Monarchy of Mboi

Monarchy
There is a hierarchy of velavelto from the highest to the lower order. This is based on the roles within a community or land. There are various titles and posts that signify the uniqueness of every individual as a title with the official duty assigned to that office, although some offices work hand in hand with others. But this will be discussed in this part of the research, and it will look into the rulers and their families from the medieval record to this time. 
There are four (4) ruling families in Mboi Village Headship. These are Walamo, Gai, Gato and Soguno. The concurrence to the throne is on rotational basis. This happens whenever the throne becomes vacant by whatever means. There are king makers who decide the family that would be enthroned as a ruler. These are Anfunda Ɗa-Lukda (Anfunda Wa-Lukda) and Anfunda Ɗa-Longiya (Wa-Longiya) being responsible for the selection of a new Village Head whenever the throne becomes vacant. Various Vela had occupied the throne (Mboi) from time immemorial, some of Vela whose tenure is still fresh in memory is included with their names and their family names as well, as described in the below genealogy:
 s 
S/No    Names of Village Heads    Ruler’s Father’s Name    Ruler’s Clan (Family Name)
1    Vel    Mbami    Walamo
2    Avel. Mboiran    Vel    Walamo
3    Avel. Boddaze    Dagarangaya    Walamo
4    Avel. Bilam Buba    Boddaze    Walamo
5    Avel. Hakika    Bajulbe    Gato
6    Avel. Nenkene    Godole    Soguno
7    Avel. Chasin    Nenkene    Soguno
8    Avel. Ngajing    Bilam Buba    Walamo
9    Avel. Volong    Bilam Buba    Walamo
10    Avel. Gbani    Chasin    Soguno
11    Avel. Lauza    Kwakutokin    Gato
12    Avel. Kuminebuwang    Lauza    Gato
13    Avel. Dakro    Kuminebuwang    Gato
14    Avel. Chimadunsoya    Chasin    Soguno
15    Avel. Ahorot    Dambodde    Walamo
16    Avel. Ndafikaneha    Baraji    Soguno
17    Avel. Kadara    Taman    Gai
18    Avel. Buba A’ulu    Wagido    Soguno
19    Avel. Johnson (Abinu)    Ba’ajo    Gato
20    Avel. Adamu Lira    Yerima Babbada    Walamo

Therefore the Vel and the Avels have ruled their  people with some of the sub-rulers under their thrones as earlier said in the introduction of the monarchial bacground. Therefore, the heirachy in the throne is what is referred to as Velavelto are Vel, Kadala, mbidalgu, Ankurza and Zərwala, Tampi, Anfunda Ɗa-longiya and Anfunda Ɗa-lukda of equal power, then Zarma, Ngod-Balfənda. These are the backbone of the land as far as a Mei-Mboi community is concerned. See the detailed information from the author……

Monarchy

There is a hierarchy of velavelto from the highest to the lower order. This is based on the roles within a community or land. There are various titles and posts that signify the uniqueness of every individual as a title with the official duty assigned to that office, although some offices work hand in hand with others. But this will be discussed in this part of the research, and it will look into the rulers and their families from the medieval record to this time.

There are four (4) ruling families in Mboi Village Headship. These are Walamo, Gai, Gato and Soguno. The concurrence to the throne is on rotational basis. This happens whenever the throne becomes vacant by whatever means. There are king makers who decide the family that would be enthroned as a ruler. These are Anfunda Ɗa-Lukda (Anfunda Wa-Lukda) and Anfunda Ɗa-Longiya (Wa-Longiya) being responsible for the selection of a new Village Head whenever the throne becomes vacant. Various Vela had occupied the throne (Mboi) from time immemorial, some of Vela whose tenure is still fresh in memory is included with their names and their family names as well, as described in the below genealogy:

s

Therefore the Vel and the Avels have ruled their  people with some of the sub-rulers under their thrones as earlier said in the introduction of the monarchial bacground. Therefore, the heirachy in the throne is what is referred to as Velavelto as shown below:

1.  Vel: Paramount Ruler or a big King, who is in charge of the whole tribe or language group, and he is sprawling with a national power.
2. Kadala: is an assistant to the Vel, the big king. Whenever the Vel or Avel is absent, the Kadala takes post, even if the Vel or Avel happens to have died, it is a role of Kadala to temporarily rule before coronation of a new king by the king makers.
3. Mbidalgu: He works as a chief host or in charge of the activities or to say Head of service in the king’s palace and other affairs. He is also a senior adviser to the King.
4. Ankurza and Zərwala are two different titles and individuals that are regarded as workmates in overseeing festivals, most especially Zugo. They are the ones to decide the exact dates to be observed and where to be observed. All the activities ran during the events are monitored by Ankurza and Zərwala.
5. Tampi: This is a chief security to the Vel or Avel. It is the sole duty of him to secure the life of the ruler and his family. In fact, the wellbeing of the throne is in his care. Whenever something wrong temper with the health of the throne, Tampi should be held responsible.
6. Anfunda Ɗa-longiya and Anfunda Ɗa-lukda of equal power decide the making of a king Vel or Avel. These people have their own council that helps in decision-making. They are sect rulers over big communities under the throne of Vel or Avel. And under every Anfunda there are Ankurza and Zərwala.
7. Zarma: the title is given to a family declared trusted warriors and they always stay in the war front. One of them is assigned as a captain for a troop of fighters of Mboi. The role of Zarma extended in overseeing Zugo festival in relation with Ankurza and Zərwala. Most of the Zarmas are seen as extra-ordinary people, because they can change the impossible troubling situation into possibility. For example, someone in trouble of unknown cause or undetected occurrence should be dealt by Zarma. A pronounced Zarma is believed to cook stones into the softest substances for warriors to eat before going for any war.
8. Ngod-Balfənda: this is a security in charge of the whole land, an extra-ordinary security man that oversees the whole land from the perspectives of every oncoming or forthcoming fight or calamity that may befall the Mboi land. Before any of the misfortunes comes to the land, the Ngod-Balfənda is believed to be aware of it before it brings havoc. He is responsible of stopping it with the help of his group members (Kasalla, Adabuje and Chapiyaji). These groups of three titles are highly and equally respected for the readiness and ability they have for defense against any calamity, reproach, deadly sickness, unnecessary death and night arrows that may befall the Mboi land or community.

6. EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS/POLITICAL FACTORS

One of the factors to be feared is that the political district head of Mboi is Fulani by tribe. He is a Muslim of which may temper with the development, but since the district head himself accepts most of the ideas from the stakeholders and the masses’ suggestions, there is nothing more to worry about. Also it is observed that since 97% of the people are Christian and they have no denominational biases, nothing can be a barrier to their unity.

Although many people from outside and inside the community on the contrary thought that maybe the dialectal variations that gave birth to the desire for equity may raise a barrier against the progress of the Land. Also about the issue on which dialect should be a reference dialect, but that does not affect the unity as far as a native Mboi is concerned. It is either going to be a “one after the other” work for language development (work every developmental project for each of them), but co-operatively or separately as individuals. This came from the idea given to them by Abi Benson that since their history of origin and culture is the same then they have to accept the same writing system and the dictionary that each dialect can be identified. The idea was accepted from the stakeholders to the youths. 

Mboi Paramount Rulership

Mboi as a language group was politically given a monarchial autonomy at the district level in 1992. The installation of the first District Head was Mallam Isa Aliyu Falama in the same year 1992 and was officially comfirmed on Dec. 5th 1993 of which he led for a time ranging from 1993-Sept. 12th 2005 he died and it was given to his successor Laminu Isa Falama from September 13th 2005, started an approved official administration around 2006-Oct 3rd, 2021. After the death of Laminu, a temporary leadership was given to Alhaji Aminu Gudu who was as well the village head of Gudu as a ruler awaiting the formal coronation to whom it may concern.

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