Northerners Chasing Money For Political Relevance – Justice Akanbi

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Former President of the Court of Appeal, Honourable Justice Mustapha Akanbi yesterday averred that one reason among several others that has kept the northern region backw
ard and drifting from what it used to be is that “some northerners are now chasing money about in order to make them politically relevant in the polity.”
He also lamented that in today’s Nigeria, leaders prefer to be hero worshipped and venerated by sycophants, stressing that it was not so during the late Sarduana’s time, adding, “around him were men of honour and integrity and not greedy and corrupt persons who prefer to serve selfish ends.”
The legal icon in a paper he presented at the 56th anniversary of the attainment of self-government of Northern Nigeria organised by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in Kaduna, noted that, “until the North is able to produce the likes of Sir Ahmadu Bello and Mallam Aminu Kano in leadership positions and give their all to the supreme well-being of the common man,the under privileged of the society and the suffering masses, it may be difficult to capture the pristine glories of the past which made every Northerner to be proud of his heritage.”
Akanbi who also spoke on the theme of the lecture ‘the North and the Nigeria Federation: Past, Present and future’ noted that without unity, there cannot be any progress or any positive achievement and appealed to all to work together for the good of all.
“Let me say that when I surveyed the horizon and examined the past and present, I feel it is not too late for us to come together in the service of God and humanity. The North cannot and should not contemplate breaking away from Nigeria. There is so much that binds us together, all we need do is to ensure that we are not left behind in the scheme of things.”

Speaking on the political situation in the country and the North in particular, he said the new crop of leaders unlike the Sardauna, Awolowo, Azikiwe and even Aminu Kano are self centred, avaricious, nepotic and generally placed self-interest above national interest.

“The result is that today, we have reached a stage in our nation that tribalism, ethnicity, religious bigotry, and corruption have become the hand maiden or tools of trade of political leaders when canvassing to be elected into political offices.”

He therefore reminded the gathering that, “Africa looks up to us for leadership, a strong Nigeria of which the North is a formidable plank remains the hope and pride of the black race. Therefore, let us be up and doing, so that in the final analysis, we may be counted among those who made Nigeria nay Africa great.”