For North, a grim prospect

Though most emerging economies have richer and poorer regions (India has her east and west divide; South Africa has its South Eastern-North divide), few other disparities that are as wide and unbridgeable as the one over the River Niger.  For example, the National Bureau of Statistics indicated in a recent survey that while youth unemployment […]

Though most emerging economies have richer and poorer regions (India has her east and west divide; South Africa has its South Eastern-North divide), few other disparities that are as wide and unbridgeable as the one over the River Niger.  For example, the National Bureau of Statistics indicated in a recent survey that while youth unemployment (which is generally prevalent in Nigeria) stands at a manageable 56.3% in the south, the staggering figure of 72.9% in the north is worrisome. The ugly menace of Boko  Haram intertwined with myriad ethno-religious crisis further widened the divide as these  two unfortunate issues shifted socio-economic investment down south.   While one might not deny the culpability of the northern elites in this decay, the need arises to sound a note of reminder to those interested in seeing anything better coming from North.
The decay did not start with this generation. Though the first generation of northern leaders laid a viable foundation for regional development, there’s been near-absence effort at consolidation in this direction by successive leadership. The visionary strides of the most inspiring figure to have come out of northern Nigeria, the revered Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, saw a focus in educational development as a pathway to development and a bridge to a secured future.  The Sarduana’s visions and pragmatism brought the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, the Barewa College and several efforts at educating the mass of human resources that forms the basics of all development.  By the end of the 80s, the national dominance of the northern industries – in areas of textile and manufacturing- had begun to fade due to Nigeria’s overdependence on crude oil as income earner.
While most northern politicians said that the problem didn’t exist, in reality the gap widened. The late Abubakar Rimi once retorted that “there was no such thing as poor north rich south.” Some elements from southern Nigeria too made the situation worse. While they wrongly accuse the north of dominating successive military leadership, they also resolved to sabotage developmental effort in the north. Also, in Nigeria’s bid to accord priority to the South-S0uth because of crude oil exploration, the north , which provided the seed capital for crude oil investment was left to grapple with the challenges of stark underdevelopment.  
The great unresolved riddle in the North is how to solve the Boko Haram conundrum and educate the teeming populace. At the heart of the Boko Haram crisis is youth unemployment and illiteracy. To effectively engage the youths in productive ventures and create opportunities for education should occupy the focus of leaders from the region in a developing Nigeria. Fortunately, the unparalleled interest of Senate President David Mark in rallying various organs of government to revive the visions of late Sardauna is welcomed at this juncture. Again, the collective resolve of some governors from the north- including Kano state’s Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso; Adamawa’s Murtala Nyako; Jigawa’s Sule Lamido; Sokoto’s Aliyu Wamakko and Niger’s Babangida Aliyu- to bring attention to the parlous state of things in the north is a sign of greater things to happen in the life the people of northern Nigeria in a greater Nigeria. There is little doubts that with David Mark continually attracting national goodwill to the North added with the national appeal of the G5 governors, the prospects can only get brighter for northern Nigeria.
There is no denying that northern Nigeria provided the foundation for Nigeria’s economic prosperity with the proceeds from her agricultural produces in post-independence Nigeria. The agricultural and resources potentials of the north if properly (re)harnessed is capable of restoring Nigeria to the path of economic rediscovery at the face of dwindling oil fortunes. The case being made for a prosperous Nigeria with an equally developed northern half by the group of five governors is not only timely but an intervention to salvage national posterity. One of such ways Nigerians could show brotherly solidarity to the north is to allow the region another term of presidential power after late President Yar’auda’s short stint at national transformation.

Abonu wrote from Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro, Abuja <[email protected]>;