THE MIDDLE BELT

HERE IS AN ARTICLE FROM A MISGUIDED MIDDLE BELTAN WHO HAS BECOME A WILLING TOOL IN THE HANDS OF HIS OPPRESSORS. SEE THE TRUE DEFINITION OF THE MIDDLE BELT AT THE END OF HIS ARTICLE AND ALSO A 1952 WILLINK'S COMMISSION MAP SHOWING AREAS IN THIS DEFINITION.

What Manner of Middle Belt?

Allafrica.com, Mohammed Yunusa, 27 October 2011

The Middle Belt Forum or Middle Belt Dialogue as they variously regard themselves, as well as its youth wing are offshoot of the Middle Belt Democratic Front-a Christian minority organisation that sprang up due to the perceived fears of the minority being dominated by the Northern People's Congress (NPC) as well as the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU). The Middle Belt Democratic Front was founded originally by twelve members out of whom nine were Christians.

Some among these nine members were reverend fathers, while some were pastors. And that is why the activities of the Middle Belt Forum as we have it today are being dominated by the agenda of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Indeed, there is nothing like a neutral conception of a phenomenon. Every concept shapes and defines the direction of human thought and action. It is such direction of thought and action that inform the understanding of the North Central Muslims about the Middle Belt Forum, not as a socio-cultural organisation that incorporates and appreciates the ethnic and religious diversity of the North Central, instead, it is being correctly understood as a divisive and bias religious organisation that champions the bias orientation and affairs of its founding members.

Objectivity demands that we call spade by its name. The following rhetorical questions will prove that the activities of the Forum are devastating to the corporate and harmonious existence of the North Central and Nigeria at large. Our zone-the North Central- is very important because it performs neutralising functions in the sense that it provides an avenue for the far North and the South to interact and appreciate the cultural diversity of Nigeria and therefore building unity in diversity.

Now, we all know that the North Central is made up of six states: Kogi, Benue, Niger, Plateau, Kwara and Nasarawa. But why is it that the Middle Belt Forum always emphasises on the wellbeing of states like Borno, Kebbi, Adamawa and Bauchi, especially the Christians in that area? The leadership of the Middle Belt forum cannot debunk this fact, or can they? They should clarify whether this co-called socio-cultural organisation that is the MBF is a Northern Christian organisation or an organisation that represents the North Central states.

It is important therefore to call the attention of our Christian brothers in the North Central zone that their concept of the Middle Belt as sub-consciously and consciously handed over to them through careful orientation, as well as their activities amount to nothing but violent propaganda, the like of which has today culminated in the Jos crisis.

The intolerant views of the Middle Belt Forum is also reflected in its reaction to the appointment of Sheikh Ahmed Lemu-a Nupe man from Niger State ( North Central zone) as chairman of the committee on post-election violence. Sheikh Lemu is being labeled as an Islamic propagandist and a jihadist, while Prof. Jerry Gana, also a Nupe man and a Christain is being regarded as a top citizen of the Middle Belt. And the question is what is their criteria of defining who a Middle Belter is?

One reason why the Middle Belt Forum is generally regarded as a bias religious organisation is that only the minority Christian leaders and traditional rulers such as the Tor Tiv of Tiv land and Gbon Gwom of Jos are always selected and invited for MBF meetings and dialogue. And the question is why can't they include the Attah Igala, Etsu Nupe, Ohinoyi of Igbira, Emir of Lafia, Emir of Ilorin or the Etsu of Pategi in their list of invitees?

It is very unfortunate that those prominent members who should have diverted their energy towards nation building are wasting their energy on divisive activities. They cannot bring the North Central zone together unless they bury the religious bias brought into the conceptualisation and activities of the Middle Belt Forum.

Many of the North Central Christians who are using the Middle Belt Forum to seek for political offices through religious manipulations had in the past received the goodwill of such Northern leaders as Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto in form of scholarship and appointments and so they cannot dangerously manipulate religion to gain political office at the expense of the unity and corporate existence of the zone.

Yunusa sent in this piece from Lokoja, Kogi State

For Mohammed Yunusa's information:

TRUE DEFINITION OF THE MIDDLE BELT

All areas that were outside the sphere of authority of the Sokoto Caliphate and the Kanem Bornu Empire as at the time of the 1914 Amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates to form Nigeria. These areas include but are not restricted to:

a. The whole of the present day Niger State,

b. The whole of the present day Kwara State,

c. The whole of the present day Kogi State,

d. The whole of the present day Nassarawa State,

e. The whole of the present day Plateau State,

f. The whole of the present day Benue State,

g. The whole of the present day Adamawa State,

h. The whole of the present day Taraba State,

i. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT),

j. Southern Kaduna including the old Jema’a LGA, the old Saminaka LGA and the old Kachia LGA,

k. The following parts of the present day Bauchi State – the whole of Dass LGA, Tafawa LGA and Bogoro LGA and parts only of the present Toro LGA,

l. The following parts of the present day Gombe State – the old Tangale-Waja Division, old Yamaltu-Deba Division and present day Alkaleri LGA,

m. The following parts of present day Kebbi State – Yauri and Zuru, and

n. The Gwoza Chiefdom in the present day Bornu State.