By Abba Anwar
The patriotic posture and genuine commitment to regional development demonstrated by the Deputy Senate President, Distinguished Senator Barau I. Jibrin, CFR, saved the just-concluded One-Day North-West Stakeholders’ Development Summit held at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Conference Centre, Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna.
With the theme “Advancing a Coordinated Regional Development Agenda for North-West Nigeria,” the Summit was jointly organised by the Senate and House Committees on the North-West Development Commission, in collaboration with the North-West Governors’ Forum and the North-West Development Commission (NWDC).
However, the poor representation of political leaders—especially at the state level—was disappointing and undermined the original objective of the Summit. The atmosphere changed significantly with the arrival of the Deputy Senate President, whose presence injected renewed life, enthusiasm, and a sense of direction into the gathering.
To fully appreciate the importance DSP Barau attaches to the region, it is worth noting that he had another major engagement at the same time. He was scheduled to represent the Senate President, His Excellency Godswill Akpabio, at a grand reception organised for the Governor of Taraba State, Agbu Kefas, in Jalingo. Despite this, DSP Barau chose to first attend the Kaduna Summit before proceeding to Jalingo—an unmistakable demonstration of concern, sacrifice, and love for the North-West. Bravo, DSP. Bravo!
The Kaduna Summit was conceived as a high-level platform to foster collaboration among federal and state actors, development partners, and other critical stakeholders. Its goal was to strengthen regional coordination between the National Assembly, state governments, the North-West Development Commission, and relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies for sustainable regional development.
It was evident that the Distinguished Senator has been working tirelessly to create synergy between the National Assembly and the regional Commission, driven by his passion for the growth and development of the North-West.
At the Summit, DSP Barau was the highest-ranking elected official from the zone in attendance. His presence energised participants, including elder statesman Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed, who openly lamented the absence of all seven governors from the North-West.
Without mincing words, it is clear that one reason the Deputy Senate President found it imperative to attend was his deep understanding of the Summit’s objective—promoting integrated and cross-sectoral approaches to addressing the region’s challenges. He firmly believes in encouraging private-sector participation and strengthening partnerships with development organisations to finance and deliver sustainable projects. In today’s Nigeria, this approach is indispensable. Hence, he adjusted his tight schedule to be in Kaduna. This was a clear exhibition of statesmanship and responsible leadership.
His commitment was further reflected in his remarks at the event when he stated:
“The North-West is ready to rise—not in isolation, but in coordinated partnership with the Nigerian federation through the North-West Development Commission (NWDC) and the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
He further noted:
“I approach this gathering not merely as a political leader or a critical stakeholder, but as a constitutional trustee of the Nigerian project. I stand here with a profound sense of responsibility to ensure that our region does not merely participate in national development, but takes its rightful place in shaping the direction of things.”
Many participants believed there might be forces outside the Commission’s structure acting as bottlenecks to its effective take-off, more than a year after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, assented to its establishment. Whether true or not remains unclear, but this perception may explain the absence of key actors from the Commission’s activities, including the Summit.
This concern was addressed when DSP Barau explained:
“The North-West Development Commission was not created as another bureaucratic layer, but as a strategic institution—designed to aggregate our regional priorities, harmonise development efforts, and provide a long-term framework for addressing the structural challenges that have historically constrained our progress.”
The Kaduna State Governor was represented by his Deputy, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe. The Kano State Governor was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Faruk, while the Katsina State Governor was represented by a senior government official.
Observations clearly indicate that Senator Barau Jibrin has a genuine commitment to the Commission. He emphasised this when he said:
“The North-West is home to tens of millions of Nigerians. It is Nigeria’s largest agricultural belt and a major contributor to food security, commerce, and human capital. Yet we face challenges—ranging from insecurity and infrastructure deficits to climate stress, youth unemployment, and uneven access to social services. These challenges do not respect state boundaries; therefore, our solutions must transcend them.”
Unfortunately, the Summit ended abruptly without an official closing ceremony. There was no communiqué, no question-and-answer session, and no presentation of certificates. Many participants and dignitaries were visibly shocked by this unexpected turn of events.
Nonetheless, the presence of the Senate and House Chairmen of the Committees on the North-West Development Commission—Senator Babangida Hussaini and Dr Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi—alongside all three Senators from Kano State, including the Deputy Senate President, provided reassurance to the organisers.
The participation of the Honourable Minister of State for the FCT, Dr Mariya Bunkure, further boosted morale, as did the presence of lead paper presenters and the large turnout of participants from across the region.
The attendance of the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Commission, Lawal Sama’ila Abdullahi, and the Managing Director/CEO, Prof. Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, was expected and fundamental. Equally encouraging was the presence of the Director-General of the North-West Governors’ Forum, Maryam Musa Yahaya, which offered renewed hope to both organisers and participants.
Anwar writes from Kano