THE BATTLE FOR RIVER BENUE AND BENUE PLATEAU (NORTH CENTRAL, HENCEFORTH TO BE KNOWN AND CALLED THE MIDLAND REGION)

Because the River Benue is there. No one ever fights or struggles for a thing that does not exist.

Also, the reason for the pressure on the Benueans is because of the River Benue. With the nation’s water resources having been very much mismanaged up North through the construction of mega dams and massive irrigation projects by the infamous Yakubu Gowon Administration without the needed Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) or the Environmental Impact Assessment Study (EIAS), and with access to the waters now being monopolized by the Generals, emirs, Fulbe/Hausa elites and political officials, consequent upon the fierce competition for water, whenever it pleases the Oligarchs to release waters, and grazing lands in the Northern States of Nigeria, the natural tendency by the user-stakeholders is to migrate down South, and obviously with a few of the dwindling population of the traditional herders, and now the predominantly hired herders by the POLITICAL & JIHADI MACBAN on behalf of the cattle owners in high places, former almajiris, preferring to settle down in and around the hitherto River Benue environ such as Agatu, Logo, Mbotoho, etc (which I now call River Red or the Red River because of the ongoing free-flowing blood occasioned by the herders’ and their Islamists militia collaborators’ unchallenged massacres of the Benueans.

Another reason for the pressure on the River Red is the lie by the Fulbes that during the Uthman Dan Fodio’s terrorist activities between 1804 and 1809, the whole of the Heartland, including the Tivland were conquered, a lie being peddled now by that quota system idiot Professor at the Ahmadu Bello University, who I will not like to dignify by ever mentioning his name in this treatise.

***Please refer to the Author’s previous special report on water mismanagement titled: Adams-Hollis Report Fault Water Resources Planning in Nigeria, published in the Punch of August 2, 1994 in his capacity as Editor, Property and Environment Desk.

A.P LEVENTIS’ COMMENDATION ON THE LETTER HEAD OF THE NCF TO THE AUTHOR ON HIS PIONEERING INNITIATIVE IN THE FIELD OF ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING IN NIGERIA BEING PUBLISHED TO SHOW THE NIGERIAN PEOPLE, THE WORLD AND POSTERITY THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OF NORTHERN NIGERIA WHICH IS ONE OF THE FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BLOODY WAR BETWEEN THE FULANI HERDERS AND FARMERS WERE VERY WELL KNOWN TO THE THEN PRESIDENT IBRAHIM GBADAMOSI IBRAHIM BABANGIDA WHO THEN WAS THE PATRON OF THE NIGERIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION (NCF) BY VIRTUE OF HIS POSITION AS PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.

SIMILARLY, I WILL LATER PUBLISH PART OF MY BLUEPRINT TO CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBABSANJO ON THE SUBJECT MATTER PERSONALLY DELIVERED TO HIM BY ME DURING MY COURTESY CALL ON HIM AT THE STATE HOUSE IN ABUJA ON OCTOBER 14, 2002, AND A FOLLOW-UP BLUEPRINT DELIVERED TO HIM BY HAND, FACE TO FACE BY OUR MUTUAL MENTOR, CHIEF S.O. FADAHUNSI, OFR, CON AT HIS OTA RESIDENCE DURING ONE OF HIS MANY WEEKENDS THEREIN AS PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.

IN FACT, THE CRISIS HAS BEEN THERE SINCE THE COLONIAL PERIOD AS I HAVE BEEN REFLECTING IN ALL OF MY WRITINGS AND INVESTIGATIONS SINCE 1989, BUT WHILST THE COLONIAL ADMINISTRATORS DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT BY WAY OF THE GAZETTED CATTLE ROUTES/TRACKS, ESTABLISHING WIND BREAKS, ETC, AND RE-GAZETTED IN 1959 BY THE NORTHERN NIGERIA REGIONAL AUTHORITY (NNRA), BUT THE INDIGENOUS NIGERIAN RULERS WHO TOOK OVER FROM THE COLONIALISTS IGNORED THE PROBLEMS, TOOK OVER THE CATTLE TRACKS/ROUTES AND POLITICISED THE CRISIS – AND BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS, THE RELIGIONISTS JIHADISED IT!

NIGERIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

NCF Plot 5, Mosley Road, Ikoyi, P.O Box 74638, Victoria Island, Lagos Nigeria.

Telephone: 683563; 686163, 687385; 684717

APL/CE/94                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     13th January 1994

Mr. John O. Aduma

7 Onabanjo Street,

Oworonshoki,

Lagos.

Dear Mr, Aduma,

Many thanks for your letter of 13th January 1994. I was very impressed by the story that you wrote for the Guardian on the “Imminence of Ecological Apocalypse” and feel that The Diamond Award was well deserved. Also, congratulations on the Nigeria Media Merit Award which you earned as “Investigative reporter of the year.

I am sure that you will continue to develop stories in the field of conservational and ecology – there is a need for investigative environmental reporting, and you have pioneered this field in Nigeria.

I do hope that the leadership which you have shown will be translated into similar initiatives from your colleagues in journalism; it is really up to the Press to make the public aware of the many serious problems of this nature facing us.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

A.P. LEVENTIS

Registered Charity no. 1917

PATRON: GENERAL IBRAHIM B. BABANGIDA, CFR, fss, mni President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria       EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR: DR. P.A. ANADU

***Being Published unedited.

Lest I forget, Olu Falae who was kidnapped in 2015 by the Fulani herdsmen, and has had his farms razed down twice was at one time Secretary to the Government of the Federation during the autocratic era of Ibrahim Gbadamosi Bababgida , and later IBB’s Finance Minister, so he could not claim to be ignorant of this otherwise yesterday’s problems the nation is having to grapple with today. But what did Oloye Samuel Oluyemisi Falae do regarding all these?

Just what did Falae do and what was his economic blueprint during his tenure as the Finance Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?

THE IDIOT’S THEORY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE TIVS HERE ON THE PLANET EARTH AND PARTICULARLY IN AND AROUND THE RIVER BENUE…THE HIGHEST HEIGHT OF THE ABSURDITY OF THE ABSURD!

The same idiot professor had postulated that the Tivs came into being, courtesy of the conjugal relationship that according to him took place between a Fulani man and a Junkun woman!

Uncovering his idiocy, crass stupidity and gross lack of respect for the once gallant Tivs, whose ancestors had prevented Uthman Dan Fodio and his band of terrorists by defeating them at Usongo Hills, in just less than 450 years of that so-called conjugal companionship, that relationship has begotten the millions of Tivs that now populate the Heartland, other parts of Nigeria and all over the world, where the sons and daughters are found!

That idiot must apologise to the Tivs for that eternal insult upon a very gentle and peace-loving people.

ANOTHER SEASON OF COME CHOP

NIGERIA: THE ABANDONMENT OF SCHOLARSHIP FOR THE FOOD IS READY INVITE FROM ANY GOVERNMENT IN POWER…BOH, COME CHOP

BUT WHERE ARE THE HISTORIANS IN NIGERIA? JUST WHERE ARE THEY?

THE FULBES ARE NOT NATIVE TO ANY KNOWN CIVILZATION/KINGDOM/NATION/CULTURE IN AND AROUND THE UPPER AND LOWER NIGER BEFORE THE COMING OF THE EUROPEAN, JUST AS THE SEMI-ARABS OF NORTH AFRICA ARE NOT NATURAL AND INDIGENOUS AFRICANS, BUT POLITICAL AFRICANS

The Fulbes cannot lay claim to any civilization as far as the whole of geo-north is concerned. The Fulbes are a wandering tribe whose ancestors came from the East to settle down at Futa Toro or Futa Jallon, therefrom came with violence to the Hausa kingdom, and settled down amongst them and their neighbours.

And having no land anywhere on the planet earth to call their own, being a wandering tribe, their survival strategies have always been to resort to stealing, killing, maiming, destroying and subsequently disinheriting the indigenous peoples of their ancestral lands, other possessions, including raping and snatching other people’s wives in order to dilute the indigenous people’s population as in Ilorin in Kwara State of Nigeria.

The Arabs’ invasion of the land of the dark-skinned people – those they had called Afriquya (now known as Africa/Africans), and in Nigeria, Ilorin are two very good examples within continental Africa.

Were the DNA of the Ilorinites to be taken, it would arguably be found that between 75-95% of them are of Fulbe/Fulani ancestry!

Were Matio Okikiola Olusegun Obasanjo a student of both the Yoruba and the Nigerian history, he would have known that Fulanization and Hilanism have been ongoing within the Yoruba nation, pre-dating the Afonja treachery that led to the fall of the Oyo empire in the 1817 war between him and Alaafin Oyo in which the Fulani slave, Alimi Janta confederated with him to defeat the Alaafin, leading to the collapse of the Oyo empire. And in recent times, other Yorubas that have helped to promote Hilanism and Arabism included: Samuel Ladoke Akintola, Obafemi Awolowo, Olusegun Obasanjo, many times over, Tunde Idiagbon, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, Ernest Shonekan, Oladipo Diya, Abdul Kareem Adisa, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Sheikh Abdulraman Oluleke Osinbajo, pioneer Rug(a)ologist, Femi Rugadesina, Enoch Adejare Adeboye, Wole Soyinka, Tunde Bakare, W.F. Kumuyi and that KILE JEKU(?)/ Quota Systeem Professor Ishaq Akintola and a host of others, including of course, some traditional rulers, too numerous to mention here.

Despite having the same ancestry, Nigerians inhabiting the former West Central State, otherwise known as YORUBA OKE would readily claim kindred to and allegiance with the Fulbes, naturally, culturally, sociologically, perhaps, anthropologically too, psychologically, geographically and politically!

If the DNA of some places in Kwara State is taken today, particularly Ilorin, which the Fulbes and the Hausa people often derisively referred to and regarded till this day as (Banza Bokwai – fake emirate), it would be discovered that between 75-95% of the Ilorin people bear the DNA of the Fulbes.

TOWARDS THE DE-FULANIZATION OF THE YORUBA LAND - OBA OF ILORIN: IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

More than any Yoruba person in history, Olu Obasanjo had trillions of chances/opportunities to right/correct history and injustices and free his people from the Pharaonic Fulbes that have enslaved and subjugated them for centuries, but he cowardly couldn’t do that whilst the years of his waste of public spaces lasted! As part of his survival strategy to get his daily bowl of kunu at GIDA USUMAN DAN FUDUYE, Olu Obasanjo only remembered his people whenever he received many lashes of BULALA from his Fulani masters. And throughout his soldiering years and all public offices after his ignominious military career, he was more Fulani than a Yoruba man!

Can someone, therefore, tell Professor Matthew Okikiola Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo that the DE-FULANIZATION OF NIGERIA should start from Ilorin, in fact, the whole of former West Central.

Alas, OBASANJOISM is not about compassion and fighting injustice, but about SEXTITUTION – a new term I have invented for survival sex, whose slogan is MONEY FOR HAND, BACK FOR GROUND or CASH & CARRY as exemplified in Olu’s ideology of GHANA MUST GO, hence whilst Obasanjo’s years as a senior Dogari in GIDA USMAN DAN FUDUYE lasted, he was never in charge, but ever played to survive by RANKADEING (THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE RANKADEDENIZATION OF GOVERNANCE which has continued till date!) every Musa and Muhammadu, palace, and afterwards his Fulbe colonial masters, asking them: KILE JE KU? (WETIN UNA CHOP REMAIN?).

But can Olu dare his Fulani masters by immediately inaugurating the THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE INSTALLATION OF OBA OF ILORIN…ALL THE DESCENDANTS OF ODUDUWA EARNESTLY ASK FOR THE INSTALLATION AND CORRONATION OF THE OBA OF ILORIN to replace the centuries embarrassment of having an EMIR OF ILORIN in Yoruba land?

In my capacity as the Executive Secretary Foundry Association of Nigeria, I had toured the country and traced the history of metal founding in Nigeria, whereupon I became interested in the Nok culture, the Igbo-Uku, the Ile-Ife and the Benin Kingdom terracota figurines.

In that research which I had intended it to be for a documentary on the history of metal founding in the Upper and Lower Niger, and having it also published in book form, I did discover iron smelting sites in some parts of Nigeria, dating back to the 1st century B.C.

Also, in my capacity as the Executive Secretary of FAN, I met with the Igun carvers in the present Edo State, where they can be found on Sakponba Road, not far away from the palace of the Oba of Benin.

I personally interacted with the family that has continued with this great and ancient tradition till date. Of course, Mr Omodawen, the then patriarch of the family, heading the Igun carvers was a Council member of the Foundry Association of Nigeria, and in that capacity, one of his children, Sunday and I (if I remember his name correctly) became good friends – and FAN with my boss and great mentor, Mr Romeo Barberopoulos in the lead promoting that trade, specifically, the Omodawens amongst members of the diplomatic corps, the business community in Nigeria, Government circles and externally too.

What is more, amongst other cultural and national issues, I was to later interview, Chief Nosa Isakhure, in his capacity as the Chief Priest of the Benin Kingdom about the origin of the Igun carvers and their importance to both the palace and the then Benin kingdom/empire.

In none of these cultural researches did I trace either the Nok culture, the iron smelting sites across Nigeria, Igbo Uku, Ile-Ife and the Benin teracotta figurines to the Fulbes. Nor did Thurston Shaw in his two-volume books – Igbo-Uku: An Account of Archaeological Discoveries in Eastern Nigeria made any reference to the Fulanis’ contributions to such archaeological finds in any part of the then Upper and Lower Niger. Thus, the Fulanis are strangers amongst the indigenous peoples of the Upper and Lower Niger – but ironically, these strangers are the ones who together with their Arab cousins have been ruling Nigeria since the departure of the British colonialists in 1960. Nigeria, therefore, must be free, and free she must from the Arab-Fulbe colonialism!

Also, my findings during these researches made me to start doubting the Eurocentric views about the iron age, which they had strenuously attempted to skim Africa out as having no inputs, which further and advanced researches by me had confirmed that the iron age indeed, began in Africa, and by the dark-skinned indigenous Africans. And for those like Jeremy Paxman who had very ignorantly claimed Africa had not contributed anything to civilization, I hereby challenge all such eurocentrists, especially eurocentric historians who too disdainfully have this ignorant and mischievous view about Africa, that Africa indeed, is the origin of civilization and home to all humanity (human beings).

And of all the known civilizations, AFRICA IS THE ONLY SELF-DEPENDENT CIVILIZATION, which in time past and till date, did/does not need any civilization before it can survive.

Additionally, recent history of the industrial revolution which began in England in the 17th century, and the ongoing, but fast fading emerging Chinese effervescent industrialism and technology have all been sustained by resources from Africa.

Again, is there any emerging economy/civilization that its inaugurators/champions do not have to run to Africa, kneeling and bowing down before Mother Africa asking for her resources or actually stealing/plundering them for the sustenance of such emerging economy and civilization?

BELOW ARE MY PERSONAL EFFORTS IN TRYING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE EVER-WORSENING CONDITIONS OF THE NORTHERN NIGERIAN ECOLOGY AS SHOWN IN MY SELECTED SPECIAL REPORTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS ON THE ECOLOGY OF NORTHERN NIGERIA, 1991- 1998

1.Imminence of Ecological Apocalypse The Guardian on Sunday, 29/11/1992 (This Special Investigation of mine did not only generate international outcry, but won me the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence as the Reporter of the Year, 1992);

• The Forgotten People of the Savanna (A personal eye-witness account on the plight of the Fulani Bororos. Date of Publication as above;

• Advancing Desertification’s Fires Raze Ecology of Northern Nigerian Communities The Guardian (Daily) 26/04/1998;

• Herdsmen Farewell Symphony For Nigeria, The Guardian, 26/04/1998;

• Mega Dams, Massive Irrigation Projects Threaten Traditional Agriculture in Northern Nigeria;

• Requiem For the Drying Rivers;

• Living on the Threshold of Disaster The Guardian on Sunday, 28/06/1992;

• Environmental Degradation Blamed on Population Pressure The Punch 10/04/1996;

• Fluty Songs of Nightingale The Guardian on Sunday, 24/03/1991;

• African Crowned Cranes Face Extinction The Guardian on Sunday, 12/04/1992;

• Rufus Owl in Hunter’s Belly The Punch 10/04/1996;

• Swallows Chosen as Target Species for Euring Project The Punch 03/07/1996;

• Chirping For Conservation The Independent Weekly 10/07/1993;

• Italian Wildlife Institute Commits N.318 Million to Swallow Survey in Nigeria The Punch 13/03/1996;

• Ringers Call for Swallow Conservation The Punch 10/07/1996;

• Last Chimps for the Highest Bidder The Punch November 8, 1995;

• Gashaka Chimps Live in Safe Haven The Punch May 22, 1996;

• NCF call for a Re-appraisal of Kafin Zakin Dam Project Independent Weekly 25 April-1 May 1993;

• Adam-Hollis Report Faults Water Resources Planning in Nigeria The Punch July 19, 1994;

• The Challenge of Keeping Nigeria’s Wetland Wet The Punch July 12, 1994;

• The Nigerian Environment: From Rio Onward The Punch June 5, 1996;

• Population Growth, Commercialization Dwindle Savanna Resources The Punch December 6, 1995;

• Save the Bororos, Save Nigeria’s livestock, an opinion article in both the Punch and The Daily Times, July 10, 2000.

• Coal Goes up   Guardian on Sunday, September 20, 1992;

• Dust Bowl: Desertification, A Special Report and Analysis on the ecology of the Northern States of Nigeria, published in the NCF’s Tortoise Magazine, in my capacity then as Editorial Consultant/Researcher with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, 1995;

INTERVIEWS WITH PROMINENT INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTALISTS ABOUT THE STATE OF THE NIGERIAN ENVIRONMENT

• A.P. Leventis Speaks on Major Environmental Issues The Guardian on Sunday, October 18, 19992. “AP” as he is fondly called by all his admirers is a Trustee of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation. Another worthy mentor of mine, his kind advice, support and insight were very useful to all my environmental investigations in and around Nigeria;

• NCF: The Twelve years of Conserving Nigeria’s Wildlife – An interview with Chief S.L. Edu, Founder/President of Nigeria’s premier environmental NGO, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) at his residence on Victoria Island, The Punch, February 12, 1994.

• Phil Hall: Helping Nigeria’s Wildlife The Independent Weekly 4-10 April, 1993.

A CALL TO REFLECT

When the wicked are in authority a nation wars, wails with loud lamentations and mourn profusely.

And the Spirit of the Lords says: Son of Man: “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land,” 2 Chronicle 7:14.

SHEATHE YOUR SWORD AND UNLOAD YOUR AK-47 AND MOABs AS WE WAR NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD…NOW IS THE TIME FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE AGAINST PRICIPALITIES AND POWERS, RULERS OF DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD, SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES, AT THE BIG RUGA (THE PRESIDENCY), TERRITORIAL SPIRITS AND TERRITORIAL POWERS, SPIRITS OF CONFLICTS AND OF WARS, ESPECIALLY FROM THE EAST THAT NOW RULE OUR NIGERIA, (EPHESIANS 6:12).

OUR BATTLE CRY USING THE BOOK OF ESTHER

THREE-DAY FASTING AND PRAYER BY ALL NIGERIANS, INCLUDING BABES FOR GOD TO GET RID OF KHALIFA SHEIKH JIHADI MUHAMMADU BUHARI AND SHEIKH ABDULRAMAN BIN OSINBAJO, EL-RUGARIUM. ALL NIGERIANS MUST MEDITATE ON THE BOOK OF ESTTHER, COVER TO COVER, PAGE TO PAGE AND DO LIKEWISE.

To be continued

God bless our Nigeria.

Johnny Boy

ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM.

** *The Voice of One crying in the Diaspora…proudly leading the NATIONALISTS UNITY MOVEMENT OF NIGERIA (NUMON).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Odey Aduma was formerly Executive Secretary, Foundry Association of Nigeria; Southern Coordinator and the Public Affairs Manager of President Muhammadu Buhari's pastoralists NGO - THE PASTORAL RESOLVE; Chairman, Editorial Board of the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc; member, National Committee for the Nigerian Youth Festival, 1993; Core Committee, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF)/Ford Foundation, Kano Eastern Bypass Roadside Tree Planting Exercise, 1997; member, core Committee of the National Technology Summit and was the Summit's chairman for two of its sub-committees - Publicity and Exhibition, 1998; member of the Administrative Panel of Inquiry set up by President Olusegun Obasanjo to investigate the illegal trade in and smuggling of endangered species of wild fauna and flora into and out of Nigeria, 2003.

He was the Chairman, Planning Committee of the General Murtala Muhammed Memorial Lecture for two consecutive years, 2001 and 2002 before it attained a Foundation status in 2002, having first been upgraded to that status in 2001.

General Murtala Muhammed was one of Nigeria's former Heads of State and was killed in the abortive coup led by the then Colonel Buka Suka Dimka on February 13, 1976.

That same capacity saw Mr Aduma delivering huge successes during the Daily Times of Nigeria's 75th Anniversary (in which he raked in N6, 000, 000 into the coffers of the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc) and also, playing a similar role in a similar capacity during Dr Isma'il Babatunde Jose's 75th Birth Day. Dr Jose, doyen of Nigerian journalism was Mr Aduma's personal mentor. That relationship was so close and solid such that whilst Aduma was leaving the shores of Nigeria for Britain in 2003, Dr Jose gave him N10, 000.00.

In 1992, Mr Aduma's contributions to journalism was recognised with the awards of the Nigeria Media Merit Award as the Investigative Reporter of the Year and the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence as the Reporter of the Year, and the British Chevening Scholarship, which saw him studying International Journalism with Specialism in Environment at City, University of London in 2003-2004.

Aduma is the author of the inspirational best-seller, THE DIAMONDS ARE HERE and the founder of Vigilance, the World's Leading Security Magazine and Scorpion News Corp, in addition to founding the Nationalists Unity Movement of Nigeria (NUMON).

He is also, involved in professional mentoring at Post Graduate level on the City, University of London’s Post Graduate Professional Mentoring Strand.