Tijjani Sarki
The recently concluded Arewa Media Summit in Kano was presented as a platform to redefine the role of the media in Northern Nigeria. In my view, it fell short of the expectations of a summit and felt more like a political jamboree than a strategic forum for regional renewal.
A summit that claims to speak for Arewa should reflect the diversity of the region’s media ecosystem by bringing together journalists, editors, broadcasters, communication strategists, digital influencers, academics, policymakers and development partners.
My observation is that many of these critical voices were either missing or insufficiently represented, giving the event the appearance of a gathering of familiar faces rather than the North’s broad media constituency.
Another observation is that no communiqué or clear resolutions emerged in the public domain after the event. If a summit ends without publicly outlining its decisions, implementation framework or policy direction, it becomes difficult to measure its value beyond the speeches and photographs.
I also observed concerns that the Honourable Commissioners of Information and Internal Affairs from the Northern states, particularly the Kano State’s Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, the host state, were not visibly integrated into the program.
If that perception is accurate, it represents a missed opportunity to build a truly inclusive regional media agenda.
Politically, this was also a missed opportunity to provide an inclusive platform for constructive engagement on national issues, including the policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. Genuine dialogue requires broad participation, not selective representation.
Arewa deserves a media summit defined by vision, inclusiveness, measurable outcomes and institutional credibility, not by optics alone. Until those elements become evident, many will continue to question whether the gathering advanced the North’s aspirations or merely added another event to the calendar.
Sarki is a Good Governance Advocate and Public Policy Analyst. Can be reached via responsivecitizensinitiative@gmail.com
