By Olugbenga Salami
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has charged Hausa youth to take the lead in preserving and modernising their language and culture to prevent it from fading away.
Barau gave the charge at the World Hausa Day 2026 celebration organised by Hausa Youth Ghana at the Forecourt of the State House, Accra, at the weekend.
Speaking as Guest of Honour, Barau described World Hausa Day as a platform to celebrate the heritage, language and identity of the Hausa people while promoting unity among communities.
He said Hausa is “much more than a means of communication,” noting that for centuries it has served as a bridge in commerce, scholarship, diplomacy, literature and traditional institutions across West Africa.
“Ghana and Nigeria share a long history of interaction in trade, education, migration, culture and diplomacy. The Hausa community in Ghana has also continued to make meaningful contributions to the social and economic development of the country,” he said in a statement by his media aide, Ismail Mudashir.
Barau commended the Hausa Youth Ghana for promoting the language and culture, saying the initiative strengthens Nigeria-Ghana relations.
In a major gesture, he awarded scholarships to two members of the Hausa community in Ghana to study Hausa Language at undergraduate or postgraduate level in Nigerian universities.
He urged young people to pursue quality education, acquire modern skills, embrace innovation, establish businesses and contribute to their communities.
Barau also conveyed warm greetings to the Government and people of Ghana, reaffirming the enduring friendship between both countries.
The Deputy Senate President, who is also First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, was accompanied by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army & Northern Senators Forum, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua; Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions & TETFUND, Senator Muntari Dandutse, and the Chairman, Senate Committee on Basic & Secondary Education, Senator Lawal Adamu Usman.
