TheCable

Reno Omokri, an aide of former president Goodluck Jonathan, has said that it is a historical fact that funds from the southern region of Nigeria were used to develop the north.

Omokri said it is not an insult and nobody should distort history by putting forward a different argument.

He said this in reaction to a statement by Ango Abdullahi, spokesman of Northern Elders Forum (NEF), who said the southern and western regions were developed with funds from the north – long before crude oil was discovered.

Omokri described Abdullahi as a “liar from the pit of hell for saying that the Igbo should quit the North and that Northern money was used to develop Southern Nigeria”.

“How can a nation progress with dishonest and tribalistic elders as Ango? The British author and historian, Colin Newbury has detailed in his 2004 book, Accounting for Power in Northern Nigeria, that for years before the amalgamation, Britain had been subsidizing Northern Nigeria because of the deficit in her budget. Northern Nigeria could not sustain herself financially talk less of supporting the South,” Omokri said in a statement.

“If you are from the North this is a fact, not an insult. Do not blame me. Blame history. In 1913, Lord Harcourt agreed to a proposal from Lord Lugard to amalgamate Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria so that, according to Newbury “custom revenues from the south paying for the projects in the north”.

“Right now, we should be building unity in Nigeria, however, we must not distort history to do that. Southern funds were used to develop the North. This is a historical fact. As a matter of fact, here is a direct quote from Lord Harcourt, the then Secretary of the Colonies who in 1913 said “we have released Northern Nigeria from the leading strings of the economy. The promising youth …is about to effect an alliance with a Southern lady of means (referring to Southern Nigeria).

“Time Magazine in March 1963 wrote of Nigeria thus “the country numbered some 250 tribes and languages, three principal religions (Moslem. Christian, animist), and three big, traditionally hostile regions: the feudal, Moslem North, which claims half the entire population of Nigeria; the East, dominated by the astute, industrious Ibo tribes; and the West, richest and most advanced of all three, whose Yoruba tribesmen are Nigeria’s most sophisticated citizens.”

“Liar Ango Abdullahi should note the words “richest of the three”. Northern intellectuals like Farooq Kperogi should please research and verify if what I have written is fact and if it is they should please call Ango Abdullahi to order.”