By Ochereome Nnanna
TODAY, I address Kawu’s ignorant assertion that I hate Islam and the North. In particular, I will disprove the effete pablum inherent in this statement: Unfortunately, Nnanna’s deep-seated hatred for the North and strong anti-Islam bias won’t allow him to find reason in anything concerning his object of hate.

I agree that those insufficiently exposed should not be allowed to pretend as commentators on national issues. They will pass their ignorance to unsuspecting readers. Being able to string together a few words in the English language is not enough. I have questions for Kawu.

How many states outside the North has he visited? How many of his friends are non-Northerners? Has he read any literature on Igbo, Eastern, Yoruba or Western affairs? What does he understand by Christianity and the world view of Christians, who make up the other half of Nigeria outside the Muslim community?

Let me answer the questions for myself. I performed my youth service in Niger State. I spent the first four years of my working life in a weekly publication funded by the Niger State Government, known as Weekly Newsline. I served in the Cultural Division of the Niger State Council for Arts and Culture when Mr Ibrahim Sokomba was its Director. I had the great privilege of learning much about the fascinating cultural tapestry of Northern Nigeria. In my 24 years as a full time practising journalist, I have travelled to 17 out of the 19 states in the North (with only Gombe and Zamfara states outstanding).

I have made friends, both high and low, from across the North’s two main cultural and religious divides. In fact, I have just finished and submitted my own portion of a biography on a distinguished Northern Nigerian who, despite knowing my ideological bent, still considered me good enough to join the three-man team of authors. I am in touch with the biggest Islamic and cultural figure in Nigeria and beyond. He greets me every Easter and Christmas and I most humbly return felicitations in kind during all Islamic fiestas. If these prominent Northerners/Muslims do not see me as an enemy of their section or religion who is Kawu to do so?

Secondly, I have personally monitored an educational programme in Jigawa State and today I can testify how come Professor Ruqayyatu Rufai emerged Minister of Education who has been found worthy of reappointment in President Goodluck Jonathan’s elected regime. I challenge Kawu to mention one single similar programme he has undertaken to help improve the lives of people in Northern Nigeria (let alone other parts).

In January 2007, then Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Professor Charles Soludo gave a lecture to a group of young Northern intellectuals in Kaduna at their invitation. He told them that the North (especially North West) going by available records, was the most bedevilled by poverty. He singled out Jigawa as the poorest state in Nigeria.

Out of personal concern, I decided to interview the outgoing Governor, Saminu Turaki (who had spent almost eight years in power) and Alhaji Sule Lamido, who had just won the PDP governorship ticket for the state. An angry Turaki exploded in a torrent of abuses on Soludo and unceremoniously ended the interview. Lamido, however, told me that though the news was embarrassing to him he would tackle the phenomenon. He challenged me to monitor the situation and tell Nigerians what I observed; a challenge I readily took up with particular interest in the educational sector.

After he was sworn-in, I visited Jigawa and was taken round the schools in Dutse, Hadejia, Birnin Kudu and Gumel areas. The condition of the boarding facility at the College of Arts and Islamic Studies in Hadejia was just another example of the extreme wickedness and neglect of leaders upon their fellow citizens. I lack space to describe it.

A year later, I was back in Jigawa, and the picture had changed dramatically. Lamido had gone into partnership with banks and many of them took over the renovation of institutions in the state. He declared free and compulsory education for girl-children to university level. He brought a Jigawa indigene, Professor Ruqayyatu Alkali, the Dean, Faculty of Education at the Bayero University Kano, to help in turning the situation around as Education Commissioner.

I lack the space to display the figures of this dramatic turnaround. Suffice it to say that today, Jigawa is no longer the poorest state in the North West and the most educationally disadvantaged. Zamfara (the Sharia watershed) is now holding that unenviable title. Prof Alkali is now coming back to the Jonathan cabinet to help implement the policy of planting a federal university in each state of the federation, and no one is raising voice of dissent due to her proven abilities and track records.

Lamido’s feat perfectly ties up with a pioneering effort by Northern leaders in the early 1950s, which led to that region producing some of the nation’s brightest academics such as Professors Jibril Aminu, Iya Abubakar and Ishaya Shuaib Audu. During the constitutional talks towards Nigeria’s independence, the leaders of the North decided to raise funds to send their delegation to London to negotiate the independence terms on the Region’s behalf. Through taxation they were able to raise “a large sum” of £11,000. It was known as the kudin taimakon Arewa.

Fortunately, they got what they asked for without having to spend the amount. Rather than consume it as today’s leaders would, the fund was invested in the education of Northern youth, which made it possible for the various big men of the North that we know to burst from obscurity to dominate the affairs of this country for over 50 years.

The question is: Did they pay back by raising the next generation of educated brilliant Northerners? The figures which will be peddled in the next edition of this serial do not suggest so. They simply climbed the ladder and kicked it away, thus creating the Boko Haram phenomenon. Their counterparts from other parts of the country passed on the baton and set their people free.

Therefore, the Northern elite are in two parts: the genuine leaders and the hypocrites. The hypocrites are those who incubate backwardness among the Northern masses and call you an enemy of the North and Islam when you say the bitter truth.
More on Monday.