Borno
From Empire to Identity: How the Kanem-Borno Cultural Summit Rekindles a Thousand-Year African Legacy
From Empire to Identity: How the Kanem-Borno Cultural Summit Rekindles a Thousand-Year African Legacy
By Tada jutha, Maiduguri
Long before modern borders carved Africa into nation-states and colonial maps fractured shared histories and kinship, the Kanema-Borno Empire stood as one of the most enduring civilisations the continent had ever known. Rising from the sands around Lake Chad in the 9th century, Kanem-Borno was not merely a kingdom; it was a living network of culture, trade, scholarship, and identity that stretched across what are today Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon, Libya, and beyond.
The Sayfawa dynasty ruled the empire for more than a thousand years. Islamic scholarship strengthened it, and trade routes across the Sahara Desert connected Central Africa to North Africa and the Mediterranean world. Its rulers built institutions, fostered learning, and cultivated a shared Kanuri identity that transcended geography. Even as empires elsewhere rose and fell, Kanem-Borno adapted, migrated, and survived.
Yet history, though powerful, is not immune to disruption. Colonial partitions, post-independence political upheavals, economic marginalisation, climate change around Lake Chad, and, more recently, violent extremism have fractured communities that once spoke the same language, shared the same customs, and traced their lineage to the same ancestral roots. The Kanuri people, once bound by empire, found themselves separated by borders, policies, and insecurity.
It is against this backdrop of history, loss, and resilience that the Kanem-Borno Cultural Summit (KBCS) emerges not as a mere celebration but as a deliberate act of remembrance and reconstruction.
A Modern Gathering Rooted in Ancient Memory
On a Thursday in Maiduguri, the heartland of the old empire, history returned—not in the form of conquest or coronation, but through dialogue, dance, and shared identity. Thousands of Kanuri kinsmen and women from ten African countries converged at the Mohammed Indimi International Conference Centre to celebrate this year’s Kanem-Borno Cultural Summit.
Hosting the gathering, Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, described the summit as a strategic effort to revive cultural heritage and deploy it as a tool for peacebuilding and sustainable development across Africa.
“This summit”, Zulum said, “represents a deliberate effort to rebuild transnational kinship networks based on a shared identity, to create a supportive global community that can tackle the myriads of challenges collaboratively.”
The statement carried weight. Borno State, once the epicentre of the Kanem-Borno Empire, has in recent decades become synonymous with insurgencies, displacements, and humanitarian crises. Yet here it was—repositioning itself not just as a survivor of conflict, but as a convener of continental unity.
A Continental Reunion of the Scattered People
The summit attracted 161 traditional rulers, top government officials, scholars, and cultural custodians, alongside thousands of Kanuri participants from Ghana, Sudan, Gabon, Niger, Central African Republic, Senegal, Libya, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin.
For many attendees, the gathering was deeply emotional. Families separated for generations by borders met under one roof. Elders spoke in Kanuri dialects shaped by geography but united by origin. Youths, some born in exile or diaspora, encountered their heritage not through textbooks, but through living culture.
Governor Zulum urged participants to go beyond celebration and invest in shared development.
“You are to invest in a shared future,” he told the gathering, “to ensure that the illustrious legacy of the Kanem-Borno remains an inspiration for future generations among the member countries.”
Culture as a Tool for Healing and Development
The summit’s program reflected this vision. Beyond speeches, it featured traditional dances, cultural displays, and ceremonial performances, with colourful contingents dressed in costumes representing different regions of the old empire. Each dance told a story—of harvest, migration, royalty, and resistance. Each drumbeat echoed centuries of memory.
But culture, as Zulum emphasised, is not only about the past.
Speaking in the Kanuri language, the governor challenged participants to focus on educational exchange, entrepreneurial collaboration, and socio-economic initiatives capable of uplifting Kanuri communities across borders.
This approach reframes culture not as nostalgia but as capital—social capital that can foster trust, economic networks, and collective problem-solving in a region still grappling with insecurity and underdevelopment.
Reclaiming the Narrative of the Kanem-Borno Empire
In reflecting on the significance of the summit, Zulum reminded the audience of the empire’s historical stature.
“The Kanem-Borno Empire was one of the greatest and longest-lasting empires in African history,” he said. “It flourished for over 1,000 years, approximately from the 9th to the 19th century, in the region of Lake Chad.”
This reminder was more than academic. In a global narrative that often marginalises African civilisations, reclaiming the Kanem-Borno story is an act of intellectual and cultural resistance. It asserts that African societies were organised, scholarly, and globally connected long before colonialism.
Investing in Unity Through Education
Perhaps the most tangible outcome of the summit was Governor Zulum’s announcement of scholarships for 150 students from countries that once formed the Kanem-Borno Empire. The gesture symbolised a belief that education remains the strongest bridge between past glory and future possibility.
In a region where conflict has disrupted schooling for millions, the scholarship initiative serves both symbolic and practical purposes—fostering unity while empowering a new generation of leaders, scholars, and entrepreneurs who understand their shared heritage.
Regional and Traditional Endorsement
The summit also enjoyed high-level regional endorsement. The President of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, represented by the Governor of Lac Province, Major General Saleh Haggar Tidjani, proposed that the summit be institutionalised and rotated among member countries every ten years.
Such a proposal elevates the KBCS from an event to a movement—one capable of shaping diplomatic, cultural, and developmental cooperation across borders.
Other dignitaries in attendance underscored the summit’s national and international relevance. They included Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni; former Vice President Ambassador Babagana Kingibe; the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III; Senators Mohammed Tahir Monguno and Mohammed Ali Ndume; and Kaka Shehu Lawan.
Also present were members of the House of Representatives, speakers of the Borno and Yobe State Houses of Assembly, emirs and chiefs from across Nigeria, commissioners, lawmakers, and senior government officials.
Their presence reinforced the idea that culture, when properly harnessed, can complement governance and diplomacy.
Beyond Ceremony: A Blueprint for Post-Conflict Identity
What sets the Kanem-Borno Cultural Summit apart is its timing. Coming after years of insurgency that fractured trust and displaced communities, the summit represents a post-conflict identity project—a conscious attempt to heal wounds through shared memory.
In rebuilding Borno, Governor Zulum’s administration has focused on infrastructure, resettlement, and security. The KBCS adds another layer: psychological and cultural reconstruction. It tells the Kanuri people that they are more than victims of conflict; they are heirs to an empire that once shaped Africa.
A Legacy Reawakened
As the summit drew to a close, the drums fell silent, but the message endured. The Kanem-Borno Empire may no longer exist as a political entity, but its spirit—rooted in unity, resilience, and cultural pride—remains alive.
In reviving this legacy, the Kanem-Borno Cultural Summit offers more than celebration. It offers a roadmap: one where history informs development, culture fosters peace, and identity transcends borders.
From empire to identity, from memory to movement, the story of Kanem-Borno is being retold—not as a relic of the past, but as a living force shaping Africa’s future.
Zulum Applauds Tinubu, Ribadu, Security Forces as 434 Ngoshe Abductees Regain Freedom
By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri
Borno State Governor Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the Nigerian Armed Forces, and other security stakeholders for their efforts in securing the release of 434 residents of the Ngoshe community who were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents earlier this year.
The governor gave the commendation on Monday in Pulka while receiving a fresh batch of 357 freed captives. He disclosed that dozens of other victims had earlier regained their freedom in separate releases, bringing the total number of rescued persons to 434.
The victims were kidnapped during a Boko Haram attack on Ngoshe, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area located near the Mandara Mountains along Nigeria’s border region.
Zulum praised President Tinubu for his commitment to restoring peace and security in the North-East, noting that the president’s direct involvement played a significant role in facilitating the release of the captives.
According to the governor, the federal government’s determination to tackle insecurity has continued to yield positive results across the country.
“I wish to sincerely thank the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his unwavering support and dedication to ensuring peace and stability in Borno State and Nigeria as a whole,” Zulum said.
He also acknowledged the contributions of the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services (DSS), the military, and local security volunteers, including the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), hunters, vigilantes, and forest guards.
The governor described the operation as a product of strong collaboration among security agencies and community-based security groups working towards the safe return of the abducted men, women, and children.
Explaining the figures, Zulum said the latest group of freed captives accounted for about 357 persons, while others had been released in smaller batches over the past weeks and months.
“We are celebrating with the people of Ngoshe over the return of about 434 abducted residents. The group that was received today constitutes the largest batch, while others had regained their freedom earlier, bringing the total number to 434, he stated.
The governor further revealed that the state government had committed substantial resources to rebuilding the Ngoshe community and creating conditions for the safe return of displaced residents.
He said rehabilitation projects in the area were nearing completion and that discussions were ongoing with community members and security authorities to facilitate a secure and dignified resettlement process.
As part of immediate support measures, Zulum directed the distribution of food supplies and other relief materials to the rescued victims.
He added that the returnees are currently undergoing medical examinations and psychosocial care at a government facility before being reunited with their families and communities.
Zulum Moves to Complete Legacy Projects
By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has intensified efforts to ensure the completion of major infrastructure and social development projects across the state before the expiration of his tenure in May 2027.
The governor has embarked on a comprehensive inspection tour of ongoing projects in Maiduguri and several local government areas, directing contractors to accelerate work and meet delivery timelines.
Among the projects receiving attention are the Kashim Ibrahim University Teaching Hospital, Borno State Orthopaedic Hospital, General Hospital Kaleri, the Post Office Flyover, Tashan Kano–Mashidimami Express Road, the 4,000-capacity International Conference Centre, and the Tandari–Nietel Shoe Factory Express Road.
The inspection exercise continued over the weekend with visits to Kukawa and Monguno local government areas.
In Monguno, Governor Zulum assessed the expansion of the College of Nursing, a project aimed at increasing the state’s capacity to train healthcare professionals and address shortages in the health sector.
Addressing journalists after the inspection, the governor said his administration remains committed to delivering projects that would have lasting benefits for the people of Borno.
He noted that completing ongoing projects and putting them to use before the end of his tenure remains a top priority.
Zulum also inspected construction work at the Monguno Central Market, where new shops are being built to stimulate commercial activities and improve livelihoods. He further disclosed plans by the state government to facilitate the reopening of Government Senior Science Secondary School, Monguno.
Speaking during the visit, the Senator representing Borno North and Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, commended the governor for executing numerous development projects across northern Borno.
According to the senator, the projects have improved access to essential services and brought relief to communities recovering from years of insurgency.
He said the interventions have delivered tangible benefits to residents and contributed to rebuilding lives and livelihoods affected by the Boko Haram conflict.
Governor Zulum’s inspection tour is widely viewed as part of his administration’s drive to consolidate its development achievements and ensure that critical projects are completed and fully operational before he leaves office in 2027.
Zulum’s Assurance Secures Maiduguri 2026 NSE Conference Hosting Rights
By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has officially received the hosting rights for the 2026 Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) International Engineering Conference, Exhibition and Annual General Meeting (AGM), which is scheduled to hold in December in Maiduguri.
On Tuesday, the NSE President, Engr. Ali Alimasuya Rabiu, made the presentation. Ali Alimasuya Rabiu made the presentation during a dinner that Governor Zulum organised in honour of the visiting NSE leadership.
The high-profile conference, tagged “Maiduguri 2026,” is themed “Engineering Innovations for Enhanced Security and Sustainable National Development” and is expected to attract about 10,000 engineers, experts, and stakeholders from across Nigeria and beyond.
Speaking earlier during a courtesy visit by the NSE delegation, Governor Zulum assured the body that Maiduguri remains safe and fully prepared to host the international gathering, dismissing concerns over security in the state.
He noted that Borno State has successfully hosted several major national and international events in recent years without any incident, citing conferences and cultural gatherings as evidence of improved stability.
“In 2025, Maiduguri hosted several national and international events including the National Council on Power, National Council on Education, Kanem-Borno Cultural Summit, Qur’anic Recitation Competition, and the National Council on Health, among others,” the governor said.
According to him, the successful hosting of such events demonstrates that “Maiduguri is secure and ready,” while also highlighting the state’s reputation for hospitality.
Governor Zulum also expressed appreciation over the NSE’s decision to confer honorary fellowship on prominent businessman and philanthropist Dr. Muhammadu Indimi, describing the recognition as “well deserved” and long overdue in view of his contributions to education and infrastructure development in Nigeria.
Responding, NSE President Engr. Ali Alimasuya Rabiu commended the Borno State Government for its sustained efforts in improving security and rebuilding confidence in the state.
He said the Society was impressed by the relative peace currently enjoyed in Maiduguri and across Borno, adding that the environment assured a successful conference.
Rabiu further disclosed that the NSE Council would hold a preparatory meeting in Maiduguri in July to assess security arrangements and confirm readiness ahead of the December event.
“We have consistently received positive reports about events held in Maiduguri without security incidents,” he said, expressing optimism that the 2026 conference would be peaceful and successful.
The courtesy visit was attended by the Deputy Governor, Umar Usman Kadafur; Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Bukar Tijani; Acting Chief of Staff, Dr Babagana Mustapha Mallumbe; top government officials; and members of the NSE delegation.
The 2026 NSE conference will further position Borno State as a growing hub for national dialogue, professional exchange, and post-conflict development in Nigeria.
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