History and cultural heritages
06/03/2025
An Open Message from the Hausa People to the Igbo Nation – For Unity and Peace
To our Igbo brothers and sisters,
We, the Hausa people, reach out to you today not out of blame or hostility, but out of a sincere desire to foster understanding, truth, and peace between our communities. For too long, the voices of ordinary Hausa people have been overshadowed by those who manipulate our identity for their own power. It is time we speak clearly and honestly.
Who Truly Rules Nigeria?
When you point fingers at the "Hausa-Fulani" for the injustices and domination you face, we urge you to distinguish between us—the indigenous Hausa people—and the Fulani elite who have wielded power under our collective name. It is not the Hausa people who occupy the corridors of power or control the nation’s destiny. It is a Fulani oligarchy that, since the 1804 Jihad, has manipulated the Hausa identity while oppressing us as much as anyone else.
The Hausa people are not your enemies. Like you, we are victims of a system that exploits and divides. The insecurity, banditry, and lawlessness affecting both your land and ours is not caused by ordinary Hausa people but by those same forces that seek to dominate us all.
We understand the Igbo people’s frustration and their demand for fair political representation. The Nigerian constitution guarantees every ethnic group the right to participate fully in the nation’s governance, yet these rights have been denied—just as we, the Hausa people, have also been marginalized in our own homeland. The Fulani elite, under the false name of "Hausa-Fulani," have monopolized power for themselves while ordinary Hausa people continue to suffer the consequences of their actions. Your demand for justice is legitimate, and we, too, share your pain.
The Suffering of the Hausa People
Since 2015, the Hausa homeland has been under siege. Over one million innocent Hausa lives have been lost, and millions more have been displaced—many fleeing to Niger Republic, where they find more refuge than in their own country. Villages that stood for centuries—over 1,000 Hausa towns—are no more. Meanwhile, the same Fulani elite who once dismissed the bandits as people seeking "revenge" did nothing while our people were slaughtered.
When we organized local vigilantes to protect our homes, they disarmed us. When we cried for justice, they called for "false dialogue as usual" with those who were killing us. Even basic self-defense was denied to us under the previous administration.
The Forgotten Hausa Refugees in Niger Republic
Amid the turmoil and violence, over two million Hausa people have been forced to flee their ancestral homes, seeking refuge in the neighboring Niger Republic. These are not just numbers—they are our brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers who once lived peacefully in thriving Hausa towns that no longer exist. More than 1,000 Hausa villages have been wiped off the map, leaving nothing but empty, desolate land.
While the Nigerian government neglected our suffering, it was the Hausa-led government of Niger Republic, under General Abdourahamane Tchiani, that stepped forward to recognize our pain. In a remarkable display of solidarity, millions of CFA were allocated to provide shelter, healthcare, and education for these displaced Hausa people. The Nigerien government built residential areas, hospitals, and schools—offering the care and dignity that our own government denied us.
This act of kindness from our Hausa brothers across the border contrasts sharply with the indifference we faced at home. While the Nigerian authorities disarmed our vigilantes and weakened our ability to protect ourselves, the Nigerien government saw our suffering and acted. This tragic reality exposes the failure of those in power in Nigeria, who speak of "Hausa-Fulani" unity while allowing the Hausa people to be displaced, killed, and forgotten.
A Shared Pain
We recognize that your people, too, have suffered greatly. We do not deny the pain of the Igbo, especially as you mourn the loss of your own due to violence and insecurity caused by these same forces. Just as you have been denied your constitutional rights to fair political representation, we, too, have experienced systematic neglect and the denial of our right to self-defense.
But while we understand your anger, we ask that you do not direct it at the innocent.
The killing of 50 truck drivers, many of whom were simply trying to make an honest living, deepens wounds and sows more division. These drivers, like most Hausa people, are not agents of oppression—they are ordinary people trying to survive in a nation that has failed us all.
A Plea for Peace and Understanding
Our message is clear: Let us not be divided by those who benefit from our division. Commerce and trade between our people are not just economic necessities—they are a symbol of the unity we should strive to build. We need each other. If Hausa farmers cannot bring their goods to your markets, and Igbo traders cannot access our products, who truly suffers? It is the ordinary people—not the elites in Abuja or the power-brokers behind closed doors.
We call on all Igbo leaders and people of conscience to speak out against the killing of innocent traders and drivers. Violence against innocent people—whether in the North or the South—cannot bring justice. Instead, it deepens our collective suffering.
What Must Be Done
We urge the Federal Government to:
1. Protect All Citizens Equally: No life—Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, or any other—should be valued above another. Security forces must act decisively to stop the killing of innocent people across the country.
2. Allow Community Defense: Just as no community should face violence, no community should be disarmed while bandits and insurgents run free. Our people have a right to protect their homes.
3. End Impunity: Those responsible for violence—whether in the North or South—must face justice. There can be no peace without accountability.
4. Support Victims of Violence: Both Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo victims deserve compensation, rehabilitation, and the chance to rebuild their lives. Yet, while the government ignores most victims, the Tinubu administration has allocated over 50 billion naira in 2024 under a Fulani Elites organization called the Pulaku Initiative to rebuild what they claim are Fulani victims' homes in northwestern Nigeria (Hausa land) and parts of north-central states. This selective assistance is an injustice to the many others who have suffered.
A Future Together
Despite all that has divided us, we believe a peaceful future is still possible. The vision of "Wazobia"—where Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo come together—remains as vital today as it was in 1914.
Let us reject those who exploit our differences and instead build a nation where no group is forgotten, no community is abandoned, and no people live in fear.
To our Igbo brothers and sisters, we extend our hand in peace. Let us speak honestly, listen to each other’s pain, and work together for a better Nigeria where every tribe and tongue can flourish.
With sincerity and hope,
The Hausa People
