ZAZZAU EMIRATE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (ZEMDA) : REPUDIATING FALSEHOOD AND PUTTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT (publish by: Dabo Euclid)

        
By: Jubal Freeman Dabo

                      INTRODUCTION
The Southern Kaduna People's Union (SOKAPU) is compelled to once more present to the world an objective perspective of the unfortunate occurances in southern KADUNA as falsely contained in ZEMDAs widely publicised advertorial of 6th March 2017 (Thisday Newspaper). It is no longer news that the Southern Senatorial Zone of Kaduna Sate, Nigeria has continued to suffer great tragedy for a long time now, we have lost our brothers, sisters, parents and even grand parents to these heinous attacks. We have equally lost properties worth billions of Naira. Our land is filled with widows, widowers, orphans, worst of all orphans as young as two weeks old. Sorrow and sadness have become the second nature of the people of Southern Kaduna. Unfortunately, while this crisis is going on government settles for apportioning blames of the southern Kaduna victims who are doing all to ensure the return of peace in the land. The governor is rather interested in arresting voices that call on the  people to keep watch and repel the attackers while the terrorist go unchallenged. Many of our sons and daughters who have dared challenge this dubious position of the governor  have ended up being arrested, prosecuted or threatened. This attitude of government has shielded the terrorists and emboldened them more to be audacious and move about freely to carry out their evil acts on the indigenous people of southern Kaduna. It has further given people like Haruna Usan and his co-travellers,  the courage to speak words that justify the genocide that has been carefully planned and now being executed against the Peace loving people of southern Kaduna.  A typical example is the recent release by the Zazzau Emirate Development Association (ZEMDA).  This association deliberately sets out to misinform the general public and instigate more violence by promoting hate.  We have waited for too long on the governor to denounce these half truths as presented by ZEMDA and his silence over this speaks volumes.

Ours is an attempt to correct the wrong notion presented that is capable of distracting the world into walking away with a false notion of the issues as chronicled by ZEMDA, especially as the Association keeps following the path of the governor in accusing southern Kaduna of being the masterminds and perpetrators of the carnage that has befallen us. Severally, the governor of Kaduna State has consistently referred to Southern Kaduna elites as conflict entrepreneurs. A charge we denounce and condemn entirely.

ZEMDA defined the Southern Kaduna case as 'Intractable.'  That which enjoys the appellation of 'intractability'  connotes that it is a case that cannot be guided by persuasion, nor easily governed or managed. She (ZEMDA) clearly expressed that it is an uncontrollably, incurable, stubborn and obstinate violence. Sadly that is untrue. The crisis in Southern Kaduna is controllable if and only if the government shows political will and applies wisdom and tact to resolve it. But how can it be controlled when the person to save it fuels it by his bias and uncouth uttrances? Facts in the public domain show how the governor keeps concentrating on distractions than concentrating on saving the citizens.  The governor has consistently accused the southern kaduna natives instead of making ways to stoping his tribes men from attacking and killing the innocent. Sure, ZEMDA built her narrative from such untrue narrations that come to them from those in power.

It is a well known fact that southern Kaduna natives are docile, easy to be managed, govern and malleable. Southern Kaduna have been thought of as a people that are peaceful, patient, and hospitable to a fault. This much has been attested to even by the Hausa Fulani sons and daughters that have benefitted from the magnanimity of our people.  Is it not true that it is because Zazzau has found Kaduna South palpable that she is able to still hold a long time marginalization on her? For the records, Kaduna north has taken almost all Federal Institutions to the Northern (Zazzau) region.  Has Southern Kaduna contested that? She (Kaduna North) has insistently held the governorship position and occupied 70% of appointive positions to her advantage, has Southern Kaduna contested that? Kaduna North has restricted and frustrated all efforts at establishing christian worship centres within her region especially at public institutions while all over southern Kaduna you find mosques standing untouched for ages, who has ever fought that? We hope this helps establish a good background for our rejoinder.

ON ZEMDA'S PERSPECTIVE PROPER

Studying ZEMDA's submissions as contained in her advertorial, there are many points made that point at ZEMDA's effort at subverting the truth and to distract the world with a view to projecting southern Kaduna as hostile and therefore, the aggressors. Point to note is that, one do not need to go out of ZEMDA's advertorial before proving the deceit they so hold and proclaim about the issues. We shall take the issues one by one and diligently present the facts:

Attempt At Claiming Ownership of Southern Kaduna
Just as Mallam El'rufai will claim that the Muslim-Christian ratio in Kaduna state is 70% to 30% respectively, ZEMDA could be seen following that way in her claim thus "...entire town (of approximately 90% Hausa Fulani inhabitants) was razed down..." Like the governor and the terrorists, ZEMDA attempts painting southern Kaduna natives as non indigenes and Hausa Fulani as the owners of southern Kaduna, little wonder they insistently refer to us as 'so called indegines'. Let reason address this; how possible is it for a 10% to wake up one day in rejection of a policy supported by 90% that owns the day's government? . How possible was it in such crude an age for a 10% Christians to raze down a 90% Hausa Fulani settlement at a time absolute power resides in Zazzau? Clearly we sense a kind of conspiracy between some part of government, the tales of the terrorists and the advertorial of ZEMDA. This suggests that the entire issue is that of territorial ambition. That is to clear out the entire southern Kaduna natives and claim the land for Hausa Fulani to occupy.  Government's slow reaction to our plight is intentional and part of the plot.  But most importantly is the fact that this suggest that the case is clearly a planned genocide against the peace loving people of southern Kaduna. SOKAPU condemn this in it's entirety.

On the Fallacious Statement About Zangon Kataf:
We find it necessary to clear the air on the fallacious statement that suggests Zangon Kataf is originally a Hausa Fullani settlement before the 1992 riot. This is because it is such narratives that the Hausa Fulani keeps giving their children from generations after another, the result of which is the security challenge at hand now. Those fighting are doing so thinking they are fighting to reclaim their lost ancestral home. For clarity, the term 'Zango' is a Hausa word that means a resting place as held by traceable history. It is equally true that in the Hausa language, letter 'n' when added to a word that is followed by a noun or pronoun etc. makes the noun, pronoun, or word possessive of such other word upon which such letter 'n' is added to. For instance, 'zakara' is the Hausa name for a cock, 'Mallam', is a Hausa word for teacher. To say 'zakaran Mallam' means the teachers cock because letter 'n' is added to 'zakara'. Applying this example to the town in question. 'Zangon kataf' where 'Kataf' is the Hausa name for a southern Kaduna 'Atyap' tribe accupying Zango axis, where also you called it 'Zangon Kataf' [notice the 'n' (possession sign)] by the Hausa interpretation it will mean the Zango of the Kataf people.

It should also be noted that everywhere bearing 'zango' today is yes! Populated by Hausa Fulani but not a Hausa Fulani ancestral land. Everywhere bearing Zango is just a hospitality zone. Zango is often just a settlement usually in the heart of the town or where the seat of authority is. Hausa Fulani have often taken that settlement pattern to deceive people into thinking they own the town. We challenge you to visit most Hausa Fulani township settlement and verify this fact. They usually will occupy just a street leading to the seat of power or the major street where many pass through to other towns, cities and states. The aim is that when you pass through, you think it is a Hausa Fulani owned town.

Zango in southern Kaduna as other places has always been a resting place the hospitality of the natives granted this Hausa Fulani passersby during the cross Saharan trade days. According to the myth of origins of most polities of particularly Southern Kaduna, just as with the entire central Nigeria, the region has always been a recipient region for migrants from the east: Egypt, Sudan, Lake Chad, Borno, Bauchi and the South East through the Cameroon mountains, Bamenda etc. as opined by Ibrahim J. We all know that Borno became the broadway for invading tribes because it was well-connected with Egypt by Darfur and Kordofan, and could be approached from Kanem through Lake Chad. The migratory corridor is provided for horde of invaders from the North and East displaced less organised tribes to easily pass through west along the Kamadugu River and the great pains of Borno, Kano, Katsina, and Zaria to the south. ( C.K Meek, The North Tribes of Nigeria, Vol. I, pp. 19-20). We hope you recall the fact that commerce alone brought the Hausa Fulani tribes men to southern Kaduna as is the case with most of central Nigerian communities. We wish to remind that but for the trans-saharan trade, southern Kaduna will not be so defined by whoever as Hausa Fulani ancestral home, and in fact but for the hospitality of our fore fathers.

We still hold our history with reverence and we all know how the Zazzau fathers tried destroying the nucleus of our traditional authority through the creation of an entirely new power base in Kajuru, Kachia, Kauru, Zangon Kataf, Kagarko, Jere, Jema'a among others, then southern Kaduna 'pagan' native lands. They placed large numbers of southern Kaduna natives under Fulani District Heads because they control political powers then as now. And on this ZEMDA builds her bases of ownership of southern Kaduna when in fact Hausa Fulani penetration into Southern Kaduna is traceable through such trade routes as:
1. From Kano, Faki, Zaria, through Kauru, Zangon Fatake (Later Zango Kataf), Keffi, Nupeland, Oyo to Gonja ( Ghonja).

2. The route from Kano, Zaria, Igbabi, Kakuri, Kajuru, Kachia, Kagarko, Kaffi, Oyo, to Gonna.

3. Bauchi, through Jos, Bukuru, Miyango, Fadan Chawai, Kurmin Rizga, Zangon Kataf, Jere, Abuja to Lokoja.

4. Kano, Gadas, Lere, Zangon Kataf, Jama'a to Loko.

We can go on and on to the routes that led through Hamland (Ribi Ham), Bajjuland, Adaraland, Akurmiland, Agworokland, ...

In summary, do not forget that it was in Hausa Fulani fathers' trading journeys from Kano, Katsina, Daura and Zaria to Nupe and, Oyo, and Gonja that they (then reffered to as Fatake) had to establish diplomatic relations with the people of these areas through which they PASSED. Apparently, that was because of the great distance between one trading station and the other that usually took them between three (3) to six (6) days of at least ten (10) hours march a day. They had to establish such friendly relations and seek permission (right of passage) from the natives to establish resting stations (Zangos) that they so claimed to be a Hausa Fulani originally owned settlement. To show the confidence and trustworthiness they found in the southern Kaduna natives, they also required security 'because they were sometimes ambushed, attached, their wares seized and they themselves captured and sold to slavery.' (M.G. Smith, Government in Zazzau, p. 170)
This are facts we know ZEMDA should truly have however, if they have these facts as we know they have, it will mean that they are only trying to rewrite history and any leader who contemplates toying with history in this 21st digital century is certainly playing with fire.

ON THE HISTORY OF CRISES IN SOUTHERN KADUNA
ZEMDA attempted bringing to the fore a list of the series of southern Kaduna crisis. sadly they did that not with the aim of providing working solutions that will help solve the problems that have a long history created by their fore fathers,  rather and unfortunately, to paint Southern Kaduna natives as the terrorists and the terrorists as the victims. That is primitive, innocuous and evil. It is callous and an insult to wisdom.

1. They began with the Kasuwan Magani 1981 crisis.  They cunningly deviated from stating the real cause of the crisis. Thank goodness it suggests that they know the truth which is that the crisis was as a result of the Hausa traders' attempt to take over Adara land, claiming that the land belonged to them. (Territorial ambition)

2. Then the Yarkasuwa 1986 crisis which they claim was for the '...rejection of a Muslim Kurama who EMERGED (sic) as district head defeating a Kurama Christian...' To mean the Christians caused the crisis.  Their usual cunning way, they forgot it was not a Christian Muslim issue as the crisis was caused by power mongers who were opposed to the candidature of a prominent Bakurmi Muslim, who “dared’ to contest for the District Head’s office reserved for the Hausa Fulani of Lere town. Simply an ethnic issue (a Bakurmi Muslim vs Hausa Fulani).

3. On the Kafanchan crisis of 1987, they claimed it was as a result of a blasphemy of the Qur'an by Rev. Bako. Does that not automatically points to the Muslims as the originators of the crisis? If truly Muslims love to live in peace,  why didn't the Muslim students explore peaceful avenues and seek a peaceful resolution by resorting to the court of law? ZEMDA left out the whole story that will clearly explain this though it is in the public domain. They went too myopic to think people will simply accept what they put out when the memorandum submitted to the committee saddled with the responsibility of investigating the crisis contains therein the true story of how the Muslim students began pelting and antagonising the Christian students in an attempt to frustrate and stop the crusade in the Kafanchan campus College of education. How the Christians were made to remove the banner publicising the crusade days before by the student affairs officer on demand of the muslim students which they (the Christians) obeyed. How also on the day of the crusade, the Christians were forced into forfeiting the hall they had arranged to hold the crusade in (block 19) as Muslim students took it over for whatever reason which forced the christian students move to the open arena.  It is a shame reading where ZEMDA claimed that the Muslim girl who raised the alarm on the claimed blasphemy was '...malhandled...' how would someone shout 'blasphemy' and a reasonable group will just rush in and attack a peaceful group without even verifying. That was simply a plan successfully carried out.

4. If ZEMDA were sincere,  why did they omit from the list,  the Zaria 1988 crisis because it was also a case involving southern kaduna indigenised. Let us help ZEMDA recall that in Zaria 1988, Muslim students attacked Christians over victory of Christian student in the students’ union elections. About 107 students were injured, some seriously, whereupon some persons from Zaria City waylaid students travelling home after the university had been closed and killed some of them at Gwargwaji.

5. On the 1992 Zangon Kataf crisis,  the facts are diametrically opposed to ZEMDA's narrative. It was not in opposition of the relocation of the market that the crisis arose. Their submission suggests that Southern Kaduna people just started killing and burning because the market was to be relocated. The true story is that the crisis started when the natives were attacked on their way to the market they had opposed relocation of.

6. ZEMDA linked the 1999 Kafancan (Jama'a) crisis with a rejection of the coronation of the Emir of Jama'a whereas even the rejection was as a result of the 1999 ethno religious attacks against Southern Kaduna and other Christians in Kaduna North LGA that saw reprisal attacks in Kafanchan and environs.

7. They blamed the 2000 Sharia law crisis on the southern Kaduna rejection of the
planned establishment of Sharia law in Kaduna state. This is pure falsehood aimed at discrediting our people. The crisis had already engulfed Kaduna, Zaria, Kano, and Katsina etc, where Southern Kaduna people were killed, beaten, matcheted, etc. before reprisals were carried out in Southern Kaduna.

8. ZEMDA equally forgot to mention the:
A. 2000, at the Federal College of Education, Zaria, when Christian students were attacked and killed and injured, and the Catholic Church burnt by Muslim students in the College. 

B. 2001, ethnic cleansing to move non-Muslims from Kaduna North LGA,
after the failure of attempts to impose sharia in Kaduna State.

C. 2002, Birnin Gwari, when a woman was killed, and they alleged that the
killer was wearing a face cap; one Kataf man who had been away in Zaria when the incident occurred, returned to Birnin Gwari and was killed, several other “Katafs”  were killed, their houses and property razed down.

D. 2002, FCE Zaria, when violent Muslim youth from Tudun Wada, attacked the girls hostel at night, killed, maimed, injured, raped and traumatized the female students.

E. 2002, when violent Muslim protesters attacked Christians under the cover
of opposition to Miss World Pageant.

F. 2006, violent attack and killings of Christian students at the FCE, Zaria by
Muslims from Tudun Wada and Zaria City.

G. 2009 crisis in Piti District of Piriga Chiefdom in Lere LGA, over the appointment of district head, leading to police harassment and detention of officials of Piti National Development Association, when powerful forces in Lere and Kaduna wanted a Muslim as the district Head.

H. 2010, at Kidache area in Chawai Chiefdom, when cattle herders attacked
the area in apparent retaliation of the killing of their clansmen in neighbouring Plateau, and killed nine local Chawai people.

All these ZEMDA did not report. They should have reported that to show some semblance objectivity before reporting the 2011 crisis but sadly they failed to, hence, defining themselves insincere and not worthy of public trust.

9. ZEMDA also claim the southern Kaduna natives seized the opportunity of the 2011 post elections crisis and killed Muslims. They talk of the 2011 crisis as if it were a Kaduna state case. Secondly. How can a sane fellow support the opinion that southern Kaduna indigenes who supported a candidate that was successful at the polls will keep the joy aside and start attacking and killing a sorrowful people whose candidate was defeated and had given a prior indication that blood will flow should he turn out unsuccessful?

10. In point eight (8) of their disjointed submission,  they spoke of reprisals.  Unfortunately ZEMDA still blamed it on the southern Kaduna people who they claimed are mounting illegal road blocks and killing Hausa Fulani. Reprisals mean a violent or aggressive act towards somebody because of something bad that they have done towards you (OAL Dictionary).  Perusing ZEMDA' piece you will notice that they blamed the Southern Kaduna people as the terrorists and the Hausa Fulani as the victims. Reprisal: how would the southern Kaduna people who 'did you wrong' be also guilty of reprisals. What are they taking vengeance on since you so claimed the Hausa Falani tribe has been the guiltless victims. The governor of Kaduna State publicly admitted to paying off these merchants of death so that they do not come back to Southern Kaduna to carry out reprisal attacks. Or is ZEMDA not aware of this?

If ZEMDA  can mention 18 people killed all this whilewithout listing their names and the exact places of the tragedy, we can list out  in summary. Between the time you tag reprisal with your about 18 reported deaths. Southern Kaduna people counts the following : we have had 5 LGC attacked by Fulani on the so call reprisals where more than 53 villages were attacked, more than 800 deaths recorded, more than 57 people injured and far above 1,473 properties destroyed. What do you mean by reprisal? In case you need the details we will be pleased to provide.

ZEMDA spoke of government biases in the application of the law, she accuse government of acting on religious sentiments which we thought of as a genuine position until they twisted it to mean that government do not act because they are preventing religious violence and Southern Kaduna is taking advantage of that. Let it be on record that many southern Kaduna sons and daughters have been arrested like Dr. Danfulani,  Luka Binyat, Jagaba Silas, and as we write Audu Maikori is in costudy for speaking out against government. Many are threatened with arrest like Barr. Ballason Gloria and many others the governor have openly declared that a list is being compiled to arrest prominent southern Kaduna sons and daughters for daring to say that the victims have a right to defend themselves. Sadly, many Hausa Fulani have been more inciteful and have said and written  worse things that call for their arrest but government is deaf about them. Southern Kaduna IDPs are there with no compensation yet a government has money to  bribe terrorists into 'stopping their activities', there is no money to help Southern Kaduna victims but the same government has money to import grasses for grazing reserve agenda which is treated more seriously than the southern Kaduna crisis. We think ZEMDA needs to rethink their write up and offer apology to the Southern Kaduna people.

ZEMDA also called for the establishment of grazing reserves in southern Kaduna but we do not think that is the solution to the problems. Government should first of all be proactive and start arresting and prosecuting the terrorists. Whoever said grazing reserve is all that is needed may be surprise to realise there is far more to it abouth this security issues than herdsmen and farmers clashes.

CONCLUSION
We call on ZEMDA to desist from it's hate campaign against the people of Southern Kaduna. Why should ZEMDA be the mouthpiece of the Hausa Fulani that live in Southern Kaduna? ZEMDA is clearly the Association fanning the embers of hate and stoking violence. If ZEMDA doesn't have the capacity to advise southern kaduna Hausa Fulani residents to live peacefully and respect the rich customs and traditions of their host communities, then they should remain neutral rather than take sides. This is where southern Kaduna indigenous people are joining issues with the current occupant of Sir Kashim Ibrahim House. Governors before him were not perfect but they showed genuine commitment towards finding lasting solution to the conflict. The governor must realise that he is a governor of all, Christians and Muslims, pagans and free thinkers. We note with dismay that each time the governor opens his mouth, he matters matters worse and speaks in a manner unbecoming of a man of such office. The demands of his office requires him to be neutral, just and empathetic. He must be seen to embody all of these. It must be stated here therefore that at the root of the crisis is a deep seated structural injustices that must be dismantled to create room for equity and justice. Without equity and justice, every attempt to force a truce will amount to sheer waste of time, energy and resources.
We call on ZEMDA to be good partners in this common search for peace. Rather than indulge in provocative acts capable of destroying trust and confidence of our people, we urge them to come on board and speak sincerely to the issues.  Kaduna State belongs to all of us and no enclave or segment of the State should seek to monopolise the other  and heat up the polity. Southern Kaduna people are peace loving people. That's why it's possible to have Hausa Fulani live in southern Kaduna  and build business empires without being molested.. Our people do not operate an oppressive agenda. We treat human beings decently and accords everyone his dignity. We seek the same respect and mutual understanding. This is the only sure foundation for a peaceful and harmonious coexistence. The Peace Hausa Fulani enjoy with their Christian minorities in their communities thanks to the inelastic patience and tolerance of our people must be reciprocated in southern Kaduna.
Post Script :
Sadly, we received with pains and agony the news of the killing of two Fulani boys who met their untimely deaths on Saturday while they were peacefully taking their cows for grazing in a neighbouring community close to Kafanchan. We are happy that some of the perpetrators have been arrested. We encourage that the others on the run should be apprehended and charged to court for murder. We distance ourselves from isolated unruly behaviour of some miscreants who may have been ill advised or motivated to carry out this dastardly acts. This is not who we are. We also condemn the killing of four southern Kaduna people who met their death in the hands of Fulani killers. The same energy and speed that was used to apprehend the killers of the Fulani boys should be deployed to arrest the Fulani marauders that have once again brought pain and sorrows on us. We call on all southern Kaduna people to resist the temptation for reprisal attacks and be on the watch against these forces of darkness.
Thank you.

Signed
SOKAPU PRESIDENT
SOKAPU SECRETARY