BOKO HARAM, COULD THE REAL SPONSORS BE AMERICA OR CHINA? ATA IKIDDEH I have kept an open mind over the Boko issue but i have often wondered, if it is remotely possible Boko Haram, a mob of arrow carrying religious fanatics up on till 2007 are being sponsored by sinister forces we could never imagine, through jihadist fundamental groups from North Africa acting as some camouflage. Is it possible that even Boko Haramist may themselves not even know their main sponsors? Are the real forces behind Boko Haram American or Chinese, to destabilise and bring us to our knees. Just a thought. Africa has become the new battle ground between China and America. Why? Africa still has large tracks of undiscovered land with inexhaustible mineral resources still to be discovered . As the world becomes increasingly industrialised, Africa remains the last hope as the store house for raw materials to service these industries for the next 1,000 yrs. Sounds farfetched, eh? The white man in planning, plans 100 yrs ahead, while Africans plan for next week, next month or if they are extra prudent, next year. When Britain colonised the world Nigeria included, it was because British industries needed secure avenues for raw materials to service its industries. Colonisation was more economic than political; thats why the Sahara desert was was not colonised. That process of colonisation began in 1914 after series of meetings and summits from the Berlin conference, organised for the final economic scramble and partition of Africa. When Britain took over Nigeria they had a vision to control Nigeria, if possible, for more than a 100 yrs. British officials easily identified Northern Nigeria as a political ally through indirect rule. The Southerners were too restive, their sons had gone abroad and brought back the message of the liberation struggle, sponsoring and churning out thousands of anti colonial articles and newspapers. Juxtapose this with the North at that time, the North was peaceful, their business men like Dantata were opening huge bank accounts, hiring ships laden with tons of groundnuts and sailing to Ghana & Liverpool, turning the nuts to oil food and lubricants to keep British industries running. The average Northerner was very much like the British, honest, trust worthy & principled. While the inhabitants of the Southern protectorate were too intellectual, challenging & restless. Both had resources Britain needed , the South had Oil and Cocoa, the North - cotton and groundnuts. But it was easy to see why the British chose the North as a closer political ally than the South. It was a show of this trust the method of rule was different ; one because of the trust had indirect rule, the other because of mistrust had direct rule. More like how youd manage children, the stubborn child needs a firmer grip. But be that as it may the North were more favoured because of their special relationship with the British, that was why militarily they were trusted more. Northerners were encouraged to enlist in the army. It is difficult to say if there was a deliberate policy by the British to militarise the North, what is however clear is that while the Southerners were going to school and flying abroad to study, the North were in the army, its therefore not a coincidence that of all the 8 military men that have ruled Nigeria only 2 have been Southerners Ironsi & Obsanjo) , 1 North Central ( Gowon), 5 Core North ( Muritala, Buhari, IBB, Abacha, Abdulsalami). Added to this fact, the NDA was established and still remains in the North. Some people have posited that this special relationship culminated with the British colluding with the North to give an impression of a greater population size, these conspiracy theories are neither here nor there, there are no facts or evidence to prove either. What is clear however ,is that, the British in 1960 bequeathed us with a nation that was deeply divided along clear border lines along River Benue. A great nation, very powerful but also equally very weak because of its deep divisions. The nation was weak, weak enough to keep the colonial masters, the West, in perpetual control. Today that nation Nigeria still politically and economically still refers to itself as North and South, a legacy from the 1914 Northern and Southern protectorates. It therefore no surprise that the British by proxy were still in firm control after 1960. Oil was an added incentive, British controlled oil companies flooded our shores. Perhaps Britain did not know the contraption they put together in 1914 was going to become the most populated black nation on earth now called the giant of Africa. But by the late 60s the age of the British civilisation began to ebb and America emerged slowly after the 2nd world war, the baton of control passed from Britain to America. In 1960 Nigerians were happy to fashion their political system after British Westminster but in the late 70s all that changed as we adopted the American system of govt in our constitution. Now in 2014, a new power called China is slowly emerging from the East, is it possible that 70 yrs from today, Africa will become a Chinese sub continent and Nigeria one of the vassal States? Is it possible that the Boko Haram struggle is an important arm in that power shift , a sort of shadow struggle, while the real struggle is going on behind the political curtain- a struggle between America and China for the control of the Nigerias soul, it does seem far fetched, but look back 100 yrs and it all fits. TO BE CONTD. Ata Ikiddeh
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 10:03:25 +0000
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