The Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, H.E. Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, today represented Governor Senator Uba Sani at the Arewa Consultative Forum Endowment Fund Launch, marking the end of the ACF at 25 anniversary celebration held in Kaduna. She delivered the Governor’s full speech at the event, where several key national and regional leaders were present.
In the remarks read on his behalf, Governor Uba Sani welcomed guests to Kaduna, describing the state as the historic center of Northern identity and leadership. He said the 25th anniversary of the ACF was a moment of remembrance, gratitude, and renewed commitment to Northern unity and progress.
He traced the history of the Forum, noting that its origins go back to March 7, 2000, when the late Sultan Muhammadu Maccido convened a major meeting in Kaduna to create a unified structure for the North. He said the merger of three northern groups into one body was a “triumph of collective vision over fragmentation.” The Governor honored the founding members who set the foundation for the Forum, including Sultan Muhammadu Maccido, Malam Yahaya Gusau, Malam Liman Ciroma, General Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, and Elder Statesman Alhaji Tanko Yakasai.
He said their vision established principles that still guide the Forum today, which he summed up as dialogue, justice, unity, and the phrase “One North, One People, One Destiny.” According to him, the ACF has consistently provided stability and moral direction for the North and Nigeria for twenty-five years.
Governor Sani noted that Kaduna State is proud to host the ACF national headquarters, which he described as both a privilege and a responsibility. He highlighted that since May 29, 2023, his administration has followed a leadership approach built on inclusion, transparency, reconciliation, and citizen participation.
He referred to his recent public lecture at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Lagos, explaining the Kaduna Peace Model. According to him, the model connects security, governance, urban planning, infrastructure, social inclusion, and community engagement into a unified system. He stated that “peace is not enforced, it is engineered,” adding that the model relies on equitable distribution of projects, participatory budgeting, human capital development, and improved public spaces.
The Governor said the Peace Model has shaped Kaduna’s security interventions. With intelligence-driven operations, support to security agencies, stronger local institutions, and technology use, he said the government has reduced threats in vulnerable areas.
He also spoke on the impact of improved security on agriculture. Farmers have returned to their farmlands with hope, supported by mechanization programs, modern inputs, extension services, and market access. He added that Kaduna continues to serve as a major food supplier for the region.
On healthcare, he said the state has upgraded secondary hospitals, revitalized primary healthcare centers, and strengthened maternal and child health services. He emphasized a vision where no resident is denied access to medical care because of distance or poverty.
The Governor restated the state’s commitment to education, noting efforts to grow enrollment, improve facilities, train teachers, and strengthen technical and tertiary institutions. He described education as the foundation of long-term development and peace.
He also highlighted infrastructure projects across all 23 Local Government Areas. He mentioned roads, bridges, water systems, schools, markets, hospitals, electrification, and urban regeneration as part of a strategy to balance development between rural and urban communities. He said infrastructure is being used to heal divides and create opportunity.
The Governor explained that his administration’s development philosophy strongly prioritizes social inclusion. Programs for women, youth, persons with disabilities, the urban poor, and rural communities have been expanded. He stressed that sustainable peace depends on inclusion.
He described the state’s participatory budgeting approach, referencing the Special Town Hall Meeting on the 2026 Budget. The feedback from civil society, traditional and religious institutions, the private sector, and grassroots leaders shaped the proposed 985.9 billion naira budget, with 71 percent allocated to capital projects focused on rural transformation.
As the ACF celebrates twenty-five years, he said the region must face major challenges including insecurity, out-of-school children, unemployment, poverty, and climate change. He said these problems cross borders and require unity and coordinated regional action.
He emphasized that the ACF must remain the intellectual engine of the North by guiding governance, shaping policy, promoting dialogue, and strengthening unity. He said Kaduna State is ready to work with the Forum, the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, northern states, development partners, civil society, and the private sector to build a secure, inclusive, and prosperous North.
Governor Sani urged everyone to recommit to the Forum’s founding values of unity, justice, dialogue, and collective progress. He prayed for greater achievements and deeper cohesion in the next twenty-five years.
He also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership in strengthening national security and driving economic reforms. He said, “Mr President, we thank you for being a pillar of support to the North and Kaduna State in particular.”
He ended by thanking guests for honoring Kaduna State with their presence and prayed for safe travels. He added, “May God bless the Arewa Consultative Forum, Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The ACF Silver Jubilee celebration began on Wednesday, 19 November 2025, and concluded today with the Endowment Fund launch. The anniversary events included a golf tournament, football matches, and colourful cultural displays.
