The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, on Monday tasked 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.
Aliyu made the assertion when the leadership of the AYC, paid her a courtesy visit in Abuja.
Represented by her Special Assistant on Youths and Women, Simisola Ayoade, Aliyu said the late premier of the defunct northern region worked tirelessly to promote unity of north and the country at large.
The minister, therefore, urged the Arewa youth council to promote and immortalise the legacies Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto.
She said that promoting the legacies of late Sardauna, would influence the performances of public officers in the country, especially in the north.
” 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.
“I am delighted that our youths especially from the north are beginning to come to the full realisation that they are critical stakeholders in governance.
” 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.”
Aliyu identified education as key to breaking the yoke of drug addiction and other social vices among youths in northern Nigeria.
She also called on other youths to build one united nation.
Earlier, President of the Arewa Youth Council, Dogo Shagari, said that in spite of Sardauna’s legacies, northern region has continued to embrace poverty.
According to him, northern states are behind every other states 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”.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the highpoint of the occasion was the conferment of “Icon of Peace/Nation Building” award on the FCT Minister of State.
Edited By: Bola Akingbehin/Sadiya Hamza
Source: NAN
