 Owners Of Richest Oil Blocks In Nigeria Without Niger Delta People - Politics - Nairaland
This list is a list of the 20 largest oil blocks in Nigeria - vastly owned by Northerners as opposed to a mix of people from across the country (you will notice there is not one person from the Delta in this list). If the rumours are true, then Mike Adenuga's blocks can also be assigned to Babangida. With all this money in Northern hands, we must ask why the North is not developing yet. There have been oil spills upon oil spills in the Delta (which led to the rise of the Ijaw militants
). When Jonathan came into power, being an Ijaw man himself, he put in a bill which redistributed the oil wealth slightly more to the South South states (13% of production is allocated to the oil producing states and the rest is collected and distributed) and the Ijaw militants instantly stopped their activities. The Northerners didn't like it and they are currently trying to abrogate the law/reduce the redistribution.
Now to talk about Dangote the man every black entrepreneur wants to emulate. Those who want to build a dynasty can read the thread I am about to share. Dangote comes from a family known as the Dantata family. It is literally the Rothschild of Nigeria. He was given 500,000 naira in the 70s as a 21 year old by his uncle. Back then, it was worth £500,000 (about $750,000). With that capital, he started his company and flourished from there. I'm not going to downplay what he did in the slightest because either way it is outstanding. But what I will say is that coming from the family that he does, the capital and connections would have given him success either way. This is the story of his family from the first Dantata:
The Dantata/Dangote Story: How To Create A Dynasty Of Billionaires - Business - Nairaland
Now to quickly talk about Boko Haram before I end on a sweet note. It is suspicious that as soon as a Southern president comes, so does Boko Haram. Buhari has claimed that if he is elected president, he will stop Boko Haram within 1 month - very suspicious. Boko Haram is most definitely supported by Northern elites (whether or not other Islamic organisations/countries or Western countries also have a hand is debatable but I feel as though they do). Northern leaders had a meeting with Obama not too long ago which
@Dreamestorical has already mentioned - suspicious. At the meeting, they accused Jonathan of funding Boko Haram as a political ploy. Now, as the heat has been turned up on Boko Haram, Northern elders are starting to get worried that they will be exposed. Yesterday, Northern elders and leaders met with Jonathan to discuss what they should do about the insurgency. They opposed military force to retrieve the girls. Instead, they advised one of two options:
1. To pay a ransom for the girls
2. To do a prisoner transfer (their imprisoned Boko Haram members for our girls)
Northern Elders ‘Oppose Force To Free Girls’ - Politics - Nairaland
As I am sure most of you will know, this will be a bad idea either way. What these Northern elders and elites are asking, effectively, is for us to either fund Boko Haram to get our girls back or empower Boko Haram to get our girls back. Nigerians stand united in saying a definitive NO to either option.
Now onto some good news as to why I support Jonathan's presidency:
Nigeria Signs A $13.1b Coastal Railway Contract To Connects 10 States. - Business - Nairaland
Nigeria has just signed a $13.1billion deal with the Chinese to build High Speed railway lines all across Nigeria (this money is for the first line). Not only will this connect places that otherwise could take days to get to, but it will also increase trade and business. In addition to this, NaijaRail will also be building in and connecting to other West African countries (Pan-Africanism in actual motion) - Cameroon, Chad, Benin and Togo - with a view to expand even further in the future.
This is what we have been waiting for. This is what Nigerians have been asking for. Once we get electricity sorted (which Jonathan has fully privatised - the first president to do so) business and prosperity will explode. Jonathan has only been in office for 3.5 years or so - the first head of state without a military background. Change takes time and we are already seeing the dividends - an agricultural revolution and the beginnings of a strong manufacturing nation which has already lead to job creation. His cabinet is the best in Nigeria's history - the most educated and well qualified. We have just rebased the economy to be the largest in Africa - no other government has been able to do this rebasing. The Giant of Africa will truly be able to stand tall as a voice for all Africans and Black people around the globe. This is the tipping point. We are so close to actual change on the continent and in the international community, yet enemies of progress will try to hold Nigeria back.
Please do not believe what Amanpour or Hillary Clinton or any other kakistocrat has to say about Nigeria. Come see for yourself what is truly happening in the country and you will all be truly surprised.
Sorry for the long read, I get passionate about this
