Ngizim competition: Traditional rulers urge youth to protect cultural heritage

Traditional rulers from Nigeria and the Niger Republic have referred to as on youths to embrace their cultural heritage and protect indigenous values for future generations.

The royal fathers made the decision on Wednesday in the course of the 2026 Potiskum Annual Cultural Festival of the Ngizim folks, held on the Potiskum Emirate Palace in Yobe state, with 11 conventional rulers in attendance.

The annual competition is aimed toward selling the Ngizim folks’s cultural heritage, strengthening relationships amongst conventional establishments and guaranteeing the preservation of indigenous customs and values for future generations.

The competition attracted conventional rulers from Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe and Plateau states, in addition to Mainasorowa within the Niger Republic, to have fun cultural heritage and promote unity.

Representing Governor Mai Mala Buni, the Speaker of the Yobe state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chiroma Buba Mashio, recommended the Potiskum Emirate Council for initiating the competition.

He inspired different emirates to organise comparable cultural occasions to coach youthful generations about their historical past, traditions and cultural identification.

Similarly, the Emir of Machina, Alhaji Albishir Bukar Machina, expressed concern over the declining curiosity amongst some youths in conventional values, urging communities to guard their cultural identification.

Quoting the Hausa proverb, “Wanda ya bar gida, gida ya barsa,” he warned towards permitting youthful generations to lose reference to their roots.

The Chairman of the event, Senator Muhammad Hassan, Turakin Potiskum, additionally urged residents to advertise peaceable coexistence and mutual respect, stressing that cultural range ought to unite relatively than divide communities.

He additional cautioned towards permitting political variations to destroy longstanding relationships and friendships.

The competition featured a free medical outreach, together with analysis and medicine, in addition to posthumous awards to recognise distinguished personalities who contributed to the event of Potiskum and Yobe State.

Those honoured included former Yobe state governor, Senator Mamman Bello Ali, former governor and first Sardauna of Potiskum, Late Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, former Waziri of Potiskum, Muhammad Guza, and Alhaji Shuaibu Alaraba, amongst others.