The Northern Star Youth Empowerment Initiative (NSYEI) has announced plans to mobilise 50 million Nigerians as part of efforts to address the challenges facing the northern region.
The Director General of the initiative, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, disclosed this during a high-level meeting in Kaduna aimed at rallying support across the northern states.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Idris highlighted the pressing issues facing the North, including poverty, insecurity, and underdevelopment, stating that the region has fallen behind in all indices of progress.
“We are the poverty capital of the world. Our region is plagued by multidimensional poverty, out-of-school children, deteriorating infrastructure, and insecurity. You can hardly travel from one state to another without fear. Kidnappings and killings have become commonplace, with entire communities being wiped out. Yet, there is no strong voice advocating for us,” he said.
On empowering the youth for leadership, he noted that young people in the North were in a “sorry state.”
“The movement aims to prepare the youth for leadership roles while providing them with the necessary guidance, skills, and opportunities to drive change.
“This movement was birthed by well-meaning individuals like former Sokoto state Governor Attahiru Bafarawa and Hajiya Najaatu Muhammad, who felt it was time to give back to the public. Our focus is to unite the North, empower our youth, and provide solutions to our region’s challenges.”
On political affiliations, the NSYEI clarified that it was not aligned with any political party and does not intend to evolve into one.
“Our members are free to join any political party of their choice, but as a movement, we are not political. Our strength lies in the common northerner, and we aim to mobilise grassroots support.
“Our goal is to galvanise 50 million registered and active Nigerians who can work for the North. With such a number, no politician can disregard us.”
He called on northerners to join the movement, stressing that collective action was needed to salvage the region.
“The North has a lot of problems that require urgent attention. No one is coming to save us, so we must act now to rescue ourselves and secure a better future.”
