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.”

TheCable