An elder statesman, Usman Bugaje, has opined that the deteriorating condition of Northern Nigeria is facing serious challenges that require collective efforts to prevent total collapse.

He observed that the region is plagued by poverty, insecurity, and corruption, saying that nearly 60 per cent of students in tertiary institutions cannot return to school because their parents cannot afford tuition or transportation fees.

According to Bugaje, “For over 25 years of Nigeria’s democracy, poverty has more than doubled in the region, with over 33 million Nigerians facing starvation.”

The elder statesman explained 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.

Speaking 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, Bugaje lamented that the North is facing serious challenges that are not being addressed.

He lamented, “It’s worrying and disturbing. We need to sit down and address these issues.”

He also lamented that insecurity has spread and escalated to previously inconceivable levels, frustrating trade, commerce, and agriculture—the mainstay of the region’s economy—adding that public institutions are decaying and failing in service delivery.

According to Bugaje, the state of infrastructure, particularly electricity, is epileptic, with neighboring Niger Republic appearing to be doing better.

He believed, “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.”

Bugaje opined that the 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.

He noted that Nigerians 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, adding that Nigerians are sitting on a time bomb as nearly 60% of students in tertiary institutions in the North cannot return to school.

Bugaje also criticized the weakening of traditional institutions by political office holders, whom he described as epitomes of decadence, saying that many 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 emphasized that the primary problem of Nigeria is leadership and called for a consensus among northern elites to tackle the region’s challenges, saying that history will not forgive Nigerian elites for their failure to address the problems facing the entire country.

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

He urged northerners to come together and save the region for the sake of future generations, saying, “Northern elites must come back to their senses and address the challenges of the region.”