ACF concludes her 25th year anniversary

Twenty-five years on, northern Nigeria faces a mounting crisis of security, poverty, and disunity, even as leaders pledge action at ACF anniversary

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) concluded its 25th anniversary commemorations in Kaduna on Saturday with a chorus of warnings from political, traditional and regional leaders that northern Nigeria must urgently rebuild unity, address worsening insecurity and craft a long-term development agenda or risk deeper instability.

The event, attended by senior government officials, traditional rulers, business leaders and regional caucuses from across the country, doubled as the launch of a new endowment fund expected to raise ₦100bn for ACF programmes.

Former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon, represented by former Vice-President Mohammed Sambo, delivered one of the strongest messages of the day, describing peace as the “oxygen” of development and insisting the North cannot survive deepening internal divisions.

“Without unity, we fracture. Without peace, we stagnate,” he said, warning that extremist groups continue to exploit communal fault lines. Gowon urged Nigerians across all regions to return to the founding values of moderation, dialogue and cohesion that guided the ACF at its inception in 2000.

ACF Board of Trustees Chairman Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu said the North is facing “even more frightening pressures” than at the organisation’s founding, pointing to repeated attacks, abductions and the killing of a senior military officer.

He lamented the closure of hundreds of boarding schools due to insecurity, calling it “a painful reflection of a region under siege, and a generation at risk.”

Dalhatu urged stronger coordination between traditional rulers, governors and security agencies. “Government must find a way to end the violence rapidly. The consequences of failure, God forbid, are too frightening to contemplate,” he warned.

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, represented by Deputy Governor Dr Hadiza Balarabe, said Kaduna had adopted an “ecosystem of stability” integrating governance, security, urban planning and infrastructure.

He stated that improved intelligence coordination had reduced threats, encouraging farmers’ return to farmlands. Education, healthcare expansion and rural inclusion, he said, remained central pillars of the state’s peace strategy.

Seventy-one percent of Kaduna’s 2026 capital budget, he noted, is dedicated to rural transformation, livelihoods and social inclusion.

Representatives of regional organisations, including Afenifere, used the occasion to emphasise national unity. Afenifere’s goodwill message, delivered by Konle Omololu, described Nigeria as “a country at a crossroads” but insisted the nation was “not without hope.”

He cited shared values of justice, fairness and equity between northern and southern regional groups, adding that Nigeria’s future depends on “constituent parts working in harmony.”

House of Representatives Northern Caucus leader Rep. Alhassan Ado Doguwa assured the ACF of continued legislative support, announcing that the House will dedicate a full session next week to security.

He said lawmakers will “make available approvals for funds and finances to address any security situation,” and will also document constituency-level security reports during the session.

Former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai (rtd.) called for a new, coherent regional development agenda anchored on security, education and large-scale agriculture.

He criticised low investment in agriculture despite the North’s vast arable land, arguing that “revitalising the sector is an existential imperative.”

Buratai urged Northern governors to create environments where southerners feel protected, saying regional prosperity is tied to national unity.

His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, told attendees that the broad diversity present in the hall religious, ethnic and professional, was itself evidence of Nigeria’s unity.

“We can be united without being uniform,” he said, referencing the historic exchange between Ahmadu Bello and Nnamdi Azikiwe: “Let’s not forget our differences; let’s understand them.”

He called for practical implementation of ideas already widely discussed, stressing that Nigeria “does not lack solutions, what we lack is implementation.”

Speaking on behalf of the Northern Governors Forum, Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa praised the ACF as a “stabilising force” over the past 25 years. He said poverty, not lack of resources, drives insecurity in the region, and pledged collaboration to transform agriculture and expand employment.

“With the vast natural resources in this region, we have no business with poverty,” he said.

Former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, who also delivered goodwill remarks, condemned the recent abduction of schoolgirls in the North, calling it “a painful reminder of the urgent security challenges facing our communities.”

He prayed for their swift rescue by federal authorities and urged leaders to avoid silence on the matter:

“Our daughters must not remain in captivity. The responsibility to rescue them is collective, but leadership must act decisively.”

Amaechi also congratulated the Forum on reaching its Silver Jubilee, describing the anniversary as “a moment to reflect on both progress made and promises yet to be fulfilled.”

Delegations from multiple state governments pledged support for ACF initiatives, especially those tied to agricultural revival, rural security and youth empowerment.

Representatives from northern governors stated that “poverty, not lack of land or opportunity,” remains the region’s primary vulnerability, promising closer collaboration with the Forum in the coming year.

The closing session featured the launch of the ACF Endowment Fund, designed to support regional development initiatives. While the event highlighted notable contributors, including Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu (BUA Group), Gen. T.Y. Danjuma (rtd), Alhaji Dahiru Mangal (Max Air), and A.A. Rano, among many other notable figures, organisers stressed that fundraising would continue throughout the year and beyond to ensure the fund’s long-term impact.

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