Leadership Crisis Rocks Sokoto Yoruba Community

Tension is brewing within the Yoruba community in Sokoto state, following the emergence of a new traditional title allegedly created without the collective consent of the community’s leadership.

Concerned members of the Yoruba community have petitioned the Department of State Services, DSS, Sokoto Command, alleging that the development poses threat to peace and unity among Yoruba residents in the state.

In the petition signed by “Concerned Members of the Yoruba Community in Sokoto South,” the group alleged that the introduction of a new title, Garkuwan Yarabawa, reportedly proclaimed as Sarkin Yarabawa of Sokoto South 1, has sparked confusion and disaffection.
“The alteration, which has no collective endorsement or traditional legitimacy from the Yoruba leadership in Sokoto, is creating tension and division among our people.
“Given the sensitivity of traditional titles and their implications for peace and order, we humbly appeal for the intervention of your office to investigate the situation, mediate between concerned parties, and forestall any potential breakdown of law and order,” the petition added.

The petitioners accused certain individuals of attempting to politicize or usurp the community’s traditional leadership structure, warning that such moves could lead to rivalry, mistrust, and possible confrontations if left unchecked.

Attached to the petition is a letter dated September 20, 2025, purportedly issued by the District Head of Sabon Gari, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki Maccido, confirming the conferment of the title Sarkin Yarabawa, Sokoto South on one Abiola Popoola Bashorun.

However, the Sarkin Yarabawa-in-Council, Sokoto state, in a separate statement dated October 5, 2025, disowned the new title, insisting that the only recognized position within the Yoruba community is the Sarkin Yarabawa of Sokoto State.

According to the Council, the selection of the Sarkin Yarabawa of Sokoto is a collective decision involving representatives from the eight Yoruba-speaking states resident in the state, and not the prerogative of any single individual.

The Council described the creation of the Sarkin Yarabawa of Sokoto South as a “misrepresentation” and “unauthorized creation” capable of misleading the public and destabilizing the existing leadership structure.

“The so-called Sarkin Yarabawa of Sokoto South did not emerge through any recognized process. It is misleading, divisive, and contrary to the established norms of Yoruba traditional leadership in Sokoto,” it stated.

Reiterating that Sokoto remains a unified metropolis, the Council explained that titles such as Garkuwa are purely honorary and should not be mistaken for leadership positions recognized across the Yoruba community.

When contacted, Alhaji Abiola Moshood Popoola denied knowledge of any petition against him.

Speaking through his Personal Assistant, Usman Isiaka, Popoola maintained that he was duly nominated and accorded the title by the Sultan of Sokoto.

As of press time, the Department of State Services, DSS, had yet to act or issue an official response to the petition.