The Bauchi State government’s Committee on the Review and Implementation of Justice Babalakin, Shehu Awak, and Justice Bala Umar’s Reports on the Creation of Sayawa Chiefdom has recommended that it be established.
The committee, while presenting its findings on Friday night at Government House Bauchi, said that in order to restore sustainable peace to the Tafawa Balewa/Bogoro axis, substantial work must be done to solve the concerns.
“All previous Committees of Justice Babalakin, Shehu Awak, and Justice Bala Umar, as well as General Sabo, recommended the creation of the Sayawa Chiefdom, and now our Committee has made the same recommendation to address the Sayawas’ agitation for self-determination,” the committee said in its report.
“The Committee recommended that the proposed Sayawa Chiefdom be comprised of the entire Bogoro Local Government area with the provision that non Sayawas within the Local Government be allowed to decide whether or not they want to be part of the Chiefdom through a referendum to be conducted by the State Independent Electoral Commission,” according to the Committee’s Chairman, Ambassador Jibrin Dada Chinade.
“It is recommended that the Sayawa Chiefdom be established in areas of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area that are predominantly occupied by the Sayawa. The referendum, however, should be held in other parts of Tafawa Balewa Local Government that are not predominantly Sayawa to determine whether they wish to be a part of the Sayawa Chiefdom,” it says.
The Committee also advised that the State Government determine where the projected Sayawa Chiefdom’s headquarters should be placed.
It makes recommendations on who is eligible to be chosen as Chief of the planned Sayawa chiefdom, the procedure of selecting the pioneer and succeeding chiefs for the chiefdom, and the makeup of the Sayawa Chiefdom Traditional Council.
A suitable recommendation has also been made for the resettlement of those who have been displaced from Tafawa Balewa town as a result of the town’s series of problems.
The Committee recommended that the subsisting 2014 law on the creation of Sayawa Chiefdom (as amended) should be further amended to accommodate the Committee’s recommendations stressing that, “To this end, a bill seeking for the amendment of the relevant sections of the law should be sent to the State House of Assembly for legislative action”
The Committee also made incidental recommendations that Government should establish a Reconciliation Committee which should comprise neutral persons of proven integrity to reconcile aggrieved parties
”Also, in the spirit of reconciliation, Government should grant amnesty to those indicted in the previous reports and be recommended for investigation and subsequent prosecution if found culpable.
”Government should in future ensure speedy investigation and prosecution of culprits to serve as a deterrent to others.
”Government should also establish skill acquisition centres across the state to engage the teeming youth and reduce youth restiveness and re-constitute the inter-Religious council at both State and Local Government Levels in the State”.
According to the Committee, Since it is the wish of the Sayawa stakeholders that the proposed Sayawa Chiefdom be called “Zaar Chiefdom” and the Chief Gung Zaar, the Committee has no objection.
While receiving the report, Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed made it clear that his government has no prejudice for or against any of the parties involved in the tussle for the creation of Sayawa Chiefdom.
Mohammed emphasized, “Our concern is to broker peace among the various stakeholders and ensure peaceful coexistence among the heterogeneous ethnic and religious groups in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Local Government Areas”.
He said, “From the address of the Chairman of the Committee, I have the feeling that the Committee has done a thorough job that would assist the Government in finding solutions to the problem of creating the Sayawa Chiefdom once and for all”.
He added, “It is evident that members of the Committee deployed their wealth of experience and knowledge to meticulously carry out the assignment based on the terms of reference given to them”.
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