Journey To The North

Journey To The North By Reuben Abati THE farthest that many Southern Nigerians have travelled in Northern Nigeria is Abuja, between the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and their destination within the city; as soon as whatever may have taken them to the Federal Capital Territory is ended, they rush back to the airport to catch the next available flight. I am just as guilty as every one else. The last time I went to Kaduna until I visited again, recently was about 20 years ago. Zaria even much earlier and then sometime in the 90s, I visited Professor Kyari Tijani's village in Borno state, outside Maiduguri, close to Lake Chad. .Jos is probably the most popular city in the North and many of us go there because it is a major centre for conferences and workshops, and like Kano and Kaduna, it has an airport. But to all intents and purposes, many Southerners particularly members of the middle class do not quite know the N...Read the full article.

BiafranPrincess · Apr 26, 2009 , 06:04 PM

Interesting piece! A real shame that we all go for 'summer' to London, America...even Ghana! and yet a lot of places to visit in our backyard....

emenanjo · Apr 26, 2009 , 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by BiafranPrincess

Interesting piece! A real shame that we all go for 'summer' to London, America...even Ghana! and yet a lot of places to visit in our backyard....

People go on holiday to places where there are reasonable spread of guaranteed security! In London, holiday makers still stroll about in their numbers at midnight and beyond. From London eye, Piccadilly circus, Tralfagar square to Tower of London, it is the presence of guaranteed security. And when a tourist retires to bed to sleep, he is expected to sleep with his eyes completely closed - not half closed or half opened.

Omowa2 · Apr 26, 2009 , 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by BiafranPrincess

Interesting piece! A real shame that we all go for 'summer' to London, America...even Ghana! and yet a lot of places to visit in our backyard....

This is NOT your typical travel story and it should not be read as such. Read between the lines and it will soon be evident what Ruben is trying to say. When you finish reading this piece dash quickly to NEXT and read what DO (Dele Olojede to non-initiates) also has to say. Did you read the bit about the President son in law? I bet the man will send a plane to Ruben to show him around the state. How can the state of the President's son in law be so written off...except the governor is really distracted will he not respond.
Pity we were not given a good account of a Modibo who took Ruben around...was it a bet fulfilled or was Ruben on a casual visit? Once we know a little more this political travel note will make real sense.
Omowa2

PS: Princess, I agree with you, I am just suggesting that there may just be more to take from this piece than Nigeria is beautiful come and fool yourself -

Anioma777 · Apr 26, 2009 , 07:22 PM

@Biafranprincess

I agree with you. I have often said visiting other states and seeing the real Nigeria is something people should do more often. Yes there are security anxieties, but I feel more safe in Nigeria than London. I am glad I am not in my late teens or 20s when I was galavanting around London. With the state of stabbings I really do feel for youngsters now.

Its a personal thing, but I would rather spend my vacations or go for the odd weekends to other parts of Nigeria when I finally move. By nature I love travel and I harbour an ambition to visit all 36 states or more in the future before I die.

If you cannot sell your country to your people, then how can you sell it to others. It is also a shame that many Nigerians through ignorance and cultivated stupidity hardly know even their surrounding areas.

abdulmumin · Apr 26, 2009 , 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by Omowa2

.
Pity we were not given a good account of a Modibo who took Ruben around...was it a bet fulfilled or was Ruben on a casual visit? Once we know a little more this political travel note will make real sense.

IS’HAQ MODIBBO KAWU: Africa Editor, Daily Trust
Kawu has worked in the media for over 27 years. He assumed duty as Editor of Daily Trust in June 2002. He was pioneer General Manager of the Kwara State Television Service (KWTV), Ilorin between 1997 and 2002; he reported at different times for BBC World Service, Radio Nederland International, Radio France International and had worked for Radio Nigeria and Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation. He holds a B.Sc degree in Mass Communication and a Masters degree in Political Science from Bayero University, Kano.

forshow · Apr 27, 2009 , 12:37 AM

Mr abati, I may not leave in nigeria. But reading your piece. I know nigeria more than you. I have visited more state than most nigeria, I have been to more than half of the state in the north. I have worked in the north before and even did my service year in the north. Is it kaduna, kano, adamawa, gombe, bauchi, niger, plateau , taraba etc. I have been there.

And nearly half of nigeria graduate service in the north, we did not all leg it to remain in lagos or ibadan. Many southerner did service in the north. And we know the north.

TEchi · Apr 27, 2009 , 03:42 AM

I have always thought of the North as a mass of waste land. Even with all the arid usable land these people are less ambitious and less greedy than the Southern and Western Nigerians. I am not trying to insult anyone. I am just saying that where there is more greed there is more ambition, where there is more ambition there is more achievement, and where there is more achievement there is got to be more education. And of course, discontent and up rise against the existing unproductive government.

Because of the above issues, the Northerners are less incline to revolt against their governors or State legislators for not providing their villages and towns with electricity or basic modern necessities to alleviate their lives even for a little bit. I believe this part of Nigeria will continue to remain so until they learn from their Southern and Western Nigerian brothers to stand up with their lives on the line for the good of their communities.

I have yet to read any Northern writer taking their State governor or legislator to task for not developing their communities the way the Westerners and Southerners do.

Your write-up flare up in me the anger I feel for the underdeveloped Northern Nigeria because of the inept and unproductive leadership that does not care for their community.

Iroabuchi Onwuka · Apr 27, 2009 , 04:07 AM

now you are journalising. But Air Arik is secretly copying Nigerian Airports. Is like the fourth or fifth Airport they want to manage it. Before you know it, before you know it, Nigerian air ways has become La-Guardia with thier Jewish people controlling half the runway and Delta Air costing twice the price. They should give us breathing space.

akuluouno · Apr 27, 2009 , 09:57 AM

I do beleive that other ethnic groups also live in large numbers in the north in spite of the civil war and endemic religious crisis. Nigeria is one country and our only country and we do not have another one. So we have made it a point of duty to live any where irrespective of the challenges.
But for mischievious leaders who are at best myopic and at worst illiterate, the north held the gateway to a greater and powerful Nigeria given the abundant land resources they have. Land is capital and with that abundance of land, most of which is arable, there is no need for Nigeria to be poor

igalaman55 · Apr 27, 2009 , 12:04 PM

This is Reuben at his erudite yet accessible best.Maybe the barbs from Villagers have jolted him from his armchair to donning the garbs of his profession with pride.

This article raises many issues:

· Why do our children know less and less about Nigeria ?
· What happened to the report on the Jos riots?
· Why is Nigeria incapable of strategic planning in all sectors?
· Are mud houses really inferior to cement block structures?
· When are we going to abandon the big lie about the heavily populated North?

I look forward to a write-up by a Northern journalist on his/her impressions of travels in the ‘Deep South’ of Naija.
Also perhaps another reporter can visit our peace- keeping soldiers in places like Darfur and narrate their experience.

Showcase · Apr 27, 2009 , 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by TEchi

I have always thought of the North as a mass of waste land. Even with all the arid usable land these people are less ambitious and less greedy than the Southern and Western Nigerians. I am not trying to insult anyone. I am just saying that where there is more greed there is more ambition, where there is more ambition there is more achievement, and where there is more achievement there is got to be more education. And of course, discontent and up rise against the existing unproductive government.

Because of the above issues, the Northerners are less incline to revolt against their governors or State legislators for not providing their villages and towns with electricity or basic modern necessities to alleviate their lives even for a little bit. I believe this part of Nigeria will continue to remain so until they learn from their Southern and Western Nigerian brothers to stand up with their lives on the line for the good of their communities.

I have yet to read any Northern writer taking their State governor or legislator to task for not developing their communities the way the Westerners and Southerners do.

Your write-up flare up in me the anger I feel for the underdeveloped Northern Nigeria because of the inept and unproductive leadership that does not care for their community.

Allah ya baku, mu samu (God give you so we can have/get) is a popular saying in the north, and possibly a reflection of their world outlook. There is no incentive/motivation to question the wealth of the rich, as long as it trickles down.

iamgod · Apr 27, 2009 , 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by Anioma777

Yes there are security anxieties, but I feel more safe in Nigeria than London. I am glad I am not in my late teens or 20s when I was galavanting around London. With the state of stabbings I really do feel for youngsters now.

If you cannot sell your country to your people, then how can you sell it to others. It is also a shame that many Nigerians through ignorance and cultivated stupidity hardly know even their surrounding areas.

Eh-Ehhn, can this be true? What we may lack in frequency of stabbings, we well make up in armed robbery, unnecessary road accidents and trigger happy cops.

Also, you stand a much better chance of getting justice in London.

Another point this article refused to highlight is that Nigeria is not in reality its every inhabitant's country.

How can it be when I am refused certain positions both at work or in the Universities, simply because I don't come from a specific ethnic group or cannot speak a certain language?

How can it be when you can be killed for simply belonging to another ethnic group?

irawad · Apr 28, 2009 , 04:00 AM

I've never been to the north, but there's really no tourist attraction there which i'm aware of. It would be nice to spend the summer in Nigeria and get to know some rural areas and acquaint oneself with local issues.

omo naija · Apr 28, 2009 , 07:22 PM

Reuben, this is a lazy journalism on your part, you mean you can't even take some pictures to stretch the points you made... Anybody could have done the same sitting in an air-conditioned room, and just watch a bit of NTA programmes... please next time give us some pictures, because "pictures said a thousands words".

GOD BLESS NIGERIA AND AFRICA, AMEN.

Osibinaebi · Apr 29, 2009 , 10:30 AM

I believe this is just a rambling or musing from Abati, the North is much more than the impression created by this article. I see some element of propaganda here. I sincerely hope Goje did not give Abati any LAND in GOMBE ( afterall we all know ABATI always keep mum on land allocations). Finally i was expecting ABATI to make mention of the Bagauda Kaltho, the Journalist that was killed by Abacha along the NADECO angle because Biliri , his home town is along the axis just described

edoji · Apr 29, 2009 , 01:14 PM

"Here in the North, if you explain that you are traveling and you need help, people will readily oblige you. Nobody will protest that you are jumping the queue." I noted that such a practice does not quite exist in the South. In the first place, nobody would believe you if you claim that you are a traveler. Someone is likely to tell you to shut up because "we are all travelers".

This bit got to me..this is the North that I knew and lived in

maikanodahiru · Apr 29, 2009 , 05:58 PM

Thanks for this piece. It is really educating.

LAN · Apr 30, 2009 , 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by omo naija

Reuben, this is a lazy journalism on your part, you mean you can't even take some pictures to stretch the points you made... Anybody could have done the same sitting in an air-conditioned room, and just watch a bit of NTA programmes... please next time give us some pictures, because "pictures said a thousands words".

GOD BLESS NIGERIA AND AFRICA, AMEN.

@ Omonaija

Reuben with his pen, has already created the images in our minds, he needs not take shots "to stretch any points".

Showcase · Apr 30, 2009 , 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by irawad

I've never been to the north, but there's really no tourist attraction there which i'm aware of. It would be nice to spend the summer in Nigeria and get to know some rural areas and acquaint oneself with local issues.

That is part of the problem. We are not aware of a lot of things, but make judgments all the same. Good thing you resolved to go round and see things for yourself. You'll be amazed what you'll see. There is no part of Nigeria that has nothing for visitors to see.