Date: 2016-09-07

The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has admonished Nigerians to always ensure that the spirit of unity in diversity remain the domineering catalyst for the achievement of the desired peaceful co-existence in the country.

He added that youths are the major driving force for the actualization of peace, growth and development stressing that government at all levels should factor into the project and ensure its realization.

The Emir who spoke on Wednesday at his palace during the official investiture as the new Grand Patron of the Arewa Ambassador Congress of Nigeria, (AACN), advised the group to explore the numerous opportunities available in the region to stabilize the economy.

The group was led by its newly elected President, Ambassador Musbaudeen Esinrogunjo who is also the Kwara State Ambassador as well as the representatives from the 18 other states from the northern region.

Earlier, Ambassador Esinrogunjo had intimated the monarch of the numerous achievements recorded by the Congress stressing that, "Within 17 years of its formation, the group was able to organize several annual conferences, seminars, symposia among other in order to address burning issues affecting northern Nigeria.

"Often, the themes of the programmes centered on educational attainment, security challenges, political education, socio-cultural awareness, peaceful, co-existence. In order to promote unity amongst diverse ethnic nationalities in northern Nigeria, the Congress organize annual football competitions to bring the youths into closer union and inculcate in them the spirit of togetherness."

Meanwhile, the Vice President of the Congress who is also an Ambassador representing Gombe State, Ambassador Mole Suzzane, identified some of the challenges of the group to be financial constraint, lack of mobility, permanent secretariat, lack of support from government and NGOs and security challenges.

She further stressed that, "We shall at all times recognize the need to consolidate ourselves into an active progressive, formidable, virile and peaceful union in order to ascertain the rights of the Arewa Youths as we discharge our responsibilities as Ambassadors representing our respective states. We are indeed fully determined to engage our members in national scheme of social through unity and cultural know-how.

"We will always promote friendly/brotherly relations and cooperate with youths of all ethnic groups in northern Nigeria and beyond."

Ambassador Suzzane therefore commended the Emir for accepting to be the new Grand Patron of the Congress even as she expressed her gratitude to all members for the painstaking efforts towards the realizations of the objectives of the group.