Northern Monarchs Warn FG over Hardship and Insecurity in the North

Monarchs from the Northern Traditional Council, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar have sternly warned the Federal Government that Nigeria, particularly the North, is sitting on a keg of gunpowder due to escalating insecurity, hardship, and unemployment.

The Sultan, addressing the 6th executive Northern Traditional Council committee meeting, emphasized that traditional leaders can no longer pacify the masses, and urged immediate action to address the socio-economic challenges.

As temperatures rise, not only in the climate but also in the nation’s unrest, the Sultan expressed concerns over agitated and hungry citizens. He emphasized the critical need to find jobs for idle youth. The Northern Traditional Council advocated for collaboration with Governors to bring peace and stability to the states.

West Africa Weekly recalls that Sultan Abubakar, in a previous statement a few days ago, blamed the current difficulties in Nigeria on a perceived deviation from the worship of God. He told Nigerians to return to God through prayers as a solution to the country’s difficulties.

Speaking at the Area House, Kaduna today, the Sultan seemed to have come face on with the jarring reality of Nigerians.

“It is getting to a level that traditional leaders could no longer pacify the people from revolting against the government and political leaders that are supposed to find solutions to their lingering socio-economic plight,” he said.

“And let’s not take it for granted; people are quiet, they are quiet for a reason because people have been talking to them.; we have been talking to them, we have been trying to tell them things will be okay and they keep on believing. I pray to Almighty Allah that they will not one day wake up and say we no longer believe in you. Because that would be the biggest problem because we can’t quieten these people as traditional, spiritual leaders and diplomats forever.”

“We have reached that level, people are very agitated, people are hungry, they are angry, but they still believe there are people who can talk to them, they believe in some of their Governors, some other traditional rulers, and some of their religious leaders, fortunately, some of us double as traditional and religious leaders.”

“So, we have this onerous task of reaching out to everybody, calm them down, and assure them things will be okay, and they should continue to pray and pray and still do something good because prayer without work will not bring anything.”

“To make matters worse, we are faced with the rising level of poverty of most of our people; they lack normal sources of livelihood by the common man to have even a good meal a day.”

In a related development on the same day, Northern youths symbolically burned the Nigerian flag to protest economic hardships, and soaring food prices.

The video shared on X, captured the frustration of the youths, who lamented that northerners are resorting to feeding on leaves due to unaffordable prices of basic commodities. The youths drew attention to the economic crisis and criticized government spending on nonessential matters.

The Sultan of Sokoto, on his end, addressed the rising challenges of insecurity and poverty in Nigeria, particularly in the Northern region. Expressing concern, he emphasized that merely acknowledging these issues is insufficient and called for proactive measures. Sultan Abubakar stressed the need to identify the root causes of poverty and insecurity, emphasizing that it’s not solely the result of a new government but a deeper systemic problem.

He underscored the responsibility of traditional leaders to find solutions, particularly in providing jobs for the unemployed youth, as the nation is on the brink of trouble. While acknowledging faith in divine intervention, he urged political leaders to take tangible actions.

The Sultan highlighted the role of traditional leaders as advisers and expressed a willingness to collaborate with Governors for peace and stability. The gathering aimed at addressing issues. The Sultan also emphasized the importance of honesty in discussions, aiming for concrete suggestions to create a better North and Nigeria.

The call to action is clear – Nigeria stands at a critical juncture!

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Confidence Ubani

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