SIR AHMADU BELLO NEITHER A TRIBALIST NOR A RELIGIOUS BIGOT
SIR AHMADU BELLO NEITHER A TRIBALIST NOR A RELIGIOUS BIGOT
By:
Nurudeen Dauda
27th June, 2025
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To start with, this is a piece in response to one Khaleed Yazeed on his article titled: "Sardauna Built the North- But he Built it on Tribalism: It is time we Rebuilt our minds". Khaleed Yazeed whether his "Psuedo name" and or his "real name" needs an authentic literature on who the man "Sardauna was" and "what he stood for" to study critically and carefully in order to have a proper thought on who he was and what he stood for not his present unfounded thought about him perhaps based on some twisted literature written by the Sardauna's "traducers".
It is totally false, malicious , ignominious, and unfounded to state that the great Sir Ahmadu Bello of blessed memory is responsible for the present suspicion, cracks , and disunity among the diverse people of Northern Nigeria. Sir Ahmadu Bello ran an inclusive government in the defunct Northern Region which brought its diverse people together. He governed with high integrity , honesty, social justice, equity, and fairness among its diverse people. The cherished ideal of the Sardauna's government was "One North, One People and One Destiny".
It was true that there were suspicion , and agitations among our diverse ethno- religious groups during Sardauna's time , but were managed reasonable well by his skillful and just leadership style. The present situation of suspicion and mistrust among Northerners, in my thought, could rightly be traced to the General Murtala's military coup of 1975 against General Gawon and the Lt. Col. Dimka's failed military coup of 1976 against General Murtala.
Sir Ahmadu Bello was anti- tribalism, in time he sponsored the education of the people from all the 13 provinces of the defunct Northern Region which included Northern Yorubas, Tivs, Idomas, Jukums, Biroms , Igalas, Kanuris, Igbirras and Nupes etc., who were both muslims and christians.
Sardauna's government was inclusive among the diverse ethnic minorities and religious groups in the defunct Northern Region. Some of the Sardauna's Non- muslims and Non- Hausa -Fulani cabinet members included: Hon. Abutu Obekpa- (Idoma) from Benue Province as Minister for Kaduna Affairs; Michael Audu Buba- Wazirin Shandam (Ankwei ) from Plateau Province as one time Minister of Trade & Industry; Mr Peter Achimugu -(Igala) from Kabba Province as Minister of Natural Resources; Mr Goerge Ohikere- (Igbirra) from Kabba Province as Minister of works; Hon. S.A. Ajayi-(Yoruba) from Kabba Province as Minister of Animal & Forestry Resources.
More so, Pastor David Lot- (Mwaghavul ) from Plateau Province as Minister; Ibrahim Biu -(Babur) from Borno Province as Minister of information; Aliyu Makaman Bida (Nupe) from Niger Province as Minister of Finance; Mr Daniel Ogabdu -(Igala) from Kabba Province as Ministar of Economic Planning; Ahmed Pategi- (Nupe) from Ilorin Province as Minister of Agriculture and Health; Yahaya Orioko Madawakin Ilorin (Yoruba) from Ilorin Province as Minister of Health etc.
Some of his Non- muslims and Non- Hausa -Fulani closest staff included: Mr Sunday Awoniyi - (Yoruba) from Kabba Province as Security Details; Prof. Ishaya Audu- from Zaria Province as one -time Personal Physician; Dr Abdulmumin Ibrahim Atta (Igbirra) from Kabba Province as one -time Personal Physician; Mahmoud Ibrahim Atta (Igbirra) from Kabba Province as Deputy Chief of Protocol etc.
His Developmental projects in the defunct Northern Region were inclusive among its diverse people. His projects in the Non- Hausa- Fulani and Non- muslims areas included: The Veterinary Research Institute (VOM) in Plateau Province, the various industries associated with mining established in Plateau Province, the Jos Fiber Factory, the Government Trade Center Bukuru in Plateau Province, and the Fish Farming at Panyam Plateau Province etc.
Similarly, the Clerical Training School Oturkpo in Benue Province, the Mechanize Rice Farming in Benue of Benue Province, the Oil palm mills in Kabba of Kabba Province, the School of Agriculture in Kabba of Kabba Province, the Igala Native Authority oil palm seedlings & fertilizer project in Kabba Province, the Technical Training School illorin of Illorin Province, the Illorin Girls Secondary School in Illorin Province, the Veterinary laboratories in Illorin Province, the Sugar Processing Company in Bacita Area of Ilorin Province, and the Clerical Training School Bida in Niger Province among others.
The unity built in the defunct Northern Region by the late Sardauna's inclusive leadership style among its diverse ethno- religious groups manifested itself soon after the 15th January,1966 sectional military coup. Northern soldiers from different ethno-religious divides in unison staged a counter coup in July 1966, six months after response to the 15th January,1966 sectional military coup which led to the unfortunate assassination of the great Sardauna.
Our system in the First Republic was anchored on regional competition among the three regions and later four regions.The politics was on competition for regional development. It is apt to state that Sardauna's mandate was on his primary constituency the then defunct Northern Region not Nigeria as a whole. The great Sardauna wanted the North which was ( and still is) left behind by far to catch up with the rest of regions. His struggle was anchored on the philosophy that balance development in a federation was the foundation for national unity. While Awo and Zik moved to the national level the great Sardauna was not satisfied that the North had caught up for him to move to the national level.
Sir Ahmadu Bello as a responsible leader of the defunct Northern Region's only crime to some people was his refusal to allow what rightly belongs to his people to be given to others. The great Sardauna was alive to the leadership responsibilities of his people. He refused to be outshone in a competitive regional system of government.
Khaleed Yazeed needs to first and foremost understand the politics of the First Republic in relations to our then constitution of Nigeria in order to appreciate the great Sir Ahmadu Bello's leadership style which he discharged with to his primary constituency with distinctions. We operated a regional government with regional premiers whose primary mandate as elected political leaders were the security and welfare of their respective regions.
In his Christmas message to the Christian community in 1959. SIR AHMADU BELLO THE PREMIER OF NORTHERN REGION said : ''We are people of many different races, tribes and religions, who are knit together by common history, common interests and common ideals. Our diversity may be great but the things that unite us are stronger than the things that divide us. On an occasion like this, I always remind people about our firmly rooted policy on religious tolerance. Families of all creeds and colour can rely on these assurances. We have no intention of favouring one religion at the expense of another. Subject to overriding need to preserve law and order, it is our determination that everyone should have absolute liberty to practice his beliefs. It is befitting on this momentous day, on behalf of my ministers and myself, to send a special word of gratitude to all Christian missions. Let me conclude this with a personal message. I extend my greetings to all our people who are Christians on this great feast day. Let us forget the difference in our religion and remember the common brotherhood before God, by dedicating ourselves afresh to the great tasks which lie before us".
SARDAUNA'S STATEMENT ON THE NORTHERN CAMEROON'S PLEBISCITE: "I wish to express on behalf of this House, our sincere thanks to the people of the Northern Cameroons. They have given overwhelming support to our cherished ideal of One North, One People and One Destiny. It is this ideal which holds together the different peoples of this great Region irrespective of Tribe or Religion. Members are however aware that in the past, certain people, usually not living in this Region have attempted to destroy this ideal. They have said that non-Fulanis and non-Muslims would vote for the Cameroons Republic in the Plebescite. This, I am glad to say, has been proved totally untrue. Muslims and non-Muslims voted together in their thousands to join the Region. We have now proved to the world that the unity of the North, the unity of different tribes and religions in the North, is a fact. No more can enemies of the North deny this.”- Hon. Premier (Alhaji the Hon. Sir Ahmadu Bello K.B.E., CBE) Parliamentary Debates, Fifth Session, Monday March 1961.
However, it is true that there are cracks and suspicion among our diverse ethno- religious groups in the North. It is equally true that there is widespread poverty and under- development among our people. The present set of leaders in the North at the federal, the states that the local Governments levels must accept the fact that they have the responsibilities of finding the ways of ensuring development and peaceful co-existence among our diverse ethno- religious groups. The people as a whole must accept the fact that living together in peace and stability among our diverse ethno- religious groups is not an option, but a must.
May God bless us!