National Issues
Southern Kaduna Crisis: An Ethno religious Struggle Rooted in History.
THE reported bloodshed in Southern Kaduna over the last few weeks has been profound enough to break the sinews of the most heartless soul. Needless to say that such bloody siege in this ethnocultural bloc of Kaduna State has been a ubiquitous theme over the years.
Rather more melodramatic in this latest ethnoreligious conflagration, is the colouration of religious persecution and campaign of calumny as alleged by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Association of Imams in the State. That nonetheless, does not still desensitize the grim fact the brunt was largely borne by Christian dominated settlements.
President Buhari as well has come under severe criticism for his seeming apathy over what has been described as a meticulously perpetrated genocide. Social networks in their usually uncensored fashion, have been awash with the Kaduna tales of horror gravitating towards biblical prophecies and political ploys aimed at Islamizing Nigeria.
Even as a bystander, one is almost tempted to take sides considering the partisan cum inflammatory antecedent of such clashes in the past. For the sake of posterity and the dire need to stem the frequency at which such ritual rear its ugly head, it behooves our collective bunch to prod deeper into the institutional malaise behind the ethnic minority tension in Southern Kaduna.
Chronicling the history of what is today known as Kaduna State brings to mind, the old Zazzau Emirate Province.
The Muhammadan Hausa-Fulani group constitutes the major cultural segment and occupies the Northern part of the province. While the other ethnocultural bloc occupying the Southern half of the province was still punctuated by few Hausa walled villages and enclaves, it was often derogatorily described as being comprised of a pagan population. The imbalance in their demographic spread was further aggravated by the feudal system of political governance in the Emirate.
The Lord and vassal relationship, unfavorably skewed against the politically inferior ‘pagan population’ made them legitimate target for slave-raiding and exaction of tribute. The prejudice shown towards the Southern Kaduna made the pagan population particularly receptive to Christianity when it was introduced by early Missionaries.
With an entrenched socio-political and religious cleavage, the tone was set for ensuing frictions when the Kaje ethnic group protested over perceived discrimination by the Native Authority administration in 1948. Prequel to the 1976 Local Government Reforms, claims of deliberate marginalisation raised by frontliners from Southern Kaduna often fuelled resentment among locals. Hausa traders sparked a riot in 1980 after laying sudden claims to Adara land in Kasuwan Magan, Kajuru Local Government.
In 1986, power mongers blamed the Kurama for daring to oppose the candidature of a prominent Bakurmi Muslim who contested for the district headship of Lere District.
Attacks by the Muslim Students Society against students of the College of Education in 1987 elicited the widespread Kafanchan riots, leading to wanton destruction of lives and properties. The SUG election won by a Christian student at the Ahmadu Bello University in 1988 stirred reprisal attacks from some Muslim students, leading to ethnoreligious riots as well. The Kaduna House of Assembly in 2000, arbitrarily proceeded to debate the imposition of Sharia in Kaduna State which eventually led to large scale riots not only in Kaduna but also in several Northern States.
Space would really not permit an exhaustive citation of the litany of misundertanding that has engulfed this ethnoreligious fabric reminiscent of the defunct Yugoslavia.
So how effective has been the regulatory responses of the Government to the series of crisis in this region? In retrospect, one can say that the series of White Paper Reports submitted by committees set up to identify the immediate and remote causes of some of these crisis, have failed to correct the inherent anomalies among rival ethnic groups. Against this backdrop, the onus is on the Buhari-led government to explore new policy options that deviates from what was obtained in the past.
It is equally imperative for lawmakers in the State to work towards the creation of more local governments and chiefdoms in volatile areas occupied by both Hausa-Fulanis’ and other tribes.
With respect to helping the psyche of most Nigerians, President Buhari needs to be more proactive in his response to issues that reverberates on the consciousness of the average Nigerian. His seemingly lackadaisical reaction sent the wrong signals and has heightened public scepticism concerning his ethnoreligious insularity. Following the general elections in 2015, this writer argued that President Buhari ought to have embarked on a nation-wide tour with emphasis on those areas where he was less popular.
By so doing, he would have worked on the minds of those who were sorely aggrieved with the ouster of the PDP and ex-President Jonathan. Beyond appealing as a jamboree, it would have also doused the misgiving which eventually fuelled the renewed struggle for a sovereign State of Biafra and militancy in the Niger Delta.
Keeping over 250 nations in one enclave is as delicate as reading the white lines in a marble column.
By Kadiri Tolani.
In response to the escalating security challenges plaguing Nigeria, no fewer than 16 state governors have thrown their weight behind the establishment of state police forces.
This development was disclosed by the National Economic Council (NEC) during its 140th meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, which took place virtually on Thursday.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, who briefed State House Correspondents after the meeting, revealed that out of the 36 states, 20 governors and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were yet to submit their positions on the matter, though he did not specify which states were among them.
The governors advocating for state police also pushed for a comprehensive review of the Nigerian Constitution to accommodate this crucial reform. Their move underscores the urgency and gravity of the security situation across the nation.
Similarly, the NEC received an abridged report from the ad-hoc committee on Crude Oil Theft Prevention and Control. This committee, headed by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, highlighted the areas of oil leakages within the industry and identified instances of infractions.
Governor Uzodinma’s committee stressed the imperative of political will to drive the necessary changes and reforms needed to combat crude oil theft effectively.
Renowned academician, Professor Augustine Okereke, from the Medgar Evers College/City University of New York, has emphasised the detrimental impact of a lack of strong social institutions on Nigeria’s sustainable development.
Presenting a lead paper at the First Annual Ibadan Social Science Conference hosted by the University of Ibadan, Professor Okereke urged President Bola Tinubu to foster robust institutions capable of combatting corruption and addressing social ills.
“All our institutions are on the decline,” warned Professor Okereke, underscoring the urgent need for effective structures to facilitate sustainable development. He highlighted the challenges faced by African countries, emphasising the risk of continued poverty, underemployment, and injustice without these foundational structures.
The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ibadan, Professor Ezebunwa Nwokocha, asserted the university’s commitment to providing intellectual, context-specific solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
He called on state and federal governments to patronise researchers in the country, emphasising the faculty’s reputation for producing intellectual leaders.
Professor Nwokocha stated, “Our faculty is reputed for offering deeply intellectual, workable, and context-specific solutions to the challenges faced by Nigeria over the ages.” He emphasised the significance of the conference’s theme in aiding Nigeria’s navigation through its complex existential reality marked by despair, rising inflation, insecurity, corruption, and unemployment.
During the conference’s opening, Vice Chancellor Professor Kayode Adebowale noted the relevance of the theme, “Social Science, Contemporary Social Issues, and the Actualization of Sustainable Development,” urging participants to generate transformative ideas for Nigeria.
Acknowledging the nation’s progress over 63 years, he expressed concern over setbacks in the economy and social indices, hoping the conference would proffer solutions.
In his keynote address, Professor Lai Erinosho stressed the rapid worldwide social change in the digital age, citing both benefits and unanticipated consequences for human survival. He cautioned against embracing same-sex relationships, citing dangerous implications for humanity.
The First Annual Ibadan Social Science Conference convened a diverse array of participants to explore solutions and intellectual leadership in addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges.
As the country grapples with economic challenges, the latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed a surge in the inflation rate to 28.92%, according to the December 2023 Consumer Price Index (CPI) released on a Monday afternoon.
The CPI, tracking the fluctuation in prices of goods and services, illustrates a notable increase from the previous month’s 28.20%, underscoring the pressing concerns surrounding the nation’s economic stability.
In a recent report, the Statistics Office revealed a notable uptick in the headline inflation rate for December 2023, marking a 0.72 percentage point increase from the previous month’s figure in November 2023.
On a year-on-year basis, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) highlighted a significant surge, with the December 2023 rate standing at 7.58 percentage points higher compared to the corresponding period in 2022.
December 2022 witnessed an inflation rate of 21.34 percent, underscoring the economic dynamics at play.
“This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in December 2023 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., December 2022),” NBS said.
In a further revelation, the bureau disclosed that the month-on-month headline inflation rate for December 2023 experienced a 2.29 percent surge, surpassing November 2023 by 0.20 percent. This indicates a swifter rise in the average price level compared to the preceding month.
The report highlighted a concerning acceleration in food inflation, reaching 33.93 percent on a year-on-year basis for December 2023. This marked a substantial 10.18 percent points increase from December 2022’s rate of 23.75 percent. The data underscores the persistent upward trend in food prices, a trend exacerbated by various government policies, including the removal of subsidies on petrol.
Notably, in July 2023, President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency on food insecurity to address the escalating food prices. Taking decisive action, the President mandated that issues related to food and water availability and affordability fall under the jurisdiction of the National Security Council, recognising these as essential livelihood items in need of urgent attention.
In Monday’s inflation report, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) detailed the key contributors to the year-on-year increase in the headline index. The leading factors include food & non-alcoholic beverages at 14.98 percent, housing water, electricity, gas & other fuel at 4.84 percent, clothing & footwear at 2.21 percent, and transport at 1.88 percent.
Additional contributors encompass furnishings & household equipment & maintenance (1.45 percent), education (1.14 percent), health (0.87 percent), miscellaneous goods & services (0.48 percent), restaurant & hotels (0.35 percent), alcoholic beverages, tobacco & kola (0.31 percent), recreation & culture (0.20 percent), and communication (0.20 percent).
The report highlighted a substantial 24.66 percent change in the average Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the twelve months ending December 2023 over the previous twelve-month period. This represents a significant 5.81 percent increase compared to the 18.85 percent recorded in December 2022, indicating ongoing inflationary pressures in the economy.
Food Inflation
In a concerning trend, the food inflation rate for December 2023 surged to 33.93 percent on a year-on-year basis, marking a substantial 10.18 percent points increase from the same period in 2022, when the rate stood at 23.75 percent.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) attributed this rise in food inflation to notable increases in the prices of various essential items. Key contributors include bread and cereals, oil and fat, potatoes, yam, and other tubers, fish, meat, fruit, milk, cheese, and eggs.
These price hikes collectively contributed to the intensified strain on consumers, highlighting the complex dynamics driving the upward trajectory of food prices.
“On a month-on-month basis, the Food inflation rate in December 2023 was 2.72 percent, this was 0.30 percent higher compared to the rate recorded in November 2023 (2.42 percent),” it said.
Clarifying the dynamics behind the recent uptick, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) explained that the month-on-month increase in food inflation for December 2023 was spurred by a heightened rate of escalation in the average prices of oil and fat, meat, bread, and cereals, potatoes, yam, and other tubers, as well as fish and dairy products like milk, cheese, and eggs.
“The average annual rate of food inflation for the twelve months ending December 2023 over the previous twelve-month average was 27.96 percent, which was a 7.02 percent points increase from the average annual rate of change recorded in December 2022 (20.94 percent),” the report added.
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