Strategic Thinking And Vision Of The Far North, Versus The Sight Of The Rest Of Nigeria
The Oasis Reporters
April 6, 2019
By Pst. Sam Gar
We were taught something very interesting in our MBA Class which may also interest you. This is it.
ALL BUSINESSES HAVE FREE ACCESS TO THE FACTORS THAT MAKE FOR GREATNESS. HOWEVER, WHETHER A BUSINESS EXCELS OR REMAINS MEDIOCRE OR AVERAGE LIES SQUARELY WITH STRATEGY! In other words, STRATEGY is the chief factor in achieving exceptional performance and in attaining leadership and superiority!
This is where the FAR NORTH has beaten THE REST OF NIGERIA hands down!
By the Far North, I’m talking about the Fulani Oligarchy. By the rest of Nigeria, I mean the Middle Belt, Southern Nigeria and the sandwiched Minorities of Nigeria.
Historically and evidentially, it is clear and obvious that the Far North has a definite and well defined Political Agenda. The rest of Nigeria doesn’t. The central thought and focus of the Oligarchy is TO TAKE POWER AND KEEP POWER ETERNALLY; and if for any reason power should momentarily slip off their hands, THEY SHOULD REMAIN DOGGEDLY RELEVANT AND IN THE CENTRE OF POWER, AND NEVER AT THE OUTSKIRTS!
The rest of Nigeria sees power differently. Firstly, unlike the Oligarchy, they are satisfied with sharing power and not keeping or monopolising power. It is not part of the orientation and culture of the rest of Nigeria (although their Holy Book commands so). Secondly, the rest of Nigeria views power and access to power as an end, and not as a means to an end! THIS IS OUR WORST MISTAKE! When power becomes an end, you get into the Rest Mode and then pursue comfort above all else when you get the power. This is why the appropriation and pursuit of elemental and transient things takes centre stage when the rest of Nigeria is in power: money greed, primitive acquisition, irrelevant display of power, debauchery, super opulent consumption, gruesome vanities etc.
Money is a secondary consideration to the Far North. Political power is where their heart is; for they know that wealth runs after whoever takes power! In fact, the Far North makes money for strategic purposes, unlike the rest of Nigeria where buying the latest cars, yachts, private jets, building palaces, living big and loud, and aiming at nothing but draconian vanities is the vogue.
ASO ROCK
The Buharis of the Far North know what is expected of them in Aso Rock whereas our Jonathans just rock life and forget about what took them there! One can’t therefore really blame the Fulani North for their emasculating hold on Nigeria whenever the opportunity presents itself. They have strategy. They don’t OWN IT but they have it and the rest of Nigeria doesn’t!
SIMPLE FACTS
The richest men in Nigeria today are in the North but you won’t know. They are not Noise makers! They won’t run a roll call as we foolishly do in the rest of Nigeria. The less Nigeria knows about their capacity, the more they will take them for granted! This also is Strategy!!
When I’m talking about wealthy Northerners, Aliko Dangote is not among them. He is rich by FORBES’ rating but not that of the North. I’m not talking about loans that make a man rich but about power that puts wealth and treasure in men’s hands.
THE SOUTH GOT IT WRONG
This is my worry. When Southerners were controlling money in Nigeria, was Dangote’s grandfather born? He was not. How then did Aliko Dangote overtake everybody in the rest of Nigeria within 20 years? The answer is VISION! The Far North has Vision (which has no limitation). The rest of Nigeria has mere SIGHT (which does not go beyond the nose)! This is part of the problem.
THEY WENT FOR POWER AND NOT MONEY
While the rest of Nigeria makes noise and scrambles for money, the Far North steadily executes their Agenda to take and control Power (whether they are President or not). This is why they control every government in power. They combine vision VISION AND STRATEGY!
See what they do. They allow the rest of Nigeria in the National Assembly to plunder what they allow to be declared as Budget, while they pass the strategic Bills that set and keep the Far North permanently ahead and in solid control of Nigeria! While the rest of Nigeria scrambles for contracts (crumbs), they go for OIL WELLS! What ingenuity!! They settle for the best Diplomatic postings and leave the dregs for the rest of Nigeria. It’s all part of the Strategy.
THE DANGOTE CARD
In no distant future, Dangote Industries will become a colossus, an amoeba, and an octopus; a beast of no mean description. He will be able to determine policy direction, hold governments hostage, or even topple governments, not just in Nigeria but Africa.
Why?
STRATEGIC THINKING!
If you don’t have it, you remain a slave forever whether you are in power or out of power.
Wherein lies the strategic thinking in going for oil wells ?
KNOWING WHAT YOU WANT
The Fulani North have always been in power irrespective of who occupies the Number One seat. They were in control when Presidents Obasanjo and Jonathan were in Aso Rock.
Why?
STRATEGIC MANOEUVERING!
If you don’t have it, power is merely a TOY! Power decays in your hand.
When you have a Strategic Agenda, you use power to achieve your GOALS and TARGETS. When people scream, you pretend or ignore them as you steer yourself towards your destination.
There is something the Far North knows that the rest of Nigeria doesn’t. It is called STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE. This is what Strategic Knowledge teaches:
DON’T GO FOR WEALTH. GO FOR POWER; FOR WEALTH WITHOUT POWER IS POVERTY IN DISGUISE! PURSUE AND HOLD UNTO POWER BY ALL MEANS AND AT ALL COST. WHEN YOU DO, EVERYTHING: WEALTH, THE PEOPLE AND THE ENTITY BECOMES YOUR INHERITANCE!
Until the rest of Nigeria acquires Strategic Knowledge, embraces Strategic Thinking, crafts a Strategic Agenda, and cuddles FOCUS, power will mean nothing in their hands. They will mope at it until it is time to hand it over! They will die hopeless and helpless clutching awesome power to their chest!
