Below is the text of my goodwill message at the just concluded Northern Elders/Leaders Forum held in Kano on 10th March, 2014 representing the Borno Elders Forum :- The convener of this august gathering Dr. Yusuf Maitama Sule the Dan Masanin Kano, The Deputy Convener Dr. Watarengh Paul Unongo, The Deputy Chairman Board of Trutee of ACF AVM Mukhtar Mohammed the Waziri of Dutse, Our own Prof. Ango Abdullahi The representative of the Kano state Governor, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Speakers and Northern delegates from all the Northern staes, Members of the Press and Security, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen. Assalamu Alaikum. I was asked by HE Amb. Usman Gaji Galtimari, the Chairman of Borno Elders Forum to represent Borno at todays occasion and to convey to you the greetings of the people of Borno, and most especially that of our leader, Dr. Shettima Ali Monguno CFR. May I also seize this opportunity to thank the leadership of the Arewa Elders Foeum for their continued support and concern over the problems of insecurity in our region and for their untiring efforts at confronting them head on. No doubt, our convergence here today could not have been possible without the tireless and inspiring efforts of our leaders. To me personally, and to men and women of goodwill, it has become imperative to salute you our leaders for your vision and foresight, and for applying your individual and collective energies, talents and enormous wealth of experience in not only standing for the values of our founding fathers, but also in steering the ship diligently. We salute you both individually and severally for shouldering countless burdens with vigor and commitment. As men of courage, humility and integrity, you represent what is good, righteous and worthy. I equally wish to commend and thank on behalf of the people of North East, our fearless women who came out to massively protest against the wanton killings of over fifty (50) school children in Yobe and other attacks on the innocent people in the North East especially in the UK, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Lagos. We thank them most sincerely. It is on this note that, I wish to briefly inform this gathering about the humanitarian crisis in Borno as a result of the continued killing of our innocent people. The current security challenges that we are battling in the North East of Nigeria and particularly Borno State calls for a serious concern, not only from the citizens of the affected states, but of Nigeria in General. A situation where an entire community is wiped out, places of worship destroyed without recourse to even women, children and the elderly is not just condemnable, but barbaric and cannot in anyway be linked to a particular religion. Sometimes one will ask are these people really human? As for those of us that are from Borno, we have been seeing hell; our people are constantly decimated, especially in the last few weeks. Our towns and villages razed, properties destroyed, schools and places of worship burnt, even innocent travelers were not spared. This is the catastrophe that should be condemned by all. In fact, a declaration of a mourning period throughout the North is even necessary. From Kawuri to Izghe, from Komduga to Bama, from Buni-Yadi t o Mainok, from Shuwa to Madaghali and from Mafa to Jakana, all within twenty days, tells you how vulnerable our towns and villages are, and how inept the mission to contain the crisis by government. Much as we know, the whole matter has nothing to do with the claimed intention of a section imposing their will on the others, or the issue of Sharia or making the country ungovernable for the President, or even a religious war as they want it to look. The most surprising thing about all this is the continued silence of the government and the deliberate non implementation of the reports on the insurgency starting with the Abdullahi Sarki Muktar report, the Gaji Galtimari and subsequent reports on the problem. This posture of the government and its inability to issue any statement on the killings is a confirmation of our earlier belief that Borno and indeed the North East is used as theatre of war in which actors and conspirators benefits in the execution of an agenda. We as Northerners must come together and collectively speak with one voice as did by Prof. Nur Alkali during a town hall meeting with the president who took offense with the presentation. We know there is a major conspiracy in this crisis and there has to be a limitation to it. Only our collective will can end this tortuous crisis in the region. We are always constrained to see anytime towns and villages were attacked; no meaningful effort is made by the federal government in sending relief or settlement of the internally displaced persons. Since the start of this ugly crisis, the State Government is the only agency that provides relief and moral support to victims of such attacks. But for how long? We should use this gathering to reflect back and see what went wrong? This catastrophe which has befallen us should be the concern of Northerners irrespective of tribe, region or creed. We do not have any topic more important than the security of our people. Those of you who are residing far away from should know that these people - fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles, friends and other citizens needed your sympathy and attention. We should also know that, unless we put our differences aside and face the realities of the moment, Wallahi! it will engulf, swallow and catch up with you wherever you are. Today, it may be our people in the towns and villages, but it will be yours tomorrow. Therefore, this is the time Borno needed you most, this is the time the North East needed you, this is the time the North realizes that this is not the problem of Borno alone, this is the time for Nigeria to act swiftly because our innocent people in the towns and villages needed your attention more than ever before. You should not fail them. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it is time for all of us to put aside our sentiments and hold on to our destinies. We have reached a point of no return and a point where we have to accept that the government has failed in their responsibility of protecting us, not because it is not capable, but because it lacks the political will to,do so. It is therefore paramount upon us as Northerners to start thinking about a way out. We have all it takes to,find solutions to our problems. Distinguished personalities despite our trials and tribulations, not many of us thought that our problems have transcended politics. The solution to,our problems neither lies with the PDP nor the APC, but it lies with you the Elders of Arewa. I call on you to critically assess the current situation, and think on how to help those poor peasants, who have not been able to farm last year and are not so,sure of this years farming. We should use our time to call on the wealthy members of our society to come to,their aid, our government is left to itself compensating and reconstructing destroyed towns and villages which makes it even more difficult to cope with other responsibilities. We must realize that, we cannot wait for,others to,rescue us at this critical period of our life. It has now become very clear that they do not care for us anymore. We are treated as foreigners in our land. The federal government has neglected us; the media has been negative to our plight and fueled the crisis to a proportion, while the international community seems to have turned their back. In fact, even some of our brothers in the North seem to not be with us. On a final note, I would like to,appeal to this august gathering that it is your duty as leaders and citizens of this great region to speak out or forever remain silent. It is your responsibility to inform the world that there is a humanitarian crisis in Borno and in the North East. The North East is now turned into a war zone. A war that is meaningless and fought behind the shadows. Until those who were named as supporters, financiers and allies to the Boko Haram were brought to justice, until the political Boko Haram were apprehended and prosecuted, until the operation to contain this madness is sincerely handled, lives of our innocent villagers will continue to be sacrificed. Thank you for your patience. May Allah see us through this nightmare, break the bone of all our adversaries, destroy all those who look at is with the eyes of contempt, bring down His wrath as did to pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Nimrod, Ad and Thamud. May He also descend on them as He descended on the Quraysh on the day of Ahzab. Oh Allah we are overwhelmed by calamities and we are surrounded by Your enemies, killing innocent women, men and children, ease our hardships, end this calamity and bring respite to Your slaves, for Art Thou the Helper, the Wise. Wassalamu Alaikum.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 16:09:46 +0000
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