News

Bade Emirate organizes durbar in Yobe.

Published

6 months ago

April 7, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Bade Emirate organizes durbar in Yobe.

By: Yahaya Wakili

In a remarkable display of cultural heritage, the Bade emirate council in Yobe state has organized a colorful durbar competition to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitr Sallah fast. The durbar held at Mai Bade Palace at Gashua was a momentous event that underscored the significance of unity, bringing people together, strengthening communal ties, and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Bade. The durbar also reinforced the unity and traditions of the people of Bade and featured an array of cultural heritage performances.

Alhaji Alkali Sale Bukar Sakan, Sharakun Bade, the deputy chairman of the Bade Emirate Durbar Committee, said since we are young, they are preparing the durbar during the Eid-el-Fitr and Eid-el-Kabir sallah, and during then our parents are performing many things, and this horse racing our parents are doing it. Therefore, we see that we revive this, our cultural heritage, and anything that has been done yesterday, today, and even tomorrow is continuous, and since we are in Borno State, that time NTA is carrying the traditional activities; people of Bade are dancing with swords, blue dresses, and red caps. Now, we didn’t introduce them, but we have the intention to bring the full team of the tradition we have.

“The time of modernization comes with its style. Other youth have an interest in their cultural heritage, while others, because of the Western education they receive, abandon their culture, but we are reviving our culture, and we hope our children and our grandchildren will emulate what we will leave behind, what our parents left to us, while the new modernization is trying to destabilize us. He said a few years back when Boko Haram came, it stopped this cultural heritage and other cultural activities, but now, Alhamdulillah, peace has been restored because if you enter Gashua now, you will know that peace has been restored in Yobe. Even from the Sallah of last year to date, it shows that there is peace; you will see everybody is enjoying it, and he is happy people are celebrating Sallah without fear or molestation.

Sharakun Bade further said, We, the Bade emirate council, are reviewing our culture because we inherited it. Other emirates didn’t inherit it, and even if they didn’t inherit it, it wouldn’t stop them from performing their culture, and every emirate has its own culture. They have their own traditional culture, and we hope they will advise their own emir to give them the opportunity because our emir gave us the chance. If the culture is not revived, one day it will disappear completely. And anything we are doing with regard to this durbar, we are doing it with government officials, and anything we are doing is open. Hon. Yau Usman Dachia, Deputy Speaker of the Yobe State House of Assembly, is here; the Executive Chairman of the Bade local government area, Hon. Ibrahim Babagana, is here; and the Chairman of the Jakusko local government, Hon. Umaru Agwa, is also there, so the presence of these honorables serves as a letter.

Alhaji Alkali Sale further revealed that the Bade emirate council is together with His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni CON Chiroman Gujba. Anything Governor Buni brings us, we receive it with good faith, 100% accepted, and we thank Governor Mai Mala Buni CON because he gives us the opportunity to improve our cultural heritage. And every member of the committee donated something; some brought #10,000, some #500,000, and somebody brought #1m. All this among us, the members of the committee, and even His Royal Highness, the Royal Father, gave a donation to this committee.

Also speaking to newsmen on the history of the durbar committee, the secretary of the committee, Alhaji Sale Garba Suleiman, said this committee was inaugurated about three years ago by His Royal Highness, the Mai Bade, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Suleiman. The time HRH inaugurated this committee, he told us that he wanted them to revive and improve the Bade cultural heritage, and he also told us that he did this because our youths who are coming up to know actually their cultural heritage. We thank his royal father for creating this committee, and we, as Muslims, believe everybody comes with something for the benefit of the people; the reward will go to him. Therefore, we are appealing to other emirates in our dear state to emulate this great thing for the benefit of their people.

“I am sure everybody who saw this program will be interested to review their own culture so that their youth will grow with their own cultural heritage, and as I said, this committee is new and is young, and we are planning to improve it, and we are advising other emirates to emulate what we are doing. We are trying to reach the Yobe State Art and Cultural Board to present to them what we are doing so far, because what you are doing, if you didn’t get results on it, you have no excuse, but as for the results we have on what we are doing, we will present them and solicit advice and cooperation from them to see how we will improve this matter.

The time His Royal Highness inaugurated this committee, the first thing we told him was that we didn’t know where we would get money to carry out our assignment. He advised us to contact our people who are willing to assist and request the assistance from them either in cash or in kind, and I will not forget it, because HRH was the first person who put his donation into this account, and since then we have continued getting donations. I assure you that we did our work successfully, and we have the remaining money in our account that can be used to do our program for the next Sallah, inshallah. Therefore, we and our relatives contribute the money. And at this point, I will never forget Hon. Yau Usman Dachia, Deputy Speaker of the Yobe State House of Assembly. He is completely a son of Bade. This man, honestly, he plays a vital role in this committee; he contributes a lot. In fact, we can’t say anything to him except that we pray that Allah (SWT) reward him with Aljannatul Firdaus.

This work is for durbar, since before we were born our parents have been doing it, but to invite journalists for coverage is the first time, and this committee was inaugurated three years back. I, personally, thank Almighty Allah in his mercy for giving us the opportunity to make this burbar successful, and we are receiving the commendation from the public, and we also thank HRH, the Mai Bade, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Suleiman, for creating this committee and giving us the opportunity to serve our people. We highly appreciate it, and we thank him. May Allah (SWT) reward him and give him good health. Amen.

Bade Emirate organizes durbar in Yobe.

News

RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State

Published

2 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State

…Making it the 20th State to Benefit from the Support

By: Our Reporter

The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Food Outreach Program, launched in Abuja in March 2024 to provide monthly support to vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities, has reached Yobe State—making it the 20th state to benefit from the initiative.
Since its inception, the program has covered Abia, Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, and Sokoto States before arriving in Yobe.
With generous support from the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) and another industrialist who prefers to remain anonymous, assorted food items were delivered, bringing relief to many households, particularly those with disabilities.

The First Lady and Chairman of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, noted that donors provide two truckloads of food items to each beneficiary state for onward distribution. Represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, she highlighted Yobe as a major beneficiary of RHI programs and interventions.
These include:

The Tony Elumelu Foundation Women Economists Empowerment Program, which supported 500 women with ₦50,000 each.
The RHI Women Agricultural Support Scheme, where 20 women received ₦500,000 each.
A ₦68.9 million grant from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to the Young Farmers Club.
Annual financial support to senior citizens, with 100 beneficiaries receiving ₦100,000 each in 2023 and 250 beneficiaries receiving ₦200,000 each.
A ₦50 million financial grant to 1,000 petty traders.
The Women in ICT Program, aimed at empowering women in the digital economy.
According to Senator Tinubu, these interventions are designed to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni represented by his Deputy Governor, Alhaji Idi Barde Gubana reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the initiative, noting that the state has aligned with RHI through various empowerment programs for women, children, and vulnerable groups. These include the distribution of household items, skill acquisition schemes, and post-insurgency recovery programs that have economically empowered many women.
The State Coordinator of RHI and Wife of the Yobe State Governor, Hajiya Hafsat Kollere Buni, expressed gratitude to the First Lady for extending such impactful support to Yobe State. She also looked forward to stronger collaborations to further project the ideals of RHI and improve the lives of the people.
Also present at the event was Dr. Ubong Udoh, Managing Director of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative, one of the key donors to the program.
RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State

News

Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

Published

2 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

By: Zagazola Makama

Former National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), has warned that Nigeria’s fight against insurgency will remain elusive without national cohesion and a united front across society.

Monguno stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the launch of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a new book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.).

He said Boko Haram and other violent groups had thrived by exploiting Nigeria’s divisions, stressing that disunity among citizens, political actors, and institutions weakened the country’s capacity to defeat terrorism.

“Without national cohesion, insurgency will not end. Terrorists feed on our fault lines – ethnic, religious, political – and they weaponise them against us. If we remain divided, no amount of military might will deliver lasting peace,” Monguno said.

He urged Nigerians to rise above parochial sentiments and embrace a spirit of patriotism, solidarity, and common purpose. According to him, the fight against insurgency must go beyond the battlefield to include reconciliation, justice, and inclusive governance.

The retired General emphasised that the scars left by Boko Haram were not just physical but also psychological and social, making unity a vital condition for national healing.

“The book reminds us that security is not just the work of soldiers. It is the responsibility of leaders, institutions, and citizens. Unless we build cohesion, insurgency will continue to mutate in different forms,” he added.

Monguno commended Gen. Irabor for documenting his experience, describing the work as a guide that combines history, strategy, and national lessons for the future.

The event was attended by former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Defence, service chiefs, traditional rulers, diplomats, and senior government officials.

Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

News

Kukah says military operations alone cannot end insurgency, stresses soft power approach

Published

2 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Kukah says military operations alone cannot end insurgency, stresses soft power approach

By: Zagazola Makama

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, has said Nigeria cannot defeat insurgency through military operations alone, stressing the need to embrace soft power and address root causes of insecurity.

Kukah made this known in Abuja on Thursday while reviewing Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a new book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.).

He said the country’s reliance on military doctrines and repeated counter-insurgency operations had failed to produce lasting peace because Boko Haram represented an ideology, not just an armed threat.

“For years, we have had Operation Lafiya Dole, Operation Restore Order, Operation Hadin Kai, Operation Safe Haven, and many others. Yet, when one operation fails, another is launched. These operations have not ended the insurgency because you cannot fight an idea with weapons alone,” Kukah said.

The cleric argued that describing the insurgency only in military terms forecloses other sources of information and non-kinetic solutions that are critical to peacebuilding.

According to him, Boko Haram’s struggle is framed as a jihad, and many of its fighters see death as martyrdom, making them indifferent to conventional deterrence.

“The challenge before us is not merely about defeating insurgents on the battlefield, but about understanding the soft issues of life and death. Guns cannot build peace; soft power must complement military power,” he said.

Kukah pointed to chapters 11, 12 and 13 of Irabor’s book, which emphasise reconciliation, good governance, justice, and national healing as critical conditions for security.

He praised the author’s reflections for going beyond military strategy, describing them as “the writings of a priest” that call for dialogue, reforms and moral renewal.

The bishop added that Nigeria must prioritise structural reforms, political inclusion, patriotism, and judicial integrity to tackle grievances that feed extremism.

“The urgency now is to invest in soft power – in human development, reconciliation, and building trust in institutions. Military operations can only create space; it is ideas and justice that will sustain peace,” Kukah said.

The event attracted former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, senior government officials, service chiefs, diplomats, and other dignitaries.
End