Northern Traditional Institutions: A Legacy Gone Awry

Many years ago, perhaps no one would imagine that someday a monarch in the northern Nigeria establishment would be attacked by an irate mob, or that an appointee of the monarch would drag the institution to court on a matter relating to his sack or any other. But penultimate week, Justice Muhammad Sadi Mato of the federal high court in Kano, sat in judgment and reversed the decision of the Emir of Kano to sack Alhaji Aminu Baba Dan'agundi, district head of Gwarzo and a kingmakers in the emirate. Dan'agundi was sacked by the emirate on December II, 2003, following a petition by his subjects, over his al1eged involvement in politics.

In the post presidential election violence that swept across northern Nigeria, one of the residences of the Emir of Zaria situated in Kaduna was torched by irate youths who were protesting alleged manipulation of the electoral process, after alleging, rightly or wrongly, that some leading traditional rulers in the north had col1uded with the authorities to compromise the electoral process. The fence of the Emir's main palace in Zaria was also reportedly destroyed when rampaging youths attempted to gain access to the compound from behind, but were prevented.

Worse still, political activists and some spectators reportedly booed leading traditional rulers in Lafia, Nasarawa State, and some thugs later hauled stones on the Andoma of Doma on May 29,2011 at the venue of the a inauguration of Governor Tanko Almakura whom they reviled during the campaign ahead of the April polls.

Led by the Emir of Lafia, Mustafa Agwai, they had earlier aligned with the campaign of former governor, Aliyu Akwe Doma, and helped him to declare a no vacancy situation in the government house in Lafia. Consequently, the royal fathers avoided CPC governorship candidate Almakura ahead of the elections allegedly in compliance with the instruction of the then governor. At one time, they were reported to have abandoned their palaces to avoid receiving the CPC candidate when he led presidential candidate of his party General Muhammadu Buhari on a tour of the state.

The fates that have befallen the northern traditional institutions lately have become increasingly nerve-racking. Many have wondered why the monarchs once revered in their domains and sometimes even feared for their excesses come to be judged, in the manner that was done after the April elections by some of the lowest of the lower among their subjects.

In their heydays, the monarchs themselves sat in judgment and even banished their subjects when the need arose. The monarch was the last arbiter and his words were final. But many young men and women of northern extraction today can only tell stories of monarchs who had been deposed by state governor and subsequently banished from their areas of influence. Within the last decades there were a number of cases. For instance, the Sultan of the Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, was deposed in 1994 by the regime of the then military administrator of Sokoto State Col. Yakubu Mu'azu. He was subsequently banished to Zing in Taraba State and later moved to Kaduna were he presently resides. Before him, the Emir of Muri, Umaru Abba, in defunct Gongola State (now in Taraba State), was deposed by former military governor of the state during the Babangida administration, Col. Yohana Madaki, and sent on exile to Yola where he later died. But even before the Emir of Muri, the Emir of Kano, Sanusi, was deposed by the regime of Sir Ahmadu Bello, then Premier of Northern Nigeria. He was banished to Azare in Bauchi and later moved to Wudil in Kano State where he died. Then recently, in 2005, the Emir of Gwandu retired Major Mustafa Jokolo was also deposed by former governor, Alhaji Adamu Aliero, and sent on exile to Nasarawa State.

Those who are older will also recall that colonial rulers had …. And at times, for misappropriation of tax under the colonial rule. For instance Sultan Muhammadu Tambari and Etsu Nupe Usman Sarki were both deposed during colonial era. There were also Sarkin Lere Abdullahi and Sarki Lere Abubakar, among many others who lost their thrones.

It is therefore clear that the authority of traditional institutions in northern Nigeria had been subsumed It under the authority of the colonial administrators who governed by indirect means. The weight and range of influence of the traditional rulers weakened further under the constitution that was bequeathed to the country at independence which obviously failed to apportion a role for the royal fathers.

Today, the monarchs have come under the whims and caprices of local government chairmen and state governors as a result of some edicts enacted by the state. Even though kingmakers still exist in the emirates and chiefdoms, by virtue of the laws, state governors exercise the powers to hire and fire traditional rulers. Worse still, the institutions depend heavily on local governments for finances to run their councils and for the upkeep of the palaces. Since not enough is usually allocated, and comes at the discretion of the local government chairman, the monarchs are forced to go cap in hand, making them willing tools for overzealous politicians in this era of winning elections by all means. traditional rulers in the last general elections in April which led to the unholy baptism visited on them after the elections. In many cases they have become pitiable.

Relating his experience to Daily Trust in an interview, shortly before he was sworn into office, the Nasarawa State governor, Almakura said: "It is true that some traditional rulers were not disposed to showing their support for my cause. Some worked tirelessly against our aspiration. But I don't take that to be something too negative. May be they were being overzealous in their loyalty to the governor. As traditional rulers, I appreciate the position in which they found themselves. They are supposed to be part of government in one way or the other. But perhaps some of them believe the expression of loyalty is not only in supporting government's programmes but also in supporting government's political adventure .... So if you ask me what I am expecting. I will say I am expecting the same kind of loyalty when I come into power.”

If the governor's last words in the quotation above are anything to go by, the traditional rulers are already embedded in a nasty circle.

But Almakura said he sympathised and appreciated the situation they found themselves and pledged to "streamline, through dialogue, what will be their role.”

"I expect loyalty but it should not be at the expense of the rights and privileges of other parties and persons even if such persons are competing against the government," he said.

In the face the challenges they are made to face by the fate bestowed on them in the context of the current system, the monarchs have continued to be relevant and extremely useful as custodians of culture and symbols of the cultural identity of the people. The traditional institution is still part and parcel of the history of the people. And still, many important personalities only feel accomplished with the stamp of a traditional title conferred on them by the monarchs.

In an interview with Daily Trust, Ambassador Shehu Malami, himself a Prince of the Sokoto Sultanate said: "As an old institution, it may suffer from the need for an up to-date assessment of its operations in order to make it serviceable under present Nigerian conditions."

He said he had no doubt that a referendum, on the traditional institution would not advocate the destruction or total abolishing of the institution but instead to strengthen it in matters like insulating it from political involvement and the provision of financial support to uphold its dignity in order to ….

March 26, 2012