MORE UNPLEASANT NEWS FROM FOMBINA KINGDOM.

By HASSAN HUSSAIN

When a leader is incapacitated and ill, there is no way he can carry on his responsibities.Illness and sickness can cause distress to the mind and the body and therefore interferes with governance and ruler ship.

So this issue concerns the Lamido of Adamawa again. This is the story from another point of view and angle. The Lamido of Adamawa,Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu Mustapha is shocked with recent happenings in his palace. It is no longer secret that unpleasant things are happening with the Fombina Kingdom of which I am a citizen of Adamawa Emirate Council and I am worried that this famous Emirate Council has come to such disrepute.

According to our impeccable source about a week ago,the Lamido was critically ill with stomach pain to the point of death.This was not disclosed to anybody, including his personal physician, until others started spreading the bad news around the ancient Yola town. Another unpleasant news emanating from the bowls of the Adamawa Emirate Council is the embarrassing triple divorce of his wife, Hajiya Aisha [Sarauniya of Adamawa] and the subsequent reclaiming of the marriage again.

Though a learned Mallam in Islamic jurisprudence advised him against bringing the three-time divorced wife according to our unreprovable sources, who is close to the Lamido, but the traditional ruler ignored the Mallam's advice and brought back the woman.

It is wrong according to Islamic Law to remarry a three-time divorced woman; until some procedures are followed. The Lamido didn't do that.

Another unpleasant happening from the Fombina Kingdom, otherwise known as Adamawa Emirate Council is the ugly relationship between Hajiya Batulu and his loyalist, Mijidadi. Additionally, on the first controversial marriage, he contracted with one of his wives, the Lamido sent two of his sons with a huge amount of money as sadaki [money in Islamic terms meant to pay as dowry for marriage or re-marriage or pacification money in another term]to the former divorced wife to beg her to come to the Palace, but ,the estranged woman asked in surprise what for and what happens to her position as another woman has taken over? The mother of the two sons, said, there would be five wives in the palace which is against Islamic tenets.

The Lamido blurted, one Alhaji Masaba in Niger State has 86 wives ,so it is no longer strange to have more than four wives in this modern time. These are true stories, because a leader is suppose to lead by example. It is confusing to the subjects in Fombina Kingdom and the first Emirate Council that translated the Holy Quran to Fulfulde. If we do not make public these abnormalities as the Fulbe,who are proud of themselves, our children and grandchildren will think, it is norm and therefore susceptible to copy it hook, line and sinker.

Now, when the Lamido,Alhaji Mohammed Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha understood that these things have leaked out, he was displeased and despondent, he started blackmailing his subjects and some confidants with the Holy Quran to swear and find out who is the brain behind leaking out these secrets.

A victim is one Dudu of Adamawa, was compelled to swear on the Holy Quran, but she declined. Thereafter, he withdrew and stripped of her title and sent her away from the palace. The Lamido appointed a new woman with the title of Dudu Dalan of Adamawa to take over the functions of the former.Dudu Dalan Adamawa has since resumed her duties among others with the distribution of Sallah gifts, clothes to the Lamido's wives and children.

It has become very disturbing that the new Lamido is compelling his citizens to swear on the Holy Quran having realized that there is a mounting hatred for his type of ruler ship. Kingship and rulership is not a cult that we should resort to oath-taking. This type of hatred for traditional institution has never being experienced in the history of Adamawa Emirate council, until now. I am a citzen of Adamawa State and I am concerned that my revered history is rubbished by the Leadership in place.Is there no one who can talk to Lamido Mohammed Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha to put this our house in order?A first class traditional institution without secrets including his inability to climb horseback, a public knowledge? Something is wrong somewhere and unpleasant indeed from old Adamawa Emirate Council, then known as Fombina Kingdom.Finally and strangely,when the Lamido sacked Dudu Adamawa,his own mother sent for him to come.

He refused to go and see her. The mother cried and wept, saying that since he became the Lamido, She has not being happy for one day because of the numerous sordid problems that have accompanied his coronation.Unpleasantly,She voiced out,if She had known her son would treat her like this way, She would have prayed Allah to take her life during the life-time of the late Lamido Aliyu Mustapha.

This old woman as a result of constant crying and keening has become blind.Many are asking ,will the present Lamido Mohammed Barkindo see the blessings of Allah with all this insubordination and not doing things according to laid down rules? In a separate development, very unpleasant too,the sources at the palace relayed to us that the Secretary to the Emirate Council,Alhaji Umaru Yahaya,his Special Assistant,Mallam Sahabo and Mijidadi have been barred from breaking fast with the Lamido on his orders.This happened just last Friday,26th August 2011.According to a credible source from inside the palace,the Lamido suspected that the trio have being collaborating to leak some of his secrets,besides the hara-kiri committed by Dudu alone.As at Sunday ,28th August 2011,His Royal Highness breaks his fast alone with Sarki Jakada and his young son,Atiku,whose mother is the Sarauniya of Adamawa.What we are against is that why is someone that has lost respect in the eyes of the ordinary citizen as the 'Lamido of Adamawa'not being queried or called to order.Pharoah,the most powerful King knew there was God and even as powerful as he was,he obeyed the summons of his mother talkless of a paramount ruler that if it becomes a red letter day,a local chairman can become the lord.Times are changing and traditional institution are losing prestige and dignity. One beat his wife in the public recently, that cost him his seat.It can happen in Adamawa Emirate Council with all these unpleasant happenings. We cannot sweep these things under the carpet. Decency must prevail in this foremost Emirate Council of our forefathers.

Hassan Hussain is a Fulbe,an Architect from Adamawa State, from ancient Yola town cogitates on the increasing diminishing image of revered Adamawa Emirate Council,but resides and writes from No.7 Casablanca Crescent, Wuse 2,Abuja,Federal Republic of Nigeria of Nigeria.E-mail:hasshussain