Offa to Produce New
Sarkin
Yorubawa in Gombe
- Matthew
Ogundele, Secretary, Yoruba Community
Development Association, Gombe State.
Iyan Gombe says no, it is only the Emir that can
chose whoever he wishes.
The General secretary of
Yoruba Community Development Association, Gombe State, Mr. Matthew Ogundele has
finally put an end to brouhaha concerning Sarki Yorubawa
Gombe that, Offa is the next town to produce the new Sarkin Yorubawa, which
other words means the Oba of Yoruba in Gombe state as a result of the demise of
late Alhaji Raji Abdul Ganiyu, the late Oba (Sarki) Yoruba of Gombe on 10th May,
2013. According to him, their constitution is very clear about the issue. The
Umbrella association has about 15 Yoruba communities that constituted this
association and it is clearly stated in the constitution that the kingship is
rotational among communities that constitutes this association. The late Oba
was from Ogbomosho community and this new self imposed Oba, Alhaji Abduraheem
Yussuf Alao is also from Ogbomosho.
Corroborating this was
the man who is also eyeing the Obaship position, Alhaji Abdulwasiu Jimoh
Oluwanisola from Offa community. He is a businessman like his contender and
believe to have supports of many communities including some members from
Ogbomosho where is contender comes from. He expresses his mind to our reporter
that his contender has neither been a representative of his community
(Ogbomosho) nor attending the association’s meeting before. He just surfaced
from nowhere immediately after the demise of our late Sarki Yorubawa, late Alh.
Raji Abdulganiyu. It is unconstitutional and has no moral for someone claiming
to be new Sarki Yoruba less than ten days after the demise of our leader. Even
if he is interested the association said we should give 40days to respect our
departed leader. Ogbomosho is not the only community in Gombe and our
constitution is clear about this. No one is above the law and he should not set
a bad precedent for Yorubas in this state. We are all peace lover and we don’t
want anything to bring confusion or misunderstanding between the Yorubas and
the Government or our highly referred Emir of Gombe.
Daily Newswatch reliably
told by another authority that prefers to hide his identity that the
association placed embargo on Obaship issue until 40days after the demise of
their King. To this effect, the Association communicated through writing to His
Royal Highness, Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Sheu Usman Abubakar (CFR) dated 4th day
of October, 2013 and the letter was duly acknowledged by the Secretary, Gombe
Emirate Council, Alhaji Dauda Yahuza for reasons best known to him withheld the
letter from Emir of Gombe.
It was few days after that the self proclaim Oba
Alhaji Abdulraheem Yusuf Alao was taking to the Emir by the secretary for
confirmation as the new Oba. A call was placed to the secretary
severally to hear his own side of the story but when he did not pick his call,
I sent him a text message and he replied that I should direct all issues
related to Sarki Yorubawa Oba to the Iyan Gombe, Alhaji Inuwa Lamido.
Based on Alhaji Alao’s
visit to the Emir, the association wrote another letter through a solicitor to
the Emir and copied: The state Governor, Gombe State Commissioner of Special Duties
and Governmental Affairs, Commissioner of Police in the state, Director, SSS in
the state and all other relevant authorities in the state not to recognized
anybody parading himself as the Sarki Yorubawa of Gombe state. That the
association at the appropriate time would elect and enthrone its new Oba
according to their constitution at the time all its members consented to.
The 15 communities that
comprised Yoruba Community in Gombe State Includes: Ogbomosho, Offa, Ijebu,
Akoko, Oshogbo, Modakeke, Ibadan, Ondo/Ekiti, Ijesha, Ede, Ikirun, Omo Okun,
Iwo, Origbo and Adun/Egba. The late Oba is from Ogbomosho while this man that
just comes is also from Ogbomosho. He imposed himself because the Executive and
the entire members of the association was not part of the game he is playing.
As directed by the
Secretary to Gombe Emirate Council, Alhaji Dauda Yahuza that all issue on this
matter should be directed to Iyan Gombe. I placed a call to him probably
because he didn’t know who I am he did not pick but immediately sent him a text
that I would call him back the next day. Fortunately enough, he called me
before the time I planned to call him. A retired Permanent Secretary and
someone I could call Chief of staff to the highly referred Emir of Gombe. He
likened the power and authority of the Emir to that of Alaafin of Oyo saying
further that before the demarcation and states creation, the authority of the
Emir spread as far as Niger Republic and Chad before Nigeria independent.
What Alhaji Inuwa Lamido
told me was quite different from what I gathered from about 8 different members
of the association I spoke with in Gombe. Alh. Lamido said that it is the
absolute power of Emir of Gombe to nominate whoever he wishes to represent him
as Seriki Yorubawa of Gombe. He said further that if this is not the
way Yoruba Obas thus then that is the way their own Emir thus his things. At
this junction, I was confused as to who is saying the truth and who is running
away from the truth. The yorubas in Gombe state said there were precedents to
how they nominated their Seriki and took him to Emir for confirmation and his
blessings but the Iyan Gombe said it is the absolute power of the Emir to
nominate who to govern non indigence within his territory. Alhaji
Inuwa was an highly respected Retired Permanent Secretary even with his age, he
is an authority to respect in the state.
The big question many are asking is whether the
position is hereditary?, whether it is the right of Emir to nominate whoever he
likes to govern Yorubas or allow the Yorubas to nominate someone credible and
well known to them to represents them? Whether it is known or not
known to Alhaji Inuwa that the past three Seriki Yorubawa of Gombe were
carefully nominated by Yorubas and took them to Emir of Gombe for confirmation
and blessings
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