Times were, before the advent of democracy and the military interregnums, when traditional institutions were referred with awe.
Even our colonial masters who profess civilisation, such as Britain and Spain, are still tied to their monarchs with state powers and respect.
Indeed, in some traditions, monarchs were considered as next to God with unquestionable and awesome powers.
In Yorubaland, they are referred to as Kabiyesi (who dares question your authority).
But events in the last century, with active connivance of state actors, actions tilted towards the erosion of the powers and demystification of monarchical institutions have been on the upward swing.
The latest of such audacity by political actors was the removal of Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, and his predecessor, Alhaji Lamido Sanusi, who was earlier sacked to pave way for Alhaji Bayero, reinstated.
Events leading to these were clearly, according to watchers, politically motivated. Without boring readers with the history of removals, reinstatement and banishments, it is necessary to delve into the latest political maneuvering orchestrated against the highly referred Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III.
The news broke last week that 15 district heads were removed by the Sokoto State Government for sundry allegations, which the district heads have challenged in court. Already, a high court in Sokoto State has granted an injunction restraining the government from going ahead with the removal order.
The state high court has issued an order restraining Governor Ahmed Aliyu from sacking two of the 15 District Heads his government had earlier removed from their stool.
The order was sought separately by Alhaji Buhari Dahiru Tambuwal and Alhaji Abubakar Kassim, the District Heads of Tambuwal and Kebbe respectively, who are among the traditional rulers removed by the Sokoto State Government, on the allegation of insubordination and aiding insecurity in the state.
The presiding judge, Justice Kabiru Ibrahim Ahmed, however ordered the Governor of Sokoto State, Attorney General and the Sokoto Sultanate Council to revert to status quo, pending the determination of the suit filed before him by the complainants, who were represented by Prof Ibrahim Abdullahi SAN.
Justice Ahmed through two orders directed the defendants, their agents, servants, privies or assigns or any person acting on their behalf to “maintain status quo and or stay all actions and or further actions in connection with all matters dealing with and or appertaining to the removal and or dethronement of Districts Heads in Sokoto State”, particularly those of Kebbe and Tambuwal, pending the hearing and determination of the motion for interlocutory injunction duly filed before the court.
The development is coming as Ahmed Aliyu’s bill for the amendment of the Local Government Law, affecting the appointment of district and village heads, to confer him with exclusive power to appoint traditional rulers, is before the state Assembly.
Keen observers of the unfolding drama are apprehensive of the buildup as it was believed to be a precursor to whittling down the influence of the Sultan.
To stop the state government in its tracks, an influential Muslim group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), alleged that the amendment was an attempt to diminish the influence of the Sultan.
The organisation argued that it is the section of the chieftaincy law which empowers the governor to remove the Sultan that should be amended.
MURIC’s condemnation of the new bill was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola. According to the group there were reports that the Sokoto State House of Assembly is currently rushing through a bill which it called Emirate Council Amendment Bill. The bill has passed through the first and second readings within a very short period.
“If passed into law, the Sultan of Sokoto will be stripped of certain powers including that of appointing the kingmakers and district heads without government approval.
“This bill is outrageous, nauseating and anachronistic. It is a direct attack on the traditional institution of Sokoto State. Instead of entrenching the powers of the Sultan, it is an undisguised attempt at weakening his powers and making him less relevant in the scheme of traditional settings. That is the only logical explanation for his removal of 15 traditional rulers in a single day. Nigerian Muslims are already asking, ‘Why the rush?’ Why are they rushing the bill if there is no hidden agenda? The whole exercise is suggestive of political motivation. The governor is barely one year in office and he has removed 15 traditional rulers. How many will he remove by the time he spends four years? The governor needs to slow down. Were the offences of those 15 traditional rulers who were removed ever published? Were they given the chance to defend themselves? Were the reports of the investigations made public in order to conform to democratic norms and global best practices? If these were not done, we demand a revisit of the deposition of the 15 traditional rulers, proper investigation by a non-partisan panel and the publication of the panel’s findings. Only then can Governor Ahmed Aliyu be deemed to have satisfied all righteousness in transparency, probity and accountability.”
“If the Sokoto State politicians do not rescind the attempt to politicize the office of the Supreme Leader of Nigerian Muslim Ummah, they will set an extremely bad precedent, a war against national peace and unity”
Weighing on the position of MURIC, Chairman of Ekiti State Muslim Traditional Rulers Council and Attah of Aiyede kingdom, Oba Alhaji AbdulMumini Adebayo Orishagbemi, said in a statement circulated to the media last week that there was no way such idea could fly because the Sultan is not of Sokoto alone but of the entire country.
The statement, personally signed by one of 16 most powerful traditional rulers in Ekiti State, stated, “The throne of the Sultan should not be subjected to political whims and caprice. Also, the Chief Imam of Akure, Ondo State, Sheikh Abdulhakeem Yayi Akorede, called on the governor of Sokoto State to respect the office of the Sultan. Sheikh Akorede described the plan as not palatable, saying, “I believe that politicians behind this sound of sadness should stop before it is too late.
Echoing the sentiment of Oba Òrìsàgbemi, Akorede insisted that the Sultan is not of Sokoto Caliphate alone, but that of the entire country and the Supreme Leader of over 100 million Muslim Ummah, whose influence extends beyond the shores of Nigeria.
Similarly, Igbo Muslims have also thrown their hats into the ring, calling on Sokoto governor to tow the path of peace and reconciliation.
The South East Muslim Community Forum, led by Dr Baron Ogbonnia Ajah, has urged the Governor Ahmad Aliyu to employ diplomatic means and dialogue to resolve any perceived disagreement with the monarch.
The Attah of Ayede kingdom averred, “On behalf of all Muslim traditional rulers in Ekiti State and, by extension, Yorubaland, I declare our rejection of the plans to dethrone the Sultan and call on all Muslims in South West and across Nigeria to set a day aside for fasting and prayers for the protection and safety of the Sultan and his Usmaniyyah throne against the plots of enemies, who have decided in their own wishful thinking to bring down the doing-well leader, over some flimsy untenable excuses, for refusing to get involved in playing politics.
“The 20th Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, son of late 17th Sultan Siddique Abubakar III, is Sultan of Sokoto, but his jurisdiction transcends the boundaries of the Sokoto Caliphate to all the length and breadth of the entire Nigerian nation and beyond, as I am also privileged to know that his Sultanate covers nine provinces in the Republic of Niger and he is Co-President of the World Religions for Peace Headquarters in New York.”
Sheikh Akorede in his statement, which he personally signed said, “This is a privilege that no politician of Sokoto State would want to be connected with losing. The Sultan is a leader who deserves respect from any angle, a traditional leader and most importantly a renowned religious leader within Nigeria and up to the world arena, being the Co-President of the World Religions for Peace Headquarters in New York. We, therefore, advise the Sokoto State government and whoever that is involved in this consideration of dethronement to respect that office and throne of the Sultan because, the very day he was turbaned as the Sultan of Sokoto, he started to represent the entire Muslim Ummah, the largest religious community in Nigeria and it is not thought of that anyone of the politicians in that government – Muslim though – will want to lose the privilege. He called on the Muslim Ummah in Yorubaland and across the nation to fast and pray for the Sultan so enemies of peace, unity and development of Sokoto and Nigeria will not succeed in their plans against him.
SEMCOF on its part said that although Governor Aliyu, through his aides, had denied ever mulling the thought to either depose nor whittle down the powers of the Sultan as reported, his actions and that of his government confirmed the worries of Nigerians, who insisted that the head of the throne once installed is no longer property of Sokoto but of the entire Nigeria.
In a statement, SEMCOF Secretary General, Dr. Isiaka Salmon, insisted that disrespecting the office of a monarch of the stature of the Sultan of Sokoto, who is also the President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs and the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, to the extent of thinking he can be removed at will of any political class is something that should not happen.
He said, “The Forum has observed with discomfort the viral stories circulating around about the intention of the state government to dethrone the revered traditional ruler, the Sultan of Sokoto, who also doubled as the President-General of the NSCIA and JNI.
“It is important to emphasise that the Sultan is not only a traditional leader in Sokoto but also the leader of all Nigerian Muslims, and as such any attempt to dethrone him or tamper with his authority will not sit well with Nigerian Muslims and will portray the government in a very bad light.”
Salmon therefore urged restraint and peaceful resolution of any conflict of interests between the state government and the Sultanate Council of Sokoto in the overall interest of the state and the nation at large.
He said this became imperative because the Sultan enjoys enormous goodwill, support and solidarity across the country and beyond.
For the avoidance of doubt the Sultan is not just a traditional ruler, but the spiritual head of all Muslims in Nigeria and beyond. Many people forget that the Sultan is not the Sultan of Sokoto town or Sokoto State. He is actually the Sultan of Sokoto Caliphate.
He, even with the deliberate weakening and derogation of the Caliphate by imperialists and their boys, remains the leader of the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria
Sultan of Sokoto, aside being the President of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council and Co-Chairman of the National Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NTRCN), remains permanent President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Co-Chairman of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC).
All of these positions are so sensitive that, if the Sokoto State politicians do not rescind the attempt to politicize the office of the Supreme Leader of Nigerian Muslim Ummah, they will set an extremely bad precedent, a war against national peace and unity.
It is hoped that reason will prevail and the escalating tension will be doused.
.Fanimo, a journalist, wrote in from Abuja
