AN OPEN LETTER TO PETER OBI | RELOCATE TO THE NORTH 

“Dear Obi,

Please, come back home immediately and relocate to the North.

The diasporas have heard, accepted and bought your good messages already.

You have already conquered the entire South and majority of north central.

Forget those infinitesimal few in the south who’re still held down by their party considerations.

When the chips are down, all their offspring will abandon them for your sake. Even their wives are totally Obidients.

Their children in the South will never vote them.

But the reality still remains that; 

for anyone to be successfully elected as president of Nigeria as at today, 

You need the support of the north so much.

Northern support is indispensable, even if not 100 percent, but at least substantial enough to secure 25% spread.

You need to win clearly without doubts.

Therefore, for now Sir, 

By all means, please go to the north and domicile there permanently.

Forget that your gentle, cool and beautiful running mate and do things by yourself personally.

You can’t entirely depend on Yusuf.

For he doesn’t really resonate with the North enough.

Some have even jokingly suggested that Yusuf may loose his own Polling unit.

Please sir, 

Get yourself a very proficient and vibrant Hausa interpreter and move into the north.

Let your messages echo, permeate and penetrate deeper into the north of the north.

Let the Hausa version be kept on steady repeat on BBC Hausa radio and other local stations.

Begin to build confidence and genuinely reassure the North that you are truly the best and most capable hand to turn those vastly unproductive landscape into some Dubia of some sort.

Show them how the deserts can be transformed into some productiveness.

Talk to them with sincerity of purpose.

Even the terrorists will believe and calm down.

You must assure that you are not coming to take away their powers in Civil Service, parastatals or security agencies from the north.

Nor are you coming to favor just your people in the South.

Rather, that you’re coming to enhance, and make sure the system works efficiently well for them and all, with better payments and remuneration.

You must reassure that your administration shall be geared towards bringing out the very best from each region and assist, equip them to function optimally in their various areas of strength.

For example; that your objectives is shall be to encourage your people in the East to pursue and develop their fullest potential in Commercial activities. 

Endeavor to make them NEVER to see your presidency as opportunity for dominance against the north, in Civil service and security and paramilitary agencies.

These are some of the dangerous propaganda by your adversaries, evil forces and enemies of Nigeria.

Make them to believe that, you shall protect the north and their very age long area of strengths and dominance - which is civil service.

These are some of unspoken thoughts of most elite northerners, who incidentally controls their locals and could shape the outcome of elections.

Talk to them on how exactly you’re going to curb insecurity, and it’s positive benefits.

Let north see their huge potentials, when security is finally restored under your watch.

Dear Obi Sir, move to the north please.

Be sleeping there for now, until you deconstruct all the misconceptions and negative falsehoods the enemies had sold to the north.

Believe me, the moment the north trust you, there’s absolutely nothing anybody can tell them against you that’ll prevail.

The north can trust to a fault.

Only do not renege or disappoint them.

If your good message sinks and resonate in the north, then forget it.

If a northerner believe you, then go home and sleep.

I’ve personally experienced this in all my life.

So, we need you to go there and build confidence.

Let them know that you are not coming to radically stop their Open Grazing.

Rather, you’ll first bring better alternatives and world best practices in cattle rearing and Ranching.

Demonstrate to the north, with practical experience, from various advanced Islamic nations where Ranching is practiced. 

And show them how Ranching has curbed problems and provided millions of decent employments and increased revenue.

Reassured them that; your government will FIRST provide these alternatives, that will naturally discourage people from Open grazing.

Let them understand that successive governments have failed to do the right thing, but have deliberately refused to develop and industrialize the northern region for their selfish reasons.

Connect with the Sultan, Emirs, Danjumas and IBBs of these world.

They’ll provide you with necessary accommodations.

I’ve met lots of senior northern leaders who are determined to see you succeed.

Nigerian youths need you badly to succeed.

You can’t afford to fail them.

For Nigeria is bleeding badly to be abandoned in the hands of any of those sick octogenarians.

Dear sir, you must start your journey deeper consultations in the north right now even before campaigns.

The north needs to urgently buy into your good message and make informed decisions.

It is my strongest believe that the north will definitely prefer you.

For everybody like better thing.

I wish you all the very best, as you positively welcome these suggestions.”

— Azubuike Ihemeje