••Bugaje Cites Insecurity, Poverty, and Lack of Leadership as Major Threats.
By Mustapha Ramalan .
A prominent Northern elder, Dr. Usman Bugaje, has issued a dire warning about the state of Northern Nigeria, claiming the region is facing a multitude of challenges that could lead to its total collapse.
In a recent address as the convener of the Arewa Movement for Good Governance Conference in Kaduna, themed, “The North and the Dangers Looming on the Horizon: The Need for a New Conversation and a New Narrative,” Bugaje expressed deep concern over the escalating insecurity, widespread poverty, and lack of effective leadership plaguing the North. He argued that these issues have created a breeding ground for social unrest and violence, threatening the very fabric of the region.
“It’s worrying and disturbing. We need to sit down and address these issues,” Bugaje lamented.
According to Bugaje, “For over 25 years of Nigeria’s democracy, poverty has more than doubled in the region, with over 33 million Nigerians facing starvation.” He further explained that the country’s currency has lost significant value, with the minimum wage no longer sufficient to purchase a bag of rice, highlighting the collapsing economy.
He noted that insecurity has spread and escalated to previously inconceivable levels, frustrating trade, commerce, and agriculture—the mainstay of the region’s economy—adding that public institutions are decaying and failing in service delivery. Bugaje also pointed to the “epileptic” state of infrastructure, particularly electricity, comparing it unfavorably to neighboring Niger Republic.
“The social sector is the worst hit, as human capital is dwindling, and there are no jobs for the largely unemployable youth. In short, Nigeria is simply not working,” Bugaje stated.
He criticized what he sees as “shameless politicians” basking in false glory, reading empty speeches, embellished by a growing industry of praise singers, hangers-on, and an army of thugs, many of whom are drug users. He warned that Nigerians are on a dangerous trajectory with no future to look forward to, citing the 20 million out-of-school children, most of whom are in the North, and the fact that nearly 60% of students in tertiary institutions in the North cannot return to school. “Nigerians are sitting on a time bomb,” he warned.
Bugaje also criticized the weakening of traditional institutions by political office holders, whom he described as epitomes of decadence, saying that many religious leaders have been enticed with money and drawn into a political culture dominated by violence, money politics, and the inordinate ambitions of people determined to rule by any means possible.
He emphasized that the primary problem of Nigeria is leadership and called for a consensus among northern elites to tackle the region’s challenges, saying that history will not forgive Nigerian elites for their failure to address the problems facing the entire country.
The Chairman of the Organizing Committee and former Kaduna State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Tom Maiyashi, echoed Bugaje’s concerns, observing that the North is on the verge of collapse. He urged northerners to come together and save the region for the sake of future generations, saying, “Northern elites must come back to their senses and address the challenges of the region.”
