13/07/2024
(Part 1 of 5)
GONGOLA PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT: THE FANTASIES AND THE FALLACIES
By Yakubu Abdullahi Yakubu
“I am not a tribal politician, my doors are open”. These are words of the new UK Prime Minster, Kief Starmer at his first press conference last week. In Adamawa State two weeks ago, some tribal politicians opened their doors to segregationist, ethnic and sectarian tendencies.
On the 29th of June 2024, an elaborate event was organised by the Gongola Elders Forum. I was not there myself. I did not watch it on television, but I heard the speeches on radio. There were many speeches and you know radio being transient; I tried hard to recollect what was said that day, which I am going to ruminate here.
From all indications, the event organised by Gongola Elders Forum was to celebrate the electoral victories of some of our political leaders in Adamawa State, past and present. According to a reliable source, the Gongola Elders Forum is a political wing of like-minded Christians who are top members of the Adamawa political elite hatching a game plan to grab power in the 2027 Governorship and other elections. I thought otherwise that the slogan ‘Adamawa First’ on the lips of patriotic citizens is a pointer to moving towards the 21st century.
I thought that one year into the second term of the Adamawa State governor; those big political giants will rally round his government to see to its success and not the other way round through unnecessary distraction.
Casting away insinuations that the governor had the Movement’s support and vice versa (being named the chief celebrant), a media aide, Dr. John Ngamsa, insists in an online publication that “Governor Fintiri has always been a champion of inclusivity and respect for all ethnicities and groups in Adamawa State. He believes in the strength of diversity and has consistently worked towards building a harmonious and peaceful society.”
The climax of the occasion was the presentation of awards to living and dead politicians of the state who fought for their people and were being remembered. It was clearly stated why they were selected based on their ethnic or religious belonging. Those who were identified as not of any ethnic nationality were excluded. There was a sprinkle of Muslim names, if I heard well. Otherwise, there was none.
One mind-boggling criterion clearly stated was when a speaker boasted the number of elective offices they have in their kitty. It was in Hausa and he said that out of 25 House of Assembly Members, they have 20. Out of 8 Members of the House of Representatives, they have 5. And out 3 Senators, they have 2. He went on in Hausa boastfully, “Muna da kaza, suna da kaza!"
One of the speakers cried out that some people have become scared of the new development and have gone hay-wire. That may be true. However, this kind of outing and the fiery speeches delivered, all right-thinking people know it is a recipe for conflict. Conflicts lead to crises and crises lead to disaster for the society.
Last week, I met an expert in conflict theory, Professor ST Umar, who said conflict can be caused by any of the following reasons – unequal development among communities, wide gap in accessing and controlling political resources and power, domination of minorities by the stronger ones in political and economic spheres, cultivating and harnessing culture of vengeance seeking values due to historic injustice meted against the economic and political minorities, and external influence on local people to aggravate the fragile security situation. Listening to the speakers at the Gongola Peoples Declaration, they covertly mentioned all the above, except the last one – aggravating the fragile security situation of the country. One can achieve peace, but not without harmony. Adamawa needs peace and harmony amongst all of its people.
To go back to the topic, they announced that the Gongola People's Movement is the new kid on the block. They said as long as there is Afenifere, Arewa Consultative Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Middle Belt Forum, Tabital Pulaaku International, and many other cultural and political associations, they have the right to association as guaranteed by the Nigeria Constitution. They said it is a conglomeration of ethnic nationalities from different parts of the Adamawa State who have the solidarity of other ethnic nationalities from other parts of the country. They defined ethnic nationalities as those ethnic groups that were in the Upper Benue region before 1750 and excluded those from Sokoto Caliphate and Sultanate (sic) of Borno. They are saying those elements identified as Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri are not welcome in the Gongola ‘People’s Movement. Exclusivity. Who dares to resurrect the ghost of Gideon Orkar?
With reminiscence, Gongola is the name of a river that is sourced from the Jos plateau; it crosses Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States to enter the great River Benue at Numan in Adamawa State. In February 1976, General Murtala Mohammed created new states for the Federation and named Gongola with the capital at Yola. The name ‘Gongola’ was changed to “Adamawa” in 1991, when Taraba State was carved out. The name Gongola is still active for the River and will remain still eternity, I guess. Apart from that some religious sects/dioceses/branches are named for it. Gongola is a nice name and I love it.
Fulani immigrants appeared in the Gongola valley as early as the 17th century. Other migrants into the upper Benue region came in from the northeast through the Yedzaram valley in Borno later. Is it not myopia that people that have lived in an area for 400 years are still called non-indigenes? There are some ethnic groups that came after the Fulanis and just because they are not Fulani they are recognized as indigenes.
The Fulani/Fulbe clans that settled in the Upper Benue region spent hundreds of years in their migration before reaching the plains of the Benue. They lived with the ethnic groups they met and lived amongst them. They adopted their names of their hosts such as Pabir/Pabir’en, Fali/Fali’en, Kiri/Kiri’en, Kilba/Kilba’en, etc. Fortunately, the 1999 Constitution is still in force in Nigeria and recognizes who is a Nigerian citizen or not. There is no such thing as indigenous people the last time I checked.
You call Ohaneze Ndigbo, Middle Belt Forum and Afenifere your brothers, yet point to the Fulani as a stranger. Nobody wants to sleep with an enemy but you do. This fellow Nigerians that deserted you on the national plane for too long are now your brothers? Really, the voice is of Jacob, but the hands are of Esau.
Fulanis - full-blooded, mixed or quarter-blood - are all over the 226 wards of the 21 LGAs of Adamawa State, living, working, and holding indigene certificates of all those places. Is it not an oxymoron that some people dominate only one local government, yet they are called nationalities? Comparing people you call migrants in their millions to ethic nationalities is akin to comparing oranges and apples.
To be continued.
