Education: A Northern Priority

While I share the sentiments that, as is the case in many other dimensions of life, the different sections that make up the Nigerian federation lags in one way or the other, in education, I equally agree that the North is comparatively in lower state than the South. This is a very serious development if […]

While I share the sentiments that, as is the case in many other dimensions of life, the different sections that make up the Nigerian federation lags in one way or the other, in education, I equally agree that the North is comparatively in lower state than the South. This is a very serious development if placed against the backdrop of the huge population of the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.

If we are to use a recent survey by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) which shows that an approximate 6 million children are given birth to annually in Nigeria, out which about 4 million are in the 19 Northern states and the FCT, then, what ought to be understood here is that the priority of the Northern states must revolve around education.

Again, available statistics suggest that of the approximately 155 million Nigerians today, over 60% of this estimate falls below the age of 30 and by the year 2020, it is expected that the percentage of Nigerians that will be below the age of 30 will be above 75%. Again, this is a crisis situation.

I am not an economist but a student of political economy. These statistics and revelations are as horrifying as the future looks and it calls for urgent redirection and re-strategisation from especially the governments in the 19 Northern states and the FCT as well the government in Aso Rock. The picture that such statistics present is worrisome and can be correctly attended to if the right political brinkmanship is put in place.

The attention of the federal government and those of the individual states is crucial if we are to save the future; if we are to reduce the quantum funds that is either deployed or stolen in fighting insecurity in the country. I have made this point time and again that the crises we see manifesting in various dimensions in the country and especially in the last few months in Northern Nigeria represent merely the symptoms of the catastrophe that lie ahead if the right things are not done by the government and the people.

Yes, by the government and by the people because the people too are very crucial in either making the governments do the right things or deploying the democratic privileges that they have to either coerce or fire governments and representations out of the way. It is necessary that concerted efforts are immediately put in place to address the decay and the dangers that lie now and in the future.

It is important to remind the nation of the growing gap in educational disparity between the regions. It is not a matter for anybody anywhere in the country to celebrate because the problem is even if sectional, prone with national consequences. In the last joint matriculation examination, the number of young people that qualified to enter universities from Imo and Delta states were more than those from the 19 Northern states put together. Again, this is not a matter for anybody to celebrate.

The message clearly is that there is heavy disparity in educational attainment between the sections that make up Nigeria and thus a recipe for instability. What is required is the immediate declaration of education as a national emergency with the Northern states as specific reference points.

I hold the view that if the states in the North would in the next decade devote faithfully 50% of their appropriation to education and channel same honestly, we may see some remarkable improvement in the quality of life of our people and therefore arresting the seeming slide to total destruction as is suggested by the national security challenges and the seeming failure of the federal authorities to, devoid of politics, evolve genuine strategies of addressing the menace. Instead, soldiers are sent to kill, maim and rape innocent women and children.

It is along this line that I wish to celebrate the examples of the government of Kano State under Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso.  Before the award of about $12 million scholarship to 501 people who scored either first or second class upper degrees to proceed for masters degrees in foreign universities, I thought it was not possible.

To me, this I thought was only possible in the Niger Delta provinces where so much money is paid either directly or through one form of intervention or the other. The amount is almost N2billion and from the feeders in Kano, that is a commencement and an integral part of other programs aimed at empowering the youth. In my view, this is the best way out of social security challenges and clearly the young people would have faith in representation, leadership and the future. It is scientific to continue to posit that social problems are best solved through social policies.

I am of the view that what is most critical now is for the Northern states through their various means of interrelation begin to think of synergizing on this very critical area of educating the young people. If the government in Abuja would continue to deploy troops on the streets of towns and villages in the region, and it appears that is the only idea that they have, the governors and representatives from this educationally backward giant of Nigeria that has made more sacrifices in keeping the nation together, must evolve ways of mass and qualitative education of their young people who constitute well over 65% of the young people in Nigeria.

This will be a legacy that the governments of today would bequeath to the future. Kano must continue in this manner and even improve in other areas so that they can continue to set the pace. There is no alternative to education. It is crucial, it is necessary and we must invest and heavily too in it if our states and the nation are to know the peace.

Someone said if you feel education is very expensive, you should try the price of ignorance. It is a historic responsibility to move people out of ignorance and that is why the first verse revealed in the Qur’an was on education. We wish to register our support to the Kano initiative and call on other states in the region and possibly in the country to do the same so we can effectively assure the future.