Joy Habila, Kaduna
Former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), has called on Northern leaders to reclaim the region’s core values of humility, unity and selfless service to address rising insecurity and socio-economic challenges.
Babangida made the call in a message delivered by Col. Lawal Gwadabe at the 2nd Hassan Katsina Memorial Conference.
He said the North must renew its sense of purpose as it confronts mounting security and development challenges.
According to him, the legacy of the late Gen. Hassan Katsina should “rekindle our nostalgia for the development of Arewa” and “galvanise our current leaders for action, to reverse the challenges militating against the overall socio-economic development of Northern Nigeria.”
Babangida commended the organisers of the conference for highlighting the sacrifices of past leaders, particularly at a time the country was grappling with numerous development challenges.
He described the late Katsina as a towering moral figure, noting that he embodied humility, justice, compassion and sincerity.
“As Chief of Army Staff, he was dignified and commanding, shaping the careers of many officers who still uphold his values today,” Babangida said.
He added that the impact of Katsina’s mentorship remained a lasting legacy cherished by those who knew him.
Babangida said Katsina’s compassion for the poor and his commitment to educational reform were still relevant, especially his advocacy for the transformation of the Almajiri system.
According to him, the late general devoted his post-military life to speaking for the less privileged and promoting access to education, so that Almajiri children could benefit from modern Quranic education alongside secular learning.
Despite coming from a royal lineage, Babangida said Katsina lived a life of deep modesty and humility.
“He was born great, yet his disposition throughout life was humble, disciplined and marked by serenity,” he said.
Babangida prayed for Allah to grant the late general eternal rest in Aljannah Firdausi.
He also highlighted Katsina’s advocacy for economic empowerment in the North, particularly his encouragement of farming as an ancestral heritage and a pathway to prosperity.
Babangida described the late general as an honest and comprehensive statesman, adding that time had vindicated his values and principles.
He stressed that reclaiming such ideals was critical for overcoming the North’s current challenges.
Earlier, Prof. Abubakar Siddique Mohammed, Executive Director of the Centre for Democratic Development Research and Training, warned that Nigeria was facing a convergence of socio-economic and security challenges threatening national stability and long-term development.
He stressed that the constitution was clear that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”
Mohammed described the late Katsina as a detribalised and honest leader who believed strongly in Nigeria’s unity.
In their separate remarks, elder statesmen Prof. Ango Abdullahi and Gen. I.B.M. Haruna (rtd.) urged Nigerian leaders to remember the sacrifices made by the late general in the struggle to keep Nigeria and the Northern Region united.
