Former Chief of Staff to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Gambari, warned Friday that Nigeria faces grave consequences if insecurity, exclusion and inequality continue unchecked.
Gambari delivered the warning at the 17th Pre-Convocation Lecture of Al-Qalam University in Katsina, where he spoke on “A Divided North in a Divided Nation: The Imperative of Promoting Inclusive and Accountable Governance in Nigeria in a Rapidly Changing World Order.”
He said Nigeria is at a critical turning point, with pressures from rapid population growth, climate stress, technological change and shifting geopolitics testing the strength of its institutions and social cohesion.
“A divided North within a fractured nation sends a warning: if exclusion, inequality and insecurity persist, the consequences will be severe,” Gambari said.
He noted that Nigeria’s future is not predetermined, pointing to innovations, peace committees, women’s cooperatives and youth-led civic technology initiatives already working to strengthen communities. The challenge, he said, is integrating such efforts into durable institutions that outlast individual officeholders.
Gambari said achieving that goal would require political courage, intellectual integrity and sustained engagement across social, ethnic and regional divides.
Reflecting on the era of Northern Nigeria’s first premier, Ahmadu Bello, Gambari said unity must be built on understanding differences rather than denying them. He urged leaders to embrace service-driven leadership, mentor young people and strengthen communities instead of weakening them.
“Nigeria can be rebuilt as a shared community of destiny through inclusive institutions, measurable accountability and a renewed ethic of humility and duty,” he said.
