….Lists what should be of utmost concern to Arewa
By Chris Udochukwu
Reno Omokri, the Special Adviser on New Media to former President Goodluck Jonathan has reacted to the “protest threat” by the northern youth over moving specific departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, to Lagos, saying the movemwnt in no way harms Arewa politically or economically.
This is also as he has stressed that what should be of utmost concern to Nigeria, and especially Arewa, is how to end banditry and kidnapping, ensure that Northerners do not have to pay astronomically more for fuel than Southerners, end or at least arrest the desertification of the core North, reduce the alarming rate of out of school children, get Internally Displaced Persons safely back to their cities, towns and villages, and see to a federal character in the civil service.
Precise Post recalls that the pro-democracy northern organisation, under the auspices of Joint-Action Northern Youth Associations, has rejected the relocation of key departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to Lagos by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
Reno, who took to his X handle account @RenoOmokri to reply the Arewa youth said:
“Arewa people know I am indigenously yan kudu, but socially and mentally Dan Arewa. I will never deliberately go against the interest of Arewa. Therefore, let me say that moving specific departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, to Lagos in no way harms Arewa politically or economically.
“It is in Nigeria’s economic interests that this happens. Money that is made in Lagos does not stay in Lagos. It circulates from there to other states. Especially Northern states. VAT taxes and other sources of revenue collected from Lagos and shared with other states readily come to mind. Let us be our brother’s keeper and make sacrifices for our unity.
“We can subjugate other institutions to politics, but not our economy and military. What should be of utmost concern to Nigeria, and especially Arewa, is how to end banditry and kidnapping, ensure that Northerners do not have to pay astronomically more for fuel than Southerners, end or at least arrest the desertification of the core North, reduce the alarming rate of out of school children, get Internally Displaced Persons safely back to their cities, towns and villages, and see to a federal character in the civil service.
“This policy of citing a limited number of federal agencies outside the political capital is not peculiar to Nigeria. South Africa does it. As does the United States and the United Kingdom. No wise nation can afford to concentrate all its vital institutions in one city. It is not pragmatic. What such an unwise policy means is that to decapitate that country, all you need to do is suffocate the capital. If, God forbid, some disaster occurs in Abuja, such as the Ibadan explosion, Nigeria should still be able to function.
“Aso Rock is still in Abuja. The National Assembly is unshakeably in the FCT. The Supreme Court dey kampe for the Three Arms Zone. As well as the Ministry of Defence.
“No state or city can compete with the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. However, if we fail to make pragmatic decisions, Nigeria will not be able to compete favourably in the world economy.”
Further recall that the Joint-Action Northern Youth Associations, comprising 16 civil society organisations in the North had on 23rd January, 2023, said that the failure of the President Tinubu-led government to rescind the decision will force them to mobilise the youths across the 19 northern states for mass action against the administration.
Recaĺl that the CBN recently announced the relocation of some departments to Lagos, citing congestion at the head office.
Similarly, the Federal Government announced the relocation of FAAN’s headquarters from Abuja to Lagos.
The relocation was officially announced by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, in a memo dated January 15, 2024, and signed by the Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku.
However, Alhaji Murtala Abubakar, who is the Convener of the Joint-Action Committee of Northern Youth Associations, at a joint press conference held at the Arewa House, Kaduna on Monday, declared the relocation of the two agencies to Lagos as illegal, null and void.
Abubakar argued that by relocating the two agencies to Lagos, the Federal Government was not only disrespecting the law but creating a sense of alienation and exclusion of northerners.
He said the North would seek all means, including legal, political as well as mass action, to ensure that the government rescinded the decision to move the two agencies to Lagos.
He called on the Federal Government to prevail on the two agencies to reverse their decisions immediately and “restore the status quo of the CBN and the FAAN headquarters in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.”.
“We will not allow any attempt to undermine the status and integrity of Abuja as the Federal Capital and the seat of government.
“We also request the Federal Government to ensure that all federal institutions and agencies are adequately funded and staffed in Abuja.
“We are not against Lagos or any other part of the country but we are against any form of discrimination, dominion and marginalisation of any part of the country,” he said.
The association comprises of 16 Civil Society Organisations in the North, such as; Arewa Defence League, Association of Northern Nigeria Students, Arewa Youth for Development and National Unity, Arewa Young Women Rights Advocate Council, Northern Youth in Defence of Democracy, Arewa Radio and Television Commentators, among others.
