Gombe Annual Festival: Over 1,500 Youths Climb Bima Hills

Over 1,500 youths have climbed the historic site of Bima Hills, in the Hina Community of Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area in Gombe State, as part of the 2022 Annual Cultural Festival of Hina.

The hill is a tourism site situated along Gombe -Biu Road, which stands at 764 meters by 259 feet above sea level and often is visited by local and international tourists.

The President of the Hina Youth Forum, Mr. Umar Musa, said climbing the hill was part of the seven days Programme, aimed at fostering unity, and peaceful coexistence, as well as recognizing outstanding sons and daughters of the community.

Mr. Musa said that the annual festival also enhanced interactions and Social activities among indigenes living within and outside the Hina Community.

He said the forum had recognized 11 illustrious sons and daughters of the community with an award for their various contributions to the development of indigent persons and the community.

According to him, “Last year, only 300 youths climbed the hill in 2021 while 1,577 youths participated in 2022. “Bima Mountain is a historic site full of site attractions. We intend to do more next year and the time of the end-of-year festival is to foster unity, peace and the bond of brotherhood,” Musa said.

He said that Hina Youth Forum had in 2022, conducted numerous activities for the development of the community, such as the sponsoring of over 123 youths for the 2022 secondary school certificate Examination and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Examination, which would enable them to secure admissions to tertiary institutions.

“In our various interventions, we supported 123 youths to write secondary school leaving examinations, 58 Joint Admission and Matriculation Examination, five in diploma d Higher National Diploma. “HYF also conducted a tree planting campaign to avert dissatisfaction,” he said.

In the meantime, the Hina Community Leader of Hina, Mr. Adamu Galadima, said the youths were the backbone for meaningful development in any society, hence their continued engagement in skills would help in reducing the burden of unemployment and promote self-reliance.

Aside from climbing the Bima Hills, the youths participated in various cultural activities, which included the display of traditional delicacies, sporting competitions, traditional dances, as well as visitations among others.