I don’t hate the North – Dokubo-Asari

One week after his meeting with Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, Mohammed Sani Abacha, Alhaji Shettima Yerima, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun and Chief Ralph Uwazuruike in Owerri, the Imo State capital, the leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, has said that those who have translated his strong views on the Northern part of Nigeria as hatred for the North do not know him.
The former President of the Ijaw Youth Council said that having spent the greater part of his life in the struggle in defence of the oppressed, it would be wrong for people to consider him as one who hates the North or any other part of the nation.
Dokubo-Asari however stressed that he will never shy away from stating the fact, not minding who feels happy or sad about it.
He said that he believes that it is time for Nigerians to face the obvious realities and come together to fight for their right, to ensure they do not go back to the era of darkness, especially now that the calls for a sovereign national conference has become louder.
He stressed that a new page of interaction has been open with people across the nation where everyone is committed to midwife a genuine rebirth of mutual corporation, love and unity amongst ourselves and all our various people.
His words: “Most of my address has been translated as hatred against the North.
“This is far from the truth, because the word hatred has never existed in my dictionary.
“But I will never shy away from stating the fact, not minding who feels happy or sad about it.
“I have spent most of my life, in my close to 50 years that Allah has graciously allowed me to live so far, in the forefront of various struggles against oppressions of my people and others.
“I cannot do this if I hate any part of the country.
“But I will remain consistent in the fight against oppression.
“It is time for us to face the obvious realities and come together to fight and ensure we don’t go back to the era of darkness, especially now that the calls for a sovereign national conference has become louder.
“We believe that with the appearance of true, sincere and genuine northerners, a new page of interaction has been opened, where we see ourselves as equals and our interest as closely knitted.
“These genuine patriots have assured and confirmed to us that those who held the disgraceful and racial believe of being superior to others and are born to run, do not represent the overwhelming majority of the people of the North.”
Dokubo-Asari, who decried the high rate of poverty and illiteracy in the North, said that he has over 100 students from various northern states on his scholarship.
He said: “In the spirit of unity, it is imperative for us to reach out to each other and extend our hands of fellowship and disregard rumours of hatred being peddled and circulated around.
“We must be disposed and be ready to work together for our interest.
“Sadly today, the North houses the poorest and most uneducated people and those who find it extremely difficult to have access to better healthcare.
“Out of the 197 students I have on my scholarship at King Amachree International School in Cotonou, Benin Republic, 50 per cent of them are from the Northern states of Zamfara, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Niger, Plateau and Kogi.
“These students are exposed to the best learning environment affordable anywhere in the world.
“Out of the 91 students on my scholarship at the King Amachree Royal Academy (Automobile ICT), eight of them are from the North.”
Dokubo-Asari, who said that he has very large number of friends and well-wishers from the North, added that he has maintained cordial relation with his northern allies and promised that he will ensure their safety and security, in his fight for his people.
He said: “It is no secret that I have a very large number of friends and well-wishers from the North and I have always maintained cordial relations and constant contact with my friends till today.
“In fighting for my people, it is important to reassure the North of safety and security and our capacity to contain any threat or attack against them.
“When warmongers, who have fed fact on our God-given resources continue to threaten us with death and mayhem, we will not fold our hands and watch them cow our people to submission.
“This is not in our character as men of valour and honour to shy away from a declaration of war.”
Buttressing his closeness to the North, Asari said: “When I saw the light of Islam and embraced the religion, my first point of call in order to study the Quran and understand the religion was in the North, Gamboru Ngala in Borno State to be precise.
“The Chief Imam of the mosque I built in my community, Buguma, Mallam Sani Mohammed, is from the North.
“The Chief Imam of the KAR Group of Companies in Cotonou, Benin Republic, Mallam Abdulahi Abubakr Ali, is from Bida in Niger State.
“One of my close confidants and the Imam of my household, Alhaji Salisu Marafa, is from Marafa in Zamfara State.
“My younger brother and friend, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, the President of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, who named his son after me, Mujahid, is my best man any day.
“The list is endless.”