‘Seye Akanmu-Bode

The latest letter from the ” Post Master General of the federation”, Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is again causing disquiet especially in the North. Apart from the vitriolic attacks from aides of the President, Elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai joined the fray as he termed OBJ’s letter as unpatriotic. He regaled us with the historical letter writing prowess of OBJ since the regime of IBB and the one that almost took his life when he was incarcerated by the late dictator ,Sani Abacha. Alhaji Yakassai accused OBJ of a personal and selfish agenda against all recipients of his letters. Whether true or false,only the Ota High Chief could answer this assertion. What one can say truly is that the messages are usually in sync with the realities of the periods under review. Are we better secured today? Are we more united today? Just few weeks back, news came in that Mrs Olakunrin, daughter of the Afenifere Chieftain, Chief Reuben Fasoranti was assassinated by yet to be identified high way robbers. One of the aides to the deceased said that the modus operandi of the assailants resembled that of the dreaded Fulani herdsmen. This has created an uproar among the Yorubas with the Aare Ona Kakanfo,Gani Adams saying that Yorubas won’t keep watching while being killed. Afenifere spokesman, Mr Yinka Odumakin has also spoken on the need for Yorubas to defend themselves against Fulani herdsmen incursion.

Surely,the north has replied. The Notherns Elders Forum led Prof. Ango Abdullahi, and the Coalition for Northern Groups represented by the spokesman Abdul-Aziz Suleiman, have both asked all Fulani herders to return to the North as their security can’t be guaranteed in the South! The question is,who has threatened who? Where were the Northern groups when herdsmen wrecked some communities in Benue state few years back? When they attacked communities in Plateau state and started renaming them as conquered territories, which eminent northern voice came out in condemnation?

President Buhari has not named his cabinet almost 2 months after being sworn in and over 5 months after winning reelection. How many northerners have said a word on this? With the northernalisation of Nigeria especially in the defence architecture of the country, who is that eminent Hausa- Fulani that has ever kicked against this? The conspiracy of silence on the part of the Northern establishment against Nigeria is so loud. OBJ faced his greatest challenge from the South as President. Why would the North remain silent every time they are in power?

If they chose to be quiet,other parts of the country won’t. And who is that fearless man to call the leader to sit up if not OBJ! Was OBJ the one who masterminded the insecurity we have on our hands? Last December, ex-Chief of Air Staff,Air Marshall Alex Baden was gunned down on the highway. Now, it is Mrs Okakunrin, a symptom of an unsecured highways. Book Haram and ISWAP are still lethal. The mounting debt burden of the country is frightening and the powers -that -be want everyone to be quiet or speak in hush tones. Clearly, OBJ is not a man to be quiet at this moment. He may have his selfish interest, but the President must sit up and deliver, that’s the only antidote against frequent letter writing from the former President.