Former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxemburg and the European Union, Professor Alaba Ogunsanwo yesterday declared that sustained economic buoyancy and stability in the northern part of the country will guarantee safety.

Delivering a public lecture commemorating the 76th Birthday anniversary of Chief Adebayo Akande, Founder of Splash FM Private Radio in Ibadan, Oyo State on Wednesday, he tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to re-dedicate himself to tackling the problem of insurgency in the country headlong to achieve the goal.

In the anti-corruption lecture entitled: “Slaying of the Supreme Commander:  A Sine Qua Non for Nigeria’s Development and Progress?”, Ogunsanwo reeled out the multi various problems confronting the country and submitted that the issues before the government were crucial and not only fighting corruption but re-building the nation as a whole.

While noting that if the north is sick, Nigeria as a whole is sick, he urged President Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, summon a retreat that would in the first place include him and the governors of the northern states where they will take a fundamental look at the north and its peculiar problems.

 “If Buhari’s four years term is to come to an end with him leaving the north as he met it, his tenure will be regarded as a failure, no matter how much noise is made about having succeeded in curbing corruption in the country.”

 “It is our position that without a sustained economic buoyancy and stability in the North, Nigeria cannot be safe.  Very early in Buhari’s administration, this major problem will have to be confronted head on,” he declared. 

According to him, the President needs to be given a copy of the Ibrahim Zakari’s committee report for proper necessary digestion with basic questions being raised. 

“Why are we not seeing factories being built across the north by investors internal to the north, domestic to Nigeria and foreign to outsiders?

“Nigerians on the oil block list can obviously afford to build factories that will generate the much needed employment for the millions of youths.  We can see Aliko Dangote’s factories involving hundreds of millions of dollars in several African countries. 

Why is he and others like him not being encouraged to invest in the core north?  What are the factors inhibiting investments and establishments in the northern part of Nigeria compared to what we have seen in the south?  Since the restoration of civilian rule in 1999 all the state governors and chairmen of local government areas all over the north have been northerners who cannot be said to hate the north. 

“What have they in conjunction with the traditional rulers been doing in relation to the problems raised by Tahir Yussuff?  Why have they not created the conducive environment and vibrant economic activities in the area,” he queried.

He added that many more questions need to be raised but the discussion must be seen as one concerning the whole of Nigeria as one country.