By Newscount
A Hausa group has called for the withdrawal of a bill passed by the Nigerian Senate, which seeks to establish a National Council of Traditional Rulers with the Sultan of Sokoto and the Ooni of Ife as permanent co-chairmen. The group argues that the bill is ethnically biased, historically misleading, and constitutionally indefensible.
The group stated that the Sultan of Sokoto is a religious leader, not a traditional ruler in the cultural sense, and his authority is centered around Islamic religious interests. They pointed out that the bill excludes other major ethnic groups in Nigeria, such as the Hausa, Igbo, Kanuri, and others, who have their own traditional institutions and historical presence.
The Hausa people believe that the bill promotes ethnic hierarchy, not unity, and risks entrenching resentment, division, and institutionalized injustice. They emphasized that no single monarch can represent entire regions or religions, and that the bill’s provisions are unacceptable.
The group demanded the complete withdrawal or fundamental redrafting of the bill, guided by principles of ethnic equity, historical legitimacy, and federal character. They argued that any national traditional leadership must be based on inclusive dialogue and not political favoritism.
The Hausa group also noted that the bill’s elevation of only two monarchs from two ethnic groups – Fulani and Yoruba – is a deliberate marginalization of other Nigerian civilizations. They emphasized that Daura, not Sokoto, is the traditional cradle of Hausa kingship, and Sokoto is the capital of the Fulani empire, not an indigenous Hausa kingdom.
