(Monday Editorial)
www.thunderblowers.com.ng
The recent face-off between the Emir of Bukkuyum and the state Deputy Governor Malam Mani Malam Mumuni has opened another Pandora box which may likely have a serious consequential effect on the relationship between the POLITICAL CLASS & TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS in the state if not handled with all sense of decency.
The outburst by the Emir has really demonstrated how deep he has become pushed to try to vomit his anger against some indecisions that the Deputy Governor might have perfected against him or the people of the Bukkuyum emirate, rightly or wrongly.
The statement made by the Emir where he specifically accused the Deputy Governor of not doing anything positive to better the lots of the people of his constituency (Bukkuyum) especially in the area of securing employment opportunity is really damaging to the political carrier of Malam Mani.
Equally, his allegations that the Deputy Governor visited the neighboring Gummi emirate twice during some trying moments and donated some relief materials to the people without paying a single one to Bukkuyum is really a source of concern to any politician because a primary constituency of a politician is significant and a guaranty to his political survival.
Indeed, what is more worrisome is the open declaration made the by the royal father that, he has drawn a battle line between himself and the Deputy Governor and that how he wished same position of the state Deputy Governor is transferred to Zurmi emirate since the position is no more essential to the people of Bukkuyum.
These heavy statements by the Emir against the Deputy Governor of a state are no doubt destructive politically, but it is not late and things can be fixed for the better.
For sure, we salute the maturity of the Deputy for not responding to the monarch in the manner he was addressed because the verbal war would have become more tensed and antagonistic but again the Deputy Governor need to do something urgently by trying to provide indices and statistics that would clear the stains poised on his clothes by his own emir.
We have seen some statistics informally flying the social media about the interventions the Deputy Governor has made to better the lives of Bukkuyum people, especially in the area of education and job creation.
If the statistics are genuine, then the Deputy Governor needs to engage the media conventionally for his stories to be told in a more positive manners so that the arguments can be balanced.
But beyond that, it is equally important for the state Deputy Governor to find a way of reaching out to the emir without mincing what he has done to him to get things reconciled in the interest of political stability of his primary constituency.
The Deputy Governor should be reminded that in politics “no injury is minor” and an injury in the field may have an extended impact in the long run.
As for his highness the emir, we are pleading that no matter the provocation, issues that have to do with the politicians should be handled with deep sense of consciousness because they can cause permanent rift and instability within the available political space.
We have all seen how politics teared apart the prestige of royalty and royal institution in Kano and how it is causing permanent vibration recently in Adamawa state.
We should try to avoid a circumstance where traditional institutions are dragged into politics and political indecisions because that always becomes destructive to the institution.
We can even go further to offer some suggestions that have to do with regulating the involvement of Emirs in political activities because that will save the institutions they are protecting from unnecessary political attacks.
Emirs in Zamfara should be restricted to attending functions that are purely for governance and socioeconomic development of their people.
If it requires an executive order to enforce this decision to regulate the involvement of emirs into political activities, let it be hence it will bring peace and harmony between traditional rulers and the political class in the state.
May Allah help us
