the plethora of Southern lecturers in many high institutions in the North.
Religion: With the Christian minorities in the North, this is a huge disadvantage to them as most Southerners are Christians and they have been able to keep the Muslim dominated North under checks and balances. With the departure of the Southerners, these Christian minorities may lose their voices and footings in the social and political milieu of the North.
Transportation: Major transport companies are owned by Southerners, especially the Igbos. Though it would limit their movements to the South and may not fetch them the desired revenue, the North would be one lonely place in terms of human movement. The North may be populous, but few among them could afford to travel extensively as the Southerners.
Revenue: In Kano State, for example, the commercial capital of Northern Nigeria, 67% of the Internal Generated Revenue are acquired from Southerners. Most of the business activities of that state take place in Sabongari, a town dominated by Southerners. I’m sure the Kano State government wouldn’t want to take that risk.
Time would fail me to touch on other aspects that if these threat is eventually carried out, it would lead to nothing but tribal hate and chaos. I would implore of party to sheath their swords and let us look for a way to move the country forward. Nigeria cannot afford another Civil War. What happened in 1966 must not happen again.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Ade writes from Surulere Lagos
