Chieftaincy title conferred on Fani-Kayode tears Zamfara emirate council apart

The conferment of chieftaincy title on a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode is tearing the Shinkafi Emirate Council in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State apart.

The Emir of Shinkafi, Alhaji Mohammed Makwashe, had recently conferred on Fani-Kayode the title of Sadaukin Shinkafi. But the development has seen many of the traditional titleholders in the council resigning their position.

Among the chiefs to have tendered their resignation to Emir Isah are Hon. Bilyaminu Yusuf, Sarduauna Shinkafi; Alhaji Umar Bala Ajiya, Dan Majen Shinkafi and Hajiya Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, Iyar Shinkafi.

Tendering the resignation of their titles and position in the council in a letter dated Wednesday, July 22 and addressed to His Royal Highness, Alhaji Makwashe, the chiefs decried the conferment of such a title on Fani-Kayode.

The letter signed by one of them, Yusuf, who is also the Commissioner, North-West National Assembly Commission, Abuja, read:

“With utmost respect and obedience, we write to tender our resignation as titleholders of Shinkafi Emirate Council in view of recent out of thought chieftaincy conferment on former Minister of Aviation, Hon. Femi Fani-Kayode as Sadaukin Shinkafi.

READ ALSO: Ex-Gov Yari denies assaulting airport staff, threatens to drag Fani-Kayode to court

“We view this conferment against the functions and ideals of traditional councils such as contribution to the development of administration, economic policy, security, culture, customs, religious dispute and general wellbeing of the citizens.

“The conferment is not in conformity with any of the above core values. Conferment should be based on these important principles and not politically instigated to divide and cause chaos to good citizens of Zamfara State, the northern part of Nigeria and Nigeria at large.

“In view of the above, we hereby tender our resignation until Sadaukin Shinkafi is relinquished and we implore other titleholders to do the same.”

Two other traditional title holders, Dr Suleiman Shuaibu and Dr Tijani Usman Danfodio were said to have also pulled out of Shinkafi Emirate Council due to the same issue.

The conferment of the title on Fani-Kayode came after the former minister recently in a tweet said, “I have always said that ex-Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulazeez Yari is an animal. He is not only a crooked, corrupt and violent beast but he also spent years bathing in and drinking the blood of his own people by encouraging and actively supporting the activity of killer bandits.”

Fani-Kayode had written that while responding to the allegation by the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) that Yari flouted Covid-19 directives and assaulted an airport staff at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.

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