Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has hosted thousands of Kanuri kinsmen from at least ten African countries at the Kanem-Borno Cultural Summit held in Maiduguri.
The summit brought together 161 emirs, senior government officials, and large delegations of Kanuri descendants from Ghana, Sudan, Gabon, Niger, the Central African Republic, Senegal, Libya, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin, reaffirming centuries-old transnational bonds rooted in shared history and identity.
The gathering was designed to rebuild and strengthen cross-border kinship networks among Kanuri communities, promote collective development, and preserve the enduring legacy of the Kanem-Borno civilisation for future generations.
Participants explored avenues for collaboration in education, entrepreneurship, and socio-economic development across the region. Cultural performances, traditional dances, and heritage displays by contingents from various countries added colour and depth to the occasion, highlighting the richness and diversity of Kanuri culture across Africa.
The Kanem-Borno Empire remains one of Africa’s longest-lasting and most influential empires, flourishing for over a millennium from the 9th to the 19th century around the Lake Chad Basin, spanning parts of present-day Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon, and Libya.
Speaking in the Kanuri language, Governor Zulum urged participants to prioritise educational exchange programmes, economic partnerships, and social initiatives aimed at uplifting Kanuri communities globally. He announced the award of scholarships to 150 students drawn from countries that once formed part of the historic Kanem-Borno Empire, describing the gesture as a step towards strengthening unity and fraternity.
The Chadian President, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, was represented at the summit by the Governor of Lac Province, Major General Saleh Haggar Tidjani.
Other dignitaries in attendance included Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni; Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mallam Jibril Baba Ndace; Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr Mohammed Bulama; former Vice President, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe; the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III; and Senators Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Mohammed Ali Ndume, and Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan.
Also present were members of the House of Representatives, Speakers of the Borno and Yobe State Houses of Assembly, emirs and traditional rulers from across Nigeria, members of the Borno State House of Assembly, commissioners, and senior officials of the Borno State Government.