The Fulbe Development and Cultural Organisation, FUDECO had held a very highly impactful scaled-down Annual General Meeting, AGM, in Bauchi, on Friday 9th to Saturday 10th December 2022.
The AGM as designed, was attended by limited number of delegates from entire state chapters, trustees and NEC members with some invited guests
The 2022 Annual Report was presented and the task ahead deliberated, where the Trustees, the National Executive Council and the National Advisory Council were refreshed to give the organisation more capacity to pursue its objectives.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, LOC of the AGM Bauchi 2023, Engr Aliyu Umar Sambo having welcomed all the delegates, expressed satisfaction that everyone made it on time for the maiden event in Bauchi.
Sambo, who is also the Bauchi State Chairman of FUDECO, a young university lecturer with the Electrical Engineering department, is a proud product of Nomadic Education.
In his remarks, the FUDECO National Chairman, Prof SS Nana said that going forward, priorities would be to consolidate and upscale the gains made in the continuation to building solid structures of the organisation.
Nana said as a three-year old organisation, though still infant, a lot has been achieved beyond expectations, hence has given the global to Allah SWT.
Nana revealed that FUDECO was one of the final three out of the thirty organisations pre-selected in Africa that was selected for a research project on gender equality, social inclusion and empowerment of pastoralists.
He revealed that FUDECO has launched the Participatory Action Research Project with a team of 42 in six states in addition to another similar research project with a team of 11 researchers on livelihoods, farmer-herder conflicts and resilience of pastoralist in the North-West and North-East of Nigeria.
Both projects are funded by the Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent Crisis (SPARC) Consortium of major international development partners.
FUDECO is a knowledge-driven organisation, Prof Nana said while presenting an annual financial report, stating that FUDECO needs more unrestricted funds to function effectively.
The National Chairman announced that Dr. Ahmadu Shehu resigned as a trustee of FUDECO earlier this year for personal reasons. He thanked Dr. Ahmadu for his contributions and wished him all the best.
The Chairman of the AGM Prof. Abubakar Abba Tahir, Kaakakey Fombina (Adamawa Emirate) and Trustee, highlighted the need for diversification by Fulbe and for FUDECO to organise herself better.
The Keynote Speaker Amb. Hassan Jika Ardo, the immediate past Nigerian Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago and Chairman of the FUDECO National Advisory Council, emphasised on the need for Fulbe to adapt to changing times.
Ardo condemned the attacks on and demonisation of Fulbe especially when it comes to crime and urged for justice and equity.
He called for unity of Fulbe to address the crisis facing them.
He urged Fulbe youths to learn various vocations and stay away from any form of criminality.
As a pastoralist himself, the charismatic former Deputy Director of the Office of the Accountant-General of Nigeria, has been a victim of unjustified ethno-politico-religious fascists who killed over 40 members of his family, burnt down his home and killed over 400 of his cows.
Our Guest of Honour the highly decorated Senator Usman Bayero Nafada (CON), former Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps (Nigerian Lower House of Parliament), former Speaker of Gombe State Assembly, Sarkin Yaki Gombe and Garkuwan Matasan Arewa, speaking in impeccable Fulfulde, expressed satisfaction with the FUDECO activities that have eventually turned out to be a great expectation.
Sarkin Yaki Gombe requested that wherever FUDECO was meeting in the country, he should be invited and he would attend.
State chapters delivered their annual reports as well as proposed workplans for the year 2023.
The chapters are commended for their comments to doing incredible work, often, too good to be true.
One of the main highlights of the occasion was the presentation of the Award of the 2022 best performing chapter of the year, which goes to Gashaka LGA Chapter, under Taraba State.
“We thank our Ardos and other guests who attended the AGM, namely, Ardo Kaku (Adamawa), Ardo Bayu (Adamawa), Ardo Umar Kagere, Rep of Ardo Hassan Likita, Ardo Tashan Mustafa, Ardo Abdulmumini Bello, Ardo Abdullahi Umar, Ardo Hassan Musa, Musa Ardo, Secretary Nomadic Education Bauchi, Haj. Ladi Hamma, Director Quality Assurance Ministry of Education Bauchi, Ahmed Abubakar, Rep. of Director SSS Bauchi, Sheikh Isa Mohammad Bauchi.
“The AGM was scaled-down (meaning it is smaller in scope, limited delegate numbers and short programme) because of the ongoing economic and social crisis affecting Fulbe and Nigerians. Other invitees participated through Zoom. We thank the Bauchi State Chapter and the LOC for the excellent organisation and their hospitality,” the organisers said.