NewsMar 18, 2011
   
By LUKA BINNIYAT
KADUNA  – PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, at the Northern Economic Summit, lamented that the once rich and glorious Northern Nigeria has fallen far below the Human Development Index, saying something went “grossly wrong.”
Also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, took turns to blame the relatively poor state of the North on the North itself.
But, the Vice President, Arc. Namadi Sambo, and the Governor of Kaduna State, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, while regretting the set back suffered by the north in terms of both human and social_economic development, reeled out some incentives for recovery.
The theme of the summit was: “Agenda for Economic and Social Transformation of Northern Nigeria.”
President Jonathan who admitted knowing little about Northern Nigeria, its people, history and environment until joining partisan politics, stressed that his new experience shows that the North “was once very rich.”
He said: “I have visited many Empire palaces, and I have been awe-struck by the quality and craftsmanship of their designs. It did not come cheap to build such structures. Some, I have been told, have been there since the 18th century. And when you look at the attires of the Emirs, and that of their officials, you know that they come from very expensive fabrics. The history of the North was once that of riches and colour.
But, I am disturbed from the Central Bank statistics on the North, placing it the lowest in the country.
“Something must have grossly gone wrong. And the solution has to be found, because the North still has some of the brightest minds in Nigeria and it also has many resources.”
While noting that his administration was putting measures in place to provide basic infrastructure all over Nigeria, he stressed that, the Federal Government specifically was planning to spend N350 billion in building small dams across the North in the next four years with the view of stimulating massive irrigational farms.
Human resources
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole in his speech said: “The North controls about 53 per cent of the human resources in Nigeria, but what has it done to turn it into a productive force? The North has ruled for most of the times, but what has it done to better its people. Today out of the 360 members of the House of Representatives, 200 are from the North.
“They are going to largely decide how the over N5 trillion 2011 National Budget would be spent. How would this number take advantage of this for the good of the North?”
On his part the Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi said that the North held the extreme forms of the problem that confronts Nigeria.
He said: “Some part of Jigawa and Yobe have poverty levels worse than in Niger and Chad,” adding that the elite of the North were to be blamed for the woes of the region.
While acknowledging that government had given out N200 billion as Agriculture Intervention Fund, he observed that farmers from the North are the least to patronise the loans.
Vice President  Sambo said the present government had huge plans to stimulate industrial growth in the North, stressing: “Power is an important sector that must be addressed if we are to achieve our noble objective for positive development in the North and indeed Nigeria.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/03/jonathan-laments-fallen-glory-of-north/

Is he right?

Was the north once wealthy? Say before independence? I don't know much about economic data from that time period, how each region stacked up in the 50s (GDP-wise.)

More like dude is happy at the fallen glory of the North. ha ha

That is the more reason we in the north should not listen to this stupid folks.They have being there for like, ever!yet they bring us nothing but misery and suffering.
They should better shout up with there opinions and go do something before God calls them.We don't trust you all.Even the gathering i tell you is a political stunt.PDP and GEJ support from the North.
Talk talk!They are never serious.Where is the development.The whole region was developed by one man Ahmadu bello to an extent.Now we have 19GOvs,senators,stupid old hypocrates and a bunch of ex what ever.Yet where can't make a fly happy.
For me let them leave us alone.I wish someone could , !!!!

^--- Did Bello develop the north?

When was the north wealthy?

Like, GEJs premise is that at some point in time, the North was wealthy. But is his assumption true? If so, we can try to understand what went wrong, why it fell apart.

But if it never was wealthy, then a different approach is required, no?

In the groundnut days, was this generating a lot of money? So that the average prosperity levels were decent?

For the Western Region, I know that there was a time when it was very well off. Possibly the wealthiest region in Nigeria, even. But since then, agriculture fell apart, industry fell apart, infrastructure fell apart, and the region became much poorer. But at least I know that there was a time when it was well-run and prosperous.

I know much less about the north and its economic history, though.

eku_bear:

^--- Did Bello develop the north?

When was the north wealthy?

Like, GEJs premise is that at some point in time, the North was wealthy. But is his assumption true? If so, we can try to understand what went wrong, why it fell apart.

But if it never was wealthy, then a different approach is required, no?

In the groundnut days, was this generating a lot of money? So that the average prosperity levels were decent?

For the Western Region, I know that there was a time when it was very well off. Possibly the wealthiest region in Nigeria, even. But since then, agriculture fell apart, industry fell apart, infrastructure fell apart, and the region became much poorer. But at least I know that there was a time when it was well-run and prosperous.

I know much less about the north and its economic history, though.

If you check the history of most states in the north from industry to educational structures.To even the educated elite and some rich folks here in the north,there history dates back to the Bello era.He gave them support and what they need to move on.Even Buhari acknowledge he benefited from it.being called from no where and given a chance to aspire for greatness .Today this crop of elite just get more wives and cars while they let things fall apart.
Ahmadu bello touched more hearts than all this stupid fools put together and he did that without having any stupid forum or get together hypocrisy.
Agriculture kept the North and that is true.I know a few people that i can tell you were rich because of trading.Kano for instance had grown because of the groundnut pyramid and agricultural trade.Today that history still holds on.

^^

U said it right

I'm curious, where did the money to build refineries come from? Answers anyone?? A bit of enlightening history won't hurt pls

why don't the government give loans to the almajiris to go and farm. or are almajiris not aloud to farm?

Arosa:

why don't the government give loans to the almajiris to go and farm. or are almajiris not aloud to farm?

they wont access the loan, southerners and foreign investors will end up benefting from it or it will just remain there in the bank and end up in the pockets of northern elites . they have been doin that since 1999.

Arosa:

why don't the government give loans to the almajiris to go and farm. or are almajiris not aloud to farm?

NOt give loans, Build Farms and hire the people to work on these farms. But in a country where even the president stress implementation, why would he?

bashr4:

they wont access the loan, southerners and foreign investors will end up benefting from it or it will just remain there in the bank and end up in the pockets of northern elites . they have been doin that since 1999. 

That sounds very sad to me. If you put food in a man's mouth and he refuses to chew, what can you do to keep him from starving? 

It is extremely difficult for a commoner in d north to access dos loans. Problems range from illiteracy, serious poverty, skewed social structure, corruption and politics. An average northerner is only an impoverished peasant farmer. They rate much below southern peers in term of standards of living. The only thing u cant take away from dem is accessibility to information, it will marvel u what d most ragged farmer in d remotest village can tell u abt d most current info on d airwaves.

Build Farms and hire the people to work on these farms

that sounds better.

it is very annoying when i see topics like this,.,.,., what glory are we talking about here

is it before independence or after people like ibb and ciroma hijacked the north

THE NORTHERN NIGERIA WAS ONE OF THE WEALTHEST REGION IN NIGERIA AND EVEN AFRICA with car industries etc and agriculture before ibb, abacha, ciroma and co just destroyed it for us

i mean kano and sokoto back then were the commacial hub of nigeria then,.,.,. lagos was nothing, abuja was not even created, then you see lots of yoruba and igbo trying to sell there goods to us,.,.,.,.,.,. but now SMH

old zaria  back them

shame on this northern elite that have destroyed us shame on them

imagine now southerners and others calling us aboki is a rubbish word

shame on nigeria as a whole

eku_bear:

Is he right?

Was the north once wealthy? Say before independence? I don't know much about economic data from that time period, how each region stacked up in the 50s (GDP-wise.)

If you 've ever been to Kaduna, you will realize it's true. Unlike Abuja which was developed by oil wealth. Kaduna was developed by the Northern regional government under Ahmadu Bello. Were it not for the occasional outbreaks of sectarian violence, I actually will prefer living in Kaduna to anywhere else in Nigeria.

The largest industry that had developed in the town was textiles. By the mid-sixties, Kaduna was already host to arguably the largest textile industry in Nigeria, employing more people than any other industry in the town. Some of the textile factories that became household names included the United Nigeria Textiles Ltd, the biggest textile conglomerate in Nigeria, with other factories in Lagos, and in Aba, the industrial capital of Eastern Nigeria. Others included Kaduna Textiles, Arewa Textiles, and Nortex.

Kaduna is home to Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Ltd, the largest and most successful vehicle assembly plant in Nigeria. The town is also host to a couple of breweries and to an international trade fair complex where the now famous Kaduna International Trade Fair is organized annually.

I hear that the North was quite wealthy prior to colonialism. It was one of the wealthiest regions in all of Africa, before the British became involved on the continent.

Apart from its centrality, accessibility and abundant water supply, the location also possessed a clement environment. Also, following the not-too-happy relationship of the colonialists with the large indigenous population of Lagos as capital of the Lagos Colony and Calabar as capital of the Southern Protectorate, the British considered the virginity of a location an important consideration in their choice of a capital. Kaduna, with its sparse and scattered settlement of the indigenous population, satisfied this criterion.

No sooner had Lord Lugard settled down in Kaduna as regional capital in 1912, than he began to plan for it as Nigeria’s capital, ahead of the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates in 1914. This followed his promotion that same year as Governor-General of the amalgamated Nigeria. As Governor-General, he did not hide his antipathy towards Lagos and recommended that the capital be moved to Kaduna as quickly as possible. “Government House, Lagos,” he wrote in one of his papers, “would make an excellent hotel if the transfer to Kaduna was achieved.”

http://www.gamji.com/haruna/haruna251.htm

This Lord Lugard fella. . . quite an asshat 

homerac7:

[b]It is extremely difficult for a commoner in d north to access dos loans. Problems range from illiteracy, serious poverty, skewed social structure, corruption and politics. An average northerner is only an impoverished peasant farmer. [/b]They rate much below southern peers in term of standards of living. The only thing u cant take away from dem is accessibility to information, it will marvel u what d most ragged farmer in d remotest village can tell u abt d most current info on d airwaves.

I would not suggest they be handed loans either.

^^

My point is dt although many of them will do well wt d loans, but its unfortunate dt there r many barriers preventing them.

Honestly, dey r very hardworking and professional farmers. I believe dt if there is genuine govt detailed n more objective efforts to lotting d peasant farming communities access dos loans, lives and economic of d region will b massively transformed. In fact, d region hosts most of d foreign agric aid agencies in d country.

Alj Uche:

THE NORTHERN NIGERIA WAS ONE OF THE WEALTHEST REGION IN NIGERIA AND EVEN AFRICA with car industries etc and agriculture before ibb, abacha, ciroma and co just destroyed it for us

Salaam, Alhaji, 

What kind of car industry do you mean? Are you talking about car parts or assembly? Either way, I agree that that type of industry is definitely needed in large numbers, but manufacturing will continue to be stifled until the power supply problem is alleviated.  Ha! NEPA!

BTW, I never get tired of your innovative use of NL's limited smilies. 
I think we should ask Seun for a few more, such as: 1) "scared" smiley, 2)"nodding my head" smiley, "you must be inebriated" smiley, 4) "No mind him don't you know he's a tribalist" smiley, etc. 

Nice article here by Sanusi: http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/karticles/kano_political_economy_reflectio.htm
And one by another guy: http://www.gamji.com/article8000/NEWS8854.htm

Really eye-opening, and a bit sad.

They have a lot of severe structural disadvantages they'll need to overcome to be more competitive.

I hope they can tap into the various potential existing in the north especially in the agriculture sector.

These articles on gamji are pretty fascinating. The paranoia and fear the Northern elite seem to have about the south and Christianity. . . like, they blame the death of Kano's industry on Lagos, southern Christians, blablah


@Pharoh: I am starting to question how much employment farming can truly offer. Like, if you want to do it in an modern, internationally competitive way. Mechanized farming doesn't really offer a lot of jobs. Low-tech farming does, but isn't very efficient and competitive. . . so you'd need to prop it up with subsidies.

Honestly, manufacturing is what I think is the way to go to move the economy forward.

Farming these days requires some money to do well.

The biggest problem in the North is illiteracy. Govt needs to declare something akin to a state of emergency in the educational sector to lift the North out of poverty.
Travelling through some Northern parts is almost like living through the pages of a dairy of human rights abuse, the poverty in some places can barely be described. Mass education will help to alleviate suffering in no small measure by opening doors and opportunities.

Mass education, however is a medium term solution. What is needed in the shorter term, is a boost to the quality of life of the peasant farmer. As homerac7 mentioned, they are almost addicted to information from their radio's, a very massive plus!
The radio services must be used to educate them on the benefits of fertilizers and how they can band together to access supplies. Also, govt should streamline other services to their radio messages, such as; how storage and transportation of produce will be delivered, as well as the teaching and propagation of modern farming skills.

Job creation is more important than illiteracy, imo.

Or is everyone going to be an accountant?  Who is going to hire all these dudes when they finish school?

They need investment and infrastructure. Imo, the biggest thing the Hausa man needs is:

A) Electricity working
B) Better infrastructure connecting his cities (Kano in particular) with the southern cities (road networks, railways, dredging of the River Niger, perhaps.)

I read somewhere before that it costs more money to ship a container worth of goods from Lagos to Abuja than it does from China to Lagos    If that is the case, you can imagine how much it costs to ship goods to Kano! Or from Kano to the South.

In a certain sense, the distance from Lagos to the US and China is less than that of the distance from Lagos to Abuja (or Kano)

As you can sort of tell from the Sanusi article, things became bad in Kano when electricity stopped working. This killed all the manufacturing. And when manufacturing dies, the jobs go with it. And every job lost likely destroys an entire family. . . who then become ripe targets for Islamic fundamentalism.

Basically, they deindustrialized like Detroit did. However, unlike Detroit (which died due to lack of competitiveness and will likely continue to hollow out), Kano can be saved if appropriate measures are taken.

The problem of the Hausa man isn't too different from that of the Ekiti man. Just the magnitude of his problem is much, much higher.

Poor infrastructure effectively isolates us from profitable markets (e.g., Lagos), reduces our ability to make money through trade.

Lack of electricity means no ability to competitively manufacture valuable goods.

Only difference between the Hausa man and the Ekiti man is that he is much, much further away from the coast (and thus the world at large) than the Ekiti man is. We have a bit of an edge though due to some good human investments made in the past.

But ultimately, the solution to the problems of both peoples is the same.

eku_bear:

These articles on gamji are pretty fascinating. The paranoia and fear the Northern elite seem to have about the south and Christianity. . . like, they blame the death of Kano's industry on Lagos, southern Christians, blablah


@Pharoh: I am starting to question how much employment farming can truly offer. Like, if you want to do it in an modern, internationally competitive way. Mechanized farming doesn't really offer a lot of jobs. Low-tech farming does, but isn't very efficient and competitive. . . so you'd need to prop it up with subsidies.

Honestly, manufacturing is what I think is the way to go to move the economy forward.

Farming these days requires some money to do well.

Farming when done properly can create jobs within the industry and other external industries like the service sector. We basically do not have much processing industry that is linked to the farming sector, a lot of what they produce is wasted because they cannot be stored or processed into other forms that can be preserved for a long time. Let them fix the infrastructure problem then the education and the farming methods, they need help and support in the fertilizer department and techniques in getting high crop yield.

Brother this people can feed nigeria and still export their products to africa and the other part of the world. Israel even begged for some portion of those land so that they can use it to feed the world. Farming alone is not the potential there because the processing industry and service sector also will get more employment if the farming industry is booming. Most of the processed food you see in nigeria are imported or are done by the few big companies in the hands of foreigners. We need to process the tomatoes, onions into paste, groundnuts into different kinds of products. We can get a lot from this industry when there is are opportunities for complementary industries. When all these are working then we will definitely see some kinds of employment because not everyone has to work in the farm but other small scale companies or service sectors linked to the farming sector will also provide jobs.