Solving North’s self-inflicted ruin

The map of Nigeria is broadly divided into two (2) main parts having trace to the historic amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates in 1914. This is further subdivided into six (6) geopolitical zones though, having no constitutional backing but respected in political discourse. According to Wikipedia, the six (6) geopolitical zones of Nigeria is a major division in modern Nigeria, upon which Nigerian economic, political and educational resources are often shared across the zones. The recognition of this diversity brought about the introduction of federal character to ensure that all public service institutions fairly reflect our social groups which include linguistic, religious, ethnic, and geographic diversity of the country. This was mainly to ensure that no section of the country is at disadvantage. The ruin of the north continued despite the pursuit of egalitarianism by the constitution and northern elites’ continuous grip onto the power and lucrative political positions. This part of the country lags behind in all economic and social indices. Drawing analogy from statistics in 1980 the poverty level between the north and south was put at 43.5%.  The gap between the two regions widened within 20 years where the poverty rate of both the north and south grew to 73% and 53% respectively.

The disparity keeps on degenerating despite the resources allocated to 19 northern states from the centre and the solid mineral resources bestowed upon them as a natural gift of nature strengthened by the vast span of arable land. Experts argued that the reliance on federal allocation resulted in the reluctance of the states to explore their internally generated revenue (IGR) potentials. This can be depicted in 2017 survey which showed that Rivers state and Lagos state IGR was 1.03 times 14 of the 19 northern states. Thus, experts posited that the growing economic inferiority of the northern states could be ascribed to the failure of the northern elites to uphold market mechanism as a means of income generation and redistribution rather than clinch on the distribution of oil revenue as a means of survival.

Several excuses were given for the ruin of the north, some genuine and others flimsy as such could not survive any empirical discourse. Such excuses can only be tendered by northern leaders to score more political gains. As the southern states keep progressing with more school enrollment, manufacturing firms and higher per capita income their northern counterparts remain backward with all subventions and interventions rechanneled into the elites’ coffers. The expected development rather materialises only in the mansions they built, flashy vehicles they show off, flamboyant graduation ceremonies of their children and lavish lifestyle that stemmed from our commonwealth.  Empathetically, the ruin of the north is propelled by the menaces that include but not limited to abject poverty, income disparity, insecurity (mainly kidnapping and cattle rustling), dilapidated and near absence of infrastructure and social amenities, high infant mortality rate, low literacy level, drug abuse, misguided political and religious leaders, excessive corruption and abuse of public office and misalignment of priorities. This self-inflicted menace derailed almost all the northern states from making any headway despite that the north remains the country’s political powerhouse for the elites’ momentous instinct of clinging to the power.

Principal offices held by the northern elites had not reflected in the lives of the locales but instead created a smooth mechanism that empowered some miscreant capitalists in extorting what is left to the populace as in the case of constituency projects. The monthly subvention hardly reached people at the grass root, as no state government is ready to surrender to the third tier of government its share of the national cake. Even at that, local government chairs had turned into political appointments only for those that chose to be adamant to the misapplication of the third tiers’ fund. The persistent oppression by the elite, denied the children of the poor all their supposed birthright thus, creating persistent dissatisfaction in the mind of younger generation. To douse their mental stress, disillusioned young chaps who are denied access to education embraced drugs to cause their brains’ chemistry to change. This is merely to cut off their thoughts from the reality that gives them no hope and no glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. The situation coupled with the influx of weapons mainly through our porous borders nurtured criminality.  People that were denied good life from their tender age grew up with the desire to own cars and houses just like the children of the so-called big men whom they see from afar driving and riding all sorts of flashy vehicles. These thoughts in the mind of the teeming youths exploded into severe criminal activities; hence, forcing the country to its knees.

The recent military intervention had only a short term repercussion to the crisis of banditry. The permanent solutions can only be realised if the future of disadvantaged children is given due consideration.  This problem can be remedied simply through; youth empowerment, free primary education, vigilance and local security enhancement, effective mechanism for income redistribution, complete overhaul of Almajiris system of education, probity and accountability on the part of public officers, social and cultural reorientation, establishment of more technical institutions, elaborated entrepreneurship development schemes and structured micro-financing. These steps if carefully embraced would certainly create social and financial inclusion among the teeming youth population.

Social and economic inclusion in the north can as well be achieved if state governors will put all hands on deck in confronting the phenomenon. Our youths had closely watched the Arab Spring and recent unrest in Sudan which saw the end of their sit-tight leaders. The northern leaders should focus on this simple reality to guarantee the future of their pampered children and extend their continued stay on the nation’s payroll that hinges on federal character as an excuse. The northern part of the country has all it takes to achieve economic growth and development looking at the arable land, solid mineral resources, water resources, human resources and solar energy having the potentials of increasing internaly generated revenue and reduced reliance on federal subvention and allocation.  Northern leaders need to come up with a development plan based on each state’s priorities and monitor the implementation of this plan irrespective of regimes changes. In a nutshell, leaders should develop a culture of fiscal responsibility, give due regard to their people, show remorse on them, avoid any showoff in their mix, do more to demonstrate a sense of belonging and effectively deliver on the expectations of the electorates. This action if upheld will save our northern leaders against possible revolt as the desire for change remain in the hearts of many Nigerians.