Rather than continue to deny successes of this Sect, the Military and the Nigerian Government should use this and other information available to them and swing into action with the sole determination to halt this dangerous trend. The so-called Northern elders have, on their own part, done virtually nothing other than to talk endlessy on the pages of national dailies since the insurgency started in their region. Other than give the President ultimatum, they have remained in their respective comfort zones resorting to name-calling and cheap blackmail without a single positive course of action directed at stopping the menace. He whose house is gutted by fire does not raise alarm standing hands akimbo. But, with all his might, fights the fire with whatever available means he has until rescue and or help comes from his friends, wellwishers and his neighbours. This however, does not seem to be the case with the so-called Northern elders. They seem to forget the fact that most of the members of this sect, if not all, are of Northern origin, of Northern parentage, relations and or friends and ideologies. What did they do to halt this sects activities in their respective states at its infancy? What are they doing now, individuallly and collectively as a body to help the govenment succeed in its fight against the sect? Nothing, I mustt say. It is quite obvious that there is no credible regional leadership in the North capable of being heard and or respected by the sect that could call the sect to order and bring them to a roundtable dicussion with the government with a view to addressing its grievances, if any. Little wonder that there is so much division and bickerings along religious ideologies in the North, giving the sect a very loud religious colouration. This has made it virtually impossible for the North, once considered and adjudged as ONE in those good old days, to speak with one voice these days. Until the recent turn of events where muslims are killed and Islamic places of worship were attacked by the sect, most core northern people supported the Islamization agenda of the sect at its infancy. A notable core northern figure once said that the sect was fighting a just cause. But, what that cause was and how just it was then could not be spelt out by him then, neither had it been spelt out till date. One can almost imagine and predict their coversation and the air of mutual suspicion and hostility in and around he venues of the Northern Elders Forum or the Arewa Consultative Forum meetings each time they meet for the purpose of charting a new way forward for the region, a purpose or way they have not and may not be able to define for a very long time to come unless the religious undertones and mutual suspicions are either drastically quietened or permanently shut forever.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 15:16:09 +0000
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