Repeated studies have shown that northern Nigeria is retrogressing alarmingly. Insecurity from the activities of Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen, and bandits have decimated many of the relevance of northern Nigeria to the whole of Nigeria. Years ago, during my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) duties in Lassa, Borno State, the planting season usually transformed the town into a ghost town, because families relocated to their farms. They only came back in the evening after tilling the soil diligently. Harvest came months later with sales to middlemen on market days who transport the products elsewhere for higher margins. This is the circle in many northern communities that have been disrupted. This disruption has increased the level of poverty in these communities and states. Before the worsened case of insecurity, northern Nigeria was also far behind in other key indexes like healthcare and education. Yet, the governors of the northern states are more interested in tackling youths and social media, than they are in tackling the menace that continues to destroy every variable that makes their states and communities peaceful and prosperous. Many of the governors would be unable to travel to their hometowns without a mini battalion. Even with this, Boko Haram has launched 2 daring attacks on the governor of Borno State that could have been fatal. Some of the outcomes of the continued insecurity in northern Nigeria are still unfolding, but the governors are bent on guarding their political tuff and remaining loyal to the grossly incompetent Buhari.

Reno Omokri’s recent tweet succinctly encapsulates the ongoing tragedy in Northern Nigeria –

Northern Governors went to Aso Rock to attack social media. As they were attacking social media, Boko Haram was attacking the Northeast. Bandits were attacking the Northwest. Herdsmen were attacking North-central. And extreme poverty was attacking the North as a whole! #EndSARS

The middle belt has been a reoccurring weak link in making Nigeria get to where we ought to be. The Fulani oligarchy has already conquered and brainwashed Hausas into a one-sided marriage where the Hausas are perpetually given crumbs. The middle belt which is arguably the land and cultural glue keeping Nigeria one has suffered more from the onslaught of Fulani herdsmen, bandits, and bad governance. Yet the very visible trio of Simon Lalong, Abdullahi Sule, and Yahaya Bello of Plateau, Nasarawa, and Kogi States respectively are unconcerned. The bloodletting and land grab that has been happening from Kaduna through Nassarawa, Plateau, and Benue states are not enough to wake up these governors to the reality that Nigeria is dying and that we either restructure or die. This is the message and the current reality in Nigeria that those who benefit from the status quo are not ready to acknowledge. The likes of Lalong and Bello would do everything to cover their path that is filled with all sorts of misappropriation.

The United Arab Emirates and other Islamic gulf states are presently building their economies around tourism which has made Dubai one of the most visited cities in the world. Jos and the middle belt generally could easily be one of the most visited locations in Africa. Its climatic condition and amazing topography and scenery hold great tourism potentials. But the land grabbers who want to extend and install an Emirate in Plateau State will not allow this. And governors like Lalong lacks the intelligence and courage to do the needful. He and other middle belt governors except for Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State continue to sell their people for a pot of porridge. The mineral-rich Nasarawa State that ordinarily should have benefited from her mineral richness and proximity to Abuja, languishes in the same poverty and servitude common to the most agriculturally strategic states in the nation. The aging Gowon who has seen it all and should know what to do, still think only about prayers as the redeeming strategy for Nigeria. The middle belt and Nigeria need more than prayers to take us to the promised land. We need courageous and incorruptible leaders who will keep their campaign promises. We need state governors who would use their undeserved federal allocations judiciously. And we need youths who will continue fighting this corrupt government via all the constitutional means at our arsenal.

Ata Ukuta, Editor – www.towncryyers.com