Questions: Why is it that the North seems to show a non-challant attitude toward the science and technology aspect of western education? Why is the lack of interest and devil-may-care attitude toward that valuable sector? Or is it that the North is ignorantly underestimating the importance of science and technology in this postmodern age? Should the North sit on the fence and watch by other communities to gain the knowledge of science and technology and progress while it perishes in ignorance?

G.H. Wells, a British historian, in his book, Outline of History, wrote “human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe, if we continue to leave vast sections of the people of the world outside the orbit of science and technology, we make the world not only less just, but also less secure”.

Unfortunately for the North, as far as the knowledge of modern science and technology is concerned, certainly we are less secured, if I may be allowed to borrow the words of G.H. Wells. A summary look at the North’s performance in that field, reveals a scene heavily infested with scandalous and as well a disappointing account.

Stories that could make worms to turn to protest. To start with, with the exception of Katsina State, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) classify all the remaining eighteen (18) states of the North as Educationally Less Developed States (ELDS), which is the sole body for the conduct of Matriculation Examinations for entry into all degree awarding institutions in Nigeria. No doubt the classification by JAMB reflects the level and quality of western education in the Northern region as compared to the South, which has only four (4) out of its seventeen (17) states listed as ELDS.

The implication of being an ELDS means the state has below the standard quality of education and that therefore their indigenes are grossly deficient in their level and quality of education hence need to be placed in advantageous positions before they could compete with their counterparts which are mostly from the Southern part of the country.

As a matter of policy our southern neighbours seem to have attached more value and priority to the studies of the sciences. To this end, they have concentrated their interest and energy in reading subjects such as integrated science, introductory technology, mathematics, physics, chemistry, health science and other relevant subjects which are basic for the studies of professional disciplines such as Medicine and Surgery (MBBS), Nuclear Physics, Molecular Biology, Meteorology, Atomic Physics, Industrial Chemistry and the likes. Moreover, not only do they give priority to the studies of modern sciences – which regions of the world compete for but also seem to have resolved to invest a huge amount of their resources in realizing their dream for scientific and technological advancement. Thus, a larger share of their annual fiscal budget is dedicated to the s cience and technology sector. These monies are used the procurement of modern teaching and learning facilities and in the employment of qualified recruits into their teaching staff for optimum result.

Regrettably, unlike the enthusiasm, energy and resolve of our neighbours towards the ensuring the attainment of excellence in that sector, which is considered necessary for any nation to be relevant in the scheme of things in the present world, the North, as far as science and technology is concerned, is a failed project. Or how else could you describe a situation where of the four (4) universities of science and technology the country has, the North has none. Or out of the many private universities approved for the North, not a single one is built. This is a big shame on the face of the North. This is an outright demonstration of the extreme level of ignorance the North has over western education.

Another shocking indicator of the extent to which the North is trailing far behind the southern region in terms of western education is demonstrated by the sheer inability of applicants from the region to secure admissions into the highly competitive universities in the south such as UNN, Unilag and few others. Whereas these universities screen for admission, applicants who have scored 200 and above in the UME examinations, hardly could an applicant from the North scores such high marks and therefore are not considered for admission. Painful though it is, however this is a testimony of the inferior quality of western education up in the North.

Moreover, the damning list of indicators of the gap that exists between the Northern and the Southern regions seems unending. The more you look, the more facts bare themselves. This time around, the searchlight is on the number of universities and other degree awarding institutions the two regions have. Out of the total number of forty-nine (49) universities in the country, only a negligible fourteen (14) are found in the North whilst the lion share of thirty-five (35) are scattered in the smaller South. And of the total number of sixteen (16) degree awarding polytechnics and colleges of education in the country, only six (6) are found in the giant North whilst the tiny South has a larger ten (10) in its kitty. What a glaring statistics of shame to the North.

A further breakdown of the forty-nine (49) universities leaves the North shame-drenched and helpless. Of the (49) universities in the country, fifteen (15) are state owned of which only (5) are owned by various state governments of the North. Of the twenty-four (24) federal universities only eleven (11) are found in the North whilst the South has the largest share of thirteen (13). Moreover, out of the four (4) state universities of science and technology, the North is nowhere to boast of even one.

This takes me to the issue of clubs and associations in the North such as Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Arewa Youth Movement (AYM) and their likes, who have always preached insensible and unnecessary gospels. Ideally, these groups are supposed to uphold the aspirations of the North and work toward the advancement of the region, instead all that they seem to be preoccupied with are unnecessary war of words between and among themselves for undue influence and personal aggrandizement of members. Slogans such as ONE NORTH, POWER SHIFT TO THE NORTH, NORTH MUST RULE, NORTH IS HOME, FOR THE SAKE OF THE NORTH, WE ARE NORTH, WE ARE NIGERIA and some other unprintable words are the mantra of these fraudsters. If I may ask the simplest question of all, for all the years that these groups have been operating, if at all they are, of what significant importance has a ny of them been to the Northern people, I believe the answer would most definitely be a scandalous NOTHING!

I believe these are cabals of greed and shameless pot-bellied criminals, who have mastered the art of deceit, treachery and sabotage in their evil tendencies and are actively conniving with irresponsible governments in their exploitation of the poor helpless, people of the North, under the pretext of being the custodians of the North and its people. It is plain for every well meaning and sensible person to see that these wicked and criminal minds are only paying a lip-service to the North’s course whilst actually feeding fat on filthy lucre which their dastardly acts have fetched them and their families. They forever would remain cursed Amen.

Where are the Babangida, the Chanchangis, the Dantatas, the Mandaras, and the Dangotes of the North? This group of individuals deserves a marathon of talking-to, for their apparent failure to contribute to the western education sector in the North. These are wealthy and influential persons who by the virtue of being from the region, have achieved a lot in one way or the other and now high time they saw it a duty to pay back. These are people who the North has suffered or sacrificed a lot for, directly or indirectly. It is a social responsibility upon them to do it for the North after all others have done it to their various regions.

The Igbinedions and the Rochas have done it and are proudly walking shoulders high not only in the South but also in the entire country because what they did is an act born out of courage and care for their people.

The Igbinedions and the Rochas have done it to their people and are therefore proudly walking with their shoulders high and not only did they do that in the South but also in the North. Indeed, it is a slap in the face for our Babangidas, Dantatas and Dangotes when Rochas beat his heart and built a classic school in Kano which he went on to fund its activities so that the children of the poor are taught free of charge. This is no doubt a challenge to the so-called Northern elites to wake up from their slumber and help their own people.

It is high time the North rose up to the challenges of western education especially that of science and technology which some sections of this country consider as under dogs and incapable of achieving any meaningful result from that field. We should put our heads together and build a virile and strong North capably exploring the modern craze of science and technology in both theory and practice and apply the same in bringing back the lost glories of the region and its people.

It was Wilfred Grentell who one said “If we face our task with the resolution to solve them, who shall say that anything is impossible?”

Habeeb Baba-Bukar

Depart. of Mass Comm.

University of Maiduguri,

Nigeria,