Jubalfreemandabo@gmail.com
11 March, 2017
Zazzau Emirate Development Association,
No 19 New Jos road,
Kofar Doka,
P.M.B 1030,
Zaria,
Kaduna State.
Nigeria.
PREAMBLE
It was a wonderful experience reading from the Zazzau Emirate Development Association (ZEMDA). It is disappointing to note that a group of 'experienced' leaders could settle for fueling hate at a time like this in the history of Kaduna State. More disappointing is the fact that they choose to do this by trading deceit and an adulterated half truth half false narration. Obviously this is an intentional attempt at meeting the demand of partial minds aiming at protecting their terrorist brothers who by day walk the innocent route and by night put on the chains of bullets for the destruction of a peaceful good people.
Who would have suggested to You Sirs that the best you should be at is to search for the true victims of a problem you have not trace its root. Such a person have indeed successfully insulted your capabilities as leaders and your objectivity as civilized educated minds. What is worth venturing into is a search into the causes of these ugly events, that would have made you worth taken serious. However, one is not surprise at the point you chose to stand and write when one gives your piece some constructive critical attention. For there in lay the huck that will clearly define your partial and insincere take in the matter.
WHY A REPLY
I would not have replied you but for the fact that the world need to be guided into the way of truth. What I shall be doing here is not to defend my people, but to correct some false notions you have placed in the public domain that are not too good for public consumption. I shall not feed the world like you attempt doing with your poison, what I shall do is to place the treatment to your poison side by side your poison and appeal to reason in them to feed themselves. Let truth speak for herself.
Sirs, You defined the Southern Kaduna case as 'Intractable.' To mean that it is a case that cannot be guided by persuasion, nor easily governed or managed. You clearly expressed that it is an uncontrollably, incurable, stubborn and obstinate violence. Sadly that is untrue. The crisis in Southern Kaduna is controllable if and only if the government is truly and seriously ready to control it. But how can it be controlled when the person to save it fuels it by his bias, unguided ultrances? You and I can never truly argue the fact that southern Kaduna natives are docile, easy to be managed, govern and malleable provided it is through the needful. Southern Kaduna have been thought of as a people that are peaceful, patient, and hospitable to a fault. Is it not true that it is because Zazzau have found Kaduna South palpable that she is able to still hold a long time marginalization on her? For the records, you have taken almost all Federal Institutions to the Northern (Zazzau) region has Southern Kaduna contested that? You have insistently held the governorship position and controlled all appointive positions to your advantage, has Southern Kaduna contested that? You have always taken over streets (Public property) for your religious practices such that you subject other road users to hardship and delay, has that caused any crisis in Kaduna State? You have restricted and frustrated all efforts at establishing christian worship centres within your region especially at public institutions while all over southern Kaduna you find mosques standing untouched for ages, who have ever fought that? I hope this helps establish a good background for my rejoinder.
AN ATTEMPT AT DISTRACTING THE WORLD
Sirs, on studying your submissions as contained in your advertorial. Sure, there are points you made that pleases sincerity and honesty. However, a many points made suggests that your effort is an attempt to distract the world from the truth she should know. Point to note is that, one do not need to go out of your piece before proving the deceit you so coloured here. I shall take it point after point. But permit me start with point four (4) of your piece.
Sirs, you started thus "...entire town (of approximately 90% Hausa Fulani inhabitants) was razed down..." Like the governor and the terrorists, you have attempted painting southern Kaduna natives as non indigenes and Hausa Fulani as the owners of southern Kaduna, little wonder you insistently refer to the as 'so called'. Let reason address this; how possible is it for a 10% to wake up one day in rejection of a policy supported by 90% who own the days government then. How possible was it in such crude an age for a 10% Christians to raze down a 90% Hausa Fulani settlement at a time absolute power resides in Zazzau?
PROVING WRONG THE CLAIM OF A 90% HAUSA FULANI IN ZANGO (1992)
Let reason also prove a point. The term 'Zango' is a Hausa word that means a resting place as held by traceable history. It is equally true that in the Hausa language, letter 'n' when added to a word that is followed by a noun or pronoun etc. makes the noun, pronoun, or word possessive of such other word upon which such letter 'n' is added to. For instance, 'zakara' is the Hausa name for a cock, 'Mallam', is a Hausa word for teacher. To say 'zakaran Mallam' means the teachers cock because letter 'n' is added to 'zakara'. Applying this example to the town in question. 'Zangon kataf' where 'Kataf' is the Hausa name for a soutuen Kaduna 'Atyap' tribe accupying Zango axis, where also you called it 'Zangon Kataf' [notice the 'n' (possession sign)] by the Hausa interpretation it will mean the Zango of the Kataf people. You attempt toying with reality as usual of you from of old.
Sirs, let me also educate you that everywhere bearing 'zango' today is yes! Populated by Hausa Fulani but not a Hausa Fulani owned town. I tell you why. Everywhere bearing Zango is just a hospitality zone. Let the world quote me on this, Zango is often just a settlement usually in the heart of the town or where the seat of authority is. Hausa Fulani have often taken that settlement pattern to deceive people into thinking they own the town. I challenge you to visit most Hausa Fulani township settlement and verify this fact. They usually will occupy just a street leading to the seat of power or the major street where many pass through to other towns, cities and states. The aim is that when you pass through, you think it is a Hausa Fulani owned town.
Zango in southern Kaduna as other places has always been a resting place the hospitality of the natives granted this Hausa Fulani during the cross Saharan trade days. Patiently follow me through history though lengthy but sure educative. According to the myth of origins of most polities of particularly Southern Kaduna, just as with the entire central Nigeria, the region have always been a recipient region for cohorts of migrants from the east: Egypt, Sudan, Lake Chad, Borno, Bauchi and the South East through the Cameroon mountains, Bamenda etc. as opined by Ibrahim J. We all know that Borno became the broadway for invading tribes because it was well-connected with Egypt by Darfur and Kordofan, and could be approached from Kanem through Lake Chad. The migratory corridor is provided for horde of invaders from the North and East displaced less organised tribes to easily pass through west along the Kamadugu River and the great pains of Borno, Kano, Katsina, and Zaria to the south. ( C.K Meek, The North Tribes of Nigeria, Vol. I, pp. 19-20). Sirs, I hope you recall the fact that commerce alone brought your tribes men to southern Kaduna as is the case with most of central Nigerian communities. Taking you through history will be writing a book here which is not my intention, but let me remind you, that but for the trans-saharan trade, southern Kaduna will not be so defined by you, and in fact but for the hospitality of my fore fathers that you now insult, you wouldn't attempt claiming Southern Kaduna like you do lately.
Do not be deceived into believing that southern Kaduna so easily will forget history. your fathers tried destroying the nucleus of our traditional authority through the creation of an entirely new power base in Kajuru, Kachia, Kauru, Zangon Kataf, Kagarko, Jere, Jema'a among others, then southern Kaduna 'pagan' native lands. They placed large numbers of southern Kaduna natives under Fulani District Heads because the control political powers then as now. And on this you build your bases of ownership of southern Kaduna when in fact your penetration into Southern Kaduna is traceable through such trade routes as:
1. From Kano, Faki, Zaria, through Kauru, Zangon Fatake (Later Zankon Kataf), Kefi, Nupeland, Oyo to Gonja ( Ghonja).
2. The route from Kano, Zaria, Igbabi, Kakuri, Kajuru, Kachia, Kagarko, Kaffi, Oyo, to Gonna.
3. Bauchi, through Jos, Bakuru, Miyango, Fadan Chawai, Kurmin Rizga, Zangon Kataf, Jere, Abuja to Lokoja.
4. Kano, Gadas, Lare, Zangon Kataf, Jama'a to Loko.
We can go on and on to the routes that led through Hamland (Ribi Ham), Bajjuland, Adaraland, Akurmiland, Agworokland, ...
In summary, Sirs, do not forget that it was in your fathers' trading journeys from Kano, Katsina, Daura and Zaria to Nupeand, Oyo, and Gonja that they (then reffered to as Fatake) had to establish diplomatic relations with the people of these areas through which they PASSED. Apparently, that was because of the great distance between one trading station and the other that usually took them between three (3) to six (6) days of at least ten (10) hours march a day. They had to establish such friendly relations and seek permission (right of passage) from the natives to establish resting stations (Zangos) that you so claimed to be a Hausa Fulani originally owned settlement. To show the confidence and trustworthiness the found in the southern Kaduna natives, they also required security 'because they were sometimes ambushed, attached, their wares seized and they themselves captured and sold to slavery.' (M.G. Smith, Government in Zazzau, p. 170)
If you do not have a grasp of the tips of traceable history as this, you have no right to the crowns you wear. If you however, have these facts, it means you are toying with it and any leader who dream of toying with history in this 21s digital century is not worth taken seriously.
ON THE HISTORY OF CRISIS IN SOUTHERN KADUNA
Sirs, you attempt bringing to the fore a list of the series of southern Kaduna crisis, sadly you did that not with the aim of providing suggestion that will help solve the case, rather to paint the victims as the terrorist and the terrorist as the victims. That is primitive, evil, uncalled for from a so called leader. This attempt define you as being callous and insult to wisdom.
1. You began with the Kasuwar magani 1981 crisis that you cunningly ran from stating the cause of the crisis. Thank goodness it suggests you know the truth which is that the crisis was as a result of the Hausa traders' attempt to take over Adara land, claiming that the land belonged to them. (Territorial ambition)
2. Then the Yarkasuwa 1986 crisis which you claim it was for the '...rejection of a Muslim Kurama who EMERGED (sic) as district head defeating a Kurama Christian...' To mean the Christians caused that. Sirs, in your usual cunning way, you forgot it was not a christian Muslim issue as the crisis was caused by power mongers who were opposed to the candidature of a prominent Bakurmi Muslim, who “dared’ to contest for the District Head’s office reserved for the Hausa Fulani of Lere town. Simply an ethnic issue (a Bakurmi Muslim vs Hausa Fulani).
3. On the Kafanchan crisis of 1987, you claim it was as a result of a blaspheming of the Qur'an by Rev. Bako. Unfortunately for you, that automatically points the Muslims as the originators of the crisis. You left out the whole story that will clearly explain this though it is in the public domain. You went too myopic to think people will simply accept what you vomit when memorandum submitted to the committee saddled with the responsibility of investigating the issue contains there in the true story of how the Muslim students began antagonising the Christian students in an attempt to frustrate and stop the crusade in the Kafanchan campus College of education. How the Christians where made to remove the banner publicising the crusade days before by the student affairs officer on demand of the muslim students which they (the Christians) obeyed. How also on the day of the crusade the Christians were forced into forfeiting the hall they had arranged to hold the crusade in (block 19) as Muslim students took over it for whatever reason which forced the christian students move to the open arena. I covered my eyes in shame reading where you claimed that the Muslim girl who raised the alarm on the claimed blasphemy was '...manhandled...' Come, how would someone shout 'blasphemy' and a reasonable group will just rush in and attack a peaceful group without even verifying. That was simply a plan successfully carried out. It is a shame that in your age I have to correct you on something that happened in the year of my birth all thanks to history.
4. Sirs if you are sincerely following the list you should have also included the
Zaria 1988 case because it was also a case involving southern kaduna indigenes and you are tracing links of the long lasting security issues. Let me help you add that in Zaria 1988, Muslim students attacked Christians over victory of Christian student in the students’ union elections. About 107 students were injured, some seriously, whereupon some persons from Zaria City waylaid students travelling home after the university had been closed and killed some of them at Gwargwaji.
5. On the 1992 Zangon Kataf case, it was not as you paint it. It was not in
opposition of the relocation of the market that the crisis arose. That suggests, Southern Kaduna people just started killing and burning because the market was to be relocated. No Sirs, the true story is that the crisis started when the natives were attacked on their way to the market they have opposed relocation of.
6. You link the 1999 Kafancan (Jama'a) crisis with a rejection of the coronation of the Emir of Jama'a whereas even the rejection was as a result of the 1999 ethno religious attacks against Southern Kaduna and other Christians in Kaduna North LGA, with it reverberations in Kafanchan and environs.
7. You blame the 2000 sharia law on the southern Kaduna rejection of the
planned establishment of Sharia law in Kaduna state. Sirs, the crisis was not in southern Kaduna as it was in Kaduna, Zaria, Kano, and Katsina etc, where Southern Kaduna people were killed, beaten, matcheted, etc.
8. Sirs, there are the:
A. 2000, at the Federal College of Education, Zaria, when Christian students were attacked and killed and injured, and the Catholic Church burnt by Muslim students in the College.
B. 2001, ethnic cleansing to move non-Muslims from Kaduna North LGA,
after the failure of attempts to impose sharia on Kaduna State.
C. 2002, BirninGwari, when a woman was killed, and they alleged that the
killer was wearing a face cap; one Kataf man who had been away at Zaria when the incident occurred, returned to BirninGwar and was killed, several other “Katafs” (Southern Kaduna people) were killed, their houses and property burnt.
D. 2002, FCE Zaria, when violent Muslim youth from Tudun Wada, attacked the girls hostel at night, killed, maimed, injured, raped and traumatized the female students.
E. 2002, when violent Muslim protesters attacked Christians under the cover
of opposition to Miss World Pageant.
F. 2006, violent attack and killings of Christian students at the FCE, Zaria by
Muslims from Tudun Wada and Zaria City.
G. 2009 crisis in Piti District of Piriga Chiefdom in Lere LGA, over the appointment of district head, leading to police harassment and detention of officials of Piti National Development Association, when powerful forces in Lere and Kaduna wanted a Muslim as the district Head.
H. 2010, at Kidache area in Chawai Chiefdom, when cattle herders attacked
the area in apparent retaliation of the killing of their clansmen in neighbouring Plateau, and killed nine local Chawai people.
All these you did not report. You should have reported than to show your objectivity before reporting the 2011 crisis but sadly you fail to, hence, defining yourselves insincere and not worthy of trust.
9. You claim the southern Kaduna natives seized the opportunity of the 2011 post elections crisis and killed Muslims. You talk of the 2011 crisis as if it were a Kaduna state case. Secondly. How can a sane fellow support the opinion that southern Kaduna indigenes who supported a candidate that was successful at the end of the day will keep the joy aside and start attacking and killing a sorrowful people whose candidate was difited and had given a prior indication that blood will flow should he turn out unsuccessful. Myopic.
10. In your point eight (8) you spoke of reprisals, unfortunately, you still blamed it on the southern Kaduna people who you claim are mounting illegal road blocks and killing Hausa Fulani. Sirs, in case you do not know, let me educate you. Reprisals mean a violent or aggressive act towards somebody because of something bad that they have done towards you (OAL Dic). Sirs, all through your piece you have blamed the Southern Kaduna people as the terrorist and the Hausa Fulani as the victims. Reprisal: how would the southern Kaduna people who 'did you wrong' be also guilty of reprisals. What are they taking vengeance on since you so claimed the Hausa Falani tribe has been the guiltless victims. It is at this juncture that your insincerity and play over truth caught up with you.
If you can mention 18 people killed all this while with out listing their names and the exact place of their tragedy, I can list out the following for you in summary. Between the time you tag reprisal with your about 18 reported deaths. Southern Kaduna people counts the following lost: we have had 5 LGC attacked by Fulani on the so call reprisals where more than 53 villages were attacked, more than 808 deaths recorded, more than 57 people injured and far above 1,473 properties destroyed. What do you mean by reprisal? In case you need the details I will be please to provide.
CONCLUSION
It is disgusting the way you choose to play over truth. You tag your piece Myth and realities, indeed the realities lay in between the lines. At a time like this when all should settle for tracing the root with an aim at reaching lasting solutions to the problems bedeviling the state, you choose to trace the victims which turn out an attempt at falsifying existing realities. You accuse the government of not apprehending the terrorist which is one truth that I would have given to you but for the fact that your definition of the terrorist is as told of in a moonlight tale or under the darkness of the 'ruga'.
You cannot solve a problem by falsifying truth. In fact, tracing the real victim at the first instance is not wit. That proves the popular believe that grey hair is nor indicator to wisdom and that maturity is not a thing of the physical but a level of the development of the mind.
I invite you Sirs, to settle for such matters that are for the development of Zazzau Emirate as it seem that is what you may be best at and leave matters of the state to the government that is already dancing your tune. Get out of the cave that have so closed you and narrowed your knowledge of the realities at hand as it is only by so doing will you grow above insulting your selves and the entire people you represent in the square. On a final note Sirs. Your silence was more useful than your words. Your silence I mean spoke more loudly of ZEMDA as a wise Association but your words betrayed that. Next time look before you leap.
J.F Dabo
