THREE Ruling Houses (non gazetted) in the Lafia emirate council, decried of being alienated from the selection process of new Emir of Lafia.
Recalled, the Paramount Emir of Lafia, late Alhaji Mustapha Agwai 1 passed on last two weeks and since he was buried in his palace according to Islamic rite, leaving the stool vacant.
Two Ruling Houses ( Ari Dunama and Dalla Dunama) gazetted by the Nasarawa State government, already are in front line contesting for the throne, while Umar Sanda, Musa Danjaji Laminu and Musa Gana, (not gazetted), were left out from the selection.
The three Ruling House claimants, however alleged that Dunama family was not the only one that founded Lafia as paddled in some quarters, stressing that Lafia was collectively founded by a group of Kanuri Royal warriors after traversing some parts of the country.
This was contained in a joint signed statement by heads of the three Ruling Houses; Aliyu Sanda, Yusf Ibrahim Jaji (Jarmen Lafia) and Muhammadu Jibrin (Galadiman Lafia), and made available to Nigerian Tribune in Lafia the Nasarawa state capital.
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“We find it imperative at this juncture to let the whole world know the broad day light injustice meeting out to the Ruling house. Ari Dunama and Dallah Dunama ruling house and excluded other Ruling Houses from contesting for the stool of the Lafia emigrate,” the statement stated.
The statement further added that it was during the reign of Umar Dalla that a stage was set for the total removal of the other Ruling houses by sub-dividing the Dunama ruling house into two , namely; Dallah Danama and Ari Dunama of the present Ungwar Doka and Kofar Kaura.
” It is also believe that it was from that moment in history that Kingmakers were made to make a secret pledged to be selecting subsequent emir from the above subdivided Dunama Rulling houses rotationally.
“This injustice has been on for about century and the other Rulling houses have been fighting the injustice using all available legal means to have these anomalies corrected .
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” Not untill on the 23rd April, 1976 when the government of the then Plateau state under the administration of Group Captain Dan Suleiman, of the blessed memory set up a judicial panel of investigation to look into the chieftaincy affairs in the whole plateau state under the chairmanship of late Yahaya Muhammadu Kamam and recommendations were made.
“The panel after subsequently recognised two subdivided ruling houses in Lafia were also recommended that Ari of Laminu should be made a distinct ruling house for the fact that the Laminu had also established ruling dynasty Laminu ruling house had produced an emir other than its founder.
” white paper was made and subsequently Gazetted on 29th April, 1983 via Plateau State Legal Notice No. 8 of 1983 the Lafia emirate ( Declaration of the Native law and custom relation to the selection of the Emir of Lafia) order .1983.that the present ruling house should also be a distinct ruling house”, the statement reiterated.
The statement explained further, that all people that ruled Lafia did so in their right and not as regents as been paddled around for those who by privilege have succeeded in doctoring the official records of the Lafia emigrate, assuming without contending with other that rule Lafia after Dunama held the throne as regent because his children then were young.
and then