Mada Chieftaincy: Trouble in Nasarawa over appointment of Governor Sule’s father

The National Association of Mada (NAM) has threatened to engage the Nasarawa State House of Assembly in legal battle to reclaim its traditional stool assumed to a non-Mada indigene.

National President of Mada, Youth wing, Mr. John Umaru, issued the warning at a press briefing, yesterday, in Lafia.

The association has alleged that the present paramount ruler of Gudi chiefdom, Alhaji Bawa Sule, father Governor Abdullahi Sule, is not qualified for the stool because he’s not of Mada origin and does not belong to any of the tribes in Mada land, but only a settler in the land.

Umaru said the state government Gazette that established the chiefdom erroneously excludes the Mada who own the communities from contesting, as well as participating in the college of selectors into the chiefdom.

The association expressed anger over the alteration of the nomenclature of the chiefdom from Chun Gudi to Sarikin Gudi, which they claim is not the true reflection of the culture of the Mada nation.

“We have written the State Assembly demanding that the title of the paramount ruler should be Chun Gudi because, Gudi is contained in Nasarawa State law for the college of selectors of Chun Mada, 2013 and Nasarawa State Local Government law, 2018 for selection of Chun Ngah and also contained under college of selectors and eligibility to both throne.”

He said the association is not opposed to the creation of the chiefdom by the state, adding that public hearing should be conducted in order to amend the bill for the creation of the chiefdom for justice to prevail.

Umaru said: “It is common knowledge that matters relating to creation of chiefdoms, local government or states, referendum are collated for public hearing as required by law to get inputs, consent and other important views from the affected communities and this was not done.” 

The president noted that if the Assembly does not respond appropriately to their letter, which is already on the Speaker’s table, the court would be the next place to take the battle to, as law-abiding citizens.