Thread by @firstladyship

1. Yes Northern Nigeria had upper hand (not of their making btw), but they were first in the pecking order of things, had better interactions with the West (Britain in this context). But did all of that “western influence” penetrate into Northern society?

2. I understand history is a very delicate subject in Nigeria. It arouses sentiments & biases. Understandably so, Nigeria history is not GOOD, no matter how you look at it, it doesn’t favor the people of Nigeria. So the government would rather not allow it in Nigeria schools.

3. Like it or not, the North have LITTLE to show, for a people whom Britain favored. Much of Eastern Nigeria societies, resisted the colonial conquests. Benin Kingdom put up a resistance. But today, western ideals & influence has penetrated much of the East, even its hinterlands

4. In terms of growth & advancement (western influence altogether) SW societies tops all of that. One would think Northern Oligarchy had a plan for their people, had their people in mind during those early interactions with Britain.

5. But all they did with ALL the powers Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth vested on them, was control their people, to this day even. They control the information flow, the religious beliefs, they are still the gatekeepers of their culture.

6. They made sure the north remained an 18th century China in many ways. Now this is no bigotry. If Regions of Nigeria will ever grow at the same pace, that will largely depend on the North & their ability to allow “western influence” penetrate into their “thought processes &

7. ways of doing things.”

I am not advocating “culture & values disruption,” hell NO!! I’m just saying the North has to embrace western ideals. Islamic education for instance, should never replace formal education. Western education was what saved China from its dark ages.

8. China’s growth was deliberate. They had to stomach defeats & humiliation in the hand of the English & France, they had to humble themselves before the United States. China sent her first batch of students to the United States to gain formal education.

9. Look how China turned out today? So what I’m saying is, “Northern Nigeria will have to decide what they really want. Do they want to remain a closed entity, closed to western ideals & influence? Do they want to continue with their primitive ways of doing things?”

10. They can’t keep dragging Nigeria behind. I mean this is the 21st century. Other countries & regions of Nigeria has left northern Nigeria behind.

NB: These are my takes, my personal opinion. I welcome yours in a constructive manner as well.