By Babangida KAKAKI
Rebuild Arewa Initiative for Development (RAID) a Nongovernmental organization plans to organize a commemorative lecture to remember the life and times of Late Sardaunan of Sokoto and Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello as the leader of the region for all time.
The event is scheduled to hold on January 15th at Arewa House Auditorium, Kaduna
The National president of the Association Alhaji Balarabe Rufai made this known in an interview with newsmen Friday, preparatory to the event.
He said the event is being organised in line with their organisation’s pan-Arewa agenda of bringing back the good old days of late Sardauna and other leaders of the region which were premised on peace, unity, progress and development.
Rufai said RAID as a proactive pan-Northern organisation is proud to associate it’s ideals on the legacies of past regional leaders, of which late Sardauna was it’s pillar and a patriarch.
He said his organization is established in 2022 with the objectives of returning the lost glory and prowess of the Northern region as the stabilizing factor in a United and prosperous Nigeria.
The President said, the immense significance of the region cannot and will never be over stressed in view of his population, political acumen since independence, it’s agricultural potentials, it’s vast land, it’s untapped solid resources, among others.
He said, it’s shocking that the monolithic Arewa which has been a key and indispensable region irrespective of its diversity in culture and faiths is now a shadow of it’s former status in corporate Nigeria, which gives them not only a sleepless nights but a zeal to stand up and restore it’s lost glory.
“It’s base on the cardinal principles and objectives of this organisation to organise such an event, on the day late Sardauna was slain, in order to further make sociopolitical and economic points in this country, opposed to the label of Arewa being a parasite or a liability in this country,” he said.
The RAID President then asserted that his organisation has premises it’s activities ever since creation on peace, security and development.
“This is our slogan at all times and everywhere we visited. We began with Plateau state, where we met tej Going Gwom Jos, the Christtian and Islamic clergies.
On the proposed event, the RAID National President said, Reverend Hassan Mathew Kukah, Pastor Yohanna Buru, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, Dr Yusuf Usman, the vocal advocate of truth and human rights; and other reputable speakers would grace the event, while over a hundred groups, organizations and association from across the region have been invited.
Rufai then said, all efforts are in top gear to organise a befitting land enlightening lecture on the life and times of the great Northern she and hero upon whom the region achieved it’s foundation of regional powerhouse immediate after independence and a little after.
