Nigeria, Feb. 6 -- This weekend, the Emir of Machina, Alhaji Dr Bashir Albishir Bukar Machinama turbaned Dr. Kole Shettima as the Zanna Yuroma of the Emirate. This exalted position is only given to people with sufficient depth, maturity, sincerity and tact to talk truth to power. The onerous duty of the new Yuroma therefore includes warning the Emir if he engages on the wrong path. Dr. Shettima clearly has the qualifications to play such an important and delicate role and I wish him success in executing his role to the glory of Machina, Yobe and Nigeria.

The turbanning was the crowning event in an annual weeklong cultural festival which has developed into a major unifying platform that brings together people with shared history and herit...