By Sandra Ukeredi
Abuja
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has kicked against a controversial clause in the proposed National Council for Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to make the Sultan of Sokoto and the Ooni of Ife permanent co-chairmen of the council.
In a strongly-worded statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Luka Binniyat, and made available to journalists in Abuja on Saturday, the Forum described the move as an insult to the historical and cultural heritage of the Middle Belt region.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau South), has passed second reading in the Senate and is currently before the Committee on Establishment and Public Service. But the MBF has raised serious objections, particularly against the permanent placement of the Sultan, warning that it undermines the dignity and status of traditional rulers from the Middle Belt.
Historical Superiority of Middle Belt Monarchies
The Forum argued that many traditional institutions in the Middle Belt predate and surpass the Sokoto Sultanate in historical relevance and authority.
“For instance, the ancient Kwararafa Kingdom, whose modern-day representative is the Aku Uka of Wukari, existed centuries before the Sokoto Caliphate was even imagined,” Binniyat stated. “How can the Sultan, whose dynasty only emerged in the 1800s, be placed above our monarchs in a national hierarchy?”
The Forum also highlighted the Attah of Igala, whose kingdom flourished long before the Fulani jihad, and the Tor Tiv, whose acephalous people were never conquered by the Caliphate—underscoring their independent cultural legacy.
Religious Bias and Security Complicity
The MBF condemned the move to elevate the Sultan—who doubles as the spiritual leader of Nigerian Muslims—as a permanent co-chair, calling it a direct threat to Nigeria’s secular identity.
“Traditional rulers are guardians of culture, not extensions of religion,” the Forum noted. “Imposing a religious figure as a permanent traditional leader sends a clear message that Nigeria is drifting toward theocracy.”
The Forum also raised red flags about the Sultan’s role as patron of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), which has been linked to relentless attacks and bloodshed across the Middle Belt.
“The Sultan has never forcefully denounced the atrocities committed by herdsmen. Instead, he remains silent, while our people are being massacred,” the statement said.
We’ll Form Our Own Council
Warning of the consequences if the bill becomes law, the MBF stated plainly that Middle Belt traditional rulers will boycott the Council.
“We will not accept a council where our respected monarchs must bow before the Sultan. If this injustice is forced on us, we will respond by establishing our own Council of Middle Belt Traditional Rulers,” the Forum declared.
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Demand for Rotational Leadership, Not Sultanate Supremacy
To ensure fairness, the Forum proposed that the leadership of the council be rotational across the six geopolitical zones or among Nigeria’s major ethnic groups.
“Why should two monarchs—one from the far North, one from the South-West—be permanently enthroned, while others are ignored? This violates the federal character principle and reeks of political domination,” Binniyat argued.
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Conclusion
The Middle Belt Forum vowed to resist the bill using every legal and democratic instrument available, declaring that Nigeria’s fragile unity must be grounded in justice, balance, and mutual respect.
> “We will not allow history to be rewritten in favour of one dynasty while others are erased. This bill is an insult to Nigeria’s cultural mosaic, and we reject it totally,” the statement concluded.
Dan Zaki Media 