Nigeria, Dec. 27 -- There is always room for celebration. But progress demands honesty, especially when the realities on the ground refuse to be ignored. As a proud Northerner from Ilorin, Kwara State, I speak from both affection and concern when I say that the North today appears stuck between its immense potential and its unresolved contradictions. The challenges are real and enormous. Yet, so too are the quiet successes of individuals and communities who continue to make impact despite the odds.

It was against this backdrop that the frank conversations at the 2025 Arewa Stars Awards in Kano felt both timely and necessary. Before the glamour of the evening ceremony, a more sobering engagement took place in the morning: the Kannywood Ro...