By; FUNMI ADERINTO, Kaduna
Acting Governor of Kaduna State, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, on Thursday, called on traditional rulers in the state to focus on promoting peaceful coexistence in their domains.
Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe stated this at the coronation and presentation of staff of office to the new Emir of Kauru, Kauru Local Government Area, His Highness Alhaji Ya’u Shehu Usman, held in Kaduna.
Dr Hadiza Balarabe expressed pleasure to be in Kauru Emirate, describing Kauru as an emirate that has deep-rooted history, to present the staff of office to the new Emir, Alhaji Ya’u Shehu Usman.
She said last year, the previous Emir, Alhaji Ja’afaru Abubakar passed on and this created a vacuum which they are officially filling with the installation of Alhaji Ya’u Shehu Usman as the new Emir.
“Late Alhaji Ja’afaru Abubakar was a very experienced traditional ruler who was initially a District Head and later upgraded to the Chief of Kauru Chiefdom,” she said.
While explaining that in the reforms and restructuring of traditional institutions carried out in 2018, the state government approved the request of the people of the Chiefdom and renamed the Chiefdom from “Kauru Chiefdom” to “Kauru Emirate”, and the Late Alhaji Ja’afaru Abubakar became its first Emir.
“Until his death, the late Emir was known as a lover of peace and worked assiduously to maintain peace in the Emirate. We miss his contributions to state matters and wise counsel.
“May Allah grant him Aljannah Firdaus”.
“On behalf of our Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, the government and people of Kaduna State, I wish to extend our condolences to His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kauru, the Kauru Emirate Council and the good people of Kauru Emirate for this irreparable loss”.
The acting governor noted that, “we all know that God decides our fates. It was His will that the late Emir departed when he did. It is again His will, that we should be handing over staff of office today to Alhaji Ya’u Shehu Usman as the new Emir.”
She called on all those who contested for this position with him to accept the will of Allah and render him the desired support so that he may succeed.
“On your part, Your Royal Highness, being a father to all, I expect you to embrace all persons in your emirate irrespective of their status, faith or ethnicity, and this includes all persons who sought for the office with you.
“It is only through embracing conciliation and love for all that this Emirate can make any meaningful progress.Your Royal Highness, I have no doubt in my mind that you shall rise to the occasion.
“After all, as Sarkin Fada, you worked closely with the late Emir and you are equipped with the requisite experience to steer the affairs of this Emirate. Also, you have proven to be peace loving and a team-player in your previous engagements.
“I trust that you shall bring these skills to bear in this new and very significant responsibility.You should always remember that without peace in your emirate and peaceful co-existence among your subjects, your reign shall be turbulent and meaningless even to you.
“Your watch-words should therefore, be inclusiveness, fairness to all persons and love for your subjects. Development can only be attained when there is peace and understanding among the people.
“Our traditional rulers of today should therefore, realize that their roles in the 21st Century are quite different from that which they played during colonial times..
“They are expected to serve their people through building cohesive structures of peace and development.
“It is in this regard that the state government has reviewed its colonial laws on traditional institutions to make them more responsive to the people and the needs of the communities they rule over.
“In consultation with the traditional institutions, the state government has passed the Kaduna State Traditional Institutions Law, 2021 to enhance the status of our traditional rulers, recognize the diversity in our people and reflect current democratic realities.
“These reforms began in 2018 when the state government reviewed nomenclature of some Chiefdoms and Emirates. For instance, the state government acceded to the request of four (4) Chiefdoms that wished to be called “Emirates” and not “Chiefdoms.
“Kauru Emirate is a beneficiary of this request. Other beneficiaries are Lere, Kajuru and Kagarko Emirates. Additional aspects of the 2018 reforms included the reduction of number of districts and village areas from what existed before and after 2001”.
Explaining further, she said, “initially the village heads were reduced to 1,429 and the District Heads to 77. As at today, we have 88 Districts in the State, a manageable size for which we are able to cater for.
“We have now purchased official vehicles for all the district heads and the 32 graded Emirs and Chiefs in the state as part of government’s measures to improve the welfare of traditional rulers.
“The reduction of the number of District Heads has reduced the burden of over-bloated salaries been borne by Local Government Councils, and has also given them financial space for capital projects”.
Dr. Hadiza Balarabe called on him and other traditional rulers in the state to take the education of children in their domains seriously.
She pointed out that, education is the catalyst for development in today’s world.
“Traditional rulers are placed at a vantage position to ensure that all children within school age bracket are not seen loitering the streets during school hours. We have a law that will sanction parents who keep their children out of school.
“Therefore, I enjoin you to help the state government in this regard.”
She also extended the congratulations of the Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, the government and the good people of the state to the Emir and people of Kauru Emirate.
“May God continue to assist you in the discharge of the responsibilities of this exalted office,” she concluded.
