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Raises alarm over threat to peace, unity
The Hausa-Fulani group making their case
BY AMEH IDUJAGI, JALINGO – The Hausa-Fulani community in Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State has petitioned the State Governor, Darius Ishaku over the creation of two new Chiefdoms in the area and issues arising therein.
Leader of the group, Alhaji Buba Madugu Abbare, said they are objecting to the development, particularly their inclusion in the new Bakula Chiefdom in Lau local government because it is a deviation from existing community partnership arrangement in the area.
Addressing a press conference in Lau at the weekend, Abbare said the submersion of some Hausa-Fulani village heads under the Bakula Chiefdom is a threat to peace in the area as Hausa-Fulani are not members of the Bakula Association and should not be made answerable to the leadership of the association.
He said intrusion of the newly created Bakula Chiefdom into Lau Chiefdom jurisdiction as well as installation of Hausa-Fulani chiefs and subjecting them to the leadership of Bakula remains a mystery that his group is yet to fully comprehend.
According to the group; “We are happy with the creation of two Chiefdoms in Lau Local Government of Taraba State. We equally agree that creation of Chiefdoms is to make the local communities closer to the government and promote cordial relationship between the local communities. But we strongly object to the inclusion of Hausa-Fulani in the newly created Bakula Chiefdom.
“We want to place on record that Leadership in any Chiefdom are created through promoting previous traditional council holders in the Chiefdom.”
The statement further said; “We are calling the attention of the Executive Governor of Taraba State that the Bakula Chiefdom is a threat to the existing peace and tranquility of Lau local government. We the entire Hausa-Fulani, the dominant group with ten village heads are entirely disassociating ourselves in anything to do with Bakula and Sanwi Chiefdoms leadership.
“Let them lead their members’ tribe association. Any attempt to include Hausa-Fulani in the new Chiefdoms will amount to a threat to peace”, he warned
He recalled that “when the present Chief of Lau, His Royal Highness Abubakar Sadiq Dan Buram was installed in 2005, it was the same Bakula who rejected and disassociated themselves from the Chiefdom because he was a Hausa-Fulani man. After all, leadership in any traditional council is led from a source of ancestral background”
Buba further said the “Hausa-Fulani people of Lau local government are law abiding and peace loving, thus, our resistance to imposition does not in anyway connote rebellious attitude to any government, but a decision to challenge the criminality adopted by the Bakula Chiefdom to cause confusion between the Lau Hausa-Fulani community and the tribes of Bakula”.
In further disassociating the Hausa/Fulani of area from any traditional leadership from Bakula and Sanwi Chiefdoms, the Spokesperson said they are not Bakula; therefore Bukala cannot be Hausa/Fulani.
He said involving Hausa/Fulani in Bakula Chiefdom would amount to committing an abomination against the people.
Also reacting to the development, Elder Solomon Yezen and Mr Bulus Gago Didango, who are leading the Mumiye and Jenjo communities of Lau respectively, pleaded with the State government to create two more Chiefdoms for their tribes.
Speaking separately the two tribal leaders disassociated themselves from the Bakula and Sanwi Chiefdoms.
“Government should give us our Chiefdoms or allow us to remain under Lau Chiefdom”, they pleaded.
