By Mathew Amos, Kaduna
Northern leaders and stakeholders have resolved to take decisive steps to address the Almajiri crisis and other challenges threatening the development and future of the region.
The resolution was contained in the communiqué issued at the end of the third Late General Hassan Usman Katsina Memorial Conference, organised by the New Vision Development Initiative (NEVDI) at Arewa House, Kaduna.
The conference, themed, “From Sacrifice to Strategy: Rekindling General Hassan Usman’s Katsina Vision for Prosperous Northern Nigeria,” brought together political, traditional and religious leaders, academics and other stakeholders to deliberate on the region’s challenges.
Former Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Alwali Kazir, chaired the conference, while President Bola Tinubu was represented by Alhaji Ibrahim Masari. Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, presented a special report, while Dr Usman Bugaje of the Arewa Research Development Project delivered the lead paper.
The stakeholders said the North could no longer afford to remain at the stage of identifying its problems without taking concrete steps to solve them.
They listed insecurity, displacement of farmers, the Almajiri system and the growing population of out-of-school children among the most pressing challenges confronting the region.
Particular concern was expressed over what the conference described as the erosion of values, with participants lamenting that wealth was increasingly being prioritised over knowledge and integrity in determining social and political leadership.
The conference also condemned the growing influence of corrupt individuals and sycophants, who, it said, were sometimes accorded greater recognition than citizens known for their integrity and commitment to society.
It further criticised excessive spending on weddings, naming ceremonies and other social celebrations, arguing that resources devoted to such activities could be redirected towards poverty reduction, education and community development.
The stakeholders also called for greater attention to girl-child education, stressing that girls must be given adequate education and skills to enable them become economically productive and support themselves and their families.
Corruption across various sectors, including among some religious leaders, was also condemned. The participants said the trend had contributed to the erosion of traditional values such as truth, dignity, respect, sacrifice, fairness, punctuality and dedication to duty.
The conference equally raised concerns about the absence of reliable demographic data in the region, noting that inadequate information on births, deaths, marriages and migration was undermining effective development planning.
It also blamed persistent disagreements among political, traditional and religious leaders for weakening the North and frustrating efforts towards collective development.
“The North must have unity of purpose for development of the region,” the communiqué stated, stressing that meaningful progress would remain difficult without cooperation among the region’s leaders.
The stakeholders further criticised what they described as endless political campaigns and rhetoric, urging leaders to move beyond speeches and translate the ideals associated with the late General Hassan Usman Katsina into practical development programmes.
On insecurity, the conference called for a review of strategies adopted since 2009, arguing that existing approaches had failed to deliver the desired results.
The Almajiri crisis, however, emerged as a major focus of the conference, with participants describing it as a serious threat to the region’s human capital, security, economic competitiveness and social cohesion.
NEVDI resolved to develop a model aimed at taking Almajiri children off the streets and providing them with meaningful education, skills and opportunities for productive lives.
The initiative will seek to mobilise influential philanthropists and other willing individuals across the Northern states to support the programme. The organisation also plans to develop a common implementation framework, while a committee of trustees will be established to provide oversight.
The conference stressed that the success of the initiative must go beyond simply moving children from the streets into classrooms.
It said every child, regardless of gender, location, disability, economic circumstances or educational background, should have access to meaningful learning, relevant skills and competencies that would prepare them for productive citizenship.
The communiqué warned that the Almajiri crisis could not be resolved through conferences, media discussions, isolated interventions or short-term projects.
It therefore called for sustained collaboration among governments, development partners, civil society organisations, communities, philanthropists, individuals and the private sector.
NEVDI pledged to convert the conference resolutions into what it described as “practical, testable and scalable solutions” capable of producing lasting impact across the region.
The communiqué was signed on behalf of the organisation’s Board of Trustees by retired Colonel Lawan Gwadabe.
