Plateau: Chiefdoms, districts creation not to weaken major ethnic groups – Lalong

Gyang Bere, Jos

Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, said the creation and restoration of chiefdoms, districts and installation/ presentation of staff of office to various chiefdoms in the state was not made to weaken some ethnic groups in the state.

Lalong disclosed this at the installation and presentation of second class staff of office to the Saf Kulere, of Kulere chiefdom, His Royal Highness, Saf Lawrence Aizat in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.

“This brings me to the mischief being peddled around by some people including political opponents that the creation and restoration of chiefdoms and districts is an attempt to weaken some ethnic groups or existing chiefdoms.

“This is far from the truth as this argument has no basis because if you go back to our history, many of these villages, districts and chiefdoms had coexisted peacefully with one another for centuries until the colonial and subsequent administrations created structures for administrative convenience.

“Even today, no chiefdom, district or village is created without agitation from people and thorough consultation with the stakeholders. If these creations were bad, they would not have been made by many administrations before us.”

He described the traditional institution as key drivers for the survival of Nigerian cultures and units of mitigating crimes in the state.

Lalong said the coronation and presentation of staff of office to His Royal Highness, Saf Lawrence Aizat as the Saf Kulere was no doubt, a fulfilment of the long-awaited dream of the people of Kulere land who had prayed and anxiously looked forward to the day.

“You will recall that during campaigns, I assured you that we shall create new chiefdoms and districts as well as restore the ones that were erroneously abolished by the last administration.

“Although many thought at that time that it was mere political rhetoric and campaign strategy, we are today proving skeptics wrong and making it abundantly clear that you can trust us again and again.”