By Usman Abdullahi Koli
I may be right to say that the #EndSARS protest ignited the call to end the aged-long insecurity that has tilted the northern region towards underdevelopment. As a youth, I recall the provious warnings of some eminent Nigerians that youth unemployment is a timed bomb. It seems we are approaching the explosion.
Northern Nigeria, as a region with the highest population in the country, prominent politicians and globally recognised business tycoons, yet the region remains the epicenter of insurgency, tribalism, ethnic, and other socio-cultural crises. Making it the region with unclear vision in terms of development.
To illustrate the aforesaid, the recent issue that has been trending for days– the #EndSARS protests which led to disbandment of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad across the country, has clearly opened the door for northerners to also agitate for #Endinsecuroty.
For about a week or so, the youth in the southern part of the country trooped out in their large numbers to protest the police brutality and other forms of humiliation, extortion, harrassment, as well as extra judicial killings of civilian by the unit.
The must surprising thing however is that, despite the daunting tasks and challenges at hand, ranging from insecurity, immorality, inequality, unemployment among other major ones, the youth who are jobless and callous have never for once thought of better future for themselves.
To be blunt, we are creating self inflicted problem, we are divided along regional and religious lines in everything we do, we always criticize our leaders arbitrarily and have no any respect for traditional rulers. We turn things politically biased and eventually, when it turns out to be against us we put the blame of the misdoings to the leaders.
Moreover, in the north, despite having all potentialities, we remained at the fore front in terms of poverty, hunger and diseases. We fail to recognize the abundant blessings upon us and do not respect the decision of our elders. With all these issues, How on Earth do you think the North will get it right soon?
We deliberately polarised ourselves which it’s not unconnected with why our leaders have no sympathy on us. Some of our religious leaders preach hatred and enmity. What has come over us? Have we forgotten our ancient cultures and traditions? These problems stop us from moving forward and we all contribute in one way or the other.
Our youth many at times want to be famous, for that we dump our own place and solidify with others who have never tried to support our motives, in fact they always see us as completely illiterates. With all the killings in Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and some parts of the North East, do they ever storm the streets with posters tagged #EndKilling in Arewa?
These people are the first in abusing the system of governance when our people are at the helm of political offices but, we joined them to do so, have they ever supported any move against one of theirs? Did they ever emotionally mourn, cry, feel something with you talkless of being there for you All these questions have one answer and it is NO!
In as much as the north wants to prevail to be like itself, we must reconsider our doings and undoings, learn to be together and forget any differences. Let our institutions be strong enough to support the good will of the masses and provide job opportunities.
The youth must be adequately sensitize to embrace other alternative ways of becoming self reliants without necessarily depending on governments. We must make good use of the available resources in the region to create market opportunities. Our well-to-do individuals need to invest more in all sectors in order to end youth restiveness.
The youth must lias with elderly people to form a strong forum where solutions to the problems of banditry and insurgency could be discussed and effectively executed. We have all the resource persons, let’s utilize their talent.
We need to revive our cultures and traditions in order to actualise the dream envisioned by our forefathers. let all our politicians have respect for one another and eschew throwing bad words all in the name of politics.
We should understand that greedness to be famous and rule people, is one of the major problems of the politicians in the North. Those elders you are seeing have gone through strict discipline, they are always being fair to their predicessors unlike our generation. are you ready to be disciplined like them?
If elders and political office holders can not resolve our problems, why not engage our academicians? Lets have a collective responsibility. Let’s review the manner of voting our political officers. Lets have a forum of checkmeting their responsibilties and ensure they deliver as expected.
We should learn from our mistakes now.
Usman Abdullahi Koli, writes from Mass Communication Department, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic Bauchi.
mernoukoli@gmail.com
