Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and billionaire Aliko Dangote sent shockwaves through the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) 25th anniversary dinner in Kaduna, warning that the North is at a crossroads. “If ever there was a moment for the North to come together, that time is now,” Atiku Abubakar emphasized, urging leaders to reset priorities and rebuild unity.

Atiku recalled the vision of Sir Ahmadu Bello, citing his 1961 priorities – education, agriculture, and industrial growth – as a blueprint for the region’s revival. He praised past ACF leaders but stressed that nostalgia must give way to action. The former VP highlighted initiatives like the Northern Education Project and the Northern Development Project, which aimed to boost enrolment and agricultural productivity.

However, he lamented that obstacles like energy poverty and multiple taxation still plague northern industries. “The North cannot afford complacency,” Atiku warned, citing the risks of insecurity, poverty, and educational decline. He urged leaders to emulate countries like India and China, which have achieved economic transformation despite diversity.

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, linked the North’s slow growth and rising insecurity to policy inconsistency and electricity shortages. “Without electricity, you cannot have growth, no matter how hard you try,” he stated, recalling how his group relies on public electricity only in South Africa and Ethiopia. Dangote urged leaders to commit to a long-term economic roadmap anchored on education, industry, and agriculture.

“The crises confronting the region will consume everyone, whether guilty or not,” Dangote cautioned, stressing that urgent action is needed. Both leaders emphasized that the ACF’s silver jubilee should serve as a wake-up call for the North to act and avoid a costly decline.