Gov Matawalle warns traditional rulers against indiscriminate conferment of chieftaincy titles in Zamfara  

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State on Wednesday warned traditional rulers against indiscriminate conferment of chieftaincy titles in the state, issuing them order to secure permission from the state government before taking such action.

The media aide to the governor, Zailani Bappa, in a statement on Wednesday, declared: “All Emirs, Senior District Heads and District Heads in the state are hereby directed to officially seek permission from the State Government before conferring traditional titles to anyone.”

Governor Matawalle maintained: “Henceforth, no Emir, Senior District Head, or District Head must appoint anybody into any traditional office without securing official permission and clearance from the state government.

“Compliance to this directive is now mandatory and failure to it will attract serious reprimand from the state Government.”

Governor Matawalle had last Sunday suspended the Emir of Birnin ‘Yandoto of Tsafe Local Government Area, Aliyu Marafa, after he turban a “notorious bandit leader” Ado Aleru, with the title of Seriki of Yandoton Daji Emirates at his palace last Saturday.

At the coronation, many other bandit leaders and their gang members were said to have attended the ceremony, storming the community on motorbikes for the turban of ‘Seriki’ Aleru.

The full statement on Wednesday reads:

GOVERNMENT ORDERS FOR SEEKING PERMISSION TO AWARD TITLES

Zamfara State Governor, Dr Bello Mohammed (Matawallen Maradun) has directed traditional Institutions in the state to seek approval from the state Government before awarding and conferring traditional titles.

“All Emirs, Senior District Heads and District Heads in the state are hereby directed to officially seek permission from the State Government before conferring traditional titles to anyone”, the Governor said.

The directive becomes necessary in order to check indiscriminate award and possible abuse of the traditional institution.

“Henceforth, no Emir, Senior District Head, or District Head must appoint anybody into any traditional office without securing official permission and clearance from the state Government” Governor Matawalle directed.

“Compliance to this directive is now mandatory and failure to it will attract serious reprimand from the state Government”, the Governor warned.

This directive comes after a traditional title was controversially bestowed last week by the Yandoto Emirate, a development that did not go down well with the majority of people within and outside the state.

Zailani Bappa

Special Adviser

Public Enlightenment, Media, and Communications.

20th July 2022