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SOUTHERN BORNO STATE WHERE RELIGION AND ETHNICITY TEAR AN OPPRESSED PEOPLE APART.By:A.G.Abubakar
SOUTHERN BORNO STATE WHERE RELIGION AND ETHNICITY TEAR AN OPPRESSED PEOPLE APART.
By:A.G.Abubakar
The Ubuntu which is a Zulu philosophy of unity of purpose doesn’t seem to hold among the ethnic nationalities of Southern Borno. The philosophy is rendered as “Umuntu, Ngumuntu, Ngabuntu” which literally translates as “i am because we are”, or put differently to mean ” a person is a person through other people “. The import of both underscore the importace of unity of purpose among people in forging progress. This spirit of togetherness has but vanished among the people, as they pull in different directions, at a time they needed to turn the socioeconomic and political fortunes of the region around. No thanks, to ethno-religious factors and the inequitable manner succussive state governments treated the zone.
The present version of Borno State was created in 1991 after Yobe was curved out. Before then it was part of the defunct North Eastern State, comprising today’s Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Gombe and Yobe states. The North East State was highly diverse in terms of faiths and ethnicnationalities. Maiduguri, the then state capital was a laid back and accomodating metropolis. Non of the ethnic groups namely; Fulani, Hausa, Bachama, Mumuye, Tera, Mandara, Tangale, Marghi, Bolewa, Babur, Bura Chibok ,etc tried to lord it on each other.
The Kanuri power was diluted. Across the state too Muslims, Christians and the various ethnic groups that made up the state (NE) lived in peace with minimal distrust. People like Minso Gadzama, Azi Nyako, Bello Kirfi, Abubakar Umar, Maina Waziri, Ibrahim Biu, Gujbawu, Yerima Balla, Shehu Awak, etc were collectively united in moving the NE state forward.
A spirit that resonated with Borno state’s current mantra thus becoming the “Home of Peace and Hospitality”; a mantra, now turned on it’s head, so it seems. Three decades down the line Borno State had turned out to be one of the most inequitable in the Nigerian federation. The state as configured in 1991 gave the muslim Kanuri absolute dominance that literally made smaller ethnic groups and the Christian religion punching bags. With a reduced surface area the Kanuri is able to exert absolute political and economic control over the rest with impunity. This, they do through both tacit and overt policies including divide and rule along fault lines such as ethnic, religious differences and cultural affinity.
The overt discriminatory policies started with the late Musa Dagash’s circulars nos.CSC/2/89, Ref: BO/CSC/459/5.2/1 of 17th April 1989 and CSC/3/89, Ref:BO/CSC/459/S.15/5 of 21st April 1989 respectively. The import of the circulars was to place embargo on the recruitment and promotion of Southern Borno indigenes in the the Borno State service. Their crime was that they came from the wrong region, besides they were considered “too many” in the civil service which called for decimation. Dagash then was incharge of the State’s Civil Service Commission.
The discriminatory practice didn’t stop there, as successive governments in the state found it difficult to equitably include Southern Borno people in state nominations for Federal appointments. People from the zone have to struggle on their own or through friends to secure places. Nominations for appointments as ambassadors, Chairmen and/or board memberships are exclusive preserve of the Kanuri.The attrition or the blocking tactics didn’t end with appointive opportunities; this has been extended to religion especially the non Muslim folks. Government’s posture towards the non Muslim community in state has become a source of concern for lovers of the state and her future. Today, the state would find it expidient to train Arabic teachers but not CRK.
Government too could provide state resources in support of mosques/Islamiyya but did so minimally for non Muslim worship centers. And in matters of career progression, non Muslim folks in the state civil service are not having it easy, compared to their Muslim counterparts from the same South. These and many more are sure recipes for instability, given the centrality of religion and ethnic identity in the lives of our people. Unfortunately in their quest for redress the Christian faithfuls tend to elienate the very southern Borno Muslim brothers, they should ordinarily join hands with, through omissions or commissions. First they overlook historical realities. Realities of inter and intra ethnic interactions across Southern Borno and indeed the Kanuri nation. Second, Islamic values have a binding characteristics that shape perception among the faithfuls. They see themselves as one Ummah. Thus it becomes naive to expect equal levels of reaction or despair among the Muslim and Christian groups in Southern Borno regarding the government’s widespread inequalities.
For a fact, Muslims from the South may not be faring any better but the religion and cultural affinity have numbing effect, especially when they stretch far back in history. The relationships among some of the groups predate the 19th century Islam (in action) and Christianity in parts of Borno during the 1920s. Early Churches include the CBM established in Garkida and then Waka in 1927 under the defunct Borno province. was in 1923 and came to Waka in 1927.
It is therefore obvious that the feeling may not be the same in terms of intensity. In specific terms, the Marghi (Damboa), the Mandara, the Babur enclave of Babur-Bura, the Tera, and the Fulani (in their midst) may feel less grudge towards the Kanuri. Not so good a development but that is the reality. Realities that should be born in mind in building a united front in the South in checkmating the powers that be, from the continued exploitation of this fault lines. The reality of Southern Borno is not a black and white issue which calls for contextual appreciation of the challenges. Internal wrangling, name calling and aggression as a strategy can only be counterproductive. Referring to each other as being slaves to the status quo, sycophants, sell outs, ignorant, enemies of progress for not sharing a stand amounts to shooting oneself in the foot. Worse still, the defeatist attempt by some elite Christians to railroad Borno South into the Middle Belt region.
The frustrations may be justified or even palpable, but it’s a defective strategy. For, it will solve one problem especially the Christian faithfuls but constitute a new challenge for their Muslim brothers (the unwilling co-travellers) in the new environment in all its complexities. The way forward is for the christian South to appreciate its relative size which is about 15 to 20 percent of the state population. It can not therefore force its way through.
The faithfuls should engage and educate/ engage the ethnic minority and Muslim brothers to collectively rise against marginalisation and uneven development in Borno State. Building such a consensus however requires being realistic and open, away from wishful thinking and blackmail. The current posture by some to the effect that ” you are either with us or against us” doesn’t help much. Peculiar problems born out of injustice should be presented and treated as such; and brought into sharper focus and context.
The battle requires numbers and a critical mass as such everyone counts.The Muslim and the Christian, the informed and the uninformed, the wise and the foolish, the enlightened and the unenlightened, the educated and the uneducated, all have a place. The reality is, they are not only in the same boat but are facing the same storm! They will have to depend on each other to prevail. Let’s all come clean. agbarewa@gmail.com
SOUTHERN BORNO STATE WHERE RELIGION AND ETHNICITY TEAR AN OPPRESSED PEOPLE APART.
By:A.G.Abubakar
Nigeria Reaffirms Commitment to Regional Security at MNJTF Meeting in Chad
By: Zagazola Makama
Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to regional cooperation and collective security efforts aimed at combating terrorism, insurgency and transnational crimes across the Lake Chad Basin.
Gen. Christopher Musa, Minister of Defense stated this during the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) meeting held on Tuesday in N’Djamena, Republic of Chad.
Musa, who attended the meeting alongside the joined defence ministers and senior military chiefs from Chad, Cameroon and Benin to review ongoing military operations and strengthen collaborative strategies for regional peace and stability.
According to the CDS, terrorism and insurgency within the Lake Chad region can only be effectively addressed through sustained regional cooperation, intelligence sharing and operational synergy among member states.
“Terrorism, insurgency and transnational threats can only be confronted through regional cooperation, intelligence fusion, synergy and sustained commitment among states,” he said.
He noted that the meeting provided an opportunity for participating countries to assess the progress of ongoing joint military operations under the MNJTF framework and identify areas requiring stronger collaboration.
Musa reaffirmed Nigeria’s resolve to continue supporting collective security initiatives aimed at restoring lasting peace and stability across the region.
“Nigeria remains steadfast in its commitment to collective security and the restoration of lasting peace across the Lake Chad Basin,” he said.
The CDS further stressed the importance of coordinated border security operations, intelligence-driven missions and enhanced military cooperation among member countries in addressing evolving security threats within the region.
The MNJTF, established by countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, coordinates multinational military operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP and other transnational criminal networks operating around the Lake Chad region.
Nigeria Reaffirms Commitment to Regional Security at MNJTF Meeting in Chad
India Moves to Reset Africa Relations After 10-Year Gap, Targets Deeper Nigeria Partnership
By: Michael Mike
The Government of India is seeking to recalibrate its strategic engagement with Africa through the forthcoming 2026 India-Africa Forum Summit, with Nigeria positioned at the centre of New Delhi’s renewed diplomatic, economic and cultural outreach to the continent.
India’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhishek Singh, disclosed this in Abuja while briefing journalists ahead of the fourth edition of the India-Africa Forum Summit scheduled to hold on May 31 in New Delhi.
The summit, which is returning after a decade-long break, is expected to bring together African heads of state, ministers, business leaders, investors, diplomats and cultural stakeholders as India seeks to strengthen its influence across Africa amid growing global competition for economic and strategic partnerships on the continent.
“This summit is not merely a diplomatic gathering. It is a platform to deepen political dialogue, security cooperation, trade relations, developmental partnerships, people-to-people exchanges and cultural collaboration between India and Africa,” Singh said.
The envoy noted that the last summit was held in 2015 and argued that both Africa and India had undergone major political and economic changes since then, making the upcoming meeting particularly significant.
According to him, the summit will begin with senior officials’ engagements on May 28, followed by a meeting of foreign ministers on May 29 before the main leaders’ summit on May 31.
He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has been invited by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the summit.
“We would be truly honoured to have the participation of His Excellency, the President,” Singh stated.
The High Commissioner described Nigeria as a strategic pillar in India’s Africa policy, citing the country’s democratic credentials, economic weight and regional influence.
“Nigeria is Africa’s largest democracy and one of the continent’s biggest economies. We see Nigeria as emblematic of India’s relationship with Africa,” he added.
Beyond diplomatic engagements, India is also using the summit to deepen commercial and cultural ties with African countries.
Singh revealed that business forums, cultural festivals, music and dance events, as well as Track Two diplomatic engagements involving academics and private sector players, would form part of the summit activities.
“One of the major components is economic dialogue. We have invited Nigerian businessmen, industrialists and chambers of commerce to participate and redefine how we engage economically,” he said.
India said bilateral trade between Nigeria and India currently stands at between eight and nine billion dollars annually, although both countries believe there is substantial room for expansion.
According to the envoy, discussions are ongoing on improving market access, reducing trade bottlenecks and unlocking new investment opportunities in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, digital infrastructure and education.
Singh also highlighted India’s growing interest in Nigeria’s creative and entertainment industries, particularly the rising global influence of Afrobeats music.
“The Afrobeats are becoming increasingly popular in India and names like Wizkid and Davido are not just famous in Nigeria but globally recognised and increasingly popular in India,” he said.
He further stressed India’s readiness to expand collaboration with Nigeria in information and communications technology, noting that India’s global strength in ICT and digital innovation presents major opportunities for partnership with African economies.
Analysts say the renewed India-Africa engagement reflects New Delhi’s broader geopolitical strategy to strengthen economic alliances, secure new markets and deepen influence in Africa amid intensifying competition from China, the United States, Europe and Gulf countries for strategic partnerships across the continent.
For Nigeria, the summit is expected to open fresh opportunities for trade expansion, investment inflows, educational cooperation, technology transfer and cultural exchange at a time the country is seeking stronger international economic partnerships to support growth and diversification.
India Moves to Reset Africa Relations After 10-Year Gap, Targets Deeper Nigeria Partnership
Navy supports Adamawa community with classrooms, toilets
Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, the Chief of Naval Staff on Thursday inaugurated six blocks of renovated classrooms and newly constructed toilets at Central Primary School, Mayo-Belwa Local Government, Adamawa State.
Abbas, who was represented by the Rear Admiral Raheem Taofeek, said the project was a special intervention scheme and cooperate social responsibility of the Nigeria Navy to give back to the community.
According to him, the project is being executed by the Rear Adm. Abdulhamid Baba-Inna, the Navy Secretary in his hometown in line with the vision of President Bola Tinubu.
He encouraged the beneficiaries to use the facilities responsibly for maximum benefit.
In his remarks, Baba-Inna, said the project was to improve the learning environment to be conducive for the pupils and teachers.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, this project aligns squarely with the Nigeria Navy’s Civil-Military Cooperation and Relations framework.
“We recognise that our effectiveness is not measured solely by operational successes at sea or on the battlefield but also by the strength of our relationship with the people we serve.
“Projects such as this are deliberate efforts to build trust, foster goodwill and strengthen the bond between the military and civil society”, he said.
According to him, the classes and offices were provided with tables and chairs as well as the solar power light to enhance safety and security in the school.
Baba-Inna urged the pupils and teachers to take ownership of the project for maximum benefit.
In his remarks, Mr Adiyal Kurdah, Member I, Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board (ADSUBEB), expressed gratitude to the Nigeria Navy for such a project.
He said the project would significantly improve enrollment, retention and quality education in the area.
Alhaji Ardo Bamanga, District Head of Mayo-Belwa, described the project as a good legacy that would help to shape the character of children to be responsible citizens in future.
The event featured presentation of learning materials to pupils, tree planting, cultural displays and awards presentations.
Navy supports Adamawa community with classrooms, toilets
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