Takum Chieftaincy Dispute:

Social Activist Rikwense Muri Disagree with Taraba Attorney-General over Court of Appeal Ruling 

Dear Barr Yakubu Maikasuwa, the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Taraba State.

Why I Disagree with You on the Appeal Court Decision on Takum Chieftaincy Dispute 

You are a lawyer and I am a citizen, I beg to disagree with you on your interpretation of the Judgement of the Court of Appeal on Takum Chieftaincy Dispute which set aside the judgement of the Taraba State High Court Jalingo which dismissed the petition of the Ukwe Takum Royal Families and ordered the inauguration of Barr Sopiya Boka Ahmadu as Chief of Takum. You are a party to this case and cannot be a Judge here. You masterminded the rotational law in Takum to misled Dr Agbu Kefas administration to destroy Kuteb culture and traditional heritage in Takum. 

From day one I have advised you that you can advise the Governor to create a new Chiefdom but not to uproot an ancient Chiefdom recognized by the laws of the British colonial Government, Regional Government of Northern Nigeria, Gongola State Government and the Taraba State Government. Nigerian constitution and international conventions on preservations of culture and traditions are all on the side of the Kuteb. There is no way you will succeed in this case. 

Having failed at the appeal, you are now trying to be mischievous by posing as a judge in the case you have lost with your interpretation of a simple Court pronouncement. As far as I am concerned, you are wrong in your position concerning the status of Barr Sopiya Boka Ahmadu. He was sworn in by the order of the court and now that order has been set aside, his inauguration and staff of office is now null and void pending the retrial. You lack the lucus standi to change the judgement of the Appellant Court sir. 

I will advise you not to  allow this case to be decided by the court because as it stands, there is still opening for dialogue on Takum and it's not too late for the state government to look into this matter again and restrategize in the interest of sustainable peace in Takum. Leave Ukwe Takum alone and use your power to do whatever you want to do with the Chamba and Kpanzon districts in Takum. You can grade them into something higher than first class, that is none of our business. But if you try to temper with the Ukwe Takum stool that the Kuteb Royal families have nurtured from 3rd class stool in 1914 to 2nd class stool in 1982 and 1st Class stool in 2005, you are looking for trouble which is against the ethics of your profession as a lawyer and a human rights advocate. 

However, if you don't want to intervene, don't misinterpret the judgement of the Appellant Court on a case that you're a party and you lost out. Please our dear commissioner of Justice, don't turn yourself into a commissioner of injustice, because posterity will judge you. 

Whatever happens,  know that you're not above the law and being a SAN is a privilege that can be taken away from if you fail to live up to the expectation. Hence you must value it more than your political appointment and loyalty to the current government that is fighting to undermine the Kuteb people to impress General T.Y Danjuma and his Chamba kinsmen in Takum. 

For the past one year since you installed Barr Sopiya Boka Ahmadu as a rotational 1st Class Chief of Takum, it is clear to all who care to know that he cannot rule over Takum as a traditional ruler. Ukwe Takum, His Royal Highness, Ukwe Rimamnyang Habu Ahmadu II is the Traditional Ruler of Takum as he has assumed the throne of his forefathers. If you love Sopiya and the Chamba that much, you can create something for them without resorting to destroying Kuteb traditional heritage that will only create instability.

 Do something that will be sustainable and write your name in gold since your first attempt to undermine the Kuteb nation has failed. 

A stitch in time saves nine. 

Amb Rikwense Muri, mspsp, mnipr

President, STYCOP Peace Project