Bauchi governor tasks Gung Zaar to reconcile Dogara, Bogoro….says their crisis is affecting him 

From Paul Orude Bauchi

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has charged the traditional ruler of Zaar Chiefdom, His Royal Majesty, Brigadier – Gen. Marcus Kokko Yake (rtd) to reconcile two prominent sons of the chiefdom, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, and former Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Elias Suleiman Bogoro.

Speaking on Saturday in Tafawa Balewa town during the 2026 Lhmb Zaar Cultural Festival, the governor expressed concern over the strained relationship between the two prominent personalities, saying their disagreement was also affecting him as governor.

He urged the traditional ruler to take concrete steps to reconcile them and end the bitterness and acrimony, noting that many people within and outside Zaar Chiefdom were looking up to them as influential leaders.

According to the governor, the traditional institution must continue to serve as a rallying point for unity, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.

He advised the monarch to seek the support and mediation of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Yayale, and Supreme Court Justice Haruna Tsammani to ensure that the disagreement between Dogara and Bogoro was amicably resolved in the interest of peace, development and the preservation of the community’s history.

“Their coming together will add value to our efforts to bring lasting peace and development to Zaar land,” the governor said.

“There cannot be meaningful development without peace. We do not want anything to do with divisions. We therefore urge you, as the traditional ruler, to ensure that this reconciliation takes place, provide guidance to younger generations and help preserve the values, customs and traditions that define our people.”

The disagreement between the two prominent Zaar sons has been linked to questions surrounding who should speak for the Zaar people in negotiations with the government, the influence of individuals in decisions concerning the traditional institution, and the direction of political leadership in Zaar land following the creation of the chiefdom.

In May 2023, Zaar Concerned Citizens publicly criticised Dogara over his position on the Zaar Chiefdom issue, accusing him of attempting to influence traditional leadership. Dogara’s supporters, however, disputed the criticisms.

Similarly, in January 2025, the Bogoro/Tafawa Balewa Youths Vanguard accused Dogara of betraying Bogoro, alleging that the former TETFund executive secretary had supported Dogara’s political rise, including his emergence as Speaker of the House of Representatives, but that Dogara subsequently failed to reciprocate the support.

Speaking on the creation of Zaar Chiefdom after decades of agitation and the inability of successive administrations to actualise it, Governor Mohammed described the development as a major milestone of his administration, despite doubts expressed by some individuals and groups.

“We had taken deliberate steps towards recognising the historical identity of the Zaar people, strengthening their sense of belonging and providing an additional platform through which traditional leadership can contribute meaningfully to community development,” he said.

The governor explained that the creation of the chiefdom, alongside additional emirates and districts in the state, had contributed to lasting peace and development in several communities.

He said the decisions were informed by vision, planning, strategy and knowledge, aimed at bringing traditional institutions closer to the people and strengthening monitoring and evaluation to enhance security and community development.

He maintained that the creation of new emirates and chiefdoms would enrich the diversity of the state’s traditional governance structure and reinforce his administration’s commitment to fairness, inclusiveness and peaceful coexistence