Gazali Haruna
Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto
Senate Minority Leader and Senator representing Benue South senatorial district, Distinguished Senator Patrick Abba Moro, has added another feather to his cap after clinching the Distinguished Impactful Leadership Award at the maiden Democracy Day Lecture and Book Presentation in Sokoto.
The event, held in honor of the late Hajiya Tuni Margai, drew statesmen, academics, and community leaders to Sokoto State University. Moro was among select recipients recognized for transformative contributions to national development.
The award specifically cited Moro’s sustained push for women and youth empowerment across Benue South. For a senator operating in Nigeria’s turbulent political space, the recognition frames him less as an opposition voice and more as a builder of human capital.
Though engaged in Senate duties in Abuja, Moro ensured Benue South was represented. The Idoma community stood in for him, signaling the senator’s deep roots with his base and the confidence they hold in his leadership even at national events.
In his remarks delivered through his representatives, Moro commended the author and host, Dr. Godwin Onuh Odeh, Head of History and Diplomatic Studies at Sokoto State University. He described the book as more than literature – a mirror reflecting Idoma grit.
“The author showcased the Idoma fighting spirit and industry at work, qualities evident even in what may be called a foreign land,” Moro stated. The words landed with force, reminding the Sokoto audience that Nigeria’s strength lies in identities that thrive beyond their homelands.
“That’s what Idoma people are known for, whether at home or in other lands,” he added. In a nation often fractured by regional suspicion, the senator’s tribute doubled as a call for mutual respect across ethnic lines.
Moro did not stop at cultural pride. He extended goodwill to the organizers, Sokoto State University and collaborators, commending them for setting the agenda on democracy and inclusion. His message was clear: institutions must lead conversations that shape Nigeria’s future.
Then came the punchline on politics. “There is no better time for gender-inclusive politics than now,” the Senate Minority Leader declared. Coming from the PDP’s top voice in the Senate, it was both a challenge to the establishment and a roadmap for 2027.
His assertion aligns with growing pressure on Nigeria’s political class to dismantle barriers against women in leadership. With Sokoto, a conservative northern stronghold, hosting such discourse, Moro’s words gain extra weight.
As the lecture closed, one truth stood out: Abba Moro’s award was not just about Benue South. It was about what happens when representation meets impact, when culture meets courage, and when a senator uses a Sokoto podium to speak for Nigeria’s tomorrow.
