POLITICAL BLOCS AND THEIR IDEOLOGY AND BELIEF IN ZAAR LAND FROM THE FIRST REPUBLIC TO DATE: A THREAT TO ZAAR ANCESTRAL HEADQUARTERS PUJI (TAFAWA BALEWA).

POLITICAL BLOCS AND THEIR IDEOLOGY AND BELIEF IN ZAAR LAND FROM THE FIRST REPUBLIC TO DATE: A THREAT TO ZAAR ANCESTRAL HEADQUARTERS PUJI (TAFAWA BALEWA).

✍🏾 Madalla Kadiri, Zaar Activist 

There were two political blocs with their ideologies and beliefs in the First Republic in Zaar Land.  

The First Political Bloc held the ideology and belief of realising the dream and vision of our ancestors as follows:

1.  Tafawa Balewa is the ancestral headquarters of Zaar. 

2. Gung Zaar palace must be in Puji (Tafawa Balewa). 

3. All the major Zaar festivities, events, or programmes such as Lemp Zaar must be in Puji (Tafawa Balewa) to further reinforce Zaar ownership and locals of the Land.

4. Self-actualisation and Self-determination from the Bauchi Emirate and its allies. 

5. The socio-political leader of this group was Baba Peter Gonto Mwari. This group viewed the second group as betrayers or saboteurs of the Land. Because of their resistive position, they did not have the backing and support of the Bauchi Emirate.  

The Second Political Bloc held the political ideology and belief of pleasing the oppressors.

Their ideology and beliefs include the following: 

1. Bogoro is the ancestral headquarters of Zaar. 

2. Gung Zaar palace should be in Bogoro, not Puji (Tafawa Balewa). 

3. They did not believe in the Zaar Struggle as advocated by the First Political Bloc. It was an ideology which had the same semblance with the prominent civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. known for his pivotal in advancing racial equality in the United State. The nonviolent activism ideology. Besides, they view the Zaar Struggle for self-actualisation and self-determination as disrespectful and rebellion against the constituted authority.

4. All the major Zaar socio-cultural festivities, events, or programmes should be done in Bogoro, not Puji (Tafawa Balewa). Particularly, this group has the backing and support of the State Government, the Bauchi Emirate, and the Sokoto Caliphate. Apart from these two groups, other people in Zaar Land remained neutral without joining the First Bloc or the Second Bloc, claiming that it was a fight between political blocs for political positions or gains. 

From reliable sources, the First Political Bloc joined the United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC). The political party UMBC was formed 1957 as a platform for ethnic groups and minorities in central Nigeria. Allied with the Action Group (AC), it aimed to provide a political voice for minorities and address the Middle Belt question in Nigeria. Question around justice, equality, and human rights. Under the UMBC, Gonto Mwari contested under its platform as the Federal House of Representatives member for the Bauchi Province to realise the dream and vision of our ancestors. However, he later withdrew after a fruitful negotiation with Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. But the group continued with the Struggle to actualise the dream and vision of our ancestors.  Conversely, the Second Political Bloc joined the Northern People Congress (NPC) a party regarded by many as protecting the Emirate system allegedly together with other tribes like the Jhaar, the Hausa, and the Fulani, etc. to fight the political ideology and belief of the First Bloc. It was gathered that Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa contested under its platform as the Federal House of Representative to represent the Bauchi Province and won the election. Eventually, he became the first and only Prime Minister of Nigeria. 

Again, this political bloc, that is, the second political bloc was the brain behind the creation of Bogoro LGA. Recall that Bogoro District was created out of Lere District in Tafawa Balewa LGA. At that time, there were two districts: Bula and Lere. Bogoro was part of Lere District which was created out of Lere District and then automatically given Local Government. On the other hand, Lere District is still a district to date to reduce the strength of Zaar naturally, artificially, and politically from Tafawa Balewa LGA so that they can achieve their goals. But to the glory of God, it turned out to be a blessing.

Based on available records, the reports of all the committees ever constituted by previous and present Bauchi State Governors were in favour of the second group who are willing to work against the Land. Why? We allow you to answer for yourself.

According to Dauda (2012), the first socio-political crisis in Zaar Land started in 1959 at a campaign rally of UMBC in Puji (Tafawa Balewa) close to the former Hakimi’s Palace. From reliable sources, one of the National Leaders of UMBC at that time accused the Emirate of the way they maltreated the Zaar Community and other ethnic tribes in the Middle Belt during his speech. As expected, the speech did not go down well with members of NPC who were pro-Emirate. It was gathered that one of their members came out from the District Palace and slapped one of the members of UMBC which was an ally of Gonto Mwari. From there, a crisis erupted in the whole of Zaar Land where some members of UMB) were arrested and detained. 

For almost six decades, these two political blocs ideology and beliefs were inherited from generation to generation. Thus, causing a lack of peace and unity in Zaar Land.

Make no mistake, there are questions about these issues that remained un-answered, un-investigated, un-dialogued, and un-researched by Zaar political scientists, historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, academics, and pressure groups such as the Guth Yalth, the ZDA, the ZAYODA, the NUZAS, the ISOZI, the Zaar Vanguards, the Zaar People League, the Zaar Colours, politicians, religious leaders, etc. as follows:

1. Are we to jettison the dream and vision of our ancestors to please our oppressors, those exploiting us, which some of us are clamouring for? 

2. The two political blocs and their ideology and belief which one is going to subdue the other?  

3. What is the way out to achieve lasting peace and unity in Zaar Land?   When will the Zaar Community actualise the dream and vision of our ancestors? 

4.  Can we continue this way without a direction? Time will tell.

Zaarland need national dialogue to iron some critical issues out.