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By media360impact
Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, has called on Nigerians to look beyond narrow community and state interests and embrace greater collaboration as a pathway to national development.
Kefas made the call on Saturday in Abuja while speaking at the Kwararafa Peoples Assembly, where he urged communities and states to identify practical areas of cooperation that can improve livelihoods and contribute to Nigeria’s progress.
The governor identified agriculture and food security, education, skills development, technology, trade, investment and industrialisation as areas where greater cooperation could produce tangible benefits.
According to him, Nigeria is facing challenges including insecurity, poverty, unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, climate change and limited economic opportunities, making collective action increasingly important.
“We must expand our perspective beyond our respective communities and states. We must recognise practical domains wherein collective action can serve our people and facilitate Nigeria’s advancement,” Kefas said.
He urged stakeholders to pursue joint initiatives that can improve agricultural productivity and food security, while also expanding access to modern equipment, financing, storage, processing facilities and reliable markets.
Kefas also encouraged communities linked to the Kwararafa heritage to promote education, skills development and innovation, stressing the need to create opportunities for young Nigerians to apply their talents.
He further called for stronger trade, investment and industrial cooperation among communities, as well as efforts to preserve cultural heritage and turn historical assets into opportunities for tourism and employment.
The governor also highlighted the role of traditional institutions in promoting peace, security and responsible leadership at the grassroots.
He stressed that women and young people must remain central to any sustainable development agenda.
“Our women and young people must have a central place in this regard. A movement that does not empower its young people has no future. A development agenda that does not include its women cannot achieve its full potential,” he said.
Kefas, who convened the Abuja gathering, said the most meaningful way to honour the ancestors of the Kwararafa heritage was through organisation, discipline and collective action rather than words alone.
The assembly brought together traditional rulers, political leaders and other stakeholders from communities associated with the historic Kwararafa Confederacy. Reports on the gathering said the event was designed to strengthen unity, peaceful cooperation and development among the communities.
Also speaking, Prof. Yakubu Aboki Ochefu, a member of the Central Organising Committee and Director of the Research, Media and Publicity Sub-Committee, said people associated with the Kwararafa heritage had made contributions to Nigeria in areas including agriculture, the armed forces, natural resources and culture.
Ochefu, however, said many communities continue to face challenges relating to infrastructure, opportunities and access to resources.
He called for renewed attention to these gaps and greater collective efforts to address them.
The Kwararafa Development Forum has described the gathering as an opportunity to translate the shared history and heritage of the communities into a practical development agenda.
