Bauchi: Gov Mohammed Set To Create Seyawa Chiefdom

…Headquarters To Be Located In Tafawa-Balewa

From Paul Orude Bauchi

Bauchi State Government has set motion in place for the actualisation of Sayawa Chiefdom by mid-2025.

Governor Bala Mohammed made the pronouncement on Monday, during a meeting with stakeholders from the area on the decision of the adminiatrarion to make the Chiefdom a reality.

The meeting held at New Banquet Hall, Government House Bauchi, and was attended by many prominent Sayawa sons and daughters.

Addressing the audience, the governor said the proposed Sayawa Chiefdom is to be headed by a Chief to be designated as Gung Zaar.

“In the event of the stool of the Sayawa chiefdom becoming vacant, appointment of the successor chief shall be made from the two historical clans namely Sangami and Sangishi,” he added

“Vacancy shall occur in the event of death, government removal or resignation of the serving chief”

On the demarcation of the Seyawa chiefdom, Mohammed explained that the chiefdom shall comprise the whole of Bogoro district of Bogoro Local Government Area.

“But the non Sayawa within the Bogoro Local Government Area should be allowed  to decide whether or not they want to belong to the Seyawa chiefdom through a referendum  conducted by the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASEIC),” he stated.

“Lere South of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area is to excised from the Bauchi Emirate and merged with the Sayawa chiefdom in addition hamlets in Lere North that are predominantly Sayawa such as Bama, Malima, Gumos Sabon Gari Lere, Tudun Sayawa, Tudun Wadan Malima, should also be part of the  Sayawa chiefdom.

“Tapshi village in Tafawa Blaewa LGA being non Seyawa communities should be allowed to decide through a referendum by BASEIC whether or not they want to be part of the chiefdom.

“Hamlets in Lere North that are predominantly of Sigdawa extraction such as Sigdim Sigdi Sjeu, Sigdi Buli, Malakri, Digri, Munsenyi, Ragawa Mi and so on should be allowed to decoded through a referendum by BASEIC whether or not they want to be part of kingdom”

Governor Mohammed said that after due consultations and persuasions, the headquartres of the Sayawa Chiefdon shall be located at Tafawa Balewa town.

“Modality for the appointment of the first Chief Gung Zaar includes any Sayawa man who is 21 years of age and above, has  not been disqualified under any law for criminal offence, should be of high moral standing mentally sound and physically fit,” he said further.

On the selection of the new chief, he said two separate bodies for the selection of the Gung Zaar be done, first by pioneer chiefs and subsequent done through Electoral College with all districts/village heads within the chiefdom where a contestant is not eligible to vote.

He said the kingmakers will be constituted after the appointment of the first Gung Zaar to choose the subsequent Chief who shall comprised all the village heads within the chiefdom  namely Bogoro, Boi, Lusa Tapshi if they decide to be part of the chiefdom.

Governor Mohammed disclosed that the proposed Chiefdom shall have a traditional council made of districts/village heads, one pastor and one Imam, five prominent personalities within the chiefdom to be appointed by the Gung Zaar and all the Council Chairmen with the area of the Chiefdom.

“Since the 2011 Law on the creation of the Sawaya Chiefdom, which was later amended in 2014, a subsistence, and the state House of Assembly will be requested to further amend the 2014 law to reflect the fore going Government decision,” he stated.

“Let me make it equivocally clear that I have no interest in who become the Chief of Sayawa or who becomes the Gung Zaar.

“But there can’t be any traditional institution without the input of the State government and the Local Government, otherwise it will become something else.

The agitation for the Chiefdom by the predominantly Christian Sawaya groups has led to ethno religious crises that have lasted for over 30 years, claiming many lives and property”

He said the leader of the proposed chiefdom will emerge based on the stipulated criteria based on the established practice everywhere in the world.

“It is therefore left to you stakeholders to go back home and work harmoniously with the decisions taken by government,” he stated.

“My interest is to let peace reign among the Sayawa ethnic groups and their neigbhours.

“We must embrace peace and leave harmoniously with our neighbours irrespective of our religious and ethnic differences”

Attempts by successive administrations in the state to create the chiefdom had failed.

Mohammed lamented that lasting solution to the lingering problem of Seyaya chiefdom had defiled efforts by success governments in the state for over decades due to lack of political will

“It is saddening that innocent lives had been lost in series of ethno religious violence that erupted in the Tafawa Balewa Bogoro axis ostensibly to realize the creation of Seyawa chiefdom,” he stated.

“The complexity and sensitivity of the problem has been compounded by political interest that brought divisions among monolithic Seyawa ethnic group that agitated and pursued the goal of self-determination and self-actualization.

“It is the multi-dimensional problem and apparently lack of political will by successive administrations that have made the realization of the creation of the Sayawa chiefdom a seemingly impossibility.

“On assumption office in 2019, after getting a summery pledge and support from the people, I took it upon myself as a duty to reciprocate this gesture by promising to resolve the protected problem once and for all.

“I have always kept my promise and I will do it by the grace of God.

“Consequently and committee was set up to review all the committees appointed by previous administrations on the creation of Sayawa chiefdom, including the Act of the Parliament that was done during the Isa Yuguda administration.

“Upon receipt of drafting committee report a white paper committee was appointed to produce government’s position on the various findings and recommendations.

“Another committee was appointed to go to three states namely Plateau, Kaduna and Nasarawa States to under study how their chiefdoms were created, their structure, mode of succession among others “The committee has also submitted its report to the government .

“Government has carefully studied the reports of the two committees, articulated and harmonised them to come out with a workable position on what should constitute the Sayawa chiefdom.

“Before then we have interacted with the Bauchi emirate, most especially His Royal Highness, the emir of Bauchi on the need to be able to let go for the creation of this important chiefdom

“We have also discussed with other minorities that come from the same area and other stakeholders”