By Ayodele Oni
The Fulani Community in Bauchi has told the State Government that the people will remain under the existing six Bauchi Emirates and not under any newly to created Emirate or Chiefdom.
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, had approved the constitution of a High-powered Committee to review and assess all Memoranda submitted by communities seeking for the creation of new Emirates, Chiefdoms, and Districts in the State.
At present, the State has six Emirates namely, Bauchi, Katagum, Misau, Jama’are, Ningi, and Dass.
The Fulanis, under the Daddo Pulako and affiliates of all Fulani associations, made their position know at a press conference held at the Conference Hall of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Press Center, Bauchi.
They said that their allegiance remains with the six historic traditional institutions under which they have long coexisted in dignity and harmony.
A former Bauchi State House of Assembly member, Alhaji Muhammad Tukur, who spoke on behalf of the Fulani communities from the 20 local Government areas of the state, said their demand is both a constitutional right and a cultural imperative.
He added that subjecting them to newly carved structures “without our consent undermines the principle of free association, disrupts longstanding communal relationships and could lead to avoidable tension.
“We acknowledge the constitutional right of communities to seek traditional representation.
“However, we note with concern, that the current proposal for new Chiefdoms and Emirates seems heavily driven by ethnic demarcations, rather than historical legitimacy or administrative necessity.
“As law-abiding citizens and stakeholders in the peace and development of Bauchi State, we categorically state that: The Fulani of Bauchi State do not wish to be subjected to any newly created Emirate or Chiefdom outside of the six existing Emirates.
“We reaffirm our unshakable respect and reverence for the traditional institution in Bauchi State.
“The existing six Emirates: Bauchi, Katagum, Misau, Ningi, Jama’are, and Dass, are symbols of historical continuity and cultural harmony in our state.
”They have played an instrumental role in preserving societal cohesion and serving as a stabilizing force across diverse ethnic and religious groups.
“The Fulani community has been an integral part of these institutions since their inception, contributing to their evolution through loyalty, leadership, and stewardship.
“We respectfully draw attention to unfortunate precedents in other states such as Plateau, Kaduna, and Taraba, where the politicization and ethnicization of traditional institutions have led to deep societal divisions, intercommunal clashes and lasting grievances.
“We must collectively guard against a similar trajectory in Bauchi, a state known for its relative peace and coexistence.
“The Fulani community is not a peripheral group in Bauchi State. We are farmers, herders, scholars, security providers, traders, civil servants, and traditional rulers.
“Our economic contributions, especially in livestock production, agricultural development, and inter-regional trade, are pillars of the state’s economy.
“Fulani settlements have historically served as stabilizing rural outposts, ensuring food security and promoting peaceful relations across ethnic lines.
”Our communities have always responded to calls for peacebuilding, vaccination campaigns, education enrolment drives, and democratic participation. We are not secessionist. We are contributors. All we ask is fairness and dignity in representation.”
He called for responsible governance and priority reordering, urging the government to redirect scarce resources toward urgent developmental needs such as: rural education as many Fulani and non-Fulani communities lack functional schools and qualified teachers.
“We, the Fulani (Fulbe) community of Bauchi State, under the unified banner of Daddo Pulāku and all affiliated Fulani cultural and developmental associations, hereby present our collective position regarding the recent public statement by the Government of Bauchi State on the proposed creation of additional Emirates and Chiefdoms.”
He explained that they came up with their position after broad-based consultations among Fulani elders, traditional title holders, women, youth, scholars, professionals, and community leaders across all 20 Local government areas, and was issued in the spirit of dialogue, peace, unity, and fidelity to the constitutional values of justice and inclusivity.
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