Thread by @j_esla

Ok let’s X-ray Nasarawa state. Shall we?
Nasarawa state was created in 1996 by Gen Abacha.
As far as State creation is concerned, Nasarawa state is an aberration in the school of logic for so many reasons.

https://twitter.com/muzangdab_10/status/1643547790134345730

1. There was no real agitation by locals for a creation of the state. This is the foundation for the creation of almost all states in Nigeria today. The local population in Nasarawa state, at least till the creation of the state in 1996, never put up any serious agitation or

or demand for a State. If you have evidence of this- meetings, pressure groups, official petitions to the FG etc, please furnish me.

2. Most states drew from prominent features in their states to derive their names. From rivers to hills to valleys to special features of its

major inhabitants.
Based on this, you’d expect THE MADA to play a prominent role. Why?
- the most prominent feature in the state is the Mada/Eggon hills (Keffi/Maloney Hills will come 2nd)
-Most tribes are known as the Mada tribes (Eggon, Mada, Alago, Ninzo etc) and they had

in excess of 80% of the population at that time. Recent Hausa migration has diluted this a little but the Mada tribes are still undisputed majority.
There’s so much I can’t unpack in a thread. Agrrrr🤦🏾‍♂️😫
Well moving on…

Let’s talk about the Keffi Emirate.
This is the oldest

Emirate in Nasarawa state. Was formed in the early 19th century, when our kin in that area (Gwandara I think) were defeated in a Jihad led by Zanga something (I’ve forgotten 🤦🏾‍♂️). The Emirate was subservient to the Zaria Emirate. 1 of the Emirs fucked with the colonialists in the

early 20th century and had to run to Kano for protection. Well the Kano Emirate negotiated on his behalf and I think that’s where allegiance switched to Kano Emirate. So the Keffi Emirate was designated a place of exile for people from the Kano Emirate. After the creation of

Nasarawa state, the whole state became the exile location for the Kano Emirate. Now you know why Sanusi was banished to Nasarawa State in 2020 after being deposed😁
Just google ‘Emir Sanusi banished’
Are you not excited with this finding?
After the creation of the state, Keffi

was propped up to be the Capital so that it’s highest traditional ruler, the Emir, can head the traditional council. Problem was it’s proximity to Abuja. A capital there and the concomitant population explosion, in addition to the population explosion expected in Abuja that will

naturally rub off to that axis may be difficult to handle. Abuja is planned to the letter. Lagos dey learn work🤣😁. Akwanga was 2nd consideration but was dropped too. Despite it being the commercial nerve center of the proposed state, there was also some gist which I won’t go

into. Sha it was dropped too. Then comes Lafia which won.
It was actually like magic, coz if you think of it from strictly a Hausa perspective. A state of Nasara with a capital of Lafia is poetic 😁. Those wey no understand Hausa, I no go translate. Hausa is a fine language in

its own right.
So the question of head of traditional council had no answer because there was no 2nd or 1st class chief in that axis. All 3rd class.
Now I’m not sure if the Lafia Emirate existed on 3rd class level or it was non-existent. My history here is fuzzy. Well, with the

creation of the state, a Lafia Emirate was made 1st class and installed as the head of the traditional council.

So now let’s crystallize all we’ve learnt so far.
All basic principles that guided state creation like agitation, self determination of state name, capital etc was

suspended in the creation of a Nasarawa State, then the exile location of the Kano Emirate expanded from Keffi Emirate to the whole Nasarawa State after it’s creation.
It is only LOGICAL to conclude that the hands of the Hausa-Fulani, which controlled the FG that created the

state, created a sweet spot for their banished individuals.
If you have a superior logic backed up by facts like I have enumerated, please share.
So if a people, who were starved of their basic right of self determination when their geographical area was carved up and an identity

was slapped on it, decides that the identity does not represent who they are, does the question
‘the word Nasarawa is which language please?’ sound logical?

We are #MiddleBelt please.

Thank you.

Selah