Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), on Saturday led fresh calls for unity, peace and stronger regional collaboration as the Arewa Consultative Forum celebrated its 25th anniversary in Kaduna.
Gowon, who was represented by former Vice-President Namadi Sambo, said peace and harmony remained the bedrock of stability in Northern Nigeria. He noted that the ACF was founded to promote moderation and national cohesion and had remained unwavering in that mission.
“Unity, peace and harmony are not mere slogans. They are the oxygen for development and the foundation of our collective dignity,” he said.
Warning against divisive elements exploiting tensions in the region, Gowon stressed, “Without unity we fracture. Without peace we stagnate.”
The Chairman of the ACF Board of Trustees, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, recalled that the forum was established in 2000 to provide moral leadership at a time when the North was grappling with rising security and social challenges. Those threats, he said, had only intensified, citing increased attacks, abductions and the recent killing of a senior military officer as clear evidence that communities remained under siege.
“The government must find a way to end the violence rapidly. The consequences of failure, God forbid, are too frightening to contemplate,” Dalhatu warned.
He lamented the closure of hundreds of boarding schools due to insecurity, describing it as a stark indicator of the crisis’ depth. Dalhatu called for stronger cooperation among traditional rulers, governors and security agencies, insisting that although security forces had made efforts, “much more must be done.”
The event also featured the launch of an ACF endowment fund, with billionaire businessman Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu serving as the chief launcher. Dalhatu described the fund as a strategic investment in the region’s future.
The jubilee drew representatives from Afenifere, Ohanaeze, PANDEF and BRAC, which Dalhatu said reflected growing inter-regional goodwill. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote and other influential national leaders were also in attendance—a turnout Dalhatu said demonstrated the North’s collective commitment to finding lasting solutions.
