From Northern Phobia to Northern Pandering -By Ismail Misbahu

Last week, 30th December, 2020, I wrote a vox-pop titled “The Speechless Tongue of the North” published by News Diary online newspaper and this platform, opinionnigeria.com. Two days after its publication, I encountered similar article on the same online newspaper written by one of its certified columnists, Mr. June Chimezie Godfrey Azu Ishiekwene, the MD/Editor-In-Chief of The Interview. The article titled “Who Listens To The North?” was written on 11 June, 202 as a rejoinder to “Who Speaks for the North?” written by a Journalist and a former Minister of Youth Development and Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi.

Had I encountered this heart-touching master piece, I wouldn’t have written or reflected in the way I did in the article I submitted last week. Though I couldn’t see it as a rejoinder to my own article because it preceded mine almost half a year ago. But I still consider a good part of it relevant, even for the sake of my review and information updating. The article has taken us beyond the question of Abdullahi’s “Who Speaks for the North” to more of the important question as to “Who Listens to the North.”

In my previous article, I drew attention to the fact that lack of investing in media industry has a considerable effect on the north. I posits that the voice of the north has not been given the right ear it deserves because the region doesn’t have the tongue to pass the word right. That the levity and negligence of the region’s most influential figures to provide support and carry along with the northern media since the colonial period, have continued to demean and underplay the region in all ramifications. This speech impediment of the northern media I argue, provides a greater advantage to southern media gazbags — to puff-up, underplay and hype the north in all that its Achilles’ heel.

However, the article by Azu appears so interrogative to me that I should ask myself beyong the question of “The Speechless Tongue of the North”, to more of its hear-less ear, that which doesn’t listen! Indeed Azu added that not only the questions of WHO speaks and WHO is listening, but also the more important question of WHO is doing! It seems more telling to me that it’s not only about investing in the newspaper industry that though could surely earn the north a perfect voice, but more so about saying the right word, the word that speaks action and acts by doing. Its really a wholesome interrogative piece of the northern pandering.

Abdullahi’s “Who speaks for the North?” according to Azu, is a heartfelt rallying cry. That in a region with a long history of eloquent speakers from Sa’ad Zungur and Tafawa Balewa to Aminu Kano, and from Adamu Ciroma and Ibrahim Tahir to Maitama Sule, Musa Musawa and Bala Usman, it is sad that no one fit to stand by their feet. But to Azu, though still there are flaws of speakers right at present: people like the former Emir of Kano, Mohammad Sanusi II, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar, Islamic scholar Shaykh Dahiru Bauchi, Reverend Mathew Hassan Kukah and host of others like the retired Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar etc, yet the question is WHO is listening? This is in spite of what they may prove as right or wrong.

The point according Azu, “is whether the North needs speech-making more than it needs politicians who are prepared, honest and competent to use all they have had these many years for the benefit of their people.” What the north needs according to Azu, is not so much a flow of speakers but more of who will listen and willing to do what they know is right by their people. The North, as Azu cautions, “could only do with honest voices, those who shine the light not with microphones and empty speeches, but with their deeds and lifestyle.”

Whatever the billions of dollars Aliko Dangote and his likes invested for the development of the region, “if the questions of almajiri whose lives have been ruined by politicians who enroll them during elections and discard them like vermin after; the hundreds of families in many parts of the North-west and North-east living in mortal fear for their lives from the daily attacks by bandits; the broken system that has made the region the country’s poorest with no clear plan of recovery; and the aftermath of deadly herder-farmer clashes, etc have not been sequarely addressed, the region would continue to lost its hold as a single, formidable block.” And the phobia will remain one that will pander the region to that which it always cautions to stay with.

The caution is “If the present political elite in the North will not use what it already knows to fix the region, it’s unlikely that any speaker, no matter his gift of eloquence, will change anything.”

“The dangerous, broken Northern street is enough word for the wise.”!

Reach Ismail via
ismailmusbahu15@gmail.com
mhssey2015@gmail.com