We can't withdraw title conferred on Fani-Kayode

By LEON USIGBE, Abuja

The Shinkafi Emirate Council of Zamfara State will not withdraw the chieftaincy title of Sadaukin Shinkafi conferred on former Aviation minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, because it is irrevocable.

This was stated by a member of the council, the Wambai Shinkafi, Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, who spoke on behalf of the emirate.

In a statement made available to the media in Abuja on Sunday, on the controversy accompanying the conferment of the title by the Emir Of Shinkafi Alhaji Muhammad Makwash, on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Shinkafi maintained that the title can neither be revoked nor reversed.

He explained that the conferment of chieftaincy titles is at the discretion of the Emir who determines who should benefit from the gesture.

Shinkafi added: “The so-called chieftaincy titleholders who are protesting the conferment of Femi Fani-Kayode were conferred with the honorary titles by the Emir, they are not kingmakers and are ignorant of the workings of the traditional institution in Zamfara State.

“I am the discretionary right of the Emir to decide who to confer an honorary Chieftaincy title on whether an indigene of the state or an outsider.”

He, therefore, cautioned that politicians should not bring ethnicity and religion into the matter.

Recall that since the title was conferred on Fani-Kayode last week, a number of Zamfara indigenes have spoken out against it while some members of the emirate council resigned their appointments in protest.

However, the Wambai Shinkafi argued: “Femi Fani-Kayode is not the only non-Muslim to bag a title from the North, it is worthy of note that several northern traditional rulers had conferred titles on southerners like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who was conferred with Chieftaincy title of Yallaban Sokoto, Chief Rochas Okorocha, Danjekan Sokoto, Senator Orji Uzo Kalu, Wakilin Anka, and former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who was conferred with the Garkuwan Manoman Zamfara. Barrister Solomon Dalung was conferred with Magayakin Bukkuyyum, Sen David Mark was conferred with Jarumin Kauran Namoda, Senator Victor Umeh, Jagaban Shinkafi The APC leader, Bola Tinubu has also bagged such title with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo. Why is FFK’s title different?

“There is no hatred between Muslims and Christians or northerners and southerners but some people who want to ignite hatred are reading political meaning to it. He was chosen so that we can foster unity. He served as a minister and represented the whole of Nigeria.”

He further stated that the five titleholders who resigned will soon be replaced even as he alleged that they are all loyalists and relatives of the immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, Abdul’aziz Yari, who

Fani-Kayode had a few days before receiving the title, criticized for allegedly flouting the Covid-19 protocols at an airport.

Shinkafi further stated: “The traditional title given to Chief Fani-Kayode is irreversible and irrevocable. Our emir is someone who has undiluted integrity. Whatever decision he takes, he stands by it. That is his ideology and principle. That was how he was raised.

“The conferment of titles is the prerogative of the emir. He reserves the right to give titles to anyone whether Christian or Muslim or Igbo, Yoruba or Itsekiri. We know where the heat is coming from. It is coming from the immediate past governor of Zamfara State Abdulazeez Yari. Those who have resigned their chieftaincy title given to them by emirate are affiliated with the former governor.”

Shinkafi enumerated the several traditional and academic titles he had been honoured with from different parts of the country and beyond, wondering why people have not protested against them.

“Why have all these places not protested these titles given to me and other northerners?” He asked.

He charged the security agencies to invite, for questioning, those he said are fanning the embers of crisis with a view to preventing them from causing chaos in Zamfara State in particular and the country as a whole.

On the calls for the Emir to resign Wamban Shinkafi stated that those agitating for it have no such powers based on the laws of the Zamfara State traditional institution.

According to him, it is only the state Governor, Dr Bello Matawallen, who has the constitutional powers to appoint an emir or district head and also the power to depose them “and the Governor has said that he cannot dictate to the emir on who to confer chieftaincy title on.” (Sunday Tribune)