Columns

The North and ‘Northerners’ The Fear of the Middle Belt

Published

4 weeks ago

January 17, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

The North and ‘Northerners’ The Fear of the Middle Belt

By: Balami Lazarus

When I recently read some works that are negative and biased on the Middle Belt, it dawned on me to put my contributions on this subject.

Several discourses and comments on the Middle Belt have put fear in the minds of many individuals in the north, fueled by the ‘Northerners.’ The work of one writer recently on the Middle Belt was insulting, where he called it the ‘Bible Belt,’ giving it religious interpretations without any historical considerations, undermining the fact that it has large numbers of other faithfuls, Moslems inclusive. I dismissed that work as fiction of his wild imagination with no specific genre to hinge his work on.

However, the response of Dr. Pogu Bitrus, the president of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), to a recent article by one Safyan Umar Yahaya on the Middle Belt spoke my mind. That piece gave the true picture of the sociocultural, political, and economic dynamics of the Middle Belt. And hence the birth of this piece.

The north today is where lives, properties, and investments are not safe. The three geopolitical zones that formed the geographical north are a theater of insecurity; homes for bandits, insurgents, and kidnappers; a hallmark of poverty and ignorance where economic activities are cornered and confined. Farming, movements of goods and services, for instance.

There has been a loud ethnic and religious nagging fermented in the cauldrons of sentiments nurtured by the ‘Northerners,’ which has created fear of the Middle Belt and streamed into the minds of the uniformed poor northerners. These have attempted to distort the struggle and agitation for the Middle Belt as a geopolitical zone yearning for a clearly defined cultural identity as a region with political representation. A mark of its geographical identity and expressions.

In this piece, I shall debunk the argument or the notion that the north is a unified bloc, giving my own reasons why it is not. The emergence of the Middle Belt in the body polity of Nigeria long before now has divided the north. For some, it is a recent phenomenon.

First, one has to clearly define the north. Is a geographical expression, and during the days of the late premier Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, it stretched from the banks of the Benue and Niger rivers to the Chad/Niger borders. The premier then wielded power and respect across the ethnic provinces that made up the north because of his sense of fairness and equity in the ways and manner he handled and discharged his duties and led the region. The north was a bloc with a common purpose and sense of unity. But today these have manifested themselves into ethno-religious sentiments, attacks, and discriminations from Hausa and/or Fulani vs. Christians. Kabilus that paints the pictures of Moslems or Christians in the north, and the ‘game’ is the Middle Belt.

For me, the present north has four definitions that emerged from the crooked activities of ‘northerners.’ These are political north, ethnic north, religious north, and geographical north, which has long been replaced with geopolitical zones.

The Balkanization of the north noticeably came to the fore long before now, where other ethnic groups who constitute part of the north population were not carried along in the scheme of affairs because they are either Arnes or Kabilus, who are considered parts of the ignorant oppressed Talakawas of the north.

The level of ethno-religious divide has caused discrimination between Christians and Moslems in the north. The Middle Belt agitations have further widened the space where the term “Arewa” means “Moslem north,” while “Middle Belt” means “Christian north” in the minds of bigots.

However, when you speak of the north, you need to ask yourself, which of the north are you referring to in respect of the definitions earlier mentioned? Similarly, if you say “Northerners,” which of the Northerners are you also referring to?

Time and space are making so many tribes/ethnic groups realize their cultural history and where they belong with pride of identity. Therefore, the Middle Belt is a fusion of different ethnic nationalities and the right to be different as a Nigerian.

Balami, a Publisher/Columnist 08036779290

The North and ‘Northerners’ The Fear of the Middle Belt

Columns

Anatomy of Electronic Platforms: The Honey Badger Attitudes/Character

Published

2 days ago

February 14, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Anatomy of Electronic Platforms: The Honey Badger Attitudes/Character

By: Balami Lazarus

As a young boy I have heard of this small-sized animal, the honey badger, called “Dagi” in the Hausa language, that belongs to the Mustelidae family of otters, weasels, ferrets, and a few others of its kind. It has a white, single stripe pattern on its back. Honey badgers are rated the most fearless animal on earth today, its size notwithstanding. It has no respect for territorial boundaries or the privacy of other animals in the wild.

Honey badgers move and hunt freely at any point in time. They are known for their large appetite; anything goes for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Honey juice and snacks are their favorites. Honey badgers fight other animals without hesitation, undermining the consequences. This is the behavior and activities of some individuals on their platforms.

The pictures painted in words are typical of the anatomy of some electronic platforms in this age of digital systems, where many more honey badgers have emerged.

I am a member of some platforms and am writing this piece from experience. As a groping participant of my platform who always tried to make meaningful contributions with glitches of qualitative and educative postings in an attempt to facilitate the free flow of information among members of my group.

Social platforms have made it easier for the free flow of ideas and information accessible to every member of the group, with information at his fingertips.

Platforms that are not properly organized or are not professionally inclined in accordance with their professions, trades, or vocations are always overtaken and controlled by members with the character and attitudes of honey badgers.

Electronic platforms are supposed to be a place where members are informed/receive good information or put on notice.

While bereavements, ailments, and other unfortunate postings are the traffic of some electronics platforms. More so, some are flooded with all such birthdays—humans and animals. In fact, some members are known for soliciting birthday wishes. Without apology, many are birthday beggars: “I am one today; celebrate with me.”

I pray leadership of platforms that are faced with such viruses should endeavor to make corrections to achieve their objectives.

Balami, Publisher/Columnist. 08036779290

Anatomy of Electronic Platforms: The Honey Badger Attitudes/Character

Columns

Hausa-Fulani is a political coinage created for Arewa numerical strength

Published

7 days ago

February 9, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Hausa-Fulani is a political coinage created for Arewa numerical strength

By: Balami Lazarus

For some time I have been reflecting on Hausa-Fulani as a self-created ethnic body that has no place in the history of Nigerian ethnic composition. Because there has never been any ethnic group known as Hausa-Fulani combined. Fulanis are Fulanis, while Hausas are purely Hausas who are of the Maguzawa extraction, the true and original Hausa race.

Without any doubt, the Fulanis are an independent ethnic group with distinct and unique culture and traditions, likewise the Hausas as tribes.

When and how did the phrase “Hausa-Fulani” come into being? The concept is a systematic political merger coined purely for Arewa numerical strength. Besides, it has never been used for economic development and progress in the north, where it is domiciled.

The term has long been in use within the north as a magnet to pull the northern Talakawa-Hausa-Fulani masses together as one and the same ethnic group, just like the political ‘Mu Yar Arewa’ for the benefits of the ruling elites.

I would like to bring to your attention whether or not the concept is a deceptive ethnic coinage limited to and circulating within and around the Hausa land.

A prominent mass communication expert and journalist, Prof. Ahmad Gausu (1993), once said that no true-blooded Fulani man will ever carelessly or jokingly claim and address himself as a Hausa-Fulani man. In his words, “Fulanis are Fulanis, Hausas are Hausas.” These are entirely distinct ethnic groups with different cultures and traditions. The phrase was coined to attract an ethnic and political majority rather than social unity.”

The Hausas have no common heritage with the Fulanis, who speak Fulfulde.

For this reason, there has never been any cultural identity/source material in language, traditions, and/or history to suggest that. Pursuant to this, one can find a wide gap that separates and distinguishes them as different tribes.

The claimants of this deceptive political ethnic phrase are beginning to vehemently reject the usage and are going back to identifying with their original ethnic background. Unlike the Pabir people, who are offshoots of the Bura ethnic nation with no ethnic background, who had humbled themselves in Bura culture and traditions, which gave birth to what is known today as the Bura-Pabir ethnic identity.

Balami, Publisher/Columnist 08036779290

Hausa-Fulani is a political coinage created for Arewa numerical strength

Columns

IBUAM: For Aeronautics and Aviation Management

Published

1 week ago

February 6, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

IBUAM: For Aeronautics and Aviation Management

By: Balami Lazarus

The comments/reactions of some readers to my recent work on Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management (IBUAM) Lagos were a mixed grill. And this made me respond and inform them through this work.

And that the title alone will tell them and other readers that the institution is of university standard allowed by law through the university regulatory body, the National Universities Commission (NUC), to run courses accredited like any other duly approved university academic program.

From the name itself, and if you mentally removed Isaac Balami, what you are left with is University of Aeronautics and Management. IBUAM is Africa’s first private aeronautics university, where young people are intellectually trained in the science of aeronautics engineering, aviation management, and operations to contribute their quota to nation building through the aviation industry, which is more privately driven.

Nigerian School of Aviation Technology Zaria (NSAT) is the only institution in Nigeria established and licensed to train future pilots on the techniques of practical flying. And the school does not have the status of a university, unlike IBUAM.

I have not, and I am yet to set my eyes on any course that has to do with flying offered at IBUAM Lagos. However, my findings revealed that “it does provide pilot training… equipping students with practical skills in aircraft maintenance, repairs, and operations.”

The Nigerian aviation sector is a money-minting industry that has dual economic benefits—air and land; revenues are generated through both of these means.

The establishment of IBUAM came at the right time, for it will produce graduates trained in aeronautics engineering, aviation management, and operations who shall offer their services for both the private and public sectors as aviation experts and administrators.

Balami, a Publisher/Columnist 08036779290

IBUAM: For Aeronautics and Aviation Management