Nothing is more common in all Northern states in Nigeria like poverty despite the region accounting for uncountable numbers of senators, billionaires, successful entrepreneurs, past presidents, ex military officers and intellectuals. The region is badly ravaged with high level of unemployment, violence, drug abuse, child destitution, poor economic road map, disease, illiteracy, youth restiveness, to mention but a few-bedevil the North and in effect, posing great threat to security and stability in region which remains in perpetual state of 'poverty amidst plenty.'
To back up the above assertions, let's take a look at Mallam El Rufai, the Kaduna State Governor's speech at the Northern Youth Summit organized by Northern Hibiscus Initiative held in Kaduna last year. He revealed that Nigeria consist of two countries; there is a backward, less educated and unhealthy Northern Nigeria and a developing, largely educated and healthy southern Nigeria. He highlighted further that Nigeria has a lot of out of school children and virtually all are in the North. The North has become the centre of drug abuse, gender violence, banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, high divorce rate and high break up in family.
From the speech of the Kaduna state governor, it is clear evidently that the North are battling a menace which needs to be checked and majority of the Northerners which is dominated majorly by youths do not deem it fit to question their leaders as to finding a long lasting solutions to the problem.
The North do not have many wrongs as being tainted in the Nigerian media space. Many believe they are a parasite to the country allocations due to their size. The region has more honest and less corrupt officers than any other region, their demographic superiority gives them a very powerful tool to negotiate in Nigerian politics. The North feeds the nation which is why the most richest man in the country is a Northerner.
The political hierarchy in the Northern region are populated by the old men despite the youth accounting for 80 per cent of the population. Why is this so? The future of the region lies on the shoulder of the youths not the 'old dinosaurs'. It has also been observed that the North is the only region where its leaders spend less on her citizen when compared to other region. Why?
There are less educational institutions in the North than other regions and adult literacy rate is majorly recognized as key to raising the standards of living for the people. Also, an on-the-ground skilled workforce can lure investment. Why is the North currently disadvantaged in this respect? Also, the North accounts for the most states in Nigeria with the biggest households with nothing to cater for them. The products of these households fends for themselves through any means just to survive the reality of their immediate environment. Are the Northern leaders oblivious to this?
It is believed that no region has ever experienced zero level of entrepreneurship, more entrepreneurially characterised regions do better socio economically , and poverty and other related factors seem to be low. Therefore, why are Northern leaders bereft of sound entrepreneurial initiatives to soften the poverty rate in the region and set the path for development.
The constant breach of security causing various killings in the region is an eye sore and creating a national disaster already. We have had many reportage in the media space of leaders in some communities abetting the law breakers to perfect their evil act which has led to loss of life, obstruction of business activities, discouraging investment of time, talent and energy has been slowing the pace of development in the region. Why will these set of leaders not allow peace to reign to move the region forward? So many questions to ask, on why the region is backward despite the bogus allocations, monies generated are still below par with other regions.
But there is still hope on the horizon; the current Nigerian government which is headed by a northerner—is continuing its aggressive exploration efforts of oil in the northern region that it started a few years back. It is believed that the discovery of oil in commercial quantities will significantly change the fortune of those living in the region. Additionally, North has traditionally been resistant to birth control and as such educating young girls may be the best option for addressing household size-induced poverty. When young girls are educated they are less likely to marry and have children at a young age. This way, they are able to impart positively on their community and pave way for its growth. More infrastructure should be put in place which will attract foreign flow but this has been dealt a blow due to the ongoing instability of Book Haram militants. The leaders should cooperate with the government on ways to flush out the militia group to bring peace and stability back to the region. The Northern states should as a matter of urgency also form a regional collaboration initiative which involves constructive exploration of resources, knowledge and expertise sharing to develop 'poverty-curtailed' strategy to be adopted by each of the northern states.
This article is not politically, religiously or ethnically motivated but to serve as an heads up for Northern youths that it is high time for them to engage their leaders at all levels and have conversation about the way forward for the region so as to bring fast paced development and stability to the region.

Source: https://www.operanewsapp.com/ng/en/share/detail?news_id=8d999c87aa5ce2149e4fb86b547ebedf&news_entry_id=s18c8eb3200607en_ng&open_type=tanscoded&request_id=news_2d37eb7b-7fca-4a8a-8ba7-c016c7be1709&from=news

I was enjoying the article until I read “the north feeds the nation” then I realize...

the North feeds the nation, how? the give food to the parts of the country for free? or the rest of the nation buys the food from them, and they make profit, how about the crude oil money from the south shared to the north for doing nothing?

OP, learn to write in paragraphs.

It makes reading easier on the eyes.

Dear Op why not face your region and your leaders?? Why are so concern about the north than your own region??

This is a secondary and primary school on Borno state...

Our leaders are doing far better than yours

Dear Op... This is not a university but a primary and secondary in Borno state built by zulum the governor of Borno state

Dear Op our leaders are doing well compared to your leaders

This is not a university... It's a primary and secondary school in Borno state

Dear Op this is maiduguri that suffered 12yrs of insurgency

Op our leaders are doing well with little allocations we receive compare to your region!

I'm giving all this from just a single state

This is a primary school..

Op this our region...

With our little allocations... Our leaders doing this wonders.

Why do you think your own leaders are Saint and better than our leaders??

Dear Op... Channel this energy towards your leaders...

Op this is my region... Stop picking the only negative side of the north to spread your propaganda...

We have poor people we have rich people.

We have illiterates and also have educated northerners

Our region is developing but you will not see that on media...they only notify you when bandit or herdsmen kill people in southern kaduna or kastina villages...

They will never show you the development hitting the north part

Op our leaders are doing well compare to yours... Chanel your energy towards your region

Op... The north is developing

Op our dear region is developing

Op hold your leaders...and leave the north out of your predicament

The north

Inside life,

Why not face your region?? Why is the north your problem?

Juleh01:
Nothin
The North feeds the nation which is why the most richest man in the country is a Northerner.

You are true northerner from tht statement up there. Have you guys in the north by any chance heard of the word "logic" before?

chibuike65:
Inside life,

inside life...Poverty and Underdevelopment is hitting your region and all the op could think of is composing essay about northern leaders... Southern leaders are all Saint

Bembellaa:
Op face your region and leave the north alone...

You dey mind dem
all these double faced chickens wont mind their regions but will be showing fake concern about the north....

they keep saying the north sell its food to the south, bros abeg you don ever go filling station dem give you free fuel?

Bembellaa:
Dear Op why not face your region and your leaders?? Why are so concern about the north than your own region??

This is a secondary and primary school on Borno state...

Our leaders are doing far better than yours

Our leaders are very selfish since independence and the sorry state of the north is because me and you northerners have been promoting mediocrity. This must stop.

HedwigesMaduro:


You are true northerner from tht statement up there. Have you guys in the north by any chance heard of the word "logic" before?

this is the logic bro... Development is the logic!

Bembellaa:
inside life...Poverty and Underdevelopment is hitting your region and all the op could think of is composing essay about northern leaders... Southern leaders are all Saint

Kai, let's be truthful, over 40 million of our brothers here in the north are poor, hungry, ignorant and have no access to health care. Is this how we will continue to pretend?