By Joy Onu
In a compelling convergence of literature, drama, and civic engagement, former Senator Shehu Sani launched his two latest works, The Perilous Path to Europe: The Sahara Odyssey and The Councillor, at the Mamman Vatsa Writers Village in Abuja, Thursday, January 15, 20026. The event, attended by diplomats, literary enthusiasts, and stakeholders, showcased how art can intersect with urgent social issues, particularly insecurity and irregular migration and call for decisive action from both government and citizens.
The keynote address, delivered by Prof. Emeka Aniagolu, a distinguished literary critic and scholar, set the tone for the discourse. Prof. Aniagolu traced the history of migration from early Homo sapiens to the modern era, highlighting how push and pull factors such as war, poverty, drought, and lack of opportunities continue to drive humans to seek survival elsewhere. He stressed that migration is not a new phenomenon, but a reflection of enduring systemic challenges, particularly when governments fail to secure livelihoods and safety for their citizens.
Building on this historical and socio-economic framing, Senator Shehu Sani delivered a searing critique of the state of security in Northern Nigeria. He emphasized that banditry and terrorism, perpetrated by groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, Ansaru, and newer terror cells, have created a humanitarian crisis across states like Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and parts of Kaduna and Niger.
“If people are united and enlightened and supported by state apparatus, they can defeat those who feel they own the land and can use force to subdue everyone,” Sani told Liberal News in a post-event interview. “We should not think that a foreign power will come here and free us from these bandits. We are to do it ourselves.”
He highlighted systemic failures and complicity within security agencies and local communities. Despite billions spent on SIM card registration and security infrastructure, criminals continue to exploit communication networks, extort ransoms, and operate with impunity. Sani raised concerns over the role of accomplices, locals who feed criminals with information and alleged that collaboration, conspiracy, and negligence have allowed insecurity to thrive.
The literary works themselves serve as both mirrors and mobilizers. In the stage play The Village and the Vigilante, Sani dramatizes a typical Northern Nigerian rural setting, portraying the interplay of traditional rulers, communities, vigilantes, and security agencies. Through this narrative, audiences confront the human cost of banditry and terror, while exploring the importance of community vigilance and collective responsibility.
Salamatu Sule, in her review of the books, emphasized that Sani presents a vicious socio-political ecosystem, where corruption, godfatherism, and self-interest dominate. In The Councillor, the protagonist Kolo seeks to transform his society upon returning from abroad but finds his idealism thwart
ed by institutionalized corruption and structural neglect. Sule noted that the books portray migration not as recklessness but as a response to systemic failure, exposing young people to perilous journeys in search of dignity and survival.
During the panel discussion, moderated by Esther Adelana, experts including Dr. Kabura Zakama, Dr. Lois Adams, and Dr. Kogbe Bamidele (joining from Belgium) highlighted the impact of migration on both host communities and migrants themselves. The panel called for bold systemic reforms: criminalizing tribalism, making corruption a capital crime, and investing in human capital development. They stressed that governments must create safe, dignified, and opportunity-rich environments to stem irregular migration and address the root causes of insecurity.Across the speeches, interviews, and panels, a clear message emerged: insecurity is a societal, not just governmental, problem, and defeating it requires concerted civic engagement. Sani and the panelists stressed the need for community mobilization, highlighting that locals are crucial in intelligence gathering and resisting criminal networks.
“Your security, your peace, and your survival are dependent not just on what the government can do, but on how you organize yourself within your locality and stand up to these bandits and terrorists,” Sani said.
The event also highlighted innovative approaches to awareness and action. In addition to books, Sani’s team is using stage dramas in Northern states to inspire communities to resist bandits and terrorists, translating complex social issues into accessible narratives that encourage engagement.
In the end, the launch of The Perilous Path to Europe and The Councillor was more than a literary event; it was a clarion call for societal accountability. Through the convergence of drama, literature, and discourse, Sani challenges Nigerians to confront insecurity, reject complicity, and reclaim their dignity, while demanding systemic reforms that will address the root causes of migration, corruption, and violence.
As Prof. Aniagolu concluded in his keynote, and Sani reinforced in both his interview and writings: the path to security, stability, and progress lies not in foreign intervention but in collective action, moral courage, and structural transformation at home
