It is common knowledge to most Nigerians that politics in the country of over 200 million is more about protecting self-interest than it is about public service.

The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) has taken this up a notch to make everything about their own individual interests, and in extremely rare cases they throw in a token regard for the plight of the people they govern.

Barely four weeks ago, in the heat of the #EndSARS protests, the group took time off their ‘duties’ to converge in Kaduna along with Northern traditional rulers in a meeting after which a communique was issued.

“The meeting took note of the devastating effect of the uncontrolled social media in spreading fake news. Therefore, calls for major control mechanism and censorship of the social media practice in Nigeria,“ it read in part.

As if it was an afterthought, the communique went on, all the way towards the end, to call for collective effort in addressing the lingering challenges of the North e.g. Almajiri system, insecurity, illiteracy, poverty, etc.

The whole country had waited with bated breath when the news came out that the Northern leaders had gone into a high-stake meeting, not because of a track record that promised something tangible would come out of it but because the region has been facing myriads of security challenges all of which seem to have peaked this year. Barely ten days prior to that closed-door meeting, bandits had killed 20 in the village of Kwanar Ruga in Zamfara State. 

The less than 200km stretch of road linking Kaduna State to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is mostly avoided by those who can afford alternative transport means via air or train, the reason? An endless spate of kidnappings. The 11-year-old menace of Boko Haram remains undefeated, daily enlarging instead the number of internally displaced persons in the North. The United Nations Human Rights Commission puts the number of internally displaced persons in the North-West zone to date at over 2.7 million.

These alone should have prompted a stronger demand for better governance from the Federal Government. And when you consider the startling poverty rate in the North compared to its Southern neighbours. The World Bank reports that the North accounts for 87% of Nigeria’s over 80 million poor. The numbers are easily felt on a short stroll in any of the major towns in the North, be it Kano, Kaduna, or Nassarawa – one will expect as many Nigerians did that the group will come out very strong demands for Major General Buhari (Rtd) to sit up and fix up.

The NSGF disappointed then, albeit without surprise, and it seems they are set to disappoint again in the wake of the massacre of at least 43 farmers in the village of Zabarmari, Borno State.

Widespread outrage followed the release of that communique, and in the wake of the recent assault on innocent civilians by terrorists the Government has failed to contain, many are asking, where is the Northern States Governors Forum?

The NSGF released a statement through is chairman, Governor Simon Lalong that read so generic it could be used for a hundred other unrelated tragedies. As if to say the very act of composing a fitting statement is too difficult a task for the good Governor and NSGF.

For a group of people who enjoy largesse for less than bare minimum work, it is not asking too much to expect more at least some show of actual action, if empathy is too tasking to show. But who will tell them?

We should also ask why do we even need a Northern States Governors Forum?

Ado Aminu

Ado Aminu writes to expand human stories. When not reading, writing or arguing about how the patriarchy has and continues to ruin everything, you’ll find him daydreaming about his next cup of coffee. You can follow him on Twitter @PettyMuse.