By Sunday Onyemaechi Eze
The usual rhetoric of marginalising the north and protecting the region’s interest has once again taken the centre stage. Hakeem Baba Ahmed — a leader of the Northern Elder’s Forum (NEF) recently reinforced the usual position of the north on national television. He warned that marginalisation of the region should stop and that no candidate can win the 2027 elections without the northern support. He further emphasised that; the north would soon define its political direction. “In the next six months, the North will decide where it stands. Incidentally, this was not the first time Baba Ahmed reminded Nigeria of the consequences of marginalising the north whenever the nation warms up for elections.
Before, the 2023 elections, this same man warned of marginalisation and protecting northern interest with the same gusto as he did during the interview. Marginalisation and protection of northern interest have been an elitist deceptive political tool used to ‘settle’ hungry northern leaders. With the above position coming from Baba Ahmed who served as the Special Adviser, Political — office of the Vice President a few months ago, it is evident that there is no longer any love lost between the All Progressive Congress and the northern elements which he represents.
One is befuddled by the sudden love for the north and resurgence of its interest which Baba Ahmed abandoned after the election was over for his personal political gains. This man Baba Ahmed does not cut out as the patriotic figure he portrayed himself before the 2023 elections. He is a far cry from having any ideological footprint or principles we all tended to believe he had before 2023. Politicians in Nigeria are good at obeying table manners — talk when you are not eating (out of government) and keep mum when eating (serving in government). Baba Ahmed and others stood on the same old relics of Arewa Platforms to fool many into believing that a prosperous Nigeria was their project and priority. They abandoned the man with clear and articulated vision for a better Nigeria in support of someone with cash freebies. After the election, this man took up an appointment with a government which came to power with many controversies and baggages of undemocratic imprints. Today, he is back again standing on the self-acclaimed righteous podium to blow the trumpet of northern interest after he was quietly relieved of his duty.
It is clear that marginalisation and agitation for northern interest has become a regular, lucrative elitist pass time. The benefits only reflect in deep pockets of northern leaders like Baba Ahmed and his group while talakawas (the poor) who are usually used as foot soldiers to further those interest are left to live, suffer and die in penury. They are only remembered in times like this and brainwashed to be used again when the likes of Baba Ahmed are denied crumbs from the national till. Speaking further in that interview, Baba-Ahmed, warned that; if the rest of the country wants to join us, fine. If not, we will go our own way. One thing is clear: nobody can become president of Nigeria without northern support,” he affirmed. He lamented the state of the nation and urged northerners to resist divisive and deceptive politicians ahead of the next general elections.
“We want a government that understands our problems and can address them. After Buhari’s eight years, we became wiser. Now, we are in another government, and we are still crying. Is crying all we know how to do?,” Baba-Ahmed queried. Reflecting on past experiences, he said, the north had suffered greatly during the Boko Haram insurgency, which affected all groups Muslims, Christians, Fulani, Bajju, and others highlighting the need for unity. “Before Buhari became president, Boko Haram was bombing mosques, churches, Abuja, and Lagos. That was a time northerners had to unite. Today, no politician can just show up and expect northerners to fall in line. Who are you?,” he asked.
He warned against further marginalisation of the north, noting that continued disregard for the region would have consequences. “If they plan to rig the election, they should be careful. It won’t be good for Nigeria. The north is watching. Elders, masses, and interest groups will soon say ‘enough is enough.’ The injustice and sidelining must stop,” he said. Baba-Ahmed also urged the region to look beyond identity politics, stressing that competence and integrity should guide voter decisions. “We are tired of being deceived into voting based on religion or ethnicity. That era is over. We just want a right leader let him fall from heaven, we just want someone who will solve our problems,” he said. He concluded by asserting that the northern electorate had learned hard lessons from past choices and would approach 2027 with a new mindset.
Let it be stated in clear terms, that northern electorates are bad students of history — they had learned no hard lessons from past choices they made and would still approach 2027 with the same skewed old mindset powered by the intents of northern elites and cry later. The northern electorates will surely be led by their noses as usual and misled by their leaders. These same people who mount the podium of northern interests are the same deceiving the north while their personal interests take centre-stage. This position and grandstanding have been the political context and old fashioned antics of the northern hegemons deployed to exert influence and extract patronages weaved around regional or tribal interests. Many high profile northern figures who depend on political hand outs and government patronages are hungry.
Therefore, somebody has to clearly deliver the message to Tinubu, others who intend to contest for the president and the mantle fell on Baba Ahmed — the regular face of agitation for northern interest and one who knows a bit of this government’s weaknesses. Nobody should take this man and his group seriously because they created the monster they now tend to fight with their votes. There was no gain reiterating the fact that this government has failed and deserves no second term in 2027, but believing the marginalisation story of Baba Ahmed and his group is a senseless old rhetorics or better situated — hypocrisy.
One wonders why what he and northern interest groups often brings to the table is the issue of marginalisation. The north is overwhelmed by terrorism, crime and criminality. Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping and banditry have become insurmountable, but the likes of Baba Ahmed have no answers to the over a decade scourges. The best they do is window-dress the evil and move on. He is back at what he knows how to do best. As usual backed by powerful northern individuals who love themselves and families more than the entire north. Subterfuge is the game.
• Eze is a lecturer, Department of Mass Communication and Head, Internationalisation and Partnership, Coal City University, Enugu