As northern states are under serious threat, its leaders, traditional rulers, religious figures, and citizens must be wise and demonstrate patriotism for the safety of the North and the country at large. This is not a time for politics or talking about APC, PDP, ADC, or other political parties; it is a time to critically examine the situation facing Northern Nigeria, which demands collective responsibility to address effectively, or allow some enemies to destroy our region or the nation as a whole.
When almost every part of the region is bleeding, when some roads, houses, or even institutions of learning are no longer safe – leading to the closure of schools is it not enough for stakeholders and everyone in the region to sit back and ask themselves the questions: Why and from where are all these coming? How can they be addressed collectively? Haba mana mutanen Arewa! Can’t you remember how the North’s founding fathers like Sir Tafawa Balewa and the Sardauna of Sokoto addressed issues and made our region stand when it was about to fall down? It is time to be wise, northerners. Being wise means they should sit collectively, know the root causes collectively, and fight and address the issues collectively.
Senator Barau, the deputy Senate President, has tendered a very good point that northern problems are addressable when northerners are tied and united. His statement is an undeniable fact and truth that every northerner must think about. But the questions remain: Who will bring them together and unite the northerners? Is it the politicians, the traditional rulers, the religious leaders, or the ordinary citizens?
The answer to these questions is clear, because the questions remind us of a popular Hausa proverb: “tsintsiya madaurinki daya”, meaning it is very possible and doable to bring northerners together, united, to fight against the recurring issue of insecurity. And as a concerned northerner, it is strongly necessary to put the following in place:
Politicians: Politicians from all political parties in this region must put aside politics to secure the region. This is because an injury to one is an injury to all. They must not prioritise politics or the 2027 elections. They all need to contribute financially, advisably, and physically to help the government in fighting this issue.
In a nutshell, they should not prioritise politics over the recurring issue of insecurity. Security must be the top priority of all political parties, and joining hands with the government is also crucial and paramount in addressing this issue in Nigeria. As they say, security comes first and is the backbone of any development, and without it, even the leaders themselves cannot enjoy elections or leadership when people are being killed and kidnapped almost every day.
While politicians and leaders play a vital role, religious leaders from both faiths, Christianity and Islam, must preach unity and peace. They also need, in their sermons and services, to draw people’s attention to the fact that insecurity in Nigeria is not targeting any religion; all are victims, including even pagans, and it requires collective effort to fight against it.
Our religious leaders as well must appreciate and acknowledge that our issues can be tackled and addressed when we unite ourselves, because we do not have any other place, state, or country better than the one we have today. Religious leaders, especially in Northern Nigeria, must avoid the mentality of “my religion should lead,” or advertising political leaders to electorates. Their focus should be on praying and calling on our leaders to redouble their efforts in addressing this issue.
Secondly, traditional rulers are fathers who are closer to the people than even the politicians. It is imperative for them to help security agencies in addressing these bedeviling issues. While the government, religious leaders, and traditional rulers are fundamental and significant, citizens must not be neglected in this journey. They must be told that at this critical moment, they need to demonstrate patriotism in order to address the issue. This includes tolerating one another or people’s cultures and reporting any suspicious activities within communities to security outfits.
Interestingly, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) held a meeting recently discussing issues affecting the region, which attracted politicians and wealthy individuals who donated huge amounts of money to help in addressing these regional issues. It is very important for the forum to re-strategise its system and operations. A strong mass media platform also needs to be established in Northern Nigeria. A television or newspaper can always be used to speak to the world about issues concerning the North with single voice. No doubt, the framing of such issue by the media would be eliminated.
Though, the Northern Governor’s Forum plans to covene a meeting very soon amidst the rising insecurity, I urge them to critically discuss the issue with the aim of addressing the issues bedeviling the North, and they should meet with the ACF for good deliberations.
