Barely a week after the Mai Borgu, the traditional ruler of Borgu Emirate, Alhaji Haliru Dantoro, Kitoro III, joined his ancestors, the jostle to fill the now vacant seat has commenced even as other ruling houses claim that they have not produced an Emir in the past 80 years.
It was gathered that in the lineage of the late Emir, no fewer than 25 persons have indicated interest in the position and the family has been meeting to narrow it down to a candidate that would be widely accepted for the position.
Consequently, the lineage of the late Emir which is the Kigara ruling house, resolved in a meeting during the week not to allow aspiration to the position divide them, as they resolved to remain united for the progress of the Borgu Kingdom.
Coming on the heels of the resolution of the family however, the other three ruling houses have alleged that for 80 years they have been neglected, stressing the Kigera ruling House has produced four Emirs consecutively.
The other ruling houses including Kitoro, Kpandara and Funli Gijin in a letter to the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, dated 3rd of November, 2015 titled, “Marginalization, abandonment, neglect and denial of other ruling houses and quest for fairness and redress,” and made available to journalists, claimed that for 80 years the Kigera ruling house has been the only one ruling the kingdom.
In the letter signed by Alhaji Mama Gani for Kitoro ruling house, Alhaji Mohjibrin Yamusa Borgu for Kpandara ruling house and Alhassan Musa for Funli gijin ruling house, they claimed that from1935 to date none of the ruling houses has produced an Emir except the Kigera ruling house.
In view of this, the three ruling houses said in the letter that, in the interest of justice the governor should support the rotation of the stool to the other three ruling houses that have been neglected for the 80 years.
When contacted, a government official who preferred anonymity simply stated that the state government’s role is to abide by the laid down rules and the decision of kingmakers, saying they are expected to be fair and just to all.
