You are here: HomeNews2020 10 22Article 1090414

Opinions of Thursday, 22 October 2020

Columnist: Ugo Gold N. Ofonedu

Who is afraid of the Nigerian youth revolution?

EndSARS protests have been raging in Nigeria for over two weeks EndSARS protests have been raging in Nigeria for over two weeks

Last night the Federal Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was on the National Television, the NTA, ostensibly to educate Nigerians on what the Buhari government has done to pacify the EndSars Nigerian Youths protesters.

Maybe due to the weight of the subject or the scare most of the government people have received since the protests started, Mr. Lai Mohammed, looked pale and sickly. He was beside himself without his usual gift of sophistry. And he, of course, laboured hard to do justice to the topic.

I was not convinced in the least. I do not know about you.

During the course of the programme, Alhaji Lai kept repeating the fact that the government had granted all the requests of the protesters and yet they have refused to leave the streets and allow for a free flow of human and vehicular traffic.

He even went as far using the unfortunate incident at Osun State involving Governor Gboyega Oyetola as a case study that the protests have been hijacked by what he called, " the enemies of the country". And he, like other highly placed Nigerians and the beneficiaries of the lopsided system Nigeria operates, is frantically looking for the the sponsors of the EndSars Movement.

In a note of resignation, Lai Mohammed who eventually occupied a major portion of today's Radio Nigerian news with his preachment on the futility of continuing with the protests, asked, "What do the protesters want?"

I will answer him right away.

Mr. Lai Mohammed, Nigerian Youths are tired of the system that has made Nigerians fugitives, refugees, and victims of government insensitivity, in their own country. And there are thousands of reasons for such a protest to go on and on.

While the problem did not start with the Buhari government but an objective analysis of his administration will reveal a sinister plot of the gradual Northernization of the Nigerian Federation.

Never in the history of this country has a President been this insensitive to the plight of Nigerians. Nor is there any comparison in our history of the kind of ethnic agenda the Buhari government is a champion of.

Follow me through the list:

1 Muhammadu Buhari, President and Minister of Petroleum - North

2 Ahmed Lawan, Senate President North

3 Tanko Mohammed, Chief Justice of the Federation - North

4 Monica Dongban-Mensem, President of the Court of Appeal - North

5 Ahmed Idris Wase, Deputy Speaker Federal House of Representatives - North

6 Babagana Monguno, National Security Adviser - North

7 Boss Mustapha, Secretary to Government of the Federation - North

8 Lt. General Yusuf Buratai, Chief of Army Staff - North

9 Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff - North

10 Muhammed Adamu, Inspector General of Police - North

11 Hameed Ali, Comptroller General, Nigerian Customs Service - North

12 Ja'afaru Ahmed, Comptroller General, Nigerian Correctional Service - North

13 Mohammed Babandede, Comptroller General, Nigerian Immigration Service - North

14 Abdullahi Gana Mohammed, Commandant General, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps - North

15 Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi, Chairman, DSS - North

16 AVM Muhammed Usman, Chief of Defence Intelligence - North

17 Muhammed Mustapha Abdallah, Chairman/CEO, NDLEA - North

18 Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, DG NYSC - North

19 Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, DG, National Intelligence Agency - North

20 Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance - North

21 Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy - North

22 Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture - North

23 Suleiman Adamu, Minister of Water Resources - North

24 Mohammed Bello, FCT Minister - North

25 Ramatu Tijjani, FCT Minister of State - North

26 Abubakar Malami, Attorney General and Minister for Justice - North

27 Ahmed Idris, Accountant General - North

28 Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director, NNPC - North

29 Garba Abari, DG National Orientation Agency - North

30 Mohammed Nami, Chairman FIRS - North

31 Bashir Jamoh, DG, NIMASA - North

32 Hadiza Bala Usman, Chairman Nigerian Ports Authority - North

33 Mansur Liman, DG, FRCN - North

34 Yakubu Ibn Mohammed, DG, NTA - North

35 Nasiru Ladan Argungu, DG, NDE - North

36 Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, Executive Secretary, NUC - North

37 Prof. Umar Dambatta, Executive Secretary, NCC - North

38 Kashim Ibrahim Imam, Executive Secretary, TETFUND - North

39 AVM Muhammadu Alhaji Muhammed, DG, NEMA - North

40 Lamido Yuguda, DG, Securities and Exchange Commission - North

41 Prof. Mohammed Sambo, Executive Secretary, NHIS - North

42 Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, DG, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission - North

43 Prof. Aliyu Jauro, DG, NESREA - North

44 Nurudeen Rafindadi, MD, FERMA - North

45 Musa Nuhu, DG, NCAA - North

46 Rabiu Yadudu, MD, FAAN - North

47 Garba Abubakar, Rigistrar General, CAC - North

48 Abdulkarim Obaje, National Co-ordinator, CSDP - North

49 Mrs Aisha Dahiru-Umar, acting DG, PENCOM - North

50 Abdullahi Kachifu, DG, NITDA - North

51 Abubakar Abba Bello, MD, NEXIM Bank - North

52 Aliyu Abdulhameed, MD, NIRSAL - North

53 Hassan Alwan, acting MD, Bank of Agriculture - North

54 Ahmed Dangiwa, MD, FMBN - North

56 Adamu Adaji, DG, National Boundary Commission - North

60 Ahmed Kadi Amshi, Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission - North

61 Hamid Bobboi, Executive Secretary, UBEC - North

62 Abdulaziz Aliyu, DG, National Identity Management Commission - North

63 Maimuna Yaya Abubakar, Chairman, NIPOST - North

64 Ahmed Kuru, MD, AMCON - North

65 Yusuf Asir Danbatta, acting Secretary, National Assembly Service Commission - North

66 Gambo Aliyu, DG, NACA - North

67 Mamman Ahmadu, DG, BPP - North

68 Bukhari Bello, Chairman, FRSC - North

69 Mohammed Jibrin, DG, National Board for Technology Incubation - North

70 Prof. Abubakar Sharabutu, Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria - North

71 Ibrahim Goni, Conservator General, National Parks Service - North

72 Hassan Bello, Ex-Sec/CEO, Nigerian Shippers' Council- North

73 Prof. Isah Hayatu Ciroma, DG, Nigerian Law School - North

74 Muhammed Umar, acting EFCC Chairman - North

75 Faisal Shuaibu, ED/CEO, Nigerian Primary Healthcare - North

76 Umaru Ibrahim, MD, NDIC - North

77 Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, MD/CEO, Rural Electrification Agency - North

78 Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, acting MD, Transmission Company of Nigeria North

79 Saliu Buntu, MD, Federal Housing Authority - North

80 Muhammed Umar, Director, DPP - North

81 Saidu Malama, Chairman, Solid Mineral Fund - North

82 Abdulkadir Saidu, Ex-Sec, PPPRA - North

83 Dasuki Arabi, DG, Bureau of Public Service Reforms - North

84 Prof. Adam Okene Ahmed, acting Provost, Nigerian Defence Academy - North

85 Prof. Baba Muhammadu Aliyu, Ex-Sec, Federal Commission for Colleges of Education - North

86 Prof. Ahmed Tijani Mora, Chairman, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria - North

87 Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, Ex-Sec, Center for Crisis Communication - North

88 Muheeda Farida Dankaka, Chairman, Federal Character Commission - North

89 Fatima Shinkafi, Ex-Sec, Solid Mineral Fund - North

90 Sen. Basheer Mohammed, Chairman, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs - North

91 Prof. Muhammed Taofiq Ladan, DG, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) - North

92 Bala Yabani Mohammed, acting Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly - North

93 Dauda Ibrahim El-ladan, acting Clerk of the Senate - North

94 John Tsoho, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court - North

95 Major General Sarham Jamilu, Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy - North

Waooooooooh

This is in conjunction with numerous Permanent Secretary and Director positions in the Civil Service. Not to talk of choice ambassadorial postings

Are you aware that both the Chairmen of the Senate and Reps committee on the Army and the Airforce are from the North?

We are not done yet. Look at that list again and you get the worst shock of your life.

I will help you out again.

If you look at the list once more, you will see that:

(A) Revenue Agencies

NNPC, NPA, Customs, FIRS, CAC, TCN, NCAA, FAAN, NIMASA, National Parks, Solid Mineral Fund and Immigration.

(B)ICT

NOA, NCC, FRCN, NITDA, NTA, NBC

(C) Security, Intelligence and Paramilitary

COAS, CAS, Customs, Immigration, IGP, DSS, NDLEA, NSCDC, NDA, NIA, NYSC, Correctional Service and Defence Intelligence.

(D)Education

NUC, Tetfund, Law School, NDA, NIALS, NILDS, Agric Research Council and Technology Incubation.

(E) All the Federal Govt Banks and other Financial Agency

NIRSAL, NDIC, NEXIM, AMCON, FMBN and BOA.

(F) Interventionist Agencies

FERMA, SMEDAN, NDE, NEMA, PPPRA, NESREA, CSDP, EFCC, and REA

(H) Judiciary

Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Federal High Court

are all headed by the people from the North

Buhari has captured Nigeria for his people.

What Othman Danfodio could not do with his sword. What Ahmadu Bello failed to achieve despite his aristocratic posturing. What IBB never contemplated even with his guile. What Abacha never thought of with his brashness and devil may care attitude.

But Buhari has done it.

And will someone inform Mr Lai Mohammed that none of the federations that were structured the way Nigeria is now ever lived to tell their stories?

Nigerian Youths want besides a holistic Police Reform,

- Judicial Reform

- A People's Constitution

- Electoral Reform

- Civil Service Reform

- Access to opportunities

- End to Quota System

- Reduction in the Cost of Governance

- Health Sector Reform

- Education Sector Reform

- End to the State of Origin Requirement

- Transparency in Government business, among others.

If President Buhari cannot guarantee the fulfilment of these demands in record time, then let him resign and go home.

In the meantime, Let the Protests go on. Nigeria belongs to the Youths!