By Sufyan Lawal Kabo

Passing through Thomas Dam in Danbatta, Kano State on the way to Kazaure, the capital of Kazaure Emirate in Jigawa State gives you an opportunity to reflect on what Boko Haram insurgency in much of north east and parts of North West of the country. Here was abandoned the land, fear of attacks especially in Yobe and Bornu has driven away the farmers from the land. This was in the our minds as we set to meet the Emir of Kazuare, Alhaji (Dr) Najib Hussaini Adamu (CON) on a scheduled peace advocacy meet on Tuesday, 21st April 2015. There is also the fact the Emir, ever gracious of his time, has given as lunch time as the time to meet him.

Led by Malam Ahmad Abdullahi Yakasai, the team met the Emir in his palace along some of his kingmakers as well as courtiers. Malam Ahmad thanked the Emir for the warm reception and also briefed the palace on the purpose of the visit which was to solicit for his voice and influence in speaking out for peace. Mal Ahmad said that CITAD, has with the support of MacArthur Foundation, been implementing a project on promoting peace and national unity, primarily using social media titled CITAD4Peace with the purpose of contributing to the restoration of peace especially in the northern part of the country where Boko Haram insurgency has been ravaging communities. Yakasai also explained other components of the project which includes conducting training for civil society organizations members to use social media to promote tolerance, diversity and peace in Northern Nigeria, developing and deploying social media platforms to be used to promote tolerance, diversity, peace and facilitate the formation of peace clubs in secondary schools and tertiary institutions across the region. He then ended his brine will a call on his Royal Highness for his fatherly advice and support and to join the growing voices of people of influential that are specking for peace in the country.
In response, the Emir thanked the team and pledged his full support to CITAD4peace. He urged all Nigerians to embrace the use of social media for peace promotion instead of using it to promote negative widespread of hate speeches especially the types being instigated by the bad ones in the society. He particularly was delighted to see that organizations like CITAD were putting social media to good cause and advised that more education should be conducted among the populace to enlighten them these positive aspects of the social media.

At the close of the meeting, the team leader handed over an advocacy kit to the Emir, containing copies of the book on Insurgency and Human Rights in Northern Nigeria, Social Media Peace Campaign: Training Primer as well as policy briefs, leaflets offering suggestions on tackling the issues and addressing the plight of internally displaced people In the region.