OPEN LETTER TO THE GBAGYI NATION Dear Brethren, Let me tell you a very short story. I was born in 1989. And I came to the realization that, and this is especially true of our country, Nigeria, ones ethnicity is ones first means of identity (identification?), the day I was asked to fill my Local Government Indigenization form. I could already read and write by the time I got promoted to primary three, so Mother allowed me to fill the form myself (I was in primary five at this time). I got stuck on article 3 of the form which asked me to indicate my ethnicity. That was the first day I became aware of my identity as a Gbagyiza. I could not spell GBAGYI even though I spoke the language well enough, to the best of my ability. Back home that day I queried Father for not teaching me to spell Gbagyi, because as at then I could spell the three major languages and some. But I remember till today the inexplicable feeling, of pride and belonging-ness that murmured through my veins as Father taught me to spell and properly pronounce Gbagyi, my language. This happened sometime in 1998 and ever since I have remained a very proud Gbagyiza. End of story. I started this letter with my year of birth because I know you, my people. Those of you who were born in the 20s, 50s, and 70s - even early 80s - are going to scream blue murder to remind me that I am just a small boy. Well, I love to remind myself of how old I am so no need. More importantly, this letter is targeted at Gbagyi youths between the ages of 18 to 45. If you are above this age rage then you are either part of our problem or part of those who lacked the spine to ask questions, contest authority, and stand up for what is right. Dear people, I am tired, of: 1) being invited to events to listen to self-acclaimed Gbagyi scholars and thieving politicians who only excel in speaking embarrassing grammar and championing The Art of Unintelligible Sloganeering; 2) listening to ceaseless complaints against, and about, Federal Governments infringement upon our heritage; 3) having to condone some primary seven (7) oldie claiming leadership over me - and actually tackling issues like the world has been on a pause since 1970; 4) listening to some of our parents, most of whom did not go to school themselves, crucify us for going to school proper, and; 5) tolerating my fellow Gbagyi youths who rage over our elected office holders for shortchanging us, but bow to a thousand naira or ten during electioneering period. We have been deceiving ourselves for too long and, by virtue of this letter, I seek to wash my hands clean so that I can comfortably say to my kids, listen, I contributed my quota. I wish to hereby reiterate the same suggestions that I have offered in private and at public gathering of Gbagyi people: First off, if any of you think that we can take up arms against the government anytime soon then you obviously need a rude shock back to reality. If any of you actually believe that government is our first, second, or even, third immediate problem, then, Im sorry but, you have been stupid and have been had. We are our very own problem, because government is not in charge of our representation at local, state, and national levels. We are; and we do receive monthly, quarterly, or yearly allocation as due us - through our elected representative. Government is not responsible for blatant refusal by Dr. Peter Yohanna to pay the much budgeted and overdue scholarship money for students of the Bwari Area Council; government has done nothing to prevent us from stopping Yohanna from continuously allocating public lands to himself and his cronies; government did not order some Gbagyi traditional leaders to sell off certain communal lands around Karu and environ; I can most definitely assure you that President Goodluck Jonathan has no hand in the allocation of a communal farmland in Kubwa to one Hamza who in turn sold said land to Dantata who is presently building an estate on said land. Today, a Koro man is the paramount ruler of Bwari, a Gbagyi kingdom. How did this happen? A few Gbagyi people who were in government and didn’t want to see the late Esu Dimmas become Emir at a tender age of 18 or 23 went and convinced J. T Useni to install the Ija-Koro stranger instead. Some months ago this emir ordered the arrest and detention of a Gbagyi boy. Why? Because the said boy went about ‘attacking the emir’s good name and office,’ whatever the hell that means. Anyway, this, like several other similar happenings lends credit to my argument that our fight must be internal, first. Yes, the Federal Government – through certain individuals, of course – deceived our forefathers into leaving the center of Abuja which they originally inhabited. But damn, dear brethren, that singular incidence has been over flogged such that it now sounds like a hit song of a sort when narrated. We need to come clean with ourselves. The Gbagyi man who facilitated the deception of our forefathers has retired from active service after he was rewarded with a stint as an ambassador to some stupid country. Why are we shielding him only to heave all blames on the Federal Government as if FG suddenly developed legs and the ability to spin lies then came to our forebears? There abound theories that: a) our grandparents were duly compensated – monetarily and otherwise; b) some Gbagyi elites received some very hefty checks from some dubious elements in government to frustrate our attempt to get due compensation from the Federal Government. I know that we can all prove that our grandparents (or parents, as the case may be) never received any form of compensation apart from the ridiculous four-rooms-per-family red bricks houses that were meant to serve as temporary resettlement. Now, the second theory making rounds makes me wonder: what is really happening to the court case instituted by the Kubwa community against the Federal Government seeking proper compensation, resettlement, and damages done to our people over the years? – how come details of the progress of the case has now become a strongly guarded secret? – why do elders keep saying that certain documents cannot and must not be made available to the youths? When Senator Sidi Ali who is even non-Gbagyi was frustrated out of the senate for suing the Federal Government on our behalf while spontaneously – singlehandedly – sponsoring several bills in the senate, where were our parents and those buggers who are now becoming fat like pigs since they got elected into government? In short who fought him out of the senate? Aha! We cry and bang our heads against walls but do nothing to enforce accountability or to even do some whistleblowing. Honestly, sometimes I wonder whether you, my people, behave this way because it is in our blood as Nigerians to merely complain then forget and wait until history repeats itself, then begin to complain again. Most of you just enjoy to King Kong about, screaming, “hey, we own Abuja,” even though you and your fathers have no knowledge of when the next bulldozer will arrive at your doorstep. You are as funny as the rapper who borrows money to rent flashy cars and pay classy models that he cannot otherwise go close to, just to shoot a music video that will allow him to jump around with his dick in his hand, shouting, “yo! Money I got, dem girls I bang;” as stupid as the politician who pays heavily to hire a crowd and invite the press to cover the rented crowd’s solidarity call on him to “come and contest and save your people.” Yadayadayada. The only realistic, hence most effective, solution to this cancerous problem is to deal squarely with our traditional and political leaders. And with ourselves, as youths. What must be done: we must become more vociferous in our demands for inclusion in deliberations concerning our respective communities. We are educated, way more than some of our parents, so we should comfortably and confidently demand that we get due representation both in the palaces of the district heads and in the political equation. Then we must become more politically active; vote out these buggers and contest political offices ourselves. No be two heads dem carry na. We must resist their high handedness and the use of police to instill fear in us. I mean, we are young and on the street; they should fear us, not the other way round. We must press for answers to more pressing questions and spit on those amongst us who are sold outs. I am very well aware of fair weather activists that have sprout all over Gbagyi lands like weed on Columbian soil. We must maroon these bastards, too. The violence, dear brethren, that you are stocking up for the federal government should be directed to those who claim to be fronting for our cause but are in earnest only making noise to attract some form of settlement. The political situation and fate of the Gbagyi people of Niger is topic for another. A very pitiful one. By the way, have you heard that Governor Muazu Babangida of Niger state has been endorsed to run for the Senatorial seat on ‘the ticket of the Niger North-East senatorial ticket’ or something ridiculous like that? Oh, but just recently during the bye-elections when I screamed FOUL PLAY you told me to shut up that I am only but a child. Oh?! Anyway, we should talk about this in my next open letter (when I am able to make out time and write it, shey?). Come what may, do what you must, just be ready to, - like Ishaya Bako said –, when your child will look up to you and ask what you did when things were getting out of hand, have a good answer. I shall continue to do my bid, long as I can. It is with a clear conscience that I say you, dear brethren, Mizhi Gbagyiza nu, Tukura John Atnadu Daniel. Saisu. https://m.facebook/story.php?story_fbid=806974985992211&id=100000391516877&comment_id=807089885980721&offset=0&total_comments=5&_rdr
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 08:47:43 +0000
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