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By Ayo Kehinde
The National Congress of Ijaw, IJC, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Middle Belt Forum, MBF, unanimously invited the Senate to withdraw and rework the outstanding bill immediately that tried to do the sultan of Sokoto, Mohammado Saad Abubakar and Oons of Ife, HRM Adeye Enitan Ogunwusi Men of the Nigoni-Cighair canteen-seacons. Advise.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau South), has approved his second reading starting from March 2025 and is now examined by the Senate Committee for the institution and the public service. It is called Bill of the National Council for the traditional sovereigns of Nigeria (establishment).
In their reaction, the umbrella organ of the elderly of Ijaw, the Ijaw National Congress (inc), declared that the move would be at the expense of traditional apex from other ethnic nationality and geopolitical divisions.
The second vice -president of the Ijaw National Congress (inc), Capo Alabo Nengi James, in a declaration of Odi, said that the proposal is a continuous violation on traditional sovereigns in Nigeria, describing the provisions of the bill as unacceptable and against the rights of the natives through tribes, religion, culture and
He said that the bill should be reviewed to include clauses such as *No permanent presidency for Sultan and Ooni, which must be allowed only in the current bill discussed in the Senate. *
The National Assembly, he said, should allow the National Council of Traditional Sovereigns to appoint their leadership, rotating and on the basis of the federal character alone.
“I include the role of traditional sovereigns in the Constitution and no traditional sovereign from another tribe or religion is higher than another.
“The national assembly should lower the provocative and dehumanizing offensive bill that will cause a serious fracture and violation of peace in Nigeria.”
Capo James attracted the attention of the President of the Senate, RT. Hon. Godswill Akpabio, exhorting him to immediately resign on what he called a “highly insensitive and dangerous account”.
He underlined that traditional sovereigns throughout the country must have the same recognition and should be authorized to choose their national leadership through internal mechanisms that reflect rotational leadership and the federal system.
Ohanaeze’s CHUKWU advertising Chukwu advertising Chukwu declared that the move would be at the expense of the traditional sovereigns of other ethnic nationality and geopolitical divisions.
Chukwu added that the socio-cultural organization is amazed by the logic behind what has called an asymmetrical bill from the Senate, with its total contempt for equity, equity, justice and the principle of the federal character as a sanctioning in the Constitution.
*The Senate in this vein has not failed in its ability as a higher legislative carrier and custodian of the democratic mandate of the nation. This bill is not only unfair, discriminatory and ethnocentric, it is equally disgusting, reprehensible and questionable, “he said.
The group spokesman also described the bill as devoid of all ethical considerations, objective metrics and impartial criteria for national unity and social justice in a heterogeneous nation such as Nigeria.
Likewise, the Ambf spokesman, Luka Binniyat said that the forum is firmly opposition to a controversial clause in the bill.
According to him, the central belt forum refuses unequivocally, aborga and condemns the institutionalization of the sultan of Sokoto as a permanent blanket of this proposed advice.
He said that their refusal is anchored to strong historical, cultural, constitutional and moral reasons, which we now describe in clear terms:
1. The sultanate of Sokoto is historically Junior to Middle Belt Monarchies
Historically, the Sokoto Caliphate is a relatively young institution compared to ancient kingdoms and confederations in the middle belt. For example, the Kwararafa Confederation, which flourished for centuries, precedes the Caliphate.
It is a historically documented fact that the confederate state of Kwarafa existed for about 800s-1700 AD the Aku Uka of Wukari, its current spiritual heir, represents a legacy that precedes the very existence of Sokoto Caliphate. The sultan of Sokoto cannot therefore replace Wukari’s Aku Uka in status and prestige to be part of him as president of the traditional council created by law.
2. Igala’s Atth ranks higher in the historical and traditional state
Igala’s Atth, whose kingdom flourished much before and after the 14th century, occupies a higher pedestal in terms of history, cultural roots and legitimacy. The kingdom of Igala has never been under the dominion of the caliphate and continues to represent the indigenous authority rooted much older and more authentically Nigerian than the Sokoto sulanate.
3. The Tor Tiv represents a powerful and independent cultural identity
The Tiv nation, one of the largest ethnolinguistic groups in Nigeria, was never conquered by the Sokoto Caliphate. The Tor Tiv is the supreme symbol of a proud and resilient people who were acephalous and prospered independently before colonial domain. Asking that the Tor Tiv permanently refers to the Sultan in Council issues is a serious distortion of historical facts and a violation of indigenous dignity.
4. The cloud kingdom preceded the Sokoto Caliphate
The kingdom of cloud, with a proud lineage dating back to the fifteenth century, has its traditional structures deeply rooted. Even if Fulani’s jihadists in the end imposed the Islamic domain in the land of cloud after 1835, the Etsu cloud today still represents a lasting cultural institution that precedes the caliphate. In no logical or historical context can the caliphate claim seniority or supremacy on the cloud tradition.
5. Sultan is mainly a religious leader, not a traditional secular monarch
Today in Nigeria, Sokoto’s sultan is widely recognized as the spiritual leader of all Nigerian Muslims, in particular through the 19 northern states and the FCT. Its role of spiritual leadership is fundamentally religious. It is not secular. Therefore, his institutionalized leadership on a national council of traditional sovereigns would alienate Christians, the traditional faithful and other faiths, violating the secular spirit of the Nigerian Constitution. The balance of representation in favor of Islam would also be distorted, thus promoting religious supremacy under the remains of traditional unity.
6 Kanem Borno Historic/Islamic Legacy Outralks Sokoto Caliphate
Although the Kanuri people do not be part of the middle belt, the truth must nevertheless be said: Borno’s Shehu ranks higher than the sultan of Sokoto with a historical feet. Kanem-Borno embraced Islam already in the 11th century (about 1085 AD), long before the 1804 Sokotus Jihad, which never conquered Borno. He is therefore left to the people Kanuri to declare their position on this topic.
7. The patronage of the Sultan of Macban and the Fulani crisis
It is recorded that Sokoto’s sultan is the permanent patron of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (Macban), an organization whose name has become strictly linked to the violent shepherds Fulani, responsible for thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions, especially in the middle belt. The sultan did not do enough to condemn me or dissociate from these atrocities. Making a permanent -covered co -survey in such circumstances is a serious insult to the thousands of victims who continue to suffer under the attacks of Fulani’s militia.
8. The central belt cannot continue to defer the sultanate sokoto
Sixty -five years after Nigeria’s independence, the central belt can no longer accept a subordinate position to the sultanate of Sokoto or any traditional institution that does not reflect our history, culture or aspirations.
Historically, the different ethnic nationalities of the central belt resisted the incursions of the jihadists of Usman Dan Fodio. While Hausaland fell under the control of Dan Fodio’s forces in the early 1800s, the middle belt remained largely not conquered, preserving its distinct identity and sovereignty.
The imposition of the system of indirect rules by the British colonial administration has changed this dynamic. By positioning our autonomous communities with strength under the control of the Emirate-In systems in particular, the sodotus-colonial authority caliphate have created an artificial hierarchy that has granted indebted privileges and influence on the Emirates dominated by Fulani on the indigenous populations of the medium belt and beyond.
More than six decades after the end of the colonial domain, it is unacceptable that any traditional authority is elevated above the others, in particular in a democratic Nigeria that supports equality, justice and federal character.
Our position:
In light of the above, the central belt forum says with the present that:
If the Senate approves this bill with the controversial clause and is accumulated by the President, we will furnish all ethnic nationalities through the central belt to boycott participation in the Council.
The traditional sovereigns of the average belt do not recognize or will participate in the meetings of a council whose leadership is permanently distorted in favor of a non -indigenous monarch status, religious aligned and less to our traditional sovereigns.
We will form, in accordance with constitutional freedoms, to form our autonomous advice of the traditional sovereigns of the media belt belt, which will reflect the historical, cultural and moral values of our people.
The path to follow:
To preserve national unity, equity and equity, we propose the following:
The Presidency of the Council should be rotational. It should cut all geo-political areas or ethnic blocks
It should also be a mandate in a way that gives all traditional sovereigns and their peoples a sense of belonging and dignity.
Another alternative is for the traditional sovereigns themselves to democratically choose their presidents through a transparent and inclusive process that reflects Nigeria’s pluralism.
This advice must reflect the values of equality, justice and historical truth.
The central belt forum is stopped in its belief that true national cohesion can only be achieved through equity, mutual respect and the recognition of our rich historical diversity.
Any attempt to impose a permanent religious polena on a national institution of traditional sovereigns is a violation of the secular character, the cultural heritage and the federal structure of Nigeria. We will remain using all the legitimate and democratic means available to us.
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