THE industrial edge of the North is long gone! It’s like an earthquake struck and wiped away all the blossoming industries that used to dot the length and breadth of the region and produced enormous wealth for the natives.

From footwears industries to fabrics manufacturing and essential goods-producing entities, the North is now bereft of going industrial concerns, leaving many in wanton poverty, prolonged joblessness and underemployment in a region that once boasted of all the robust and high-paying jobs anywhere one turned. The North took its pre-eminent industrial position apparently because the Premier of defunct Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, ensured that Kaduna, its capital then, was patterned like a mini Manchester, an industrial hub in England. His ambitious industrial plan for the North worked out well because before his death, Northern Nigeria was not only the envy of the other regions in Nigeria in terms of agro-allied industries but was also a source of attraction and model of development to some independent countries within the British Commonwealth of nations.For instance, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and many African countries benefited from the North during their early post-independence years before some of them pushed on to economic growth and prosperity.

Sardauna’s Kaduna, for example, according to history, had textile mills that were second to the Northern Nigeria Civil Service in providing employment to the citizens. Agriculture was so robust that very few Northerners found migration to the major towns and cities for the proverbial white-collar job, attractive. As it were, every province in the region was encouraged and empowered to fully utilise the benefits of its comparative advantage in production. For that reason, Northern farmers were prosperous because they were allowed to enjoy the price their agricultural products deserved in the markets. Consequently, multi-national corporations were in all major cities in the North and their wholesale and retail outlets such as Leventis, Kingsway, UAC, Bhojsons, Chelarams, UTC, Peugeot, Mandilas, Steyr, Tate & Lyle, Yamaco, NASCO, etc., flourished immensely.

What went wrong? Economists and immediate past Emir of Kano, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, believes that unfavourable competition arising from the World Trade Organisation Treaty was responsible for the collapse of industries in Nigeria. Sanusi contends that: “No country in the world can survive industrially with such an unfavourable competition and I have been having this argument with the World Bank and IMF in New York and we cannot accept such unfavourable competition”.

Although that was in a lecture he delivered some time ago at a dinner in Kaduna, Sanusi has also suggested that concrete steps must be taken to protect local industries from such hostile competitions from foreign products if the dream of reviving local industries and creating employment opportunities were to be realised. He premised his argument on the fact that the British had previously protected their markets with gunboats. “Today, everybody, including the World Bank and IMF, is using Malaysia as a model, but their leader was vilified when he refused to accept such conditions in those days. No economy has ever developed through dependence on primary products. There is no way primary and manufactured products can compete on equal terms under the existing terms. Nigeria must learn to pay more attention to agriculture as a way of developing the economy because, while agriculture contributes about 46 per cent of the country’s GDP, it attracts only one per cent of bank lending.

“The nation’s industries, particularly the agricultural sector cannot attain the desired growth until genuine efforts are made to go beyond primary production and subsistence levels and there must be urgent actions on value chain production strategy whereby considerable income and employment are generated at every stage which will result in sustainable growth,” he said.

As at now, agriculture in the North is under threat. From Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Adamawa and other adjoining states are known for their contributions to animal production that supplied meat, milk, hides and skin for many leather and shoe factories across the globe, the story is no longer the same. The incessant criminal activities by rustlers and conflicts worsened by terrorist attacks have made farming and animal husbandry unattractive. Within the central region and in the Northwest cities of Kano, Kaduna, Zaria, Gusau, etc, textile mills are now a sorry sight. They are as silent as a graveyard. According to a Kaduna based titleholder who grew up in the Kakuri industrial area in Kaduna, Alhaji Sabiu Danmaliki Sabon Garin Kakuri, the first textile industry in Northern Nigeria was established by the then Premier of the region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna Sokoto in 1957.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/09/why-north-lost-its-industries-wealth-%E2%80%95-sanusi-others/

CC: Mynd44 Lalasticala OAM4J

Industries abi stacks of groundnut??

The north was never industrialized

azmanaty02:
Industries abi groundnut

Not only groundnuts, industries too.

Read the post, he mentioned the industries.

Simply because of free oil money they abandon former well thriving economic ventures.Now oil have no value but they refused to diversify the economy instead continue searching for the same oil in BH enclaves.SMH!

Too many theories but the reality is that Northern leaders and elites are selfish and insincere. Selfish because all they care for are themselves, wives and numerous children. Insincere because they (including Sanusi and Shehu Sani) do opposite of what they preach.

Look, North has massive arable lands and intimidating youthful population but there is no well-designed and effectively-implementable programs to modernize agriculture by involving the restless young able-bodied men.

Talking about collapsed industries, from Independence including the military era till today, Nothern people have prominently featured in successive government and of course looted generously. They have also monopolized government cashcow agencies like NPA, Customs, NNPC, PEF, NIMASA, etc. This implies that they can't say they their people lacked capital to set up industries to employ people but they always have other selfish ideas.

I did my NYSC orientation camp in Wudil, Kano and my PPA in Safana, Katsina, so I am not blabbing. I am not saying other parts of Nigeria are Eldorado but the case of the North is pitiable because unlike Niger Delta that oil exploration destroyed their environment, Northern Nigetria has their leaders to blame and perhaps that's why they are holding to their cojones via banditry.

We are getting them back!

Industrialisation now hitting the north

azmanaty02:
Industries abi stacks of groundnut??

The north was never industrialized

the north will forever be better than your south east.

The volatile nature of the North is more to be blammed.

Racoon:
Simply because of free oil money they abandon former well thriving economic ventures.Now oil have no value but they refused to diversify the economy instead continue searching for the same oil in BH enclaves.SMH!

shut up!!

Tell me the industry that is there in the south east we don't have in the north?? Apart from baby industry

Your own na to just insult northerners on Nairaland.

The south east is the most backward region in Nigeria na media just dey cover una asses.

Arrewa:
the north will forever be better than your south east.

El-Rufai had said: “Nigeria consists of two countries; there is a backward, less educated & unhealthy northern Nigeria, and a developing, largely educated and healthy southern Nigeria.

We have to speak the truth to ourselves and ask why is it that northern Nigeria has development indicators similar to Afghanistan, a country still at war?.."
https://www.google.com/amp/s/thenationonlineng.net/nigeria-is-two-countries-in-one-backward-north-developing-south-says-el-rufai/amp/
Guess you can see? Go figure with the likes of El Rufai Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Shiek Gumi etc that are always telling you lots the bitter truth about your region bro.

Arrewa:
shut up!!Tell me the industry that is there in the south east we don't have in the north?? Apart from baby factory industry.Your own na to just insult northerners on Nairaland.The south east is the most backward region in Nigeria na media just dey cover una asses.

In fact, if there are Nigerians that can be exonerated they are the people of the South-East and South-South; but the North and the South-West are responsible for our problems today under this regime.I said it right from the beginning that Buhari is not competent and therefore cannot lead.

Now, we are crying.It was our shortsightedness.People did not behave the way they are supposed to behaved when Buhari was looking for power. https://www.sunnewsonline.com/yakasai-to-nigerians-blame-southwest-north-for-your-sufferings/

Arrewa:
the north will forever be better than your south east.

U know nothing

Racoon:

El-Rufai had said: “Nigeria consists of two countries; there is a backward, less educated & unhealthy northern Nigeria, and a developing, largely educated and healthy southern Nigeria.

We have to speak the truth to ourselves and ask why is it that northern Nigeria has development indicators similar to Afghanistan, a country still at war?.."
https://www.google.com/amp/s/thenationonlineng.net/nigeria-is-two-countries-in-one-backward-north-developing-south-says-el-rufai/amp/

you people are just deceiving each other.

I have also been to east and have seen things for myself

No good roads, no present of infrastructural development and there's high rate of poverty too in that region.

You people are all scatterd in every part of Nigeria trading....

Come to kano and see your people... They will rather die here than go back to east.

Some are even converting to Islam.

Media propaganda against the north made it look as if north is underdeveloped.

Kano alone is more developed than the entire South Eastern states combined

Racoon:
Simply because of free oil money they abandon former well thriving economic ventures.Now oil have no value but they refused to diversify the economy instead continue searching for the same oil in BH enclaves.SMH!

Everything started going South for Nigeria since the first coup which the greedy Ibos carried out by killing the leaders of each region.

The aftermath affected all the regions negatively including the Northern, Western, Mid-West, and the Eastern Region too.

The pace at which the regions are moving then would have seen Nigeria better than it currently is!

Arrewa:
you people are just deceiving each other.You and I know that igbo is back with nothing to boast of.No good roads, no present of infrastructural development.

You people are all scatterd in every part of Nigeria trading.Come to kano and see your people... They will rather die here than go back to east.Some are even converting to Islam

How many hausa-fulani have industries in Igboland? But your see the enterprising Igbos doing so far away from home because we expand our horizon & wait for no government assistance to make it in life.

Guess you can see how Igbos are breaking records around the world? Being academic excellence role models, Mayors, Governors, City reps, Chief Judges of Major world cities.Case of a prophet not having honour in his home town.

Racoon:

In fact, if there are Nigerians that can be exonerated they are the people of the South-East and South-South; but the North and the South-West are responsible for our problems today under this regime.I said it right from the beginning that Buhari is not competent and therefore cannot lead.

Now, we are crying.It was our shortsightedness.People did not behave the way they are supposed to behaved when Buhari was looking for power. https://www.sunnewsonline.com/yakasai-to-nigerians-blame-southwest-north-for-your-sufferings/

shut up abeg!

You Igbos should start telling each other the truth.

We the northerners accepted the fact that we have a problem and we are working towards our problems and we gradually getting there.

Go to Gombe and see how that small state is growing...

Come to kano and see development...

Go Kaduna and see development...

You people at the other hand are still deceiving each other

Arrewa:
you people are just deceiving each other.

You and I know that igbo is back with nothing to boast of.

No good roads, no present of infrastructural development.

You people are all scatterd in every part of Nigeria trading....

Come to kano and see your people... They will rather die here than go back to east.

Some are even converting to Islam.

Media propaganda against the north made it look as if north is underdeveloped.

Kano alone is more developed than the entire South Eastern states combined

Clap for yourself

trutharena:
Everything started going South for Nigeria since the first coup which the greedy Ibos carried out by killing the leaders of each region......

So sad a development but has the story changed for those who ruled or held this nation to ransome since the post July 1966 era? Let our national history speak for us.

Arrewa:
shut up abeg! You Igbos should start telling each other truth.We the northerners accepted the fact that we have a problem and we are working towards our problems and we gradually getting there.....

So you hero-El Rufai lied hence should shut up? So why are the northern youth fleeing the region southward to seek refuge & economic survival instead of staying put in the developed region bro?

Racoon:

How many hausa-fulani have industries in Igboland? But your see the enterprising Igbos doing so far away from home because we expand our horizon & wait for no government assistance to make it in life.

Guess you can see how Igbos are breaking records around the world? Being academic excellence role models, Mayors, Governors, City reps, Chief Judges of Major world cities.Case of a prophet not having honour in his home town.

shut up!!

Why will a Hausafulani open company in igbo land?

Why will a Hausafulani build company in a region he is not wanted? Why will a Hausafulani man open a company in a region where the people are trooping out as if the land was cursed??


We have enough land here in the north... We'll rather develop our own land.

And for saying that Igbos are breaking records abroad... Which record are you talking about?

You people are the number one drug traffickers in Africa.

So you are boasting because one igbo man became a minister in Canada.

We have many Hausafulanis, Yorubas and other tribes in Nigeria who are working abroad and breaking records.

I can share many of them with you if u want

Racoon:
So sad a development but have the story changed for those who ruled or held this nation to ransome since then? Let our national history speak for us.

The people ruling are victim of the system and no matter who rules Nigeria, with this current structure, they will fail.

Racoon:
So you hero-El Rufai lied hence should shut up? So why are the northern you fleeing the region southward to seek refuge & economic survival instead of staying put in the developed region bro?

Why are the Eastern guys fleeing their region both westward and Northward too to seek refuge and economic survival?

Can't you Yeasterners sit down in your region and develop it too instead of roaming about the country like refugees?

Remember, he who lives in a glasshouse should not throw stone!

Arrewa:
shut up!!Why will a Hausafulani open company in igbo land? Why will a Hausafulani build company in a region he is not wanted? Why will a Hausafulani man open a company in a region ...
We have enough land here in the north... We'll rather develop our own land.And for saying that Igbos are breaking records abroad.Which record are you talking about? You people are the number drug traffickers in Africa.

Who said Hausa/Fulanis are not wanted elsewhere? What has happened to your famed one-Nigeria chant?
The truth is they find it difficult to thrive where real unbiased competition exists in any respect; academically, economically, even politically except they use nepotism factor as is the case in Nigeria today.You said which records are Igbo breaking outside the shores of this nation? Ok forget about it.

trutharena:
Why are the Eastern guys fleeing their region both westward and Northward too to seek refuge and economic survival?
.....Remember, he who lives in a glasshouse should not throw stone!

An average Easterner is very enterprising whether good or bad & hate being dependant on others for survival especially economic wise.Hence this is what is often responsible for the never say die resilient spirit that drives the Igbo man to the uttermost end of the world.Broaden your horizon too man.

Racoon:

Who said Hausa/Fulanis are not wanted elsewhere? What has happened to your famed one-Nigeria chant?
The truth is they find it difficult to thrive where real unbiased competition exists in any respect; academically, economically, even politically except they use nepotism factor as is the case in Nigeria today.

Dangote is a Bussiness man who is richer than every igbo man dead and alive.

BUA is a Hausafulani man that is also richer than every igbo man alive... And they're all Bussiness men.

Come to kano and see thousands of Bussines men the media will never tell you about.

Our people are genuine hustlers and the best people to do Bussiness with.

Let's keep propaganda aside and face reality..


It will take Igbos 20yrs to catch up with the north

Arrewa:
.....Come to kano and see thousands of Bussiness the media will never tell you about.Our people are genuine hustlers and the best people to do business with.Let's keep propaganda aside and face reality.It will take Igbos 20yrs to catch up with the north

Quiet commendable, the region have some important businessmen making waves in Nigeria but the city of Nnewi-Anambra state alone have more billionaire that the the north can ever think about.

Meanwhile if it will take the Igbos 20years to measure up, then I guess the northmen doing menial jobs in the eastern regions should be more profitably engaged back home or dont you think so?

So why can the north allow a genuine referendum to determine if the region can leave the failed experiment of Lord Lugard? Even Alhaji Tanko Yakassi said the greatest mistake the Nigerian state can make is to allow the Igbo to leave Nigeria.

Racoon:

Quiet commendable, the region have some important businessmen making waves in Nigeria but the city of Nnewi-Anambra state alone have more billionaire that the the north can ever think about.

Igbos are naturally chest beaters and they too much underrated the north... And the north is using that as an advantage to deal with them.

Here in kano... In my local government alone do you know how many billionaires we have here?

Have you been to maiduguri?? Do you know how many billionaires we have there??

We have many of them who don't make noise.

Many of them engage in importion of cars, tricycles, tractors and other expensive machines.

Come to kano and see billionaires who don't make noise. Come I Wil take you to a billionare make una shake hand to hand.

Igbos una poor ooo but una no know.

I have been to the east broh... Even the top richest men I have meet there are just average to me.

Na just noise and show off una sabi

Racoon:
An average Easterner is very enterprising whether good or bad & hate being dependant on others for survival especially economic wise.Hence this is what is often responsible for the never say die resilient spirit that drives the Igbo man to the uttermost end of the world.Broaden your horizon too man.

And the other Nigerian tribe are lazy and like being dependent on other economic wise or how does this answer the question about why Ibos are economic refugees all around the country? Can you listen to the gabbage you are saying?

You said Hausa are economic refugees, they said but Igbos are also economic refugees too, and you turn out to claim its because they hate being dependent. So why not give the Hausa the same excuse when you know you are guilty of what you accused them of.

Truth be told the North used to be industrialised yesteryears, what went wrong was Religious bigotry, extremism, outright jihad aka Boko haram, threats to life of Christian expatriates who migrated from the South, most ran for their dear life.. Illiteracy of the North played a major part too as they have refused to encourage education since the mosques teaches western education is haram.

The Northern military junta did not help matters their infinite looting machinery, poor economic policies with lack of foresight in basic infrastructures of our leaders (most of whom were Northerners) like electricity, eventually nailed the coffin., how can you maintain industries on generator?

He forgot to mentioned how a stark illiterate in the northern region buys the industries and closed them down completely.

The Bompai area of kano house lots of industries that have been closed down courtesy the man.
None of these industries is functional now, their machines are all rusty now.

Imaging buying a functional industry and close it down because all he needs is the land!!!

Those were actually the people that dragged the north into the poverty.

For goodness sake, who brought the idea of Bubu to come and display what he don't know on the affairs of this great country.

How many years remain for Buhari to stop ruling this country sef?

Arrewa:
the north will forever be better than your south east.

let us try seperation and put your statement to a test.

Arrewa:
Dangote is a Bussiness man who is richer than every igbo man dead and alive.

BUA is a Hausafulani man that is also richer than every igbo man alive... And they're all Bussiness men.

Come to kano and see thousands of Bussines men the media will never tell you about.

Our people are genuine hustlers and the best people to do Bussiness with.

Let's keep propaganda aside and face reality..


It will take Igbos 20yrs to catch up with the north

Aboki said it would take Igbos 20 years to catch up with the North. I hope you are not smoking weed