When I began studying sociology at the University of Maiduguri in 2006, I realized how little that I knew of Nigerian history. The coming of Islam through Arab traders to the Kanem-Bornu empire around Lake Chad in the 11th century was ground-breaking. The "jihad of the sword" from the Fulani (nomadic tribe) Emir, Usman Dan-Fodio, against the dominant Hausa tribe in the early 19th century revived Islam. The invasion of the British into northern Nigeria in the early 20th century was strategic as these colonialists left the Islamic emirate system intact. When the United Kingdom finally gave Nigeria independence in 1960, there was little preparation for the transition from the colonial to post-colonial era.
In the 1960's, northeastern Nigeria was one of several "regions" governed by the federal government in Lagos. The northeastern Nigerian provincial capital was Maiduguri which made it strategic to the northeast and crucial for cross-border trade with Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. By the 1970's, the northeastern province became Borno State offering this new state government more freedom of action. This was the period of Nigeria's greatest oil boom from the southern coastal reserves but this revenue never seemed to create political stability. Through the 1980's, a cycle of civilian rule and military dictatorship began escalating that would re-define the heights of corruption in Nigeria.
The 1990's was the decade when Nigeria's global reputation as the international corruption capitol became a by-word. However, the sudden passing of General Sani Abacha in 1998 renewed the hope for democracy. In 1999, Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in as Nigeria's first democratically elected president since 1979 reviving everyone's eagerness for change. After 8 years of Obasanjo's top-down approach to democratic government, Nigeria was still without stable electricity, potable water for everyone, and a network of motorable roads free of potholes. When Musa Yar-Adua was elected president in April of 2007, hope re-emerged for a leader from the Arewa to rid Nigeria's government of it's innate graft.
How do organizations like Arewa Aid fit into Nigerian history to encourage integrity, transparency, and trust? Thankfully, our family was invited to serve with the International Centre for Peace, Charities, and Human Development (INTERCEP) in 2005 to encourage the progress of Nigerian history. Since 1999, INTERCEP had been encouraging peaceful resolution to religio-ethnic conflict in the central Nigerian highlands of Plateau State. For years, INTERCEP had been operating a micro-credit loan plan for poor market women to increase their quality of life. After a half-decade, INTERCEP had conducted numerous workshops to reduce the stigmitazation of infectious diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis, and leprosy.
Arewa Aid was formed in early 2007 to enhance our family's ability to establish INTERCEP as a viable entity in Maiduguri. Our hope is that by approaching the Nigerian people from the bottom-up that the citizenry will be empowered to chart their own course. Drip irrigation farming with composting as a central component is one way we seek to lift local Borno people from dependency. Our future plans for a skill acquisition center is another means to assist the Maiduguri people in becoming self-sufficient. We invite you to join us at Arewa Aid in catapulting the indigenous people of northeastern Nigeria as they write a brighter chapter of Nigerian history to honor God.
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