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1/9/1959
- Northern Nigeria: Problems and Prospects
by Smith Hempstone Jr.
NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF GURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS SH I9 January Northern Nigeris Kaduna Problems Prospects Northern Nigeria Walter S Rogers Institute Current Worl Affairs Fifth Avenue New York N Y Dear Mr Rogers The North trouble Despite region British friends jerried constitution intervention advanced Southerners affairs despite population assures heavy federal matters outright control federal assembly despite budget larger either other regions The Sardauna knows neither possible sirabSe leave government North hands British friends although doing everything possible British officials Sudan achieved independence British administrators Sardauna ministe publicly invited these officials Northern Nigeria In radio address summer speaking North approaching autonomy Sardauna expatriates would welcome governing North added warning Self government anyone scramble wants himself anyone restraint behave irresponsible manner those authority heeded obeyed This statement obviously aimed educated educated Northerners points North dilemma knows needs educated compete Southerners knows surely night follows these destroy traditional fabric Islamic society Sack emirs Education today advanced still about children school these after three years In countr considerably larger France there exactly secondary schools There course university North Said British education officer A Southerner spend salary educate children Northerner tuppence We drive school school children attend The Sardauna seems favor education hindered funds personnel As barely natural increase population Female education No We aiming ratio girls Leaders Sardauna service educating women there opposition thing shape manner There government girls secondary school students Christians extreme south region The ministers girls strictly convenient place inspect possibilities their harems There about university graduates North these doctors We graduate teachers In likely couple years school chalk Now North paying At stage North attack education problem through adult literac program Such program started literacy throughout region To something million people through Yaki Jahilci Fight against Ignorance North nearly million How effective Nobody really knows An education officer program farce solid corruption unlettered tutors simply their students literacy certificates cents throw Still illion interested literacy encouraging But feeling drives dusty tracks through lages unchanged thousand years registered In every village square between twisted roots banyan village scribe write letter words which salutations cents Today scribes typewriters which makes letters about progress At problem Northerners leaders commoners alike neither understand western education One member THE Regional House Representatives suggested means remedying LEARNED North secondary schools primary schools designated secondary SCRIBE schools empowered issue appro priate certificates graduates He lustily applauded Honorable Members The relationship between education everyday foreign Islamic society Money course problem The North spends capita population build schools In contrast East spends times West three times capita basis The North being parsimonious capita revenue And situation about worse The North lives income peanuts Of million earned Northern agricultural products every Northerners million lowly goober All North crops handled brings market abroad Regional arketing Board This outgrowth World War II colonies economically mobilized fight In those board Nigeria basis Today region board The course provide stable price farmer improve grades increase production Since board regionalized peanut production zoomed prices risen But world price peanuts falling three years marketing board reserves exhausted supporting price above world level At beginning season marketing board surplus million The board million million To itself solvent board going price That means fewer schools trained teachers It means political trouble NPC since price right about federal elections It possible NPC government wreck marketing board rather chance losing election Do Northern minis understand intricacies situation Says chairman marketing board When I world market another world market Judge yourself The whole economic educational however If little money always spend wisely North something badly needed conspicuously lacking other parts Africa school administration government officials This thing really needed North because whether becomes democratic remains authoritarian going administered Africans The school known Institute Administration everybody calls Kongo because troops Belgian Congo stationed outside Zaria Courses offered anybody learner clerk standards Since Kongo going emirs chiefs local councillors istrict scribes elected local councillors other local officials struggled through courses every thing write business letter proper build In addition other officials taken tension courses On lower level important North along without hated Southerners clerical posts clerks trained But apple J Bennion directs Kongo Administrative course This program designed train young Northerners district officers almost legendary shoes white years single handedly areas Scotland Being district commis sioner requires qualities which always evident Africans anything running court repairing balky generator physically tough financially incorruptible stern capable getting alien people When first month course Bennion applicants He accepted passed course become assistant district officers Europeans juicy three months annual leave All least school education univer graduates preferred Courses taken range comparative religions public finance first Bennion states students bulging enthusiasm mustard They after finished their academic course shipped O War Bay Cameroons physical Conditioning leadership course which approximates arine Corps bootcamp training There their dapper clothes issued khaki shorts sneakers They small boats build bridges climb Cameroon Four process graduates O War something often lacking African realization course public career weaknesses conquer On other Zaria Kongo Nigerian College Arts Science Technology There other branches Enugu Ibadan This federal school education above school level hands federal govern North Here wants university after school But primarily College offer degrees engineer architecture technical fields included Univer College Ibadan Vhen I finished poking around Zaria schools having doubts democracy survive Nigeria I young important His Zahariya ailamari captain Royal Nigerian Regiment If things Sudan hearing about ailamari He neither Nigerian officer senior there major ailamari three other colleages about dozen lieutenants junior But ailamari tough character twenties British accent broad could drive Cadillacs abreast across Nigeria first first graduate Sandhurst British equivalent West Point Aside commanding training school future Nigerian officers course tremen influence among officer corps future The again federal outfit policel prestun could never North against slicker cousins South But Northerners MAILAIfRI these riflemen orubas prefer suitable Can stand aside clerks quartermasters Yorubamen contemptuous Northerner peace They sport uniform Hausamen Mailamari although Northerner Hausa He Kanuri Bornu emirate which neither Hausas Fulani could conquer There still British officers corns attached force years But Mailamari sidelines democracy doesn The professional soldier loath meddle politics ailamari attitudes I couldn course direct questions subject I around Sudan situation He regretted taken steps which Khartoum But added stand aside country drifting anarchy He answer question himself future years When finish visit North wandered through market Kano watched camel trains Chad Maiduguri under shivering midnight desert politely visitors gallery House Representatives Kaduna talked school masters officers Zaria poked around mines Jos drank sundowners police officer Makurdi talked Northern doctors heard admit corruption spread among nursing staff NEPU whipped through streets watched polite incomprehension across about welfare schemes realize North although changing surface different Osman Fodio From point thing Nor therner fighting ability essentially gentle polite person reasonable colorful pearance He thief something rogue continent The British trying punish Northerners official graft least officials One Suppose discover headman younger brother cheating returns If displeased And corrupt What pleasant headman politely course He stops while So North color appeal terribly backward dangerously corrupt The basic reason behind North schizophrenic score nation which little common people diverse ethnic stock strange religions system government cultural traditions social organization variance democratic framework within which expected The North course overcome evolve modern democratic state The question Do people leaders North really incorruptible civil service Or prefer spoils system which social pattern Do really clinics universities cocktail parties women welfare workers Or British thanks We enjoyed found amusing Now things There chance Remember British North years Remember during brief period blink history administration remained largely African hands Remember little changed since Hugh Clapperton walked Kano naval officer uniform I think would Americans English friends notion model democracies going spring Africa They there reason should expect The people gotten Africa those willing accept African might Leave ideals Africa Be pared This undemocratic rogue thief scoundrel I Let business I could wrong about course But I written Captain ailamari notebook filed I think hearing likes future years Sincerely Smith Hemp eceived New York January