TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION: WE SAY NO, TO ABDULLAHI SHITTU’s APPOINTMENT AS GWAGWADA DISTRICT HEAD –GBAGYI YOUTH

TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION:

WE SAY NO, TO  ABDULLAHI SHITTU’s APPOINTMENT  AS GWAGWADA DISTRICT HEAD –GBAGYI YOUTH

Zainab Tanimu,

Kaduna, North-West, NIGERIA

Concerned Youth in Chikun Local Government area under the auspices of Gbagyi Youth Progressive Union has rejected Abdullahi Shittu who, recently was appointed by Governor Nasir El-rufai as the District Head of Gwagwada District in Gbagyi Chiefdom. Reason buttressed  being that Abdullahi Shittu is a settler.

The Youth at a peaceful demonstration in Gonin Gora and Sabon Tasha enjoined all the traditional institutions in Gbagyi land and government officials to wade in and rescue Gwagwada District from imminent chieftaincy clash.

According to the chairman and secretary of the union Ibrahim Wadason and Abashe David, the selection of a new traditional ruler for the ancient town of Gwagwada was “unjust, unfair as due process was not followed.

The youths who stormed the residence of the state Commissioner of Sports, Daniel Dan’auta,  a member of the state Executive Council from the local government and Member representing Chikun Constituency at the State House of Assembly, Markus Zarmai Yari said that the process which led to the emergence of the new District Head,  Abdullahi Shittu was “a development, which negated the principle of fairness and tradition of the Land”.

The Gbagyi youth noted that Gwagwada is an ancient community with historical relevance to the Gwagyiland and not a mere settlement.

“The issue of royalty must be handled with utmost care. We are not on the same page with the governor and those involved in the selection process of Abdullahi Shittu  but we are pleased with the three Names submitted for screening by our Traditional council.

“Our Traditional council did not submit the name of Abdullahi Shittu. We do not know him and he is not from Gwagyiland. He is just a settler.

Why should the Government distort history and bring someone from outside our chiefdom to come and rule us?  We will resist it for the sake of history”. The youth said.

The Concerned Youths added that, “we are concerned about the growth and development of our community, and obviously, we want somebody that will continue where our forefathers stopped, but not a person whose emergence to the throne is against the customs and traditions of our land. Anything contrary to due process is a taboo and we don’t want it.

”We know everyone who is eligible for the position and the one approved by the government is not one of them. So, where does the family of the imposed district head fit in for government to have made him a district head in Gbagyiland?

They accused some Politicians of playing politics with the affairs of the traditional institution.

“Was the Governor given the full details of what has now turned out to be a fraudulent show of shame? Our Governor El-rufai has always been fair to the Gbagyi People and will never like to see the people of a whole town and dynasty unhappy as we are today. We know our Governor hates lies and deception and he must let them know that a mistake has been made which must be corrected immediately.”

The youth recalling governor  El-Rufai’s exercise of April last year where over three thousand district and village heads were removed had expressed worries over the recent announced appointment of heads of the 77 restructured districts in the state with Abdullahi Shittu as the District Head of Gwagwada.

“According to the statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Kaduna State Governor, the appointments followed the conclusion of checks and assessments of the 230 nominees forwarded by the 32 emirates and chiefdom’s in the state”.

Meanwhile, the Gbagyi Youths Progressive Union has urged the people of the community to remain “calm and remain resolute in their bid to ensuring that the rightful man, a son of the soil is installed as the District Head of Gwagwada.