…Says Forum will advise government to explore their socio-economic potentials
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Chief Gabriel Yakubu Aduku went down memory lane to recall good old days of socio-economic activities on rivers Benue and Niger, saying the Forum will look into the economic values of the rivers which was abandoned at Independence, and explore them again for the benefit of the North and Nigeria in general.
Chief Aduku said once he is formally inaugurated and settled down at ACF office, he would advise relevant authorities to partner the Forum to reexplore the economic potentials of the two rivers in order to bring back good old days.
The ACF leader who is also the Chairman, Kogi East Elder’s Council fielded questions by Journalists in his Kaduna home shortly after a visit to the ACF secretariat.
He recalled the exportation of agricultural produce done through the rivers during the colonial era, regretting that at the discovery of petroleum, attention was shifted from agricultural activities.
The ACF Chairman said with technology, alot could be done for the rivers to work for Nigeria, adding that in advanced countries people live under the water.
According to him, “there are other concepts of physical development that can turn this country and change it round. I will bring it up in the forum that rivers Benue and Niger serve this country, nature has brought it that way. We met it when Yola was functioning as a Port. And goods were coming to Lokoja through Yola up to Liverpool. There were cotton, groundnuts and others for export. The same thing coming through Baro, down to Lokoja to Buriti up to Liverpool.
“There was Royal company or what did they call it that time, including UAC, they were functioning. They were established along the rivers. All these got disappeared when we got Independence. The land that produced these things are still fertile, especially in Zaria. And today the population is increasing, it is not going down.
“We abandoned all these because they say petrol is flowing. We have other mineral resources in the ground that can bring development. What is happening; illegal mining is right on top. Why should it be so. ACF was put down to look at the interest of the North and Nigeria. So as I was saying rivers Niger and Benue meet at Lokoja and flow down to Delta. And it was thoroughly used. We need to bring it back, not to be a burden to Nigeria.
“Technology today can help us to do alot to make those rivers work for Nigeria. There are alot of things that can be done under water; people live under water. In developed countries they build houses inside water. Why should our own be a burden on us. They can still be used for transportation. Dangote is building a big refinery, and still hoping to be transported by the same road? or through pipeline, when transportation by river is there.
“The rivers are flowing at both side, and before you know, they become places people take interest to visit. And that is tourism which on its own is big industry. This is one of the areas a place like ACF can advise any government to look into and invest. It is for the development and comfort of Nigerian people to discuss freely without delay.
“I will continue to play the role which I believe had been played by those who had occupied this office earlier. I put forward and face those things that affect the lives of the people, things that will make development go to the interior. Concepts were put forward for discussion and insecurity came, and so the concepts of security was also put forward for discussion. And today we are being challenged by those concepts and new ones too.
“The freedom of travelling all over the country as it used to be is no longer there. This is something for discussion. We can’t make substantive progress if there is no peace around. There is fears that one can be kidnapped or hijacked if there is no peace. Kidnapping has become an industry because they lack what to do, and they find kidnapping lucrative. If something is not done in no distance time to engage the youths, but allow kidnapping and Boko Haram to continue, then we are not going to have a country. We will like to interact with a sector of the government to express our opinion for the people of the North and Nigeria also”.
