By afternoon last Friday, Djen Event Centre at Angwan Yelwa, Television, in Chikun Local Government Area, was already alive. It was the inauguration of the Youth Wing of the Kabilu Unified Forum. Groups of young people streamed into the hall in clusters, some wearing coordinated outfits, while others were casually dressed.
Solomon Ado Yani, a charismatic youth with leadership instincts and his strong team were chosen to pioneer the new forum and steer its affairs. Inside the hall, the youth were curious about what the Forum would mean for them.
Laughter, handshakes, and light conversations filled the air as youths from different wards and even different political leanings, found themselves sitting side by side. It was a gathering that deliberately cut across party, ethnic, and religious lines.
At the centre of it all was the Kabilu Unified Forum whose persistence brought the idea to life. The mother body had spoken about the need for a youth wing for months, arguing that young people needed more than just representation, but a structure and a voice they could collectively own.
On this day, that vision became reality for the youth as the chairman of Chikun local government, Engr. Salasi Nuhu Musa presented certificate of registration of the Forum duly acknowledged by the Ministry of Youth Development.
When Kaduna State Commissioner for Youth Development, Barrister Gloria Ibrahim, stepped up to speak, the hall fell quiet. Her message was simple but deeply felt.
“Youth should use their talent to promote peace and unity,” she said, urging them to look beyond differences that often divide communities.
For some of the young attendees, her words struck close to home, especially in a state where ethno-religious tensions have, at times, shaped everyday life. But here, in that moment, the mood was different because the youth gathered for a hopeful tomorrow.
The conversation soon turned to governance and development. Ben Kure, Managing Director of Kaduna State Media Corporation, spoke passionately about the changes he believes are happening under Governor Uba Sani. He pointed to road projects and improvements in infrastructure, noting how they have begun to reshape daily life in both urban and rural areas and called for the governor’s reelection.
Other speakers, including Jerry Adams of the Kaduna Internal Revenue Service and Chikun Local Government Chairman, Engr. Salasi Nuhu Musa, kept the focus on unity. They appealed to the newly formed youth wing not to become just another group, but a bridge connecting young people across divides.
Elder Benjamin Amako, Chairman of the Kabilu Unified Forum in Chikun captured that idea in simple terms. He described the forum as a home for everyone, regardless of background where differences are set aside in pursuit of peace and progress.
“The forum consists of individuals from diverse ethnic groups working together to foster unity, peaceful coexistence, and progress,” he emphasised.
But perhaps the most personal moment of the day came when Solomon Ado Yani took the stage as the newly sworn-in youth leader. There was a brief pause before he spoke, as if he understood the weight of expectation in the room.
Then, calmly, he promised to bring young people together to ensure their voices are heard. “I will bring the youth under one umbrella to speak with one voice to achieve the aim of the forum and work towards progress and development of the society,” he pledged.
As the event wound down, the mood shifted to celebration. Sixteen prominent figures, including Gloria Ibrahim, Ben Kure, and Jerry Adams, were honoured for their support of youth development.
Outside the venue, as people began to leave, the discussions didn’t stop. Small groups lingered, talking about possibilities, exchanging contacts, and, in some cases, already planning what comes next.
For a few hours, what stood out was a shared belief that when young people come together with purpose, they can shape not just elections, but the future of their communities. In Chikun, that future may have just found a new voice.
KADUNA NEWS24
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