Elder statesman, Dr. Usman Bugaje, has lamented the deteriorating condition of Northern Nigeria, stressing that the region is facing serious challenges that require collective efforts to prevent total collapse.

According to him, the region is plagued by poverty, insecurity, and corruption.

He said nearly 60% of students in tertiary institutions cannot return to school because their parents cannot afford tuition or transportation fees.

?For over 25 years of Nigeria?s democracy, poverty has more than doubled in the region, with over 33 million Nigerians facing starvation,? Dr. Bugaje stated.

He added that the country?s currency has lost significant value, as the minimum wage is no longer sufficient to purchase a bag of rice, highlighting the collapsing economy.

Dr. Bugaje made these remarks as the convener of the Arewa Movement for Good Governance Conference, themed ?The North and the Dangers Looming on the Horizon: The Need for a New Conversation and a New Narrative,? held on Saturday in Kaduna.

?The North is facing serious challenges, and we are not addressing them. It?s worrying and disturbing. We need to sit down and address these issues,? he said.

?Insecurity has spread and escalated to previously inconceivable levels, frustrating trade, commerce, and agriculture?the mainstay of the region?s economy. Public institutions are decaying and failing in service delivery.?

He further lamented the state of infrastructure, particularly electricity, describing it as epileptic, with neighboring Niger Republic appearing to be doing better.

?The social sector is the worst hit, as human capital is dwindling, and there are no jobs for the largely unemployable youth. In short, Nigeria is simply not working.

?Our shameless politicians bask in false glory, reading empty speeches, embellished by a growing industry of praise singers, hangers-on, and an army of thugs, many of whom are drug users.

?Here we are, on a dangerous trajectory with no future to look forward to. With 20 million out-of-school children, most of whom are in the North, we are sitting on a time bomb. Nearly 60% of students in tertiary institutions in the North cannot return to school,? he lamented.

Dr. Bugaje also criticized the weakening of traditional institutions by political office holders, whom he described as epitomes of decadence.

?Many of our religious leaders have been enticed with money and drawn into a political culture dominated by violence, money politics, and the inordinate ambitions of people determined to rule by any means possible,? he added.

He emphasized that the primary problem of Nigeria is leadership and called for a consensus among northern elites to tackle the region?s challenges.

?History will not forgive Nigerian elites for their failure to address the problems facing the entire country,? he warned.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Organizing Committee and former Kaduna State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Tom Maiyashi, said the North is on the verge of collapse.

He urged northerners to come together and save the region for the sake of future generations. ?Northern elites must come back to their senses and address the challenges of the region,? he stated. (Weekend Trust)

Update news