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By Yemi Adebowale, with agency reports, and Ahamefula Ogbu
Attempts to redress historic grievances in Nigeria’s oil-rich south may inadvertently have helped create the conditions for the Islamic insurgency spreading from the impoverished north-east of the country, so says Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
A revenue sharing formula that gave 13 percent derivation to the oil-producing states was introduced after the military relinquished power in 1999 among a series of measures aimed at redressing historic grievances among those living closest to the oil and quelling a conflict that was jeopardising output.
But Sanusi who spoke in an interview with the Financial Times Friday said: “There is clearly a direct link between the very uneven nature of distribution of resources and the rising level of violence.”
He said that it was now necessary to focus funds on regenerating other regions if Nigeria wants to secure long-term stability.
“When you look at the figures and look at the size of the population in the north, you can see that there is a structural imbalance of enormous proportions. Those states simply do not have enough money to meet basic needs while some states have too much money.
“The imbalance is so stark because the state still depends on oil for more than 80 per cent of its revenues,” said Sanusi.
The FT, in a further analysis of the issue yesterday, wrote: “Nigeria has made little headway raising taxes for example from agriculture, which accounts for 42 per cent of GDP. Northern Nigeria’s economy has traditionally depended on the government more than the south. Many of the industries set up as part of earlier efforts to promote national balance have gone bust or been sold off during a decade of liberal market reforms, power shortages and infrastructure collapse.
“According to official figures, the leading oil producing state, Rivers, received N1,053 billion between 1999 and 2008 in federal allocations. By contrast the North-eastern states of Yobe and Borno, where the Boko Haram sect was created, received N175bn and N213bn respectively. Broken down on a per capita basis, the contrast is even starker. In 2008 the 18.97m people who lived in the six states in the north-east received on average N1,156 per person.
“By contrast Rivers state was allocated N3,965 per capita, and on average the oil producing South- South region received on average N3,332 per capita. This imbalance is compounded when the cost of an amnesty programme for militants in the delta is included together with an additional 1 per cent for a special development body for the Niger Delta. To boot, the theft of oil by profiteers in the region diverts tens of millions more weekly from federal coffers.”
In the past year, the extremist Boko Haram sect has been responsible for proliferating attacks on churches, police stations and other state targets. Just last week, it claimed responsibility for multiple bomb blasts that claimed nearly 200 lives in Kano. The size and sophistication of the attacks underlined fears that the conflict is spiralling out of control.
Meanwhile, Vice President, Namadi Sambo has rallied the 19 Northern state governors together in a bid to check the spate of bombings in the North by the violent Islamic sect Boko Haram and arrive at a collective action against the menace.
Sambo told State House Correspondents that there was no religious problem in the country but terrorist attacks for which all Nigerians must cooperate with security agencies to see to the end of Boko Haram. The vice-president said he has secured the pledge of the governors to cooperate with the federal government to weed out the group.
Sambo’s meeting with the governors held at his Akinola Aguda House residence began around 8.30pm on Thursday and lasted till 2.10 am Friday.
The vice-president confirmed to journalists that he met with the governors on how combat the Boko Haram menace.
He said: “It is a meeting with the 19 governors of the Northern states of the federation and the ministers of Police and Defence and the representative of the National Security Adviser. We have discussed the need for cooperation in the security of this country and particularly, the Northern states. And in this meeting, it is very clear that there is no religious problem, religious fighting in northern Nigeria.
“There is a threat of terrorists and the need to address this terrorism act. Nigeria is one country and we will do everything to ensure that we have peace in the North and in the country in general. All the state governments as usual will further cooperate with the federal government in ensuring that the safety of lives and properties is maintained in all parts of the country.”
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Mr Sanusi has done a wonderful analysis,but refused to put in record the amounth of money stolen by the northen generals from 1966 to 1999.What a bais mind
Comments like this from notable Northerners gives the impression that Boko Haram is a grand design by the north to control political power by all means/hook or crook.
The North should stop being parasitic and start working towards improving it’s own economy. Japan and China were not developed by petroluem resources nor by depending on hand-outs. Putting a stop to the incessant killings and religious crises would be a good starting point. Since 1922, the north has always been engulfed in one religious/political massacre after another. Situations like this scare away potential investors and invariably deprived the north of vital opportunies for economic growth
Sanusi is try 2 lecture us cos he has data of our dealings fine but what has it got 2 do wit boko haram? He’s stil not adresing or condemin them which is their ways in d north,let him tel us d bilions dat is given 2 north only under d guise of world bank help,shld d country kno money dat north divert tru aids frm foreign agency without records or questions.Let me say this if oil was 2 b in d north,they wil take 50% as derivation n wil only alow south 2 touch d rest tru slavery n Islamization n by now they wil av divide d country God knows them that’s y he put in d south so it wil go round,if in d north it wil only benefit them,who ar d oil barons? Who alot oil wells 2 themselves ilegaly? Who ar d pple that start ilegal refinery? Until now even under yar’adua d late,d hierachy in NNPC are northerners önly at d least wil u c anybody frm d south,dis cannary bird caled “sanusi” sings 2 much,does he thinks he knows more than evrybody? He beta pray Nigeria remain one, else even d one north gets n refuse 2 use it 2 develop itself wil only hapen in d dream,go 2 parastatals n c wot our northerners av done 2 our treasury,let him come out n swear wit his elites dat they ar not contributin 2 boko haram purse wit his Quran,it is a pity dat his agenda against d south did not work we av d facts,he shld ask wot has d north done wit d one given 2 dem n not 2 b envious of pple they use gun 2 supress so much dat d goose dat lay d golden eggs av no food 2 eat,no sch no amenities etc except 4 now, he shld go bak n tel those that sent him,he has failed,it seems our mariage of inconvinience as a nation wil soon b over due 2 pride of d North, 4 once sanusi pls keep shut,’kayi mana shuru don Allah malam’
Sanusi is tryin 2 lecture us cos he has data of our dealings fine, but what has it got 2 do wit boko haram? He’s stil not adresing or condemin them which is their ways in d north,let him tel us d bilions dat is given 2 north only under d guise of world bank help,shld d country kno money dat north divert tru aids frm foreign agencies without records or questions.Let me say this, if oil was 2 b in d north,they wil take 50% as derivation n wil only alow south 2 touch d rest strictly under Islamization n by now they wil av divided d country, God knows them that’s y he put it in d south so it wil go round,if in d north it wil only benefit them,who ar d oil barons? Who alot oil wells 2 themselves ilegaly? Who ar d pple that start ilegal refineries? Until now even under yar’adua d late,d hierarchy in NNPC are northerners önly at d least wil u c anybody frm d south,dis cannary bird caled “sanusi” sings 2 much,does he thinks he knows more than evrybody? He beta pray Nigeria remain one, else even d one north gets n refuse 2 use it 2 develop itself wil only hapen in d dream,go 2 parastatals n c wot our northerners av done 2 our treasury,let him come out n swear wit his elites dat they ar not contributin 2 boko haram purse ,it is a pity dat his agenda against d south did not work we av d facts,he shld ask wot has d north done wit d one given 2 dem n not 2 b envious of pple they use gun 2 supress under d military, so much dat d goose dat lay d golden eggs av no food 2 eat,no schl no amenities etc except 4 now, he shld go bak n tel those that sent him,he has failed,it seems our mariage of inconvinience as a nation wil soon b over due 2 pride frm d North, 4 once sanusi pls keep shut,’kayi mana shuru don Allah malam’
Instead of these piecemeal cosmetic solutions, why not go for a National Conference, in which each part/region/or stakeholders will state its grievances? Boko Haram is not about economic situation. The suicide bombers are not Nigerians. The North is constantly blaming the south. Who insisted on indirect rule in which the North sealed her fate with Islamic Culture which is synonymous with poverty and glorification of begging? Sanusi did not tell us what was the allocation rate before the change? Besides, it is only in Nigeria that the desert north is more populous than the south which lives near the sea.
Sanusi is gvn us analysis and relating illiteracy of d Notherners 2 distribution of wealth. Laughable dat,sanusi links boko haram insurgence 2 economic matter,when d suicide bombers can’t write or spell their names correctly. Then hw dd they come 2 learn abt revenue sharing formular.
Sanusi we al knw dat ur an islamic extremist. And dat u sanusi,ciroma,atiku,ibb,gusau n buhari are d architech of dis whole factors calld boko haram. But i want 2 let u knw dat ur an illiterate 2, 4 digressing 4rm profering solution 2 addng flames 2 whole nonsence ur mallam brodaz are doing.
Very soon we,re going 2finish unbelievers like u in northern region wht do uhave interms of wealth and education ur dirty pple always rushed 2nrth 2be rich and mst of ur pple thinks that only western education is aknowledg e it was amistake who ever can read and write is nt illiterate as u mentioned in ur comment 4ur informatio n we arent like u pple u assumed dat western education is better than ur religion chiristianity u disdain ur religion and ur culture and dnt respect any 1expt naira wht ashame 4u vry sn u will c aswordof death against kufurun like u .
Very soon we,re going 2finish unbelievers like u in northern region wht do uhave interms of wealth and education ur dirty pple always rushed 2nrth 2be rich and mst of ur pple thinks that only western education is aknowledg e it was amistake who ever can read and write is ntan illiterate as u mentioned in ur comment 4ur informatio n we arent like u pple u assumed dat western education is better than ur religion chiristianity u disdain ur religion and ur culture andu dnt respect any 1expt naira wht ashame 4u vry sn u will c aswordof death against kufurun like u .
Fuck southerners, i guessed you are one of those who are tarnishing the name of Alah.If you kill in the name of Alah, you will face judgements in heaven, he will ask you many questins you may not be able to answer. Dont be missled to commit evil in the name of Alah. Alah is for peace. If you kill, may be you did it for your own selfish aims but not for Alah. Alah will never instruct anybody to kill for him.As an African, there is no reason to kill your same black brother in the name of religion.Christianity and Islam are foreing to Africans, they are cultures of other people imposed on we Africans. And above all religion is an inventions, so dont kill for it. For me, Alah know, that nothing comes between me and tha African cultures, not even my religion. We cant all be mumu and dogmatic to killing each others in the name of the cultures of others.Religion is man made, God is NOT a violence parson.
I’m dissapointed that a person of Sanusi would come up with such a factless aguement. He forgot to tell us how many mosques did the Delta guys bumbed with granades?. He for got to tell us how many inocent people they killed?. The guys in the delta actually came out with a constructive grievances, that they have been neglected by the Nigerian govt which was dominated for too long by the northerners. The delta guys were not fighting against western education and were not agitating for sharialising Nigeria.Above all, they have their faces, they are not faceless, the have spokes men who speaks in publics. How, for God’s sake that a person of Sanusi will be comparing the strougle in the delta with boko haram?. The notherners have squanderd Nigeria’s money more than any other tribes in Nigeria.Yet we cant notice it in their regions. The notherners have dominated power than any regions of Nigeria,yet they have the largest numbers of street almajiris, isn’t a shame?. The notherners will not make good use of good thing giving to them. Sanisi is a dissappointment to many Nigerians. Let him talk to his people in the north, tell your people the truth, charity begins at home.
Thnx Mr. Sanusi, you forgot to tell Nigerians what did the notherners do with their loots from the Nigeria treasury?. The northrn Nigeria is surposed to be the most develped with the most educated people in Nigeria today.But what have they done with their oportunities?. They worked against Awolowo’s efforts to develop and educate the north. Are they not ashamed?.What the north is today is what they have made themselves. Can their leaders please come out and tell the world what they have done for their youths to improve them. Sanisi was trying to compare delta with the north eastern states, why not the noetheast with, Ogun, Ekiti, Anambra, Imo, osun, Plateau, Benue, Kwara, Kogi and many other states who recieves thesame allocations from the FG. These states have the same allocations, yet were able to make sure thing work well in their states. Please, tell us something more reasonable, oga Sanisi
There is no denying the fact that Sanusi is sympathetic to the cause of Boko Haram. A CBN governor openly dishing out lies and unsubstantiable figures to advance the cause of criminal murderers, Boko Haram, because the murderes are also fighting for the same cause as the CBN governor . Jonathan, when are we going for sovereign national conference? Nigeria is going, going, gone! The country is no more retrievable from its march to disintegration.
Reply to wat FUCK southerners said! ɪ̣̝̇s̶̲̥̅̊ that the right word to use on our fellow brothers? We are one no matter wat this devilish pple do and i am very sure you read the holy Quran which dosent say we shld kill pple,even our fellow muslims were killed in this cruel action took by this sect. Imagine if the southeners choose to retaliate ?expecially the MASSOB u knw that is a civil war even my brother will be affected,s̶̲̥̅̊ð pls dnt let us support this pple so SAY NO KILLING,WE ARE ONE
Nigerians dnt worry we will go places!!
sanusi is a religious bigot. he is a boko haram financier, that is why he established the islamic. that truth has now beenunveiled behind islamic bank. a means of financing bokoharam. his utterances portrays this. its high time jonathan send this fanatic away. he has a hidden agenda. if he stays longer than now, he will plan jonathans dowafall, and jonathan knows this. no wonder he said that boko haram has infiltrated his government. sanusi is one of boko haram members in his givernment. his analysis is inciting and he ought to be prosecuted for treason. he has been implementing northers agenda. when the south goes her own way, sanisu will know that it more that a fanatical and incicive analysis. big fool sanisu
i hered and read all your selfish comments but remember that you are calling the northerners illetrates,and dependant.let me remind you what you know or tell you what you don`t know when white ppl came to nigeria they found us(notherners) with our complet dress, relegion, good culture, and they found us with our job(noma, kira, saka,kiwo,etc)bythen you dont know your selve`s they found you naked with out dress puting on leves,they found you illetrates but they unite us and untill they left us without that so called petrolleum. it was letter you found the petroleum and all that long you defend on our economic and farming and the nation use our money to start producing oil.After all that now you have mouse to talk and abuse us.
The government should step up security in corners of the nation.lets allso see ourself as one indivissible entity.
Salman Hashmi cant believe your comments very ignorant