IT is not surprising that controversies have continued to trail the just-released results of the 2006 census which put the figure of the North at 75 million and the South at 64 million. And since the release of the result, Nigerians from different parts of the country have been commenting on the results.
Over the years, controversy has always trailed the result of Nigeria�s census. Since post-independence, the story has always been the same. Reports have it that the results of the population census taken in 1962 was not published because of disputes over its accuracy.
Despite being the first comprehensive census held in the country, Nigerians rejected its result.
A second census was taken in November 1963 and when the figures were published in February 1964, they were greeted with huge disagreements. The Eastern and the Mid-West regional governments reportedly rejected the results, claiming that the results for the Northern region had been inflated. The official figures published in Lagos gave the North a population of 29.9 million, the West 10.3 million and the East 12.4 million. Mid-West got 2.5 million and Lagos 700,000, giving a total population of 55.7 million people for the country.
Subsequent census exercises followed the same pathway. A new population census was taken throughout the country from November 25, 1973 to December 2, 1973. Provisional figures announced in May 1974 by General Gowon gave Nigeria a population of 79,758,960. The total of the then six Northern states was 51 million and six Southern states accounted for 28 million. General Gowon reportedly said that the figures were preliminary and were being cross-checked. But despite this statement, the announcement of the results generated a great deal of unease and acrimony with claims and counter-claims of inflated figures in various states.
The 1991 national census figure put Nigerian population at 88.5 million. Again, it was dogged by rejections. Today, it is the same bitter disagreements over the 2006 census figures, with Northerners and Southerners expressing varied views on the exercise.
Let�s rest this case � Yakassai
Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, an elder statesman based in Kano lamented that Nigerians have been unduly arguing over a result that has remained consisted for years and suggests that this time around, we should let sleeping dogs lie.
There is nothing you do in Nigeria without the people complaining. Nigerians complain about everything. But the matters of statistics cannot be disputed. It is like mathematics and if something is two, it is two and that figure is final.
What has been published as census results in Nigeria between the North and the South has been consistent in terms of North-South divide. Past results revealed that Northerners are more in number. The present result is still saying the same thing: there are more people living in the North than in the South.
I am urging Nigerians to forget the arguments, political sentiments and accept this fact which has remained consistent. This last census was monitored by international organisations and the United Nations. All these people are credible organisations and it�s not possible that they would conspire and falsify these results. So, it is a reliable census figure to the best of my knowledge. We have been consistent with our census figures since 1922.
I congratulate President Obasanjo, the Council of States and the National Population Commission for a job well done.
We complain a lot, says Dan-Musa
Alhaji Iro Dan-Musa, a member of PDP Board of Trustees blames Nigerians for not exercising their civic responsibilities at available opportunities and then turning around to complain.
In this country, we like to compare controversies. Now, look at the issue of this census. Different people were assigned to different states to conduct the population census without one interfering with the other.
But some Nigerians have the tendency to be lazy. They stay on their own and do nothing. All they do is complain. There are Nigerians who, all these while, were waiting for the results of the 2006 national population census to be released so they would complain. It is a wrong attitude.
The argument has been whether there are more people living in Kano or whether Lagos has the greater number of people. It is unnecessary. If more people are living in Kano, is it the fault of Kano State?
Moreover, there are many cultural practices that come into play when we talk about issues like population census. For instance, polygamy. We have to put all these things into consideration before we begin our complaints.
�Surprised? No way!�
Alhaji Yusuf Ciroma Kutama, a PDP chieftain in Kano
�I am not surprised that Kano state tops in the just released National Population and Housing Census which put the country�s population at 140,003,542. We hope the next administration will use the population figures wisely in appropriating the resources of this country as well as in allocating development projects to states and local governments.
�It has not been officially tabled for the National Assembly�
Honourable Farouk Lawan is a member of the Federal House of Representatives.
The national assembly is still on vacation and would be in the next few weeks. So, we don�t really know the details of these results but we should stop generating controversies over something we need to first of all critically sit down and analyse. That is my advice for now because there is nothing the National Assembly can do now than rectify these things.
But we should not generate unnecessary controversy over this. We should sit down and critically analyse and examine the results and where we have solid grounds for complains, the system will provide a way of doing this.
Nigerians should exercise a bit of patience for the National Assembly to reconvene and then, we would formally receive the results and then act in a way that would be mutually beneficial to all because I believe more details would be available to the National Assembly.
I�m just surprised � Ezeife
Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, former governor of Anambra State and erstwhile political adviser to President Obasanjo says he�s really surprised at the published results of the census.
It�s really very surprising. I�m surprised at the figures for Abia and Bayelsa and that is the problem. It shows we are not out of the woods. That is the only thing I can say about it.
Okorie: It�s revealing
Chief Chekwas Okorie is the factional chairman of All Progressive Alliance, APGA.
It�s really very revealing because it has confirmed the position of some of us in today�s Nigeria. That is why I am very concerned about putting ethnicity in the enumeration forms we fill in this country.
I have said it that we have a minimum of 25% of Ndigbo in every state in Nigeria outside the core Igbo states. Igbos have over 40% of the population of people living in Lagos, Rivers and Delta. What has been proved in Kano is that Igbos are more than three million in number.
If you go to Sabon Gari area where non-indigenes live, you�d discover that about 90% of the people are Igbos. That means that in Kano alone, Ndigbo constitute 30% of its population.
In other states outside Igboland, the Igbo people constitute at least 25% of their population. That is why the Igbos should spearhead the effort to register for the next election. If they do, their relevance should be felt in areas outside Igboland where they are resident.
That is why we are against those who want to limit APGA to an Anambra affair. The party should spread out. And to have a presidential candidate that is incapable of reaching out to these other Igbos wherever they may be as a result of age, poor resources or ill-health is the unkindest cut on the people.
Thoroughly amazing, by Adegbite
Dr. Lateef Adegbite, Secretary-General of Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs sees the results as surprising and incredible.
First of all, I�m surprised at three major things. One, I�m surprised Nigeria is 140 million. An ordinary person knows that in this country, we are much more than that. Nigeria cannot by any standard, be less than 150 million people. That is my first surprise.
Then secondly, I don�t believe that less than ten million people are living in Lagos. That figure attributed to Lagos should be re-checked because I live in Lagos and I don�t think less than 10 million people are living here.
Thirdly, they now say that men are more than women. It�s really a big surprise and I hope they are right about it because you see women everywhere and in the past, there were more women than men. For that to have changed now also surprises me.