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How The North Subsidises Nigerians By Up To Us$20b Yearly On Agric Produce And Reply To Professor Samuel Okoye By Professor S. Mustafa, FNSE, FAS I read the article by Professor Samuel Okoye and I must say, I felt disappointed, for two reasons. First, I have seen quite a number of his good and well researched articles written in the Nigerian Guardian Newspapers which, on most occasions, tried to highlight the latest researches in science and technology. Although one can easily decipher the original sources of his information, nevertheless, he could be credited with simplifying them, for the generality of readers. Second, I understand that he served the country before, as former attaché on science and technology and since chosen to stay in London. Thus, he would be expected to have interacted with many people, and would have been more objective, particularly in analysing problems of Nigeria. Unfortunately, his latest article on politics portrays him as typical stereotype southerner, with inbuilt contempt for north. He was found regurgitating senseless points made by careless minds on resource control, without caring to examine the facts as would be expected of a renowned professor of physics. Let me take the professor on the issue of resource control first, before we examine other issues raised by him. ON RESOURCE CONTROL The point made by the so called agitators for resource control that north does not contribute anything to the coffers of Nigeria borders on absurdity and mischief. The north subsidizes the whole country with agricultural produce. For example, out of about 20million metric tons of grains (made up of rice, sorghum, maize, groundnuts, pulses, etc) produced in the country annually, more than 80% are produced in the north. Making a conservative estimate of selling at N100, 000/ton, the total cost of 16million metric tons produced in the north, is N1.6trillion (over US$10billion). Similar figures can be obtained for vegetables and livestock, except for the latter; the percentage contribution from the north is more than 90%. From these agricultural produce, it is estimated that the total amount to be realised is, in excess of US$30billion annually. The contribution of the north therefore, is, in getting these agricultural products to the door steps of Nigerians cheaply and without paying on them, taxes, VAT, import duty, custom duty, insurance and re-insurance charges, long distance freight charges, bank service charges, profits, commissions, etc, if these items were to be imported into the country. All these charges listed herein would have multiplied at least threefold, the cost of food items in Nigeria. Thus, the north is subsidising Nigerians annually to the tune of say, US$20billion yearly, on agric products which they grow throughout the year. This amount is equivalent to yearly sale of crude oil. Indeed, Kano state which has the largest irrigation schemes in the country deserves special consideration particularly that, over 80% of its population is engaged in farming activities throughout the year. The premise of pre-independence arrangement on which the current 25-50% resource control is being agitated for, was clear, it was applied on royalties. The same arrangement can only be applied, if royalties would be factored appropriately into the equation of derivation. The fear the north should express however, is not on the percentage alone, but also on those to be entrusted with formulating the equation. Should the north trust that other regions would undertake the exercise on its behalf? This is where all reasoning will stop and politics beckon to take over.
RULING NIGERIA HAS NEVER BEEN THE BIRTH RIGHT OF THE NORTH: PROPAGANDA AIMED AT DICREDITING ASPIRING NORTHERNERS Prof Okoye insinuates that the north is arrogant and wanting to rule Nigeria as if it is its birth right. If the north had entrenched that policy, then Nnamdi Azikwe would not have been the first President of Nigeria or the current President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. It is thus clear, that, it is mere propaganda, aimed at discrediting aspiring northerners. Prof Okoye should, instead, call to order, the particular ethnic group that regards both wholesale and retailing of building materials, electronics, motor spares and machinery as their birth right, such that any other ethnic group that dares to indulge in selling them, will not be tolerated. This policy is also applied on motor vehicle repairs. To this dominating group, others should only buy from but not to engage in selling the items. This rule carved by the group is strictly enforced in large and in small towns across the country, whether in Lagos, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Funtua, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Dutse or Yola. This attitude to Professor Okoye is alright, as long as it is not the northerners benefiting. My advice therefore is, let him concentrate on his writings on physics and science, his area of speciality, and use his vantage position in London, to enlighten Nigerians, on the latest developments in science and technology, particularly, on HIV/AIDs and encrypted science, to enable us to fight 419ners who are about to overrun the country. Indeed, I know that most of the best minds in physics from the north, like Professor D. Mshelia, a renowned nuclear physicist, despite world wide demand for their talents have remained in the country and continued to produce PhDs. We will like Professor Okoye to come back and do the same, rather than squatting in a remote corner of the globe, regurgitating on the pages of newspapers the thoughts of idle minds, without in depth studies of the facts of the matter. |