Senate President David Mark
Leaders of Northern origin gathered in Kaduna State yesterday at the Northern Peace Conference organised by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to discuss the spate of bombings, ethno-religious crises and the underdevelopment of the region.
It turned out to be a frank session with key conference speakers declaring that the time had come for the North to take a stand against violence.
Senate President David Mark raised questions on the failure of Northern leaders to openly take a stand on the Boko Haram menace and the continued backwardness of the North in education.
Mark asked: “Will this conference avoid what may be regarded as sensitive issues and not discuss them? Will we be able to condemn current degree of insecurity in the North occasioned and heightened by Boko Haram?
“Are we afraid to openly condemn Boko Haram either for political reasons or out of fear of possible attack by the sect? How can we keep quiet when a group begins to propagate the ideology that Western education is Haram? Western education today remains the pivot of development.
“Have we forgotten that evil thrives when good men are silent? A Northerner killing a Northerner, a Northerner maiming a Northerner, a Northerner disrupting business activities in the North, a Northerner destroying properties in the North and so on and so forth cannot be helping the North by any stretch of imagination. Can this help Northern cause?”
According to him, “When is the North truly north? Is it when the interest of a few but vocal group is met? Is it when the interest of a select religious group is met? Is it when a section of the North is satisfied? Or is it when the interest of the common good of the North is addressed?
“Why has the North continued to lag behind in education? All available statistics show that in both literacy and numeracy, the North lags behind the South, and even within the North, there is much disparity between the zones and between states.
“Is it that the states are not investing much in education? Is it that we are not providing basic infrastructure? Is it that we are not encouraging and mobilising the pupils to go to school? I am dwelling so much on education because I seriously believe that there is a linkage between education and development on the one hand and between peace and development on the other.”
He also said: “As a people who desire to live together, we are bound to have problems but we can overcome these if we are sincere. Sincerity of purpose, consistency, transparency and honesty are all necessary ingredients to ensure peace and coexistence in the North; sincerity on the part of our religious leaders. We must demonstrate this in words and in deeds, and we must show that we are serious about this.
“As leaders, we sometimes have to take decisions that are painful but necessary. We must be courageous even we are threatened. Can we truly say that we have done this?”
Former Head of State and Chairman, Board of Patrons of the ACF, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, asked Northern leaders to tackle the new phenomenon of violent crimes characterised by murder, assassination and bomb blasts causing serious economic breakdown in certain states of the North and the country as a whole.
He said Northerners must rise against the phenomenon, stressing that doing that would go a long way to prove that there is no conspiracy of silence by the leadership in the Northern states on the issue of peace and security in Nigeria.
He noted that over the years, Northern leaders had through their action or inaction, directly or indirectly, allowed the gradual decent to the present disagreeable and unacceptable behaviours in the entire North and challenged them to show seriousness, courage and responsibility in addressing these challenges squarely without fear, favour or mudslinging.
He said the conference was very necessary in view of the recent challenges of insecurity, communal, religious and ethnic conflicts, religious crises, political upheaval and acts bordering on criminality and “inexplicable man’s inhumanity to man and other forms of social unrest across the country”.
Gowon said: “What is happening today is not the Nigeria and the North we inherited and for us, it cannot be the North we desire to bequeathe to our children. The present North was not bequeathed to us neither are our children responsible for it.
“We have, over the years through our action or inaction, directly or indirectly allowed the gradual decent to present disagreeable and unacceptable behaviours in our communities and the entire North. We now must show seriousness, courage and responsibility in addressing these challenges squarely without fear, favour or mudslinging.
“I have been an ardent supporter and advocate of the views and differences within the North notwithstanding and the nation as a whole. We are stronger as a whole than as smaller entities.
“This is very true to our nation, Nigeria. We are better as one united Nigeria than smaller entities. But at the same time, I am of the opinion that the whole, the big unit must give its various parts some sense of belonging and look out for the interest of the smaller parts as a guarantee for its own security.”
He said Northerners were yearning for a peaceful and better life and called for urgent steps to address the challenges of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, ethno-religious bigotry, impunity in governance and corruption.
He urged Northern leaders to translate their concerns to concrete actions in their various communities and at various levels of leadership for the good of the North and Nigeria as a whole.
“There are many questions that need to be raised and answered and there is no better time than now for the sake of our country. The nation expects the North to make certain sacrifices for their mutual wellbeing. We have a responsibility to restore confidence in our diverse people and ensure the prosperity of the North within the context of a united Nigeria.
“In this regard, I call on all Nigerians to look at the existence of groups such as ACF, Ohaneze, South-south Peoples Assembly, Afenifere, Middle Belt and should not have reasons to pull apart or break away as a nation, but based on strengthening our ties and entrenching our unity in diversity.
“These groups constantly remind us that we must continue to appeal to God to reengineer our corporate existence and cooperation as a nation by showing sensitivity and maintaining focus on our goal for a one united Nigeria.
“The North has always kept Nigeria together. The creation of states was one of the sacrifices of the North to keep Nigeria together. We must not fail in our duty to keep Nigeria together,” Gowon said.
But in his submission, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, maintained that the traditional institution was in a better position to ensure peace and stability in the North because of their closeness to the people.
He advocated the recognition of the role of traditional rulers in settling disputes in their domain as it was the practice before Nigeria came into being and during the colonial times.
“We must take our children off the streets to the classrooms. Our leaders, especially the political leaders, must lead with justice, fairness and transparency while dealing with the masses. Then, and only then will peace and stability be restored not only in the North but in the entire country.
“We know there are problems, let’s not deceive ourselves. How did we get into these problems? What really happened? Were we lagging some 15, 20 years back? Why do we have crisis everywhere? Muslims killing Muslims, Muslims killing Christians, Christians killing Christians, etc.
“Our founding fathers did not do that, so where have we derailed? We must come back to the path of our founding fathers if we want to make any progress. We must bring education to the front burner. The state governors must set up education fund that will make children go to school at no cost. I believe they have the wherewithal to do that. Many people are tired of what is happening and want to see peace reign in Nigeria,” the Sultan said.
Governor of Niger State and Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Aliyu Babangida, noted that part of the problems in the North was the political disconnect between the elite and the people.
This, according to him, has led to disrespect for good governance and lack of confidence in public service, to the extent of bursting the Northern reality and corresponding myths.
Vice-President Namadi Sambo called for frank and honest discourse to find solutions to the issues.
“After today’s discussions, we may well realise that this drift away from being your brother’s keeper and the new wave of strife did not happen overnight. It is a result of the gradual collapse of the First Republic,” Sambo said.
He added that President Goodluck Jonathan was determined to rapidly transform the economy of the North during his tenure, adding that the Federal Government was addressing the endemic problems militating against our economic growth, which includes power supply, transportation, water supply, agriculture, education, healthcare delivery, access to financing; and entrenchment of good governance anchored on transparency, probity, accountability and the rule of law.
Those who attended that conference included governors of Benue, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi, Yobe, Gombe, Borno, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Niger and the deputy governors of Katsina and Kano States, while the Secretary to the State Government represented the Plateau State governor.
Also in attendance were former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; former Chief of Army Staff, Abdulrahaman Danbazzau; Ismaila Isa Funtua; Umaru Mutallab; Umaru Shinkarfi; Umaru Dikko; General Inuwa Wushishi; Prof Adamu Baike; Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah; Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Alhaji Yayale Ahmed; Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, as well an many traditional rulers among others.
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i wish those making this comments in this gathering truely meant what they are saying or just for the sake of talking because a dog wont back except he have seen things. Our leaders must change there ways else more problems abound.
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