From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Board members of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) arrived at a decision penultimate Wednesday at its meeting to literary go on their knees to beg the Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-rufai to spare the Secretariat of the Forum from being taken over by the State government.
Governor El-rufai had in his first tenure in office repeatedly announced that approved building plan and C of O from relevant authorities were compulsory for any Structure in Kaduna State.
The Board of Trustees (BOT) of ACF led by Ambassador Shehu Malami had expressed worry that the Secretariat is not yet legally their own because it has no Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) 21 years after it occupied the landed property in the heart of the State capital, along Sokoto road.
The BOT chairman who was Nigeria’s Diplomat to South Africa during the administration of General Sani Abacha informed members that the financial fortunes of the ACF was already dwindling, advising that every member should buckle up to contribute to the funds.
“You must be aware that, what we now call our national Secretariat is still not our property. We must take every necessary step to secure it’s ownership.
“We must approach His Excellency, the Governor of Kaduna State for discussion in order to reach an amicable agreement.
“Let me also bring to your attention the state of the finances of the ACF. We have been running our programmes from the proceeds of the legacy fund of about N190, 000,000.00 we inherited.
These amounts are deposited in banks currently yielding almost zero percent interest. We have since started eating into capital. It is imperative therefore that we look into ways and means of raising the fortunes of the Forum through our direct contributions or fund hunting,” Malami said.
He also pointed out that the Secretariat needed more staffing and quality of its ICT should be improved to meet optimal performance.
“Equally important is the physical state of the secret and other resources necessary to make it optimally functional. The staffing position and the ICT systems need to be complemented in number and quality.
“I should thus crave your indulgence to direct the National Executive Council to take necessary action to improve the situation as of urgent necessity,” BOT chairman added.
Recalled that the immediate past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Forum, Adamu Fika had said during his tenure, “ACF came into being in 2000 through the amalgamation of three northern groups, namely the Turaki Committee, the Northern Elders Forum and the Unity and Development Foundation.
“The Turaki Committee, chaired by late President Shehu Shagari was established in the aftermath of the Gideon Orkar Coup with objectives among others, to douse the tensions created by the failed coup and help to stabilise the polity.
“With time as the situation in the country became calm, the activities of the Turaki Committee slowed down. The Northern Elders Forum which was led by late Alhaji Abdurrahman Okene, was formed to ensure sustainable political stability in the country.
“The decline in the activities of these two groups led to the emergence of the Unity and Development Foundation, which was led by late Alhaji Sule Katagum. The formation of the Unity and Development Foundation, bringing to three the number of groups in the north which led to a competition among them, thus underscoring the need for the north to have a strong and viable umbrella organisation.
“The late elderstateaman, Malam Yahaya Gusau encouraged the late Mai Borgu, who first muted the idea, and Malam Liman Ciroma, to ensure the creation of a new group for the north.
“As a result of consultations among northern leaders, including political, ethnic and traditional leaders, it led to the fusing together of the three groups into a new umbrella to be known henceforth as the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF.”
He had equally recalled how the forum defended the interests of the north at the Oputa Panel.
“Worthy of note is the ACF outings at the Oputa Panel, when we defended the interests of the north in general and the role of northern soldiers during the civil war.
“The ACF also played significant roles during the constitutional conferences. Our mediation efforts helped to douse tensions and accelerated the processes of reconciliation in Jo’s sectarian crises and the Tiv/Jukun crisis. Regrettably, the Tiv/Jukun issue has again reared its ugly head.
“We must at all times give tribute to the pioneer leaders of the Forum who laid a good foundation for its growth and it’s modest achievements.
“For 20 years our founders had played their remarkable parts in transforming the ACF into a formidable organisation. The next 20 years is for you, the younger generation of leaders, to move the Forum to an enviable position of strength so that it can withstand the challenges and demands of the 21st century north and Nigeria”.