The umbrella body for all socio-cultural organisations in the Gongola region, the Gongola Peoples’ Forum (GPF) has declared that it will champion a campaign to reverse the naming of the present Adamawa State to its former name of Gongola State.
Chairman of the GPF, Markus Gundiri, stated this on Saturday in Yola, while addressing delegates of various socio-cultural organisations in the state, at a meeting convened by the forum.
Gundiri said the forum will embark on the campaign to reverse the name of the state to its former name in its drive to ensure inclusivity and create a sense of belonging to all the people, and ethnic nationalities that make up the state.
“This (Gongola) was the name of the state when it was created on February 3, 1976. The state existed until August 27, 1991, when it was divided into two states and was parochially renamed Adamawa State,” he said.
The GPF chairman said the interface with the socio-cultural organisations is to enable the leadership of the forum those of the various socio-cultural groups, develop core objectives, policies and programmes of action, and how to collaborate in the implementation of resolutions.
He stated that already, the GPF has recorded a landmark achievement following the autonomy and self -determination granted to many ethnic nationalities through the creation of seven news districts and emirates, and the subsequent appointment of chiefs and emirs by the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri.
“This revolutionary development is in tandem with the foremost objectives of the GPF. We urge these traditional rulers to set such high standards of justice, equity and fairplay in the running of their affairs that the critics of this laudable exercise will be put to shame over their prophecies of doom.
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“We call on all our people to support and cooperate with our traditional rulers to drive progress and commit to peaceful coexistence at the grassroots. We must all cooperate to ensure positive change in our societies.
“We as a people must commit ourselves to safeguarding our freedom and the protection of our newly gained autonomy in the running of our traditional affairs. The price of liberty it is said, is eternal vigilance.
“We must be politically conscious and intentional in the exercise of our civic rights to elect leaders who will defend our freedom and who will be accountable to us. Under no circumstances should our people toy with their future by entrusting their fate to people who cannot be trusted.
“We are irrevocably committed to justice, fairplay and the peaceful coexistence of the society. We urge all men of goodwill from all backgrounds and other ethnic nationalities to join us build a society where in the words of our national anthem, no man is oppressed,” Gundiri added.
