These imminent threats compel me to pen down my thoughts with the hope that it reaches the right quarters for critical consideration and taking the right course of action. Though I do not claim monopoly of knowledge and am fully aware of  numerous superior arguements that might diminish my ideas, yet the main purpose of this article is to provoke  discussions and debates among Northerners with a view to motivating those in position to rise and come up with robust and workable antidotes, which I believe would help restore sanity and order in our region. 

Time is therefore of the essence for all and sundry to rise up to these challenges that are dangerously staring at us directly in the face and threatening our corporate existence. 

Never in the history of this great nation have the northerners felt so insecure and unsure of their well being like now. The Northern region has been battling incessant and divergent security challenges, including the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, farmers-herders and ethno-religious clashes in the North-Central as well as banditry across the North-West. 

Again, the absence of enabling environment  for the manufacturing sector to thrive equally plays a critical role in increasing unemployement, insecurity and poverty rate in the region. No wonder the region has been groaning in pains and have further drifted towards the precipice beyond our imagination, which only decisive actions could save the Region from falling apart. 

Another major challenge that retrogrades the region from that cohesion akin to the Sardauna era of yester years, where the North stood as a single entity, is the balkanisation of the region into numerous States and geopolitical zones. Our political and socio-cultural leaders today tend to confront obstacles bedeveling the region from myopic standpoint of their respective States or zones, rather than regional, thus robbing the region that unity of purpose. This yawning gap is sadly exploited by so many interests to shortchange the region of those strategic impetus for it's development.

Today, an average Northerner is angry with his past and present leaders, whom he believes are lackadaisical in championing the development cause of the region to enable it compete effectively with the South. Of course, the accusing finger for all these woes is undoubtedly pointing in the direction of the elites, elders, politicians, businessmen, religious leaders and youth. To say the least, the political class has been so reckless and many have shown gross insensitivity and lack of patriotism to the plight of the region, particularly on the incessant insecurity and the economic backwardness. 

Its well acknowledged that indeed God has endowed the north with both human and natural resources needed to develop the region and the nation at large, yet we're too indolent to harness these resources to bring us out of the woods. 

Whenever the idea of uniting the north is broached, the Northern political leaders tacitly retort that they only believe in one Nigeria. Agreed that we should all believe in one Nigeria, but let me remind you of a famous saying by late Mallam Aminu Kano “Najeriya ƙasa ɗayace, amma kowa yasan gidan ubanshi”. 

Our Southern neighbours equally believe in one Nigeria, but utilise every opportunity that comes their way to develop their people and their political constituencies first in order to make their region compete favourably with other regions in the country. Why can’t we do the same? To believe in Nigeria and as well do everything possible within our powers to develop the north? With all the God’s given resources we have the fertile lands for agriculture, the huge potential in playing dominant role in renewable energy sectors (such as wind power, solar power) and the huge hydroelectric potentials we have yet the north is still lagging behind. Are we waiting for other regions or those from outer space to come down to Nigeria and develop the north for us? We have 19 Northern Governors and only 6 out of 19 are 60 above. Which means the north is being governed by energetic, able bodied and resourceful persons. 

 *My Thinking* ;

Since the north has been balkanised into 3 zones why can’t we consider that we now have Geographical north and Geoeconomic north? 

The Geographical north; Can be termed the places, territories, and networks. The networks are the States that are linked to each other. In each network we have what we called Node, and the node can be termed as the LGA’s, which has a local administration and can perform various tasks including overall action within the network (State).  

Geoeconomic north;

We can also localised the word Geoeconomics, which means the combination of economic and geographic factors relating to economic activity taking place in the Geographical location (the north). 

We now have the Geographical North that consist of 3 Zones North West, North East and North Central and the Geoeconomic North which covers the overall economic interest of all the 3 Zones in the North. This mean we lived in geographical north with 3 zones and each zone will be allowed to develop according to its pace. The North will now be bonded by its common interest in economy and security and right from Independence in 1960’s the north is known for its diversity and that should be the strength of our unity, and our political difference should be the strength to use in negotiating developmental projects with the centre. We all have our political interests, but the north should be bonded by economic and security interests.

Let me digress here a little bit to explain what i meant by politics should be our strength instead of dividing us. INEC registered voters from 1999 till date confirms that northern States have the highest number of registered voters. Northern votes play dominant role in the Presidential elections, even when there is voter apathy, the northern votes play crucial role in determining who wins the Presidential election. From 1999 to date when you follow the trend of elections in this country, you will discover that northern state’s play the role of King makers. We can have our diverse political interests, but we should have one common economic and security Blueprint guiding all the States in the region. Each political group in the region will be guided by that Blueprint when negotiating with their selected Presidential aspirants. With this, the north would be in a better position to use politics as one of its strength to negotiate developmental projects for the region.

Governors in consultation with stakeholders in each zone will form a Committee (with the best brains from the zone) with a directive to think out of the box and develop an economic agenda for the zone. A comprehensive agenda that has a short term and long term workable solutions for each state. With a step by step process to make the state have a conducive environment to boost commercial activities, provide enabling environment for economic growth, ways to develop Infrastructures (e.g. buildings, roads, water and power supplies etc), economic diversification, ways to develop its natural resources as a solution to over-reliance on oil revenues, provision of qualitative education and health care services, ways to revamp agricultural activities to enhance economic development, suggest poverty alleviation programmes etc.

The Governors would now meet to appoint a committee to harmonise the economic agenda developed by the zones into one comprehensive economic Blueprint for the north, and all the states Governors in the region would henceforth religiously impliment the aspects of the Blueprint that concern their states.

A Conference be summoned by the Governors in Kaduna along with stakeholders in the region. The conference should set up a committe of experts (to critically examine the security challenges in the region), and direct them to come up with comprehensive solutions to Banditry, Insurgency, ethnic and religious crisis, farmers-herders crisis, youth restiveness etc. The conference should also workout modalities to organise a Truth and Reconciliation Conference for the north and recommend a Committee to host such conference.