Atang vs the system

Why was there so much outrage when the Middle Belt Forum visited the President? Various social-cultural organisations across Nigeria regularly visit the President. Pandef (The Pan Niger Delta Forum visited Tinubu on the 11th of March 2025) Even the Arewa Consultative Forum visited Tinubu on the 30th of May 2024. Afenifere also met with Tinubu with a delegation led by Pa Reuben Fasoranti on April 17, 2024. We do not always see the same level of outrage when other regional organisations do so. So why is that of the Middle Belt different? Why have I seen the outrage from a Arewa handles and Obidient handles regarding this visit. Arewa handles allege that Tinubu wants to breakup the North by hosting the visit of a recognized sociocultural organization, while Obidient handles like Shehu Gazali have alleged that Middle Belt elite were bought and paid by Tinubu The only offense of the Middle Belt Forum, is performing a normal duty that all other sociocultural organizations have done. This is a very disturbing development. It must be noted that we as Middle Belters must never allow Nigerian political parties or politics define the boundaries of our regional identity. For some time now, we have advocated for Middle Belt solidarity. We have blasted our elite for being lackluster. The objective is to see our political, traditional, cultural and intellectual elites begin to find common ground, build relationships and develop a collective understanding of the interests of our people. Therefore, when our elites come together, we must recognise the significance of that development. Why should a gathering of Middle Belt elites or a visit to the President automatically be interpreted as them being bought, something that these people dare not do to other groups More importantly, Middle Belt people belong to different political parties. We have people in the APC, PDP, Labour Party, SDP, ADC and other political platforms. We must be careful not to create an impression that being Middle Belt is synonymous with supporting one political party, one presidential candidate or one political ideology. The Middle Belt identity is bigger than the APC, PDP, LP, SDP or any other political formation. When it operated in the 50s, it was itself a political party which rivaled the NPC which was converted from Jamaa Mutanen Arewa to the NPC (Northern Peoples Congress) So it had its own ideology and goals. When it was rejuvenated in the 80s, it still remained as such at a time when all the present political parties did not exist We must learn to be less emotional and more tactical. Look at the Hausa, Fulani, Igbo and Yoruba political experiences. Their people have maintained political representation and influence across different parties. They understand that their regional and ethnic interests cannot be confined to one political platform. They participate, negotiate and organise across party lines. We must begin to play that type of politics as our contemporaries. We should have Middle Belt voices in government, in opposition, in political parties, in the legislature and in every institution where decisions affecting our people are made. We cannot afford to surrender entire political spaces to others because of partisan disagreements. Personally, I am far more interested in regional solidarity and alignment on fundamental issues than I am in Nigerian political parties. I believe we can disagree on candidates, elections, political strategies and party affiliations while maintaining agreement on the foundational pillars of Middle Belt unity. That is where our focus should be. The Arewa political establishment, for instance, has demonstrated how regional interests can persist across different political affiliations. Regardless of the political party an individual belongs to, there are often common regional positions and interests that remain recognisable.

You guys are fond of playing religious politics Then u turn around and use reverse psychology and accuse us of religious politics Prior to the 1940s, most of us were traditionalists and not even Christian. Yet u hated us. In Adamawa, even to change to Islam, many of you refused that Kilba, Marghi, Chamba and others should not convert to Islam The hatred you have for groups in our region supersedes religion. It is ethnic. You only use religion as a tool for conquest. Many of our people who are Muslims don’t read history so they don’t know many of these things Yahaya Kwande also another Muslim from Plateau too complained of the same thing despite being Muslim from your people We will never be one with you! We remain the Middle Belt

Arewa are panicking so they run to Islam to keep a colonial creation as a unit The problem is Lugard is no longer here to help you Even the Islam you are running to, you will still have to explain to Muslims from the Middle Belt why they were excluded in the first Jama’a Mutanen Arewa meeting despite being Muslim And why the permanent seats in the NSCIA and JNI are reserved for the Fulani and Kanuri

There is no identity like Northern Christians or Northern Muslims. Same way there is nothing like Southern Muslims or Christians I share nothing in common with a Hausa, Fulani or Kanuri person, whether Muslim or Christian The Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri Christians and Muslims are up North and should feel free to unite, the same way we down here in the Middle Belt are doing