VP Osinbajo tells northern leaders, you destroyed the north

Vice  president Professor Yemi Osinbajo.  has lambasted the present crop of northern leaders for being responsible for the backwardness of the region as they have abandoned diligence and selfless service and resorted to personal aggrandizement.

Speaking yesterday at the opening ceremony of Northern Reawakening Forum (NRF) summit in Abuja, Professor Osinbajo regretted that the northern elite had jettisoned the foundation laid by the founding fathers in favour of personal wealth. Held under the theme Building a Safe, Secure and Economically Inclusive Northern Nigeria, the summit addressed the socio-economic challenges currently facing northern Nigeria.
While southern Nigeria is enjoying unprecedented economic growth, the north is suffering from stagnation, insurgency, a refugee crisis and chronic under-development. Nigeria currently has the highest number of children out of school in the world, due to limited enrolment across northern Nigeria.
Professor Osinbajo said: “Our history reminds us of the visionary leaders in Nigeria, who fired our imagination through their vision, diligence and selfless service. They did not live or fight to enrich themselves, they did not leave vast personal estates behind but their names and legacies live in the hearts of the people.
“Sir Ahmadu Bello the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Mallam Aminu Kano, Joseph Tarka and countless others clearly understood the varied issues afflicting the region. They thought through them, laid the plans and worked selflessly to realise them.”

He explained that in the 19 northern states of Nigeria, the human development indices are by far poorer than the rest of the country. According to Professor Osinbajo, the Northern Nigerian Economic Summit of 2012 was the first forum to draw attention to some of the depressing statistics about the condition in the north.