Tangale Community in Diaspora Reaffirms Support for Dr. Maiyamba as Mai Tangle, Faults Appeal Court Ruling

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna

The Tangale Community Overseas (TCO) has reaffirmed its unwavering support for Dr. Musa Idris Maiyamba as the rightful Mai Tangle, insisting that no court ruling or political interference can overturn the will, customs and collective resolve of the Tangale people.

In a statement, the group reacted to a recent judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Maiduguri, which upheld the position of Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, in the long-running chieftaincy dispute.

TCO said the ruling does not diminish the legitimacy of Dr. Maiyamba, who it maintains was duly selected by Tangale kingmakers in line with established tradition.

“The Tangale people remain united, law-abiding and resolute in defending their cultural heritage, dignity and constitutional rights,” said Dr. Eli Ibrahim Kerek, Public Relations Officer of TCO.

“Our culture, traditions and inherent right to determine our own leadership cannot and will not be overridden,” he added.

The community described the appellate court decision as an attempt to suppress Tangale customs and silence the collective voice of the people.

According to TCO, Dr. Maiyamba, a medical doctor, was selected in 2021 through the traditional process and enjoys overwhelming acceptance among Tangale sons and daughters both at home and in the diaspora.

The dispute arose following Governor Yahaya’s refusal to formally appoint Dr. Maiyamba as Mai Tangle, instead supporting what the community describes as an outsider. TCO argued that this action violates Tangale succession laws as well as provisions of the 1999 Constitution, including sections guaranteeing equality, freedom of religion and the right of communities to manage their traditional institutions without undue interference.

The statement further accused the governor of a broader pattern of bias against the Tangale people, citing past incidents, including the alleged denial of Justice Beatrice Iliya’s emergence as Chief Justice of Gombe State due to her ethnic and religious background.

Tracing the historical resilience of the Tangale people, TCO noted that the community survived and flourished during periods without a traditional ruler between 1680 and 1700, and again from 1996 to 2001. It stressed that the current four-year vacancy of the Mai Tangle stool is not unprecedented and does not threaten Tangale identity or cohesion.

“Tangale identity is rooted in culture, unity and shared heritage, not in government endorsement,” the statement said.

TCO also raised concerns over alleged harassment and intimidation of Tangale Christians during the dispute, including wrongful arrests and stigmatization by local authorities.

The group said these actions reflect deep-seated discrimination but emphasized that the community has responded peacefully, exercising restraint and continuing to pursue lawful remedies.

In a move to strengthen internal unity, TCO announced the successful conduct of elections into the Tangale Community Development Association (TCDA), describing it as historic. Comrade Danladi Bako emerged as National President, an outcome the group said reflects the collective will of Tangale people within Nigeria and across the diaspora.

The community also disclosed that the annual Pissi Tangle cultural festival will not be held this year, describing the decision as a symbolic expression of its firm stance on the unresolved leadership crisis.

TCO called on all Tangale sons and daughters to remain steadfast and united in demanding recognition of Dr. Maiyamba as Mai Tangle, warning that political interference would not weaken the community’s resolve.

It pledged to continue pursuing legal and constitutional avenues to secure what it described as rightful leadership.

Despite what it termed ongoing provocations, the Tangale community reaffirmed its commitment to peace, non-violence and constitutional order, while urging politicians, traditional authorities and religious leaders to place Tangale collective interest above personal or political ambitions.

“The Tangale people are one, indivisible and unshakable, whether Christian, Muslim or adherents of our traditional religion, we stand together in unity, protecting our heritage and asserting our right to self-determination,” Dr. Kerek said.