Behold new Madakin Fika
Though not necessarily from the royal family, the Madaki in Fika Emirate of Yobe State exert a lot of influence in the traditional set-up.
In Fika Emirate of Yobe State, the Madaki is very influential. He functions as the stabilizer and a link between the courtiers, the Emir, the title holders and the princes. Above all, he decides who the Emir becomes.
However, before now the “Madaki” was known as “Tinja.” The change was brought about by colonial rule but the function is the same.
The Madaki function as the leader of all title makers and chief king maker of the emirate. He also has the final decision of who becomes the ‘Moi’ (King) during the pre-colonial period.
It was also gathered that the title of the Madaki is reserved “only for special citizens in Fika emirate.”
The Tida of Fika, Professor Ibrahim Maina Waziri, explained that it was presumed that it was really not a single decision to decide who becomes the king but mainly based on consultations with those who mattered including some of the title holders who are the Madaki’s juniors. “But, principally, he is all alone known as the principal person who decides finally who becomes the Emir,” he said.
Our correspondent gathered that according to traditional, when the Moi (Emir) dies, the Madaki becomes the Regent involving taking control of the “Tambal”, a royal drum which is an insignia of power and authority of the Emir.
Anyone so appointed, it was gathered, must be handed over the drum, which now makes him to become the Moi-elect before the sevenday installation ceremony.
Waziri said that the Tambal, an insignia of power, shall remain under the custody of the Madaki until a new Emir emerges. According to him, “it is extremely important to note that any prince from the Moi line who gets control of this drum automatically became the Moi. That is why to maintain a succession base on the principal of right type of choice by the title holders who are in-charge of selection the new King.
“Immediately after the death of the Emir the Tambal is given into custody of Tinja until the decision is taken on who becomes the king, nobody would be in control of this drum. No Moi is in control of the insignia of power. When the selection is done, the Tinja is the final person who single-handedly hands over the drum to confirm the selection of the new king.
“The Madaki will also supervise the installation ceremony of the king after a seven week ceremony called ‘Daina Fokara.’ It is more important to take note of the fact that the Tinja is the most important title holder who is not from the royal family or even if he is a member of the royal family, once he became the Tinja he will now be the leader of the courtiers,” he said.
Accordingly, the Madaki plays the role of ensuring smooth succession from one king to the other. The Madaki has to exhibit a certain degree of fairness to the princes who are contesting to became the king, because he would hear their views and everything before he finally select one to became the king, and once that is done, there would no longer be an opposition; everyone would pay allegiance to the new king including the Madaki himself.
Although the process of appointing a Madaki is very rigid and rigorous, in the sense that it is not everybody who is eligible until such a person is of proven integrity and exhibited absolute loyalty to the royal family, particularly to the Emir. But, it is the absolute prerogative of the Emir to appoint the Madaki.
The Tida of Fika also stressed that the Emir would not appoint a Madaki without consulting some of his title holders, who are also very important interested parties.
“Also, the Madaki could also come from any person in the kingdom but the proviso is that he should not be a prince who is in succession line. He can only be a member of ‘Minda’, that is, a prince who belong to the female side but has to be trusted,” he said, giving an example of late Malam Adamu Ciroma whose mother happened to be a princess and proven himself as somebody of high integrity. “The present Madaki is not a member of the royal family or any of the hierarchy of the title but a citizen of Fika Emirate who has proven himself to be a person of integrity,” he explained.
The current Madaki of Fika, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba Fika was born in 1933. He is said to be the first Pharmacist from NorthEastern Nigeria. Until his selection as Madaki, he was the Galadima of Fika, which is, the principal assistant to Madaki and the District Head of Goya.
According to Professor Waziri, Garba was selected because of his proven integrity and role in stabilizing the royal family.