The year 2024 was a tempestuous one for Arewa Development Support Initiative (ADSI). It was a year of trials, which tested the very soul of an organization built on the dream of transforming lives and lifting the spirit of northern Nigeria. Conflicts raged like wildfires: conflicts of understanding, of personalities, and of egos. Issues that seemed inconsequential erupted into towering flames, threatening to consume everything we had worked tirelessly to build. Yet, in these crucibles of discord, we discovered the iron in our resolve, the fire in our purpose, and the unyielding strength in our unity.
Life seldom warns us of the storms it will send. The difficult moments come uninvited, shaking our foundations, demanding that we fight battles not of our choosing. For ADSI, the battles came with ferocity, battering our mission and questioning our commitment. Yet, these storms did not crush us. They forged us. They stripped us of illusions and revealed the unshakeable pillars upon which we stood: compassion, love, and an unrelenting belief in the promise of a better tomorrow for our people.
There were days when the clouds of discord were so thick that light seemed an impossibility. The air was heavy with the weight of disagreements, and the noise of dissonant voices drowned out reason. Yet, even in those moments, there was a flicker of hope. It was the silent yet resounding belief that we were chosen for this. Not by fate alone, but by the cries of countless souls who needed a voice, a refuge, and a path toward possibility.
The shackles that sought to bind us: the mistrust, the egos, the misunderstandings; seemed indomitable. But within those constraints lay the seeds of our transformation. The storms that threatened to wreck us became the winds that propelled us forward. The very conflicts that sought to divide us revealed the depth of our commitment and the strength of our shared vision.
We learned that resilience is not merely surviving the storm but embracing it, allowing it to shape and strengthen us. The tempest became a teacher, and we were eager students, absorbing its lessons with humility and grace. Every challenge became an opportunity to prove that our love for northern Nigeria was unbreakable, our vision steadfast, and our resolve unyielding.
The commitment of the T7 leadership was nothing short of extraordinary. These seven stalwarts, with their unwavering determination, became the anchor of the ADSI ship. They steadied us when the waves threatened to capsize our mission. Their sacrifices, their sleepless nights, and their relentless pursuit of harmony amid chaos: these were the unsung acts of heroism that kept us afloat.
Hajiya Hafsat Hayatudeen, the quiet force, stood like an unyielding oak amid the storm. Her wisdom, tact and intentionality, dismantled the most stubborn of conflicts. She was the embodiment of grace under pressure, a guiding light in our darkest hours. Beside her, Hajiya Sadiya Gumi and Hajiya Safaa stood as emblems of courage and insight. Their words were a balm for wounds that seemed irreparable. Together, they were the souls of our movement, grounding us in purpose and hope.
Then there were Mal Suleiman Ubale and Mr. Mohammed Jamu: the men whose humility was matched only by their strength. Two figures both fearless and unshakable, they became the pillars upon which we leaned. Their leadership was not loud, but it was profound, a quiet fire that lit the path forward when all seemed lost. Their presence reminded us that the essence of leadership is not dominance, but service.
Barr Zainab Magaji and Barr Rosaline Tasha, brought their legal acumen and unyielding integrity to the table. Zainab and Rosaline, with their boundless energy, inspired action even in the face of inertia. They lent their wisdom and experience, weaving a tapestry of strategies that steadied our ship when the currents were strongest against us.
When the conflicts grew too intense for even the most seasoned among us, the elders stepped in. The coming together of: Mal Umar Farouk Ibrahim, Dr. Ahmad Shehu, Gen Kapeh Alwali Kazir (RTD), Major Gen Ibrahim Umar (RTD), Chief Sunny Sylvester Moniedafe (Jagaba Jimeta), Prof. Khalifa, Alh. Munir Jaafaru, and Engr. Abdullahi Ibrahim Garba; to play significant mediation roles, was quite timely. They were people of towering character and unassailable integrity. They became the voices of reason. They were the guardians of truth, unbendable in their resolve to steer us toward harmony, even when the path was fraught with difficulty. Their presence was a reminder that truth, though sometimes unpopular, is the bedrock of progress.
In the same vein, the ADSI Constitution Review Committee; comprising Hon. Idris Yahuza, Barr. Aisha Abdu Muhammad, Dr. Ahmad Yahaya Alhassan, Mr. Pokyes Kavwam, Mrs. Mimidoo Achakpa, Barr. Ahmad Yakubu Wanka, and Barr. Adamu Kabila, undertook a commendable task in reviewing ADSI’s constitution. Their diligent work was instrumental in fostering the organization’s stability and driving the remarkable progress it continues to enjoy today.
Through it all, the storms did not break us. They refined us. They revealed the power of unity, the strength of purpose, and the invincibility of a people bound by a shared dream. Great ADSIANS, within northern Nigeria and beyond, bonded even closer. From Kano, Benue, Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Jigawa, Niger, Adamawa, Kebbi, Borno to Bauchi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Yobe, Plateau, and Zamfara; men and women bound by the shared love for Arewa, fought for the survival of ADSI. The trials of 2024, harsh as they were, became the crucible in which we forged a stronger, more resolute ADSI.
As we emerged from the chaos, we were not merely survivors but victors. Our conflicts had transformed into cohesion, our disagreements into understanding. The very trials that sought to destroy us had become the foundation of a new strength, a deeper resolve, and an unshakable belief in our mission.
We learned that greatness is not found in the absence of difficulty, but in the ability to rise above it. And rise we did. ADSI, battered but unbroken, emerged from 2024 stronger than ever, testifying to the power of resilience, the beauty of unity, and the unyielding spirit of a people who refuse to give up on their dreams.
The year tested us to our very core. It demanded sacrifices we never imagined, and strength we didn’t know we had. But it also gave us something immeasurable: a deeper understanding of who we are, what we stand for, and what we are capable of achieving when we believe in a cause greater than ourselves.
Now, as the storms recede and the skies clear, we stand not as a fractured organization but as a formidable force, ready to continue our mission in 2025 with renewed vigour. The scars of 2024 are not marks of defeat but badges of honour, reminders of the battles fought and the victories won. Together, we remain the hope of the people, the voice of the voiceless, and the lighthouse guiding northern Nigeria toward a brighter future. Indeed, there always comes a time, when a people heed a certain call! This is the time!