The Gongola People’s Forum (GPF) has expressed its full support for Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s establishment of new chiefdoms and emirates in Adamawa State, alongside the appointment of new chiefs and emirs.
The organization commended the governor for restoring the traditional cultural rights of the indigenous people, which had been undermined during the colonial era through indirect rule.
The National Secretary of GPF, Barrister Leonard Nzadon revealed this while speaking at a press conference in Yola on Monday.
“Governor Fintiri has charted a very popular path of freedom, which is completely in tandem with the ideals of GPF. This is why earlier in this movement, we warned troublemakers who think they are above the law to watch their steps this time around,” Nzadon said.
He added that the people of Gongola had long been subjected to feudal serfdom under the previous administration.
He further explained that the creation of the new chiefdoms and emirates would empower the indigenous people, enabling them to break free from the prison of colonialism and self-imposed leadership.”
He added, “No one should be under the kind of feudal serfdom that the indigenous people of Gongola were subjected to during the previous dispensation, which we thought to have been terminated by the introduction of our constitutional democracy a long time ago.”
Nzadon also rejected claims that Governor Fintiri’s reforms were designed to target any particular group within the state, calling such accusations mischievous.
According to him, the governor’s actions benefit the state as a whole, particularly those who had been historically sidelined by previous leadership structures.
“We in GPF believe that the governor has helped the party that benefitted from the dismantled system by doing what they thought to have willingly surrendered decades ago,” he stated.
Recall that on 10 December, the state House of Assembly passed the “Adamawa State Chiefs (Appointment and Deposition) and matters incidental thereto” bill into law, a day after the executive bill was presented to it.
Governor Fintiri signed the law on 16 December.
The newly created chiefdoms and emirates are: Hoba Chiefdom with headquarters in Hong (2nd-Class Status); Madagali Chiefdom with headquarters in Gulak (2nd-Class Status; Michika Chiefdom with headquarters in Michika (2nd-Class Status;
Fufore Emirate with headquarters in Fufore (2nd-Class Status; Gombi Chiefdom with headquarters in Gombi (3rd-Class Status; Maiha Emirate with headquarters in Maiha (3rd-Class Status);Yungur Chiefdom with headquarters in Dumne (3rd-Class Status).