My stand on Fombina, Fufore Emirates
By Mustapha Atiku Ribadu (Abusalwa)
For self serving reasons, some people will at all costs twist innocuous narratives or give wrong connotations to even friendly statements with the aim of causing dis-affection between individuals. Although I’m neither bothered nor disturbed with such agents of doom, it is pertinent to restate that my article entitled Fufore emirate: Prof Alkasum Abba’s selective amnesia was not meant to denigrate his person, achievements or whatever he stands for but an attempt to bring another dimension into the current discourse in respect of the creation of Fufore emirate.
The phrase selective amnesia has been used literary by skillful writers to describe someone who engaged in double standards in a subtle language, especially if the writer doesn’t want to be combative or confrontational. But against all odds, these agent provocateurs who are fixated with my stand on Fufore Emirate, must change the context to incite bad blood. Selective amnesia simply means the inability of someone to recall certain aspects of an event. Having made this clarification, I’ll go ahead with today’s discourse.
I want to restate in unambiguous language that I’m a bonafide member of Fombina Emirate, a proud one for that matter. This was my position when debates around the subject started sequel to the creation of Fufore Emirate by governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and is still my standpoint which I had made clearly in my previous articles on the subject.
To this effect, I want to state that my unalloyed allegiance rests with the Lamido Adamawa, Muhammad Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha and anyone who inherits the throne forever. But let me also put a caveat here, that my allegiance and respect for the Adamawa emirate will not make me to sever relations with any other emirate or kingdom.
I want to also say with deep sense of responsibility that my respect and allegiance to the Adamawa Emirate is profound based on the fact that it did not occur on the accident of my existence within the geographic space called Adamawa emirate but on a deeper and closer ties with the emirate, as my foster mother, is a direct descendant of Modibbo Adama, and I am closer to her than even my biological mother.
Let me also state here that in my family, “Ribadu family” there are many descendants of Modibbo Adama who by virtue of blood relationship are eligible to occupy the coveted stool of Lamido Adamawa. One of them is my nephew.
I also want to acknowledge that people who are opposed to the creation of Fufore Emirate have the right to legally oppose it as it remains within the confines of their constitutional rights to challenge any government policy that did not sit with them. By going to court, not the other way round, they have displayed an unwavering respect for constitutionality and the rule of law.
Based on the forgoing, I want to emphasize that I enjoyed very convivial relationship with the descendants of Modibbo Adama as I have remained very close to them while my age long rapport with the family has remained intact contrary to the impression being created by fifth columnists that relationship between me and them has severed irretrievably. I always pray that may Allah never bring any conflict between myself and the revered Modibbo Adama family till I die.
I want to use this auspicious medium to state that my respect for Modibbo Adama family, starting from Lamido Adamawa up the last child in the family is unalloyed, I also want to point to the folly of those projecting that you can’t enjoy cordial relationship with other emirates as a consequence of your allegiance to one emirate. That position is the height of self deception, incivility and knowledge bankruptcy.
Lastly I want to restate my resolve to do anything for Fufore Emirate within my capacity without the fear of any mortal potentate likewise the other Emirates/Chiefdoms. But before I concluded I want to refresh our memories to a series of malicious articles written by Prof. Alkasum Abba against the traditional institution in Analyst, a publication he authored.
One of such very caustic articles was the one he entitled “leaders or looters: Traditional rulers in Nigeria from page 7-13, volume 2 No 5 published in 1987. Is it not ironic that a person who maligned this revered institution is now championing its cause? Your guess is as good as mine.
