Nationwide Chairman of Arewa Youth Consultative Council, Zaid Ayuba, speaks to MUHAMMED LAWAL on the financial hardship going through Nigeria, debate on the necessity to restructure the nation, amongst different points
What Are these the achievements of the Arewa Youth Advisory Council up to now?
One of many elementary issues we’ve got achieved since our inception in 2012 within the Northern a part of Nigeria is that we had been capable of create an attitudinal orientation for the Northern youths within the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory. We created consciousness for the youth; We’ve campaigned to make it clear to younger those who quite a bit is anticipated of them. We’ve additionally achieved achievements within the area of human improvement the place we’ve got skilled 124,000 youth within the Northern States in numerous areas of talent acquisition reminiscent of welding, barracking, tailoring, plumbing and different issues associated to constructing human capabilities.
Many individuals consider that former President Muhammadu Buhari bequeathed a nasty financial system to President Bola Tinubu. That is believed to be the explanation Nigerians are going through the present financial downturn. Do you suppose the previous president is the origin of those financial challenges?
This can be a political difficulty and we’re not a political group. Nevertheless, all of the democratic leaders in Nigeria from (Olusegun) Obasanjo, (Umaru) Yar'Adua, (Goodluck) Jonathan, (Muhammadu) Buhari to (Bola) Tinubu are all answerable for Nigeria's financial issues however since 2015 until date , Among the financial insurance policies of the previous and this present administration are blunders. It’s because, as a youth chief representing the youths within the nineteen northern states, a few of these financial insurance policies, particularly in the course of the tenure of President Buhari and the present administration, are the explanation behind the escalation of insecurity.
Should you take a look at it not solely from an financial angle but additionally from a social, non secular and political angle, you’ll understand that closing borders with out offering different alternative routes for the citizenry will create a number of issues and enhance struggling. Individuals who complain that President Buhari laid the muse for this struggling have each motive to take action. A number of billion-dollar loans had been collected throughout his tenure, however in the end went unaccounted for. Many insurance policies reminiscent of Godwin Emefiele's redesign of the naira and the closure of borders have created loopholes within the nation's financial system.
Many individuals consider that there isn’t a non secular tolerance within the North. How do you reply to this?
That is simply media hypothesis. Nobody can say that there’s non secular intolerance in Northern Nigeria. It’s only a social disturbance that happens sometimes as a consequence of political elements. The complexity and multi-dimensional nature of Northern Nigeria influences this. Nevertheless, there may be relative peace in northern Nigeria. There have been intermittent issues in some components of Plateau, Benue and Kaduna states. It’s not true that Muslims kill Christians, or that Christians kill Muslims. What’s true is that politicians are creating pointless causes to interrupt the relative peace we’ve got in Northern Nigeria as a result of they wish to obtain their political positive factors. For instance, in a state like Kaduna, you possibly can see that insecurity and non secular disaster have fully stopped. There may be political insincerity to brush away these crises. If the political, non secular and conventional leaders and stakeholders in Plateau and Benue states come collectively to agree on ending these challenges by the top of 2024, these points will likely be consigned to historical past.
Some have stated that tribal assaults and ethnic chauvinism have occurred for the reason that 2023 presidential election. There may be additionally hypothesis that northerners can’t vote for an Igbo presidential candidate. This might have been evident within the final presidential elections. What do you say to this?
Should you comply with the antecedent of Nigerian political historical past, you’ll understand that within the First Republic, the northern a part of Nigeria was an ally of the southeast. It was the Igbo who step by step drifted away from the political character of Nigeria. Politics is a wedding; you possibly can't afford to marry somebody who doesn't have the identical ideology as you. The Igbo can produce a president in Nigeria; nobody ever stated this couldn't be finished. What we’re saying is that nobody can turn into President of Nigeria with out the help of one of many three zones. If the Igbo wish to produce a president, they must present their willingness to turn into Nigerians, present patriotism and put apart their agitations. We should all stay Nigerians as a result of we consider that there’s a particular power in our unity. Northern Nigerians see the Southwest extra as a progressive ally that may work with them to comprehend nationwide aspirations. We’ve nothing in opposition to them.
Do you help the agitation for restructuring that the North Central (Center Belt) and different components of Nigeria have been calling for?
We consider that geographically and politically there may be nothing as lovely because the Center Belt; it’s North Central, which is etymologically a part of the North. What exists is the northern a part of Nigeria. These are some political components that argue in favor of a sure system. Restructuring is an excellent idea. Earlier than a Nigerian may name for this, sure issues have to be in place. Nevertheless, this have to be finished with all the mandatory political will to enhance the lives of their peoples. United Nigeria and restructuring are good issues for Nigerians if sure issues are finished.
Is the federal authorities dealing appropriately with insecurity and financial challenges?
I feel the federal authorities is doing its greatest. The query of whether or not they reply as they need to; No, they don’t seem to be. For any upstanding nation on the planet, one of many elementary issues they do is to realize a protected society. In a rustic the place multi-dimensional inflation prevails, one can’t even clarify the velocity at which costs are rising – rice, trade charges and a bunch of others. They fight, however they don't do it the way in which they need to.
Within the identify of what financial coverage are the borders closed? What financial coverage justifies that? Our safety system might present weapons, but when individuals are ravenous and per capita earnings shouldn’t be really rising, then the federal government is losing its time. In the event that they take one step ahead, they take three again. For the safety of Nigeria, there may be presupposed to be efficient coordination between sure ministries of the federal government.
What is going to you say concerning the continued devaluation of the naira?
Should you inform those who $1 is the same as N1,000, they won’t consider you. Right this moment, don't be shocked that the greenback may attain N2,000 by the top of February. This is likely one of the insensitivities of the federal government. How will you permit businesses just like the Worldwide Financial Fund and others to find out something? To me and others within the North, they seem like enemies of growing international locations like Nigeria. How will the Nigerian financial system make sure that the greenback decides the naira? They need to return to the formulation of former presidents Yar'Adua and Jonathan on how they bought it proper. It’s a disgrace that the currencies that was value lower than the naira are actually extra highly effective than the naira.
Do you see this (worldwide our bodies dictating insurance policies that Nigeria ought to embrace) as a type of colonialism in opposition to the nation?
Right this moment, the state of Nigeria is past colonialism; we’re going via crucial imperialism. The one factor this nation has left is to deliver again the century-old type of slavery in order that we are able to tie ropes round our necks and drag ourselves to Europe. You’ll suppose that international locations like the USA and Nice Britain usually are not completely satisfied about it; they’re. We’re rising their financial system whereas killing ours. However this time we’re lucky that we’ve got some governors who usually are not too outdated and who individuals believed would develop the home financial system as a result of they confirmed tenacity and willingness. It’s so painful that we’ve got many alternatives to enhance the nation with out making the most of these alternatives.
What’s your view on the relocation by the Federal Authorities of some departments of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria and the Central Financial institution of Nigeria to Lagos State? Do you suppose it’s a plan to maneuver authorities businesses from the North to the South?
Nobody within the North anticipated President Bola Tinubu to approve such makes an attempt. The Minister of Aviation and the Governor of CBN have given their causes, tagging price financial savings. What sort of cutback prices are these? Earlier than the Sixties, Northern Nigeria was the middle of all types of authorities. So, how are you going to justify shifting FAAN and the primary models of the CBN to Lagos State? Why has the President not ordered the relocation of the Nigeria Nationwide Petroleum Company again to the Niger Delta and all Ministries of Agriculture again to Benue and Niger States as the biggest agricultural meals producers in Nigeria or the Nigerian Institute of Commerce again to Onitsha or Kano? That is purely political. There may be nothing administrative related to the strikes.
We’re conscious of the South West improvement agenda, which is a part of the agenda to make the South West probably the most developed area in Africa and possibly on the planet. We can’t develop by crippling different components of Nigeria; we should not do something that can paralyze the survival of Nigeria. All of us within the North are indignant with the President's determination, and if the President continues to maneuver these essential sectors, I inform you that 2027 is close to, and nobody will take it evenly. Our conventional leaders, girls and youth are conscious that this can be a political step, not an administrative step.
The All Progressives Congress has accused the opposition of sponsoring protests in opposition to starvation and financial disaster. Do you suppose the current protests in Niger, Kano and another states had been sponsored?
Every part is feasible in Niger. Individuals could be sponsored as a result of they’re hungry and there may be poverty within the nation. Nevertheless, I don't wish to consider they’re sponsored. Individuals themselves are beginning to really feel the impression of a few of these insurance policies affecting them. It’s inconceivable for individuals to endure insufferable circumstances with out complaining and voicing their grievances. We’re residents of this nation and we’re represented by our mandate. Nigerians are drained and really feel they need to communicate up as a result of nobody can clarify the quantity of people that have died because of the elimination of gasoline subsidies.
Right this moment, many individuals in Nigeria are poor. Those that personal a automotive are discovering it troublesome to gasoline it as a result of enhance in gasoline costs. Our non secular leaders usually are not saying sufficient, and political leaders are of their consolation zones and never doing sufficient. All of them act like all the pieces goes properly. Even the standard rulers are scared as a result of they don’t wish to come out and communicate out in order that they won’t be deposed by these political leaders. The youth leaders representing numerous youth organizations are hypocritical sufficient to stay silent as a result of they concern homicide, kidnapping or political silence. It’s clear that Nigerians are getting drained and it’s excessive time that the Federal Authorities resolves and addresses these points with out political preconditions.
