Tanzania’s youngest chief: Chief Adam Abdul

Meeting him for the first time, he looks like any other 14 year old boy who enjoys playing games on the laptop, riding his bicycle and enjoys playing basketball when he is not doing his homework or helping out in their family shop.

Until last month, he was known to many as Adam Abdul, the only son of the late Chief Abdul Adam Sapi Mkwawa, who died in February 2015.

But today people in his town particularly his Hehe tribe in Southern Highlands know him as Chief Adam, one of the youngest in the Mkwawa line to be vested with the title; Chief.

Chief Adam is the sixth individual to be recognized as Chief, his late father was fifth in line. He is however the youngest person to hold such authority – becoming a leader to millions of Hehes who occupy the Iringa region of southern Tanzania, one of the few remaining kingdoms that portray the images of pre-colonial Africa.

Chief Adam, whose full name is Adam Abdul Adam Sapi Mkwawa or Mfwime II, lives with his family in a family home located along Samora area in a busy Iringa town, a place where his late father, Chief Abdul Adam Sapi Mkwawa spent most of his time. Chief Adam studies at Highland primary school, a private school in Iringa town.

His birth

Born in 2001, Adam’s birth according to his mother, Shamra Abdul was a lucky one to their family because it was something that wasn’t planned.

According to Shamra, being blessed with four children, all of them being girls prompted her and her husband to call it quits. So when she was pregnant with Adam, and later conceived, it was a surprising blessing.

“After giving birth to the first and second child, both being girls, my mother-in-law suggested that I take some medicine which would help me conceive boys stating that genetically I have the ability to conceive mostly girls,” says the mother.

A desperate Shamra agreed to take some medicine, but that didn’t change anything because her third and fourth children she later gave birth to were both girls.

“I thanked God for the children he had already blessed us with and we considered and we decided not to have more children, but God had other plans for us because in 2001 Adam was born.

I must admit that I had a difficult pregnancy to the point that I was told that I was going to have to give birth through C-section.

This was particularly a daunting prospect because all my four children were brought into this world through normal birth. But at the end everything went well and I gave birth the normal way,” she said. Continuing; “I told myself that this is the Gift I was given by God because I had gone through a lot of ups and downs during his pregnancy, I told myself that he was going to be my last child.”

Her dream as a mother is to see her son, who is now a Chief get the best education like any other parent would wish for her children.

“A chief doesn’t have a salary, so he will need to have skills that enable him to earn an income, and if he will be needed to perform his duties as a chief, he will always be there, but he’ll need to have his own profession which will one way or another enhance his competence as a Chief,” she says.

An ordinary child

In an interview with Sound Living recently, the young Chief, who is in standard seven says he hasn’t noticed any difference before he was bestowed as a Chief, and now that he has become one.

“I am still the same”, says Chief Adam politely as he smiles, adding, “even my friends at school still see me as the same person they used to know and play with before I became Chief.

I don’t think my new title changes who I am to them. Everything that’s happening in my life right now is still new to me but with time I will be able to fully understand the significance of it all,” he says.

The young Chief, who is an avid football fan supporting the English club of Arsenal and locally cheering for the Young Africans Sports Club, has dreams of becoming an engineer. His focus for now is to study hard for his dream to come true.

Despite his young age, his family honours his power as a Chief. He says when there are decisions to be made, his family also seeks for his approval and if he agrees then they go ahead with what has been agreed to.

“Sometimes at home there arises an issue which requires certain authoritative decisions or approvals to be made, my sisters ask for my opinion and I thus make a decision which is adhered to. I believe that is their way of grooming me,” says Chief Adam.

His science teacher, Musa Lwila says he has known Adam for the last few months after he was transferred from another school, but it has been enough time to see what kind of a child he is. He said he is one of the students who do well in his subject and that he is a visionary young man.

“He is a hard worker who is aware of his responsibilities as a child and as a student, I believe that he is going to be a good leader in the future when he grows up,” says Lwila

Mariam Mbarak, 12, Chief Adam’s classmate says for a short period of time she has known Adam she has leant so many things about him;

“He is a good friend and even though he is a Chief now, he hasn’t changed at all. When we heard that he has become a Chief, we were so happy because we now have a Chief for a friend, we know he can be a good leader later,” she upholds.

His long-time friend with whom he went to the same school with before they moved to highland primary school, Travis Julius, 12, says for the last six years he has known Chief Adam he believes the decision made to make him the chief was the right one.

“Adam is my friend, he does the right things at the right time and whenever he wrongs someone he is quick to apologise, when I heard that he became a chief I was proud of him because he is worthy of a Chief,” says Travis

Other African countries, such as Nigeria and Swaziland, also have kings but the case is different for Chief Adam whose leadership exists at a time when kingdom leaderships seem to be inexistent in Tanzania.

Poverty pervades

Most people in Hehe kingdom, like people in other tribes living in rural Tanzania live in abject poverty. Even so; some people have put their hopes on the young Chief, hoping he’ll alleviate the existing poverty.

“His age symbolises a promising future but above all, we are happy they have followed the proper tradition and customs in picking the chief because after his father passed away, there were worries of who was going to become the next chief because he didn’t have an older son to take his place. Adam, being a young boy wasn’t immediately considered to be the next Chief,” says Zuberi Witala, a curator at the Mkwawa Museam in Kalenga and a family member.

“There were speculations going around that there were people who wanted to assume that post which was legally entitled for that child. So when we heard he became the chief we were happy because it is something we all wanted,” Zubera notes.

For ages most Africans have been led by older people but the fact that Chief Adam is young brings hope that he will keep his family legacy alive. However, Chief Adam will be able to perform his Chiefly duties once he reaches the age of 18 years. For now, Hassan Adam Sapi, the brother of his late father will be acting as the Chief.

Chief Adam is well aware of the heavy burden which comes along with leading a large number of people, but with the help of family members and elders, he believes that success is attainable.

“I know being a Chief is not easy, but I believe I can manage with help from people around me. I’m willing to work hand in hand with each and every one,” speaks the Chief.

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