Three days to the scheduled late Baba Peter Gonto’s 21st memorial anniversary, hundreds of youths have staged a peaceful protest in Tafawa Balewa town, alleging security threat to lives and properties in the area.
Addressing a press conference in Tafawa Balewa town on Tuesday, the National youth leader of Zaar Youth Development Association (ZAYODA), Comrade Galla Daniel alleged that the organisers of the event deliberately excluded some prominent sons and daughters of Zaar land which according to him, is already breeding hatred and disunity in the area.
Comrade Daniel further explained that going by reactions from different quotas in the social media by pro and cons of the scheduled anniversary, there is a possibility of breach of the peace if the event is allowed to hold.
“We reiterate with laud a voice that we reject in totality the event as we foresee great crises and disunity in the land from the program based on the desperation of the organizers”, he said.
The youth while stating that the organizers of the event be held responsible for any breach of peace in the area for anything that may occur in the cause of holding the event, said that the organizers should be made to sign an undertaking with the security agencies as it used to during Zaar annual festival.
According to the ZAYODA, no one is opposed to holding such a historic event for the late sage considering his immense role in the unity of the Zaar people during his lifetime.
He recalled in their last statement on the 25th December 2021, he informed the world that ZAYODA as a body had an emergency meeting on the 10th of December 2021 to discuss the proposed Late Baba Peter Gonto’s 21st memorial program.
Comrade Daniel further explained that at the emergency meeting, an agreement was reached that since the event was not been organized by either ZDA or council of Gung Zaar select, it is an indication that the youth body has no role to play because it’s purely family business.
“We made reference to a clean and unbiased memorial program held by the children of late Ayuba Sarki at Zainab Sumi center, Tafawa Balewa town. But to our great dismay we saw an invitation card circulating in the name of the family of Baba Peter Gonto in conjunction with our mother body ZDA national”, he said.
Also speaking, the women leader of Zaar community, Mama Rahatu vowed that as women in the area, they will not allow such exclusion to happen.
“They didn’t include those that are supposed to be in the forefront of honouring this man, Baba Peter Gonto, so therefore, we reject any arrangements towards this planned ceremony, because we need peace in our community, we don’t want division and any attempt to cause confusion and disunity among us, all zayoda women in Tafawa Balewa will not accept”, she fumed
