Prof. Ango Abdullahi, former Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, has lamented that Northern Nigeria has lost its values and is in a pathetic situation due to abandonment of principles of founding leaders.
Speaking at the 3rd Late Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina Memorial Conference in Kaduna, Abdullahi emphasized that the North’s current state is a result of losing the values inherited from pioneer leaders. “If we have not lost values we inherited from our parents, from pioneer leaders, North will not be where it is today,” he said.
He urged leaders to emulate Gen. Hassan Katsina, symbol of integrity, accountability, and selfless service. Keynote speaker Dr. Usman Bugaje highlighted decades of economic decline, insecurity, and institutional decay, saying food production is down, hundreds of thousands are displaced, poverty has nearly tripled, and education and healthcare have collapsed.
Bugaje questioned the current state of the North, asking “How much of North still remains? Where are the General Hassans to complain to? Where is leadership?” He faulted elite complacency, calling for urgent action to address the region’s challenges. The conference theme was “From Sacrifice to Strategy: Rekindling Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina’s Vision for a Prosperous Northern Nigeria”.
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