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Building trusting relationships among key players that
spur the movement of ideas into action in an agile
manner for the Arewa region.
Northern Nigeria was
an autonomous division within Nigeria, distinctly
different from the southern part of the country,
with independent customs, foreign relations and
security structures. In 1962 it acquired the
territory of the British Northern Cameroons, which
voted to become a province within Northern Nigeria.
In 1967, Northern Nigeria was divided into the
North-Eastern State, North-Western State, Kano
State, Kaduna State, Kwara State, and the Benue-Plateau
State, each with its own Governor.
The ancient culture of Nok dominated most of
what is now Northern Nigeria in prehistoric times, its legacy in the form of
terracotta statues and megaliths have been discovered in Sokoto, Kano,
Birinin Kudu, Nok and Zaria. The Kwatarkwashi culture, a variant of the Nok
culture centred mostly around Zamfara in Sokoto State is thought by some to
be the same or an offshoot of the Nok. Fourteen Kingdoms unified the diverse
lore and heritage of Northern Nigeria into a cohesive ethno-historical
system. Seven of these Kingdoms developed from the Kabara legacy of the
Hausa people. In the 9th century as vibrant trading centers competing with
Kanem-Bornu and Mali slowly developed in the Central Sudan, a collection of
Kingdoms merged dominating the great savannah plains of Hausaland, their
primary exports were leather, gold, cloth, salt, kola nuts, animal hides,
and henna. The Seven Hausa states included:
• Daura, ? - 1806
• Kano, 998 - 1807
• Katsina, c. 1400 - 1805
• Zazzau (Zaria), c. 1200 - 1808
• Gobir, ? - 1808
• Rano
• Biram, c. 1100 - 1805
The growth and conquest of the Hausa Bakwai resulted in the founding of
additional states with rulers tracing their lineage to a concubine of the
Hausa founding father,
 Bayajidda.
Thus they are called the Banza Bakwai, meaning Bastard Seven. The Banza
Bakwai adopted many of the customs and institutions of the Hausa Bakwai but
were considered unsanctioned or copy-cat kingdoms by non-Hausa people. These
states include:
• Zamfara
• Kebbi
• Yauri (also called Yawuri)
• Gwari (also called Gwariland)
• Kwararafa (a Jukun state)
• Nupe (of the Nupe people)
• Ilorin (a Yoruba city)
Fulani Empire and Bornu Empire - Usuman dan Fodio, the 18th century
revolutionary and a social, religious and political reformer finally united
the 7 Hausa States with newly created provinces into the Sokoto Caliphate.
The Sokoto Caliphate was under the overall authority of the Commander of the
Faithful. Under Dan Fodio, the Empire was bicephalous and divided into two
territories each controlled by an appointed vizier. Each of the territories
was further divided into autonomous Emirates under mainly hereditary local
Emirs. The Bornu Empire was initially absorbed into the Sokoto Caliphate of
Usman dan Fodio, but broke away a few years later.
Colonisation - Initially, the British involvement in Northern Nigeria
was predominantly trade-related, and revolved around the expansion of the
Royal Niger Company, whose interior territories spread north from about
where the Niger River and Benue River joined at Lokoja the Mount Patti hill.
The Royal Niger Company's territory did not represent a direct threat to
much the Sokoto Caliphate or the numerous states of Northern Nigeria. This
changed, when Frederick Lugard and Taubman Goldie laid down an ambitious
plan to pacify the Niger interior and unite it with the rest of the British
Empire.
Independence - Northern Nigeria gained self-government on 15 March
1957 with Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto as its first premier. The
Northern Peoples’ Congress under Bello dominated parliament while the
Northern Elements Progressive Union became the main opposition party. In
1967, Northern Nigeria was disestablished by subdivision.
Government and politics - The government of Northern Nigeria was
modelled after the Westminster system. A premier acted as head of government
and presided over the day-to-day affairs of government, while a Governor of
Northern Nigeria acted as viceroy and as commander-in-chief of the
constabulary.
The lower house of parliament, called the House of Assembly was composed of
elected representatives from the various provinces of the country. The Upper
House of parliament, called the House of Chefs, was similar to the British
House of Lords, composed of unelected emirs of the various Native Authority
Councils of the nation's provinces. In 1967, the Federal Military Government
of General Yakubu Gowon broke up the four regions that until then had
constituted the Federation of Nigeria, creating twelve new states. Northern
Nigeria was divided into the North-Eastern State, North-Western State, Kano
State, Kaduna State, Kwara State, and the Benue-Plateau State, each with its
own Governor and government.
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AREWA DEMOGRAPHIC
PROFILES
Nigeria's population is projected to grow from more than 186
million people in 2016 to 392 million in 2050, becoming the
world’s fourth most populous country, with northern Nigeria
popularly called "Arewa" having the highest youth population.
Nigeria’s sustained high population growth rate will continue
for the foreseeable future because of population momentum and
its high birth rate. Nigeria needs to harness the potential of
its burgeoning youth population in order to boost economic
development, reduce widespread poverty, and religious and ethnic
violence.
Demographic shifts will fuel
the growth of new sectors, markets, and service lines: The
ability of our diversity to build strength and unity is the
power that will propel the organization and consequently, Arewa
and the Nigerian industry, into new dimensions of performance.
READ ON
Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more
than 250 ethnic groups; the most populous and politically
influential are: Hausa and the Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo
(Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Nupe 3.0%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%
with Muslim 50%,
Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10% having Age Structure as
follows:
-
0-14 years
old: -42.79%
(male 40,744,956/female 38,870,303)
-
15-24 years
old: -
19.48%
(male 18,514,466/female 17,729,351)
-
25-54 years
old: -
30.65%
(male 29,259,621/female 27,768,368)
-
55-64 years
old: -
3.96% (male
3,595,293/female 3,769,986)
-
65 years
and over: -
3.12% (male
2,754,040/female 3,047,002) (2016 est.)
Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
|
Nigeria |
5.7 |
5.7 |
5.5 |
|
Urban |
4.9 |
4.7 |
4.7 |
|
Rural |
6.1 |
6.3 |
6.2 |
|
Region - North Central |
5.7 |
5.4 |
5.3 |
|
Region - North East |
7.0 |
7.2 |
6.3 |
|
Region - North West |
6.7 |
7.3 |
6.7 |
|
Region - South East |
4.1 |
4.8 |
4.7 |
|
Region - South South |
4.6 |
4.7 |
4.3 |
|
Region - South West |
4.1 |
4.5 |
4.6 |
History of the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria - The
protectorate of Northern Nigeria was proclaimed at Ida by
Frederick Lugard on January 1, 1897. The basis of the
protectorate was the 1885 Treaty of Berlin which broadly granted
Northern Nigeria to the British sphere of influence, on the
basis of their existing protectorates in Southern Nigeria.
Hostilities with the powerful Sokoto Caliphate soon followed.
The Emirates of Kontogora and Ilorin were the first to be
conquered by the British. In February 1903, the great fort of
Kano, seat of the Kano Emirate was captured; Sokoto and much of
the rest of its Caliphate soon capitulated. On March 13, 1903,
the Grand Shura of Caliphate finally conceded to Lugard's
demands and proclaimed Queen Victoria as suzerain of the
Caliphate and all its lands. Governor Lugard, with limited
resources, controlled the region with the consent of local
rulers through a policy of indirect rule, which he developed
into a sophisticated political theory. The geographical area
included in the Northern Nigeria Protectorate included the Okun-Yoruba
land of Kabba, Ogidi, Ijumu, Gbede, Yagba, as well as, Ebira
land, Igala land fashioned collectively under Kabba Province.
The Ifelodun, Offa, Omuaran, Ifelodun and Irepodun areas, also
Yorubas, were fashioned into Ilorin province. Lugard left the
protectorate after some years, serving in Hong Kong, but was
eventually returned to work in Nigeria, where in 1914 he sought
the merger of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate with Southern
Nigeria, creating the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.
Agitation for independence from the radically different Southern
Protectorate, however, led to a formidable split in the 1940s.
The Richards constitution proclaimed in 1945, gave overwhelming
autonomy to the North, including eventually in the areas of
foreign relations and customs policy.
Click for an in-depth information on Nigeria about: geography,
people and society, government, economy, energy, communications,
transportations, military and security, national and
translational issues etc.
ICT is the convergence of communications,
computing and information technologies and has become the
catalyst that enhances development process of a nation...READ
ON
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Restructuring
is good for the North because
the North has so many Potentials of
Solid Mineral Exploration, so great
that by the time the northern
Governors realize it they will
almost forget about allocation funds
coming from Federal Government and
too much Taxes on its citizens to
generate more internally generated
revenue (IGR). The potential is
great and better than crude oil of
the south. Gold, Uranium, Iron Ore,
Gemstones, Columbite, Tantalite,
Kaolin, Goshenite and other precious
minerals are everywhere across the
north, but also Lithium Brine Rocks,
lithium-bearing pegmatite and
spodumene, a critical component for
making electric car batteries. By
2030, oil will no longer be that
important as electric cars will take
over, lithium batteries will also be
used for powerhouses and so much
more. The potentials for export of
these natural minerals and local use
in manufacturing from the north are
unparalleled. The Southerners are
just beginning to realize the
potentials and if we begin to
explore them, what it will mean to
their so-called oil; and clamour for
Restructuring. That is why some of
them are beginning to downplay the
issue of restructuring now: every
region to control its resources, but
the north must insist on
Restructuring Now. Because the
southerners erroneously believe that
northerners are backward and
uneducated and think that the north
is dependent on the south simply
because they have oil while
forgetting that the south depends on
the north for its staple foods. 80%
of food consumed in the south, apart
from cassava comes from the north:
rice, beans, maize, guinea corn,
yam, wheat, tomatoes, onions,
pepper, spices and meat: cow, goat,
and donkeys, etc. Nigeria plans to
spend 15 billion naira, about $42
million over the next year or so to
explore minerals and attract
investors into mining and reduce its
dependence on oil. Also, the north
has oil too but abundant of natural
resources: solid minerals. The North
must get its act right and the
future will be much brighter, more
prosperous and better. The teaming
Youths will have ample jobs and
things to do; and for every mining
job, 4 more jobs will be created and
the north will virtually have
near-zero-unemployment.
The
northern demographic shifts will
fuel the growth of new sectors,
markets and service lines. They will
begin to innovate and with
creativity build viable businesses
in areas of the business supply
chain, and in agriculture, livestock
mainstreaming, no more transporting
live animals to the south but
slaughtered and freight in
refrigerated trucks, renewable
energy like solar farming, ICT,
Business Processing Outsourcing and
in healthcare, manufacturing and
revitalize the Kannywood
entertainment industry in
partnership with Indian Bollywood.
Staple food commodity would no
longer be transported to the south
but buying-zones can be created
along the borderlines between north
and south for southerners to come
and purchase there. “Wallahi it is a
matter of time and the time is very
soon, it has already begun. The
unity of northern diversity is the
power that will propel the business
communities and consequently, the
northern upcoming industries into
new dimensions of performance. Soon
there will be on the horizon, more
northern banks, northern media and
corporations; and northern
intelligentsia that will meet every
contemporary challenge; build
capacity and human capital
knowledge-pool; and the end of
youths banditry, kidnappings,
communal crises, terrorism and
religious violence because everyone
will have work and meaningful things
to do under strong, compassionate
leadership, propelling the country
to a Greater Height as a whole. ICT-enabled
solutions in healthcare,
agriculture, education, financial
services and States-public services
will drive socio-economic inclusion
of everyone in the region and the
country faster, cheaper and more
efficient than traditional methods.
Indeed, the North; and Nigeria will
be Great Again. The PAN-Niger Delta
Forum said that the news that
Northern leaders, who identified
themselves as Friends of Democracy,
advocated a return to the 12-state
federal structure of 1967 and 100
percent resource control was
thought-provoking but calls for
restraint and further
cross-questioning. The Pan-Yoruba
socio-political organization,
Afenifere, said it agrees with most
of the views of the northern leaders
and hoped to inter-face with them
later, but said for a group of
northerners to now be advocating for
100 percent resource control, calls
for caution and further
interrogation.
The question been are asked is that
who will suffer if Nigeria is
restructured or in the event of a
break-up of the country in terms of
food security or development?...
READ THE WHOLE INTERVIEW |
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“Given the emergence of
new regional dynamics in development policy and
practice, Arewa region MUST fine-tune current regional
development perspectives and
to develop new ones that are not only more in sync with
the present and future global context but with the
governance systems being currently adopted that are
becoming more and more decentralized and grassroots
oriented. States Governors within the Arewa region must
come together to create and adopt the Arewa Regional
Economic Plan with emphasis on a balanced approach to
development and opportunity for all diversity
irrespective of one’s tribe, social class, religious
belief and even political affiliation; and establish
targets for economic growth of the entire region taking
advantage of our Demographic Shifts, which will fuel the
growth of new sectors, markets, and service lines in our
communities. The ability of our diversity to build
strength and unity is the power that will propel the
region and consequently, the Nigerian industry, into new
dimensions of performance and inclusive growth.
Catalyzing Inclusive Growth Through ICT-enabled
solutions in healthcare, education, financial services
and public services can drive socio-economic development
and inclusion of more than 30 million citizens each
year, faster, cheaper and more effectively than
traditional models. The economic plan should be built on
current regional opportunities, collaboration and
innovation linking States macroeconomic models with
regional development and economic plan termed: Regional
Econometric Model”…President
ACRD
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