The umbrella body of Sayawa community in Bauchi State, Zaar Development Association (ZDA) and its youths wing ZAYODA, have disagreed over the holding of the 2020 annual harvest thanksgiving festival known as Lemp Zaar slated for Saturday, November 7.
ZDA had earlier issued a statement postponing the 2020 Lemp Zaar, citing security threats as reason.
A statement signed by the national secretary of the association, Mr. Adamu Bagudu, on Thursday in Bauchi, disclosed that the postponement was done to avert imminent breakdown of law and order “by enemies of progress of the land’’.
Bagudu explained that the decision was taken by the ZDA national executive council at its emergency meeting on Tuesday.
“This decision has become necessary to forestall further breakdown of law and order as enshrined in articles 25 and 26 of the ZDA.”
However, the ZAYODA issued another statement, signed by its national secretary, Comrade Silas Vibani, saying the festival would go ahead as scheduled.
“We want to bring to the notice of the entire Zaar nation that having sat with the council of his Royal Majesty the Gung zaar select, ZDA National Executive, ZAAR Legion and ZAYODA about the forthcoming annual festival, Lemb Zaar, we resolved that the event will hold on 7th November 2020.
“The decision becomes necessary in the interest of the land. We call on every Zaar son and daughter to embrace peace and eschew bitterness,” Vibani said.
In a telephone interview, Vibani, maintained that Lemp Zaar is a community festivity that holds every first week of November and the community has already decided to go ahead to thank God and celebrate good harvest.
“The decision is not an individual position but a collective stand which is just celebrating God and a thanksgiving event.”
When contacted, National President of ZDA, Isuwa Galla, said the postponement of the event remained but the traditional cultural dances by Sayawa community would hold.
“Already hundreds of Sayawa nationalists have arrived and for the benefit of the locals who usually carry out the cultural dances to celebrate new harvest, they should do their things without any formal or official programme.
“As I am talking to you now, we are at the DSS office to sign an undertaking on the position reached to forestall any breach of peace and subsequently we will summon all the stakeholders, sit down and resolve the problems because Lemp Zaar is the symbol of unity of all the Sayawa devoid of political or religious inclinations,” Galla said.
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