M’Belt Group Kicks Against Awujale’s Installation of el-Rufai as Gbobaniyi

Middle Belt Patriots has kicked against the installation of former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, as the Gbobaniyi of Ijebuland by the Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona.

El-Rufai is reportedly the first Nigerian outside the South-West to receive a chieftaincy title from the Awujale in his nearly 64-year reign.

The ex-governor was honoured alongside former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ogun State, Jimi Lawal, who bagged two chieftaincy titles for his contributions to Nigeria at an event, which held at the palace of the monarch on Saturday.

But in a statement, yesterday, General Secretary of the group, Patrick Anum, told the monarch that the former Kaduna helmsman did not deserve a honour for his alleged involvement in supervising genocide in Southern Kaduna.

He said the development in southern Kaduna had raised significant concerns among the Middle Belt people and should concern the Yoruba people too.

Besides, Anum alleged that el-Rufai’s actions in southern Kaduna, such as changing the names of traditional stools and undermining chiefdoms, raised questions about his respect for and commitment to traditional institutions.

According to Anum, honouring an individual with such a controversial background may not align with the values and principles that have guided the Yoruba traditional institutions throughout its rich history.

He said: “As students of Obafemi Awolowo’s philosophy, we are confident that, if alive, he would strongly oppose the honouring of a character like el-Rufai, who the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had to deplatform in August 2020 due to his stained image in public view after widespread criticisms visited his invitation to speak at the NBA conference.

“Awolowo consistently advocated justice and the protection of traditional institutions. His writings and the statements issued by the Action Group (AG) during his time highlighted his commitment to opposing any form of domination, particularly in the Middle Belt, of which Southern Kaduna was a part in the First Republic.”

The Guardian gathered that the group’s concerns about el-Rufai’s association with the Yoruba traditional institution went beyond his alleged involvement in genocidal activities, but up to his actions in Southern Kaduna, such as changing the names of traditional stools and undermining chiefdoms.

They added: “In 2018, after the controversial abduction and murder of the Agom Adara (paramount ruler of Adara nation), el-Rufai, then governor of Kaduna, sent a controversial gazette to the House of Assembly balkanising the Adara chiefdom. In its stead, he established an emirate in Kajuru, a local council that is predominantly Adara.”