Stakeholders of Ron Chiefdom in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State have appealed to Governor Caleb Mutfwang to suspend the selection of the next Saf Ron pending a review of the historical and traditional issues surrounding the process.
The appeal was made by the Ron Integrity Advocacy Group, which comprises elders, women, youths and other stakeholders from the 11 districts of Ron Chiefdom.
The group said the call became necessary following an announcement that the state government intends to base the selection of the next “Saf Ron-Kulere” on the 1974 Gazette.
The announcement, according to the stakeholders, was made on August 29, 2026, during a memorial Mass for the late Dah Lazarus Amashin Agai at St. Thomas Catholic Church, Bokkos.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ishaya Mallo, who represented the Commissioner, Ephriam Usman, at the event, was said to have announced the government’s intention.
Addressing journalists at the NUJ Press Centre in Jos, the group’s legal adviser, John Matong, alongside its Chairman, Chief Sunday J. Akuns, and Secretary, Hon. Chief Sylvanus M. Ayuba, said the 1974 Gazette could no longer be applied without taking into account subsequent changes to the traditional and administrative structure.
The stakeholders particularly questioned the provision for rotation between Ron and Kulere, arguing that the arrangement was made at a time when both were regarded as one chiefdom.
They said the creation of separate Kulere and Mushere Chiefdoms had changed the circumstances upon which the old arrangement was based and therefore warranted a review before a new Saf Ron was selected.
Another major concern raised by the group was the composition of the electoral college.
The stakeholders said the 1974 Gazette listed eight districts, whereas Ron Chiefdom currently comprises 11 districts.
They argued that relying on the old electoral college could result in the participation of districts that are now under Kulere and Mushere Chiefdoms, thereby creating questions about the legitimacy and inclusiveness of the selection process.
The group also pointed to the 2003 excision which, according to its statement, resulted in Kulere and Mushere becoming separate chiefdoms, arguing that the development could not be ignored while the 1974 structure was being relied upon.
The Ron Integrity Advocacy Group therefore called for an urgent stakeholders’ meeting to review the Baba S.G. Mafuyai Committee Report and other relevant historical records.
It also demanded that the electoral college and selection method be updated to reflect the present 11 districts of Ron Chiefdom.
The stakeholders urged the government to ensure that the process was guided by Ron customs and traditions, rather than what they described as administrative convenience or political considerations.
They further demanded that the current selection process be suspended until the outstanding historical and traditional issues were resolved through consultation.
The group maintained that if the government insisted on applying the 1974 Gazette in full, then, “for the sake of legal consistency,” the excised Kulere and Mushere Chiefdoms would first have to be dissolved.
The stakeholders said their position was not intended to provoke confrontation but was aimed at protecting what they described as the cultural heritage and integrity of the Ron traditional institution.
“Our cultural heritage is not an administrative commodity, and the Saf Ron stool is not an experiment in outdated governance,” the group stated.
They appealed to Governor Mutfwang to personally intervene in the matter and ensure that no decision was taken that could have what they described as an irreversible and culturally damaging effect on the Ron traditional institution.
The group warned that if government proceeded without addressing the concerns raised, it would pursue all lawful avenues to protect the integrity of the Ron traditional institution.
