By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
Against the myriad of sociopolitical and economic predicaments that bedevilled the entire Northern region, two political elites have established a non governmental organization, Northern Star Youth Empowerment Initiative.
They are former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa and a human rights advocate, Hajiya Naja’atu Mohammed. Held at Arewa House Kaduna speaking at press conference, the Co-Chairman of NSYE, Hajiya Naja’atu Mohammed said said vision seeks to ignite a transformative era for Northern Nigeria.
She said they gathered to not just announce the launching of an organisation, but to also declare a movement, “the NSYE”, as a rallying call to every young person in Northern region.
Hajiya Mohammed maintained that the movement is not a political movement and will at no point be used for political purposes.
The Co-founder asserted that the current realities in region extends beyond politicisation of security, social, and economic challenges for whatever purpose, hence their role as the elders of the North is to as much as possible give the young people a navigational pathway towards their progress and development of the region as a whole.
“Leadership in any sane society plays a critical role in the education, mentoring, empowerment and engagement of the younger generation to ensure their effervescent energy and intelligence are channeled towards positive habits and results,” she said.
“This is a universal norm and we in North cannot be an exception Our region is today going through difficulties. We are at a crossroad faced with profound challenges,” she emphasized.
Mohammed further said, these challenges require bold and innovative solutions that will require significant contribution and collaboration between our leaders and our youth, she emphasized.
Hajiya Naja’atu Mohammed then spelt out their objectives which are clear to galvanize and harness the mental and physical strength of every single individual across the Northern region for the purpose of achieving a common objective, which is the social and economic development of Northern Nigeria.
She added that on the face of it all, Northern Nigeria’s fast expanding population structure with a preponderant youths base is potentially an economic asset. It presents a leverage and an opportunity for the Northern leadership to put in place a reliable framework for harnessing this abundant potential for growth and sustainable.
The NSYE Co-chairperson further said, its an opportunity for the most populous black nation in the world to become a global economic and political powerhouse, but sadly,64 years after political independence, we seem to have been squandering countless opportunities for greatness, leadership being the most other for all our visible failures.
In his remarks, the former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa said, it’s disheartening that, the Northern region which is the stabilizing factor of corporate Nigeria is at its lowest web in term of all socio economic indices since the fall of the first Republic.
He then said, it’s an offence by the elites political, business, traditional, intellectual and security to sit by and fold their arms while the region goes down the drain, in socioeconomic and political levels, hence their initiatives to galvanized the youths to take a lead in returning the region to it’s past glory.
Bafarawa said, they understood the task is enormous and tedious bit they will do whatever is humanly possible to see the revival of youths in bringing the region to what is right and best for the whole nation.
He lamented on the lackadaisical attitude of many Northern elites whom their attitudes over the years have shown indifference and accumulation of ill-gotten wealth on the detriment of their own people and the region.
The Former Governor then charged the youths to take the initiative with vigour, and all seriousness so that, a torch ignited would light their path for Northern greatness irrespective of religious, ethnic or any personal sentiments.
Highlights of the press conference includes the appointment of the NSYE dream from some Northern states.