Jacob Handibe
Unlike its shadowy forefather, the Middle Belt Forum, will the so call novel elitist contraption known as Gongola Peoples Forum survives the test of time? As a northern christian minority, I will vociferously say no. And I’m making this confession with all sense of responsibility to speak nothing but the truth no matter whose ox is gored because I know only the truth will set us free.
My reason for this candid submission is based on the fact that it will be illusional for me to believe that a castle can be built in the air or more succinctly to believe that anything good can come out of an endeavor that is firmly rooted in blackmail, half truths and cheap lies.
This renewed move has confirmed to me that our so called Christian minority brothers are still not tutored enough to understand the rudiments, nuances and demands of the contemporary world as no one ensconced in the toga of prejudice, extremism, and discrimination will achieve anything good in a global space defined by the spirit of unity, inclusion, teamwork and friendliness.
The failure of the Middle Belt Forum which is by far a sturdier contraption than the so called Gongola Peoples Forum will have served as a veritable reminder that one can only succeed in the modern world if he cast away sentiments, prejudices, hate and blackmail and forge a common ground, establish mutual understanding and synergy with others as no one is an island to himself.
My worry for the disgruntled elites who want to set up another ethnic front in their renewed move for political capital is their crass failure to clearly convince me as a minority Christian in the first place why I should invest my energy in support of a movement whose aims, values and bearings I neither understood or can internalize within my system. To state the fact, I could not appreciate the group even from its face value.
My reasons are multiple, if we should be honest to ourselves, how can an organization christened Gongola Peoples Forum fails to carry in its fold people like former vice president, Atiku Abubakar who is the highest political office holder from the region? How can such an organization failed to include royal fathers with great history and significant influence like the Lamido of Adamawa and emir of Mubi?
Why do the organizers deemed it fit to give critical roles to people outside “Gongola” like Governor Muftwang, Nasarawa PDP governorship candidate in the last election et all and refused to include eminent and true sons of “Gongola” like Murtala Nyako, Samaila Numan, Professor Iya Abubakar, Aishatu Binani, Professor Tahir Mamman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the rest?
Going by my checks and findings, the word Gongola is a geographical entity which include the present day Adamawa and Taraba States. So going by that definition, Gongola Peoples Forum is supposed to be a front which will encompass all the people of Gongola regardless of their religion, ethnic identities and political affiliation. And for the rapid growth of such organization eminent, resourceful and influential members should be included to facilitate networking, financial support and mobilization.
Edging people like Atiku Abubakar and the numerous others that have been deliberately skimmed out, seemingly because of their religion or ethnic identities is un-strategic by every standard. Such double standards will continue to haunt this organization which instead of coming out to clearly identify itself as an ethnic or religious contraption preposterously decided to live in denial.
For me, the new Gongola Peoples Forum has failed all integrity tests going by its amorphous nature as all attempts I made to understand its structure, definition, values and direction have not led to any concrete answer. In fact, the more I interrogate the contraption, the more confused I become because my posers always led me to gaping emptiness.
Can I in all honesty just subscribe to this mantra on the premise of sentiments? Definitely no. In fact, I found it critically expedient to pen down this expose in order to disabuse minority Christians like me why they should avoid this renewed “divide and rule” method like a plague because behind the brutal facade is a quest for insatiable power and control of levers of authority only for the exclusive benefits of the elites who are in the forefront of this agitation.
The timing, sponsorship and venue of the renewed onslaught even made it more curious for any discerning Christian minority. It is pertinent for us to seriously scrutinize the intendment of this soulless, colorless and amorphous organization meant as a tool to fight the Hausa – Fulani hagemony which our mini-gods think they will achieve by whipping ethnic and religious sentiments.
From the grapevine I heard that a sitting governor who has posited himself as an ethnic champion is bankrolling the onslaught against the Hausa-Fulani hagemony thinking that he will use such a bait to get a space in the 2027 presidential election even though he rode on the crest of popular support of the Hausa-Fulani and their influence throughout his political sojourn to get to his present position.
One repugnant posture of the Gongola Peoples Forum which is ostensibly being used as an ethnic front for political bargain is that some of its champions have been conveniently lording it over others in their enclaves with impunity but only deemed it fit to desecrate the Hausa-Fulani group for the same offence for which they are deeply culpable. For instance, since 1999, all governors of Plateau State and their deputies are Christians despite the large presence of the Hausa-Fulani in the state.
In contrast, Kaduna State is similar to Plateau State in the distribution of ethnic and religious entities with Muslims and Hausa-Fulani having the greater numbers. In fairness to the Christians, the Hausa-Fulani ensure that a Christian emerges as the deputy governor of the state which is a far cry from what happens in Plateau State and heaven did not fall.
Another instance is that since 1999, the Tiv ethnic group has been governing Benue State despite the existence of Idoma and other big tribes. If these ethnic champions really want to be taken seriously they should have started this campaign from the roots before taking it to the national space since it is said charity begins at home.
In the course of our democratic journey, it has become apparent that states where these ethnic champions rule are some of the most badly governed states. Up till now Taraba State is amongst the most misgoverned states despite the fact that these ethnic champions and their ilk ruled the state. Till now, Taraba State capital is still like a conquered territory and wears the vestiges of rural enclave despite the huge resources to the state over the years.
The same thing happened to Benue State which was so much misgoverned to the extent that even payment of salaries became a yeoman’s job. The story goes all over the enclaves of the minority tribes, but they overlooked these shortcomings and only looked at other’s lapses.
Most of those in the league of bashing the Hausa-Fulani ethnic stock and the new ethnic champions have either directly or indirectly benefitted from the benevolence of the Hausa-Fulani magnanimity. Whether we like it or not, the northernisation policy of late Sardauna of Sokoto which gave all northerners equal opportunities regardless of religion and ethnic affiliation was responsible for the empowerment of ethnic nationalities in the north.
Sardauna at the expense of his own political ambition, single handedly selected a non-Fulani ethnic national, Tafawa Balewa and made him Nigeria’s prime minister. He also made sure that people like professor Ishaya Audu, Sunday Awoniyi, Most Reverend Mathew Hassan Kukah and General T.Y Danjuma, and a host of other minorities were given opportunities to excell in their chosen professions. He built education institutions across the length and breadth of the north which is the main reason why the ethnic nationalities fighting Hausa-Fulani hagemony kindred today became educationally empowered to wage such ethnic wars now.
If you go down the history lane, these ethnic settings are disparate groups of individuals that live on the spoils of war by conquering and decimating each other. Until the coming of civilization, nothing binded these groups together. It is apt to say that this group of strange bed fellows are neither linked by history, culture or language. They are merely linked by the lust for power and the fulfillment of their personal egos. so I have decided to count myself out of this charade.
Handibe writes from Makurdi.
