by Kalu A. Aja

It’s also important the Nigerian state brings in Islamic preachers, respected Islamic preachers to speak against the violence carried out in the name of Islam.

My first job took me to Maiduguri as Regional Manager covering Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. I stayed in the official residence of the then District Officer who was like the Governor General of that part of the country during British rule.

I loved it. Peaceful, sedate and welcoming

I discovered to my surprise that the dried fish I eat in Egusi and bitter leaf soup comes from Borno. The desert of Borno had more fish than meat. I was also surprised to see the state had a lot of denizens who were Christian. This also surprised me. I learned Borno was a centre for Islamic learning, this explained the large number of boys there some who slept in makeshift tents on walls of houses. Sadly I think these boys are now cannon fodder. When I was there in Maiduguri, SAS was about to contest, he would stop at roundabouts and throw cash out the window.

Many things have happened, but what must happen after this military operation is a massive “Marshall plan” for the North East. It’s important the FGN is prepared to immediately do legacy projects like roads and electricity. If possible simply buy Mikano generators and power the city 24/7. It’s important that SURE-P moves in and employs these young men, and the Agriculture ministry can start distributing fertilizer, water pumps and seedlings to restart farming. The Nigerian Armed Forces must also deploy the Medical and Engineering Corp to these states in large, very large numbers. The Military must build irrigation channels and open field hospitals for the citizens of the NE, the Military should build the housing estates, the Military must do this.

The FGN must tie these Marshal Plan funds conditionally to primary and Secondary school enrolment. The more kids are enrolled in school, the more the states receive. Nigerian cannot allow states like Yobe create conditions where only 74 students register for the National Common Entrance Examinations in 2011!

Most importantly, The Lake Chad is dying up and I hear the fish stock also, this has contributed to the economic loss in this area.  The solution I read is to transport water from Central Africa to Lake Chad that will cost upwards of $10b, such a massive infrastructure project will create jobs and save the lake and re-energise that region economically.

It’s also important the Nigerian state brings in Islamic preachers, respected Islamic preachers to speak against the violence carried out in the name of Islam. Distribute free phones and radios and pass the message across, open up a local radio station, use the Nollywood stars, the Hausa stars and do adverts, if possible go to Arsenal and Chelsea and get them to do a public service announcement for the violence to stop. We are not just fight guns, we are fighting an ideology.

Whilst a bullet can quickly silence an insurgent; a job can stop this insurgency long term.

It’s our problem, we can fix it.

————————-

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.