A Clarion Call to All Northerners
Muhsin ibn Umar Alkana
AREWA AGENDA – Currently, the major challenges we face here in the North are the high cost of living standard and lack of security in some major parts of our states, such as Katsina, Kaduna, Zamfara and Sokoto.
That is why; I felt it necessary at this juncture, to make some remarks, which I believe shall clarify the situation to us, as to how we find ourselves in these situations and some possible ways we can push forward.
In order that we can avoid the foreseen dangers that lurk within our current mindset as regard to these issues. This is becauseif we neglect the understanding of these said matters, we are likely to put ourselves in a more dangerous situation than we are in now.
The first problem has to do with the high cost of living, which has plagued this region (Arewa) for some time now, but what makes it even worst, was the closure of our borders by the present day Administration under the leadership of President Muhammad Buhari.
This has led to an increase in the consumer prices of food stuffs and other means of daily subsistence. And honestly speaking, this has made life miserable to the poor and middle class members of this society. But if we care to look back to the situation we left, before this high cost of living, and if we look forward to the progress we will make, if we do the right things, we shall find the situation bearable.
When we understand this, we come to see that, this high cost of living is temporary, but we have to do the right thing, otherwise, we will end up having suffered greatly, to remain where we were yesterday or even worst.
Now, let’s take a closer look as to why our borders were closed in the first place, and try to decipher for ourselves, whether it is the right thing to do or not?
No country or nation, not yet, which has ever succeeded, in the entire course of history, up until today, in whatever way it defines success, that do not produce, what it consumes, on a daily basis. That is why the closure of the our borders, if it’s intended on us, in order for us to produce what we consume, is in the best interest of the people of Nigeria, especially we the Northerners, since we are the ones to produce the food. And with that, we will come to have job opportunities and increase in our internal revenues.
In fact, we formerly understand this, but the reason we now persist in our cries is because we cannot be certain again, if this is still the case.
I’m neither speaking for any leader nor any party, but I merely wish to establish the truth. But the reason we close our borders was because the long term salvation of our country, Nigeria, rest first and foremost on our ability to feed ourselves.
The revenue that our government has today on ground, which is circulating in the hands of the people, that we can use to purchase imported goods, is precisely, as a result of Crude Oil Resources.
If we do not have such revenues, no nation will sell to us its own commodities because we cannot afford to buy. All that we presently enjoy today, which are being imported to us, are a result of abundance of crude oil resource that we have, which the Europeans value at the time.
But unfortunately for us, crude oil will soon become less useful and subsequently less valuable in terms of exchange price; that we can no longer depend on it, and with that, our purchasing power to import goods from abroad will drastically diminish.
That is to say, we would no longer have the ability to buy food from abroad and we will be forced to consume what we have at the time, and if we cannot feed ourselves. Then chaos, havoc, crisis, war and famine will become the inevitable consequence.
Knowing this will be difficult for anyone to understand easily. Let me sight a scenario that I hope will clarify the issue politely. The food stuffs and general goods that we import are not ours by divine rights. They are a result of indirect trade. We give the Europeans crude oil, and they give us food and general goods, with currency as standard of measurement.
That is why we are able to buy imported goods in large quantities. In fact, if we look keenly, there are countries in Africa, which have greater demands than us, they are even poorer than us (and they are the majority). Why don’t they import the food and goods they would like to consume, like us?
Simply, because they do not have what the Europeans deem useful to trade with at the time.
It is very important we understand this point, even at the cost of repetition. We have crude oil which the Europeans need at the time. We give them crude oil, they give us money, and we use the money to buy food and goods.
It’s like what we the Hausas invoke to explain trade by barter, “ban gishiri in baka manda”. However, on the day that we do not have salt, then nobody will give us good manure (manda). So crude oil makes us to have money in our hands to import consumer goods from abroad.
But too bad for us, in the recent future, The Europeans will stop needing crude oil, because they have found better ways to generate energy by using solar and other resources that are more affordable.
Again, other advanced civilization that currently produce fuel from crude oil have found new and better means of manufacturing these said crude oil products, with Saudi Arabia and Russia leading the way.
During this lockdown, sometimes in March, oil prices have fallen drastically because of their conflicting interests to showcase how cheap they can sell fuel, that Nigeria couldn’t mine its own crude oil, because the mining cost was greater than the selling cost at the time. And that was why after the lockdown, we have to revise our budget for the year.
Again other African countries have discovered oil and are said to begin mining and commercial production of fuel in the next few years.
This, in summary means, for any good observer, that oil prices will fall in the global market permanently, and will not rise again. But for a more satisfying explanation, seek experts in economics.
More so, our birth rate is also high, due partly to our religious and cultural sentiments, which is a good thing to do, if we can take care of them. But this presuppose that in the next few years, our population will grow so much so that if we cannot feed ourselves, no country will be able to feed us, for whatsoever reason.
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In this regard, I would like to point out that Almighty God, Allah (S.W) who created us, help those who help themselves.
So based on these aforesaid facts, in my best understanding, closing our borders, is the right thing to do.
So a more lasting solution is for us to engage whole heartedly in commercial Agriculture, and to invest money and skill into it. We should strive to provide reliable and knowledgeable people with modern farming equipment in order to do business. We should also work together to open large and small scale food processing industries. This will ensure that in the long run, we can feed ourselves, our youths can get employed and we can develop fully.
Our merchants today are boasting that money is in their hands, but they have forgotten that not so long ago, many of them migrated from villages to the city in search of wealth during the commercial era. But fortunately, things have changed, and now we are approaching the agricultural era.
So much so that, for anyone who seeks a suitable and sustainable source of wealth, he should endeavor to engage in commercial agricultural or invest in food processing plant or a manufacturing industry that cannot be easily compromised.
Because even if we are to open our borders, our wealth will grow only in the short term, but in the long term, we will not have the income to buy food stuffs and goods from abroad, considering the strength of our economy at the said time, therefore commercial farmers will be the winners, sooner or later.
Now if we look keenly, we see that rice processing industries are becoming more and more numerous here in the North, especially where I live, Kano. Whoever goes to Kura LGA will testify. These rice mills, of which some are already operational, needs time to grow and we can begin to eat suitable rice at affordable price.
Another reason why we the populace should invest in agriculture for the long term is because, government stipends, no matter how large, do not lead to growth and progress without the effort of the people, for some obvious reason.
For example, in the agricultural sector, stipends do not reach the farmers as expected, rather, more than half of it goes to the donating institutions and firms. The remaining less than half, does not reach them on time. Up until after they have planted their crops, and possibly applied fertilizers. Therefore, by the time the stipends reached them, they spent it on their daily needs without thinking twice. Or if they be given resources like insecticides and fertilizers, they sell them to others for money. That is why all the billions/millions that the government will spend on agricultural development, are useless, as long as it is under this said pretense.
We have to feed ourselves and then we can get educated and we can then benefit ourselves and our society. We have to have industries, and then the youth can have a permanent job.
As for insecurity, specifically, banditry and the fight against it, let me tell you, in a nutshell, that these bandits whom in the day or night come to our villages to kill people, without any reason, and to subsequently flee to the bush, are set-up by the enemies of our country Nigeria.
But the reason is simply because; we have decided to feed ourselves. I’m not talking about kidnappers, Fulani herdsmen, or BH, but the so called bandits, that we do not know their aims and objectives so far. I save you time, reason no farther from now henceforth, it is because we have decided to feed ourselves.
There are those, who see the failure of our military personals in this regard, but that is not the reason for the persistence of this banditry. In fact, considering the situation of our country, the Nigerian Army are doing their best, and they deserve our applaud or the least our goodwill and prayers. But as regards to the persistence of these vices, do not take my words alone.
The late Dan Masanin Kano, Dr Maitama Sule, narrates a true story during one of his early interviews after the 1967-1970 civil war. When he said that (not in words but in effect) ‘when Nigeria entered the Biafran civil war in 1967, they went to the Western Nations for help, but one of the renowned economists and political scientist, a professor at Harvard at the time, called them into a private meeting, where he disclosed to them that, they should do their selves a favor, and go and find their own solutions.
Because, the conceptual West at the time has taken part in instigating the war, and that even subsequently, they will continue to inflict violence on Nigerians. Because their researches have shown that, We, The Nigerians, are smart and hardworking people, if they let us live in peace for long, we will feed ourselves, but that is not their problem. We will feed the entire Africa as a whole, and therefore, with that we will avail ourselves to money and resources as to compete with them in science and technology.
At that moment, countries such as Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, India, are all behind us. Even China, as unbelievable as it may sound was behind us.
But courtesy of poor governance, because we had bad leadership for long, both during military and democratic regimes, partly because our people took power and politics, to be the business of recalcitrant, rascal and selfish individuals, we were ruined. We were left with no education, no profession, and no peace.
And as long as we do not use our senses and stand firm in the ensuring that good people hold and steer the reins of our political power, but we remain inactive, being rest assured that one person holding the office of presidency can set us aright, now or afterward, we will be forever be doomed.
Because we need to have people of patriotism, wisdom and capacity serving at all level of our leadership from the Councilors, chairmen, Governors, down to our Reps members and Senators, amongst others, both elected and appointed members, before we can achieve the success we desire.
So we are humiliated, because those currently hindering our progress can rest, feeling secured, being rest assured that we have victimize one person, while they are the real culprits. And they will continue to destroy and destabilize us in our persistent false belief due partly to negligence, ignorance or both.
Nevertheless, if we want sustainable development, we have to be patient with the issue of closing of borders, since it is the right thing to do. We have to endeavor to take part in commercial agriculture and then we have to hold all our stake holders accountable for our difficulties, not one person.
This is my humble opinion of the said matter.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Arewa Agenda is a Publication of young writers from Northern Nigeria towards Peaceful Coexistence and National Development through positive narratives.
