By Usman Muhammad Salihu
The worrisome contemporary and long-term devastating challenges facing the northern Nigeria and lacks of a befitting mouthpiece calls for the need of setting up a standard media outfit.
The North has been left far behind in so many aspects of development. Almost zero on social amenities, bad leadership and also lacks of proper attention from the central government.
From Maitatsine riot of 1980 in Northwest, to that of Boko Haram that starts 2009-date in Northeast, fulani-herdsmen clashes apart from the minor ethnic group crisis in almost all the states of North Central and the recent cases of bandits, kidnapping also in Northwest among others.
Political and election violences, street begging, thuggery are also among the major contributing factors setting the region backward.
The rising cases of gender bias, early girl-child marriage, drug abuse, educational setback, lacks of social amenities and other uncountable challenges facing our region such as health.
The impact of a regionally based and owned media outfit may not be overemphasized as it will serve and protect the image and interest of the region alone and as such, it may draw the attention of the government to come to the aid and rescue of it’s people by curbing the menace facing the region through its contents.
Another phenomena the media to solve is the issue of education. As the region with the highest number of out of school children, it may be able to bring a succor through agenda setting.
On entertainment sector, it may also contribute immensely in terms of promoting our hidden well talented artist and this will preserve our culture, norms and values as people well known with humility and decency.
To conclude the assert in essence, a befit media outfit will not only solve the region’s challenges but bring more development as well as create more job opportunities to our teeming graduates roaming around unemployed.
Usman Muhammad Salihu writes from the department of Mass communication Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic Bauchi.
muhammadu5363@gmail.com
