The Borno Emirate Council, with the support of the Borno State government, will host the first Global Kanem Borno Summit in Maiduguri, the state capital, from February 14, 2024.
The summit will discuss the lingering challenges confronting the Kanuri people and how to unite them, going forward.
The summit will use the existing bond among the Kanuri and encourage the people to unite to defend their unity. In the 15th to 18th centuries, the Kanem Borno Empire was known for its political, military and economic powers when its borders extended up to Chad, Niger, Libya and Sudan.
The empire’s gains diminished gradually when it was invaded by Sudanese rebel leader Rabi Zubair in 1895 and, by the time he was killed in 1902, he left a weakened and demoralised empire.
The then Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai Ibn El-Kanemi, grandfather of Shehu Garbai, picked up the pieces and rebuilt the empire and moved the capital to Yerwa in 1907.
From the lessons learnt, the summit should unify the Kanuri people regardless of where they came from and promote their values. In the same vein, the summit should consider the following:
Establishment of Kanem Borno Museum
Teaching Kanuri language in the first six years of primary school to protect the language
The exchange of scholars and students between Borno emirate and the Diaspora
Organising cultural exchange between Borno emirate and the Diaspora
Encouraging high-level visits between the emirate and the Diaspora
Mohammed Zannah, 33 Kinshasha Street, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja
