By Hamza Suleiman
No fewer than 10 countries attended this year’s Kanem-Borno Cultural Summit in Maiduguri on Thursday.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno, the chief host, who spoke in Kanuri, urged the summit to focus on fostering educational exchange, entrepreneurial collaboration, and socio-economic initiatives to uplift Kanuri communities globally.
The governor, however, offered scholarships to 150 students from the countries that encompassed the old Kanem-Borno Empire as part of efforts to foster greater unity and fraternity.
The Chadian President, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, was also represented by the Governor of Lac Province, Maj-Gen Saleh Tidjani.
Other dignitaries included the governor of Yobe, Mai Mala Buni; Amb. Babagana Kingibe, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III and Senators Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Ali Ndume and Kaka Shehu.
Also present were members of the House of Representatives, the speakers of the Borno and Yobe Houses of Assembly, Emirs and Chiefs from other parts of Nigeria, members of the Borno State House of Assembly, Commissioners, and many senior officials of Borno.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit brought together 161 Emirs, high-profile government officials and thousands of Kanuri delegates from the Republics of Ghana, Sudan, Gabon, Niger, Central Africa, Senegal, Libya, Chad, Cameroon and Benin.
The summit also represented a deliberate effort to rebuild transnational kinship networks based on shared identity, creating a supportive global community to tackle shared development challenges and ensure the illustrious legacy of Kanem-Borno continues to inspire future generations.
The occasion also featured dance performances and cultural displays by contingents from different countries.
The Kanem-Borno Empire was one of the greatest and longest-lasting empires in African history.
It flourished for more than 1,000 years, from the 9th to the 19th century, in the region around Lake Chad, encompassing parts of present-day Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Libya.
