10 years of Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation

The Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) was established by the 19 northern state governors, in collaboration with associates and family of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the late premier of the defunct northern region and Sardauna of Sokoto to promote the exemplary ideals and good legacies of Sir Ahmadu Bello. SABMF’s focal areas are Education, Leadership and Good Governance, Heath, Agriculture, Entrepreneurship, peace and Security. It is worth looking back to mention some of its silent achievements the launching of the organisation in 2009.

The foundation organised the Northern Education Summit Review in March 2011, and under its undergraduate Science and Technology Scholarship Programme, the foundation awards scholarship of N100,000.00 each to 200 students annually, 10 students from each of the 19 northern states and the FCT. This programme started in 2012 and some of the SABMF scholars have already graduated.

Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation sponsored a training workshop on quality teachers in primary schools in Northern Nigeria in 2016. The workshop was attended by one hundred participants from the 19 northern states.

In January 15th of every year the foundation marks the unfortunate event that took the lives of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the premier of Northern Nigeria, the Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, and many other leaders in the military coup of January 15th, 1966. The day is thus marked as the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Day, with an annual lecture, to remind us of the qualities of leadership and good governance they epitomised. Topical issues are also discussed to proffer solutions to our challenges as a nation. Under this Leadership and Good Governance Initiative, the Maiden edition of Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture was delivered by Prof. Ibrahim Gambari in 2012.

The foundation under its Health Strengthening Intervention Programme successfully conducted three zonal workshops on Emergency Trauma/ Blast Care Skills for 209 doctors and health workers.

In 2017, the foundation organised a health programme for the less privileged people with various health challenges in Rabah town, Sokoto State. The programme was designed to promote healthy indigenes of the state. Over 2,000 people were screened and treated for various diseases, ranging from river blindness, guinea worm and other worm infestations, diabetes, liver diseases, high blood pressure, cataract, and kidney diseases.

On agriculture, the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation had partnered with other groups to implement nurturing of New Generation Farmers; Project Nature in Zaria, Kaduna State. The project had trained women and youths on new farming skills; constructed storage facilities, drilled boreholes and procured thrasher for the farm. The project helped youths and women on integrated commercial farming, organic fertilizer making, and pre and post-harvesting methods.

To develop the capacity of women and youths in the north, the foundation organised a series of training under its women and youth Vocational Entrepreneurship Development Programme (WVEDP). This scheme helped various groups and individuals to realise their potential and become catalysts for sustainable growth.

The training was conducted in all 19 northern states and FCT whereby 3,000 participants were trained for 4 weeks.

In June 2013, the foundation procured basic relief materials and presented them to Borno State government for the victims of insurgency in Bama and Baga areas of the state. In addition, the foundation donated some funds to Borno State government to assist the IDPs. The foundation has spent huge sums of money on General Humanitarian Interventions from inception to date.

In conclusion, Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation has intervened in critical areas of need in all the 19 states of the north and the FCT.

The Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation has redefined the NGO terrain. Its stature, programmes and outreach can only be compared to the ones operating at the global space. While appreciating the good work that it has done in the last 10 years, we call on all well-meaning Nigerians, especially of northern extraction, to join hands with the foundation to help complement the efforts of governments at all levels. We hope the next 10 years of the foundation will see it contributing in the areas of security, peace building, conflict resolution and education.

Nasiruddeen Abdullahi Bichi, Head of Communication, Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Kaduna.