His Excellency,
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Your Excellency,
We, the concerned Hausa people, write to you with utmost respect and deep concern regarding the traditional leadership structure in Northern Nigeria. Our request is centered on the urgent need to reform the chieftaincy system by transferring the powers of appointing and managing traditional rulers from state governors to the legislative arm of government. Furthermore, we call for the full restoration of Hausa traditional rulership, which was unjustly taken from the Hausa people and placed under Fulani dominance since the colonial era.
The Historical Injustice
It is an undeniable fact that the Fulani launched their invasion in the name of Jihad in 1804, leading to the establishment of the Sokoto Caliphate. However, in 1903, the British dismantled the Sokoto Caliphate following their conquest of Northern Nigeria. Instead of restoring the legitimate Hausa kingship, the colonial administration institutionalized Fulani rule, sidelining the indigenous Hausa rulers and imposing an alien authority over the Hausa people.
Despite the official end of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1903, the traditional chieftaincy system remained in the hands of Fulani rulers, even after Nigeria’s independence. This historical injustice has persisted for over a century, depriving the Hausa people of their rightful leadership and weakening their cultural and political identity. Today, prominent Fulani figures such as the District Head of Kiyawa, Aliyu Adamu, and certain Fulani scholars openly deny the existence of the Hausa people as a distinct entity, further highlighting the need for urgent corrective measures.
Our Appeal
We urge Your Excellency to take decisive action by introducing a constitutional framework that:
1. Transfers the authority over traditional rulers from state governors to the National and State Assemblies – This will ensure that traditional leadership is not manipulated for political interests but is rather subjected to democratic oversight.
2. Restores the traditional Hausa rulership to the rightful Hausa families – The process should identify pre-colonial Hausa ruling houses and reinstate their leadership over Hausa territories.
3. Ensures transparency and fairness in the selection of traditional rulers – A standardized system should be put in place to prevent political favoritism and ethnic bias in appointing traditional rulers.
Recommended Legal Framework
To support this vision, we propose the enactment of the following laws and constitutional amendments:
Traditional Rulers Reform Act: A law that removes the power of governors in appointing and dethroning traditional rulers, transferring it to legislative bodies at both federal and state levels.
Hausa Traditional Leadership Restoration Bill: A bill that mandates the review of historical leadership structures, with the goal of reinstating displaced Hausa ruling houses.
Chieftaincy and Indigenous Rights Act: A law ensuring that indigenous ethnic groups retain control over their traditional leadership structures without external interference.
Your Excellency, history will remember leaders who right the wrongs of the past. As the leader of Nigeria at this crucial time, you have the power to end over a century of injustice against the Hausa people by restoring their traditional rulership and ensuring fairness in the governance of traditional institutions.
We trust in your commitment to justice and fairness and hope that you will take action to address this critical issue.
Respectfully,
Concerned Hausa People
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