Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t hate people. I detest discrimination. I deal with humans according to chemistry, I check if we share near same worldview. Where that is not applicable, I  look for competence, ability that equals or far higher than mine so I can learn. Then zeal to change the circumstances, particularly that of the Black man which still is pitiable the world over, and of course I want to see this inner resolve in one to be of use to humanity. These are variables that drive my friendship and interactions with people, not tribe or religion. It is important I disclose my hatred for stereotyping.

Stereotyping is a tool used by banal people to demarket and put innocent people or races down for no justifiable reason. It is happening even in setting and should not only be condemned but stopped forthwith. Recently I gave a face to my column when from being a page with just my name I added “Plain Truth.” It was a decision inspired by the fact that it is time we begin to call a spade by its real name, if truly our desire is to build a nation out of the society we call Nigeria. It is elementary to teach at this point that we are not yet a country. The basic needed to transform from amalgamated self-governing entities to a country is not there, if it were every aspirant to the office of the President wouldn’t begin their manifesto with the pledge to unite the country.

I don›t know how true this is but a friend told  one doesn’t get to hear about “uniting” the country in small undeveloped countries like Benin Republic, Ghana, Guinea and the others. If this assertion is true, it further shows that it is earned, it is a by-product of sound organization and verifiable contributions to world civilization. We don’t contribute anything except nuisance. Our citizens can’t be defying all manner of odds to go into self-slavery abroad where they go through all kinds of indignity and we still expect the organised world to accord us high regards. It doesn’t work that way. This is why we wear our thinking hats, to discover faultlines, think out solutions and apply them. 

I had wanted to title this discourse, «Leaders or destroyers.» It would still have served but lazy readers won›t look in and that would defeat the correctional purpose I intend to push across , then I chose this straight shot on the hip, it may appear sensational . Nevertheless, the choice does not diminish the matter at stake, it rather gives it a filip. The leadership of the core North responsible for indoctrinating the minds of the rest of the population in the region has never relented in talking about a united Nigeria. It is a song they sing at the least of opportunities. Ironically in practical terms they have done very little to walk the talk. Their attitude and actions have been the major force behind the lack of cohesion bedeviling the union. 

    There are longstanding facts to buttress the claim but take few points from very recent developments that should worry us if we really care about having a country. We have been told there is a gentleman agreement between power elites that for sake of establishing a great country the presidential seat should «rotate» between North and South. We have been told the northern establishment insisted the agreement should not be made a constitutional rule. If one like me was in any of those meetings I would have insisted it be written into the constitution knowing how unpredictable man can be. It is not a provision backed by law yet it has been running to this point. Few weeks ago, the political parties on the basis of this understanding during internal elections to elect their officers directed a swap of positions, all offices held by the South reverted to North and vice versa.

   There is in existence the equally unwritten rule that no one of the divides should have the presidential seat and chairmanship of the Party all to its self. Following the swappings, the chairmanship of two major political parties became domiciled in the Northern Divide. Going by convention the South should produce presidential candidates for the two parties especially against the run that a northerner is the one about to run through two tenures of eight years. Suddenly the human factor has come into play; greed, avarice, wickedness are been thrown into the mix. Everywhere is unduly tensed up and confusion has become the norm. The cause of all this is the resolve of the core northern power establishment to remove the goalposts while the game is in play. Their resolve has forced the two main political parties into a fix more so for the People’s Democratic Party which has zoning explicitly stated in her constitution.

The North now remembers zoning is evil, they see it as a factor that has held us down. It is great how a people can throw off the scales in their eyes in just a jiffy. Their new song is merit, a song they began singing just a short while after the same group nearly pulled the roof down on the rest of us over the agitation it was their «turn» to produce a president for the country in 2015. They also tell those who care to listen that democracy is about numbers, and they have the numbers, so they must continue to dominate.

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Let›s interrogate the posturing. Angels of death have been known to come in the guise of angels of help and comfort and while they gain acceptance they seize the chance to unveil who they are by then a lot of havoc is already done. This has been the tragedy of many people and society. If zoning was the evil, the core North power establishment ought to have said so long ago and established it not only as fact but a working tool for transforming our fragile union into a country where good life and abundance is with attendant respect and recognition from the international community. After all the divide has held presidential power far more than any group in the union. There is this other question bugging the minds of genuine lovers of our society and it is, why is it that application of merit shouldn’t go beyond quest for presidential seat to include recruitments, promotions and matters of admission into educational institutions? 

Patriotism is not about slogans, it is hardwork. Leaders give people benefits that in turn make them want to die if it comes to that, to keep their countries. The young population receives special attention so that they emerge in future far better leaders than their predecessors. This is not what we do, we rather put up with discriminatory policies, we hinder the brilliant and innovative and reward the dullard. This is where we need merit most but who is looking in those directions.? Nobody!

Now if higher population equates dominion and relegation in democracy then a state like Arkansas, which is the smallest in the United States of America won›t produce a President Bill Clinton. Everything America does may not be about written laws, the leaders have this deliberate disposition to identify negative variables and instinct to work pursue moves that put an end to them for the health of the larger society; they know about creating a sense of balance. This produced a first black President in Barack Obama; the current African-America Secretary of Defense and few days ago first black Chief Press Secretary to the incumbent President. Today competence can be found in every corner; one race telling others it doesn›t «care» in deeply plural setting is akin to poking dirty fingers in anyone›s eyes. It hurts; a very hurting man definitely will react even if involuntarily.

President Buhari who we thought on account of age will be a builder in power has turned out to be a great destroyer. Under him, we have seen the most vicious attempt ever made on ethnic and religious expansionism. His brothers from the Sahel are in every part of our society, roaming about aimlessly, causing trouble and inflicting harm. He doesn’t like the Igbo. One would have expected that with so much revulsion against Igbo marginalization in his administration he would have started making genuine friends from the area.

He has chosen instead to porch the vulnerable who add to his problems. Penultimate week he was in Ebonyi state, and everyone thought it was opportunity to display a revival touch. It turned out to be a conqueror’s visit. He scheduled a parley with a section of Igbo men and women, he allowed them to rabble rouse and when they were through including the Ebonyi Governor, the President chose to humiliate them.

     In place of an answer from the heart drawing from beggarly appeals in what was supposed to be a parley on way forward, he reached for his file and pulled out a written answer from where he responded exactly to all issues raised. Instead of armistice he was on a fighting mode, unfriendly and scolding persons far older than him. He even warned them to be civil or…. Amaechi Mbazulike and others who gathered to beg wanted peace desperately but they got a lashing. 

    I want to end this outing with quotes I know are instructive to minds not shut to learning. Napoleon Hills said of a great leader: «If he must be successful he will have to be open minded and tolerant on all matters. If he closes his mind, he will be shut off from recognition of favorable opportunities and lack friendly cooperation.» Check Buhari and his regime, he may say he doesn’t care, well. Finally Malcolm X speaks to core northern power bloc about what the world has been. “Fools,” he said, “try to ignore facts, but wise men must face facts to remain wise. Fools refuse to change from their silly ways and beliefs, but the mental flexibility of the wise permits him to keep an open mind which enables him to readjust himself whenever it becomes necessary for a change.” For those who want change “nobody in the world has gotten freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people oppressing them.”