The son of the governor of Kaduna State, Bashir El-Rufai, has stirred controversies after he expressed gratitude to the late Queen of England, Elizabeth for placing the Northern part of Nigeria above every other region in the power equation of the country.
The younger ElRufai, in a tweet via his handle Friday evening, while paying tribute to the late Queen, said he would forever be grateful for the decision of the colonial masters to place the North at the peak of power.
“The British Colonial establishment placed the North at the peak of power in my dear country. For that I’ll always be indebted to the British Royal Crown and the method of indirect rule for my people & our dear Monarchs. Rest In Peace Queen Elizabeth,” El-Rufai tweeted.
https://twitter.com/BashirElRufai/status/1568290322689527809The Queen died on Thursday bringing an end to 70 years of reign.
Nigeria became an independent country on October 1, 1960, eight years after she was crowned the Queen of England.
In Nigeria’s 62 years of independence, there have been mutual suspicion by other ethnic groups of the Northern bloc of an intention to be in power.
Many historical accounts had claimed of an intention by the then British colonial masters to hand over power to the Northern establishment in the interests of the British continued interest in holding the levers in the Nigeria’s political and economic calculations.
His tweet had generated angry responses from some Nigerians who have expressed disgust with his claim.
“This Bashir ElRufai’s speech is a direct message to Tinubu in connection to his candle in the rain ambition and the return of power to the North. The emi lokan supporters in the West need to check out with Bashir why power in the North is more interesting than power in Nigerians,” a twitter user, David Eboh with the handle @DavidEbo replied.
Another twitter user, Sani Ahmad Kaitafi with the handle @KaitafiS responded thus: “Thought after touching Ka’abah, you will cases fire? Haba Bashari,”
Yet another twitter user Kenechukwu with the handle @Echi_di_ime shared images of poor out-of-school children usually called almajiris in the North with the caption: “Those are the peak of Power in my dear country.
Another user Swiss, with the handle @Swiss89779194 demanded “Does this stop the almajiri littered all over your cities, you are doing yourselves. That so called region no send your papa.”
Another responder, Jerry Douglas with the handle, @JerryDouglas19 wrote, Why did Britain feel at ease with this decision?
Cos they were not educated and could easily suffer manipulation.
Read reasons for the success of Indirect Rule in northern Nigeria.
Also read reasons why it failed in woefully in the East but succeeded partially in Western Nigeria.”
