‘How my journeys to Dutse and Yusufari opened my eyes to great possibilities in the North’

Aisha Garba, recognised for her ability to shed light on Northern culture, security and youth empowerment, in this interview speaks about her passion to preserve and promote Northern Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, motivated by the belief that culture is both a unifying force and a driver of development. Through her work, she seeks to amplify authentic Northern voices, showcases traditions to wider audiences, and highlight how heritage can inspire progress for future generations. Blessing Adimabua brings the excerpts:

There’s been a lot of buzz about the upcoming ACF culturefest, and I understand you’ve had quite a journey leading up to it, from Dutse in Jigawa to the Yusufari desert in Yobe. Can you start by telling us about those trips and how they shaped the vision for CultureFest?

Absolutely, and thank you for having me. The story of CultureFest is really one of discovery, inspiration, and determination. In December, we travelled to Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, to witness the traditional Durbar, a cultural spectacle that has been part of Northern life for centuries. Standing in that ancient city, beholding the beautifully adorned horses, the emirate council, traditional drummers, dancers, and thousands of spectators, you could feel the deep sense of history and identity that unites the people of the North. It was more than just pageantry; it was a statement of who we are and what we stand for.

But what struck me even more was the reaction of young people. They weren’t just spectators; they were involved in every aspect of the Durbar. You could see the hunger for connection to heritage and culture. That was a moment of clarity for us: we realised that if the North is to move forward, we must anchor progress in culture. It is the bridge between our past and the future we want to build.

A few weeks later, we went further northeast, to Yusufari in Yobe State, where the vast desert stretches endlessly. We rode across dunes that looked as though they belonged in Morocco or the Arabian Peninsula, not Nigeria. We spoke to locals about the potential for desert sports, safaris, and eco-tourism. Again, it hit us that Northern Nigeria has treasures the world barely knows exist. If properly harnessed, tourism here could generate not just pride, but jobs, revenue, and a stronger sense of identity. Those two journeys, Dutse and Yusufari, crystallised our belief that the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), under the leadership of Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, had found the right moment to reposition itself beyond politics, into development, culture, and enterprise.

You mentioned Ahaji Bashir Dalhatu and the ACF. Many people still see the Forum as largely a political body. What is the different now?

That’s a fair question, and one that comes up often. Historically, the ACF was indeed perceived as a political platform, mostly elder statesmen concerned with regional unity and advocacy at the national level. But today, under Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu’s leadership, there is a conscious effort to redefine its mission.

Alhaji Dalhatu is, without question, an accomplished statesman. But what truly sets his leadership apart is his conviction that the North’s strength will never come from endless political talk—it lies in tangible action that empowers people across every economic sector. He has been consistent in stressing that the region cannot advance if we neglect culture, enterprise, education, technology, tourism, and the creative industries. In his vision, the ACF is no longer just a political pressure group; it is repositioning itself as a developmental movement for Northern progress.

CultureFest is a manifestation of that shift. Instead of issuing communiqués or debating endlessly in conference halls, we’re going to where the people are. We’re showing them that their culture, their creativity, their resilience are worth celebrating and investing in. And we’re creating real opportunities, markets for artisans, training for youth, platforms for performers, new tourist circuits that can bring revenue to communities. In this effort, I would be remiss not to mention Alhaji Nasiru Danu, Chairman of the ACF Media Committee, his support has been unwavering; lending his voice, network, and guidance to ensure CultureFest receives the visibility and credibility it deserves.

That’s powerful. So, CultureFest is about more than tourism and entertainment, it’s a developmental project?

Exactly, CultureFest is cultural, yes, but it is also economic, social, and even security-related. Let me break it down for you.

On the economic side, we are creating events that will attract visitors, both local and international.

That means hotels will get filled up, food vendors will make sales, artisans will sell their crafts, transport companies will get passengers and make gains. Then there will be the direct jobs created by festivals—ushers, security personnel, stagehands, performers. When you string that across multiple states in the North, the impact multiplies. On the social side, Culture Fest is a tool for integration. The North is incredibly diverse—Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri, Tiv, Nupe, Jukun, and many others. Often, people live in silos, knowing little about one another. By creating festivals that bring people together across state and ethnic lines, we build familiarity, tolerance, and harmony. At Dutse Durbar, you’d see Kanuri tourists, Nupe drummers, Fulani horsemen—all in one place. In Yusufari, local Kanuri youth welcomed Hausa visitors who had never been to the desert before. Those are seeds of unity.

And then, there’s the security dimension. We often think of security only in kinetic terms—soldiers, police, weapons. But there’s a softer side: when people are busy, hopeful, and proud of their identity, they are less vulnerable to extremist ideologies or criminal recruitment. That’s why we are hosting the Tourism for Security Summit as part of Culture Fest. We want to demonstrate that festivals, tourism, and cultural pride are non-kinetic tools for peace building. If you can turn a potential hotspot into a tourist hotspot, you’ve taken a giant step toward security.

Let’s talk more about that tourism for security summit. What exactly will it involve?

The Summit is a deliberate attempt to bring together security experts, cultural leaders, tourism investors, and community stakeholders to discuss how cultural and tourism initiatives can directly enhance security.

For instance, when you establish a desert safari circuit in Yobe, you immediately create new roles for local youths—as guides, drivers, and protectors. If they are earning a living from tourism, they are less likely to be idle or vulnerable to exploitation by extremist networks. Likewise, when Durbar festivals are revived across multiple emirates, they do more than entertain—they strengthen cultural pride, unity, and resilience against radicalisation.

We’ll also be learning from international case studies: how Kenya’s Maasai culture underpins both tourism and local security, and how Morocco transformed desert festivals into global attractions that sustain peace in remote regions. Then we’ll focus on how Northern Nigeria can adapt those lessons to our own realities.

Just as important, we’ll be addressing infrastructure—roads, communications, digital platforms—because security is always stronger when communities are economically connected. The summit is not about theory; it’s about crafting actionable strategies to make tourism a true partner of security.

And i should stress this: we are not doing it alone. The Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and creative economy is a full partner in this effort. The Honourable Minister is co-hosting the Summit alongside Alhaji Dalhatu, and both and her ministry’s staff have been exceptionally supportive in bringing us to this point. Their commitment shows that this is not just an ACF initiative, but a national priority with the weight of government and cultural leadership behind it.

That brings me to the role of partners. What opportunities exist for more sponsors to join this initiative?

Tourism is not the sole responsibility of government; it is a shared duty that requires the private sector, development partners, and forward-thinking individuals to play their part. Culture Fest is deliberately designed as a platform where sponsors can participate not only as benefactors, but as stakeholders with tangible returns.

Sponsors can tap into multiple areas: branding and visibility across regional and global audiences; access to Northern Nigeria’s vast consumer market; direct sales opportunities at events; and digital engagement through ticketing, streaming, and marketplace platforms. They can also build long-term equity by associating their brand with culture, heritage, and security-driven development.

The ROI is both financial and reputational. In cash terms, sponsors stand to benefit from direct market penetration, product uptake, and customer acquisition. In kind, they gain credibility, goodwill, and a strong presence in communities where trust and loyalty are invaluable assets.

We are inviting sponsors not just to support, but to co-create, to stand beside us as builders of a new Northern economy where culture drives commerce, where heritage powers innovation, and where collective effort turns festivals into engines of prosperity.

I want to go back to Dutse and Yusufari. Could you share a story from those trips that really stuck with you? Something that made you feel this project was bigger than you imagined?

Absolutely. In Dutse, after the Durbar, I met a group of teenagers who had travelled from Bauchi just to witness it. They told me they had seen clips of the Kano Durbar on YouTube, but they wanted to see one live. One of them said, “We don’t have money for Dubai, but this is our Dubai.” That line stayed with me. To him, Dutse was not just a cultural event; it was a destination, an aspiration. That’s when I knew, if we invest in culture, we don’t just entertain, we inspire.

In Yusufari, we rode camels with local guides, and at some point, we reached a dune where you could see nothing but sand in every direction. One of the elders said, “This is our ocean.” He was right, it’s endless, and it’s majestic. Then he added, “If people come here, our children will not need to leave for Lagos or Kano. They will have work here.” That was profound. Tourism could literally anchor people to their homeland, reducing migration and preserving communities.

Those two conversations, one with teenagers, one with an elder, perfectly captured the generational impact of Culture Fest.

That’s incredible. So, when is CultureFest going to be officially launched and what should people expect?

They should expect a North like they’ve never seen it before. CultureFest is not just a festival, it’s a movement. It begins with the Tourism for Security summit in Abuja on October 9th, where policymakers, investors, and community leaders will gather to explore how culture and tourism can serve as non-kinetic tools for peace building and development. That Summit sets the tone.

Beyond that, we’ll be unveiling a full calendar of CultureFest events across multiple states, each crafted to showcase different aspects of Northern heritage and creativity. From immersive exhibitions that capture the grandeur of the region, to food and fashion showcases, music and arts festivals, nature expeditions, and adventure tourism, each will reintroduce the world to Northern Nigeria in fresh and powerful ways.

This is not a one-off celebration. CultureFest is designed to become an annual rhythm of life in the North, just as Coachella is in the US or the Marrakech Festival is in Morocco.

You’ve spoken a lot about Culture Fest and the ACF’s leadership role, what about TruNorth itself. What is the vision behind it, and how does it fit into this broader movement?

TruNorth is the platform driving CultureFest in partnership with the ACF, but our mission goes far beyond organizing festivals. Our vision is to create a connected and empowered Northern Nigeria, where culture, enterprise, and innovation serve as engines of prosperity. We do this by building ecosystems—linking members, partners, and service providers across tourism, technology, agriculture, and creative industries.

More importantly, True North operates as a bridge between governance systems, government institutions, and the governed. We work to loosen bottlenecks, open channels of communication, and facilitate policy outcomes that directly benefit communities. Our objective is simple but ambitious: to give Northerners, especially young people, the tools, opportunities, and networks they need to thrive both locally and globally. CultureFest is the launch pad, but the wider TruNorth agenda is about transforming culture into commerce, identity into opportunity, and community into collective progress.

Last question: where do you see the North five years from now if CultureFest achieves its goals?

In five years, I see a Northern Nigeria that is confident, creative, and connected.

I see young people proudly learning their languages, dressing in their cultural attire, and building businesses around heritage.

I see tourists flying into Kano or Maiduguri not for transit but for festivals, safaris, and food tours.

I see communities where Kanuri and Tiv, Hausa and Nupe, Fulani and Jukun don’t just coexist but celebrate together.

I see security improved, not only because of stronger forces but because communities are alive with enterprise, pride, and opportunity.

And I see the ACF, under Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu’s leadership, remembered not just as a political forum, but as the catalyst that turned Northern Nigeria’s culture into its greatest engine of progress. That’s the North we’re working towards to.