The Gombe State Government has yet again noted with dismay the continuing stream of misinformation being peddled on Billiri Mishap via both the Mainstream and Social Media platforms by the so-called Tangale Community Overseas (TCO), despite repeated warnings to any groups or individuals against engaging in so doing by the Gombe State Government in recent past.
In the latest of a series of such mischievous rantings being serialized by the TCO, the self-deluded, faceless organisations continue it’s baseless claim of the good people of Tangale being under siege, even when, apparently the people in Tangale Land are feeling very free and safe, while social and commercial activities are slowly returning to normalcy.
It is also abundantly clear that the good people of Tangale in the region has since moved on with their lives. Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya challenges anyone in doubt to visit Billiri to see for themselves.
At a period when poverty and its attendant insecurity has been rearing its ugly head under the guise of agitations for independent States by ethnic champions, killings by “unknown gunmen” and kidnappings are preoccupying the minds of helpless and hapless Nigerians the TCO decided to spill this…..
Nigeria and Nigerians never had it so bad. Some Nigerian media outlets backed by disgruntled politicians cashed in on one of the most challenging period in the Nation’s history and peddle fake news with reckless abundance.
It is on record that the major tests of Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s stewardship of the State were the Tangale Chieftaincy crisis, Waja\Lunguda and Pero\Chonge conflicts.
Incidentally, all the conflicts were witnessed in Gombe South. Like Julie Zhhuo observed leadership skills can be a steep challenge “You need to have the opportunity to be stretched in certain situations to learn and grow”.
Notwithstanding attempts by hate mongers’ and smear campaigners unrelenting efforts to destabilize Gombe State, Governor Yahaya has remained resolute and focused. His resolve to spread and entrench dividends of democracy to the peace-loving people of Gombe State remained unshaken.
The crisis this administration faced was monumental having displayed all the trappings of a meticulously engineered conflict.
Ordinarily, the crisis would have derailed, crippled the State making it a daunting task for Governor Yahaya to fulfil the promises he made to the electorates during his campaign. But, Governor Yahaya proved his detractors wrong.
He showed the mettle he is made of by resolving all the conflicts amicably and decisively averting what could have been a major faith-based disaster in the State. The Governor managed the conflicts’ decisively and seamlessly; His pragmatic approach to leadership has endeared him to even his staunchest critics. The finesse he exhibited in tackling the crisis headlong has earned him additional respect and accolades nationally and globally.
Of recent the Tangale Community Overseas, a faceless self-acclaimed representative of “Tangale living in Nigeria” has been very vocal in making their voices heard about happenings in Billiri. Unlike the TCDA and Tangale Elders Forum whose membership are known, the TCO till this day remained faceless and anonymous hiding behind a façade spewing hate at dizzying rates. It may not be out of place, in the long run, to adjudge them ‘unknown social media gunmen” as a result of their penchant for making unsubstantiated claims, aimed at causing havoc in Gombe State. Their write-ups at best portrays a motley crew totally disconnected with realities in Billiri or a bunch of ethnic entrepreneurs masquerading as representatives of the good and peace-loving Tangale.
One of the said descriptions fits them, probably following their tendency to rely on unsubstantiated facts before penning theirs pens on paper.
In their recent press release, they once again succeeded in revealing their true character, sinister sides and motives. They made audacious and derogatory remarks to the person of Governor Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya and veiled threats to the Government of the State. They tried to garner sympathy for their evil and satanic agenda by borrowing albeit woefully the mantra of agents of destabilization in Nigeria: “Fulanization” of Tangale Maidom among others. They called for a middle belt solidarity of sorts aimed at entrapping non-Muslim ethnic groups in Gombe into their evil enterprise.
This rejoinder is a fallout to the TCO’s titled press release, it sets out to put the records straight and hold the positions that; Deliberate dissemination of fake news played a major role in the escalation of the Billiri crisis.
Appointment of the 16TH Mai Tangale was conducted within the provisions envisioned and enshrined in the Gombe State Chieftaincy Law 2020.
FAKE NEWS AS A FACTOR IN THE BILLIRI CONFLICT
False and misleading information masquerading as legitimate news deliberately circulated in Billiri and its environs has been linked to the Billiri Crisis. The TCDA and Tangale Elders Forum corroborated this assertion and “…. noted with utter dismay the reckless peddling of rumours in the Social Media, which gave rise to the unhealthy situation we found ourselves in at present.” Gombe State Government on its part also “…. expressed concern that the violence could have political or religious leanings, added that fake news contributed to the crisis.”
Vick Hope in his attempt to answer the question of how to spread fake news pointed out that “We all love a bit of drama, but usually that’s how fake news spreads. Often scandalous stories are written to make us feel angry, sad, surprised or shocked – anything to get us to share”.
All stakeholders in Billiri were unanimous at pointing accusing fingers in the direction of fake news as a contributory factor in the Billiri carnage. At this stage we can safely inquire; (1) where did the fake news emanate from? (2) Who were (are) the culprits spreading the fake news? And what do they seek to achieve?
To arrive at answers to these posers we need to turn our attentions to and examine typical information disseminated by some stakeholders among the Tangale before and after the crises and judge for ourselves.
According to the Tangale Community Overseas (TCO), “…Gov. Yahaya intentionally abrogated the customs and traditions of the Tangale people and put himself in the position of choosing their traditional ruler…” (TCO)
“The man attacked the identity of the Tangale people by bringing an instrument of Fulanization on the throne of Mai Tangle” (TCO)
“He did not choose Alhaji Magaji Mai Yamba, but brought Mallam Danladi Maishanu from Gombe and tried to make him Mai Tangle. Did he expect that the Tangale people will fold their hands and accept a stooge of his?” (TCO)
“We are a people with a long history of resistance to the Fulani agenda against the minority tribes of middle belt Nigeria..” (TCO)
“We continue to challenge our neighbouring tribal nations to wake up and see what is going on in other parts of the middle belt of the nation. Gov Yahaya is only a small part of the big plan of Fulanization of Nigeria” (TCO)
The Tangale Community Development Association and Tangale Elders Forum, both allegedly lopsided socio-cultural bodies with minimal or absence of Muslim representation in their fold agreed that the peddling of fake news sparked off the carnage.
However, in a communiqué, they released after a joint meeting with the Tangale Elders Forum held on 22ND March 2021 contended that; “One of the losers was smuggled into the Kingdom and was surreptitiously installed as the new ‘Mai Tangle” (TCDA).
“The Tangale Elders forum found it difficult to understand the type of Arithmetic of the State Government were two (2) become greater than five.” (TCDA)
“The guideline as approved in accordance with the culture and tradition of the Tangale people was totally flouted. The government took over the entire exercise instead of the Kingmakers.” (TCDA)
The entire Tangale people do not want anything now other than the appointment and enthronement of Dr Musa Idris Iliyasu Maiyamba as the duly elected Mai Tangle.” (TCDA).
It is pretty obvious that such unfounded and inflammatory remarks disconnected from realities by the TCO, TCADA and Tangale Elders, were calculated to elicit unfavourable and adverse reactions from people they were targeted at. The majority of Tangale people were\are not fully in the picture about the Gombe State Chieftaincy Law and how the law provided for the appointment of the new Mai Tangale. The fact that such a law exists in the last 45 years and has been used to appoint past Mai Tangale’s was of little significance to the TCO. The Gombe State Chieftaincy Law was conveniently left out from the narratives of both TCO and TCDA\Tangale Elders forum.
To decipher the objectives of TCO and its ilk for spreading fake news, we need to take a cursory look at what the “Fulanization agenda” is.
“Fulanization” and “Islamization” have been used interchangeably. The phrase is not new to the lexicon of politicians in their quest to make their opinions heard by non-Muslims.
The phrase is an elixir of sorts that whips up sentiments to gain support for a cause that ordinarily should not. What then is “Fulanization”?
According to a strong advocate of the “Middle belt cause Dr Obadiah Mailafia Former Central Bank Deputy Governor
“ … the world powers have colluded with some groups of people to commit massive genocide in the country…. described this action as the ‘Fulanization’ agenda where these group of bandits from a particular ethnic group, were given weapons and with the backing of these world powers, asked to commit atrocities killing and raping unarmed people throughout the country.”
Unfortunately, he failed to provide the identities of the “sponsors”. A working description of “Fulanization agenda”.: it is a deliberate and systematic policy to convert all non-Muslims to the Islamic faith and take over their lands.
Joseph Edgar observed that among adherents of this belief “There is also the claim that what is happening today in some parts of the country…. is the full and final annexation of all lands in fulfilment of the long desires of ….Uthman Dan Fodio.”
However, he described “The utter stupidity of this claim can only be muted by the probable calculation that these claims could have been spurned by some wickedly brilliant strategists who feel that if you muddy this obviously powerful ethnic tribe, it might affect their chances in the coming elections.”
Closer home let us contextualize the “Fulanization agenda” in Gombe State.
According to Wikipedia, non-Muslims accounts for 25% of the population of Gombe State and they are predominantly found in Gombe South. Out of the 25%, non-adherents of the Islamic faith, 5% are traditionalists. It may interest readers to note that the 1ST up to the 11TH Mai’s (Traditional Rulers) of Tangale were traditionalists who practised the traditional African religion.
The 12TH Mai Tangale, Mai Yamba embraced Islam thus heralding the era of Islam into the Tangale Maidom.
The transition from Tangale traditional religion to Islam in Tangale Maidom was seamless, subsequent Mai’s, the 12TH, 13TH and 14th were all Muslims. It was Mai Abdu Buba Maisheru that broke the Chain of a long tradition of Muslim Mais, being the first-ever Christian Mai. The non-Christian Community among the Tangale accepted Maisheru’s ascension to power in good faith. He was accorded his full respect as their leader without rancour throughout his tenure as Mai Tangale. This brief exposition of Islam in Tangale land attempts at highlighting how religion has not been factored in conflicts relating to the appointment of Tangale Chiefs.
Why then should the appointment of a Muslim, Alhaji Sunusi Danladi’s as the 16TH Mai Tangale generate furore?
Still on the dreaded “Fulanization agenda”, the Sokoto Jihad took place in 1804 and Christianity was introduced to Tangale land after their conquest by the colonialists in 1907. There was 107-year hiatus between the Sokoto Jihad and defeat of Tangale Land by the British and subsequent imposition of Christianity on them. If there was a “Fulanization agenda” in Tangale land, isn’t a century too long a period for all the Tangale to be “Fulaninized” before their conquest by the British and subsequently “Christianized”?
The Sokoto Jihad has been described as one of the success stories of the nineteenth century. At its zenith, it extended to the present-day Niger Republic, parts of Cameroun etc. One of the outstanding successes of the Jihad is it united the seven Hausa States and brought to an end centuries-old rivalries and wars between them.
Unfortunately, the story is different between the Rogdo, “Christianization” failed woefully in bringing about the much-needed peace to end for instance the Billiri\Kaltungo wars. Some objective observers are beginning to raise eyebrows regarding the roles played by some FACELESS associations in sustaining such conflicts.
According to Wikipedia, the Fulani ethnic group constitutes the majority in Gombe State. They are the majority ethnic group in 7 out the 11 eleven local Governments in the State and are found in appreciable numbers across the remaining 4 local Governments. Taking into account the demography of our State, the TCO should kindly conduct meticulous research and answer the following questions;
Have the Fulani ever produced a Governor or Deputy Governor of Gombe State?
If the answer to (i) above is in the affirmative, have they been complaining that they were denied the opportunity to rule?
If primordial politics is brought to bear in Gombe, can a “Fulani\ Fulani” ticket emerge victorious in a gubernatorial election?
THE APPOINTMENT OF THE 16TH MAI TANGALE HAD THE BACKING OF THE GOMBE CHIEFTAINCY LAW 2020.
Numerous articles have been written about the emergence of the 16TH Mai Tangle. However, nothing or very little was written by those who opposed the new Mai Tangale to educate Tangale people about how Alh. Danladi Sunusi emerged as the 16TH Mai Tangale.
The discourses that opposed and trailed his emergence as Mai relied on cooked up anecdotes and fallacies. Efforts were deliberately made in most of those articles at appealing to Tangale people’s sentiments: highlighting the Tangale traditions\culture and how Governor Inuwa Yahaya “truncated centuries-old Tangale traditions” when Alhaji Danladi Sunusi Mai Yamba emerged as the 16TH Mai Tangle. The Legal basis on how the 16TH Mai’s ascension to the throne was conveniently left out.
Provisions of The Gombe State Chieftaincy Law that applies to appointments of both Emirs and Chiefs in Gombe State were deliberately and conveniently jettisoned from such narratives.
According to daily Trust newspaper “Before the coming of colonialists, in the event of vacancy for the seat of Mai Tangale, a new one emerged through a vote by the nine kingmakers. But following the Dasuki local Government Reforms of 1976, the final selection of a new emir or chief was vested on the governor of the old Bauchi State. Three names were to be forwarded to the government to select one as the new traditional ruler.” The tabloid further contended that the late Mai Tafida emerged through that process in 1986 when Billiri was under the old Bauchi State, likewise the late Mai Sheru in 2001 during the administration of the late Governor Abubakar Habu Hashidu.
In essence, the provisions of 2020 Gombe Chieftaincy with regards to the appointment of a Chief or an Emir are similar to the 45-year-old Bauchi State Chieftaincy Law.
Now let us turn our attention to some provisions of the Gombe State Chieftaincy Law (2020) relevant to this discourse. The Gombe State Chieftaincy Law is “A Law to harmonize the Gombe State Provisions of all Chieftaincy Legislations to repeal and replace those Legislations and to make further provisions for Chieftaincy matters 2020.”
Section 9 (a-e) provides for the functions of Traditional Kingmakers, it spelt out its duties as follows;
FUNCTION OF TRADITIONAL KINGMAKERS
The functions of the Council of Traditional Kingmakers shall include: Upon the death, resignation, removal or deposition of an Emir or a Chief, to screen and decide on persons suitably qualified to be appointed as Emir or Chief in accordance with customs and traditions of the Emirate or Chiefdom; To recommend to the Governor the names of three suitably qualified persons for appointment as the Emir or the Chief; To preside over or participate in the installation of the Emir or the Chief’; To assist and periodically advise the Emir or the Chief in discharging his duties, and to monitor and evaluate the performance of the Emirs or the Chiefs. Provided that the Governor may constitute a committee to evaluate the performance of an Emir or a Chief and to report back to him.
In line with the provisions of the Act, 23 princes from the chiefdom who indicated interest to contest for the exalted position in Tangale land were allowed to contest in line with Tangale traditions by the Kingmakers. The number was trimmed to 18, the kingmakers selected three, namely, Dr Musa Idris Maiyamba, Alhaji Danladi Sunusi Maiyamba and Alhaji Ahmadu Muhammad Maiyamba. Their names were subsequently forwarded to the Governor to select one as the new Mai Tangale. Governor Yahaya “… added that all the three recommended candidates were eminently qualified Tangale princes by virtue of their royal ancestry to the Mai Tangale stool and only one of them would be announced as the new paramount ruler”.
APPOINTMENT AND DISCIPLINE OF TRADITIONAL RULERS.
(1) Upon the death, resignation, removal or deposition of an Emir or a Chief the Governor shall approve the appointment of an Emir or a Chief on the recommendation of the Council of Traditional Kingmakers of the Emirate or Chiefdom.
(2) The Governor may consult the State Council of Chiefs on the appointment of an Emir or a Chief.
Provisions of the sections of the said law quoted are clear and unambiguous.
As a result, a combined interpretation of Sections 9 (a) (b) and 19 (1) confers discretionary powers on the Governor to choose one out the three suitably qualified to be appointed as Mai Tangale in accordance with Tangale customs and traditions.
Section 19 (2) again confers discretionary powers on the Governor to either consult the State Council of Chiefs or not before the appointment of an Emir or Chief provided the provisions of section 19 (1) has been complied with.
Governor Yahaya emphasized to the riotous Tangale youth that provided provisions of the Gombe State Chieftaincy Law are complied with; “Let it be clear that it is within my powers as governor to appoint any of the three recommended candidates to become the new Mai Tangle”.
Provisions of said law are clear and unambiguous, given their literal and grammatical meanings it doesn’t require a Lawyer or a Court of Law to clarify its meaning. The TCO and similar associations should please take note.
THE WAY FORWARD
It is obvious the TCO and their cohorts are partly to blame for the mayhem that followed the rumours’ that a Christian contender to the throne of Mai Tangale was denied his birthright by Governor Yahaya. That unsubstantiated news invariably resulted in the death of innocent Muslims, desecration\destruction of places of worship, arson to shops and homes of Muslim Tangale and non-Tangale Muslims in Billiri.
The pronouncements of the TCO are to be given the seriousness it deserves by the Government. Faceless purveyors of doom whether “overseas or within Nigeria” should be tracked and arraigned before the courts like their followers that caused the Billiri carnage. Concerted efforts should be made to decouple ignorance about the Chieftaincy Law, a vigorous campaign on the media should be carried out to sensitize people about fake news. Several contemporary conflicts seem intractable because in each case at least one of the parties has a vested interest in perpetuating and profiting from instability. Efforts should not be left to chance at exposing religious zealots feeding fat on the conflict no matter how highly placed they are.
Government should pay special attention and learn from Chiefdoms constituted by multiple religious and multicultural heritage. A cue should be taken from the Kaltungo Maidom for instance, which shares the same linguistic and cultural affinity with the Tangale people.
Finally the “Tangale Community Overseas (USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Germany, and the Czech Republic)” presumably constituted by educated and well-informed personalities should desist from spreading inflammatory and unsubstantiated information. Needless to point out their grievances should be addressed through legitimate channels.
Even though they averred that “The freedom of the press is the only liberty extended to the ordinary citizen in Nigeria today”, I disagree in totality with their assertion. Could it be their absence from Nigeria and long sojourn to “USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Germany, the Czech Republic “chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution has been erased from their minds?
The TCO may consider one of the following options regarding the emergence and subsequent enthronement of Mai Danladi Sunusi Mai Yamba as the 16TH Mai Tangale: Accept it in good faith his emergence as destiny, Challenge his enthronement in Court, Sponsor a Bill for the repeal or amendment of the Gombe State 2020 Chieftaincy Law.
Finally, the Gombe State Government challenges the TCO, or, which soever groups/individuals to be registered either as a Cooperative Society or with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria to enable it to operate more efficiently within the contexts of Nigerian Law.
Until then, these agents of doom involved in this act of arm-twisting and Blackmailing Government are advised, once again, in their interests, to desist from engaging in acts that are capable of jeopardizing the fragile security of Gombe State and by extension that of the Country as a whole.
Mato Adamu is the Chief Media Consultant to Gov. Muammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
