The Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha, a delegate at the ongoing conference in Abuja, in this interview with the BBC Hausa, monitored in Kaduna by Regional Editor, North-West, HASSAN IBRAHIM, says the comments he made on the floor of the conference, which triggered mixed public reactions, were warnings. EXCERPTS:Why did you threaten to break away from Nigeria at the national conference?
They have gathered us from all over Nigeria that we should come and assist by giving advice on how Nigeria should be strengthened, to have unity and how to ensure peace and harmony. But since we came and started, for three days I had sat down and observed how some people were talking with arrogance. They talked authoritatively…. They wanted to turn the North as if we are beggars, or Almajiris who have nothing to do.
That’s the reason I spoke. I told them that mine was a warning to the people because from the way we were going about the conference, the gathering may disperse without achieving anything, and if we didn’t do anything, many things would happen, including the disintegration of Nigeria.
But I said God forbid. I said if Nigeria disintegrated, those people shouting at this conference would have nowhere to go. But I and the people of Adamawa, and some other people in Nigeria, had where to go. I also explained to them that my kingdom stretched to three countries: Nigeria, Cameroun and Chad. I said I would get into any of these countries and nobody would look at me as a stranger, and I would remain there comfortably. So, it was a warning that I sounded to the people.
Though you said your comments were warnings, they have attracted a chain of reactions, with some saying a person of your calibre shouldn’t have made such comments….
A person of my calibre shouldn’t talk like that at the conference? Then why was I brought there? Why did they call me to attend the conference? Should I just sit down and watch people talk and I should just say yes, I agree? Since they brought me to the conference, I will tell the truth. I will say the fact anywhere and infront of anybody. It’s sad the the people of this country don’t like the truth. Once you are saying the truth, they brand you in English as ‘controversial.’ We must say the truth. They brought me here and I will talk because of my people; to protect their integrity and make sure that they get what they are supposed to get.
Last week, you said every state should hold on to its natural wealth 100 per cent, while those without oil should also hold on to what they are naturally endowed with. What exactly did you mean?
Just as I have said earlier, the people who come from oil-producing states are looking at us as if we were beggars and gold diggers who have nothing to do. That was why I said the non Oil-producing states were not cowards. Everybody is contributing his quota to make Nigeria great, but the people from oil-producing states think that if what they want is not given to them, they have been wronged and they would even prefer to stay out of Nigeria. That was why I said if that was the case, they should go with their oil money 100 per cent and the other parts of the country should keep their land and other resources. The larger percentage of the land belongs to us, including Abuja, and whatever is on the land belongs to us. So, if they wanted to use the land, it would become a must for them to pay tax....
Is this your opinion or…?
I told you I’m talking on behalf of all the non-oil-producing states. But it’s like even from among some northerners, it was my opinion because they said if really Nigeria should be united and be economically viable, all parts of the country should enjoy one another’s wealth so that we can progress. That’s why I said if they did not want us to enjoy their wealth, why should they want to enjoy ours? It is not about dividing the country. No! And these people are afraid of the government. Some of them are even foot soldiers of the government. They cannot come out openly, but they liked what I said. Unfortunately, if they come out to like what I have said, they will be afraid of the consequences. That is why they are talking so that the newspapers will report that they are against what I said.
Do you think Northern Nigeria can stand on its own economically?
But what money do we get from oil which is used to run the states? What one state in the Niger Delta gets in a month as federal allocations will take Adamawa State 10 years to come by. So, what are we getting? If not for the laziness on the part of some Northerners, agriculture is a big business. Look at all the advanced countries like Japan, they don’t have oil. Japan and Germany have no oil. But we have lazy people here. Those countries utilised what they are naturally endowed with to develop. They don’t envy one another; they don’t have such things and whatever you want in this world, you get it in those countries. You stay there for 20 years with an uninterrupted electric power supply. But here we are in Nigeria! At the conference, there was somebody who came to talk on agriculture. He said a litre of palm oil is sold at N300, while one litre of petrol is sold at N97. If we held on to agriculture, who knew the quantity of groundnut and cotton that we could produce in the North? The oil money would have looked like a chicken fee. I am saying this so that our people would wake up from their slumber; they should stand up. You get oil everyday, but they give you little money. Instead of using the money for development projects, you steal the money and take it away. Is that how we should go on?
You are against the clamour for a constitutional role for traditional rulers, but some of your colleagues said it was contrary to their position?
I am representing other traditional rulers in Nigeria who sent me to the confab. So, there is no way I will say something they don’t approve of. What I said is the truth. Now, what I’m doing is more than a hundreds’. I adjudicate, I work to keep order. I am a social welfare worker. I’m doing all these, but in what constitution were all these roles written? So, I said we didn’t need specific roles in the constitution. All we wanted was that the Federal Government and other levels of government should know and respect out existence. I also said our council should have a place in the constitution.
We have the problem of insecurity, and as a traditional ruler, what advice do you have in this regard?
My message is to the Fulani and the Tiv. What is happening now is shameful. Imagine the Fulani and Mun Chi (we have eaten)killing one another; that is shameful because we are playmates. Playmates have turned into enemies, killing one another? I want to appeal to Mun Chi and the Fulani to stop fighting, even if the Fulani were the cause. This is because at the confab, someone explained that it was the Fulani who were killing. But how could he prove that, since there were some people who wore Army uniforms to kill people with guns belonging to the Nigerian soldiers. Then, how did he know that the killers were Fulani, just because they were wearing Fulani clothes? Recently, some were arrested in Taraba State who hired cattle to camouflage as the Fulani to come and kill people. If not in Nigeria, where else on earth would you find a person who wears a soldier’s uniform, take a gun and kill people in villages? Please, the Fulani and the Mun Chi should stop this shameful act; they should remain how they were before now. Hitherto, when traditional rulers exercised full control, if a Fulani’s cattle caused damage in a farmer’s land, the Mai Unguwa would be the judge. They would summon the two parties and ask how much damage was done in monetary terms. He would say it and the Fulani would sell a cow or two to pay him. That would be resolved. I am also calling on the government to re-establish cattle routes, or land should be earmarked to the Fulani, where they can stay with their cattle. The government should think about this.
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