Through mass murders, kidnappings, bombings, and other acts of terrorism, Boko Haram remains an enduring threat, principally to Northern Nigeria, but also to the whole country. Surprisingly, not the wanton destruction it daily wreaks, nor the fact of Nigeria spending trillions fighting it, as well as trying to beat back banditry which is, unfortunately, spreading fast, have been sufficient enough to mobilise the Northern elite behind the efforts to rein in these twin evils. Nor has the existential danger murderous herdsmen constitute to large chunks of the country been deemed sufficient to draw any reaction from this educated, and very knowledge-able, section of the Northern society to, at least, indicate that they are awed by what a negativity the North now constitutes to Nigeria’s well- being.
And as to the question what can they do? I say, a lot” – being the introductory part of my article of Sunday 23 February, 2020.
In the same article I also wrote:
“You cannot be happy with about 87% of poverty in Nigeria being in the north. You can’t be happy with millions of northern children out of school. You can’t be happy with nine states in the north contributing almost 50 per cent of the entire malnutrition burden in the country”. “You can’t be happy with the drug problem. You can’t be happy with the Boko Haram problem. Or with banditry. If the North does not change, it will destroy itself” – Quoting the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, CON.
During the past few weeks two gentlemen – my friend of over a decade, Tony Sani, former Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum, but better known as the Forum’s Publicity Secretary and Moh’d Yusuf, who I just met on these pages reacting to my articles, trenchantly criticising my views not only on the North but also on President Muhammadu Buhari – have spent considerable time interrogating the place of the North in contemporary Nigeria.
Because I know that most of Yusuf’s criticism are misplaced, I have reminded him that long before many Nigerians fell in love with the late President, I wrote on these pages, when President Buhari was only a Presidential aspirant, that Nigeria needed him much more than he needed Nigeria. I was then relying on his incandescent inorruptibility as he has long displayed in public office.
As to my love, or otherwise for the North, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria was my first choice University and I spent two weeks in Congo campus before I relocated to another University. I shall never forget that the fees I paid was returned, pro rata, something not many Nigerian Universities would do, even now.
I can say, with all boldness, that my views about the North, and Northerners, have always been honest and down to earth. For instance, twice in “Psycho-Analysing Sanusi Lamido Sanusi” (1 & 2), I wrote supporting the appointment of the latter Emir as Central Bank Governor in September, 2009 when it was not the most popular view.
So when my views seem anti- North to some, it is certainly not out of malice.
Today, I am taking a critical look at the choice/s before the North as it continues to constitute a major embarrassment to the whole country, so bad a foreign country had come, “gun – a – blazing”.
Northern Nigeria today stands at a critical juncture, that is, at the choice between theocracy and modernity.
As the Emir postulated above, the North, to survive as a modern conglomerate, must acknowledge the critical need for change.
By embracing modernity, Northern Nigeria can unlock its vast potential, contribute to Nigeria’s growth, and become a beacon of hope, not only for that part of the country alone but for the entire country.
Presently, Northern Nigeria, rich in cultural heritage and history, finds itself at the crossroads. It
is grappling with the challenges of balancing its traditional values with the demands of modernity. The dichotomy between theocracy and modernity has led to a myriad of problems, including poverty, illiteracy, and insecurity, all of which have become a significant drain on Nigeria’s resources.
Northern Nigeria has a long history of Islamic influence, with many states adopting Sharia law and although insecurity can be attributed to many reasons, the most fundamental is religion.
Insecurity in the North is, in my view and above anything else, mostly driven by the desire of the greatest percentage of Northern Moslems, if not all of them, to have Sharia declared all over Nigeria and the country, itself, proclaimed an Islamic country.
This is precisely what nurtures insecurity, be it it’s funding, the not insignificant communal support it enjoys, as well as the ease with which the various gangs recruit new members from the bazaar of out – of – school children roaming the streets.
Whoever denies this is only just talking.
Knowing full well that the preponderance of their numbers in the National Assembly cannot foist sharia on the country, a greater percentage of Northern Moslems, no matter their position in life, would quite easily turn a blind eye to the activities of all these Islamic terrorist gangs terrorising Nigeria, from the sahel to the shores of the Atlantic ocean, if only to achieve the objective of having an Islamic country.
It is a well known fact that this is the primary purpose of all Islamic terror gangs the world over and it enjoys local support everywhere, not minding the collateral damage of losing some of their members.
It is the reason why the United State’s first point of call was Sokoto state, an area the Nigerian security has never once declared as a terror stronghold.
Never.
But unlike Nigeria’s successive governments, the U.S has nobody, or anything, to fear.
This fear of the unknown is also the reason successive Nigerian governments have never been able to name terror financiers and did, absoluely nothing, when foreign countries obliged the Buhari government with some of their names.
But for America, Nigeria would have remained in limbo never able to touch terror kingpins, only relying on reeling out the names of mere hired guns for public consumption.
It is time for the North to realise that the forces of globalisation and technological advancement have made modernity an unavoidable reality.
It must, therefore, adapt to these changes if it is to ever compete with the modern world. The North must realise that Education, innovation, and entrepreneurship are key drivers of modernisation, in all of which the region, unfortunately, lags behind.
Not unexpectedly, the North’s reluctance to embrace modernity has come at a great cost. For instance, its human development indicators are among the worst in Nigeria and, therefore, in the world, and are coupled with extra-ordinarily high rates of poverty, illiteracy, and infant mortality.
Lack of economic opportunities has naturally fueled insecurity, with Boko Haram and a host of other killing and kidnapping gangs roaming the region, daily leaving trails of blood and anguish.
The North must make a choice between continuing to cling to a theocratic model that has failed to deliver development or embrace modernity and its attendant benefits.
This is not a call to abandon tradition or faith but to recognise that modernity and progress are not mutually exclusive with cultural heritage.
What then is the way forward?
There are a few of them.
First, the North must, willy nilly, invest in education, especially education for girls and women, aimed at empowering individuals and driving economic growth. It must launch programs to improve education access, both quantity and quality – wise. Efforts must be made to drastically reduce the number of out-of-school children.
Indeed the world would not collapse if Almajirai is officially prohibited and the study of the Holy Book streamlined into the expanded school syllabi. This is not too much if Northern states’ governments are prepared to turn around the fortunes of the region.
The leaders must also put enough resources into ICT which is the future.
Economic Diversification will be key too. Reliance on primary products of agriculture must give way to medium scale industrialisation to create a more diversified economy. Incentives could be offered to businesses to invest in the region to facilitate employment, especially in dairy products.
Mining should have been beneficial to the local economy but for the ranka dede culture which makes the poor or not so rich behave like slaves to the rich, and thus cannot revolt against the rich who indulge in illegal mining together with their foreign partners and supported by hundreds of terrorists who, in addition engage in kidnapping.
Equally important is good governance which is mostly lacking in Northern states as a result of the uncritical culture of the people.
Serious effort must also be made to strengthen institutions, promote transparency and hold leaders accountable.
There must also be a cultural evolution which mass education should facilitate and promote. This should include a culture of tolerance, openness, and innovation.
Finally, Northern region can significantly benefit from exchange programs with other regions, even other countries, to promote understanding, innovation and faster economic development.
The North must seize this moment to redefine its place in all ramifications.
The future beckons – it’s time for the North to make a choice.
