A People, a Legacy, a Future: Kanuri World Rallies for the 2nd Kanem Borno Cultural Summit

………..From Heritage to Hope: Kufutilo Global Rallies for Kanem Borno Cultural Summit

By Kufutilo Diaspora Media
31st December 2025

In moments of history, leadership matters. Voice matters. Memory matters. And for the Kanuri people, guardians of one of Africa’s oldest civilisations, this moment has arrived again.

Across continents and state chapters, a powerful call is resonating within the Kufutilo Kanuri Development Association Global: a call to return, to remember, and to reimagine. The call comes under the royal seal of His Eminence, The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji (Dr.) Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, CFR, FNSE, who has graciously invited the Kanuri world to witness and participate in the 2nd Kanem Borno Cultural Summit, a historic convergence of identity, heritage, and purpose.

At the forefront of mobilising this historic participation stands Alhaji Ali Usman Ahmed, FCNA, ACIT, the President of the Kufutilo Kanuri Development Association Global, a leader whose stewardship has steadily transformed Kufutilo into a unifying platform for Kanuri people worldwide. Under his leadership, Kufutilo has grown beyond an association into a global movement anchored in culture, development, unity, and dignity.
Alhaji Ali Usman Ahmed’s leadership style is defined by quiet strength, strategic vision, and an unwavering commitment to the Kanuri cause. In an era where cultural erosion threatens indigenous identities, he has consistently insisted that development must walk hand in hand with heritage. The Global Kanem Borno Cultural Summit, therefore, is not incidental to his mission, it is central to it.

Supporting this vision with tireless energy and organisational discipline is Abdulkarim Mustapha, ACIT, Vice President (Establishment) of Kufutilo and Chairman of the National Participation Committee for the Summit. A mobiliser, strategist, and bridge-builder, Abdulkarim Mustapha has become a rallying point for Kufutilo chapters across states and borders. His coordination role reflects Kufutilo’s readiness not just to attend the summit, but to meaningfully shape its outcomes.

Also at the heart of the Kanuri cultural reawakening stands the Kufutilo Kanuribe Development Association Global, fast emerging as a unifying umbrella for Kanuri people across Nigeria, the Lake Chad region, and the diaspora—driven not only by visionary leadership, but by the quiet, tireless work behind the scenes. Central to this effort are Dr. Kalli Yusuf Gazali, Vice President (Administration), and AIG (Rtd) Muhammad Mustafa, mni, Secretary General, whose disciplined coordination, institutional clarity, and consensus-building have transformed Kufutilo into a cohesive, credible, and purposeful movement. Through harmonising chapters, strengthening internal structures, and uniting generations under one voice, their leadership has shown that preserving Kanuri heritage is not an act of nostalgia, but a strategic investment in identity, dignity, and a confident future.

Together, these leaders embody a rare synergy of purpose: one providing steady institutional leadership, the other driving participation and grassroots engagement. Backed by the Kufutilo Global Team Worldwide, their collective effort signals unity across generations, professions, and geographies.

The Kanem Borno Cultural Summit is expected to bring together Kanuri sons and daughters from across the Lake Chad region and the global diaspora. It is a celebration of shared ancestry, of Kanem-Borno’s intellectual, political, and cultural legacy, and a platform for honest conversations about the future: education, youth, culture, security, development, and unity.

For Kufutilo, participation in this summit is both an honour and a responsibility. It is a reaffirmation of loyalty to tradition, respect for royal authority, and belief in collective progress. It is also a statement to the world that the Kanuri people are not defined by the challenges they have endured, but by the civilisation they built, and continue to build. As the invitation circulates across all Kufutilo state chapters and global branches, the message is clear: this is a moment that demands presence, pride, and purpose.

Under the leadership of Alhaji Ali Usman Ahmed, FCNA, ACIT, strengthened by the organisational drive of Abdulkarim Mustapha, ACIT, and supported by a committed Kufutilo Global Team, the Kanuri world is poised to show up, not as spectators, but as custodians of history and architects of the future.
When culture calls, a people must answer. And at this Kanem Borno Cultural Summit, the Kanuri answer will be heard, loud, proud, and united.