The Bajju Chieftaincy Succession and Matters Arising

This is a rejoinder to an article titled “Dispute Over The Selection Of New Agwam Bajju”

Sequel to the debate that had since followed, the article captioned “Dispute Over the Selection of New Agwam Bajju” published in the Leadership Newspaper of Saturday 22nd October, 2022 may be adjudged to have achieved the purpose of the writer among which was to draw the attention of the public not only to the fact that the Bajju Community in Kaduna State is still mourning the death of their beloved paramount ruler Dr Nuhu Bature but also that the people are anxiously awaiting the appointment of a worthy successor to continue his laudable work.
However, the write-up was intriguing in so many ways not least of which is its limitation to only the very recent events in the life of that Community thus ignoring the age-old tradition and culture of its illustrious and enterprising people. In its medieval reasoning, it ignored the very ancient history of the people but dwelt more on happenings of about the last 20 years of the Bajju Chiefdom as if those years define the beginning and the direction of her life whereas the Community is one that is ancient in origin and meritorious in achievement whose activities and attainment have been well-documented and gazetted in the annals of history.
Of all the peoples of the present day Central Nigeria, the Bajjus are among the most resourceful and co-ordinated ethnic nationality. Those who have related with them in the last few decades have also come to hold them in very high esteem most especially in their manner of approach to issues affecting them because of their intelligentsia.
The cherished values of egalitarianism, cosmopolitanism, equity, fairness and justice for which the people have been known over the ages and which values the late Agwam Bajju espoused and practiced are now being called into question by some of the same people who associated and worked closely with him and who therefore should have learnt those virtues from him.
It is no wonder then that the demise of their last paramount ruler has thrown up a succession controversy. This controversy has been heightened by the very recent law of the Kaduna State Government on Traditional Institution – a controversy which the article has further given life.
Among claims made in the article under reference are “……that once a reigning monarch is dead, the clan from which the dead monarch comes from is barred from seeking to become the new emir/chief” and that “…..in this case, it is obvious that all aspirants from the late Agwam Bajju’s Clan are not eligible to contest”.
Highlighted above are the author’s paraphrase of some supposed clauses of the recent law made by the Kaduna State Government published in the Kaduna State of Nigeria Gazette No 39 of 23rd December, 2021 Vol 55. It is known as KD. S. Law No 21 2021 – the Kaduna State Traditional Institution Law, 2021.
While the author made reference to the historical background of kingship or monarchs, he failed to disclose that this law was made only in 2021; that it was not in existence when the demised Agwam Bajju was installed in 1995 or when he died on 18th December 2021
How such law will emerge with a retroactive effect in a manner that will prohibit the Clan of the late Agwan Bajju to participate in the selection of his successor not only beat anyone’s imagination, it also queries the sense of egalitarianism, equity, justice and fairness that the late Agwan Bajju espoused and for which the people are known.
The Kaduna State law for Traditional Institutions gazette of 23rd December 2021 in this case give credence to rotational chieftaincy within the ruling classes but did not barred any off the ruling classes from contest:

Part iii sub section 8 of the Law says “The imperative to preserve history, custom and culture of every chiefdom and emirate in the state requires that every ruling house be preserved for posterity, and accordingly, the succession pattern in the case of any chiefdom or emirate with:
(a) More than one ruling house shall be based on rotation; and

(b) Only one (1) ruling house shall be based on merit”.

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The above is the exact quotation of the subject matter and one begin to wonder why it should be twisted just to score cheap goals against the entire Bajju nation.

The chieftaincy succession system which the community had always known and under which the late Agwan Bajju was selected was one that threw the contest open among all the eligible contenders for the best among then to emerge to lead them.
No doubt, the new law has introduced fresh succession plan. It has set up new parameters for the selection of successors in the event of the demise of a Chief or an Emir in Kaduna State. These new parameters were said to have been informed by the need to preserve history, custom and culture of every Chiefdom and Emirate in the State and also to ensure that every Ruling House in every community is preserved for posterity. It was for these reasons that the succession pattern in the State were structured in a manner that where there is only one Ruling House succession shall be based on merit and where there are more than one Ruling House, such shall be based on rotation among the Ruling Houses.
What is needed at this critical period of the Bajju Nation is an ignition of the Rotational prescription with the contest thrown open to all the Ruling Houses to choose a leader among them who possesses the good moral character of leadership principles of the Bajju Chieftaincy, a leader with charisma, an ability to inspire loyalty and admiration through a combination of personality, words and actions. A competent administrator with knowledge on how to harness public opinion and to balance competing interests. He should also have been part of the Communtiy, had stood by them in all their trials and challenges.
Rather than commend the effort of the representatives of the State Government who had diligently worked in arriving at an acceptable candidate , the writer sought to impugn their integrity by questioning the criteria, the process, the scoring template and credibility of the applicants for the seat. In fact the article seems to doubt the sterling qualities of even the kingmakers themselves on whether they have the capacity to do their job as required by laws and traditions. And this is coming at a time when the present administration in the state wants the best for his people irrespective of whose ox is gored.
For example, the article asked the following questions, “Were the five ‘Gados” who are the kingmakers allowed to assess applicants without interference by State officials that stormed Zonkwa for the screening? More importantly: Are the ‘Gados’ or kingmakers competent to assess the applicants?”
In case you are asking the question whether the writer or writers of the publication want the unity, peace and harmony of their people? It is the same question I asked myself. But the answer is in the above selfish expression exhibited because the questions being asked in the publication attempt at rubbishing the process and all stakeholders involved.
Issues like these query the integrity of the Kingmakers and by extension their output/report. Such are capable of stalling the selection process or entirely frustrate it. It is not good for the Community and not good for the Bajju Nation. The selection process has already protracted unnecessarily. Almost one year after the demise of their paramount ruler a successor is yet to emerge. It must be realized that at the end of the day there can only be one paramount ruler – out of the whole lot that are angling for the office. It will do the community a lot of good if all the contenders close ranks in the interest of the Bajju Nation.

Abvout, writes from Kaduna.