Culture & TraditionNigeriaPeopleSPECIAL REPORT: 20 Years On the Throne: The Day I Will Not Forget In My Life – HRH Gwanwari Ganye

https://www.westafricanpilotnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Gangwari-Ganye-Umaru-Adamu-Sanda-05-13-20-1280x853.jpg

It was on the same day May 13, twenty years ago, the town of Ganye in the Adamawa State went agog as peoples from all walks of life within and outside the shores of the country converged to witness the epoch-making presentation of the staff of office to the paramount ruler of Chamba speaking nations, the Gangwari Ganye  Alh. (Dr.) Umaru Adamu Sanda II.

Prominent personalities top government officials, security chiefs, business moguls, district heads, illustrious sons and daughters were all around for the historic event that later changed the narrative of this chiefdom.

Ganye Chiefdom has been modernized, several changes have been made in terms of personnel, procedures, and facilities that have been upgraded. This has made the Emirate Council standout as a role model, making it more effective and relevant to the contemporary world.

Gangwari Ganye Alhaji Dr. Umaru Adamu Sanda-II., with Gangwari staff of office.

Ganye chiefdom comprises three local government areas, namely Ganye, Jada, and Toungo. The Chiefdom is located in the southern part of Adamawa state. It has 18 districts, inhabited by many tribes which include: Chamba, Fulani, Mummuye, Hausa, Kanuri, Kutin, Verre, and some others with Chamba being dominant.

Each district is headed by a district head, all of whom report to Gangwari Ganye, a first-class traditional ruler-made of up of four permanent members and 30 titleholders.

The chiefdom has a serene, climatic condition and fertile soil that are favourable for agricultural activities.

 The present Gangwari Ganye Alh.(DR)Umaru Adamu Sanda, Gangwari Ganye the second, ascended the throne on 7th April 2000 and was presented with the staff of office on the 13th May 2000 succeeding his late father Adamu Sanda, Gwangwari Ganye the first, who passed away on 17th March 2000.

If not for the sorry situation of the novel coronavirus pandemic that brought the world to its knee, by this day (13th May 2020) Ganye town would have been agog with full of merrymaking festivities in celebration of the 20 years anniversary of the paramount ruler on the throne.

In compliance with social distancing and restriction of movements imposed to contain the spread of the pandemic the chiefdom decided to observe the low-key event with the monarch fielding questions from newsmen.

Speaking on his twenty years in office, Gangwari Ganye recalls,‘’ Alhamdulillah, glory be to the almighty Allah for making it possible to see this historic day.

‘’This day, 13th May, is a special and memorable day in my life; it’s a day that I will never forget, though it’s coming in a difficult time of coronavirus pandemic.

“I am most proud especially of the mammoth unprecedented crowd that thronged my coronation as the monarch of this chiefdom.

“Since my installation as the monarch of the Ganye Chiefdom, this community has been the most peaceful compared to other parts of the country.

“We have not witnessed any religious, ethnic, or geographical conflicts, even if does happen, it is usually settled within the local community.

“I am happy and fulfilled that I have reached twenty years in office and this kingdom has achieved much and contributed its quota to the development of this country,” Sanda said.

Giving a brief history of the chiefdom, the monarch explained,’’ It’s blessed with agricultural products which are produced in commercial quantities with oranges, pineapple, cocoa and kola-nuts also cultivated in reasonable quantities.

‘’Livestock, including cattle, goats, sheep, and chicken are also reared in commercial quantities. Several trucks and trailers laden with agricultural produce could be seen leaving Ganye on a daily basis, and this made Ganye chiefdom be regarded as the ‘Food Basket of Adamawa.’

‘’Similarly, the Gashaka /Gumti National Park which is the largest in Nigeria is situated at Gashaka local government of Taraba state and Tongo Local Government area in Ganye chiefdom of Adamawa state.

‘’The Gashaka/Gumti National park is the largest and most diverse conservation enclave in Nigeria attract several tourists within and outside the country.

‘’Ganye Chiefdom is very rich in solid mineral deposits, the most common of which are beryl, gypsum, kaolin, magnesite, gold, gemstones, iron ore, coal, and clay found in the rocky and mountainous parts of the chiefdom, and high levels of mining activities take place in the chiefdom.

On the success recorded in his reign the monarch recalls that‘’ the chiefdom is now one of the centres of learning in Adamawa state is now having public and private institutions which trained many prominent personalities occupying positions of authority in the public and private sectors across the globe.

 ‘’ Under my reign, the Chiefdom produced Nigeria’s vice president Atiku Abubakar, former PDP National Chairman Alh. Bamanga Tukur, Deputy Governor, Senator, 15 Professors and other technocrats, business moguls, prominent politicians, activists, and other personalities.’’

Speaking on the challenges of marking his 20th anniversary on the throne during a coronavirus pandemic, the native ruler said: “We have engaged all our communities on the compliance to all the rules guiding individuals and communities with respect to the coronavirus.

“Following the Executive Order by the governor of Adamawa State closing all cattle markets in the State, my chiefdom did not only comply with it, but we have taken a step further because I have ordered the temporary shutdown of all markets in our borders with Cameroon in order to prevent the community transfer of the disease from Cameroon into the State.

“Ganye market is attractive to people… especially [from] places worst hit by the virus-like Kano. We also do all we can to prevent them from coming in.”

The paramount ruler had prevailed on the need for governments at all levels to fast track investment in the agricultural sector in the country in order to diversify the Nigerian economy, boost internally generated revenue, and create employment for young people.

The Gangwari Ganye told reporters that his community, which is popularly dubbed the food basket of the Adamawa, lacks comprehensive and strategic investment in its agricultural endowments which has the potential to alter the landscape of Nigeria’s economy.

Umaru Sanda said his area grows cash and food crops that could be harnessed on an industrial scale but that the community would require investment in road networks and farm equipment to realise its true potential.

“I am happy and fulfilled that I have reached twenty years in office and this kingdom has achieved much and contributed its quota to the development of this country,” Sanda said.

 “Besides oil and gas, the next line for income generation for this country is agriculture because o it would raise the income level of our peasant farmers, diversify our economy and the trickle-down effect would be enormous.”

He added that “this kingdom is blessed with vast agricultural and natural resources with land stretching to the borders of the Cameroon republic.

“We grow crops like Cocoa, Irish potatoes, but there have not been markets for them after our people were encouraged by the government to go into Cocoa farming.

“We need government at all levels, federal, state, and local governments, to invest in both infrastructure like roads and farm implements, to aid our people [to] graduate from being just subsistence farmers to commercial and industrial farming.”

The ruler used the occasion to draw the attention of the government to the challenges of unemployment, saying: “Or communities cannot make progress without education and if we encourage our people to be educated and then there is no employment or some form of economic activities, then there is bound to be some deviation.”

Ibrahim Abdul' Aziz (Correspondent)
Follow me

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com