Creation of Emirates/Chiefdoms: Call gov Fintiri to order, Jada urges Adamawa south chiefs
• Says gov’s action has severe portents on future of traditional institution in the state
In this interview with a group of journalists, Adamawa State politician, Umar Bello Jada also known as Calculate made a clarion call on Adamawa South Chiefs to call on governor Fintiri to halt his onslaught against the Adamawa and Mubi emirates in the spirit of fraternal comradeship, saying that an injury to one is injury to all.
He urged the chiefs to forge a common ground to fight the brewing anomaly as no traditional institution will be insulated against the fury of a power drunk governor in the future. He also alleged subterranean plans to remove current Lamido of Adamawa State and change the name of the emirate as the onslaught against the two emirates takes a dicey turn and many other topical issues.
Excepts:
Some analysts have posited that the chiefdoms in Adamawa South have somehow being insulated from the current creation of chiefdoms and emirates, do you think such development is deliberately contrived?
As someone from Adamawa South Senatorial zone, I feel seriously disturbed and worried about the reticent posture adopted by our chiefs. I’m worried because of the fact that the new set of laws did not accord an ounce of protection to any traditional ruler whether he operates in the southern, central and northern parts of the state, meaning in the future, no traditional ruler will be insulated from the fury of a power drunk governor.
If this anomalous trend is allowed to sail where emirates and chiefdom are created based on the whimsical desires of one man, the traditional institution will face grave portents and will reap a harbinger of woes in the future.
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Again, silence of our traditional rulers in the face of this glaring injustice indicated acceptance of the new normal or even conspiracy. I have no problem if new emirates and chiefdoms are created based on merit, but a situation in which the creation of the emirates and chiefdoms go against all acceptable parameters like history, preferences of the people and established cultures, calls for all discerning peace lovers to act in the interest of justice.
For instance, In its haste to balkanize the Adamawa emirate, the state government decided to carve a strange emirate that is Fufoure emirate out of the blues. Creation of Fofoure emirate is a huge misnomer and travesty because it defies the deep history of Adamawa emirate, it is against the choices of the people and a malediction for chaos, disharmony and discontent.
If the creation of the emirate is based on altruistic reasons, either Ribadu, Gurin or even Daware, places that have deep historical roots could have been chosen. Because of the deep history of these areas, they hold strategic influence in the emirate and have a high stake in the selection of a new Lamido. The creation of Fofoure emirate has distorted history, make nonsense of the traditional institution and created an emirate that has no history and will therefore never be respected or gain any leverage. It will also created deep resentment amongst the people.
With this anomaly where will you put Ardo Ribadu, Ardo Gurin or Ardo Daware who are all kingmakers in Adamawa emirate. This is a huge quagmire which the creation of Fufoure emirate has created. Using executive powers to disrupt the natural arrangement of things always end up in fatal mistakes.
Let me be blunt to you, the idea of creating new emirates and districts was contrived in bad faith. It is an attempt to settle historical scores. That is why the whole project gets the full backing and imprimatur of the so called Gongola Forum. And that is why all the eight members of Adamawa State house of assembly committee on the creation of the new emirates and chiefdoms consist of only Christians and ethnic minorities so that the agenda of the Gongola Forum could be bolstered.
I even learnt that there was a move to rename the Adamawa emirate to Fombina emirate as a precursor to remove Lamido from office on the alter of ill-health.
And to show you how bad the situation is, I have not heard a single voice of dissent against the disruptions of Mubi and Adamawa emirates from people of Adamawa South especially from the core Bachama areas like Numan, Demsa and Lamurde.
Fintiri has just two years to complete his eighth year term of office. If for instance, a governor who is totally against Fintiri and who has the kind of animosity for the chiefdoms of Adamawa South similar to the one Fintiri has for Adamawa and Mubi emirates, becomes the next governor, he would also undermine them with impunity and nobody will have a tinge of sympathy for them.
Everyone knows that Numan itself was built by the Hausa people from the scratch and up till now Hausa people constitute majority of the population. If a governor with ulterior motive against Numan chiefdom comes he will also create a chiefdom in Numan and appoint a Hausa man to lead it. In the same manner he could create another Hausa chiefdom in Tingno Waduku in Lamurde and appoint a Hausa man and also carve a chiefdom in areas populated by the Fulani in Demsa Local Government. I’m very sure if a governor with the kind of Fintiri’s mindset replicates what I have just said in Numan federation there will have been serious crisis by now. That is why I will continue to cherish the people of Adamawa and Mubi emirates for their calculated maturity even in the face of this monumental provocation.
Sometimes back in one of these conversations you claimed that the people of Ganye chiefdom are united and not rooting for new chiefdoms but recent clamour by some prominent sons of the area nixed your claim. What is your take?
I will again and again say in unequivocal language that the people of Ganye chiefdom from the former vice president Atiku Abubakar, the ethnic nationalities, including Chamba, Fulani and Mumuye are happy with the order of our traditional setting.
The composition of the traditional setting in itself is a pointer to that agreement. For instance both the district heads of Jada, Toungo and Ganye are Fulani people and no Chamba or Mumuye has ever raised a voice against that. And again no Fulani man has raised a voice of dissent against Gangwari’s position as the paramount traditional ruler of the area. The current commissioner representing Jada LG in the current cabinet, Adamu Atiku is a Fulani man and so also the representative of Ganye Mohammed Sadiq is a Fulani man. In history we had a number of Fulani as well as Chamba people occupying elective political positions such as chairmen, councillors, members of house of assembly etc. and heaven didn’t fall down.
This points to one single conclusion, that we have been operating as one people despite our differences. Most of us have the same culture, orientation and values. We are also united on many fronts including marital ties, religion and beliefs. So we are virtually one people. Don’t allow political jobbers and paid agents of the government to deceive you on that.
I know for a fact that those who are pushing this agenda are doing the bidding of the government to extend the battle against Atiku to Ganye chiefdom. It is logical that they conclude the war they started in Adamawa emirate to Ganye chiefdom in their bid to decimate Atiku in the area.
I want to use this opportunity to state that Atiku and all the peace loving people of Ganye chiefdom are against the creation of any divisive and disruptive chiefdom. All his life, Atiku has stoutly remained on the side of the Ganye chiefdom. At a point in time, Atiku single handedly opposed the creation of Nasarawa chiefdom with all his might and resources. In fact, Atiku was even promised to be appointed a chief but he rejected the idea. It is on that premise that the people of the chiefdom have great respect for the former vice president. Do you think what Atiku opposed years back on the alter of principle he will support now?
