ACF CRISIS: A Reflection and Call for Northern Unity By Sani Kukasheka Usman
The unfolding leadership crisis within the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is both unfortunate and deeply troubling, particularly at a time when Northern Nigeria is confronted with some of the gravest security, economic and political challenges in its history. Reports of internal wrangling, police presence at the Forum’s headquarters, allegations over the management of funds, and public exchanges among respected northern elders have understandably generated anxiety across the region.
The Arewa Consultative Forum was established as a rallying platform for the articulation and protection of northern interests through consultation, dialogue, wisdom and consensus-building. Over the years, it has served as a respected voice on national issues and a symbol of northern unity across ethnic, religious and political divides. It is therefore painful to witness the Forum engulfed in a crisis that threatens not only its credibility but also the collective aspirations of the region it was created to serve.
As someone who devoted the greater part of his life to the service of our dear country through an impeccable military career, I joined the Forum after retirement with high hopes, dreams and aspirations for a greater, stronger and more united North. I believed, and still believe, that the North possesses the human and material resources, leadership potential and cultural values necessary to reclaim its rightful place as a beacon of unity, progress and stability in Nigeria.
It was this conviction that inspired me to participate actively in the activities of the Forum and to serve diligently in several committees aimed at contributing to policy discussions, strategic engagements and initiatives for the advancement of Northern Nigeria. Sadly, the recent developments within the Forum have greatly dampened my hopes and spirit. Like many other patriotic northerners, I feel deeply disappointed that an organisation that should unite and mobilise the region toward confronting insecurity, poverty, unemployment, educational decline and political uncertainty is now consumed by internal conflicts and bitter disagreements.
Many well-meaning northerners share the concern expressed by sources within and outside the Forum that leaders who ought to be uniting the region ahead of future political and developmental challenges are instead consumed by internal disputes and power struggles. Indeed, one cannot disagree with the poignant observation that “it is inconceivable that these eminent northern leaders are fighting while the region burns amid insecurity and a lack of clear political direction.”
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Today, communities across Northern Nigeria continue to grapple with terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal conflicts, poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and worsening economic hardship. Many rural communities remain under severe threat, while millions of our young people face an uncertain future. Across the region, families are displaced, livelihoods destroyed and hope gradually diminishing among ordinary citizens who look up to their leaders for direction and reassurance.
At such a critical moment, the North simply cannot afford division among its most prominent socio-political leaders. This is why the current situation calls for restraint, maturity and statesmanship from all parties involved. Litigation, public accusations and media confrontations will only deepen the divisions and weaken public confidence in the Forum. Northern leaders must resist the temptation of turning disagreements into prolonged legal and political battles that could further polarise the region. History has shown that the North has always made progress whenever its leaders placed collective interests above personal ambition
There is therefore an urgent need for respected traditional rulers, elder statesmen and religious leaders to intervene decisively in the spirit of reconciliation and unity. In particular, our highly revered Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar III CFR mni, alongside other eminent northern traditional and religious leaders, should wade into the matter and facilitate genuine reconciliation among the contending parties. The North still holds these institutions in high esteem because they symbolise wisdom, neutrality and moral authority.
The ongoing crisis should also serve as a reminder that leadership within regional organisations is ultimately about service and sacrifice, not personal gain or material acquisition. The growing perception that the pursuit of money, influence and material benefits is increasingly overshadowing the original ideals of collective service is deeply concerning. Leaders must remember that posterity will judge them not by the wealth they accumulated, but by the unity, stability and progress they helped build for their people.
I therefore appeal to all parties involved to pause and reflect on the plight of our people and the future of coming generations. This is not the time for bickering, factionalism and ego-driven contests. It is a time for sober reflection, reconciliation and renewed commitment to the collective interest of Northern Nigeria. The challenges confronting the region are too enormous for its leaders to be divided.
At this critical juncture, it is imperative for all northerners and in particular ACF members to rise above ego, suspicion and personal interests. We must embrace dialogue, transparency, accountability and reconciliation. The Forum must not be allowed to descend into prolonged fragmentation because the consequences would extend beyond the organisation itself to the wider northern region and national political stability.
The North needs unity now more than ever. It needs visionary leadership, strategic thinking and collective action. The region’s elders and opinion leaders must therefore think North, act North and place the collective wellbeing of the people above every other consideration.
A divided North serves no one. Unity, dialogue and reconciliation remain the only sustainable path forward.
Brigadier General SK Usman (rtd) mni fnipr
