ν How coronation of ‘emir of Aba’ was thwarted, feud rages over sarki in Anambra
From Magnus Eze, Enugu and Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
There was apprehension in Abia State recently following reports that the Hausa community was going to install an emir for the commercial city of Aba. This was even as the feud over the Sariki stool in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government, Anambra State, took a new twist with raging legal battle.
It was claimed that one Sarki Shehu Bello II was going to be crowned as “Emir of Aba Emirate Council.” But, the leadership of the Hausa community instantly discountenanced the purported installation, stating that what they wanted to do was to fill the vacuum created by their late Sariki (chief).
Government frowned at the proposed coronation without recourse to it. Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chris Ezem, warned all involved in the unauthorized and illegal coronation to stop forthwith or be prepared to face the full weight of the law.
It cancelled the coronation with immediate effect, stressing that there was nothing like Aba Emirate Council. Government directed law enforcement agencies to swing into action and ensure no such event capable of breaching the existing peace took place in Aba or any part of the state.
Chief Imam of Aba Mosque, Alhaji Idris Bashiru, told Daily Sun on telephone: “The Hausa community in Aba, lost its leader (Sarki), in September 2022, and there were plans to replace him. That was misunderstood. Hausa community in Aba has lived here for over 100 years. We have not conquered anybody and did not set up any emirate.
“What we did is to inform government that we want to replace the late Alhaji Bello, with his younger brother. But the information was misunderstood in certain government quarters. We have gone to Umuahia to correct the impression and we are happy with government response.”
Bashiru said all Hausa settlements in Isiala Ngwa, Obehie, Aba and other places are united and happy with the government on maintaining cordial relationship with them. He appealed to Abians to always see his people as part of the state and its peaceful growth and development.
Leader of Hausa community of Amawbia, Anambra State, Alhaji Mahmud Sani, dragged two other Hausa leaders to court seeking a declaration that the defendants have no business to meddle into his activities as the Sarkin Hausawa of Amawbia.
The two defendants are the Sarkin Hausawa of Awka community, Alhaji Garba Haruna and Alhaji Haruna Adamu who is laying claim to the same Sarkin Hausawa Amawbia stool.
In an originating summons brought before Anambra State High Court No. 1 sitting at Awka and presided over by Justice Emmanuel Ike Ogu, Sani alleged that the first defendant, Garba Haruna, conspired with the second defendant, Haruna Adamu, to strip him of his rightful position as the Sarkin Hausawa Amawbia.
He contended that it was the Hausawa community of Amawbia that nominated him and took him to the then Okpalaigwe of Amawbia, late Igwe Okoye, who issued him the certificate of recognition on September 19, 2015, as the Sarkin Hausawa of Amawbia.
In the Suit No A/34/2022, Mahmud Sani Vs Alhaji Garba Haruna and Anor, brought pursuant to Order 3, Rule 6 (a) and (b) of the High Court Civil procedure Rules of Anambra State, 2018, the plaintiff, through his counsel, Michael Okoye, asked the court to declare that the first defendant, Alhaji Garba Haruna, does not have any business whatsoever to meddle into his activities, given the fact that Hausawa Awka community and Hausawa Amawbia community are two distinct administrative communities.
The plaintiff, is also asking the court to declare that he, Sani and not the second defendant, Haruna Adamu, is the authentic Sarkin Hausawa of Amawbia community, as according to him, he was duly appointed and recognized by his people, consequent upon the fact that it was the traditional ruler of Amawbia (the host community) that awarded him a certificate of recognition.
He asked the court to declare an order of perpetual injunction restraining the second defendant from parading himself as the Sarkin Hausawa of Amawbia community.
The plaintiff also asked the court to restrain the first and second defendants, their agents, servants, privies or assigns from meddling into his activities as the Sarkin Hausawa of Amawbia community, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
In his counter affidavit, the first defendant, Haruna averred that the plaintiff is not and was never and has never been the Sarkin Hausawa of Amawbia community, adding that he as Hausawa of Awka, his area of authority covers Amawbia community and beyond.
Haruna contended that the late father of the plaintiff, Alhaji Sani Garba, was the Sarkin Chamba representing the Chamba people in the Sarkin Hausawa Awka where he is in charge of and as such, the plaintiff has no basic right to lay claim to Sarkin Hausawa Amawbia, which is a non-existent stool.
The second defendant, Adamu, averred that upon the death of Sani Garba, father of the plaintiff in 2014, members of Hausa community resident in Amawbia, presented him to the first defendant, Garba, as their choice, as the next leader of Hausawa community in Amawbia, for installation.
Justice Ike Ogu adjourned the matter to May 3, 2023.