The Arewa Council of Chiefs Lagos State has described those behind the write-up in the social media and one of the national dailies intended to tarnish the name of the late Sarkin Hausawa Lagos, Ali Mohammed Kabir, as ungodly and without respect to culture.
In a statement signed by the Secretary, Arewa Council of Chiefs, Lagos Alhaji Ahmed Danbatta, expressed disappointment in the manner the group in the publications painted the late chief in bad light.
He further stressed that casting aspersion on late chief is not part of Arewa and Nigeria culture. Dambatta in the statement implored the group to join other Lagosians and Arewa community in particular in observing the mourning period instead of pouring out venom on the late chief.
He said, “our response is solely to appeal to those behind this write-up of the need to maintain calm especially during this period of mourning.’
The use of “Lagos State Arewa Council of Chiefs” as against “Lagos State Council of Arewa Chiefs” according to the statement was malicious intended to deceive innocent people.
He urged general public especially Arewa community in Lagos to be weary of the malicious intention of the group.
The write-up which was signed by one Suleiman Bala Abdullahi according to Danbatta who is neither a member of Lagos State Council of Arewa Chiefs nor a Chief was a ploy by Shakabula Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, through Sarkin Fulani, in Lagos, Muhammadu Bamabado to humiliate the late Sarkin Hausawa even at death.
We gathered that he is a serving civil servant in the Lagos State Government.
He is also said to be a ploy planted by Shakabula PDP leaders through Sarkin Fulani Muhammadu Bambado, a dock yard worker in former PDP National chairman Bamanga Tukur’s shipping service.
“We advice Alhaji Muhammad Bambado to eschew hatred against the deceased and go and convey his condolences to the family of the deceased Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos, Alhaji Sani Muhammad Kabir in accordance with Islamic injunctions and traditions.
“He should fear Allah and stop sponsoring campaign of calumny and lies against the dead. Everyone is on the same journey to where our late Sarki has gone to. Those who have gone are not too fast neither are the remaining ever late’
The statement advised those with observation and contributions on the nomination of a new Sarkin Hausawa to channel such contributions through the normal process and not through the media.
He further advised that such contribution should be directed to the most elderly members of the Lagos State Council of Arewa Chiefs in line with our tradition as the process has not been completed.
The elderly members who are in position to receive suggestions include, Sarkin Hausawa of Idiaraba, Alhaji Hassan Auyo, Sarkin Hausawa of Okokomaiko, Alhaji Ahmadu and Mai Kanuribe of Lagos, Alhaji Mustafa.
