Tension in Bauchi communities over 21st memorial of late Baba Peter Gonto (Pictures)
Story from Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
There is growing tension and a series of protests among different youth groups in Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State, over a plan to host the late Baba Peter Gonto’s 21st memorial lecture scheduled to take place 30th and 31st December 2021.
Tension started earlier this week when youth groups from Tafawa Balewa organised a press conference at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and alleged that the former House of Reps Speaker, Yakubu Dogara wrote a letter to the Inspector General of Police opposing the plan to host the memorial lecture.
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Hundreds of youths were alleged to have staged a peaceful demonstration in the Tafawa Balewa local government area of the state, creating disharmony, a threat to the lives and properties of the people of the Gung Zaar community.
The national youth leader of Zaar Youth Development Association (ZAYODA), Comrade Ga’allah Daniel alleged that the organisers of the event deliberately excluded some prominent sons and daughters of Zaar land stressing that they are already breeding confusion and hatred among people in the area.
Daniel said that going by reactions from different platforms on social media, the anniversary is capable of breaching peace in the state.
“We reiterate with a loud voice that we reject in totality the event as we foresee a great crisis and disunity in the land from the program based on the desperation of the organisers”, he noted.
The youths while stressing that the organisers of the event be held responsible for anything that may occur in the cause of holding the event, said that the organisers should be made to sign an undertaking with the security agencies as it is usually done during Zaar annual festival.
According to the ZAYODA, no one is opposed to holding such a historic event for the late sage considering his immense contribution to the development of Zaar people when he was alive.
He pointed out during their last meeting on the 25th of December, 2021 that he informed the world that ZAYODA as a body had an emergency call on the 10th of December 2021 to discuss the proposed late Baba Peter Gonto’s 21st memorial program.
“We made reference to a clean and unbiased memorial program held by the children of late Ayuba Sarki at Zainab Sumi centre, Tafawa Balewa town. But to our greatest dismay, we saw an invitation card circulating in the name of the family of Baba Peter Gonto in conjunction with our mother body ZDA national.”
The women leader of the Zaar community, Mama Rahatu vowed that as women in the area, they will not allow such exclusion to happen.
“They didn’t include those that are supposed to be in the forefront of honouring this man, Baba Peter Gonto, therefore, we reject any arrangements towards this planned ceremony, because we need peace in our community, we don’t want division and any attempt to cause confusion and disunity among us, all ZAYODA women in Tafawa Balewa will not accept it”, she fumed.
An elder statesman of the Zaar community, Sarki Benard Bako acknowledged that the planned event is empty from the onset because according to him no prominence at all, “so what we want is peace in our community, not the opposite”, affirming that “any events that don’t have the blessings of elders within the community and a lot of people are disassociating themselves from it, should be suspended in the interest of peace”, he warned.
Meanwhile, a group called Mwari youths in Bogoro LGA of the state have refuted the allegation by former Speaker Yakubu Dogara that there is a security threat in the area which if not carefully handled may cause a breakdown of laws and order.
The claim by Yakubu Dogara according to the Mwari youths is to disrupt the planned commemoration of the 21 anniversary of the death of the late Sayawa nation crusader, Baba Peter Gonto.
The spokesman of the group, Pastor Isuwa Samaila stated that, “We, the concerned youths in Mwari, Bagoro LGA of Bauchi state feels duty-bound to refute the complaint written to the Inspector General of Police, purportedly signed by Rt. Hon. Dogara Yakubu, the honourable member representing Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency of the Federal House of Representatives which is also making rounds in the social media.
“In the complaint, it is alleged that unless the planned reception in honour of the Zaar sage, Baba Peter Gonto is put on hold, there may be a very serious breach of peace. The author further argued that he has worked hard to restore peace to the area, that he is so concerned about any activity that is to reverse the peace enjoyed in the area.
“We are here to address you, members of the press and to inform you clearly that, as youths of Mwari, the claims in the complaint are not true. We, on our behalf and the people of Mwari completely support the reception in honour of our grandfather, late Baba Peter Gonto. We interact closely with youths within our neighbourhood, there is no unanimity that the reception should go on”, he said.
Isuwa Samaila further said that “Our late Sage, Baba Peter Gonto was a political leader, a devoted religious leader, a pacesetter in Sayawa land, whose ideals were to propagate the message of peace and unity amongst his people, so no amount of honour that would be given to him will be too much”.
He said that the late Baba Gonto was a father to every Zaar man who was an architect of unity among the Zaar people and the neighbours, he was further the beacon of hope and light.
“We are surprised that any Zaar man would have the courage and audacity to oppose a reception in honour of this legend; we are much more surprised that Rt. Hon. Dogara Yakubu who is an In-law to Mwari would want to oppose a reception in honour of this great man”.
The Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Umar Mamman Sanda has ordered the full deployment of police tactical teams to provide security to the lives and properties before, during and after the event.
A statement distributed to newsmen by SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, Police Public Relation Officer, said that the deployment of the police was sequel to the letter of notification sent by the ZAAR community to the CP Bauchi State Command to celebrate the 21st anniversary in honour of late Baba Peter Gonto scheduled to hold on 30th and 31st December 2021 at Bogoro town.
He said the commissioner has ordered officers and men of the command to intensify efforts in resisting and curtailing any act of lawlessness, oppression or intimidation from any group or persons and warned officers to be professional while discharging their duties.
Wakil advised law-abiding citizens of the state particularly the people of Bogoro/ Tafawa Balewa LGA not to panic but go about their normal businesses and stay away from all forms of crime and criminality.
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