The Concerned Hausa Stakeholders group in Kaduna has rejected the recent bill passed by the Nigerian Senate which seeks to establish a National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) naming only the Sultan of Sokoto and the Ooni of Ife as permanent co-chairmen.
The bill, according to the group is ”ethnically biased, historically misleading, and constitutionally indefensible. Nigeria is not a two-ethnic federation of Fulani and Yoruba. It is a multi-ethnic republic where equal representation, historical truth, and federal character must be respected.”
In a press statement made available to the media, the group argued that Sultan of Sokoto is a religious leader and not a traditional ruler but is officially recognized as the “Sarkin Musulmi” Leader of Muslims not as a traditional king in the ethnic or cultural sense.
The President and Commander in-Chief, Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Jagaban
The stakeholders explained that the authority of the Sultan centers around declaring moon sightings for Ramadan and Eid; representing Islamic religious interests nationally and acting as patron of Miyetti Allah which is a Fulani cultural organization.
His legitimacy, according to them, ”is thus religious and Fulani-specific, not cultural or ethnic. He does not represent the Hausa people, nor the broader traditional institutions of northern Nigeria.”
The Sultan himself openly declared: “I am Fulani through and through. If there is life after death, I would choose to return as Fulani.” This statement, the group reasoned, ”is a proud affirmation of Fulani identity not Hausa, not Kanuri, and certainly not neutral. Therefore, elevating the Sultan to permanent national traditional leadership is both misleading and exclusionary.
The Senate President of Nigeria, Dr Godswill Akpabio
”If religious authority is the basis for this elevation, then Christian leaders, such as the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), should be equally considered, since both Christians and Muslims exist across North and South Nigeria.
”If this bill is truly about traditional leadership, where are the Hausa, Igbo, Kanuri, and others? If the bill is about traditional rulership, then it is unacceptable to exclude other major and historically grounded ethnic civilizations.
”The Hausa, with ancient city-states like Daura, Kano, Zaria, Katsina, and a royal tradition predating the Sokoto Caliphate. The Igbo, with time-honored institutions like the Obi of Onitsha, Eze Nri, and many others. The Kanuri, with the Shehu of Borno, one of West Africa’s oldest dynasties.
Chairman, Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers (SECTR), His Majesty, Igwe Samuel Asadu, Ogadagidi
”To recognize only the Sultan of Sokoto and the Ooni of Ife is a deliberate marginalization of other Nigerian civilizations. It also ignores the fact that Daura, not Sokoto, is the traditional cradle of Hausa kingship. Sokoto is the capital of the Fulani empire, not an indigenous Hausa kingdom.
The Concerned group warned that the bill would threaten the national unity and institutionalizes ethnic favoritism
”This bill promotes ethnic hierarchy, not unity. By elevating only two monarchs from two ethnic groups Fulani and Yoruba it risks entrenching resentment, division, and institutionalized injustice. No single monarch, no matter how respected, can represent entire regions or religions. The Ooni of Ife cannot speak for the Igbo, Ijaw, Urhobo, Ibibio, or others in the South. The Sultan cannot speak for the Hausa, Kanuri, or Tiv in the North.
The Shehu of Borno, Dr. Umar Kyari Umar El- Kanemi
In rejecting the bill, the group added that it” is not just about titles. It is about historical truth, ethnic dignity, and equal citizenship in the Nigerian project.” It therefore called for the complete withdrawal or fundamental redrafting of this bill, which if it is religious in nature, then equal leadership must be given to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Muslim leaders, in order to reflect Nigeria’s religious diversity.
