Borno politician blames leaders for quit notice outburst by Arewa youths

A prominent member of the Borno elders forum, Dr Mali Gubio, has placed the blame of the recent quit notice given to Igbos, squarely at the door steps of some northern leaders.

Gubio blamed the faceless leaders for not guiding the young people very well even as he described the quit notice as an outcome of “unfounded pride” and “youthful exuberance” warning that Nigeria has gone beyond these dangerous excesses in our polity.

Gubio, a technocrat turned politician and a prominent chieftain of the Kanem Borno Emirate, warned that those who are fanning the embers of such divisions should beware that there are millions of northerners in Igbo land and the entire south of Nigeria whose lives they are putting in danger.

He warned them to prepare for the repercussions of misguiding the young ones into such a dangerous venture which would be difficult to control if they do not take back their misdemeanour poured on the  nation.

Gubio, who is a special adviser to Governor Kashim Shettima on special duties, went on: “We have been interwoven by marriage and even commerce such that it is very difficult to separate us. Where will the Igbos get their cows to consume if you separate us? Is it not from the same north?

“Even if we divide today, we still have to live with one another, so it is difficult to expel one group of people. Which land do they want these ones who have lived with us for years to go and live in?

“We all know that the Igbos do not have enough land for themselves before we begin to talk about forcing these ones back. It is unreasonable and unthinkable to give such an order.

“That is why I blame some of our leaders for this kind of discourse by this time of our history. I also blame the media for orchestrating division instead of playing this thing down to reduce tension in the land.”

The politician urged the Igbos not to take the quit notice serious because they the millions of Kanuri speaking people in the north and in the entire country have nothing against them and are not part of the obnoxious notice.

Gubio maintained that there are obviously many other people who wish to live in peace with other nationalities in the country as such, we should try to solve these problems brought about by Nnamdi Kanu and the northern youths who he believed had desperate faceless leaders spurring them into igniting violence which they might not be able to handle.

Some other respondents who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on the streets of Maiduguri had mixed feelings on the development which is to take effect in about six weeks from now if not properly managed.

While some residents supported the go home notice to the igbos, others did not support the move of anybody pushing some Arewa youths to react this way simply because Nnamdi Kanu was threatening fire and brimstone over his proposed Republic of Biafra.

Victor Uche an Igbo, born in Maiduguri and a building materials merchant said that he did not support the notice and as a matter of fact he would not go anywhere even if the political class decided to give Nnamdi Kanu what he wanted.

“Look, I was born here in the 50s and my father gave birth to all of us here. It’s true he has taken us home to know our village in Okigwe, but I tell you, I will not go anywhere even if the Senators and the House members willingly called for a referendum for the wishes of Kanu to be granted. I can only be taken home after my demise.

“Regardless of the insurgency, I have been a successful building materials merchant. I used it to train all my children most of whom schooled here in the University of Maiduguri. Their mother is from southern Borno and you want me to leave her and go? God forbid, I am not going anywhere. I know many Igbos married to Igbo women too in our meeting that will not follow that boy and his aggression when Ojukwu warned us to back off before he died.

“By the way, who says that quit notice is from those youths? Tell me, do you believe those youths are the ones playing the music they are dancing to? We know where these things are coming from and the truth will soon set some of them free just like it will free those who have sponsored this Mohammed Yusuf, who started what they now call Boko Haram which is hunting all of us now as residents and even threatening our businesses.”