Ugo Willy, Gombe
The indigenous people of Tangale in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State have again come down hard on Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for imposing a non-Tangale man on their revered stool of ‘Mai Tangle’.
The staunch resistance to the announcement of Malam Danladi Sanusi Maishanu in early 2021 as the first class traditional chief, ‘Mai Tangle’, following the death of the 15th Mai, Abdu Buba Maisheru, resulted in a crisis that caused the destruction of some lives and properties worth millions of naira in Billiri town.
Since then, the Tangale people have experienced a very frosty relationship with the Governor for refusing to tow the decision of the Tangale kingmakers who chose Dr. Musa Idris Maiyamba, on their behalf as the 16th ‘Mai Tangle’.
In joint press statement signed by Tangale Elders Forum, Tangale Community Development Association, Kwagam Tangle Socio-Cultural Association and Tangale Community Overseas, foremost critical stakeholders of the Tangale nation, expressed how slighted they have been by the Governor for continuously describing Malam Danladi Sanusi Maishanu as the ‘Mai Tangle’.
They, therefore, demand Governor Yahaya to stop parading a non-Tangale man as ‘Mai Tangle’, threatening that, “we will no longer accept that. He cannot be Mai Tangle, and the Tangale people will continue to reject him”.
They also demanded that the Billiri Local Government Council should stop inviting and parading Mal. Danladi as Mai Tangle.
“We appeal to the royal fathers and the Gombe State Council of Chiefs to stop recognizing Malam Danladi Sanusi as Mai Tangle; he is not a Tangale man, nor from the Tangale royal blood line;
“His appointment by Governor Yahaya is a violation and abuse of the Tangale culture. Danladi has no right, nor any business sitting amongst you (State traditional council) representing the Tangale people”, the statement alleged.
The statement went further into the archives to profile the roots of Malam Danladi to prove his non-alignment with the Tangale blood adding, “For the record, Malam Danladi’s biological father (unknown) and biological mother (late Mama Rachael) were not of Tangale extract”.
Parts of the statement stressed further:
“The person whom Malam Danladi claims to be his father, that is, late Malam Maishanu Maiyamba, was known to be infertile; he never gave birth to anyone”, they alleged further.
“We know every descendant of the Maiyamba family; Danladi is not one of them. We challenge anyone holding a contrary opinion to prove otherwise.
“Late Malam Maishanu (Danladi’s father) was a health inspector (Duba Gari) whose work had taken him to various places in the then Tangale Waja Native Authority, including Nyuwar town, where he met Danladi’s mother. His lifestyle was known to many people in Tangale land, some of them, still alive.
“In the mid-1960s when Mal. Danladi’s mother arrived in Billiri town to join Maishanu as wife, she came along with a daughter, between 3-5 years old, called Bebi, and a 5-month old pregnancy (Danladi’s).
“Knowing his infertility condition, and having parted ways with her for more than two years, Maishanu rejected both Rachael and the pregnancy, simply because there was no way she could carry a five month old pregnancy for him.
“Despite pressure from his elder brother, the 13th Mai Tangle, Malam Iliyasu Maiyamba, and a relative, Baba Majidadi Lakwas, late Maishanu remained adamant and maintained his position. It is a known fact that Mal. Danladi was not born in late Maishanu’s house, but that of Baba Majidadi Lakwas.
“Having enumerated the above, we challenge Mal. Danladi to publicly dispute our claims by listing out his siblings, individuals who are offspring of late Mal. Maishanu.
“In all this, we blame the Maiyamba ruling family for their silence over this matter, and for allowing Mal. Danladi contests for the stool of Mai Tangle up to three times under their family flag, knowing fully well he is not one of them. The Tangale people will not keep quiet and allow this illegality to continue”, the statement explained.
They questioned the motive of Governor Inuwa Yahaya for forcefully imposing a non-Tangale man as Mai Tangle contrary to provisions of their culture and wishes.
They also alleged that right from the beginning, Governor Inuwa manipulated his way using government officials to ensure two out of the nine Tangale kingmakers voted for the non-Tangale man.
They called on the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigerian Police Force to stop inviting Tangale people for questioning over the issue of Mai Tangle, stressing, “your past investigations would have shown that Malam Danladi is not a Tangale man, therefore, stop bothering us over a situation you assisted Gov. Inuwa to create.
“We have tolerated this charade for three years, we therefore call on the National Security Adviser (NSA) Malam Nuhu Ribadu to impress on Governor Yahaya to remove the person he forcefully placed in the palace of Mai Tangle.
“No one should make a mistake; Tangale people remain resolute and unshaken on this matter. We know our history; no one can rewrite it”, they demanded.
Those who signed the statement were Elder Tele K. Elsa, Secretary, Tangale Elders Forum; Mr. Reuben A. Bauna, Secretary, Tangale Community Development Association; Major B. S. Uba (rtd), Secretary, Kwagam Tangle Socio-Cultural Association and Mr. Lamela Umaru Lakorok, Secretary, Tangale Community Overseas
