Elder statesman and former Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Prof. Ango Abdullahi, has lamented what he described as the decline of values and quality leadership in Northern Nigeria, arguing that the region’s current challenges are rooted in the abandonment of the ideals upheld by its founding leaders.
Abdullahi made the remarks on Saturday at the third edition of the Late Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina Memorial Conference held at Arewa House in Kaduna. The conference was themed, “From Sacrifice to Strategy: Rekindling Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina’s Vision for a Prosperous Northern Nigeria.”
According to him, the North has drifted away from the principles passed down by its forebears, insisting that the region’s stagnation is the result of moral and leadership failure rather than a lack of physical development.
“The North has lost its values. If we had remained true to the principles inherited from our parents and pioneer leaders, the region would not be in its current state,” he said.
Abdullahi noted that although many Northern cities have experienced physical growth, the virtues of discipline, honesty, sacrifice and selfless leadership that once defined the region have steadily eroded.
He maintained that the North’s challenges go beyond infrastructure, stressing that the real problem lies in the loss of the values that once guided its people.
The former university administrator urged leaders across the region to emulate the late Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina, whom he described as a model of integrity, accountability and dedicated public service.
He expressed confidence that a return to those ideals could help transform the fortunes of Northern Nigeria.
In his keynote address, Dr. Usman Bugaje said the region has endured decades of economic decline, worsening insecurity and institutional decay because it has moved away from the leadership principles exemplified by figures such as Gen. Hassan Katsina.
Bugaje highlighted falling agricultural production, widespread displacement caused by insecurity, a shrinking economy, rising poverty, and the deterioration of education and healthcare as evidence of the region’s decline.
He also said persistent insecurity has continued to disrupt farming, business activities and social life across Northern Nigeria.
Questioning the quality of leadership in the region, Bugaje challenged the political elite to provide direction and practical solutions instead of merely lamenting the North’s problems.
He criticized what he described as the complacency of some members of the Northern elite, arguing that many have become comfortable complaining about the region’s condition without taking meaningful action.
Recalling an encounter with the late Gen. Hassan Katsina, Bugaje narrated how the former military governor encouraged him to continue writing articles critical of Western imperialism despite complaints from the then United States ambassador.
According to him, Katsina’s response reflected the courage and conviction of leaders of his generation, who encouraged principled actions they believed were in the public interest.
Bugaje described leaders of Hassan Katsina’s era as individuals who combined modern education with values such as discipline, modesty, justice, respect for due process and commitment to community service.
He urged today’s leaders to embrace those principles in addressing the North’s growing social, economic and security challenges.
The annual memorial conference was organised to celebrate the legacy of the late Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina while promoting discussions on leadership, governance and the future of Northern Nigeria.
