- * Angry Indigenes Threaten Secession, Showdown
By Nahum Sule (Taraba State Correspondent, in Jalingo)
The natives of Pero Community in Shongom local government area of Gombe State have accused the Mai of Kaltungo Chiefdom, Saleh Muhammed, of using divide and rule tactics to disunite the Pero people who are under his Chiefdom so as to continue ruling over them.
Some of the natives of Pero Community who spoke to Voice of Nigeria (VON) Correspondent in a telephone interview, expressed their dissatisfaction with the leadership style of the Mai of Kaltungo, after he vehemently refused to approve the proposed launching of the Pero people cultural attire without any cogent reason.
Mr. Godfrey Jarama, chairman of the planning Committee for the launching of the Pero Cultural Attire, said that the pero Communities comprising of Filiya, Gwandum and Gundali have had several meetings and have unanimously adopted and printed a material to serve as a cultural attire for the Pero people but the Mai of Kaltungo, Saleh Muhammed, kicked against the whole idea on the grounds that the people of Gundali are not Pero, as such, they can't be part of the Pero cultural attire plans.
Jarama said: "We have followed due process to see that we launch this cultural attire so that we can further unite our people. We therefore sent a delegation to inform and invite the Mai of Kaltungo for the planned program as our royal Father but to our greatest dismay, the Mai vehemently kicked against the program and threatened to involve the police if we go ahead with the planned program.
"However, we decided to have a meeting with the traditional heads of Filiya, Gwandum and Gundali to register our disappointment over the action of the Mai of Kaltungo for withholding his blessings for the planned launching of the cultural attire. Also, to our dismay, the community heads also withdrew the support for the program after initially given us the go ahead to proceed with the preparation for the launching. One of the community heads whose palace was schedule for the venue of the program categorically told us that we can no longer use the venue, stating that since the Mai of Kaltungo refused to approve the program, they will no longer support the program.
"Although one of the reasons the Mai gave as to why he refused to approve the program is that the Pero people are not united, stating that Filiya and Gwandum are constantly fighting and Gundali people are not part of the Pero people, therefore how can they have a unique cultural attire together? He also said that the Yuru Association launching the cultural attire is not duly registered with the Corperpate Affairs Commission (CAC).
"Our argument has been that cultural attires will serve as a unifying factor that will unite the Pero people together just as it is obtainable in Jukun, Tiv, and Wurukun People. They all have their unique cultural attires, so why should the Pero people not have theirs?
"Moreso, this idea of launching a unique cultural attire has been unanimously accepted and applauded by all the Pero Communities and it was celebrated by all, only for the Mai of Kaltungo to kick against the whole idea.
"Similarly, the platform that the project is being launched under, i.e, the Yuru Associations in various states of Nigeria and the Filiya Development Association, are all legal entities registered with state governments where they operate. They are also registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission respectively, and they have the backing of the traditional heads of these Communities, so we see no reason why the Mai of Kaltungo, Saleh Muhammed, will withhold his blessings. We are highly disappointed", he narrated.
Also, Miss Haja Zelani, a native of Filiya Community and a member of the planning committee for the launching of the Pero cultural attire, said the action of the Mai of Kaltungo, Saleh Muhammed, is not a surprise to her as the Mai of Kaltungo has never wanted the Pero people to be united so that he can continue to rule over their land.
"I have no doubt that the 'Mai of Kaltungo, Saleh Muhammed, is threaten by the unity of the Pero people, because he knows that when the Pero people are united, they will be given their own chiefdom and that will make him lose rulership over us.
"It would be recalled that when Honorable Fatima Binta Bello, former member Representing Kaltungo/Shongom Federal constituency made a case for Pero people to be given their own chiefdom, the move didn't go down well with the Mai of Kaltungo. He was seen visibly opposing the idea, so I am not surprised. How can he even say the people of Gundali are not part of Pero? These are people who we share same cultural heritage and we have lived together for decades. Now he wants to instigate division among us. We will not accept this", she said.
On his part, one of the traditional heads of Pero Community, Hakimin Gwandum Yahaya Haruna, when contacted on why the traditional heads withdrew their support for the planned launch of the cultural attire, said the Mai of Kaltungo, Saleh Muhammed, is the leader of traditional rulers in the area, as such, they cannot go against his wish.
"I cannot speak on the reason why the Mai of Kaltungo kicked against the Launching of the attire because he didn't tell us the reason, and as our leader, we cannot go against his wish or disobey him. Maybe, we would have to re-organize ourselves to see him and explain more to him the need for the launching, or maybe the delegation that met with him didn't convince him enough, or the approach they used were not appealing enough, but whatever is the case, I will suggest we give the Mai of Kaltungo more time to understand the importance of the launching", he said.
All effort to speak with the Mai of Kaltungo, Saleh Muhammed or his spokeperson proved abortive, as their phones were out of reach as at the time of filling this story. NNL.
