Posted by From Kenny Ashaka, Kaduna on
The northern socio-cultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Wednesday disowned its statement that Northerners are lazy and parasites, saying that it merely made a sarcastic statement.
The northern socio-cultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Wednesday disowned its statement that Northerners are lazy and parasites, saying that it merely made a sarcastic statement.
In its reaction to an earlier statement published in major national dailies, including Daily Sun, the group said it merely made a sarcastic statement which should not have been portrayed as meaning that Northerners are lazy and parasites.
ACF had in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani, circulated to newsmen last Wednesday said Northerners are lazy and parasites, contrary to claim by 19 northern states governors that they were no parasites to any region of the country.
However, the latest reaction may unwittingly stir up another round of controversy as the National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani, said the Niger-Delta people did not work to discover the oil found in the region.
ACF disclaimed its earlier statement, saying it was unimaginable for the group to disagree with the governors of the 19 Northern states over its claim that the North can survive on its own with or without oil.
According to Sani, who clarified the position of the ACF in a statement he signed and made available to Daily Sun, the exact words used was that it may be true that Northerners are lazy and parasites and that it is because they are not able to sow the seed of oil under their soil.
He denied using the word exploiting oil under their soil, pointing out that 'while the later smacks of sarcasm because no one sows seed of oil under the soil and so Northerners cannot be reasonably be expected to plant and cultivate oil on their soil.
'The former assumes there is oil under the soil in the North waiting to be exploited by Northerners who are lazy to do so.
'In any case, one had thought people explore and not exploit oil. What is more, the discovery of petroleum in Niger-Delta region followed by its exploration has not been a result of any hardwork by any region in Nigeria.'
In the three-page statement entitled 'ACF, Northern Governors not in disagreement on economy', the association, however, accused the media of conveying the notion held by some Southerners.