✍🏾 Madalla Kadiri Dinki, Zaar Activist
Introduction
Zaarland is currently split into two school though. The first school of thought believes that Ghun Zaar was rightfully selected by the elders and village heads.
The second school of thought, opposes the selection of Ghun Zaar that he is not recognize by law. They assert that chieftaincy law gives the Governor sole authority to select Ghun Zaar based on recommendation, advice from the kingmakers, they believe that as far he is not recognize by law he didn't have right to act as a custodian of Zaar cultural heritage to organized Lepm Zaar cultural festival.
The opossing views of the school of thoughts have threaten peace and stability of Zaarland
The article written by Dr. Habila Mormi John titled "the Emergence of Ghun Zaar" have addressed all the argument raise by the second school of thought that opposed Ghun Zaar selection done by Zaar kingmakers that it didn't follow due process
The question that have remain unanswered is that according to Zaar cultural heritage who Organize Lepm Zaar Cultural Festival: Zaar Development Association (ZDA) or Council of Zaar Chiefdom?
La-ak
There is no difference between Zaar Development Association (ZDA) and La-ak. in the Olden days,
the Hausa's call La-ak Gayya. La-ak is a ancient community based self- help organization in Zaar villages, La-ak was a umbrella ☂️body of community based self help organization in each Zaar village formed by the community to complement the Seng wari assisted by Elders effort in the area of community development. Community self
help was employed in constructing homesteads, pathways, roads, bridge, market. Membership of La-ak was voluntary not compulsory.
Institutions under La-ak were age grade, village council. Age grade is a group of adult that are circumcized and initiated from childhood to adulthood through some certain rituals the same day especially Male Children.
During La-ak day, work were assigned according to age grade and after work food too we're shared according to age grade.
La-ak has Executives, the head is called Barde.
In the olden days the leadership of La-ak received instruction directly from the Seng Wari assisted by Elders. Seng Wari was a priest that exercised spiritual, traditional political power over the Zaar society. During cultural festival like Lepm Zaar, Waktari the work of La-ak was to assist Zaar community in clearing of grass on a pathway that link one Village to another, clearing of grass, clearing of village square etc so that nocturnal animals like snakes 🐍 cannot hide on it and bite people during the festival, all Zaar cultural festival were organized by the Seng Wari assisted by Elders.
Seng Wari political system gradually eroded in Zaarland during the colonial era, the office of Ghun was created to replace office of Seng Wari, the political power of Seng Wari office over Zaar Society as the custodian of cultural heritage was automatically transfered to Ghun office.
During the La-ak era there was no written constitution governing the affairs of the organization except verbal constitution, you hardly here about division, conflict of interest. Trevor Clark write in his book titled "Right Honorable Gentleman" that Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa once told him that "In the northern province of Nigeria there are many pagan tribes who are still in the primitive stage they seldom leave their homes, they have very few wants... But in spite of all these they are very happy and quite contented with life as it is. They have their own custom and belief which they honour very much. they have adopted hardly anything of the more advance people around them. There had never been a
time when they seemed to think of any change in their beliefs"
Zaar Development Association (ZDA)
Zaar Development Association (ZDA) is a community based self- help organization established by all Zaar and registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to serve as a collective voice of all Zaar and to complement government effort in Community Development in Zaarland, membership of ZDA is voluntary not compulsory.
Zaar Development Association (ZDA) is a modern day La-ak
The institutions that are under ZDA are Women wing, ZAYODA, NUZAS etc.
Zaar Development Association (ZDA) has
Executives, the head of the Executive is called the President.
The ZDA has a written constitution governing it operations.
Let us take a look at ZDA constitution on who to Organize Lepm Zaar in Zaarland.
According to Page 19 Section 22, 22.1, 22.2 of ZDA constitution.
22 Waktari and Lepm Zear
22.1 There shall be institutionised the yearly prayer on seeds to be done during planting season and thank giving for expected bumper harvest, festival known as Waktari except resolved otherwise by the council of Zaar Chiefdom, it shall hold within the 2nd quarter of the year.
22.2 There shall be institutionised the yearly new year fiesta knowns as Lepm Zaar. Unless resolve otherwise by Council of Zaar Chiefdom, it shall hold on the 1st week and climax on the Saturday of every September.
The ZDA constitution have stated clearly here that Zaar council of Chiefdom is bestowed with the right to organize Lepm Zear.
According to Prof. Saleh Dauda in his lecture note that he wrote and post on all Zaar social media handles reflect directly or indirectly what is happening in Zaarland at the moment.
Zaarland have been divided into two school of thought, the first school of thought are of the opinion that Ghun Zaar was duly selected by Zaar elders and village heads to perform such role. He is therefore the undisputed traditional ruler that foreclosed any contender to the throne. Any opposing view to his authority is seen as a betrayal and a sign of in surbordination and he has right to organize, preside over Lepm Zaar Festival as custodian of Zaar cultural heritage.
The second school of thought tag as anti Ghun Zaar are of the opinion that the Institution of Ghun Zaar is a creation of law.And the chieftaincy law vested the Governor with the final authority to appoint based on recommendations from the king makers.And since that has not taken place,the Institution is not known to law and therefore no one should perform that function and also he doesn't have right to organize and preside over Lepm Zaar cultural festival because he is not known by law as the custodian of Zaar cultural heritage.
Each group has large followers supported by high profile Zaar elites.
The second group seems to be closer to the Government of the day.
The views, opinion and ideology of this two school of thought have threaten peace and stability of Zaarland
Truth of the Matter
Under the Chieftaincy law of Bauchi State and traditional selection rights of Ghun Zaar, the authority to choose the Ghun Zaar lies with the Kingmaker, not the Governor. The Kingmakers consist of Zaar elders and village heads.
The Governor bestows the staff of office based on the recommendation, advice of the Kingmakers.
The Zaar elders and village heads have done their part while ago, now awaiting the Governor of Bauchi State to do his part, but the Governors past and present have fail in there constitutional duty of giving the Ghun Zaar staff of office.
According to Jukun traditional selection right of Aku Uka the decision of the five kingmakers headed by Kunvyi is final and government has no right to interfere with the selection process, the reason why the Kingmakers have power in Jukun traditional selection of Aku Uka are;
1. The Aku _ Uka throne is purely traditional and has no mix with any religion.
2. It is believe that Jukun Kingmakers are representative of the ancestors, the decision of the five Kingmakers headed by Kunvyi on traditional selection right of Aku Uka is the decision of Jukun ancestors and cannot be countered.
Any person that emerges will be accepted by all the ruling houses and the government has no option but to crown the person as the new Aku_Uka. If the government refuse to crown the person he will still remain Aku Uka till he die.
Let us emulate the Jukun people.
Ghun Zaar Select is the custodian of our cultural heritage at the moment selected Kingmakers awaiting Staff of Office, he is the right person deem fit with the advice by Council of Elders to organize Lepm Zaar not ZDA.
The reason why Zaar Development Association (ZDA) in the time past have been organizing Lepm Zaar is because we don't have substantive Ghun Zaar in place, but now that we and he is ready to exercise his full power as custodian of our cultural heritage in line with our traditional norms and values, I advise ZDA to fall back and lend hand of support to Ghun Zaar and his council to organized all Zaar cultural festivals.
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