PLATEAU State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, Esq. has installed His Royal Highness Miskagam Jerome Goewam Leklak II as the new Long Pan of Pan Chiefdom, restoring the traditional stool to its First-Class status and issuing a fresh call for justice, unity and peace.
The governor performed the installation and presentation of the Staff of Office to the monarch on Wednesday at the Ba’ap Mini Stadium, Qua’an-Pan Local Government Area, in what was described as a symbolic moment in the history of Pan Chiefdom.
Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Mutfwang said the event was not merely about the installation of a traditional ruler, but represented “the restoration of a cherished institution, a common identity and a revered symbol of unity that has for generations bound the people of Pan together.”
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening traditional institutions across Plateau State, noting that they remain important partners in governance, peacebuilding, cultural preservation and community development.
“From the outset of our administration, we have made the restoration, strengthening and repositioning of the Traditional Institution a key priority,” the Governor said, adding that vacant stools would continue to be filled through processes that respect the law, customs and peculiarities of each community.
Governor Mutfwang commended the people of Pan Chiefdom and the Qua’an-Pan Local Government Area Traditional Council for the maturity and peaceful conduct demonstrated during the transition following the death of the late Long Pan, His Royal Highness Miskagam Emmanuel Dabang, on 8 May 2025.
Addressing the new monarch, the Governor urged him to lead with wisdom, humility, fairness and courage, stressing that his ascension came with the responsibility of carrying all sons and daughters of Pan along.
“Let your reign be defined by the ability to unite rather than divide, to heal rather than reopen old wounds, and to build bridges where differences exist,” he said.
He also called on traditional rulers across the State to strengthen community relations, provide credible local intelligence and work closely with security agencies, stressing that “Security, therefore, must be treated as a collective responsibility.”
The governor further cautioned against drug abuse and the indiscriminate leasing of community and ancestral lands for mining, assuring that Government was developing modalities to ensure that the Federal Government, State, host communities and legitimate landowners derive appropriate benefits from mineral resources while protecting the environment.
He used the occasion to make a fresh commitment to the development of the Southern Zone, declaring: “We will see to the completion of the 61km Dokan Tofa-Baap-Kurgwi and Jibam-Dokan Kasuwa Roads and ensure that the Southern Zone is connected to reliable electricity.”
According to him, the investments would help unlock the economic potential of the area, stimulate commerce and enterprise, create opportunities and improve the standard of living of the people.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Ephraim Gar, said the Mutfwang administration had, from inception, demonstrated its commitment to repositioning the traditional institution to effectively perform its role as custodian of the people’s culture, norms and traditions.
Gar maintained that the traditional institution remained highly revered because of its important role in preserving the values and heritage of the people.
“I am indeed happy with the manner and speed with which the Pan stakeholders, Kingmakers and the Royal Family demonstrated commitment by ensuring that a successor to the throne emerged,” he said.
The Gbong Gwom Jos and Chairman, Jos Traditional Council of Chiefs, and President, Plateau State Traditional Council of Chiefs and Emir, His Majesty, Da. Jacob Gyang Buba, represented by the Mishkaham Mwaghavul, His Royal Highness, Da. John Putmang Hirse, congratulated the new Long Pan, saying his ascension to the throne was not by chance but a call to service anchored on proven record, character and deep familiarity.
He urged him to deploy his experience to foster enduring unity among the diverse people of Pan Chiefdom.
Receiving the Staff of Office, Miskagam Jerome Goewam Leklat, who spoke through the Miskagam Doemak, Cosmos Dakyap, expressed joy that the Long Pan was privileged to serve the Pan people, pledging unflinching support to the “Time is Now” Administration.
The Long Pan emphasised the vulnerability of the Pan people to banditry and terrorism, appealing for an operational command as a buffer along the Qua’an-Pan–Mangu–Nasarawa corridor where assailants infiltrate the State.
The Executive Chairman of Qua’an-Pan Local Government Council, Hon. Christopher Audu Manship, congratulated the new Long Pan, His Royal Highness, Miskagam Jerome Goewam Leklat II, and appreciated Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang for creating the enabling environment for the selection and presentation of the Staff of Office to the monarch.
He lauded Governor Mutfwang for initiating road projects and his determination to complete ongoing roads in the area, while appealing to the Governor to fast-track the completion of the Jibam–Qua’an-Pan road.
Governor Mutfwang later commissioned the remodelled Long Pan’s Palace at Doemak and the newly constructed Snakebite Treatment Centre at Doemak, Qua’an-Pan Local Government Area.
