EX-DEFENCE CHIEF, BALI, BECOMES TRADITIONAL RULER

Former Defence Minister and one of Nigeria’s longest serving generals, General Domkat Bali, has been selected as the new Ponzhi Taroh, the paramount ruler of the Taroh nation amidst protests.
He replaced the former Ponzhi Taroh, Chief Edward Zhattau, who died in 2008
Taroh is the home of the Langtang general, who held sway during the military era. The Plateau State Government had on December 2, 2010 repealed the law on the selection and appointment of the Ponzhi Taroh. The new gazette had made the ‘Ce‘ ruling family which has five clans, the heir apparent to the throne.
The National President Gazum Cultural, Economic, and Social Development, Clement Chirman, and four others had dragged the Plateau State Government to a Langtang court, praying the court to prevail on the state government to use the old law (Cap 20, no 3 of 1975) instead of the new one to select a new Ponzhi Taroh.
Justice Daniel Longji, had restrained the government from going ahead with the exercise pending the resolution of all the matters in the dispute.
Chirman, who spoke with our correspondent in an interview in Jos on Sunday, regretted that despite the court order, the state government went ahead with the exercise even when the kingmakers did not form a quorum.