Last week, the Government of Edo State issued a stern warning over some controversy that appeared to be going out of control in the state.
The controversy had to do with the complaints received from indigenes and residents of Edo State over the purported move to embark on the coronation of one Idriss Addano as Sultan of Shuwa Arab of Edo state. A traditional title reserved mainly for Muslims from the northern states of Nigeria.
Trouble started when news began making waves that plans are underway to install a Sultan in predominantly Christian Edo State, most folks went to town with conspiracy theories that the coronation was yet another attempt by Nigeria’s ruling class to “Islamise Nigeria.”
The controversy got heated in Edo State and the tension has spilled into the social media space, until Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki issued a bare-knuckled warning that any move to install a Sultan in a domain where the Oba has held sway for centuries, would constitute a direct assault on the traditions, customs, and culture of the people of Edo State.
Governor Obaseki accused the people behind the planned coronation of having”sinister motives” and of “trying to abuse the well-known Edo hospitality by their act of sacrilege.
Obaseki in a statement released on Friday, August 19, 2021, through the Secretary to the Edo State Government described the situation as “a potential threat to the peace and security of Edo State, with the capacity to cause a breakdown of law and order as citizens of the state are likely to be provoked by the obnoxious ceremony.”
While responding to the controversy after the government order, the leader of the Shua Arab in Edo State, Alhaji Idris Adanno, came out to say it was all a misunderstanding, and it wasn’t that deep as they comprehended.
Adanno said the controversy arose from the name, and that there was nothing sinister behind the move.
According to Adanno in his explanation, he said “The whole issue was misunderstood because of the language used. All the tribes from the north who are resident in Edo State are all under the Sarkin Hausawa but we all now have our sarkin like those of Kanuri, Nupe, and others.
“In our Shua language, Sultan is our sarkin and we only wanted to celebrate my appointment as the head of Shua Arab in Benin because we are the second-largest local ethnic group from the north.
“We are all under Sarkin Hausawa of Benin who gave us an introductory letter which we submitted before the Governor of the state, the Oba of Benin, and the Secretary to State Government.”
Adanno added that the coronation of a Sultan in Benin City has now been shelved to avoid trouble and a heating up of the polity.
“We are all law-abiding citizens and under the laws of the state. We are also loyal to our royal father the Oba of Benin who is father to all of us.
“We apologize to the state government for the mix-up and as law-abiding citizens, we have also canceled all the activities we wanted to do as directed by the state government,” Adanno added.
It was gathered that the leader of the Hausa community in Benin, The Sarkin Hausawa of Benin, Alhaji Adamu Isa also said that the people involved “are a community resident in Edo and they have a large percentage of their people here too. They are into cattle breeding and other businesses.
He said “The thing is a misuse of language from them.
While explaining he said “About five months ago, they came to me that since they are large, they want to have a traditional head so I told them to go and look for someone among them who is going to be their leader and so they came with one Idris and then some issues came up then I asked them to go and resolve it.
“I gave them a date to come back. And then we did the turban of their leader so that in case we have issues concerning them, we know who to hold responsible.
“The whole issue was misunderstood. I was born and bred here in Benin, my father was born and bred here in Benin so I understand the tradition and custom of the land and the laws of the state. It was just a misuse of language. Sultan in their language means sarkin.”
In any case, to forestall a recurrence, Governor Obaseki has warned that: “Under the Edo State Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Law, it is an offense for anyone to proclaim himself, or allow himself to be proclaimed as the holder of any traditional title not recognized under the said law and/or without the approval of the appropriate authorities.”
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