Aku Uka’s Burial Pitches Ishaku against Kinsmen

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

The funding of the burial rites of the late Chairman of Taraba Traditional Council, Aku Uka, Dr. Shekarau Angyu Masa-Ibi has pitched governor Darius Ishaku against the Jukun people who are his Kinsmen.

Aku Uka joined his ancestors in October 2021 after reigning for 45 years and his funeral rites is scheduled to commence on the 14th of January, 2022.

In a bid to accord the late monarch a befitting burial, a Central Planning Committee was inaugurated by the Wukari Traditional Council.

THISDAY gathered that upon its inauguration, the planning committee wrote a letter to the state government to request for funds to begin the processes for the burial rites.

After waiting for several weeks for a response from the government, the Secretary of the Wukari Traditional Council, Mr. Bala Useni wrote an open letter on behalf of the planning committee to all sons and daughters of Kwararafa Kingdom soliciting for funds for execute the burial rites.

However, the decision to write the letter did not go down well with the state governor who expressed his displeasure through a press release dated 4th January, 2022 and signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Bala Dan Abu.

The governor stated that the steps taken by the planning committee was not only distasteful but highly embarrassing to the state government and the entire Kwararafa race.

According to the statement, “The attention of His Excellency, Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku, Executive Governor of Taraba State, has been drawn to a letter purportedly written and signed by Bala Useni, Secretary, Wukari Traditional Council, on behalf of the Central Planning Committee soliciting for donations to fund the burial of the late leader of the Kwararafa Kingdom, His Majesty Dr. Shekarau Angyu Masa-Ibi..

“His Excellency, Governor Ishaku finds this step purportedly taken by the Planning Committee not only distasteful but highly embarrassing to the entire Kwararafa race. The Kwararafa people do not need to publicly solicit for funds to bury their traditional leader, a man who occupied one of Nigeria’s foremost traditional stools for about forty-five years and provided the most dedicated and patriotic service for which the nation remains eternally grateful to him.”

“Governor Ishaku has, therefore, assured that the Late Aku Uka could and would be honoured with one of the most outstanding rites of passage at the appropriate time with the state government playing a leading role. He, therefore, directed those behind the so-called letter soliciting for donations for this burial programmes to withdraw it immediately and to stop any further step that could further embarrass the state government and the entire Kwararafa people.”

Barely 24 hours later and apparently in compliance with the governor’s directive, the Secretary of the Wukari Traditional Council issued another statement urging public to disregard the earlier letter soliciting for funds saying “The Council further regrets any inconvenience(s) the letter might have caused.”

But in a swift reaction, a group under the auspices of Jukun Youth in Diaspora slammed the governor for abandoning the funeral rites for the burial of Aku Uka.

In a press release signed by the leader of the group, Ezekiel Apaji which was made available to journalists in Jalingo, the group stated that the Wukari Traditional Council and the planning committee had no choice but to solicit for open donation.

The group wondered why the traditional institution in the state, which had hitherto enjoyed government patronage under previous administrations would become a subject of ridicule when their own son is the governor.

According to the statement, “It is heartbreaking for us to read a letter trending on social media soliciting financial assistance BUT: Only the person that lacks goes out to seek donation. If the Taraba State Government takes the committee into cognizance and provided all that is needed they will never go public.

“For the record, we want to state that our traditional rulers have never been hungry and ruled with an empty stomach in the history of our land as when our son becomes a governor.

“During His Excellency former Governor Rev. Jolly T. Nyame we got a fitting Palace with outstanding allowances that makes the traditional council enviable of all sons and daughters of the land and during His Excellency late Pharm. Danbaba D. Suntai the status quo was maintained but for the past six years, we know how these councils were left unfunded and abandoned with months of outstanding salaries.

“We, therefore, stand with the Wukari Traditional Council even though it’s against our culture to go begging but it’s better to beg than to steal or covet people’s properties.”

Meanwhile, with less than a week to the commencement of the traditional burial rites of Aku Uka and the governor’s promise to be adequately involved in the ceremony, Jukuns and the entire Kwarararfa Kingdom all over the world are expectant of a befitting rite of passage for their great leader.