Emirates/chiefdoms: Fintiri’s folly will die a natural death – Calculate
• Reveals unseen hand behind balkanization of Adamawa, Mubi emirates
In this phone interview with Mohd Ismail, renowned Adamawa politician, Umar Bello Jada also known as Calculate said the creation of new emirates and chiefdoms by governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri is a huge folly and political misstep that will never endure, noting that it will crumble like a badly arranged pack of cards.
The politician who also revealed that Fintiri is acting a prepared script for the sake of political correctness and survival revealed the unseen hand behind the creation of the new emirates/chiefdoms.
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Excerpts:
How do you view the creation of new emirates and chiefdoms in Adamawa State?
If not for the fact that people have been inundating me to speak on the contentious issue, I would not have commented on it because I know the folly will naturally fizzle out with time. The whole gamut was a design to obfuscate the people and redirect conversations away from the hunger, insecurity and hardship afflicting the people.
What Fintiri is doing will be his greatest political nemesis. In all honesty, Fintiri is towing the path of self destruction through this folly that can never stand the test of time. He is promoting the worst form of official travesty. What he is doing is taking a joke too far.
Any one directly or even remotely connected with this travesty is doing nothing order than destroying his political career. In the fullness of time, my prognosis of this political miscalculation will come to fruition.
Adamawa masses ought to learn one or two lessons from what is happening in Kano and what happened before in Kano Bauchi and even Gongola States.
When Isa Yuguda deliberately balkanized the traditional institution in Bauchi, the people decided to watch the spectacle with calculated maturity and restraint. But that unfortunate action sealed his political destiny for good. When his predecessor was sworn in, he stripped and denuded the so called emirs and chiefs whom Yuguda created at the venue of the swearing in and the rest as they say is history.
Similar spectacle also took place in Kano State during governor Abubakar Rimi’s stewardship. Because of politics, Rimi also balkanized Kano Emirate to smithereen. He even suspended Ado Bayero at a point in time. But because of the emotional investment and the sanctity of the emirate to the people, Kano electorates decided to teach Rimi a bitter political lesson. They decided to bring a rather unpopular candidate, Sabo Bakin Zuwo who they believed will do their bidding.
Like what happened in Bauchi, the first official function of Bakin Zuwo was to strip and de-robe the so called emirs and he immediately reinstated Ado Bayero.
Ganduje made similar mistake due to his rift with Emir Muhammad Sanusi II. With full support of Buhari, Ganduje humiliated and dethroned Sanusi.
The irate Kano masses decided to also teach Ganduje and Buhari the bitter political lessons of their lives. Despite the popularity of Buhari and APC in Kano, the party was woefully defeated during the election.
Ganduje did not even win his polling unit and all the candidates he fielded including his son and wife’s sister were roundly defeated. Kano people deliberately voted Abba knowing that he will restore the lost glory of Kano Emirate as one indivisible entity.
Because the APC led federal government had an ulterior motive, they reinstated Aminu Ado Bayero ostensibly to impose a state of emergency in the state. But the Kano people probed to be wiser and refused to succumb to these devious theatrics. In 2027 you will see how Kano people will deliver the lethal blow to APC that will finally eclipse the party for good.
In Gongola State, Barde has played the same divisive game and created districts in virtually all the local governments. What was his fate? Excruciating defeat! Unlike Fintiri, Barde made the mistake of splitting the emirate in his first tenure. That official gaffe costed him his second term in office and the Emirates’ status quo before the rash and imperious action was restored. If the diabolic actions of the past governors was defeated, I have no doubt this time, the people will still rise up to the occasion.
In what manner do you think Adamawa people especially those opposed to the creation of the new emirates and chiefdoms will react?
I’m telling you Adamawa masses will never revolt over the development but will keenly wait till 2027 when they will also deal a fatal blow to Fintiri and all those who backed his irrational and imperious actions.
I must tell you, none of the new chiefdoms and emirates has deep historical and even cultural heritage. If you talk of Madagali, the people with such deep rooted history who deserve chiefdom are the Sukur people. Sukur people have a kingdom dating back to even before the coming of colonial masters. But they were denied chiefdom. If you deny Sukur people a chiefdom, it shows your are creating the chiefdoms to suit your personal whims and caprices but not on the merit of history.
If you come to Fufoure, the area with deep history is Gurin. Gurin was in existence even before the coming of Modibbo Adama. They have established well structured system with established administrative framework. Islam was established in Gurin even before the coming of Modibbo Adama. But unfortunately a place with deep history like Gurin was side stepped in favor of Fufoure. You don’t have to be told that politics and selfish interests rather than merit are at play here.
Let me tell you that all those who will be appointed as chiefs and emirs have no reason to be so appointed because they have no connection with any traditional institution. Fintiri should know that tradition and politics are poles apart. So appointing people who are not blue blooded scions of the institution will ultimately fail.
Any attempt to mischievously humiliate a particular people based on their religion, ethnic or lineal affiliation will die a natural death. History is replete with instances where God destroyed haughty, wicked and vengeful leaders who are full of themselves.
Adamawa people will visit their wrath on both PDP and APC for this serious transgression.
They will reap bountifully what they sow. The project is already dead on arrival. Let me tell you based on a blueprint developed by the Gongola Forum, no fewer than 50 chiefdoms and emirates were pencilled to be created and at the end of the day only seven were created. That in itself was a huge failure. And the governor promised to give all of them first class titles. What happened today?
You may wish to recall that there was a time when Fintiri said on television that every citizen of Adamawa is a first class citizen. If that is true why creating inferior chiefdoms and emirates? Is he now admitting that he belonged to an inferior tribe? If the purpose of creating the chiefdoms is to address perceived marginalization, then it is already dead on arrival.
But the government said the creation of the new districts, emirates and chiefdoms came from popular agitation what is your take on this?
In fact what Fintiri did was to demote some people. For instance with the development, Fufoure people who were hitherto in a first class emirate have now been demoted to second class status. Madagali, Michika who think they are in the same class with Mubi people are by this sleight of the hand degraded as second class citizens.
What happened is that instead of promoting the ethnic nationalities the governor ended up humiliating them by showing the world that they are lesser beings.
Are you denying that the government’s action came from popular demands by the people?
I’m telling you some of the things Fintiri is doing are being dictated to him. To some extent I don’t heap all the blames on the governor because as an individual he can’t conceive and implement all what he is doing alone. Everyone is a witness to what is happening in Kano. If despite the awareness of Kano people, those who do not want the state to live in peace have created artificial crisis what do you think will happen to Adamawa if they want the state to be embroiled in crisis?
We told our people that no one should react over the development. Let us patiently wait till 2027 and show them our anger through our votes. If you merge Chamba votes, Hausa Fulani votes, those in the chiefdoms and those in Mubi and merged them together, no force will defeat us in any election.
We were definitely harassed intimidated and humiliated but we will not respond violently we shall wait and show them that we have the numbers come 2027.
I believe with what is transpiring in Kano, Fintiri will never have the guts to do what he is doing without being prodded by some highly placed individuals or institutions. I believe Abuja is having a vested interest in what is currently happening in Adamawa. And these things are happening because they wanted to cliff the wings of former vice president Atiku Abubakar. Those fifth columnist in Abuja were told that Atiku is gaining political mileage because of his position as Waziri of Adamawa. So they believed such influential title will give him political milestones in Shehu Danfodio dynasty. It is even speculated in hushed tones that what is happening is a precursor for dethroning Lamido so that a pliant Emir who will remove Atiku will be installed because of the special place Adamawa emirate occupies in Dan Fodio dynasty. But we await to see how the whole shenanigan will play out. Coupled with the issue of the important place Atiku occupies, his soaring and rising influence in Nigerian politics is also giving those in government sleepless nights knowing that Atiku is the only candidate with the muscle to supplant the APC behemoth come 2027.
Atiku Abubakar has been described as a serial election loser, he has contested presidential election times without number, don’t you think your claims are misplaced based on facts and figures?
Before if you sample the opinion of hundred Nigerians, 80 will tell you that they are against Atiku, but with the current situation, 90 percent are fully behind him. Such is causing the Abuja Demi Gods sleepless nights. Many believed that Atiku is a Messiah compared to the current crop of leaders.
There is a general consensus in Nigeria that Atiku is the man to beat come 2027. The platform on which he contest the presidential election does not matter anymore. If he decided, he can contest on the banner of a mega coalition or even as an independent candidate but Atiku will surely defeat Tinubu come 2027.
The general consensus being built around Atiku especially on social media points to one direction, that Atiku is the candidate to beat. That is why the Abuja goons want to frustrate him at all costs.
Their initial plan to destroy Atiku politically was by planting moles in PDP. But when they realized that Atiku has other viable alternatives for victory, they decided to create obstacles for him from all directions.
I told you that PDP is on the brink of total extinction that is why they are planting landmines for Atiku knowing that he is the only candidate who pose a real danger to Tinubu and APC.
What they failed to know is that even if Atiku is removed as Waziri that will not reduce his political standing and pedigree.
Finally, what do you think is the portent of Fintiri’s action on the polity?
In a nutshell I want to tell you will all seriousness that that singular action has led him to loss substantial political capital. Fintiri’s political party and anyone he supported will be roundly defeated come 2027. Both APC and PDP will incur the wrath of the people but time will vindicate me. The Abuja goons will not save Fintiri on the day of reckoning. That day Fintiri will become a political orphan. If the governor likes, he can destroy the Adamawa emirate and even reduce the emirate to rubbles, that will not make Waziri lose the presidential election.
