Selected Speeches By Emir Of Keffi At Different Events, Functions & Summits
Selected Speeches By Emir Of Keffi At Different Events, Functions & Summits
Isa Aliyu Ikara
eminenceroyaltymagazine@gmail.com
The fact that the Emir of Keffi, Dr. Shehu Usman Chindo Yamusa 111 is an astute scholar per excellent and a legal luminary, the monarch remains a careful speaker who always chooses his wordings to suit the nature of event, purpose and time of conveying the message. This has earned him greater respect and confidence not only from his subjects but also from Nasarawa state and Federal governments at large.
The Emir of Keffi has always directed his speeches towards peace, unity and harmonious coexistence to ensure rapid socio- economic and political development of the Emirate, State and Nation as a whole. He as well ensure that his pronouncements are not in conflict with government policies and designed programme, as he dutifully key into the government’s yearnings and aspirations for the betterment of the society.
Before we bring to you some of the Emir’s selected speeches, we feel it is only appropriate to begin with speech of the former Governor of Nasarawa State, Mallam Umar Tanko Al-makura while announcing the appointment of Dr. Shehu Chindo Yamusa 111 on the 14th December, 2021.
Al-Makura made the announcement at a meeting with the State’s Traditional Council in Lafia following the death of the occupant of the stool, Mohammed Chindo-Yamusa on December 4. He said the appointment was with effect from Dec.14, 2015. He said the Emir was selected by the king makers of Keffi Emirate Council. The former Governor added that the appointment came after a seven-day notice of the demise of the Emir in line with extant laws and guiding instruments of the Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Al-makura said Shehu Usman-Yamusa of the Abdul-Zanga royal family scored five votes during the selection, while his opponent Mohammed Suleiman scored two votes. Similarly, the former Governor had also delivered another speech during the presentation of First Class Staff Of Office to the Emir of Keffi. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura who installed and presented the first class staff of office to the 15th Emir of Keffi, Dr Shehu Chindo Yamusa III at a colourful ceremony held in Keffi, Keffi Local Government Area of the state, said the event marked an important mile-stone in the life of his administration given the vital role the traditional institution played towards ensuring lasting peace and security in the state.
He added that it was for the same reason his administration sought constitutional role for the institution. “Realising the strategic position of our royal fathers, we have since incorporated the traditional institution into the machinery of governance in Nasarawa State by engaging them in the affairs of government at all levels in the state. This has availed government of their wealth of experience and doggedness in our governance of Nasarawa State.
“This synergy has contributed immensely towards the sustenance of peace, tranquility and harmonious coexistence amongst our diverse people. A case in point is the active participation of our royal fathers in the community based conflict resolution mechanism of government in solving the herdsmen/farmers crises in the state. “As you are aware, since our coming on board we have remained consistent in our determination to ensure the inclusion of traditional rulers in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to enable our traditional institution to continue to play its pivotal role as custodians of our traditions, customs, heritage and, indeed, the conscience of the society.
“It is our conviction that when this is done, the traditional rulers will be more proactively complement government efforts towards the development of our society.” the former Governor said. He then announced that his administration has embarked on robust infrastructural development in Keffi and environs, saying “we have networked the city with asphalted roads and completed the abandoned Keffi Modern Market which will open commercial activities for the people.”
In one of his speeches, the rendition of the Emir of Keffi, Dr. Shehu Chindo Yamusa 111 is always on peace. At one of his meetings with Imams, Islamic clerics and representatives of market traders during the month of Ramadan in his palace, the Emir advised Islamic preachers against inciting sermons that could provoke the people against one another. “Religious preaching during this period should be targeted at maintaining a harmonious relationship among the people, and nothing should be done to divide the people,” he said.
The traditional ruler noted that harmonious relationship among the people should always be promoted to enhance peace, unity and progress of Keffi Kingdom, Nasarawa State and Nigeria in general. Chindo-Yamusa told the clerics of the importance of their roles as representatives of God, adding that they should always be shining examples in both their words and deeds.
The Emir who is also the Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, has tasked religious leaders in the country to preach sustainable gender equality and not to further polarise the nation through divisive teachings. He also called on women in active journalism to ensure enough and proper marketisation of women participation in politics. Moreover, the Royal father spoke on Tuesday, 14th Sept. 2021 in Abuja during the Nigerian Men Conference on Gender Sensitive Constitutional Reform which was organized by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.
He added that it is sad the voices of female journalists are not loud enough in key programmes that would sensitize or motivate women to participate actively in politics, and urged not to be discouraged. The Keffi Monarch while receiving members of the National Democratic Institute’s International Working Group for the SAGE programme, who visited him in his palace, in Keffi., tasked women to be actively interested in taking over leadership from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, saying he believes they can do so.
Dr. Yamusa III also said Nigerians, regardless of ethnicity or political affiliations, must separate cultural sentiments from politics for the best leaders to emerge in the country. “Most importantly, I will like to draw the attention of the entire nation to the fact that culture and politics are two different things.
He said the use of poor strategies had greatly affected the intentions of women’s participation in politics and went ahead to task all “politicians subscribing to the stringent culture of stopping women to be active in the electoral processes and decision making to desist from these archaic ways of behaviour.” He called on the leadership of all political parties to include in their manifestos, certain reserved positions for women which must be noticed in the crusade of making women more inclusive, and to participate, rather than being passive.
During the #EndSARS protest, the emir, in one of his speeches admonished the youth in Keffi not to participate in the planned #EndSARS Protest in the state. The Emir, who gave the advice at a session with newsmen in Keffi, said that Keffi had enjoyed relative peace over the years and therefore needs no protest in the area.
“We have enjoyed relative peace not only in keffi but across the state since the assumption of office of our Executive Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule. “I am appealing to the youth across the country to sheath their sword as the Government is not sleeping over their demands,” the Emir said.
During the 2019 electioneering campaign, t the emir of Keffi, was quick to warned youths against snatching of ballot boxes in the forthcoming elections. Yamusa who gave the warning in an interview with the Newsmen warned against thuggery, advising the youth to exercise their voting rights without conflict..
He said it was their constitutional right to vote for candidates of their choice without let or hindrance, and urged the youth to shun politicians who might want to use them negatively at the polls. “Don’t allow any politician to use you as a tool for violence for any amount because it is against the spirit of the electoral law, ‘’ he said.
In another interaction with journalists, the Emir spoke on the plight of Almajirai children in the state, saying that over 13,000 Almajiri children have been registered in Keffi Local Government Area, Nasarawa State. While 8, 000 out-of-school children have been identified and returned to schools in the area. According to the monarch, the decision by the emirate council to embark on the headcount of the Almajiri children and the out-of-school children was to reduce the increasing number of the children being brought in and dumped in the state.
According to him, the situation is fast becoming worrisome to the wellbeing and security of the children and the state. He urged all stakeholders to play their individual and collective roles to enhance the social wellbeing of such children for brighter future of the younger generation.
