By Khalid Idris Doya A former governorship candidate of the African Liberation Party (ALP) in Bauchi State, Alhaji Umar Musa Gwaskwaram, h...
By Khalid Idris Doya
A former governorship candidate of the African Liberation Party (ALP) in Bauchi State, Alhaji Umar Musa Gwaskwaram, has called on Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed and the Bauchi State House of Assembly to create three additional emirates and more districts across the state in the interest of justice, equity, and accelerated development.
Gwaskwaram made the appeal on Wednesday while speaking with journalists in Bauchi. He commended the governor for strengthening traditional institutions but noted that some areas remained marginalised and required urgent attention.
According to him, the state government should be more proactive by creating new emirates from the Katagum Emirate and additional districts within the Bauchi Emirate to promote fairness and balanced development.
He specifically proposed the creation of Zaki–Sakwa Emirate, Itas–Gadau Emirate, and Shira–Disina Emirate from the existing Katagum Emirate.
Gwaskwaram noted that some of the oldest kingdoms in Bauchi State—such as Tashena, Shira, and Mashema—which emerged between 1000 and 1400 AD, originated from these areas and deserved formal recognition.
He further stated that within the Bauchi Emirate, areas such as Munmunsal and Gwaskwaram had suffered neglect since the colonial era, largely due to the absence of adequate traditional governance structures.
He stressed the need for the creation of more districts, wards, and village heads in the affected areas as a strategic step toward deepening grassroots governance and development.
Gwaskwaram also lauded Governor Bala Mohammed’s recent creation of 13 new emirates, one chiefdom, and 144 additional district heads, describing the move as commendable and capable of enhancing the delivery of democratic dividends.
However, he pointed out that of the 14 new traditional institutions created, eight emerged from the Bauchi Emirate—namely Bununu, Lere, Darazo, Duguri, Toro, Lame, Jama’a, and the Sayawa Chiefdom.
He said three emirates were created from the Ningi Emirate—Burra, Ari, and Warji—one from Misau Emirate, and only two from the Katagum Emirate, despite Katagum having seven local government areas.
He therefore appealed to the government to review what he described as an imbalance in the interest of justice and fairness.
Gwaskwaram, a former Special Adviser to ex-Governor Isa Yuguda on Giade Local Government Area, urged the governor to further establish more emirate councils to enhance socio-economic growth and improve access to traditional leadership.
He expressed optimism that the governor and the state assembly would heed the call, urging them to consider the merits of creating additional districts despite opposition from what he described as self-centred interests.
He advised the governor to remain focused on policies that would deliver sustainable development and not allow interference from a few individuals.
Gwaskwaram emphasised that the Katagum Emirate is vast and poses challenges for effective administration, noting that the Emir finds it difficult to tour all districts regularly, thereby making the creation of three additional emirates necessary to strengthen grassroots governance.
He recalled that even the Sokoto Caliphate was restructured in the interest of development, just as states and local governments were later created to replace regional administrations.
He listed the benefits of the proposed reforms to include enhanced socio-economic development, equitable distribution of democratic dividends, fair representation in political appointments, and healthy competition in the implementation of government policies and programmes.
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