FCT minister, Lugbe chieftaincy tussle and way forward

The entire Federal Capital Territory (FCT) traditional institution was capacitated to different grades during the Late General Sani Abacha administration with then Lieutenant General Jeremiah Useni as minister. This made the Ona of Abaji the only first class traditional ruler and chairman of the FCT Traditional Rulers’ Council.

The controversy surrounding the throne of Etsu Lugbe commenced in 2017 when the Hakimi of Lugbe went contrary to laid down traditional rites to favour an unknown ruling house rather than the Anyi Dagyi Banyi ruling house, which has the ancestral history of being the first ruling house since the existence of the Lugbe Kingdom.

However, the intention and manipulative tendencies of the Hakimi to illegally and unilaterally impose one Danlami Cheta whose family is not among the three ruling houses in Lugbe is an issue if not tackled that could jeopardise the peaceful co-existence of the Lugbe people.

The FCT minister, chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, commissioner of police as well as the director of the department of state services must act fast to stop the planned illegal installation of the latter. The Lugbe community is so sensitive as a result of its proximity to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport where most important personalities and foreigners ply to catch both their domestic and international flights.

When a mere chieftaincy issue is allowed to escalate into communal crisis in the nation’s capital like Abuja, it is going to spell doom for us. At a time we are battling with insurgency in the North-east, armed banditry and kidnappings in the North-west, we cannot afford to experience yet another crisis and breakdown of law and order. This underscores why why the FCT Minister, Mohammed Musa Bello, must act fast by directing his subordinates to stop the back door installation of the Hakimi’s candidate.

The Lugbe community has a lot of inhabitants from different parts of Nigeria. As such the protection of their lives and properties must be a concern to the government. There were skeletal chieftancy disputes in Bwari Area Council that led to the destruction of lives and properties even though curtailed at the end by the FCT minister through the combat support of the Army, Police, and the other security agencies. We cannot therefore allow the re-occurrence of a fresh chieftaincy dispute in Lugbe in the Abuja Municipal Area Council.

The custodians of the Anyi Dagyi Banyi ruling house as peaceful and law-abiding citizens do not want to take laws into their hands which necessitated their written petition to the Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council in 2017, protesting over the manipulative tendencies of the Hakimi of Lugbe. It is very much on record that the first ruler, Anyi Dagyi Banyi was a liberal and kind hearted man who loved people and gave them part of the domain.

After him, Anyiwoyi who ascended the throne was an uncle to Anyi Dagyi Banyi. Estu Lugbe has always been chosen from direct descendants of Anyi Dagyi Banyi from time immemorial and not otherwise. Hence, the need to trace the anal of historical ascendency for your insight. Therefore, having traced the history of the royalty and kingship ascendency in Lugbe, the candidate recommended by the district head Hakimi in the person of Danlami Cheta has no root in any of the ruling houses in Lugbe because he is not even a prince and his family has never been among the ruling houses.

It is therefore absurd and preposterous to crown him and this will be a total slap on the face of the Anyi Dagyi Banyi family. It is imperative to implore the FCT minister, Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council and the FCT department responsible for chieftaincy affairs to ensure justice, fair play and equity by investigating or carrying out background checks on the candidates, birth source and other information.

How come it is only among the Gbagyi traditional institution that disputes are visible? There is no way any African society or community can strive without the complementary role and effort of the various traditional institutions. While we appreciate the gesture extended to the FCT people by recognising their various traditional institutions through capacitation and welfare packages, we must also accept the fact that co-existence, peace, transparency and adherence to stipulated rules are key to achieving growth and development.

The FCT minister and the chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area council should act fast in the interest of peace and harmony. Ignoring a sensitive matter like this could spell doom for even non-indigenes. No family will be happy to be innocently attacked as a result of the negligent attitude of authorities. Understanding achieved through dialogue exceeds violence.

What peace fails to achieve, the possibility of violence achieving it is null, zero and void. There is no doubt that the Mohammed Bello administration in the FCT as well as the Candido stewardship in the Abuja Municipal Area Council are both people oriented, development driven and above all geared towards ensuring equity, justice, transparency and fairplay. But some unscrupulous elements are trying to derail these remarkable achievements.

Change, as they say, begins with us. Let the FCT minister address this matter once and for all in the interest of the Lugbe inhabitants.

Mahmoud is the Director of Publicity, Arewa Youths for Peace and Security.   

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