June 3, 2026
“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday’s logic,” Peter F. Drucker
The reactions generated by my recent article, “Northern Nigeria and an APC Second Term: Negotiation or Surrender?”, have been illuminating, thoughtful, and in many respects sobering. Among the responses received was a particularly frank intervention from a respected Northern brother and compatriot from Plateau State whose observations deserve deeper reflection, not because they were necessarily comfortable, but because they touched upon several truths that the region must now confront with honesty and courage.
For too long, much of the political discourse in Northern Nigeria has focused almost exclusively on the question of access to federal power. The dominant assumption appeared to be that once the North retained influence at the centre, development and stability would somehow follow naturally. Experience, however, has shown that political presence alone is not a substitute for strategic development. The North today occupies an uncomfortable paradox: it has often remained politically visible at the federal level, yet socially and economically vulnerable at the grassroots. This contradiction should compel introspection.
