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The Council of chiefs is a group of people that are selected from the different clans that make up the village. They assist the chief in the performance of his day to day duties of rulling the village. Their various tittles include the Madaki, Agekpe, Asanya, Berezhe, Sa’ada, Sacara Ugbwomina, Ugaza, Zhagbanye, Kaku, Aguma Semberi, etc. The Madaki is the second in command to the chief. In the Bassa tradition, the first chief family/clan to arrive or find a village produces the first chief, the first clan therefore that comes to meet founding the clan/family produces a candidate for the madaki. The Madaki takes charge of the affairs of the village in the absence of the chief. He recommends and appoints other council members to and in conjunction with, the chief respectively. When a chief is appointed. The Agekpe is chosen from the family whose turn it will be to produce the next chief any time the incumbent dies. The Berezhe is the war chief. He advise the chief on matters relating to war and civil disturbances. In the event of this, the Berezhe leads as the commander of the village army. The Sa’ada is the information officer. He advise the chief on information matters and manages information flow from the chief to his subjects and vice-versa. The Sa’ada on the hand is the personal attendant to the chief. He sees to the proper functioning of the office of the chief. The Sacara also leads the village in carrying out communal laboour. He has his own council which works with him. Ugwomina is the officer in charge of social activities. He also has his own council members whom he works with for efficient and successful execution of social activities. The Aguma Semberi is the leader of the youths in the village. He also has his own council profitable venture in the village. He organizes the yopuths for members that he works with. There are also other council members like the Ugaza, the Kaku, the Zhemagabanye, etc. that perform some specific roles. |