By Gbenga Akingbule.
Organisers of the just-concluded Kanem Borno Cultural Summit/Festival announced on Tuesday that they will commence efforts to secure foreign and local sponsorship for the bi-annual event, aiming to ensure its sustainability.
Gatekeepers News reports that the organizers already identified UNESCO as a potential sponsor of the cultural event that is uniting people of the Lake Chad Region and beyond.
Chairman of the organising committee, Dr. Zanna Hassan Boguma made disclosure during a World Press Conference, held in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital.
The summit which brought together over 168 prominent traditional rulers, title holders, and their contingents, featured cultural performances, exhibitions, and discussions on regional development.
Organisers are optimistic that with adequate funding, the event can become a key platform for promoting Kanem-Borno’s rich history and fostering regional cooperation.
Boguma who commended the Borno State Governor , Prof Babagana Zulum for hosting and sponsoring the first and second edition of Kanem Borno Cultural Summit said time is ripe to seek sponsorship from within and outside Nigeria.
” Kanem Borno Cultural Summit is an international event and we intend to go into partnerships like other international cultural events and ensure the sustainability of Kanem Borno Cultural Summit.
” We have seen other international cultural events without government sponsorship and ours in Kanem Borno Cultural Summit would not be different. We have international bodies responsible for culture and individuals who are ready to assist us ” Boguma said .
The Committee Chairman added that there’s need for greater unity, cooperation, and sustained commitment for the preservation and promotion of Kanem–Borno cultures, traditions, and languages. We further advocate:
” The institutionalization of the Kanem–Borno Cultural Summit/Festival as a recurring flagship cultural diplomacy platform.
“The establishment of a Standing Kanem–Bornu Cultural Committee to ensure continuity, coordination, and institutional memory.
” The creation of a Kanem–Bornu Cultural Network, serving as cultural ambassadors across countries and regions.
Expanded participation of youth, women, academics, diaspora, and cultural organizations to ensure generational continuity.
” Comprehensive documentation, publication, and digital archiving to preserve and globalize the legacy of the Summit. Taking into cognizance, the powerful recommendation put forward by His Excellency the Executive Governor of Borno State Prof. Engr. Babagana Umara Zulum mni FSNE, CON, regarding education, Language, Economic ties, Regional Integration and Social Cohesion.
“In this regard, we respectfully call on UNESCO and other international cultural institutions to recognize the Borno Durbar as a World Cultural Heritage and to support the Kanem–Bornu Cultural Summit as a flagship African initiative for peacebuilding, cultural cooperation, and regional integration.” The Committer Chairman said
He also mentioned that over 4,000 paticipants attended the just concluded Kanem Borno Cultural and lauded the Federal Government for ensuring security before , during after the event.
” Despite the prevailing pockets of security narratives associated with the region, the Summit was conducted peacefully and successfully, with no recorded security incidents, a remarkable achievement worthy of national and international recognition.
“Strong coordination among traditional institutions, community leaders, and security agencies ensured a safe, dignified, and welcoming environment for all participants.” Boguma said.
