Since Sunday afternoon, when her husband took the oath of office as new state governor, Kaduna State’s First Lady has been Hajiya Amina Ramalan Yero. She took over from the grieving Dame Amina Elizabeth Yakowa, wife of the deceased governor. Incidentally, Amina Yakowa took over the job two and a half years ago from Hajiya Amina Namadi Sambo, whose husband left Sir Kashim Ibrahim House to take up residency at Aguda House as the Vice President.
Three Aminas in a row at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House. Three lucky men Namadi, Patrick and Mukhtar, each of whom had the uncommon sense many years ago to scramble for a wife named Amina. Look, those three men must have known something that others didn’t, so there is now a scramble to find their winning formula. I hear that all over Kaduna, doors are being knocked by eligible young bachelors asking if the family had been sensible enough to name someone Amina.
In fact matters have gone beyond that. One of my scouts reported that a group of savvy financial consultants has concluded arrangements to float the name Amina on the Stock Exchange. They are rushing to the Corporate Affairs Commission as you read this to register it as a brand name. They will also take out a patent on it, after which they will seek protection from the National Copyright Commission. Check the stock market prices next week. “Amina” will be selling hotter than Nestle….
Chiefdoms for all by the year 2013
Some rulers in Nigeria listen to the yearnings of their people more than others, and no one seems to listen to the people’s yearnings more than Alhaji Umaru Tank Al-Makura, the Governor of Nasarawa State. He listens very attentively to the yearnings of his people, at least where the creation of emirates and chiefdoms is concerned.
Late last week, Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government Malam Hamza Elayo announced the creation of 10 new chiefdoms and the upgrading of seven more district heads by Al-Makura. Elayo said the governor used powers vested in him by Nasarawa State Local Government Law 2009 [as amended] and the Chiefs Appointment and Deposition Law of Northern Nigeria [as applicable to Nasarawa State] to create the new chiefdoms of Chun Mada [first class], Nunku and Ngah [second class] as well as Yakanajie, Tunga, Gurku, Ara, Ribi, Adoji and Kadarko [all third class].
Trouble is, even before the recent creations and upgrades, Nasarawa State 22 first class traditional rulers the biggest haul of any northern state even though it is one of the least populous. When the state was created in 1996, it inherited three first class chiefs from the old Plateau State but these mushroomed to 22 after only 16 years. The original Nasarawa emirs, created in early colonial times, were the Emirs of Lafia, Keffi and Nasarawa. Since 1996, they have been joined as First Class chiefs by the Andoma of Doma, Aren Eggon, Osana of Keana, Emir of Awe, Oriye Rindri, Ohimege Opanda, Esu Karu, Osu Ajiri, Emir of Karshi, She Migili, Odyong Nyankpa, Emir of Azara, Abaga Toni, Gomo Babye, Osuko of Obi, Gom Mama, Sarkin Loko and Sangarin Kwandere.
A report in Weekly Trust earlier this year reported that a meeting of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs looks like a meeting of the Northern Governors Forum, with blaring sirens and long motorcades. “Except that there are more First Class traditional rulers in Nasarawa State than there are Northern governors”!
Hoho! When they were only 22, it was calculated that Nasarawa had one First Class royal father for every 80,000 citizens. Now that one more has arrived, the ratio must have improved even further. At the rate that this listening governor is going, there will soon be more traditional rulers per citizens than there are classrooms for pupils in Nasarawa State.
