In an Interview with The Sun, the leader of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, weighed in on recent agitations for secession in Nigeria, particularly the arrest of individuals seeking to establish a Yoruba Nation in Ibadan.
Charanchi attributed these challenges to a broader leadership crisis plaguing the nation. He lamented the absence of leaders driven by patriotism, moral principles, and a commitment to national unity.
Charanchi emphasized the need for leaders who prioritize public welfare over personal gain and are willing to transparently address issues affecting the nation. He criticized the prevalent culture of political self-interest, which, he argued, neglects the well-being of citizens and undermines the Nigerian project.
According to Charanchi, the lack of visionary leadership has fueled various regional and ethnic agitations across the country.
He stated, “Today, in the north, there are agitations. Some are saying we are Middle Belters and not northerners. The cause of these crises is the leadership. God richly blessed Nigeria, but our major challenge is leadership; we don’t have leaders in this country, we only have politicians.
“A politician only thinks of how to secure the next election; he never cares about his people, he never cares about the future of the country. Leaders think of how to secure the future of the country, and how to activate patriotism in the minds of the younger ones. We don’t have leaders, which is the reason nothing is working in this country.
“When we had leaders, there was this forecast that the three countries that would compete in next generation were Nigeria, Brazil and India. Look at it today, India and Brazil have gone very far, but Nigeria is still where it was when the projection was made.”