A member of the Adamawa Emirate Council, Alhaji Musa-Halilu Chiroma, also known as Dujima Adamawa, has condemned the recent passage of a bill by the Adamawa State House of Assembly, which mandates the creation of additional districts, emirates, and chiefdoms.
This legislation has sparked debate within and beyond the state’s borders.
In a statement issued on Saturday, titled: ‘The changing dynamics in Adamawa State: A need for caution”, Chiroma expressed his frustration and concerns over the far-reaching implications of the law.
He explained that intense pressure from within and outside the country, following the passage of the bill, compelled him to speak.
He said, “Since the passage of the Bill for the creation of additional Districts, Emirates and Chiefdoms by the State House of Assembly, there was intense pressure on me from people within and outside the country over the contentious Bill and the position of the Traditional Institution.
“Therefore, as a stakeholder and member of the Adamawa Emirate Council, it is incumbent upon me to ventilate my opinion on the issue with a view to putting records straight.
“My first reaction has to do with the speed with which these laws were passed. In both cases, i.e., the creation of district law and the chiefdom law, the legislative process was shunted, and the requirements for public input were jettisoned. That could not have been an error—it was deliberate, intended to foist an agenda that would not survive proper democratic scrutiny.”
He criticised the committee tasked with reviewing the bills, describing their work as pedestrian.
He also warned of dire consequences from the implementation of the laws.
“A very lopsided committee that represents only one shade of opinion could not do much other than editorial work of crossing the ‘t’s and dotting the ‘i’s. In a system bedevilled by ignorance and self-interest, no legislative committee would produce such recommendations.
“From territorial delineation to the appointment of supposed rulers, from administrative bottlenecks to economic difficulties, these new structures will soon become sources of conflicts of monumental proportions for Adamawa State,” he said.
He likened the legislation to creating a “Frankenstein monster” that could devour both its promoters and innocent citizens.
While condemning the concentration of power in the governor’s office, he lamented the backward direction of the state, saying, “Creating a draconian law that vests so much power in the hands of the incumbent is simply a vehicle that provides temporary relief from a permanent pain.
“All the powers in the hands of the governor will be exercised for a maximum of just four years, and thereafter, they will devolve to another person. Nothing permanent about it but so transient.
“While other progressive states are looking to the future by establishing laws that promote good governance, productivity, and self-reliance, our government is moving backwards by balkanising communities and stifling democratic participation. What that portends is a further slide backwards in a Nigeria where forward movement is in dire need.”
He stressed the historical significance of Adamawa’s traditional institutions and the evolution of the emirate system.
“Historically, Lamido Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, PhD CFR, as the paramount ruler of Adamawa, is also addressed as the ‘Premier Ruler of Adamawa State.’
“This stems from the historical trajectory of the state, as explained by a document found at the National Archives Kaduna titled Quarterly Report – Adamawa Division. In 1976, when Gongola State was created, the Lamido of Adamawa became the chairman of the Council of Emirs and Chiefs, a position held to this day” he said.
He condemned the governor’s actions, calling them “divisive and ill-advised,” and accused the administration of distorting the Fombina dynasty’s age-old heritage.
“The bill for the creation of districts and emirates is ill-motivated, diversionary, and counterproductive. It portends danger, with a tendency to cause chaos, disaffection, and mutual distrust among citizens,” he added.
Chiroma, therefore, urged the government to reconsider its stance on the new bill, stating, “I am calling on both the executive and legislative arms of Adamawa State to rescind their decision towards tampering with the status of emirates and chiefdoms. All hands must be on deck to shun acts capable of breaching peace and promote tolerance among citizens.”