"The last king died in 1960 and kingmakers nominated my uncle, Stephen Kwatir-Kwara, to ascend the throne of his ancestors. However he was the king our people never had, because he was not married, considered too young and also was accused of not paying tax. The colonial masters, therefore, appointed one Corporal Mohammed Maunde (RTD) in acting capacity, who acted for 53 years until his demise in April 2013."
Ngida Zakawa Kwache, King of Kamwe in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State, has been installed 58 years after the throne became vacant.
Checks by SaharaReporters revealed that Stephen Kwatir-Kwara, favoured by kingmakers, was rejected by the colonial masters after the demise of the last king in April 1960.
Reasons for his disqualification, SaharaReporters further learnt, were due to tax evasion and other sundry offences.
In his place, Mohammed Maunde, a retired Police Corporal, was appointed by the colonial government to oversea the affairs of the kingdom.
The new king has this to say about Kwatir-Kwara: "The last king died in 1960 and kingmakers nominated my uncle, Stephen Kwatir-Kwara, to ascend the throne of his ancestors. However, he was the king our people never had, because he was not married, considered too young and also was accused of not paying tax.
"The colonial masters, therefore, appointed one Corporal Mohammed Maunde (RTD) in acting capacity, who acted for 53 years until his demise in April 2013."
Our correspondent further gathered that Corporal Maunde acted for such a long period and was neither confirmed, nor a new king appointed to replace him, because he was considered not a member of the community and was in the position due to the confidence reposed in him by the government of that time.
Besides being a Laka by tribe from Mubi, the provincial headquarters of the area, Maude was a Muslim, ruling over a predominantly Christian, Kamwe people.
On the other hand, subsequent efforts by Kamwe tribal lords and ruling clans to upstage him did not succeed, because the colonial regime had subjugated the Kamwe kingdom to Mubi emirate.
However, the actual trouble escalated when Maunde died in 2013, setting the stage for a new king to emerge. After the contest, Ngida Zakawa Kwache, a Christian, was elected unanimously by the kingmakers.
Speaking on the matter, a resident said: "Mubi emirate was reluctant to endorse him, just as authorities in the state kept mute for about five years."
In 2018, however, Governor Jibrilla Bindow ordered the Emir of Mubi, Abubakar Isa Ahmadu, to carry out necessary documentation to that effect. This gave rise to the new king entering into his palace in Michika for the first time on Thursday, since Boko Haram occupation and subsequent liberation.
This is because besides the leadership tussle, Boko Haram terrorists captured Michika town in 2014, and made the palace the seat of their own caliphate.