The North and its people would never accept the denigrating of their leaders; past and present, especially those murdered in cold blood in the 1966 coup and would do all that they can to defend their integrity and honour even as some would want to re-write the history through distortion of facts of what actually happened.

Emir of Kano, Mai Martaba Muhammadu Sanusi II, and the 19 Northern Governors made that clear today at the 50th anniversary of the commemoration of the assassination of Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardaunan of Sokoto and erstwhile Premier of defunct Northern Region, held at Arewa House, Kaduna.

Sanusi said the history of the 1966 coup is being re-written and even if the North and Northerners has forgiven and forgotten what happened, they would not allow the history to be distorted.

He said: “Tomorrow marks exactly 50 years to an incident in the history of this country in which a number of leaders were killed. Sir Ahmadu Bello was one, Sir Tafawa Balewa was another, Chief Akintola was another, Chief Okotie Eboh was another, including a number of Generals that hail from this part of the country and from the Western part of the this country.

“Now this has happened and the events that followed are known but sad, we have gone over them, we have moved on to become one country. But 50 years later, before our very eyes, this history is being re-written and those who killed are claiming to be the victims.

“It is important that we keep history truthful. Even if we forgive and forget, we should never allow history to be re-written, because what is happening in Nigeria today is a new story, a new narrative. Sardauna was not a victim, Tafawa Balewa was not a victim, they were the cause of the problem; we cannot accept this.”

Sanusi stressed that the North and Northerners would not want to open old wounds as everyone has been hurt, offended, marginalised, lost people, produced good and corrupt leaders, and no one has he monopoly of power, corruption or oppression. So people should learn from history and refusal to do so results in farcical result, he said.

He asserted that like every human, Sardauna and Balewa had their flaws but they were heroes and “better than anything that this country has produced.”

Sounding a note of warning, Sanusi said anyone who has a problem with the late Sardauna should bring his own Sardauna and compare. He stressed that Nigeria has moved on and Nigerians should not be allowed or be drawn into sectional, ethnic, regional, religious and secessionist battle.

“I think we owe it to the memory of these gentlemen who were murdered, that people do not add insult to injury. And so long as we are alive, we will defend their honour. We are calling for peace, we are calling for unity, we are calling for tolerance, but we are insisting on respect; we would not be disrespected,” Sanusi said.

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari and spoke on behalf of the Northern Governors, said all of them present at the occasion concur fully with the sentiments expressed by Emir Sanusi.

Said he: “As Northern Governors, we want peace in Nigeria. We want unity in our diversity. We want progress and development in Nigeria, but we will not accept a situation in which our parents, our forefathers are being insulted. We would not accept any revisionist attempt to re-write history and discredit those whose legacies we enjoy.”

In attendance were Governors Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Darius Ishaku of Taraba, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto, Kashim Shetima of Borno, and Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara, among other dignitaries.

•Photo shows Emir Sanusi.

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