Arewa Board of trustees member advocates synergy among northern states of Nigeria

By Obansa Ibrahim, Lokoja

The nineteen Northern States of Nigeria have been called upon to remain united and continue to speak with one voice on all key issues of concern to Northern Nigeria within the dynamics of the Nigerian polity.

This call was made by a newly appointed member of the reconstituted Board of Trustees (BoT) of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Chief (Dr.) Barnabas Adeku Ojiah, the Eyi’ze of Ebiraland.

Daudu Ojiah, spoke on the sidelines of the just concluded meeting of the ACF BoT meeting held.

The Eyi’ze of Ebiraland disclosed that the meeting of the ACF was called in response to and against the background of the ever increasing crisis of insecurity, sky rocketing cost of living, destitution, unemployment and other calamities plaguing Nigeria in general and Northern Nigeria in particular.

He lamented that there is nothing troubling Northern Nigeria more than the lack of security of lives and property, coupled with pervasive hunger due to lack of food security occasioned by elevated forms of banditry, Boko Haram and other insurgencies.

Additionally, food production is becoming increasingly difficult as farmlands are abandoned due to farmer-herder clashes noting that the mitigation measures taken by the authorities have so far failed to yield the desired results.

He therefore recommended that stringent measures has to be taken for the security crisis in Northern Nigeria to end quickly as the North’s survival depends on it.

Chief Barnabas Adeku Ojiah then advocated the setting up of community driven models of defence, such as the Civilian JTF, that are already in operation in several parts of the country, in line with what the ACF BoT resolved at the end of the crucial meeting.

On the high cost of living crisis, the Eyi’ze disclosed that the ACF resolved to put strategies in place to check pervasive poverty, especially severe food shortages while calling on government to check the continuously rising prices of electricity and fuel energy.
Chief Barnabas Adeku Ojiah, the Eyi’ze of Ebiraland called for continued unity of the North put in place by our founding fathers, emphasizing that the ACF, and indeed the entire geopolitical zone known as the North is in support of the current agitation and calls for Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution Review & Restructuring as well as the restructuring of the administrative structure of Nigeria.

He dispelled any impression that the North was shy, afraid of or averse to any such proposals, stressing that Northern Nigeria is willing to consider ALL proposals on constitutional review that may be put on the table, as reflected in the communique after the meeting, while in pursuit of its legitimate interests.

Chief Ojiah commended the newly constituted leadership and members of the ACF BoT, with special tribute to the Chairman, Alhaji Bashir M. Dalhatu, the Wazirin Dutse, for their commitment towards the revitaliszation and strengthening the Forum so that it remains a strong and effective organisation that advocates and defends Northern interests; in all ramifications within the Nigerian polity.

While promising to work in cooperation with other eminent members of ACF BoT from Kogi State, Chief (Dr.) Barnabas Adeku Ojiah, the Eyi’ze of Ebiraland then thanked the AREWA CONSULTATIVE FORUM for finding him worthy to serve as a member of its Board of Trustees, while promising not to disappoint the good people of Kogi State in particular and the entire North in general.