Vincent Bodam AND WE VISITED THE EMIR OF ZARIA, When the SOKAPU president, Dr Ephraim Goje called me and said he wanted me and 2 other Excos to come along to the Emir of Zazzaus palace, I was curious to know why. And he told me it was because of the petition and counter petitions on Professor Barnabas Quirix, the Vice Chancellor of KADSU. I became interested. When we met the Emir in his palace with the petitioners (ZEMDA), we were courteously taken into the meeting area and the Emir gave us a brief history of education in the North. He told us that the first college in Northern Nigeria was the Katsina College and the first set of graduates were people like Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Gwamna Awan, Ahmadu Bello, Kashim Ibrahim and others. He told us how the Sardauna as premier of the North paid more visits to Gwamna Awan of Kagoro than any other royal and how people from the sultanate were always wondering why this was so. He told us how they were closely knit together no matter their religious affiliation. He wondered why we cant live as one today. He told us how Mallam Jaafaru Isyaku who was a Hakimi in Zangon Kataf, was brought back home to Zaria to become Emir in 1937 till 1959 when he died, and when he was coming to Zaria, he came with Katafawas to the city. The import of that according to the Emir is that SK and NK are brothers and that was why during IBBs administration, he led the delegation that went to ask for Katsina state to be carved out of the old Kaduna State and this was granted, because the Zazzau man sees himself as a brother to the SK man. And he wondered why we cannot live in peace with one another. He told us how he initiated the ACF along with other former Northern Heads of State in order to have the required unity and peace in the North. ZEMDAs POSITION When they were asked to speak, they submitted thus; 1. Although they represent the Zazzau Emirate, they have always enjoyed peace with SK. They have also protected the interest of SK as well. They claimed they gave the DG of The Leather Institute Zaria who is a Jaba man support when he was under pressure to quit. 2. They have lots of friends from SK like late Luka Yusuf, Martin Agwai etc. 3, They blamed politicians for causing enmity between SK and NK by using religion as the divisive weapon. 4. That accept that Muslims cannot drive out Christians from the state and vice versa. 5. But they wondered why anytime they wrote anything about an SK son, they get harsh responses whereas they expected that SK elders should instead call such an erring son to order or invite them to have an understanding. 6. What they want in KADSU is an equal spread in admissions and appointments in all the Local Govts as the 40% merit policy is not favorable to them. 7. They oppose the development of the Kafanchan campus because their sons and daughters will not go there because they cannot feel safe in SK 8. They claimed they do not have any knowledge of GF and SKIPFO except SOKAPU and they wondered if these two bodies are working with SOKAPU as they were not comfortable with the rejoinders they saw from these two organizations which they claim were inflammatory on this issue that was why they asked for the meeting. 9, they claimed the late PIY wanted to arrange a meeting between the Gurara State Creation committee and themselves before he died to agree on boundaries for the two states and they would welcome such an arrangement again. SOKAPUs RESPONSE In a nutshell, we had earlier agreed that the meeting would not be interactive but to express our gratitude to the Emir for addressing the issue with ZEMDA before inviting us. The SOKAPU president thus made it clear we didnt come to join issues with anyone but to thank the Emir for the dialogue. He opined that the chief of Kagoro who was also billed to come to the meeting could not make it, while the Kpop Gwom was to represent him also didnt make it, thus he would not say anything without their presence. He advised ZEMDA to always differ to the Emir when they are not happy with an SK son and he will reach out to any SK chief for further dialogue with the supposed erring son. He further reiterated that the issues raised by SKIPFO and Gurara Forum were fundamental issues known to all and sundry. EMIRS REMARKS The Emir remarked that we must all live in peace like they did in their time. He promised to talk with The VC like he earlier did and that ZEMDA should get in touch the committee already set up to look into the issues raised by ZEMDA. He reminded us that he was the chairman of the traditional council in Kaduna state which made him a member of both SOKAPU and ZEMDA and instructed them to invite one another to their meetings. Curiously at the hall where we were to take refreshments, the Waziri suggested that we had a short meeting. Again, we declined. The SOKAPU president cleared their doubts that we we had nothing more to add from what we discussed before the Emir. When we stepped out of the palace, we were met by a swarm of beggars. Since we didnt carry anything out, we also didnt give anything. Ok, we gave the Sarkin Takalma something. His job is to take care of all shoes kept outside at entry point. Remarkably, he remembered who owned what shoes. I was a amused, and there was quite a heap of shoes. Lallai fa sai Sarkin Takalma.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 06:55:55 +0000
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