Former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega has expressed that northern leaders need to provide the region with good and selfless leadership.
Jega spoke on Monday at the Maitama Sule Leadership Lecture Series organised by the Coalition of Northern Nigeria (CNG) in Katsina state.
He stated that it is worrisome that “terrible statistics” regarding poverty, unemployment and insecurity always emanate from the northern part of the country.
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Jega blamed the situation on poor leadership, selfishness, lack of vision and ideas on the part of the leaders.
“Whether it is poverty, unemployment, insecurity, infant mortality, out-of-school children, poor girl-child education, or even early marriage challenges…everything you can think of, the terrible statistics always come from the northern part of this country,” Jega said.
Professor Jega was right, but it’s good to lay the blame on the trado-religious leaders, it’s no longer news that every characteristic dispositions of northerners are pegged on religion.
The mernece of Almajiri, Girls child education, Early Girl child marriage, insecurity (al-mujihaadin) e..t.c are the Product of religious beliefs, all these things deepen poverty in the land.
Another thing bedeviling the region is bad political culture, the inherent grab and never let go attitudes, imaging a former governor from the region who served for over a decade, handed over power to one of his relatives, then retired to national assembly with his wife also as member till date , how could such a person train the younger generations to rise to prominence?
The scourge of deep rooted corruption in the region can’t be over emphasized having ruled this country for decades, yet ascribed the seat of poverty in the country, thus dragging the wheel of economic growth of our dear country backwards,
The question then is, “do the North really know they have problems?” if yes, why kicking against restructure? They have many miles to go, but Mr Jega who have seen the light in a long tunnel can activate the emancipation process by advocating for ATTITUDINAL CHANGE first, if he can instill these among the elites and the common man, he’ll become a hero.