From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
Elder statesman and Convener of the Northern Elders Forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi, has lamented that Northern Nigeria has lost its core values and leadership direction, warning that the region must revisit the principles of its founding leaders to recover from its current decline.
Speaking at the 3rd Late Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina Memorial Conference held at Arewa House, Kaduna, with the theme “From Sacrifice to Strategy: Rekindling Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina’s Vision for a Prosperous Northern Nigeria,” Prof. Abdullahi said the region’s problems originate from moral and leadership failings, not from a lack of physical development.
“The North has lost its values. You may not want to hear this, but that is the case today. If we have not lost the values we inherited from our parents, from our pioneer leaders, the North will not be where it is today,” he said.
According to him, although cities across the North have grown physically, the virtues of discipline, honesty, sacrifice, and selfless leadership that once defined the region have gradually faded.
“The North is in a pathetic situation. For me, that is the only reason why the North has stagnated. Don’t worry about the buildings you see. The fundamental issue concerning where the North finds itself today is the loss of our values,” he stated.
He urged Northern leaders to learn from the life of the late Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina, whom he described as a symbol of integrity, accountability, and service to society.
“If we can return to those values, especially by remembering those who inherited and practiced them, there is no doubt in my mind that the North would be different today,” Abdullahi added.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Usman Bugaje painted a bleak picture of the region, saying decades of economic decline, insecurity, and institutional collapse have followed the North’s departure from the leadership ideals of men like Gen. Katsina.
“The troubles of the North are many and varied. Food production is declining daily, hundreds of thousands are being displaced from their homes, the economy is shrinking, poverty has nearly tripled, education and healthcare have collapsed, and our human capital has been depleted,” he said.
Bugaje pointed out that insecurity has crippled agriculture, commerce, and social life across the region, and questioned the current leadership’s direction.
“It is indeed time to ask how much of the North remains. Where are the General Hassans to complain to? Where exactly is the leadership? Where is the direction?” he asked.
He criticized what he called the complacency among sections of the Northern elite, saying many prefer to complain without offering solutions.
“It has become the pastime of the elite to sit in the comfort of their homes and say that the North is in trouble. These comments only reveal the complacency or even the complicity of the northern elite,” he said.
Recalling a personal encounter with Gen. Katsina, Bugaje said the late leader encouraged critical thinking and stood for justice.
“The American ambassador came all the way to Kaduna to complain about an article I wrote. General Hassan read it himself and called me. Instead of asking me to stop, he told me to write more. That was the kind of leader they were,” he recalled.
He said leaders of Katsina’s generation combined modern education with deeply rooted Northern values of contentment, community service, respect for rules, and a vision for a prosperous North where “every Northerner becomes his brother’s keeper.”
President Tinubu used the occasion to reaffirm his Commitment and highlight key projects his administration has embarked on in the North
In a goodwill message delivered by his Special Assistant on Political Matters, Alhaji Ibrahim Masari, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described Gen. Katsina as a patriot who embodies humility, courage, discipline, and love for Nigeria.
“General Hassan Usman Katsina served our nation with distinction. As Military Governor of the defunct Northern Region and later as Chief of Army Staff during the Civil War, he demonstrated uncommon courage, patriotism, and vision,” the President said.
President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting the legacies of past heroes and assured that insecurity, particularly in Northern Nigeria, “will soon be behind us.” He then outlined major initiatives his government is undertaking in the region.
On Education, the President said over one million students have benefited from the *Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND*. He noted that tertiary institutions have been removed from IPPIS to ensure autonomy, and that TETFund has commissioned facilities in Nasarawa, Kaduna, Jigawa, and Bauchi States.
He added that new federal universities have been established in Kaduna, Ekiti, Ogun, Rivers, and Katsina, and that the *College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna, has been upgraded and named after Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina.
On Road Infrastructure, Tinubu said the administration is reconstructing the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway, the commercial backbone of Northern Nigeria. He also cited the ongoing Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, over 1,200km long, with about 800km passing through Northern states, as well as the Sokoto-Zamfara-Kaduna Road and the 434 km Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe Road.
On Power and Energy, the President announced that the government is constructing the Kaduna Power Station, implementing the 40-megawatt Kumbotso High Voltage Project, and upgrading the 215-megawatt Kaduna Power Plant to stimulate industries in Kakuri.
He also highlighted the 1,350-megawatt Gwagwalada Independent Power Plant, solar mini-grids in rural areas, and over 1,500 solar-powered streetlights across Northern Nigeria.
On Rail Transportation, he stated that progress is being made on the Kaduna-Kano Rail Line and the Kano-Maradi Rail Project. Funding has also been secured for the Kaduna Light Rail and Kano Light Rail.
Simultaneously, the Abuja Metro Rail is undergoing rehabilitation, and the Abuja-Kaduna train service is being modernized.
On Agriculture and Social Development, the President noted that his administration has achieved significant milestones in food security, youth empowerment, and social welfare, which he described as the foundation of a new Nigeria.
“These are not mere policy pronouncements. They are the foundation of a new Nigeria and a clear indication that Northern Nigeria—and indeed the entire country—will become a place of pride, opportunity, and prosperity for all,” Tinubu stated.
The annual memorial conference was organized to honor the legacy of the late Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina and to foster discussions on leadership, governance, and the future of Northern Nigeria.
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