Confab: Northerners are not beggars – Lamido

From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

The Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Mustafa, has said the people of the northern Nigeria were not beggars as being thought by some delegates at the on-going National Conference (Confab).

Lamido said at the weekend on the Hausa Service of the BBC monitored in Jos while fielding questions on his assertion that every state in Nigeria should take hundred percent control of its resources.

He said, “what some delegates at the ongoing confab are saying signifies that people from the north are hungry people and beggars.

Their comments are more or less indicating that we are poor and are just collecting oil money.

“That is why I said those who claim to be the owners of the oil should take the total control of their oil and we from the north should equally take the total control of our land that God has blessed us with.

“So, my statement should serve as a warning to the northerners who believe that life would not be possible without oil money. We can be rich with our land like other developed countries that are not endowed with oil if we are really serious and focused. We have to stand on our feet to avoid embarrassment.

“We are called to suggest and advise on how the country should remain as one family and progressive but some people are making nasty comment that would rather bring disintegration than integration of the country.”

On whether he was expressing his opinion or speaking for the north, he said, “I am speaking on behalf of my people and the north entirely.

We are called to say the truth and we have to say it. Those who feel they have a different opinion from what I said are only afraid of losing something from the government. Since am called to say the truth, I would always say it in order to defend the integrity of my people.”.