By
Kabiru Danladi Lawanti
There is something about us, mutanen Arewa. Whenever power shift south, we start lamentations, accusing the leader, who is from the south, of nepotism or initiating policies that are deliberately aimed at destroying our region.
We bought into this idea, we write them repeatedly. From 1999-2007, from 2010-2015 and now 2023-date. We always write this giving reference to our voting power.
Recently, I read an article like that comparing our voting power and support for Tinubu with other regions of the country. For how long can we continue these lamentations? When are we going to stop the lamentations and start acting?
We need to shift the discourse from an overemphasis on population-driven electoral power to a more strategic focus on economic productivity and revenue generation. The viability and strength of Arewa are not necessarily determined by the sheer size of our population, but by how effectively that population is harnessed for economic growth, innovation, and wealth creation.
Arewa’s fixation on political dominance through demographic advantage has often overshadowed the more critical question that we need to be asking ourselves.
How do we convert our vast human and natural resources into sustainable development outcomes?
While concerns about the inequities of political appointments and perceived nepotism under the current administration of Tinubu are valid, persistent lamentation over political spoils can become counterproductive if not accompanied by proactive strategies for economic transformation.
What happened to Arewa after all these years of political power? Or what becomes of the K states after every election season? What happened to Jigawa or Bauchi? Is it enough to just have a Badaru or Tuggar as compensation for the over 5m we gave the President?
What is required is a change of strategy. A deliberate and coordinated effort to leverage our expansive landmass and youthful population to drive industrialization, technological innovation, and inclusive economic growth. Our Governors need to be wiser. Have you ever checked the sum of the FAAC Allocation coming to our states and local governments? What are we doing with these monies?
In this regard, lessons abound from the developmental trajectories of nations like China and India, both of which have demonstrated how demographic advantage can be transformed into competitive advantage through disciplined policy, strategic investments in education and infrastructure, and a clear vision for economic self-reliance.
The path to power lies not merely in numbers – voting power, but in what those numbers produce after elections.
For me, I have learnt my lessons. What we need is not political power at the centre, but what we do with the power at the centre and what our Governors are doing with the huge resources coming to them from Abuja.
The agitation for removing Tinubu in 2027 can be compared to the agitations of removing the military in 1999 or Jonathan in 2015. They are driven by elite interests, not necessarily for situations we found ourselves in Arewa.
