₦airaland Forum

•The region may sink deeper —Atiku warns

By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo


Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and industrialist Aliko Dangote on Friday delivered hard-hitting messages to northern leaders, warning that the region risks deeper insecurity, economic stagnation and social collapse unless it urgently resets its development priorities and rebuilds unity.

Speaking at the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) 25th anniversary dinner in Kaduna, Atiku said the North cannot afford complacency at a time when insecurity, poverty and decline in education are crippling its future. He cautioned that without a clear vision and collective resolve, the region would “stagnate and sink deeper into insecurity.”

The former Vice President praised past ACF leaders for sustaining the body through “thick and thin,” but insisted that nostalgia must give way to honest assessment and strategic action. He recalled how, upon assuming office in 1999, he led efforts to unify the region’s divided political blocs through a reconciliation committee chaired by the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari — a process that birthed the modern ACF.

Atiku stressed that the forum was conceived not only to foster political harmony but to drive development in line with the vision of Sir Ahmadu Bello. He cited the Sardauna’s 1961 priorities — education, agriculture and industrial growth — noting that they remain more urgent today than ever.

He outlined past initiatives such as the Northern Education Project, which exposed the region’s crumbling school system and triggered reforms that boosted enrolment and transition rates. He also referenced the Northern Development Project (NDP), which sought to rebuild agricultural value chains and address climate-induced productivity challenges. Yet, he lamented that key obstacles — from energy poverty to multiple taxation — still plague northern industries two decades on.

Warning that diversity was becoming a weapon in the hands of adversaries exploiting fear and disinformation, Atiku urged the North to emulate countries like India and China, which have achieved economic transformation despite vast pluralism. He challenged northern leaders to confront questions of population growth, food security, education, jobs and the region’s readiness for a knowledge-driven global economy.

“If ever there was a moment for the North to come together, that time is now,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, linked the North’s slow economic growth and rising insecurity to decades of policy inconsistency and chronic electricity shortages. He said many promising northern industries collapsed because government policies “kept shifting the goalpost,” eroding investor confidence.

He recalled commissioning Arthur Andersen (now part of KPMG) to study why northern textile magnates and other industrialists failed despite strong starts. The findings, he said, pointed largely to unpredictable government policies and an unreliable power supply. Dangote disclosed that his group connects to public electricity only in South Africa and Ethiopia because of Nigeria’s unstable grid.

“Without electricity, you cannot have growth, no matter how hard you try,” he warned, adding that today’s insecurity — banditry, youth joblessness and economic displacement — is a direct consequence of long-standing neglect.

Dangote urged northern leaders to commit to a coherent, long-term economic roadmap anchored on education, industry and agriculture, aligning with the transformation agenda highlighted by Atiku. He noted that the North has the landmass and population to become West Africa’s food hub but remains far from realising that potential due to poor planning and inconsistent investment.

He cautioned that unless urgent steps are taken, the crises confronting the region “will consume everyone, whether guilty or not.”

Despite the celebratory tone of the ACF’s silver jubilee, both leaders stressed that the anniversary should serve as a wake-up call. Their message was clear: the North stands at a defining moment — and failure to act could prove costly.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/12/why-promising-northern-industries-collapsed-dangote/

Nice one from both Atiku and Dangote.

It's time for the North to come together and deliberate on how to take the region to the next level.

ACF should take the lead on this

He recalled commissioning Arthur Andersen (now part of KPMG) to study why northern textile magnates and other industrialists failed despite strong starts. The findings, he said, pointed largely to unpredictable government policies and an unreliable power supply. Dangote disclosed that his group connects to public electricity only in South Africa and Ethiopia because of Nigeria’s unstable grid.

The money they use to fund religion in a year will banish power deficiency for life. It is a matter of priority. Today, they are hungry but can buy expensive weapons to fuel insecurity. It has always been a matter of priority for all regions of Nigeria.

Salewa97:
Nice one from both Atiku and Dangote.

It's time for the North to come together and deliberate on how to take the region to the next level.

ACF should take the lead on this

After supporting mu-mu ticket, thereby brainwashing them into thinking Islam is all that matters, yoy are here talking about taking the region to the next level.

No be small work wey Atiku don do for the North sha. E reach to celebrate him.

Almajiri is the primary problem and yet both of them did not bring it up.

Atiku and Dangote have spoken well.

If Northern Nigeria wants to develop and catch up with global growth, they must embrace:


1.) western education
2.) Igbo collaboration
3.) Modern ranching of cattle


They must do away with:

1.) Almajiri system
2.) Radical Islam that abhors western education and civilisation
3.) Sharia law
4.) Tribal-religious politics
5.) Fulani open grazing of cattle

Hope you ain't linked to sponsoring terrorism

Almost everything about the Culture in the North reeks of poverty mentality.

And it is arguable Dangote would have still remained Richest Man, if he played on level ground with othee competitors, and not aided by Govt of the day.

CodeTemplarr:
The money they use to fund religion in a year will banish power deficiency for life. It is a matter of priority.

Today, they are hungry but can buy expensive weapons to fuel insecurity. It has always been a matter of priority for all regions of Nigeria.

Where have you been in the last decade

Power deficiency has been banished as promised by leaders looters of All Promises Cancelled, APC as they promised. Just chill and see the light at the end of APC toilet.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lba6Uf64Ogc?si=BiD50DTdgd9l2WiB

anonimi:
Fashola to Nigerians: 'If You Want to Have Stable Electricity Supply, Vote PDP Out in 2015'

Jul 11, 2014.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, while marking his 2,600 days in office at an elaborate ceremony held at the Blue Roof of the Lagos Television premises, has said voting out the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from power in next year’s general election is the only way the country can have stable electricity.

According to The Nation, Fashola said electricity crisis in the country is caused by lack of ideas and insincerity of purpose on the part of Federal Government.

"Yes I agree with you that it is possible to generate electricity and to make sure that everybody in this country has electricity, we have to do the right thing. But you know what, the only way that you and I will have electricity in this country will be to vote out the PDP.

https://thenationonlineng.net/only-way-to-have-stable-electricity-is-to-vote-out-pdp-says-fashola/#google_vignette

>>
>>>

pendy79:
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Sunday evening boasted that he could provide uninterrupted power supply to Lagos residents between six and eight months.

Fashola spoke at the commissioning of 8.5 megawatts Lekki Independent Power Project (IPP), the fifth of such power projects in the last five years in the state.

The governor said the addition of the Lekki IPP was a testament to the fact that stable power does not require rocket science to achieve in the country.

While challenging power distribution companies in the state, Fashola said, “Let the Eko DISCOs sign a contract with me, giving part of their concessioning to the state government, in about six to eight months, there will be power in all homes in Lagos State,” Fashola said.

He added, “So, let no one say that he has no money to deliver power for the entire country. This is the limit to which the law allows us to do, but we have done this to make a statement that power can be generated. So, when they come with lies that power is impossible, you can tell them that we have power here; we make it possible”.

The project, courtesy of the state government, in partnership with Heritage Bank, is to serve Lagos State Water Corporations in Lekki Phase 1, Oniru, Victoria Island and Ikoyi, as well as over 25km of public lightening in the Lekki axis.

http://dailyindependentnig.com/2015/03/can-provide-stable-power-eight-months-fashola-boasts/

dre11:
•The region may sink deeper —Atiku warns



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/12/why-promising-northern-industries-collapsed-dangote/

Loool! Na only onuku go believe say nigeria problems will one day be solved.

Lmaooo! ATIKU, OBI, TIMBULU, EL RUFAI, MALLAM Ribadu, they have no solution.

The pride of the north, Dangote

Gotocourt:
Hope you ain't linked to sponsoring terrorism

Dangote is linked to terrorism?

Can you defend this in the court of law? Hope you know the law? Or are you just looking for an opportunity to be one of the cell mates of Kanu?

CodeTemplarr:
After supporting mu-mu ticket, thereby brainwashing them into thinking Islam is all that matters, yoy are here talking about taking the region to the next level.

why are you quoting a bot?

franchasng:
If Northern Nigeria wants to develop and catch up with global growth, they must embrace:


1.) western education
2.) Igbo collaboration
3.) Modern ranching of cattle


They must do away with:

1.) Almajiri system
2.) Radical Islam that abhors western education and civilisation
3.) Sharia law
4.) Tribal-religious politics
5.) Fulani open grazing of cattle

Story! Story!! Story for the anti muslimfolks.

ebukal67x:
No be small work wey Atiku don do for the North sha. E reach to celebrate him.

So why is Adamawa very poor,

CodeTemplarr:
The money they use to fund religion in a year will banish power deficiency for life. It is a matter of priority. Today, they are hungry but can buy expensive weapons to fuel insecurity. It has always been a matter of priority for all regions of Nigeria.

No nah. They prefer to go to Mecca

PEOPLE WEY NO LIKE EDUCATION.
NA TO DEY BEHAVE LIKE ANIMALS DEM KNOW.

If northern Nigeria wants to develop, they should

1. Stop to rely heavily on governance
2. Education
3. Religion phanacy
4. Collaboration with other regions
5. Separate from Nigeria and hanance her potentials as an individual entity.

Everything in nature happens according to the law of CAUSE, EFFECT and CONSEQUENCE.

None of you talked about CAUSATION. The problem discussed by Dangote is a general Nigerian problem. Atiku may have a better understanding.

Your problem began or rather you made it worse when you decided to run a separate constitution (sharia law) within a country that has its constitution. So, you became lawless WHETHER YOU UNDERSTAND IT OR NOT.

Of course, you won't understand how this lead to the present situation but nature doesn't care- in same way that if a baby place his/her hand on fire, the fire will burn the baby.

The principle of Cause and Effect explained

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RWGoZwpubQ&pp

Northern Nigeria stands today as a wounded giant, a region caught between the memory of what the Sardauna dreamed and the stark reality created by those who inherited his mantle but not his moral weight. The promise of a people rising through education, productive labour and communal dignity has been slowly suffocated by a ruling class more devoted to its own comfort than to the welfare of the millions in its charge. Power has been held tightly, yet its dividends seldom reach the ground. Poverty spreads like a harmattan fire, children drift out of school, and entire communities live at the mercy of bandits who move with the audacity of men who know the state has abandoned its duty. They call them unknown gunmen, like they are unknown soldiers.

In place of principled leadership, religion is deployed as a curtain behind which incompetence and greed hide. Criticism is dismissed as sacrilege, and the faithful are urged to be patient even as their world collapses around them. And when voices beyond our borders, including Trump’s recent warning, point to the gathering storm, the official response is silence, an indictment in itself.

This is not the North the Sardauna laboured for. It is a fragile creation of neglect, denial and the smallness of those who should have stood tall. The North should tell itself the truth and stop blaming others.
This is Northern Nigeria one year before independence. Ask, what happened



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjG-HxX6Dw4

Only truth, courage and accountable leadership can begin the work of restoration. Conscience is an open wound. Only truth can heal it.

It's saddens to see that northerners that weren't associated with greed decades ago are now greedily destroying their future and trying to pull other regions down also with them. Those days when westerners and easterners were relocating to the north, there were countless opportunities there and many manufacturing plants were situated there. But as the year go on so many leaders and elite exploited religion for their personal agenda, they didn't integrate the change in the world into the growing northern population. They continued with the old ways of doing things.

SOKOTO CALIPHATE THE ROOT OF INSECURITY IN THE NORTH. WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR THE SULTAN TO CONDEMN JIHADIST ACTIVITIES

dre11:
•The region may sink deeper —Atiku warns



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/12/why-promising-northern-industries-collapsed-dangote/

In all of this I didn’t hear them hit hard on insecurity going on in Nigeria cause by there people affecting productivity, there leaders keep shying away from the hard truth, when will the north tell the north the truth. This people will just plunge themselves into extinction for nothing

The fact remains,the northern leaders have 2 bladed sword (Religion and Development) Which can not work together, they want development but don't want to let go religion ideology.Any leader who chose development ahead of the religion ideology is attacked and refers to as anti Islamic.They need to allow religion be and focus on development,the Saudi and UAE have advanced in technology putting religion ideology and sentiments apart.Too many fanatics in that region and they are gullible

CodeTemplarr:
The money they use to fund religion in a year will banish power deficiency for life. It is a matter of priority. Today, they are hungry but can buy expensive weapons to fuel insecurity. It has always been a matter of priority for all regions of Nigeria.

You sef see am now abi?
This has always been the problem,

The people and their leaders in the region allowed terrorism, kidnapping and other forms of criminality to Flourish

And were they really expecting enterprises, industrial development to be encouraged to thrive in that horrible conditions?

Mr Dangote, in the first place, that's why most of your investments are outside your region 😁

Encourage your people to compete
There is competition everywhere,
You can't use these crude methods to gain advantage,
Instead of asking for handouts all the time.


Tell them to sit up and compete, that's what is causing all these laziness and entitlement mentality. Until you prioritize the competitive spirit and meritocracy, nothing will change.

CodeTemplarr:
The money they use to fund religion in a year will banish power deficiency for life. It is a matter of priority. Today, they are hungry but can buy expensive weapons to fuel insecurity. It has always been a matter of priority for all regions of Nigeria.

You're correct. Their priorities are wrong: emphasis on religious activities & politics over development. No economic development plans, high illiteracy rates, lack of family planning, insecurity etc. are problems they need to tackle.
Bad governance & poor leadership is a problem. PMB's 8 years in office was used to emphasize tribal dominance over national development. The consequences are what we're facing today.

ebukal67x:
No be small work wey Atiku don do for the North sha. E reach to celebrate him.

What work, ask him which industry he has in Northern Nigeria?

Because westernised methods of doing things is haram

Can anything good spring forth from that region