Following the demise of the revered Emir of Lafia, in Nasarawa State, Dr Mustapha Isa Agwai I, over a week ago, the succession battle to the throne has begun.
In a bid to fill the vacuum created by the demise of the 16th Emir of Lafia, in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Isa Mustapha Agwai I, seven princes have been shortlisted for screening to occupy the throne of their forebears.
According to a source in the palace, the major contenders out of the about 40 princes who are vying for the stool, are Alhaji Isyaku Dauda, who holds the title of Madaki, an agriculturist and a seasoned civil servant who retired as a permanent secretary; Justice Sidi Bage of the Court of Appeal; Musa Isa Mustapha Agwai; son of the late emir who holds the title of Ubangari; Alhaji Abdullahi Yusuf Musa, a Permanent Secretary in the state’s Ministry of Education; Alhaji Aminu who holds the title of Kachalla and; Alhaji Muh’d Moyi who holds the title of Maidunama among many others.
The source added that there are about 40 persons who are willing to submit their requests to occupy the throne to the Lafia kingmakers. Two ruling houses have been gazetted by the Nasarawa State Government. They are the Ari and the Dall houses. While the other claimants to be ruling houses and not gazette are Umar Sanda, Musa Danjaji, Laminu and Musa Gana, all descendants of Dunama.
The selection for the new Emir of Lafia is done by the five king makers. They are Makongiji, Salanke, Moyi, Sarkin Fada and the Chief Imam.
The five kingmakers are expected to receive and scrutinize names of the contenders for submission to the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for onward submission the Governor of the states and the state council of chiefs for approval and ratification.
However, when Daily Trust on Sunday sought for the names of those who are vying for the throne from the senior kingmaker, Makungiji, he declined comment.
However, it was observed that immediately after the third day prayer, the emirs and chiefs in the state and Emirs of Kazaure from Jigawa State, Emir of Dass from Bauchi State, Wamban Kano, among other traditional rulers, invited the children of the late Emir to an inner chamber of the palace for a closed-door meeting.
In the evening after the third day prayer, youths who converged on the palace started celebrating that one of the sons of the late emir had been selected by the kingmakers. But the state government immediately debunked the assertion.
Besides, a source in the palace said the kingmakers have not submitted any of the contenders to the state ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, a position the ministry confirmed.
However, the family of Musa Gana ruling house of Unguwar Galadima has appealed to the state government to put on hold the selection and confirmation of the Emir of Lafia. This was contained in a statement signed by the chairman Muhammad Jibrin Mamman Ladi, and 24 others on behalf of the Musa Gana ruling house.
The statement also appealed to the government to direct the review of the selection procedure and eligibility requirement contained in the purported Gazette (Gazette No. 13 P.S.N12 , 31st July 1986).
The statement added that, “based on the historical facts that Lafia as it is today was founded in 1804 by great descendants ‘the Bare-bari people’ otherwise known as Kanuri led by Jaji who came from Kukawa in Borno State of Nigeria ruled Lafia for years. These Kanuri Royal warriors who were led by Jaji include Dunama, the 1st Emir of Lafia from 1804-1809, Musa Danjaji, the 2nd emir who ruled from 1809-1814, then Umar Sanda ruled from 1814- 1819, Laminu from 1819-1844, then Musa Gana rose from Makaman Lafia and ascended the throne as the 5th Emir and reigned between 1844 and 1849.
“Other members of the Musa Gana ruling house, who contested for the stool of the Emir of Lafia at different times and eventually served as Madawaki of Lafia were Muhammadu Diwi, the 1st Madawakin Lafia, Umar, the son of Muhammadu Diwi and Musa Tsoho who also served from 1868-1873 during the reign of Umar Dalla Dunama, they all fought to become the emir but lost.”
The statement added that it is apparent from that the undisputed history that the afore-mentioned persons were amongst the founders of Lafia. Therefore, Lafia was collectively founded by a group of Kanuri Royal warriors some of whom have ruled emirate in history. It said “The case would have been different if Dunama ruling house was the only one that founded Lafia. The five ruling houses are eligible to contest the vacant stool of Emir of Lafia more so that the traditional leadership of northern Nigeria is founded on historical antecedents and not anchored on the whims and caprices of some few advantaged elements.
The statement “Thereby submits that the purported 1986 Gazette which only recognises Dallah Dunama and Ari Dunama as the only ruling houses eligible to participate in the contest for the stool of the Emir of Lafia is unjust, invalid and unpopular as it is the product of the findings of administrative commission of inquiry specially set up to serve parochial interest.”
Many people said it is the tradition of the kingmakers of Nasarawa State to make the list of the princes contending for the any throne confidential in order not to cause friction among the successful prince and his siblings who lost in the contest.
However, the state Governor Umaru Al-makura has met with the contenders and pledged to follow due process in the selection of a new emir.
