Arewa Community Pledges Loyalty to Olubadan

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

The Sarkin Sasa in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Alhaji Haruna Maiyasin, has pledged the loyalty of the Arewa community in Ibadan to the leadership and authorities of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun.

This is just as he disclosed that he was installed as Sarkin Sasa by the palace of Olubadan back in 1983 during the reign of Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike and has continued to dutifully respect the Olubadan throne.

Maiyasin, who spoke through the Council of Arewa Traditional Rulers and Chiefs in the 17 Southern States, at a press conference held in his palace, in reaction to an alleged insubordination and disrespect towards the Olubadan levelled by the Sarkin Hausawa of Ibadanland, Alhaji Ali Zungeru, urged Oba Balogun to call Zungeru to order in order not to cause mayhem in Ibadan in particular and the state in general. 

Zungeru had purportedly last week suspended Maiyasin during a community meeting held at his Sabo palace in Mokola, Ibadan.

But the Uban Gari of Sasa, Alhaji Isa Nalado; Secretary, Sarkin Sasa palace, Alhaji Adam Haruna and the Sarkin Samari of Shuwa/Arab of Nigeria, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammed, while speaking on behalf of the council, said Maiyasin is only answerable to the exalted leadership and institution of Olubadan of Ibadanland to which he is loyal and subject to. 

The council maintained that Zungeru has no powers to remove Maiyasin because he was not installed by him.

Muhammed noted that Maiyasin was designated as Sardaunan Yamma and Chairman of the Council of Arewa Traditional Rulers and Chiefs in the 17 southern states of Nigeria in 1994, adding that the appointment, endorsed by 56 Arewa traditional rulers, holds precedence over the Sarkin Hausawa of Ibadanland.

He said: “All the Hausawa from the affected states endorsed the decision to appoint Maiyasin as Chairman of the Council. He was given certificate as confirmation. So, you cannot remove the person that you did not appoint. We are committed to the leadership of the Olubadan of Ibadanland as well as other authorities therein.

“Maiyasin is only answerable to the exalted leadership and institution of Olubadan of Ibadanland to which he is loyal and subject to. The Sarkin Hausawa of Ibadanland, Zungeu has no powers to remove Maiyasin because he was not installed by him.

“We are hereby appealing to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Balogun, to please intervene by calling Zungeu and his co-travellers to order in order not to let the disgruntled elements to cause mayhem in Ibadan in particular and the state in general.”