By Abba Anwar

The patriotic commitment for his role in national cohesion, integration and overall national development, Deputy Senate President, His Excellency (Dr) Barau I Jibrin, CFR, is practically recognized along the breadth and length of the country. Such recognition is spotted across ethnic groups, different geographical locations and status.

As The Sun Newspaper believes, after some diligent scrutiny and due process, finds the Senator worthy of the Sun’s Humanitarian Service Icon Award. Respected media professionals of global repute, like the former Governor of Ogun state, an elder statesman, Chief Olusegun Osoba, corroborated with the Sun’s decision for the Award, in favour of DSP.

It took the newspaper months beaming its searchlight on all categories of patriotic and disciplined Nigerians, on who the cap fits, in accordance with their set standards and impartial acknowledgement of high standard. Purposely on Nigerian project.

Which covers many areas of human endeavor. Including humanitarian interventions, commitment to education, promotion of peaceful Nigeria, bridge building role across all sections of the country and faith in national development.

The correct choice of His Excellency, Jibrin, after rigorous and scientific process speaks volumes of his commitment in making Nigeria great again. No wonder he is listed among the best elected leaders in Nigeria, who are frontliners in spearheading President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda Initiative.

Chief Osoba, presented the Award to the DSP, on behalf of the founder of the newspaper, Chief Orji Uzo Kalu. During the presentation, Osoba hailed that, “This is my son, in whom I am very, very pleased to present this Award on behalf of the Sun’s founder, Chairman and management. He is making us proud. I’m proud of him.”

The event took place at the Expo Convention Centre, Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Osoba’s complimentary remarks on Senator Jibrin, explains greater reflection of the Senator’s role in national politics, unwavering commitment to nation building, uninterrupted faith in the Nigerian project and high sense of patriotism, among many others.

To further encourage others and boost their morale, to take a leaf from him, His Excellency, Jibrin acknowledges that, “Sun’s Newspapers selected me for the Award in recognition of my tireless efforts to promote human dignity and community development nationwide.”

He takes the Award as a challenge to further his good work in the country. He believes that, “I’m delighted. And let me say that this Award is a way to propel me to do more in my humanitarian activities for people in need. The award is a propeller to propel me to do more.”

Many of those who made remarks at the occasion, believe that, DSP Jibrin is a bridge builder, philanthropist par excellence, a hard working legislator, who promotes synergy and good working relationship, between National Assembly and the Executive arm of government and one of the few political messiah we have in the country.

It has already been established since the return of democracy, in 1999, that the Deputy Senate President, is identified as one of the pillars of democracy in the country. While he is busy with his legislative responsibilities, that does not divert his attention from discharging his primary responsibility, for his constituency and other parts of the political entity.

With people like DSP on the ground, whose grip on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is firm, back home in his constituency, Kano North Senatorial District, Kano state, and the North West region, including the North as a whole, President Tinubu could be on solid footing.

Anwar writes from Kano
Sunday, 1st February, 2026

By Abba Anwar

The patriotic posture and genuine love for regional development from the side of the Deputy Senate President, Distinguished Senator Barau I Jibrin, CFR, saved face for the just concluded and One-Day North West Stakeholders’ Development Summit, that took place at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Conference Centre, Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna.

With the theme “Advancing A Coordinated Regional Development Agenda For North-West Nigeria.” To see the visible hands of the DSP in a more glaring way, the Summit was organized by the Senate and House Committees’ on North-West Development Commission, in good collaboration with North-West Governors’ Forum and North-West Development Commission.

The shabby representation of political leaders, especially at the state levels, was too defeating and undermining of the original objective of the Summit. But when the Deputy Senate President, arrived, the Summit was injected with life and survival strategy.

To understand how important, is the region in the sight of the DSP, he had an occasion to attend, as a representative of the Senate President, His Excellency Godswill Akpabio, almost the same time with that of the Summit’s.

He was billed to represent Akpabio at a grand event to receive the Governor of Taraba state, Agbu Kefas, in Jalingo, the state capital. But DSP ATTENDED THE SUMMIT IN KADUNA, BEFORE PROCEEDING TO JALINGO. That was a show of concern and love for the region. Bravo DSP! Bravo!!

The Kaduna Summit, was meant to create corridor for a high level platform for working hand in hand among federal, states actors, development partners and other meaningful stakeholders. To also strengthen regional coordination between the National Assembly, state governments, North West Development Commission and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies across the region, for meaningful regional development.

One can see how Distinguished Senator is running helter-skelter to create synergy between the National Assembly and the regional Commission. Out of the zeal to see to the growth and development of the region.

At the Summit, DSP was the highest elected official from the zone, who attended and injected enthusiasm to all who were at the hall. Including an elder statesman, Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed, who complained bitterly about the absence of all the seven governors from the zone, North West.

Without fear of mincing words, I can add that, part of the reasons why the Deputy Senate President found it specifically important to bless the occasion, was his clear understanding of the Summit’s object that, there is a need to promote integrated and cross sectoral approaches to address key challenges facing the region.

While at the same time, believing that, the idea of encouraging private sector participation and supporting development partners engagement in financing and delivering sustainable development projects, is key in today’s Nigeria, he squeezed his schedules to be in Kaduna, no matter what. This is an excellent exhibition of statesmanship and responsible leadership.

Distinguished Senator’s zeal and commitment is partly acknowledged in his remarks at the event, when he said, “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞— 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 North West Development Commission (𝐍𝐖𝐃𝐂), 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚.”

One can understand how keen is the DSP concerning the Summit, hence his show of interest and commitment. He said, “I approach this gathering not merely as a political leader or a critical stakeholder, but as a constitutional trustee of the Nigerian project. I stand here with a profound sense of responsibility to ensure that our region does not merely participate in national development, but takes its rightful place in shaping the direction of things.”

Many people at the event believed that, there could be some forces outside the composition of the Commission, that become bottlenecks for the proper and immediate take-off of the Commission, more than a year after the consent of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Whether true or false, I can’t say. Hence, the none participation of big hands and faces in the Commission’s activities. Including today’s Summit.

That thinking, could be the reason why he further explained that, “It was from this understanding (of regional integration and development) that the idea of the North West Development Commission was conceived. The Commission was not created as another bureaucratic layer, but as a strategic institution—designed to aggregate our regional priorities, harmonize development efforts, and provide a long-term framework for addressing the structural challenges that have historically constrained our progress.”

The Kaduna state Governor was ably represented by his Deputy, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe. Kano State Governor was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Faruk and Katsina State Governor was also represented by a senior government official.

Observations indicate that, His Excellency Jibrin, has genuine commitment for the Commission. He mentioned part of the reasons why he is so much attached to the Commission. When he said, in his remarks, “As we are aware, the North West is home to tens of millions of Nigerians. It is Nigeria’s largest agricultural belt, a major contributor to food security, commerce, and human capital. Yet we are also confronted by complex challenges—ranging from insecurity and infrastructure deficits to climate stress, youth unemployment, and uneven access to social services. These challenges do not respect state boundaries; therefore, our solutions must transcend them.”

To the chagrin of many, the Summit folded up without any official closure. No Communique no questions and answers sessions. Certificates were not presented to participants and all the highly placed officials were seen in total and absolute shock. While observing a near turn-of-events.

But the appearance of the National Assembly, Senate and House Chairmen Committees on North West Development Commission, Senator Babangida Hussaini and Dr Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi respectively, as well as all the three Senators from Kano state, DSP inclusive, injected some courage to the organisers.

Honourable Minister of State, FCT, Dr Mariya Bunkure’s participation was also another source of courage to the organizers. Not to talk of all the lead paper presenters, who were all around. Not to talk of the very large turn out of participants from all walks of life from the region.

I do not include the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Commission and the Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer, Lawal Sama’ila Abdullahi and Prof Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, because their presence is basic and necessary. So they were there live and direct. The presence of the Director General of North West Governors’ Forum, Maryam Musa Yahaya, was another source of hope to the organisers and innocent participants.

Anwar writes from Kano
Saturday, 31st January, 2026

Northern Nigeria’s leadership crisis is not the absence of leaders, but the absence of structured continuity. From independence in 1960, the North understood leadership as stewardship. Under Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto), and other Northern leaders such as Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Hassan Usman Katsina, Sir Kashim Ibrahim, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, Joseph Tarka and Aminu Kano, governance was anchored on moral authority, regional cohesion, education, and economic productivity. Institutions like the Northern Nigeria Development Corporation (NNDC), Ahmadu Bello University (1962), and regional marketing boards were deliberate tools for sustainability, not personal gain.

The NNDC, funded largely by proceeds from cotton, groundnuts, hides and skins exports, financed industrial estates, textile mills (Kaduna Textiles, Arewa Textiles), and scholarship schemes. Graduates were absorbed into public service, and employment guarantees, official cars, and housing schemes were not populist gestures but outcomes of a planned regional economy. These systems began to weaken after the 1966 coup, and by the collapse of the First Republic, the North lost its ideological anchor.

Military rule (1966–1979) centralized power, dismantled regional economic autonomy, and replaced mentorship with command loyalty. The abolition of marketing boards in the late 1980s under Structural Adjustment further destroyed Northern productive capacity. What followed was survival politics leaders focused on federal allocations rather than regional development.

The North miscalculated profoundly with Muhammadu Buhari. From 2003 to 2015, Northern elites rallied behind him as a symbol of integrity and discipline. He was projected as the solution, but not as the builder of systems. When he finally won in 2015, no clear succession plan or leadership school emerged. Buhari’s personal moral standing did not translate into institutional reform, mentorship pipelines, or a future-facing Northern agenda. The North lived in the moment, not the future.

Yet, Northern Nigeria still possesses experienced leaders who, if united around vision rather than ambition, could arrest the decline; To mention a few:
1. Atiku Abubakar – unmatched private-sector exposure, national networks, and understanding of fiscal federalism and economic restructuring.
2. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso – proven record in education, human capital investment, and institutional continuity.

3. . Sen. Jonah David Jang (rtd.) – he symbolizes minority participation in both military and democratic leadership, particularly in navigating identity, faith, and regional diversity.
4. Kashim Shettima – crisis governance experience from Borno, exposure to insurgency management and national economic coordination.
5. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd.) – A former Chief of Army Staff and Defence Minister, Danjuma represents moral courage and principled leadership, later channeling his influence into philanthropy, national stability, and institutional support through the TY Danjuma Foundation.
6. Nasir El-Rufai – infrastructure reform, urban governance, and policy articulation.
7. Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara – His leadership symbolized inclusion, constitutionalism, and the political relevance of Northern minorities in national decision-making. As Speaker, he emphasized legislative independence, rule of law, and national unity across faith and ethnic lines.
8. Aminu Tambuwal – legislative depth, constitutional knowledge, and executive experience.
9. Ahmad Lawan – legislative continuity and federal budgeting experience.
10. Bukola Saraki – institutional reform, health sector interventions, and bridge-building across regions.
11. Aliyu Wamakko – grassroots mobilization and state-level governance.
12. Babagana Zulum – security-informed leadership and humanitarian governance.

The tragedy is that these leaders operate in silos, not as a collective Northern brain trust. Most times leadership without ideology, even competence fragments.

Today, Northern Nigeria bears the brunt of capital project neglect, decaying rail and road networks, underfunded schools, overstretched security architecture, and disproportionate poverty indices despite producing the bulk of Nigeria’s political leadership. Federal allocations meant for education, security, and infrastructure have been mismanaged by Northern elites who themselves benefited from free education, scholarships, and social justice structures of the old North.

What went wrong? The destruction of production-based economics. The North abandoned agriculture value chains, textile manufacturing, and vocational education for rent-seeking politics. Mentorship collapsed. Elders stopped acting as moral guardians. Young people were mobilized as political foot soldiers, not future leaders.

More dangerously, the North has failed to interrogate the worst case scenarios. If Nigeria fractures under economic pressure, insecurity, or ethnic fragmentation, what becomes of a region plagued by poverty, porous borders, arms proliferation, and food insecurity? Survival thinking demands preparation for the worst, not blind faith in the status quo.

To rebuild, a credible Northern agenda must incorporate:
• Human capital development (education, skills, research)
• Security sector reform and local intelligence structures
• Regional economic revival (agro-processing, solid minerals)
• Leadership mentorship and succession institutions
• Moral reorientation and civic responsibility
• Intergenerational leadership pipelines

Unity is not optional it is existential. 2027 is not about ambition; it is about survival. For elites, it is the final chance to correct history. For the poor, it is a fight for dignity. For the youth, it is a moment of becoming. Titles must fall. Ego must retreat. The North must sit at the table as equals, not as lords.

History shows what the North built. The present shows what neglect destroyed. The future will judge whether this generation had the courage to rebuild or allowed the house to collapse completely.