By Abdullahi Inuwa
An agricultural industrialist, Reginald Ekeanyanwu, has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to open borders around communities in Northern Nigeria, saying the move would fail to tackle the underlying problems fuelling insecurity in the region.
Ekeanyanwu argued that Northern Nigeria’s biggest strength lies in its vast agricultural potential, which he said successive leaders have failed to fully harness.
He maintained that rather than focusing primarily on border openings, governments should invest heavily in agriculture, agro-processing, rural infrastructure and job creation to address poverty and unemployment that continue to undermine security in the region.
According to him, the North is predominantly an agricultural region and could become one of Nigeria’s strongest economic engines if its farming potential is properly developed.
“Northern Nigeria is mostly about farming. They’re having this level of insecurity because our leaders have not focused on the strength of what the North represents in the unity of Nigeria.”
Ekeanyanwu said the region possesses enormous agricultural wealth capable of transforming the livelihoods of millions of people and repositioning the North as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economic growth.
He further argued that the North could potentially be wealthier than the southern part of the country if agriculture is returned to the centre of its economic development.
“The North is richer than the southern part of Nigeria if we go back to agriculture,” he said.
The industrialist’s position adds a fresh dimension to the ongoing debate over the worsening insecurity in Northern Nigeria, shifting attention from border policies to the economic opportunities that could be created through agriculture.
He stressed that unlocking the agricultural value chain could provide jobs, strengthen local economies and give young people alternatives to criminal activities, while also helping communities become more economically resilient.
For Ekeanyanwu, the lasting solution to insecurity in the North lies not simply in opening or closing borders, but in turning the region’s vast farmlands into engines of prosperity.
Source:@ARISEtv
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