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Wole Ayodele, in Jalingo, reports on the recent selection of a new traditional ruler for the Mumuye people of Taraba State
The choice of Alhaji Sulaima Ibrahim Sambo as the Kpanti Zing-elect by the kingmakers after a turbulent selection process is the triumph of the collective will of the Mumuye people to preserve their culture and tradition. In a one-sided election conducted at the lecture hall of Taraba State College of Education, Zing, Sulaima polled all the 22 votes of the statutory kingmakers, leaving the other four contenders without any vote. The four are Alhaji Muhammed Tumba Ibrahim, Alhaji Abdul Bello Komburanko, Mallam Dahiru Bello Komburanko, and Alhaji Abubakar Bello Komburanko.
Transparency
The election was conducted in the most transparent manner that drew the applause of all the parties involved in the selection process. The balloting was done openly with representatives of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nigeria Bar Association, Muslim Council, and Christian Association of Nigeria as well as the National Youth Council of Nigeria and national president of Mumuye Cultural Association witnessing the process as observers.
Explaining the rationale behind the public conduct of the exercise, rather than the usual in-house manner, chairman of the selection committee set up by the state government to conduct the election, Alhaji Bello Yero, said, "The election is supposed to be an in-house thing but because of the hype, interest and controversies here and there, government decided to make it open and transparent and I implore all of you to observe the events unfolding with keen interest so as to avoid doubts and side-talks."
Succession
The road to choosing a successor to the late Kpanti Zing, Alhaji Abbass Ibrahim Sambo, had been very bumpy, with grave security implications that threatened the peaceful coexistence of the entire Mumuye people.
The death of Alhaji Abbas Sambo Ibrahim in Saudi Arabia over two months ago along with two of his wives during the Hajj stampede that claimed over 1, 000 lives threw the ancient town into serious grieve and pandemonium. The attempt to find an acceptable successor to the first class chief who was the Amir Hajj for Taraba State during the hajj exercise threw the town into even deeper crisis that crippled the socio-economic and political life of the...
