Writing By Ismai’l Adamu, Editing By Godwin Duru
The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk Umar, has urged governments of countries with large number of Hausa speakers to develop deliberate policies to promote the language and culture in order to preserve it for future generations.
The Emir was speaking in Daura at a grand event to commemorate the 2025 International Hausa Day jointly organized by the Katsina State History and Culture Bureau and the global Hausa Day movement.
At the event which featured cultural exhibitions, Alhaji Faruk Umar described Hausa culture as rich and historic, urging native Hausa speakers to continue to showcase it to the world through their dressing, language and customs.
He also urged the United Nations Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to designate historic monuments in Daura such as the Kusugu Well, Bayajidda sword and other ancient monuments and places in the city as UNESCO heritage sites.
Earlier, the Director of Katsina State History and Culture Bureau commended UNESCO, the African Union and ECOWAS for recognizing and actively participating in International Hausa Day celebrations since 2015.
He said the event was celebrated in Daura to respect its place as the cradle of Hausa civilization , while calling on native and adopted Hausa speakers in Nigeria and ten other African countries to continue to promote Hausa language and culture.
In his remarks, a member of the organizing partners for the event, Malam Abdulbaqi Jari noted that this year’s International Hausa Day was celebrated in twenty four countries including the Netherlands.
He said the event was shifted to August 25th to specially recognize the contributions made to modern Hausa writing by British-German educationist, Malam Hans Fischer between 1914 and 1925.
Jari, a journalist with Turkish news outlet, TRT Africa, said Hausa language is currently the 11th most spoken language globally and is projected to become the fifth by year 2050.
Isma’il Adamu
