HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

From oral tradition, we have it on good authority that Bachama Chiefdom ran a regional type structure and administration duly coordinated by the King and Paramount Ruler, the Hama Bachama. This structure had been in place from the time of our ancestors until the arrival of the colonial masters during which the government of Nigeria formally recognized the Chiefdom as a third class monarchy.

Laws were enacted to guide the administration of the Chiefdom but these did not affect the structure of administration being run by the Chiefdom even after the monarchy was upgraded to a first class status. The evidence of this claim is that till today, the protocol instituted and which is being observed till date by the Kingmakers and the paramount ruler during traditional festivals duly recognizes the king and these other regional administrators before any other dignitary  is recognized and mentioned as part of the greeting protocol. The structure in place before the 1992 district creation law was enacted recognizes the following regional appointments:

i.                     Hama Bachama                        –          Head/Coordinator of all regions

ii.                   Kpana Rigangun                        –          Assistant Coordinator/Rugangun Region

iii.                  Bwarei Vulpi                                –          Vulpi Region (and Numan)

iv.                Ndyewodyi Waduku                  –          Waduku Region (Bolki)

v.                  Bwaratu Nzumosu                      –          Nzumosu Region

vi.                Ndyehodyi Zekun                       –          Zekun (all riverine) Region

By this arrangement, the whole of Bachama territory and chiefdoms Covered and fully administered by the Council – the main Bachama Traditional Council. It is this council that takes all decisions for the chiefdom. The structure is still in place till date as Bachama Traditional Council,, and where the Elders-in-council, District Heads and the Wakili Lamurde are invited to join in the meeting, it is referred to as the expanded traditional council.

In 1934, it is recorded that Homun Mbi (1921 – 1941) relocated the administrative headquarters of Bachama Traditional Chiefdom from Lamurde to Numan, but this change did not affect the structure, traditions and administrative procedures of the chiefdoms of the chiefdom. It was not until 1992 when the Adamawa state government enacted a law – The District creation Law 1992 – which introduced a new district administrative structure across the state. In 1996 during the states creation exercise, Lamurde LGC was created and carved out of Numan LGC, and then on the Bachama chiefdom began to administer two (2) Local Government Councils under the chiefdom.v