By Ifeanyichukwu Nwannah, Gusau

The Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello, has appealed to wealthy individuals in his domain to assist the needy.

The Zamfara monarch made the call shortly after a special prayer session in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, arguing that most criminal activities are committed because many people lack a means of livelihood.

The ruler complained that some extremely rich individuals do not want to assist the poor and vulnerable, which is coming at the worst possible period where bandit activities have disrupted socio-economic life in the state.

‘We all are aware that most farmers in the state have since abandoned their farming activities because banditry has been bedeviling the state, disrupting all legitimate endeavours,’ the emir noted.

‘Abject poverty and leprosy are twins, the only difference being that leprosy attacks the body while poverty attacks the heart and mind,’ he said.

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The emir urged wealthy individuals not to treat the issue of poverty with a mere wave of the hand, saying that they should not expect the government to be do everything, which he said was the main reason why the North remains the most backward region in the country.

‘We do not need magic to transform our region. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already. Whatever affects one affects all indirectly. This is the interrelated structure of reality.

‘Neither does the government have any magic wand to perform without the support of the citizens, especially the elites and wealthy individuals,’ he stated.

Alhaji Bello, who spoke following a special prayer session organised by Governor Bello Matawalle in Gusau, noted that there was no better time but now to address the teething issues of the North, challenging the wealthy to rise up to the challenge.

The monarch also cautioned stakeholders to crosscheck government policies and programmes rather than politicise them without considering their positive effect in solving the lingering social crisis in the state.

The emir went on to commend the organisers of the prayer session for their commitment to supporting Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle in squarely facing the bandit menace, appealing to influential members of Zamfara society to emulate him.