A number of significant communities, predominantly occupied by adherents of Islam in Plateau State, have suffered unprecedented hardship because the stools of their various heads have been left vacant for years.
Located across local government areas in the southern part of the state, the communities live with no record of internal dispute within their ruling houses that should be assumed to have birthed the prolonged delay of the approval of the processes of the selection and installment of their shepherds by the local and state authorities.
Such communities have existed for one, two or perhaps many decades without having their heads installed despite concerted effort by stakeholders.
There have been very substantial evidences that some influential paramount rulers, specifically districts heads from other clans and prominent figures within the local and regional governments, are opposed to the appointments of the village heads of those communities.
Upon the deaths of their previous heads, it is on record that each of the communities channelled formal communication to the council of chiefs at the various local government levels to approve the processes of the selection of new heads.
Yet it is very disheartening and unfortunate that the local and state authorities have failed to respond to their prayers.
The communities include Kuka and Yelwa in Shendam LGA, and Kurgwi and Kwande in Qua’an-Pan LGA.
In Qua’an-Pan for instance, the stool of the Village Head of Kwande has been vacant for 32 years since the death of late Miskoom Hoomkwap Sule (Long Kwo of Kwo Chiefdom) who died in July, 1988.
Since then, residents of the community have been anxiously pushing forward their ambitions to have his successor fittingly appointed but their effort has yielded no fruit.
Still in Qua’an-Pan, the stool of the head of Kurgwi has been vacant for the past three decades since the death of the last Sangari of the community, Muhammed Kyari II, who died in 1983.
In Shendam, the last 30 years in Yelwa have seen the village go without a head since the last village head, Adamu Othman, died on November 26, 1992.
- Should this be a modern form of slavery?
Therefore, Your Excellency Sir, Governor Simon Lalong, I urge you with due respect to as a matter of urgency, direct for an immediate approval of the appointments of the heads of these Muslim communities to enable them feel a sense of belonging.
Yusuf Mairiga Shekarau –
