Nigeria, Jan. 6 -- My northern brothers, let us speak plainly, without sentiment, without slogans, and without self-deception.

Every person who matters attracts enemies. Every society that has weight, history, and influence will be watched, resisted, challenged, and sometimes openly attacked. This is not a curse unique to us. It is the price of relevance. The real danger is not that we have enemies; the real danger is that we often misunderstand them, and even worse, allow them to control our reactions.

History, politics, and everyday experience all point to a hard truth we must accept: enemies, if handled with intelligence and discipline, can become tools for growth, clarity, and even power.

The Mistake We Keep Making

Too often, we a...