Like many of us, I have finally gone through the Adamawa State Chiefs Appointment and Deposition Law 2024 already passed by the State House of Assembly. But even after having been passed, the piece of legislation still remains a Bill until assented to or signed by the Governor. I will therefore continue holding on to my opinion on the Bill until it becomes law.
Until then I wish to remind us now that the consequences of rumors is creation of conflict. And if rumors become common occurrence in a society where majority of the people cannot read and write in the country’s official language, rumours become rife as the people can only hear from others, and, without verifying, just share any news they hear. This, I must say, calls for need to be careful as with the coming of social media, even the educated elite may be guilty of spreading rumours.
Another thing to note on this Bill is that, as observed, when rumor touches on religion or matters of chieftaincy, the rumor mill turns faster.
Talking of where rumor almost caused conflict on a matter bodering on Chieftaincy, what readily comes to mind was the amendment to the Sokoto Local Government and Chieftaincy Law, effected by the Sokoto state House of Assembly this year 2024.
I recall clearly that as soon as the amendment law was passed by the Sokoto State House of Assembly, rumors spread that it was a plot by the state Governor to dethrone the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III.
And of course Mallaman social media, acting on rumors, took up the fight and threatened fire and brimstone.
But what actually happened in Sokoto state was that the State age old Local Government and Chieftaincy Law had a provision that gave the Sultan power to recommend the appointment of Village Heads, District Heads and members of the Sultanate Council to the Governor for his approval.
In 2008, however, an amendment law was passed by the state Assembly that removed the appointment of Village Heads from confirmation by the Governor, thus leaving the appointment of District Heads and members of the Sultanate Council subjected to Governor’s confirmation.
In other words by the 2008 amendment, the Sultan was empowered to appoint only Village Heads without Governor’s confirmation.
When the current Governor assumed office this year 2023, he sent an amendment Bill to the House of Assembly in 2024 and further amended the 2008 law by bringing back the appointment of Village Heads by the Sultan subject to the Governor’s approval as it was before 2008.
This simple asking of the House of Assembly by the Governor to return the law to ‘status quo ante’ because nowhere is any Chief blanket power to do such appointment, turned the matter, by rumour mongers, to an attempt to remove the Sultan.
It is because the Adamawa state law also borders on chieftaincy matters, that I am holding back my analysis of the Adamawa State Chiefs Appointment and Deposition Law 2024 passed by the state Assembly.
Having read the Bill, I must warn that the stories I am reading from social media and what I am hearing from the public, who may not even have read the Bill, are too weighty to be ignored.
We need to observe some caution.
- Dasin is a former member of the House of Representatives from Adamawa State
