I write this with a heavy heart, not as a politician but simply as a concerned northerner.
Northern Nigeria is richly blessed with vast arable land, holding nearly 80 percent of the nation’s landmass, abundant livestock, solid minerals, renewable energy potential, strategic external trade routes, and the largest youthful population with an unmatched political strength. From Sokoto in the far Northwest to Borno in the far Northeast, and from Niger in the North Central to Adamawa along the eastern border, our region carries enormous promise.
Yet today, that promise is overshadowed by pain.
The insurgency of Boko Haram and its offshoots continues to wound the Northeast. Banditry and violent groups like Lakurawa torment communities across the Northwest. In the North Central, communal and herder–farmer conflicts persist. Villages are attacked, homes burnt, farmers displaced, highways feared, and families thrown into mourning.
The true cost is beyond mere numbers. It is seen in abandoned farmlands, empty classrooms, and stunted businesses. It is felt in the lives of millions of out-of-school children and the weight of rising poverty. But most profoundly, it is the erosion of hope and confidence in a region that feels forgotten. The cost is emotional, psychological, and deeply human; a price tag that can not be quantified.
When I reflect on the era of leaders like Ahmadu Bello and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, I see a different spirit, one that had vision, discipline, unity, and committed to long-term development. They built institutions, expanded education, strengthened agriculture, and carried the North with dignity and pride. Today, leadership often feels fragmented and reactive, lacking the collective resolve that once defined us.
Northerners are grappling with a poignant question as to how did our richly endowed region become so weighed down? Are there leaders today who embody the vision and integrity of our founding fathers? And crucially, where is the collective pride and sense of shared responsibility that can unite us across divisions, fuel our demand for accountability, and guide us back to a path of security, prosperity, and growth?
The North deserves better. And I believe we can still reclaim it if we choose unity, courage, and purposeful leadership once again.
Isma’il Aliyu Makarfi and can be reached via email: [email protected]
