Dear Sir,
Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo, you have written excellent articles in recent months bringing to the attention of the general public the many challenges our country is facing.
I would like to point out some factual errors in your assertions of your most recent article in the newspaper This Day; asking the metaphorical question ‘Are There Nigerians to Develop Nigeria?’
First, it is not entirely the case that Nigerians of southern extraction having spent a long time in other parts of Nigeria are ‘discriminated’ on the basis of their parent’s or ancestral state of origin that your article is implying.
1. In Borno state for example where I come from, there was a career diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who had an Igbo father and subsequently went to be the Nigerian ambassador to Australia and Egypt on the ‘quota’ of Borno state. We also had the state head of Judiciary (Chief Judge) as an Igbo man.
2. There was a very senior officer (General) of Yoruba heritage in the Nigerian army now retired; who was a GOC, 1st Division in Kaduna and categorised as an indigene of Yobe State; even though he had a very distinct Yoruba name.
3. There was a female Senator 1999-2003 again with a distinct Yoruba name who served in the senate; represented Taraba State who was a Yoruba. I can go on counting in each of the states of Nigeria that your article is making subtle reference that are beneficiary of ‘quota system’ who have Nigerians that have ancestral state of origin from southern part of Nigeria and now earning their livelihood in northern Nigeria.
Can the same be said to other parts of our country? I think not.
Without attacking your person sir as a senior statesman, can you please state what have you done in your time as the Governor of the Central Bank to ameliorate the issue of inclusiveness and promoting diversity?
Sir, may I humbly suggest that you go back to Anambra State and contest an election into the National Assembly in order that you can sponsor laws that would celebrate our diversity as a nation rather than inflaming sentiments of the north-south divide on the pages of newspapers!!!!!!!!
Kind regards,
Dr Mohammad Ngala PhD
Dr Mohammad Jibrin Ngala is of the University of Bradford, UK
