Muhammad Alabira Nabordo
The Bauchi State Muslim Parliament (Majlis-Shura) has expressed strong opposition to the state government’s plan to create additional Emirates, Districts, and Chiefdoms in the state.
The Parliament argues that the move is driven by selfish political interests and could lead to the erosion of the revered traditional institution, which has been a legacy bequeathed by the founding fathers of the Sokoto Caliphate.
This was contained in a statement issued recently by the Parliament and obtained by Nigerian Times Online on Tuesday.
The Parliament, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Sheikh Yusuf Abdullahi Jahun, questioned the motivation behind the government’s plan, asking whose interest the exercise would serve.
“Is it to the self-serving political elite class, riding on elitist ego and opportunistic political favor, or to the down-trodden mass of the people who are only concerned with biting and excruciating pains of poverty of daily life?”, the Parliament asked.
The Bauchi State Muslim Parliament noted that the creation of more Emirates, Districts, and Chiefdoms would be a misadventure that would desecrate the historical values and moral lessons that the traditional institution represents.
The Parliament emphasized that the Emirate system has been the backbone of the state’s traditional institution for centuries and that fragmenting it into smaller units would undermine its integrity and effectiveness.
The Parliament also recalled the controversy surrounding the creation of the Sayawa Chiefdom, which generated communal crisis, and reaffirmed its position against the creation of Chiefdoms in the state.
The Parliament stressed that the Emirate system has been the symbol of glorious identification for the people of Bauchi State and that it should be maintained and upheld.
The Bauchi State Muslim Parliament urged the government to focus on more pressing issues such as education, health, human empowerment, infrastructural development, and social re-engineering, rather than pursuing a plan that could lead to the dismemberment of the revered traditional institution.
The Parliament called on the government to prioritize the welfare and socio-economic well-being of the people and to work towards maintaining law and order in the state.
The Parliament’s position on the issue reflects the concerns of the Muslim community in Bauchi State, who are worried about the potential consequences of the government’s plan.
However, the development has sparked a heated debate, with many stakeholders calling for caution and careful consideration of the potential impact on the state’s traditional institution and social fabric.
