Governor Caleb Mutfwang has installed His Royal Highness Miskagam Jerome Goewam Leklak II as the new Long Pan of Plateau State. The installation marks a significant change in the traditional leadership of the Pan community.
Alongside the installation, the Plateau State government has officially restored the Pan stool to first-class status. This administrative upgrade changes the hierarchy of the traditional institution, providing the occupant with higher recognition within the state’s traditional council.
The move is expected to strengthen the influence of the Pan traditional institution in local governance and community leadership. The Governor performed the installation during the official ceremony of the new Long Pan, where the new monarch was formally recognised by the state authorities.
Elevation of the Pan traditional institution
The restoration of the Pan stool to first-class status means that the Long Pan will now hold a more prominent position in the Plateau State Council of Chiefs. First-class traditional rulers in Nigeria occupy a high tier of the social and political hierarchy, often serving as key intermediaries between the government and their people.
This upgrade affects the protocol, administrative duties, and the level of engagement the Long Pan will have with the state government on matters of security, culture, and community development. By elevating the stool, the Mutfwang administration has repositioned the Pan community within the formal traditional structure of the state.
The decision follows a period where the state government has been reviewing the status of various traditional institutions. The administration’s approach has focused on ensuring that traditional stools reflect the historical and cultural importance of the communities they represent. For the Pan community, the restoration of their stool’s grade serves as a formal recognition of their heritage.
Traditional rulers in Plateau State play a central role in maintaining grassroots stability and managing communal disputes. The enhanced status of the Long Pan is intended to bolster the capacity of the office to handle these responsibilities. HRH Miskagam Jerome Goewam Leklak II is expected to take up his duties immediately, focusing on community cohesion and working with the state government on local development initiatives.
The installation is the first of several planned traditional leadership updates expected under the current administration’s policy on traditional institution reform.
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