Recently
i wrote an article titled “Zing
Chiefdom Controversy: Kpanti or Emir” the article which was published by the eagle
online on the 3 Nov. 2015, delved into the Zing chiefdom crisis and its causes,
some causes of the Zing Chiefdom crises then itemize by the article are
1.
Removal of the Mumuye symbol; i.e.
the Lion statutes in front of the kpanti’s palace. It was said it is against a
particular religious teaching or belief to places statute in front of the
palace
2.
Religion became a criteria for giving a traditional title; and such
titles are given within some religious celebration or feast instead of belle
festival or any Mumuye festivities
3.
Selling of traditional title if an
individual do not belong to the liked religion
4.
Displacement of Kuru kpanti with 22 kings makers that includes Sarkin
Hausawan Monkin and Sarkin Hausawan Zing
5.
Change of names; (1) from Zing traditional council to Zing Emirate
council (ii) from kpanti Zing to Zing Emir
This present article will still take a look at the
continuation of this crisis, after the first crisis, Zing people were given the
person they wanted to become their new Kpanti Zing, in the person of Alh.
Suleiman Ibrahim Sambo. Normally the struggle supposed to be over Yet the
crisis is not over, one of the the recent cause of the uproar again is the Northern
Knot used as part of the symbols in the front of the Kpanti’s palace, as can be seen in the picture above,
the meaning of this knot is not known to many people so they gang up and
removed it, this and some acts of purifying mumuye culture have pitched zing
youth against people in seat of authority and government offices, for instance
if you are a mumuye youth trying to joint police or Army especially as they are
recruiting now, some officer in zing that supposed to sign some forms for you
will refuse to sign the form for you or if they sign you must come with somebody,
or it will be done with series of begging, why? simple because Mumuyes have
been tag as “dodo People” fighting for their right has turn to crime in the
eyes of those who think being in authority gives them right to deny others
their rights. This is not only happening with the police and army recruitment a
lot of Mumuyes who are not even part of this acts are facing persecution in one
way or another because their brothers are fighting to clean their culture from
outside influence, Mumuyes should know that the struggle is not over other
means of fighting them has been strategies, if those in authority refused to do
something about this trend of tagging mumuye youth, refusing to sign forms for
them in some offices and denying them some opportunity well it might be too
late to cry when the head is off.
Back to the issue of northern knot, what does it stand for?
As a philosopher, I asked about its meaning, its roles in mumuye chiefdom and
none could tell, all they tell you is “alaman Arewa” after some digging i
found Moses Ochonu Explaining the meaning of northern
knot in his article title “Unity
in Diversity: Palace Art in Nigeria” the Northern
Knot (Dagin Arewa).
This motif, a familiar fixture in many Northern Nigerian artistic works, is a
weave of intricately intersecting knots that signify the bonds of political
unity envisioned for Northern Nigeria. The Northern Knot is such an emotive
symbol of Northern Nigerian power and political identity that it was adopted by
politicians led by Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, the first premier of Northern Nigeria
and the holder of the prestigious Sokoto Caliphate traditional title of “Sarduana.”
The symbol was adopted in the 1950s when Nigerian elites were
preparing for political independence from Britain. This unity in diversity is
encapsulated in the “One North” philosophy that was used to fight for
representation and privileges for Northern Nigeria, and to counter what was
perceived as Southern Nigerian persecution and political domination.
...Since the Sarduana’s death in a military coup in 1966, the
Northern knot has become a stand-in for Ahmadu Bello and his politics of
Northern unity. Ahmadu Bello’s approval of the knot for use as a Northern
Nigerian coat of arms and seal of authority gives the symbol additional importance.
Its deployment in settings of aristocratic power like the ... palace performs
both a political act of invoking and recalling Ahmadu Bello’s clout and
affirming the authenticity of the palace’s uniquely Northern Nigerian prestige.
The fundamental question is what benefit has mumuye person
derived from being politically in the “ONE NORTH”? Apart of the
segregation and religious sentiments we experience everyday, is there anything
good in this political arrangement called “ONE
NORTH”? the tribal people like Mumuyes are always behind, underdeveloped,
the progressive are not tribal people, By the way must that symbol be in every
palace? If Mumuye people object to the symbol because it has no significance to
them let it be removed, why are they punished for objecting to strange symbol
in their kpanti’s palace?
Finally i call on all mumuye sons and daughters been
marginalized in one way or another to speak up, write things down for posterity
sake, our mumuye elders should do something about this trend or it may not be
palatable scenario in the near future because this frustration is getting out
of hand
