Zamfara governor bars emirs from conferring traditional titles

ZAMFARA State governor, Bello Matawalle, has barred all traditional rulers in the state from conferring traditional titles without government clearance. 

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the directive was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Malam Zailani Bappa, the governor’s Special Adviser on Public Enlightenment, Media and Communications. 

“All emirs, senior district heads and district heads in the state are hereby directed to officially seek permission from the state government before conferring traditional titles on anyone,” Matawalle was quoted as saying in the statement. 

He said the directive became necessary to check indiscriminate awards and possible abuse of the traditional institution. 

“Henceforth, no emir, senior district head, or district head must appoint anybody into any traditional office without securing official permission and clearance from the state government. 

“Compliance with this directive is now mandatory and failure to abide by it will attract serious reprimand from the state government,” he warned. 

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NAN reported that the directive came after the Emir of Yandoto, Alhaji Aliyu Garba-Marafa, conferred the traditional title of Sarkin Fulani on a wanted bandit, Ado Aleiru. 

The appointment generated backlash, with the government suspending the emir and constituting a committee to investigate the matter. 

Meanwhile, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara, told journalists that though traditional rulers were given the mandate to appoint title holders, the case of Aleiru was different. 

“The emir ought to have written to government seeking approval through the governor who will forward the request to the State Security Council who will screen to look at the pros and cons. 

“None of these was done. It is after the recommendation of the Security Council that the State Executive Council will also have to ratify the recommendation. 

“But like I said, this has not been done. That is why the state government felt there was the need to suspend the emir,” Dosara said. 

According to him, the six-man committee investigating the suspended emir has been working and will soon submit its report. He said that the state government has no objection if communities reconcile to restore peace, “but there are limitations.”

(NAN)