Suspension of Lehmb Zaar cultural festival violates our right – traditionalist writes police

By Samuel Luka, Bauchi

Traditionalists of Zaar ethnic group have stated that the recent press release issued to newsmen by the Bauchi state Police Command, announcing the suspension of this year’s Lehmb Zaar annual cultural festival infringes on their rights to freedom of Assembly, religion and association.

Mbami Iliya Sabka, Chief Priest, Zaar Traditional Beliefs and a Socio Cultural Human Rights Defeder who made this known in an open letter to the Bauchi police command on Monday, stressed that the suspension prevents the Zaar traditional worshippers from freely associating and practicing their traditional customs and beliefs.

Sabka who added that the Lemb Zaar is a Protected Religious festival Practice, said the letter to the police command is aimed at addressing the legal points concerning religious freedom and countering the stated security concerns.

Sabka further said the aim of his letter is to formally and intellectually respond to the Command’s press release dated September 27, 2024, regarding the suspension of the annual Lemb Zaar Traditional/Cultural Festival scheduled for November 2, 2024.

According to him, “The Zaar (Sayawa) people have a rich and ancient history, with roots tracing back to ancient Yemen and a presence in the Tafawa-Balewa and Bogoro regions predating 1000 AD. The Lemb Zaar festival is one of our most significant cultural and religious events, marking the commencement of the harvest season.”

The Chief priest explained that the festival is a vital aspect of Zaar traditional beliefs, where rituals and prayers are offered to the god of rains, land, and fruits, known as “Chong Fyali,” to ensure bountiful harvests and societal harmony.

Mbami Iliya Sabka stressed that “It is imperative to highlight that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and belief. According to Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), every individual is entitled to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, including the freedom to change their religion or belief and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate their religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice, and observance.”

According to him, Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution also guarantees the right to freedom of association, which states that every person is entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, form or belong to any political party, trade union, or any other association for the protection of his interests.

Sabka pointed out that the Lemb Zaar festival is a purely traditional and religious practice akin to other religious celebrations such as Christmas, Easter, and Sallah, said that the traditional worshipers of the Zaar Traditional Beliefs seek to independently exercise their constitutional rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression by celebrating the traditions on the first Saturday of November, 2024 just like the way other religions in Nigeria express themselves during their Christmas and Sallah celebrations.

He stressed that, “It is settled that we, the traditionalist worshipers, will celebrate our Lemb Zaar annual festival at our venue, independently, under the umbrella of the Gung Zaar Council for Zaar Kingdom. We advise other Christian Associations within Zaar Kingdom who may wish to celebrate the god of Lemb Zaar to also freely express themselves in their respective venues.”

Mbami Iliya Sabka added that,”It is clear that during Christmas celebrations, every registered Church celebrates in its own local venue. For example, Catholics celebrate in Catholic Churches, while ECWA, COCIN, Redeemed, Deeper Life, and Olumba Olumba etc all celebrate in their respective venues. No one is forced to celebrate together, and each group respects the autonomy of the others.”

He said that any attempt to suspend or interfere with the Lehmb Zaar festival infringes upon the religious rights of the Zaar traditionalists.

“The decision to suspend the festival on the grounds of security concerns is Political and Discriminatory, while understandable, should not undermine these constitutionally protected rights.”

According to him, addressing the Inaccuracies in the Police Statement Rivalry and Civil Unrest on December 29, 2021: Sir, Your statement mentions rivalries among factions within the Zaar Development Association (ZDA) and the Zaar Youth Development Association (ZAYODA) leading to civil unrest on December 29, 2021, during the Baba Gonto anniversary. This assertion is inaccurate.”

The Traditional Chief Priest stressed that,”The factions you referenced—Galla vs. Danny within the ZDA and Iliya vs. Garba within ZAYODA—did not exist in 2021. Moreover, proactive measures and communications were made to the Police to prevent any occurrences, but these warnings were not heeded.”

He added that,”Incident on September 15, 2024: The claim of a violent clash in Tafawa-Balewa on September 15, 2024, between ZAYODA factions resulting in the destruction of property worth millions of naira is not true. ZAYODA had written a letter to the Tafawa-Balewa DPO requesting proactive measures to prevent any incidents, yet no action was taken by the Police until after the altercation occurred.”

“The assertion that property worth millions of naira was damaged is an exaggeration; if such extensive damage had occurred, it would have been widely reported,” he added.

On Legal Standing of Gung Zaar Council, he explained that, “It is important to note that the Gung Zaar Council for Zaar Kingdom, as a legally recognized traditional institution, does not have any pending case before any court of competent jurisdiction. We are aware of the ongoing election cases involving the Zaar Youth Development Association (ZAYODA) and the Zaar Development Association (ZDA) before Upper Shariah Court III, but these do not implicate the Gung Zaar Council directly or the Lemb Zaar festival.”

He then requested for reconsideration stating that,”In light of the above points, we respectfully request the Bauchi State Police Command to reconsider the suspension of the Lemb Zaar festival. We propose a collaborative approach wherein the Police will work with the Gung Zaar Council and community leaders to establish a comprehensive security plan that addresses all potential threats while allowing the festival to take place as scheduled.”