The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Prof Suleiman Elias Bogoro, said only education, good governance and justice will cure poverty and insecurity in Northern Nigeria.
Prof. Bogoro disclosed this during a public lecture titled “Linguistic Problems of National Integration: Plural Loyalties in a Modernizing State” by Prof. Andrew Haruna, Vice-Chancellor, Federal University Gashua, held at the Multi-purpose Hall, University of Jos, Plateau State.
Bogoro said: “We should reflect over this country, the former CBN Governor said Northern Nigeria is the headquarters of poverty, but guess what, if our tribes cannot unite us, poverty ironically will unite us because across Northern Nigeria, we have the largest number of people that are poor.
Noting that “If we have committed people who are educated and willing to do what is right, they will change the fortunes of families, Local Government Areas and Nigeria as a country” Prof. Bogoro explained that good governances and justice is also a remedy to the prevailing security challenges and poverty in the North and admonished leaders to live above tribal and religious sentiment.
The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Gashua, Prof. Haruna who delivered the public lecture admonished Nigerians to stop relating to individuals in the country based on ethnicity and religion. He also enjoined the citizenry to crave and support credible leaders that will better the fortunes of the country.
Prof. Haruna frowned at the manner in which ethnic groups with close similarities, who have lived together for decades, and religious groups wake up one day and start killing and destroying places of worship.
He advocated the need for people from divergent ethnic groups in the country to embrace each other for the purpose of peace, unity and development.