THE Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, on Monday, charged members of the Arewa Youth Council (AYC) to promote and immortalise the legacies of Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier of Defunct Northern Nigeria, Late Sir Ahmadu Bello.
Dr Aliyu, according to a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by her Special Assistant on Media, Austine Elemue, gave this advice when the leadership of the council paid a courtesy visit to her office.
She noted that such legacies would influence the performances of public officers in Nigeria, especially in the Northern part of the country.
Represented by her Special Assistant on Youths and Women, Honourable Simisola Ayoade, Dr Aliyu affirmed that the level of insecurity in Northern Nigeria was a clear departure of the legacies of Sir Bello, who worked tirelessly to promote the unity of Northern Nigeria and the country at large.
According to her: “I am delighted that our youths, especially from the North are beginning to come to the full realization that they are critical stakeholders in governance. I want to state unequivocally that the present level of insecurity, social vices and economic backwardness in some parts of the North is a clear departure from the legacies of Sarduana of Sokoto.
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“Therefore, continue to promote and immortalise the legacies of Late Sir Ahmadu Bello, because such legacies will in no small measure influence the performances of public officers in the country, especially in the North.” She urged.
While commending the leadership of AYC for the visit, the minister identified education as the key to breaking the yoke of drug addiction and other social vices among youths in the Northern, just as she called on other youths to build one united nation.
Earlier, the President of the council, Comrade Dogo Shagari, observed that despite Sardauna’s legacies, Northern region has continued to embrace poverty, saying the Northern states are behind every other state of the federation.
“We need something that will unite the North regardless of political parties or ethnicity. For many years now, no conscious efforts to fight poverty has been made commensurate to the growing population of the region. We need to unite to fight poverty and to get qualitative population needed to fight poverty alongside investment in education.” He stated.
The highpoint of the occasion, according to the statement, was the conferment of “Icon of Peace/Nation Building” award on the FCT Minister of State.
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