Colourful celebration ushered in new Hama Bachama in Adamawa

while all the major roads leading to the ancient town became unusually busy as guests flooded in for the presentation of staff of office to the 28th ruler of the Bachama kingdom, retired Colonel Honest Steven Irmiya.Hotels in the state capital Yola as well as Demsa and Lamorde local governments, where some guests passed the […]

while all the major roads leading to the ancient town became unusually busy as guests flooded in for the presentation of staff of office to the 28th ruler of the Bachama kingdom, retired Colonel Honest Steven Irmiya.
Hotels in the state capital Yola as well as Demsa and Lamorde local governments, where some guests passed the night before proceeding to Numan for the event, had their rooms fully booked so also hotels.
Protocol and security arrangements put in place on Saturday at Numan Stadium provided an idea of the caliber of personalities expected to grace the historic event. The venue wore a royal look, with embroidered canopies, mighty stands and decorated chairs, media vans and live transmission gadgets.
Soldiers and armed policemen were drafted as early as 8am to ensure order and provide necessary protection, while different paramilitary groups, ranging from Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Civil Defence to Peace Corps all assisted in making the venue safe and secure. This is not to mention the role played by local vigilante groups as well as palace guards.
More interesting was how the locals lined themselves along the road to welcome the guests.
The ceremony gathered momentum as batches of tint-glass jeeps and limousines that were closely guarded by security escorts began to file in to the venue, filling the air with their sirens.
In the festive mood, the royal fathers arrived one after the other in majestic strides, accompanied by their respective courtiers, palace guards and praise singers, before taking their reserved seats on the front row alongside top politicians and government functionaries from federal and state levels.
In attendance was former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Governor Murtala Nyako and his
Deputy, Bala James Ngilari, the Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ahmad Umar Fintiri, Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Iliyasu Ismail and the Lamido of Adamawa, Dr. Muhammadu Barkindo Mustafa. Others were the Emir of Mubi, Alhaji Isa Ahmadu, the Tor Tiv, Dr. Alfred Akawe Torkula and a host of other dignitaries.
The new Hama Bachama succeeded Homun Asaph Zadok who died recently.
The presence of the Sultan of Sokoto represented an important diplomatic landmark in the history of the Bachama kingdom and Sokoto. It is the first time the kingdom was hosting a ruler from the Sokoto caliphate in the 300 years of its existence.
The celebrant could not ignore such a new page in the history of relationship between his kingdom and the sultanate in his speech, in which he called for a close ties between the two kingdoms. He believed the two kingdoms could benefit from improved relations, especially at a time when the country was searching for solutions to its multifarious security problems.
“His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto today made a history for us as the first royal guest from the Sultanate to set a foot in the Bachama kingdom. We see this an honour,” he said.
Typical of a peacemaker and a competent ruler of a kingdom that is home to several ethnic and religious groups, the Bachama ruler gave an open invitation to all Nigerians irrespective of their origin or faiths to make the kingdom their home.
He held that a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural kingdom is the basis for economic and social transformation of the modern day society. To him, cross-fertilization of ideas and social experiences is vital in creating understanding, social harmony and economic relationships.
On the home front, he sought for an end to the internal crisis between sons and daughters of the chiefdom, saying the division had affected their progress and weakened the bond between them as well as led to unnecessary loss of the esteem for which Bachama people were known. He emphasized genuine reconciliation between brothers who must work together to move their people forward in all the areas of human endeavour like education, healthcare, culture, trade among others.
At the height of the occasion, just before the presentation of staff of office, a cultural interlude preceded the state governor’s speech. Dancers and drummers from the many tribal groups inhabiting the Bachama Kingdom from Numan and Lamorde local governments showcased their artistic talents. Tribes such as Bata, Mbula Fulani, Jukun, Hausa, Nupe, Nunguda, Kilba and Mumuye paid their allegiance in artistic fashion. The cultural show which comprised dancing, drumming and masquerade display, added colour to the occasion.
More to that, was a side attraction where the Sarkin Samari of Bachama Kingdom, Alhaji Muhammadu Mahase, led about 100 young men adorned in rich traditional attires that signified the composition of the chiefdom. Some rode on decorated horses, while others trekked in to the venue in an orderly and harmonious fashion. The youths stole the show, attracting applause from the guests.
In the kingdom, Sarkin Samari, meaning youth leader, is an important title which mobilizes youth from different backgrounds for peace and development of the community.  
Governor Nyako was no less happy to inaugurate a visionary leader, whose capability, he knew very well since their days in military, when they both served the country. Describing the new Hama Bachama as the best man for the job considering the challenges Bachama people and Nigerians face, Nyako extolled the patience, magnanimity and love that the retired colonel exuded, as well as his burning desire to restore the glory of the kingdom.
“We must recognize the traditional institutions in line with modern governance, to be able to derive the benefit of their experience in bringing government closer to the people. The institution has survived the colonial era, independence struggle and the military rule with its dignity intact. They will therefore remain relevant until the end of time. Numan was the paradise youths from different ethnic and religious background visited; that glory must return. His Highness, Honest Irmiya has been a man of peace who can help us return to the golden age and ensure peaceful existence and economic transformation,” the governor said.
The new Hama Bachama was born in Lagos on March 6, 1954 to the family of Warrant Officer Irmiya Stephen, a prince of Numupo ruling clan and Mrs Lekoni Irmiya, a princess of Kowo clan, both under the Bachama kingdom.