An Author and clergyman have called for the restructuring of Nigeria in a manner that all the regions including the Middle Belt will have a stake.
The author of a newly launched book titled, The Middle Belt And The Forces Of Injustice And Terrorism, who is also a Priest of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Diocese of Jebba, Kwara state in North Central Nigeria, Samuel Ayuba Kantiok , stated this in Abuja during the public presentation of the book to Nigerians.
According to the Author, the quest and eagerness to find a solution to the many challenges facing the country necessitated his research into the history and issues facing the people of the Middle belt region of Nigeria.
He called for an equal society where nationals of all regions in Nigeria would have equal rights and opportunities as well as life in a peaceful environment where they could learn more about their region.
Mr Kantiok also said that his book, “The Middle East and the forces of injustice and terrorism in Nigeria”, provides some insights on how Nigeria can solve insecurity problems that are looking like the Nigerian government is not incapable of solving”.
“The generating impulse in this work is my quest and eagerness to find a solution to the injustice in our society, basically in my area of research, I am a middle belter, we need an equal society because a child they born in an equal society should be able to understand and dissect their societies,” Kantiok said.
Call for Restructuring
Kantiok said his book recommends justice as the key to the unity of Nigeria and called for appropriate action by the Nigerian government to address incessant attacks on the middle belt region of the country.
“We need a Nigeria where a child of all tribes will have equal opportunity in the same society”.
The Chairman of the Book launch and a Chieftain of the Middle Belt Forum, John Dara, called for more recognition of the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria saying this will address key challenges of insecurity and restore peace in the Nigerian societies.
He also called for equity and fairness in the allocation of resources when the middle belt region is properly situated.
“We believe also that political leadership in Nigeria would not be lump sided when the middle belt is properly recognised, in any case for security and peace the middle belt needs to be given its place in the scheme of things things”
“We believe this book will strengthen the awareness and also make the answers too many questions people ask available to all that care to know”
“There has been a lot of misconception about the middle belt. The middle belt is the centre of Nigeria, from the southern boundary of northern Nigeria to a latitude that runs from Zuru to Gwoza in the northeast, all the ethnic nationalities within those boundaries are nearly 200, small units but together they are the overwhelming majority of the northern region and so there is this misconception that the 200 nationalities constitute a minority in northern Nigeria its logic on its heads, they are 2/3rds of the area of the northern region” John Dara added.
2023 Elections
A Special Guest at the launch of the book, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman said that truth, justice, equity and good governance are the issues that will dictate who will be elected as the President of Nigeria in 2023.
He said that the book on the history and challenges facing the people of the Middle belt will enlighten the public to know what the middle belt stands for and the issues that dictate the lives and communities that are living in the middle belt.
Another special guest at the book launch, Bishop Simon Peter Mutum said the middle belters are aware of their distinctiveness in Nigeria; they carry their distinction from across the country.
He called for genuine recognition of the Middle Belters in Nigeria saying acknowledgement of the region will encourage the people.
“If middle belters matter anywhere across Nigeria, people should accord us some acknowledgement and try to encourage us where we are then it will be a force to reckon with because we know that this will bring the people together in Nigeria”
Dominica Nwabufo
