From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned that the North faces the risk of prolonged stagnation and worsening insecurity unless its leaders work urgently to rebuild unity, reset priorities, and tackle the region’s deepening developmental challenges with courage.
Speaking at the 25th anniversary dinner of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in Kaduna, Atiku emphasized the forum’s resilience “through thick and thin” over the past two decades, highlighting its importance.
Atiku paid tribute to past ACF leaders, including General Yakubu Gowon and the late M.D. Yusufu, who he noted “weathered enormous political and social storms” to sustain the organization.
He prayed for their souls and urged current leaders to uphold their legacy. Reflecting on his early days as Vice President in 1999, Atiku recalled how the North was deeply fragmented along various political lines and how he worked to unify the region under one umbrella.
He explained that the ACF was established not only for political cohesion but also to drive development across the North, in line with the vision of Sir Ahmadu Bello.
Atiku emphasized that the core priorities identified by the Sardauna—education, agriculture, and industrial growth—remain essential today. He quoted extensively from Ahmadu Bello’s 1961 address, which emphasized the importance of agricultural expansion, soil conservation, livestock improvement, and creating conditions that would enable education and industry to thrive.
Atiku noted that by 1999, these priorities had gained renewed significance, leading him to initiate a Northern Education Project, spearheaded by Prof. Adamu Baiki, to assess and revive the region’s struggling education system.
He shared that the findings were alarming, prompting reforms such as revising teacher inspection manuals, building capacity, and restoring dignity to the teaching profession through awards and motivational schemes.
He reported that enrollment and transition rates doubled in several northern states by the end of their first term, with records still available at Arewa House.
Additionally, he highlighted efforts made through the Northern Development Project (NDP) to reform agriculture by reviewing policies, rebuilding value chains, and addressing climate-related challenges affecting yields.
As for the industry, Atiku explained that a survey revealed persistent obstacles, including energy poverty, financial gaps, raw material shortages, and multiple taxation—issues that sadly persist two decades later.
He clarified that discussing these past efforts was not intended to lament but to “wake the North from complacency” and remind leaders of the urgent need to build on previous foundations.
Atiku then shifted focus to unity, warning that diversity has become a weapon used by adversaries who exploit fear, technology, and misinformation to create discord and target the region’s resources.
He urged northern leaders to learn from countries like India and China, which have successfully managed significant ethnic diversity while achieving economic transformation.
Quoting Ahmadu Bello’s 1960 speech in Los Angeles, Atiku stressed that diversity is a strength and cautioned against those who “set tribe against tribe, Christian against Muslim.” He posed challenging questions about the North’s future, particularly concerning population growth, food security, education, job creation, and the region’s readiness for a knowledge-driven global economy.
Atiku warned that the 21st century would not tolerate “complacency, absentee leadership, or leadership without vision,” insisting that the North must urgently prepare itself for the challenges ahead.
He appealed to northern leaders to reflect on how they wish to be remembered: “as those who sacrificed for their people, or those who only buttered their bread.”
In conclusion, Atiku called for renewed unity, insisting that if there was ever a moment for the North to come together, “that time is now.” He prayed for God’s guidance as the region faces its challenges and expressed gratitude to the ACF for its role in shaping northern consciousness.
