Open Letter to My Hausa Brothers

By

Ndiameeh Babrik

After reading through the special reports by one Andrew Agbese in the weekend trust of December 2nd, 2007 titled 'How protests over relocation of local government secretariat paralysed Jos I thought it will be wise of me to contribute to the debate as usual. I was wandering within myself  why the Hausas appear to be at loggerhead with their host communities always. Let me make it clear from the outset that I am not trying to have a go at the Hausas please. But looking at the chequered history of Nigeria and its ethno-communal clashes there is hardly any tribe in Nigeria that has never had a conflict between the Hausas  and its host community especially since the advent of the Babangida military junta on the scene and its  divide and rule tactics in creating states headquarters and local governments and its headquarters.

The essence of writing on some of these issues in history is for our leaders to use it to shape the future so that we can have an egalitarian society where there is justice and fair play. Every Nigerian should have a stake in the peace in the land.

If there is equity and justice in the land there may not have been these crises.  .

 My records have it that the first crisis or conflict between the Hausa community and its host community was in 1987 in Kafanchan Kaduna state then the late Aliyu Mohammed was the secretary to the Babangida government. The Bajju(Kaje) rejected the emir and wanted a Bajju man but the Hausa community said Kafanchan belongs to the Hausas and that is why the emir is emir of Jama'a. The crisis was very fierce and the emir's place was razed down in fact  I think the emir was either turbaned in Kaduna or Birnin Gwari. The indigenes of Kafanchan  are called Bajju formerly called Kaje which they now have rejected claiming it was given to them by the Hausa.

The second major crisis between the Hausas and their host community that I can remember was between 1990/1991. That was the Zango-Kataf crisis.  In fact Babangida in his characteristic style called it a civilian coup de'tat.

The crisis as usual erupted over who owns Zango-Kataf between the Katafawas and the Hausas. The crisis in Kafanchan was a child's play compared to Zango-Kataf as no single building was left standing in Zango-Kataf. The attendant lost of lives and limbs was there.

Before Zango-Kataf actually there were skirmishes in Lagos in Ishaga-Mushin, Agege and Ikorodu between Hausa traders, Hausa cattle sellers and their host Yoruba communities over who owns what and who settled first before the other.

The major conflict of note between the Hausas and their host Yoruba community was in Shagamu Ogun state where the Hausa community challenged their host community for performing Yoruba masquerade during Ramadan. There were minor skirmishes between the Yorubas and the Hausas in Sabo and Ojoo in Ibadan.

The Igbo race had their share too as there was crisis between the Hausas and the Igbos in Onitsha over the siting of a mosque.

The theatre of conflict eventually moved to Jos Plateau in 1991/1994 where the Hausa community clashed with the Beroms, Anaguta and Affizere over the appointment of care-taker chairman for Jos North which is part of Jos metropolis. There was unnecessary bloodbath and bloodshed.

The theatre or arena of conflict moved away from Plateau state temporarily and landed in Adamawa state at the door mouth of Hamma Bachama in Numan.  The cause of the conflict was siting of a mosque  which was close to the Hama Bachama's Palace.  The Bachama youth resisted and there was a fierce fight and poor Fredi Bongo had to be deposed and the mosque we were told have to be moved elsewhere that was during the time of Boni Haruna as Governor of Adamawa state.  Even at the time of writing this article reports have it soldiers still patrol the streets of Numan.

Before Numan Adamawa state there was Tafawa-Balewa in Bauchi in 1991 and also the late 1990s between the Bolewas and the Hausas

On its eventual journey back to Plateau state,  the theatre of conflict between the Hausas and their host communities made brief stop over in Makurdi Benue,  Ibi and Wukari Taraba state and Mubi Adamawa state.

If what took place in Zango-Kataf was mother of crisis,  then what took place in Jos and Yelwa-Shendam in Plateau in 2001//2004 could be termed father of all crises. Though the government reported that 53 lost their lives in the Jos crisis of 2001 the BBC Hausa service reporter Shehu Saulawa  based in Jos then was reporting seeing dead bodies in the streets.  But reports had it that the Jos crisis was a child's play compared to Yelwa-Shendam crisis of 2004. We remember Chief Obasanjo had to visit Plateau state and declare a state of emergency.

 But should life in present day Nigeria really be like the above scenes? where there is no honor and respect for human life ? where neighbours look at each other suspiciously?

I decided to go through the catastrophes to remain all Nigerians and my Hausa brothers particularly  to live in peace with their host communities.

Every Nigerian should have the right and privilege to live and work in any state he or she so desires. Until that is guaranteed physically as it is written in the Constitution I am afraid conflict and clashes will continue.  Most the government continue to waste people's lives in the Niger-Delta before their request is granted?

From history if you want to know who owns a town or city look at the surrounding villages. The majority of the tribes in the villages surely own the major town or city.

Jos in Plateau state cannot be different.  More so Jos is the corrupted form of Geash/Ghosh which is a Berom word

Talking about the movement of the Jos North local secretariat to a new location I believe there should be no need for any opposition to it if it is for good governance and development.

Capital cities of countries have moved before even here in Nigeria from Calabar to Lokoja to Lagos and now Abuja. In Brazil from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia.  In Ivory Coast from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro.  In Tanzania from Dodoma to Dar ees slam.

Yet again here in Nigeria the capital of former Northern Eastern state was moved from Bauchi to Maiduguri.

In my own opinion even if  the secretariat was moved to build a bigger and befitting Palace for the Gbong Gbom Jos I think is a good idea. After all he is a first class chief like the emirs of Kano, Zaria and Katsina.  Likewise the shehu of Borno,  Ooni of Ife and the Lamido of Adamawa.

At the beginning of this write up, I began by saying I am not trying to have a go at the Hausa man but just trying to set records straight so that we can use it to make peace. I believe we have had too many bloodshed between the Hausas and their host communities.  Please  please let peace reign in Nigeria and particularly on the Plateau the 'Home of peace and Tourism'