By Dabo Yakubu Dabs
While perusing through the Opera News app for latest news on my phone, as I had always done, I stumbled upon an article titled “Nigeria: Governor Bala, Reconsider Creation of New Emirate” posted on the Daily Trust ePaper of 16th June, 2025, in which the author expressed his opposition to the proposed creation of Emirates and Chiefdoms in Bauchi State by the Bala’s administration. According to him, the move will lead to the fragmentation of existing Emirates.
Initially, I thought shrugging off the write up as merely adversarial and diversionary, but a later consideration provoked this response to put His Excellency’s move in the right perspective.
The article clearly reveals the writer’s preference for preservation defined boundaries of existing Emirates established during the pre-colonial era, but deliberately chose to ignore the attendant ethno-cultural issues emerging from such structures.
We all uphold traditional institutions as systems of governance that foster cultural preservation, social cohesion, conflict resolution, and in bringing governance closer to the grassroots.
However, the existing power structures within the existing traditional institutions often seem to prioritize the interests of dominant groups, while neglecting the desires, interests, traditional / cultural values and belief systems of the minority groups within such structures.
It is suffice to mention here that some of the remote causes of ethno- religious conflicts witnessed in some parts of Northern Nigeria, today, and the growing agitation for the creation of new traditional institutions stem from factors linked to exclusivity.
Kaura, a visionary leader with in-depth grasp of the persisting pattern of marginalization and domination being experienced by sections of the society, promised – if elected- to create Emirates, Chiefdoms and Districts in the state, aimed at promoting inclusion. The recent calls for memoranda inviting proposals in respect of the creation is testimony of His Excellency’s will and determination to operate equity based policies aligning with the aspirations of the people, particularly the underrepresented.
The move is crucial in:- diffusing apprehension among people, strengthening local governance, fostering cultural identity, reinforcing traditional institutions and empowering communities to participate more effectively in governance as key agents of peaceful coexistence, unity and in providing the enabling condition for government to execute its programmes and policies.
Therefore, the proposed creation of traditional institutions in the state should therefore, not be construed as mere attempts to fragment historic traditional institutions, but rather a genuine move that aligns with the people’s yearnings, and desire for self- actualization. It should be noted that the creation of traditional institutions will serve useful administrative restructuring purpose aim at fostering inclusivity and representation within a governance framework, which would ultimately ensure better resource allocation, more accessible public services, more opportunities for infrastructural development, and enhanced standard of living of the people.
It is pertinent to note that opponents of the administration who are against this move continue to spread falsehood that decision had already been reached on the Emirates, Chiefdom and Districts to be created, in what seems to be a deliberate step to frustrate His Excellency’s effort.
In spite of this, Governor Bala has remained resolute and focused as evident in the setting up a committee comprising of distinguished members from diverse backgrounds with proven integrity, tasked with evaluating all submissions based on equity, fairness, among other considerations based on set criteria.
In conclusion, this bold step taken by our esteemed Governor, Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad CON (Kauran Bauchi) will infuse into the minds of the marginalized sense of inclusion, which ultimately will guarantee enduring peace needed to support the implementation of people centred programmes and policies. Let rally behind in support of this laudable initiative, and ensure its successful implementation for the benefit of the people of Bauchi State.
Dabs is a Public Affairs Analyst, resident in Bauchi
+234 803 619 9822
