After Seven Years, Taraba High Court Affirms Status of Jen Monarch

 

The Taraba State High Court has dismissed a case challenging the legitimacy of the Jen Monarch, HRH Dr Robert David Tankawa and affirmed his position as the third-class Monarch of Jen Chiefdom.

 

Justice Nuhu Adi who presided over the case instituted by DSP Solomon Damisa (rtd) and others against the State government and Jen Monarch, ruled that the case lacked a modicum of merit and sufficient evidence to support the various claims.

 

The judgment, which was described as popular, laid to rest, almost a decade of legal tussle in the chiefdom.

 

Speaking with our reporter, the lead Counsel, CMS Falak, Principal Counsel for Taraba state Ministry of Justice who represented the State Government and Barrister Elijah Chia who stood in for the defendant -Jen Monarch, all agreed that the court verdict has brought clarity to the lingering chieftaincy tussle in Jen.

 

Falak particularly said:

"We want to appreciate the wisdom of the court on this case that has lingered since the installation of chiefs in 2018 by the state Government. In fact, after the creation of Jen Chiefdom, amongst others, His Excellency the then Governor, Architect Darius Dickson Ishaku appointed the then late monarch HRH Ismaila Agwaru as the first paramount ruler of the third-class stool of Jen.

 

"As God destined, he died and the stool became vacant. The state government, in avoidance of prolonged vacuum, decided in line with the Jen Creation Order of 2018 to set up a committee headed by the former Attorney General of Taraba State chief Sam Ada through which the current third-class monarch, His Royal Highness Dr Robert David Tankawa (PhD) emerged and was installed with the staff of office.

 

"We want to appreciate the fact that the set of people who took the matter to court did well by not taking the laws into their hands; but rather used the court to ventilate their grievances by challenging that the appointment was not done in line with laid down customs and traditions. That was the basis of their case. But we filed a defence by maintaining ab-initio that the chiefdom was a creation of law on rotational basis, and one cannot import tradition into the selection process for what was duly established by law.

 

"We appreciate the court for upholding the principle of justice. Those who ventilated their grievances in the court of law should be appreciated and embraced in the spirit of unity. We greatly uphold the justice system and pray that we all embrace peace as panacea for progress." He stated.

 

Meanwhile, some stakeholders have reacted to the court verdict, with some disappointed, while many expressing great satisfaction, saying the Court's affirmation of Jen Monarch provides great relief to the chiefdom that has for many years trounced under extreme litigation.

 

It would be recalled that in 2018, Jen stakeholders in consultation with the Taraba state government agreed and signed a bond for rotational system between the ruling clans of Saredau and Saretunde which was gazetted.

 

The move aims to promote Inclusivity, Fairness and peaceful coexistence among the clans in Jen traditional institution.

 

Key features of the rotational system include equitable representation and peaceful co-existence.