By Ahmed Ahmed
The Former Speaker House of Representative Mr Yakubu Dogara has said that the North cannot continue running a therapy session for pyromaniacs and hope that our region will experience prosperity and development.
Dogara made the assertion at August event put together by Zaar Youths Development Association (ZAYODA), Abuja Branch at weekend in Abuja
“We cannot lose the battle against violence and still keep our civilization. Since the State controls the coercive apparatus,
“Our collective demand to Governments at all levels must be to free the North of all forms of violence.
“If we achieve this, we have found the solution to our most urgent problems,” the Former said.
According to him, If we know how important this fight is, we will prevail on the Federal Government and State Governments to deploy all resources accruing to the North in the fight against terror and in rooting out general insecurity from the region.
Dogara reiterated that Instead of States building flyovers in a region witnessing unremitting blood letting, the resources should be channeled to securing the region and where a State cannot achieve much,
“They can form zonal alliances and deploy resources in the fight against terror until victory is won.,” he said
Dogara urged youth leaders across ethnic and religious lines must learn to build networks, “if they must be of any help in our efforts to combat insecurity in the North,”
“We have a model in Zaar land that is working. Talking about the peace committee between the Zaar and the Fulanis in Tafawa Balewa/Bogoro LGAs of Bauchi State which has ensured that for more than a decade now, no crisis has erupted in this area that was a national flash point and a seat of bedlam.
“By networking with others, youth leaders from our community can share the success story of this alliance with their counterparts thereby enabling others to replicate it across communities in the North.
The youth leadership that must contribute in arresting youth restiveness in the North, must be the one that believes that history does not just happen to us, we make history happen.
Leadership that knows that not everything that is faced can be changed but nothing can be changed until it is faced, that injury has pain but recovery also has pain.
“If you have to get healed, you have to endure the pain and that life will never stop to accommodate your comfort, that true greatness means love, humility.
Dogara urged the youth to build networks across peoples of all faiths and be deliberate about working together- Christians and Muslims, women and men, the youths and the old.
“In accommodating and defending the interest of each other until we build the North and Nigeria of our dreams.
“Anyone who tells you that we can remain divided and still build a civilization is either a fool himself or is taking you for a fool as he will have no historical parallel to point to. Let’s go back to how we were brought up so that it may be well with us.