Oh God! return back our peace not because of our deeds, we’re nothing but sinners. “Arewa” (literally “north”) is the home of peace and hospitality whose motto is “aiki da ibada”, meaning work and worship.
Part of the works “aiki” Arewa specialises in are fishing, smithery, crafting, and preservation of skins for the production of shoes, mats, clothes, among others. Nonetheless, Arewa as an agricultural hub provides the nation with cotton, groundnuts, millets, maize, rice, guinea corn, among other important grains.
Cotton and groundnuts, the champion of all, made wonderful contributions towards building the present Nigeria. We heard that the groundnut pyramid in Kano and the textile industry in Kaduna were the major sources of revenue in Nigeria. In this regard, I say, he/who prides of oil must be proud of cotton and groundnuts.
Moreover, Arewa includes the word “worship” in its motto, considering how both Muslims and Christians are committed to religion, by submitting their total will to their creature. It’s only in Arewa where religious domains and teachers are countless, where people tolerate one another based on Holy Qur’an and Bible’s teaching, where neighbour loves neighbour irrespective of religion or ethnic barriers.
“Arewa” gathered a number of things worthy of emulation ranging from religion, cultures, including its system of government which even the colonialists lacked wisdom and strength of changing or bringing something new to her rather indirectly.
Our great heroes happened to be the pioneer freedom fighters whose great job brought the present Nigeria. May God bless Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Gen. Mamman Shuwa, Gen. Murtala Muhammad and others, for the great job.
The then Arewa, multi talented region with different sorts of people, lacks nothing required to be good but today it’s turn to the graveyard and death zone of innocent souls. The palace of every criminal activity, where people look down and blackmail, say whatever comes out from their mouth be it good or bad to our dearly and lovely region.
This situation keeps baffling me, is that what we need as “Yan Arewa” that every responsible and irresponsible person to be pointing his/her dirty hand castigating and saying nonsense to our dear home?
If not, the events are too many and even heavy for the region to lift up; from the most peaceful, hospitable to most chaotic; from richest to most poverty stricken; from the most religious to most bloodshed, why Arewa? All these are against your moral upbringing.
Oh! my lovely giant peaceful region, who is carrying the word Nigeria but ends up being turbulent and graveyard of innocent souls.
When you “Arewa” gave us food, clothing and shelter, now your children have nothing good to pay you “Arewa” in return apart from being Boko Haram members, kidnappers, armed robbers, armed bandits, ritualists, epicenter of communal clashes, home of wicked politicians, among other societal ills, all in you “Arewa” despite you “Arewa” teaching all what it takes to make a better people.
Being you “Arewa” hideouts of terrorists and graveyard to innocent souls is what pains me the most as a young Nigerian because I am always losing hope of one day Nigeria will be a better nation. Therefore, whosoever has hands in what “Arewa” is today should seek God’s forgiveness.
On this note, I am calling on all the concerned citizens, to rise up and fulfill on their promises that “the labour of our heroes’ past shall never be in vain” by taking away all prejudices and do the needful to regain the then “Arewa” we knew then. So help me God, Ameen.
Ukasha Rabiu Magama,
Toro LGA, Bauchi state.
