The Tagwambali Community of Maya District in Demsa Local Government of Adamawa state has asked the Adamawa State Government to hold the Hama Batta, Homun Alhamdu Gladstone Teneke responsible for any bloodshed and anarchy arising from the perceived breaches and unnecessary interference in the process of selection and emergence of the traditional ruler of the Tagwambali people to occupy the Ancestral traditional throne of the people following the demise of the traditional ruler over two months ago.
The people have accused the paramount leader of the Batta people of accepting gratification to favour a contestant, one Boniface Leha who is not from the two recognized and existing ruling classes at the expense of the six contestants from the next deserving ruling family, a development they said is capable of throwing the area in total anarchy and bloodshed if such move is not stopped immediately by the state government.
Investigations by Aljazirah Nigeria revealed that after the death of the immediate past leader of the Tagwambali people who is from the Kangole ruling class, the next ruling class known as Kawuli is expected to produce the next traditional ruler but the community particularly those from the two ruling classes who are surprised and worried over the dimension the tussle is taking have alleged that a contestant, Boniface Leha who is not recognized by the two royal families is receiving undeserved attention at the palace of the Hama Batta.
Our correspondent gathered that members of the Tagombali community have vowed to resist any violation of the process and procedure to select and install the traditional ruler of the area after realizing that an influential group is pushing for a candidate outside the two ruling classes.
According to sources, this group belongs to the Bawase Ancestry from Bali who migrated to Tagombali hundreds of years ago as a refugee after he fled for killing his female victim Nawomla out of provocation when she defeated and mocked him while playing draft (local game) and was accepted to live among the people of Tagombali when he fled to safety on the account of the then Chief Kwa’ana of blessed memory.
The same sources have argued that the acceptance of Bawase, the fugitive and four of his family members by the Chief who offered them an opportunity to live among his people in Tagombali after committing murder among their kinsmen, was not enough to grant them license to contest the Tagombali traditional stool.
Further investigations revealed that an offspring from the Bawase lineage and former top Brass in the police force (name withheld) have been accused of spearheading a move in 2004 to dethrone the then traditional ruler to pave way for the group’s ambition, a development that forced the ruler to petition the then Police commissioner of the Adamawa state police command through his Solicitors in a letter with reference number ADM/ASS/GEN.1/VOL.IV/620 dated January 5, 2004.
In a subsequent reaction to what was described as deliberate attempt to confiscate and wrestle power from the hands of the duly recognized two royal families and set confusion within the domain by the same group, the immediate past Ruler, Chief Barminas Tagere (Kpe Wangole) in a letter addressed to the District Head of Mayah dated September 29, 2016 and copied to the Executive Governor of Adamawa State, the Director SSS, the Police Commissioner Adamawa State Command, AIG Zone 3, the Executive Chairman of Demsa Local Government and His Royal Highness, the Hama Batta, called on the government to intervene immediately to avert possible breach of law and order.
In the same letter, Chief Barminas Tagere had accused one Philemon Ibrahim Leha of “struggling to find a way to dethrone me; he is not from any existing royal House in the Area. They are strangers from Bali Village Area that came and settled at Tagombali”.
A spokesman of the Community, Mr Solomon Newman told Aljazirah Nigeria that they are fully aware that a group of settlers are aggressively working their way to confiscate power from the genuine owners of the royal throne but it will not happen as long as the people exist, warning that any attempt to breach the process for the selection of the chief will not only attract the wrath of the gods but the people.
He warned the government, the Batta traditional Council and the King makers of the possible devastating consequences of installing a traditional Ruler outside the existing two ruling clans, emphasizing that now that Kangole had served its tenure, it is expressly the turn of the Kawuli ruling clan to step in as there are already six contestants to the throne so far.
According to him, “we have received reports and bribery allegations to influence the process of selection and installation of the traditional ruler of the Tagombali people and whosoever falls to this temptation does so at his own peril. Our throne is not for sale, it is for those who merit it. It is quite sad that even before the owners of the throne could start filling applications, the desperate seekers of the throne had met and agreed on their candidate.
“They are trying to manipulate the self acclaimed King maker to their advantage but it will not work. The greatest mistake any person would make is to appoint a ruler for our people outside the two royal classes. The man who parades himself as the Kingmaker seems to be playing with fire. He is yet to learn from the encounter between the gods and his brother who abandoned the traditional symbol of authority in his house before he fled off to oblivion.
“We are worried over possible breaches due to monetary influences but we are also concerned with the bloody consequences. This is not the first time the office of Hama Batta is interfering with our traditional set up. We had a similar case in 1976 under the rule of Homun Francis Dire where our ruler was unjustifiably removed leading to protests and petitions.
“We are bringing this to the notice of the relevant authorities before hand to save an ugly situation. Some parties are trying to do the wrong thing and the government needs to stop them.
When the comment of Hama Batta was sought on the matter by Aljazirah Nigeria, the Secretary of the Council, Prince Swade Harrison said that it was wrong to accuse the paramount Ruler of a matter he has no good knowledge about, explaining that the palace has only been officially notified of the death of the chief of Tagombali but is not aware if the traditional rites and burial of the chief has been concluded.
He said that the palace may be privileged to know of few contestants to the throne but it is not the prerogative of the King to appoint the ruler or perform the selection rites which is the sole responsibility of the King maker and the Nzotufe of Dong before submitting the name of the selected candidate to the palace.
“The king has no business with the process of selection…Under the usual practice, the king maker submits the name of the chosen candidate to the Nzotufe and the traditional rites are performed in Dong before bringing the name of the candidate to the palace of the king. Whosoever is accusing the king of bribery allegations to favour a candidate in an arrangement that excludes the King is unfair and mischievous, he concluded.
PIONEER NEWS 