Speaking in Kaduna during a press conference to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of General Hassan Katsina, Gwadabe said the North had become synonymous with poverty, insecurity, illiteracy and administrative decay

By Titilope Adako

A former Military Governor of Niger State, Colonel Lawan Gwadabe (retd.), has blamed poor leadership, corruption and illiteracy for what he described as the “existential backwardness” of Northern Nigeria.

Speaking in Kaduna during a press conference to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of General Hassan Katsina, Gwadabe said the North had become synonymous with poverty, insecurity, illiteracy and administrative decay.

“Northern Nigeria today is practically under dire straits. We have become the poorest of the poor, with the highest number of out-of-school children. Our educational enrolment is abysmally low. It’s scandalous,” he lamented.

Gwadabe, who chairs the Board of Trustees of the New Vision Development Initiative (NEVDI), said the group was created to revive the leadership ideals of Northern statesmen, particularly General Hassan Katsina, whom he described as “a humane, patriotic and visionary leader.”

He said NEVDI’s aim was to promote peaceful coexistence and good governance by inspiring a new generation of leaders to emulate Katsina’s selfless service.

Gwadabe recounted Katsina’s contributions to Nigeria, including his role in calming tensions after the 1966 coup, his humane conduct during the Civil War, and his efforts in fostering post-war reconciliation with the “No Victor, No Vanquished” policy alongside General Yakubu Gowon.

The retired officer also revealed that Katsina had long advocated for reforming the Almajiri system, which he described as a major obstacle to Northern development.

He welcomed the establishment of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education by President Bola Tinubu’s administration but warned against underfunding and poor implementation.

He criticised current Northern political leaders for sidelining experienced elder statesmen and technocrats, stressing that the North’s decline was worsened by a lack of consultation and visionary leadership.

“Today, the North is the butt of jokes. We are derided because of our laid-back attitude and lack of coordinated development strategy. The South has overtaken us in education, enterprise and innovation. It’s time to retrace our steps,” he said.

Quoting the late Chinua Achebe, Gwadabe said Nigeria’s problem was “simply and squarely a failure of leadership,” urging both leaders and followers in the North to take responsibility for reversing the region’s decline.

He called for renewed commitment to the selfless, people-focused governance style of past leaders, warning that continued neglect would further ridicule and marginalise the region.

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