By Henry Akubuiro
The Biu traditional administrative structure in pre-colonial times, chronicled in A History of Biu by Dr. Bukar Usman, had the Kuthli at the apex, followed by the Biu Traditional Council. Below the first two rungs were the traditional title-holders, administrative establishment, and royal warriors.
Bukar Usman, in his enthralling read, enlightens readers that Kuthli is the title of a Chief/King in most parts of Biu, Borno State, such as those of Biu, Mandaragrau, Wuyo, and Wawa. “Subsequent titles, such as Mai (Kanuri for Chief, a Yamtarawala import), and Emir came later),” he explains.
The founder of Biu Kingdom, Yamtarawala, writes Usman, came from a background which placed emphasis on an established system of leadership. So, after defeating the Bura King, he put a succession plan in place to perpetuate his dynasty: the eldest son of a serving king should always become the new king on his demise.
A History of Biu makes us aware that the most recent disruptive exceptions to this rule were the selections of the 24th Kuthli of Biu, Ari Dogo (1908-1935) and Kuthli Ari Gurgur, the 25th Kuthli, who were brothers that reigned consecutively after the death of their father, Kuthli Garga, the 23rd Kuthli.
As the story goes, Mai Ari Dogo displaced the heir-apparent, Maina Mari (aka Maina Abba), to Kuthli Garga Kwamting (who reigned 1891-1908), considered, at the time of Kwamting’s death, too young to assume the throne.
Even when Maina Abba came of age and wanted to claim his birthright, Kuthli Ari Dogo, who had, by then, spent 20 years on the throne, was unwilling to vacate it. The British colonial officers, including the District Officer (DO) and the Resident in Maiduguri, ruled that Kuthli Ari Dogo should continue, having not offended the colonial administration, despite breaching the traditional arrangement to hand over the throne to the heir-apparent, Maina Mari.
Also, Kuthli Ari Dogo’s heir-apparent-displacement tactics, recounts Usman, was copied by his successor, Kuthli Ari Gurgur, when the former died in 1935. Though Ari Dogo’s eldest son, Midala Garga, had died in mysterious circumstances, his younger brother, Midala Madu, was the next in line to be crowned king and had already gone to Kogu to perform the necessary traditional rites in anticipation of being crowned king, relying on tradition.
But Ari Gurgur, the late Kuthli’s brother and a one-time messenger to the Native Authority, had other plans. He manipulated the system, secured the nod of the colonial administrators and emerged the 25th Kuthli of Biu. Since its disruption in 1908, the rule of the heir-apparent succeeding his father was suspended until 1959 when it was upheld.
However, “Since 1959,” says the author, “the tradition of the heir-apparent succeeding his father has been upheld. Based on the weighty evidence of past succession patterns, what emerges is that among the sons of a reigning Biu Kuthli, the most traditionally positioned to succeed him is his first adult son or, where the reigning king’s son is deceased, the first son of the reigning monarch’s first son.”
In post-colonial times, a new concept of kingmakers nominating the Emir out of one or two qualified candidates “might be seen by others as a way of stablilising the system in that it discourages self proclamatory succession by any of the Kuthli’s sons,” he reasons.
“Moreover, it widens the scope of selection, thereby forcing the potential candidates to lead exemplary lives and make illustrious marks that will endear them to the kingmakers and larger Biu society.
Nevertheless, where the first son of the last king is deemed fit and proper, nominating him to succeed his father reinforces the long standing Biu monarchical system,” writes Usman (pp.117-118).
The reigning Kuthli/ Emir of Biu is Maidala Mustapha Umar Aliyu II, who succeeded his father, Mai Umar Mustapha Aliyu peacefully.