Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has said resources have been set aside to recover and reconstruct all the heritage sites destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents.
Recall that centuries-old historic sites of Kanuri origin in Kukawa, Fort of Rabbi and Gazargamu were annexed and later destroyed by Boko Haram terrorists.
Declaring open an international conference organised by the Centre for the Study and Promotion of Cultural Sustainability of the University of Maiduguri, Zulum also said a museum on the insurgency would be established by the state soon.
Represented by the commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof Usman Tar, the governor noted that culture is the biggest casualty of the Boko Haram insurgency.
“Most of our material culture and anthropological culture and artefacts were decimated as a result of Boko Haram insurgency.
“We are working very hard to recover those lost values, especially the physical ones but the mental ones like core values, and norms will take time to restore,” he said.
In his welcome address, the Director for the center, Prof Saliba B. James, said that the theme of the conference “Culture, Resettlement and Post Insurgency”, offers scholars the opportunity to assess efforts at relocation, resettlement of victims of the insurgency government and other critical stakeholders, including the university.
“The challenges encountered and solutions proffered will be discussed…It is clear that the centre has moved in tandem with developments from the selection of regions,” he said.
