The Controversy Surrounding Sayawa Chiefdom in Bauchi

By Garba Adamu Gwangwangwan

The decision by the Bauchi state government to create and cite the Chiefdom of Sayawa ethnic group at Tafawa Balewa town, in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, Bauchi state has become a subject of considerable controversies.

Such kind of dispute arises due to conflict of interest amongst diversed ethno-religious groups which that of Sayawa is not an exception.

Nobody is in doubt on the fact that any Chiefdom plays a vital role like other traditional institutions in maintaining social harmony,resolving disputes and practising cultural heritage in a society.The Chiefdom mostly serves as a bridge between the government and the people in ensuring people at the grass root benefit from policies and programmes introduced by the government in addition to the transfer of cultural identity to the generations yet unborn, while advocating peace and unity among the people.

The propose sitting of the Chiefdom in a controversial location raises alot of questions waiting for the right answeres on the legitimacy of the matter before things go out of hand.

On this point, people have begin to interrogate the secret rationale behind the pronouncement made by Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed (Kauran Bauchi) to locate the Sayawa Chiefdom in headquarters of Tafawa Balewa LGA considering the historical background of the area dominated by Muslim community.

The move can exacerbate political tensions,especially if it is perceived as an imposition by the external forces as Communities that feel unfavoured may go contrary to the law which can generate civil unrest.

Unarguebly, After the 1991 Sayawa crisis which consumed hundreds of lives, all the previous committees set up by the past administrations at both the state and federal levels came up with a recommendation that the Sayawa Chiefdom should not be positioned in Tafawa Balewa which contravens the interest of the Sayawa agitators whom are the minority tribe.

What baffled many about the creation of the Sayawa chiefdom in the home town of first and only Nigeria’s Prime Minister, Late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa is locating the traditional institution to a wrong place with no jurisdiction, for instance the federal wards in Tafawa Balewa are eleven namely Kardam ‘A’,Kardam ‘B’,Lere north,Lere South and Tapshin, Wai and Ball others are Bula, Dàjin,Dull and Bununu out of which only one is preedominantly occupied by Sayawas that is Lere South while the remaining Ten are densely populated by other tribes the likes of Fulani, Jarawa, Angasawa with few Sayawas in some villages and semi urban town like that of Tafawa Balewa. Going by this there is no any justification to unilaterally hand over the ancient town to one particular tribe.

‘’All the committees right from late Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin Commission of Inquiry in 1991 and that of Ambassador Jibrin Dada Chinade Committee on Review and Implementation of Reports in 2022 arrived at two fundamental recommendations: 1.Creation of Sayawa Chiefdom with headquarters in Bogoro LGA, not Tafawa Balewa.

2.That Tafawa Balewa originally belongs to the Fulani extraction.

The same thing was applicable to late Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin’s committee of 1991, Late Shehu Awak, 1993, Late Justice Bala Umar, 2001 and Late General Ibrahim Sabo in 2011.

Now that the Sultanate Council, has voiced out its concern in defense of the muslim community and the caliphate for justice to be prevail all eyes will remain open on the next line of action to be taken by the Government of the day.

Garba Adamu Gwangwangwan wrote from Bauchi adamugarba0079@gmail.com