The North is at a critical stage of survival – Shehu of Borno

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The North is at a critical stage of survival – Shehu of Borno
 By; Abdull-Azeez Ahmed Kadir, Kaduna.
The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi has said the Northern part of Nigeria is at a critical stage of survival and development in the face of daunting, myriad challenges confronting the region.
El-Kanemi made this assertion weekend in Kaduna in his remark at the panel discussion to mark the 50th commemoration anniversary of the assassination Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier of the defunct Northern Region.
The Shehu said challenges such as insecurity, poverty, youth unemployment, decline in agricultural production, dormant industries, corruption among other numerous social vice is a great cog in the wheel of progress, development and growth of Northern Nigeria.
He charged political, religious leaders and other stakeholders to “wake up and pursue the vision of our founding fathers to save the North from the present challenges”.
“We Must, as a people eschew our ethnic, political and religious differences and stand united to fight these challenges, otherwise posterity will not forgive us” he added.
The royal father paid a glowing tribute to the late Premier whom he described as “a founding father of present day Nigeria”.
He stressed that “the Sardauna, inspite of his popularity and political support base then, decided to remain in the North instead of accepting the post of National Prime Minister”.
He asserted that the greatest legacy of the late sage was the modernization and unification of the diverse people of Northern Nigeria and his beliefs were firmly rooted in unity, religious tolerance and indeed peaceful and harmonious co-existence among northerners and Nigeria as an entity, “he was a nationalist and visionary leader.”
El-Kanemi said the Sardauna believed that education was the most important single item that the North must pursue to bring about rapid development and compete favourably with its southern counterpart in national affairs.
“He was responsible for massive infrastructural development which led to the establishment of various institutions of learning across the North” he stressed.

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