✍🏾 Madalla Kadiri, Zaar Activist
Past regimes initiated local government reform to bring peace, development at the grassroot, but it didn't succeed, due to unbalance distribution of traditional institution in Nigeria, where minority tribes like the Zaar and others in Northern Nigeria are denied the right of having a local government, traditional institution in line with the customs, culture, traditions of there Area. The main cause of the unbalance distribution of traditional institution in Northern Nigeria is as a result of colonial law section 3 (1) of the Chiefs ( Appointment and Deposition) Law 1930 that was adopted by Northern House of Chiefs, then ratified by Late Premier of Northern Nigeria which confers power on the Premier at that time, to received the list of nominees from the kingmakers, the power to endorse any of the nominees or any other prince even without nomination. The former Premier of Northern Nigeria Sir Ahmadu Bello has his own personal reasons as the Grandson of Othman Danfodio for retaining the colonial law Section 3 (1) of the Chiefs ( Appointment and Deposition) Law 1930, his main reason was to preserve, control and expand the territory of the Sokoto Caliphate, the evidence can be found in one of the national daily in the 60's Parrot Newspaper, I quote " in this estate of our Grandfather Othman Danfodio call Nigeria, we will use the minority tribe as our willing tools, South as conquered territory"
Section 3 (1) of the Chiefs ( Appointment and Deposition) Law 1930 was first introduced in 1930 by Colonial masters in Northern Nigeria to enable them control the endorsement, nomination of traditional rulers in Northern Nigeria to further the cause of indirect rule for greater exploitation, now the Sokoto Caliphate our local colonial master is using the law through Northern Governors to further the cause of the caliphate for greater exploitation in this 21st century.
The House of Assembly members of Zaar extraction that have serve from 1976 when Bauchi State was created to date have fail to raise a single motion at the floor of the Bauchi State House of Assembly for the amendment of Section 3 (1) of the Chiefs ( Appointment and Deposition) Law 1930 which is outdated, instead they have been busy legislating what they are not supposed to legislate. In Niger State it was the Governor itself that call for the amendment of the chieftaincy law of the state to be in line with the customs, culture of the people of Niger State not that of the caliphate again.
The asymmetrical power relations that engender a sense of insecurity, inferiority, supremacy or rivalry between individuals and groups have always shaped human social existence and experiences. These experiences are variegated, shaped and disseminated in diverse narrative patterns as means of justifying some actions in favour of ingroup members or against outgroup members. The Willink Commission of 1957 was set up by the colonial administration chiefly to address the fears and concerns of minority groups in Nigeria prior to independence in 1960. The fear of minority groups being dominated, oppressed and exploited by dominant groups is natural and therefore not misplaced.
Colonial and post-colonial Nigeria has had its own share of complaints from groups who feel alienated or outrightly oppressed and marginalized by dominant powers. The creation of the defunct Mid-Western region in 1963 out of Western region, though politically motivated, was intended to address the fears and concerns of the minority (non-Yoruba) groups in the Yoruba dominated region. Thus, by 1963 Nigeria had four regions. Why a similar act was not performed in the Eastern and Northern regions, where the Igbo and Hausa-Fulani groups exercised tremendous hegemony is matter for another day.
The minority groups in the Eastern and Northern regions in particular however gained autonomy from the dominant powers with the creation of twelve states out of the four regions in 1967 by the General Gowon regime from the Middle belt. Partly for administrative purposes, to accelerate development and to address some ethno-political issues, the military regimes after General Gowon created more states. We now have 36 states excluding the federal capital territory (FCT), Abuja. The tireless effort of the British colonial master, past leaders before and after independence to address fear of minority groups being dominated, oppressed and exploited by dominant groups have been thwarted by Northern Governors using colonial law section 3 (1) of the Chiefs ( Appointment and Deposition) Law 1930.
Section 3 (1) of the Chiefs ( Appointment and Deposition) Law 1930 if not amended in Bauchi State and the north as a whole, the issue of unbalance traditional institutions inline with customs, culture, traditions at the grassroot if not well properly addressed in Northern Nigerian at the moment
to allow indigenous people preserve there cultural heritage it will one day consume this country.
Gung Zaar (Select) Air Commodore Ishaku Komo emerge in line with Zaar traditional selection right, stakeholders all over Zaarland were consulted. Governor Bala Mohammed labelling Gung Zaar (Select) as imposter that he will not accept, i describe it as a juvenile fulmination by a non juvenile that should not be taken serious. Anybody that is coronated as Gung Zaar in line with colonial law Section 3 (1) of the Chiefs ( Appointment and Deposition) Law 1930 not inline with Zaar traditional selection right is a imposter and Zaarland will violently reject him. Traditional institution is exclusively traditional not political, religious.
Zaar Community of Tafawa Balewa, Bogoro LGA of Bauchi State Needs a Traditional Ruler in accordance with the Culture, Customs, tradition of Zaar, not a mere Civil Servant.
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