The people of Chamo and Basse communities in Ningi and Kudu/Yamma districts in Bauchi State have appealed to the executive and the legislature not to include them in the proposed Ari Chiefdom/Emirate.They insisted on remaining under the Ningi Emirate Council.
At a press conference yesterday, Tafidan Chamo, Alhaji Sanusi Mohammed Marke, expressed appreciation to Governor Bala Mohammed for his administration’s plan to establish additional emirates, chiefdoms and districts across the state, describing the move as people-centered and development-driven.
“We are happy with what the government intends to do because it will bring governance closer to the grassroots and enhance development.
“However, we, the people of Chamo and Basse in Ningi, respectfully plead to remain under the Ningi Emirate in order to preserve our long and historic heritage,” they said.
Marke noted that the people of Chamo historically known as Butawan Gurungu, from whose language the name ‘Ningi’ originated, have lived in the area for over 300 years.
“Anyone who came to Ningi two or three centuries ago met our ancestors, the Butawan Gurungu. Since the creation of the Ningi Emirate, we have had district heads such as Sarkin Basse, Sarkin Tabla, Sarkin Munnu, Sarkin Chamo, and Sarkin Balla. We have remained loyal and peaceful under the emirate’s leadership,” he added.
He emphasised that the Chamo, Kudawa, Basawa, and other communities have coexisted harmoniously under the Ningi Emirate, guided by Islamic scholars who have provided spiritual and cultural leadership over the centuries.
Also speaking, Danladi Abdullahi Tabla reaffirmed the communities’ loyalty to the Ningi Emirate and commended Governor Bala Mohammed for the ongoing transformation of Ningi from a rural to an urban centre through various developmental projects.
He appealed to the state government to approve the restoration of the Balla, Tabla, Mara, Base, and Chamo districts under the Ningi Emirate.
In a document jointly signed by community leaders, the groups cautioned that including the Old Ningi settlement and Kudu/Yamma communities in the proposed Ari Chiefdom/Emirate could distort historical facts, weaken long-standing cultural ties, and pose risks to social harmony and security.
The document further recalled that the Ningi Emirate, founded in the early 18th century by Islamic scholars led by Sheikh Hamza, has a deep-rooted identity and traditions dating back to the 19th century, heritage the communities wish to safeguard.
