By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

A group,the Northern Star Youth Empowerment Initiative (NSYEI), has alleged that young people in the North were in a sorry state, and unveiled modalities on how to mentor the youth to aspire for leadership positions in Nigeria.

The group said it would mobilize 50 million Nigerians to address the challenges facing the northern region.

Director General of the initiative, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, told journalists in Kaduna after a meeting with youth groups, women and other professionals, that the movement was aimed at preparing the youth for leadership roles,providing them with the necessary guidance, skills, and opportunities to drive change.

He sought for support across the northern states,and assured that the movement was set to ensure continuity, even as it’s apolitical.

Dr. Idris lamented over the poverty, insecurity, and underdevelopment,bedevilling the region,alleging that the North had 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 common place, with entire communities being wiped out. Yet, there is no strong voice advocating for us,” he alleged.

He said young people in the North were in a sorry state,reason why the movement was set 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,” he said.

He said they were not aligned with any political party and do not intend to evolve into one as their 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 mobilize grassroots support,” he said.

According to him, they had plans to establish structures across northern states and collaborate with like-minded groups to create a united front for tackling regional issues.

“Our goal is to galvanize 50 million registered and active Nigerians who can work for the North. With such a number, no politician can disregard us,” he added.

“We have set up committees on education, health, security, and the economy to tackle the region’s problems systematically. We plan to introduce innovative programmes to economically empower youths and ensure equitable access to opportunities in public service.”

“Why do northerners find it so difficult to secure jobs in public service without paying bribe? We will fight such injustices and ensure our people get what is rightfully theirs,” he assured.

He said Northerners should join the movement,as collective action is 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.”

Earlier at the meeting, dignitaries and other attendees, spoke on why the North should be rescued, echoing the numerous challenges the region and the people had continued to grapple with.