Is it laughable? Indeed very ludicrous and mayopically naive and infantile to think that power and how it is exercised is a regional exclusivity.
Each time I hear or read about the biblical show of Goliath’s arrogance and intimidation to the Lord’s chosen (Israelites) I remember the brags and entitlement spirit of the northern oligarchy.
They feel they are the “Lord and Master” of Nigeria. Holding power and distributing it as it pleases them; living in the euphoria of holding the ace of violence and brashness .
They do any how both in politics, public and civil services with no apologies; after all they claim to be the “owners” of Nigeria and its fullness.
They brag about having the highest population, still beggarly. In charge of power and authority still underdeveloped. Controls institutions of secret intelligent and security services still ravaged by the ugly trends of insecurity.
When people like Hakeem Baba-Ahmed talk on behalf of Northern Elders’ Forum one sees a Goliath, destined to fall in shame and derision.
Goliath was a philistine Army general, huge, intimidating and fiercely brutal with his armories.
Each time he comes out, the camp of the Israelites becomes a death zone, no reactions, frozen only in fears and anxiety.
He comes in his full force of military might, with an aura of invincibility trailing all around him.
To the Israelites he was a god in human skin, bigger than their God, on whose palm the universe sits.
This, sadly has been an unfortunate script many Southerners play out in their heads. They arrogate undue power, aura and authority to them, until they speak nothing happens and until they endorse nothing is approved.
As at of 1 January 2021, the population of Nigeria was estimated to be two hundred and eight million, nine hundred and ninety four thousand eight hundred and thirty five thousand (208,994,835) people.
This number is distributed across the two major zones( North and South) . In line with the electoral system the President is elected by qualified by an absolute majority and at least 25% in two-thirds of the states is required for a candidate to be elected.
What then is 2/3 of 36 states? 24 states of course. It means, for anyone to become a president of Nigeria, he or she must have the highest number of votes cast as well as having 25% of votes cast in 24 states? How many states are in the north ? Nineteen States.
From this simple calculation the claim of Akin Baba Ahmed is flawed and highly deceptive.
“Eliab, David’s eldest brother, heard David talking to the men. He was angry with David and said, “What are you doing here? Who is taking care of those sheep of yours out there in the wilderness? You cheeky brat, you! You just came to watch the fighting!” “Now what have I done?” David asked. “Can’t I even ask a question?” He turned to another man and asked him the same question, and every time he asked, he got the same answer. Some men heard what David had said, and they told Saul, who sent for him. David said to Saul, “Your Majesty,6 no one should be afraid of this Philistine! I will go and fight him.” “No,” answered Saul. “How could you fight him? You’re just a boy, and he has been a soldier all his life!” “Your Majesty,” David said, “I take care of my sheep” (1Sam 17) please further.
The above is a succinct narration of what plays out vis-a-vis Northern empty arrogation of power distribution to themselves and the intimidation of the Southern Eliab’s by such a chaffy braggadocios.
For such Southern Eliabs they think by truckling to Northern Goliaths, hobnobbing and slavishly eating from the crumbs of our collective table, would after a while be given an enviable positions at the table of banquet.
To Baba Akin Ahmed of the Northern “Goliathian brashness” and sarcasm, to the Eliab of the Southern cowardice, fear and discouragement, the Southern Davids are in the building. They would not be intimidated anymore by the ranting and verbose claims of the Northern Goliaths nor would they be discouraged by the fearfulness and politics of “ratu ratu and Ebe iri yere”( Stomach infrastructure ). Of many of our Southern brothers.
The politics of David’s strategic move from the gang of status quo to a new dawn of self awareness and frontal attack is the game!
Nobody owns Nigeria. No single zone can successfully produce a president without collaboration and formation of alliances with other zones.
To even think of such is infantile and overbearing if not senile.
If the Northern Goliaths think they have the numbers to win elections without other zones, would such a number be so productively independent to survive without any economic/ revenue sharing alliance and support with other zones? May be Akin Baba Ahmed can answer this.
It is about time the south stopped indulging the north. We have played this weakling of a card too long. This is the time to be “Davidic” in our political permutation and strategy.
Power is not given; rather it is taken by those who are not beggarly and hobnobbing in approach for hand-outs but those who are deliberate, strategic, courage, ready to chart a new course for a new dawn of political ideology of fairness, selflessness, productivity etc. Far away from what we see our politicians shamelessly display in the name of. …
We are Eagles not chicks!
We are not vultures, we are lions, we eat what we kill not what is handed to us in a dead mode.
We are the South not second class and as such can’t play the second fiddle in this country. WE DIE HERE!
