On That Attack On Our Emirs and Their Future Roles

By

Ahmed Rasheed Makarfi

arasheedng2003@yahoo.com

“Emirs attacked in Zamfara, Nasarawa “ was the caption on the front page of The Daily Trust newspaper of 30th May,2011 edition. The report was on the unfortunate attack by some angry youths on our revered traditional rulers at the venue of May 29th inauguration of Zamfara and Nasarawa states incoming governors. While condemning the unwarranted acts of these misguided youths, I would like to use this medium to call on our respected traditional rulers to tread with caution in this democratic era, the same advice offered by the only CPC Governor in Nigeria, Mallam Al-Makura of Nasarawa state. Al-Makura, according to the said Daily Trust report, had during his inaugural address, appreciated the role of traditional rulers in the change process which he urged all and sundry o support for the development of the state, but warned that “however, in order not to fall into disrepute, they themselves must steer clear of partisan politics”

Luckily for our traditional fathers they had already sensed danger and this necessitate their call on the President Goodluck Abele Jonathan to free them from the shackles of state governors by ensuring that their role is enshrined in the constitution. Speaking recently at a press conference after The National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria meeting with President Jonathan, the coordinating Chairman of the forum, the Etsu of Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar said because traditional rulers do not have any constitutional role, some state governors usually use them to achieve their political goals. “Part of our requests to the President during the meeting was that we should be insulated from politics because as it is now, politicians have succeeded in dragging us into politics. And if you don’t want to do what they want, they now threaten to dethrone you “he said.

He continued ‘’ so we asked that for us to properly play our role as the custodians of the culture of our people, our roles shall be clearly enshrined in the constitution. By this, any politician that asks us to do something that is not within the dictates of the constitution, we can confidently say NO. A situation where traditional rulers would be coerced to campaign for them is not good for the development of the country, because the rate at which they coerced us into partisan politics is making us to lose our respect. We are not asking the government to give us executive powers, where money will be appropriated to our offices for developmental purposes. What we are asking is that the government should bring back our advisory roles as it was in the 1979 constitution. Such that we can advise the three tiers of government on developmental issues that affect the people directly. We have resolved to remain non- partisan and respect the political diversity of our people, treat them fairly and equitably as well as work towards ensuring that their welfare, security and development were adequately catered for”

Wonderful observations from our traditional rulers from the mouth of Etsu Nupe, with our utmost hope that Mr President will kindly consider their problem. But I think the issue has to do with legislation before the executive power and our traditional rulers were already assured of that role according to the former deputy senate president who gave the indication recently that the House of Chiefs and Native Authority police systems which existed under the colonial rule administration before they were discarded may return to the administrative structure of the country at the instance of the 7th National Assembly. Mr Ekweremedu,who was speaking at the palace of the Emir of Kano recently observed that the scrapping of the N.A. Police has brought about lawlessness and indiscipline, saying that traditional rulers were very important to ensure good governance and that the next National Assembly would ensure that the traditional rulers were given functions to perform in the administration of the country.

There is an adage that says one man’s food is another man’s poison. Some youth interviewed by this writer were not in support of giving our respected traditional rulers any role in the constitution. That this attempt is futile. These traditional rulers are political prostitutes. They are at the center of the present problems messing up the country at all levels. Therefore the present attempt at giving constitutional recognition to these feudal oligarchies will drag us back and slow down the pace of social development. “I t is a misnomer considering the scope and character of the contemporary Nigerian state to call them traditional rulers. They possess no special qualities to enable them to be used in enriching the political system or installing moral rectitude in public life. It will therefore make no sense to install in the political system, people whose primary qualification is ascribed to status at a time when the people are practicing democratic polity” observed an anonymous Makarfi –based lawyer and social critic.

The unfortunate post- election violence in the north was a pointer that the masses were not happy with the role played by our traditional rulers that led to the angry youths marching to the palaces of some of our Emirs calling them traitors who worked against the interest of the North and even attempted to burn down their palaces. Though some pundits ascribed the incident to the merciless poverty in the north, but it was a fact that most of our Emirs were accused of working for the ruling party to frustrate the opposition’s ambition. They became partisan, identifying secretly or even openly with a particular party or its candidate. In particular many of them were perceived to have worked with the ruling party PDP to defeat the northern candidate from the opposition congress for progressive change, CPC party.They were called names like deputy governor, mai rawanin PDP,and their role even generated crises in their immediate family. I could recall the story I read about the traditional ruler that exchange words at poll centre during the controversial April elections at Benue state.

In Nasarawa state for instance, the traditional rulers,had in November 2009 visited government house and urged, Aliyu akweDoma to contest for a second term. They followed their call up with a communiqué which was signed by the Emir of Lafia in 2010, declaring that there was no vacancy in the government house. And in a situation where the governor is not getting the support of a traditional ruler, the treatment he may likely get is dethronement as in the case of the Emir of Bakura in Zamfara state, Engineer Bello Sani, an elder brother to the former governor,now distinguished Senator Yariman Bakura.So you see, when you observed carefully, you can’t blame the traditional rulers because they only protect their throne. They have only two choices, to be with their people or to be with the government. Their fathers and fore fathers chose to be with people and that is why they enjoyed unalloyed support of their people and even the government then were afraid of those traditional rulers and the government relied upon them to calm angry followers or in the case of indirect rule. Fresh in my memory was the exemplary administration of late Emir of Zaria, Mallam Ja'afaru  Dan Ishaqu who ruled justly  between 1937 to 1959. He was described as God fearing and remained the Emir,judge and Imam.It will also be necessary to know the truth so that future generation of Nigerians can identify the labor of our heroes past and to know who and who mortgaged their future and betrayed their nation for worldly gains.