Northern Elders Disown Ango Abdullahi Over Call For Break-Up

Leader of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr. Paul Unongo, has said that the 1914 amalgamation of Nigeria by Lord Frederick Lugard was not a mistake.

Unongo said this while responding to Professor Ango Abdullahi, a chieftain of the group’s call for Nigerians to “go our separate ways.”

Abdullahi, speaking on Wednesday at a public debate in Kaduna had said  the best option for the country was a return to 1914 or 1960 or  what he called “let us go our separate ways.”

But Unongo, in a chat with pressmen said: “Professor Ango Abdullahi has spoken for himself and he has a right to do so. But, going our separate ways is not the best for this country.

“That we have challenges does not mean that we have not done well in so many other areas.

“Nigeria has done very well as a nation state. The amalgamation of Nigeria by Lord Lugard is not a mistake, because we have come this far as a united country. But, the agitation by the youths and other groups is that  we ought to have done better, which the truth.

“Mind you, this situation is like the car we use.There are times we need to change worn-out nuts and others like that. So, the most sensible way of addressing this situation is to address our challenges as a nation.

“So, we should not split this country. Yes, I support devolution of certain power to the states. Let them be given power and resources to develop the states and same to the local governments.

“What I will not support is allowing state police. States should not be allowed to form their own army, because states will go to war against each other.”

The  national president of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, Comrade Shettimma Yerima, said the disintegration of the country would do no good to Nigerians and would amount to suicide.

He said: “We respect Professor Ango Abdullahi and he might have his reasons for saying this.

“That is his own opinion and that how he sees it.

“ He saw yesterday but for us who are for today, we really don’t want to reflect on the past because it nothing to write home about. We are looking for how we can build a nation, how we can work together to make Nigeria stronger.

“I don’t agree with him that Nigeria should disintegrate. We have more to lose now if the country disintegrates.

“I am of the view that whatever the grudges are, we must know that all hope is not lost.  The  present generation (of Northerners) strongly believe that we can work together with our brothers from other parts of the country to build a nation where there will be no suspicion, where there will be equity and fairness to all.

“That is what we are looking up to.  We are working towards building a nation where all of us will begin to see ourselves as Nigerians.

“This is why the Arewa youths, the Ohanaeze youths and others across the country and working together to make sure peace reigns and that we have a virile nation. Disintegration will amount to total suicide.”