Prominent Kano personalities including business mogul Aliko Dangote, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, and former governors have united to address mounting socioeconomic challenges in the state.
The coalition, operating under the Kano State Elders Advisory Council in collaboration with the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Kano Chapter, expressed concerns over rising social vices in the state and northern Nigeria.
Following the development, the group raised a 34-member technical committee to tackle the challenges with Prof. Shehu Galadanchi as chairman and Dr. Faruk Umar, ACF Kano chairman, as secretary.
The committee includes former governors Kabiru Gaya, Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje and Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, as well as a security expert Gen Haliru Akilu and veteran politician Tanko Yakasai.
The elders attributed the surge in drug abuse, robberies, and antisocial behavior to the collapse of family values, calling for collective efforts to restore honesty, respect, tolerance, and hard work within society.
Secretary of the committee, Dr. Faruk Umar, in his remarks emphasized that the non-partisan advisory body would focus on urgent issues including drug abuse, phone snatching, human rights violations, and child trafficking.
“The council comprises people with different expertise and is qualified as a technical committee on various issues,” he stated.
In his remarks, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin praised the initiative, pledging support for addressing poverty and unemployment.
He urged northern elders to unite for regional development while acknowledging federal government efforts to tackle macroeconomic challenges.
In a letter of endorsement, Dangote Group President Aliko Dangote expressed confidence in the council’s ability to strengthen governance through wise counsel, commending the “visionary resolutions” as essential for restoring principled leadership.
Former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau attributed current security challenges to the absence of such advisory mechanisms, emphasizing the need to prioritize Kano’s interests above political considerations.
The council aimed to interface with state and federal officials while providing technical guidance to policymakers on sustainable solutions to the state’s pressing challenges.
