Concerned about crippling challenges confronting the mass of Nigerians, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) yesterday in Abuja resolved to not merely complain but team up with like minds in search of sustainable solutions.
Convener of NEF, the Emeritus Professor Ango Abdullahi called on concerned individuals or groups to team up with the Forum in pursuit of the development and unity of the country and the north in particular.
Prof. Abdullahi disclosed that the Secretariat of NEF had been enhanced with more human resource in order to enable it to handle existential challenges and to collaborate with others in that regard.
Other notable members of the NEF like Dr. Usman Bugaje, Prof Usman Yusuf, Bashir Ibrahim, former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Awwali Kazir, Madam Sara Jubril, amongst others, who also spoke at the event, drew attention to specific challenges confronting the north while also proffering solutions.
Dr. Bugaje and Prof. Yusuf expressed concerns about the nagging issue of out of school children and the challenge posed by current economic difficulties on tertiary educational pursuit and healthcare delivery. Dr. Bugaje observed that close to 60 percent of indigent students in tertiary institutions have dropped off because of high cost of living.
Most importantly, the eminent elders resolved that rather than lamenting and whining it was high time northern elite rolled up their sleeves to take the bull by the horn.
A prominent politician and former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Movement, Alhaji Bashir Ibrahim advocated for solutions rather than lamentations.
He challenged the electorate to be more aware of their rights as citizens who put the politician in power through their votes.
“Enough of the complaints and lamentations,” he cautioned, advising: “NEF as an NGO, should collaborate with others to mobilise our people to ensure that the people they put into power through their votes are those they can hold accountable.”
“We have to convert our demographic disaster into demographic gain by teaching our people skills and giving them access to capital. The north should de-emphasize politics in favour of economy. We have been in power forever, yet poverty in Nigeria remains a northern phenomenon. Fifteen poorest states in Nigeria are in the north,” Alhaji Bashir reminded his colleagues.
Members of the Northern Elders Forum converged on the Yar’adua Centre in Abuja to inaugurate an enlarged Board of Trustees and Management Directorate for the organisation.
The Forum is an amalgamation of accomplished professionals, elder statesmen and eminent persons of northern origin who constitute themselves into a think tank that canvasses for government attention on existential challenges.
Members of the forum were united in their call for accountability for public officials, a review of the nation’s electoral system to address the current anomaly were a president can emerge as winner of an election with less than 30 percent of the total votes cast.
The forum also resolved to pursue the economic empowerment of the masses rather than producing powerful politicians.
