₦airaland Forum

With the demise of the late Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, on Sunday, September, 20, 2020, attention has now shifted to the selection of his successor. Daily Trust reports

The process of selecting the person who becomes emir in the Zazzzau Emirate is not an open one.

Not all members of the royal families can contest as it is exclusively reserved for princes from different dynasties in the Emirate whose biological fathers or grandfathers had been emirs.

Formal educational qualifications are not of much significance, but the royal background and character of the contestants, as well as the decision of the kingmakers and finally the state governor.

Tradition demands a speedy but diligent process for the selection of a new emir upon the demise of the incumbent. This is to safeguard the unity of the emirate and to avoid division among the princes, as each has his supporters within the palace.

Based on this, the process of finding a successor for the late emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, commenced immediately after his interment on Sunday.

Information made available to Daily Trust by top palace officials on Monday revealed that four out of five kingmakers have since disappeared from public view. This is in accordance with the tradition of the emirate.

The wisdom, according to palace sources, is to allow the kingmakers to fully concentrate on the important assignment of “selecting a competent leader who would command the respect of all princes and other members of the royal families.”

“It is a delicate process that can make or mar the entire palace and its unity. Therefore, there is need for caution, transparency and diligence,” the source said.

Until the occupation of Nigeria by the colonialists, Daily Trust gathered, the council of the five kingmakers takes the final decision on who becomes a new emir after the demise or disengagement of an incumbent.

However, the colonial administration changed the trend where the governor called the shots on who becomes an emir. With independence, the power now rests with state governors.

Therefore, all eyes would be on Malam Nasir el-Rufa’i in the next few days as he would have a final say on who becomes the new emir of Zazzau.

Daily Trust exclusively gathered that the kingmakers are now waiting for the state government to come up with the criteria to follow in selecting the new emir.

“Nothing can be done until the state government designs and gives them the template to follow. The first possible criterion, of course, is that a contestant must be a prince whose father or grandfather has been an emir. The state can decide other criteria,” the source said.

“It should be noted, however, that the history of Zazzau Emirate has shown that before one becomes an emir, he must be a prince and a district head who has territory under his control. So, if the state government decides to maintain the status quo, many contestants would be screened out.”

The five kingmakers of the Zazzau Emirate are the Wazirin Zazzau, Alhaji Ibrahim Aminu, who is the chairman. He is still seen in public, because he is now in charge of the emirate following the demise of the late emir.

The Waziri has two votes in the event the kingmakers did not reach a unanimous decision on a certain candidate, while the other four members have one vote each, findings by Daily Trust revealed.

Others in the council of the kingmakers are Makama Karami Zazzau, Alhaji Muhammad Abbas, Fagachin Zazzau, Alhaji Umar Muhammad, Limamin Kona, Sheikh Muhammad Sani Aliyu and Limamin Gari, Sheikh Dalhatu Qasim.

Although up to yesterday (Monday), Daily Trust learnt that the state government has not communicated the template to adopt for the selection of the new emir to the kingmakers, but intense lobbying and scheming have since commenced.

The three major dynasties of the Zazzau emirate, Gidan Katsinawa, Gidan Bare-Bari and Gidan Mallawa, have since commenced in-house consultations. The fourth dynasty, the Sullubawa have presented no candidate as the most eligible prince from that dynasty, a grandson of Emir Abdulsalam, and age mate of the Late Emir Idris, is thought to be too old. The other most eligible candidate from that dynasty, the Dan Galadiman Waziri, Alh. Shittu Ibrahim Dikko, District Head of Gabasawa, Kaduna North, and a great grandson of Emir Abdulsalam, has shown no interest in the position.

Information made available to Daily Trust on Monday showed that members of late Alhaji Idris’s family met and decided to present Turakin Zazzau, Alhaji Aminu Shehu Idris, as their candidate. He is the eldest son of the late emir and a staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Emir Shehu Idris belongs to the Katsinawa dynasty and there are other strong contenders aside his children. They are Wamban Zazzau, Alhaji Abdulkareem Aminu and Iyan Zazzau, Alhaji Bashar Aminu.

Similarly, late Emir Idris left behind eight other sons who are titleholders, aside the Turakin Zazzau. They are Sarkin Dawakin Tsakar Gida Zazzau, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Idris, Sarkin Kudun Zazzau, Barrister Sambo Shehu Idris, Uban Garin Zazzau, Alhaji Basiru Shehu Idris and Dan Isan Zazzau, Alhaji Umaru Shehu Idris.

Others are Walin Gabas Zazzau, Alhaji Mai Nasara Shehu Idris, Danmajen Zazzau, Alhaji Nasiru Shehu Idris, Danruwata Babba Zazzau, Alhaji Bello Shehu Idris and Sadaukin Zazzau, Alhaji Yusuf Shehu Idris.

It is not clear whether Iya and Wamban Zazzau would agree to the selection of Turakin Zazzau as the person to be presented to the council of kingmakers as the candidate of the Katsinawa dynasty.

An impeccable source told our correspondent that in the event the state government sets a template that says a contestant has to be a district head with territory, then the eldest person in the Katsinawa dynasty that can meet that requirement is the Wamban Zazzau, Alhaji Abdulkareem Aminu.

Alhaji Aminu doubles as the District Head of Giwa, Giwa Local Government of the state. He is among the district heads that were returned to their seats when Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i’s administration reorganised the state’s traditional institutions, hence observers see him as having a “special place in the governor’s heart.”

The leader of the Bare-Bari dynasty is Alhaji Munir Jafaru, Yariman Zazzau. Alhaji Munir is the son of the late Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Jafaru Dan Isiyaku. He is a retired public servant who once served as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Daily Trust learnt that there is not much contention in the Bare-Bari dynasty and therefore the Yariman Zazzau “is the one to be presented as the dynasty’s candidate.”

Yariman Zazzau is said to be enjoying a cordial relationship with both the state and federal governments, hence has the potential to emerge as the 19th Emir of Zazzau. He is a prince and a district head with territory. He is the District Head of Basawa.

The Mallawa dynasty has three strong contenders. They are Alhaji Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli, the title holder of Magajin Garin Zazzau. He is Nigeria’s immediate past ambassador to Thailand.

In this dynasty, there are Ciroman Zazzau, Alhaji Sa’idu Mailafiya and Barden Kudun Zazzau, Alhaji Hassan Tijjani. As at yesterday, (Monday), the Mallawa dynasty “were still consulting” as to who to present as their candidate.” However, Alhaji Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli was the most pronounced name.

If Kaduna state government decides to include overseeing a “territory” in its template for selection of the new emir of Zazzau, then only two princes would scale through the screening among the top contenders.

They are Yariman Zazzau, Alhaji Munir Jafaru, District Head of Basawa, from the Bare-Bari dynasty and Wamban Zazzau, Alhaji Abdulkareem Aminu, District Head of Giwa, from the Katsinawa dynasty.

Aside the much-talked-about candidates, a dark horse(s) could emerge as events continue to unfold, especially after the release of the selection template by the Kaduna State government. Any of the sons and grandsons of past emirs are eligible to be considered as emir.

In the meantime, the whole Zaria Emirate and the rest of the
the country waits and watches.


https://dailytrust.com/how-new-emir-of-zazzau-will-emerge

The last colonial Governor of Northern Nigeria, Sir Bryan Sharwood Smith, was the District Officer (D.O.) of Zaria when the Emir of Zazzau, Ibrahim Kwasau, died in 1936. Sharwood Smith, not the Resident, contrived the emergence of Jafaru as the new Emir. To understand how he did it and what may be going on in the mind of the present Kaduna State Governor regarding who will emerge as the next Emir of Zazzau, we need to understand the personality of Sharwood Smith, for Malam Nasiru El-rufaí is, as it were, Smith-reincarnate. So, the present Governor is likely to behave the same way Sharwood Smith did under similar circumstance.

In The British in Northern Nigeria, Robert Heussler, found Sharwood Smith and John Hinton Carrow as the most effective D.Os that Northern Nigeria ever had. He spent pages describing their personalities and the modernizing effort in Zaria, Kano, Argungu and Sokoto. For they were highly effective and ruthless in getting things done rightly.

“Mai-Wandon-Karfe”

Like Elrufa’i, Heussler described Sharwood Smith as “the compact Yorkshireman … gives the impression of having to control a superabundance of energy”. Shortly after, he described him as a “participant who is totally committed to the task… Seeing him pacing back and forth as he talked and almost never sitting down, the Africans dubbed him ‘Mai Wandon Karfe’, the man in iron trousers. Even as a junior officer, Sharwood Smith was not a man of whom it was possible to be unaware.”

Elrufa’i also shares Smith’s passion for development and modernization. In Argungu, Heussler reported that “Communications with Gwandu and Sokoto had become better. D.O.s passion for road building had reduced parochialism in rural areas as well… [He] lined the old town with trees…a new market appeared and a new residence for the Emir.” Think of what is going on in Kaduna today. A Smithian governor is in town.

But Sharwood Smith, like Elrufa’i, was always strategic, making the best of the situation without taking his eyes off the ball. “Sharwood Smiths handling of Argungu”, wrote Heussler, “was a mixture of toughness and common sense.” As a D.O. he worked hard to gain the Emir’s confidence until he was able to carry out a “clean up” that saw a number of corrupt and inefficient Native Authority officials dismissed. But in the case of a slave who held the title of Majidadi, Heussler said, “although he had a bad record, he was young and able and the N.A. could not afford to be cavalier with anyone who had talent. The man was warned and put on probation. Slowly the D.O. worked downwards from the top of the N.A., encouraging the capable and the straight, dealing quickly and firmly with others. When he handed over to his successor in 1932 Sharwood Smith was able to report improvement in the atmosphere at emirate headquarters.” No wonder, typical of his type, Elrufa’i does not have patience for incompetent and inefficient officials, hence his sacking of many teachers and officials of state and local governments to the disapproval of less firm people like me.

Another similarity to Elrufa’í manifested in Heussler’s summary on Sharwood Smith. He said, “Sharwood Smith’s devotion to progress also drew fire from critics, some of whom thought him indifferent to tradition. As to the selection of N.A. officials, it was said that if he had to choose between an honest plodder and a hard-driving, efficient cad he would instinctively support the claims of the latter.”

Zazzau and Sharwood Smith

Now my reader has a clear picture of the personality and approach of Sharwood Smith. He was posted to Zaria in 1932. Of course, his personality dominated the N.A. administration well over that of his superior, the Resident. By the time Emir Kwasau died four years later in 1936, it was obvious that the de facto resident, Sharwood Smith, was “ready with an emergency plan…”

Returning to Zaria from Kachia, narrated Heussler, “Sharwood Smith got the traditional electors together in his own house before taking them to the Residency. The names of four candidates for the vacant Emirate were listed…Sharwood Smith had already made up his own mind which candidate suited the needs of the moment… He explained that there were four criteria: the new Emir must be of royal birth; he must be acceptable to the people; he must be acceptable to the Government; and ‘he must have the ability to do what had become a very difficult job, requiring much administrative experience.”

Of interest to this discussion is how Jafaru gained the approval of Sharwood Smith. The contest was reduced to two people. Dan Madami, the son of the late Emir, and Jafaru, a grandson of an Emir, who was sent away in faraway Zangon Kataf as District Head by the former Emir who foresaw the threat his popularity could cause to the ambition of his son.

There was no doubt,” wrote Heussler, “that the old Emir and some of his closest advisers would have preferred one of his own sons, a district head who had the title Dan Madami. But Sharwood Smith thought this man, though amiable, somewhat colourless and lacking in the necessary drive. Dan Madami was said to have spent a good deal of money to assure his own election.”

However, it was Jafaru, among all the contenders that gained the appreciation of Sharwood Smith due to his ability and integrity, though his father was not an Emir as tradition for eligibility to become one would demand then. Heussler once again:

“The D.O. noticed Ja’afaru’s popularity too and knew that it was based on his ability and integrity. Of the four major candidates only Ja’afaru had had the experience of working closely with the British as an office mallam. He used a typewriter and kept his own district accounts, practices that were almost unique among district heads of the time. And only Ja’afaru satisfied the administration’s four criteria. Although Kaduna fussed as usual about dynastic considerations, it was Ja’afaru who was introduced as the new Emir to a great crowd outside the Emir’s residence.”

El-Rufai and the New Emir

Our present-day Sharwood Smith must be facing a similar situation in Zaria. There must be many prominent people seeking the coveted seat and may throw in all they have of influence, connection and wealth. They will use whatever argument they can put forward to disqualify a less materially endowed candidate but who may best meet the expectation of our modern-day Sharwood Smith.

I have no doubt that Elrufa’i will be looking for a partner-Emir that will meet the challenges of the information age, where both opportunities and problems are globalized. If Sharwood Smith was attracted to Jafaru’s ability to use “a typewriter and kept his own district accounts, practices that were almost unique among district heads of the time”, Elrufa’i for sure will not fail to correlate the typewriter to ICT today and will not fail to prefer the most competent candidate even if he would be relatively younger and a bit distant in genealogy, like Jafaru, or a Jafari, someone whom he can proudly present as the Emir of the 21st Century.

When the last Emir of Bauchi, Suleiman Adamu, died, the then Governor stipulated the simple condition that the next Emir must be a graduate. That is how the present Emir, the young Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu, who was not among the key contenders, emerged. The barometer for Zaria, being a centre of learning, must be of higher calibration, just as is its Governor.

Elrufa’i, like Sharwood Smith is cerebral, shrewd and calculating. His penchant for modernity and efficiency cannot be surpassed. His impatience with the past and tradition is legend, like the temper of Carrow. If he is able to discipline his mind at this crucial moment and follow his instincts, he will no doubt be proud of the choice that his judgement will present to the world today, as Sharwood Smith was of Jafaru. It was refreshing to note that Jafaru emerged among the best three Emirs on Heussler’s scale—the other two being Emirs Yahaya of Gwandu and Abdullahi of Yauri.

By coincidence, Zazzau has lost its Emir and the occupant of Kashim Ibrahim House from where Sharwood Smith retired as Governor of Northern Nigeria in 1957 is luckily another Mai-wandon-karfe. The leadership choice he will make for his hometown of Zaria will echo the type made by his legendary distant predecessor.

May God be his guide.

Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde

22 September 2020


https://dailynigerian.com/el-rufai-and-the-next-emir-of-zazzau-by-aliyu-u-tilde/?fbclid=IwAR3B2J5FoOLEIKANN2HDpwXOZnmsrZyjiT45saDYfTRhgtdVvDX6-sd7b3I

Blacks shouting racism here and there. At the same times back home, Yoruba calling Igbo(Ipob), Igbo calling Hausa(Aboki), Hausa calling Igbo (Nyamiri) and other derogatory names amongst ourselves. This is the law of KARMA!! I take Tribalist a bigger threat to Racist.

Let's put our houses in order first, MAYBE Europeans might copy us.

Abouwaza:
Wait oo why is northerners always heading everything in this corntree?
Even education system where they come last
Nawa oo

Learn to write grammatically correct statements/questions?

moscow0147:
It’s going to be a real uphill task for the north to battle this virus

Why not concentrate on Lagos and your other southern states. Taking panadol for another man's headache

RandomVic:
Oga this is a matter of life and death! Not your usual APC, PDP nonsense. Rational governments around the world shut down schools with immediate effect whilst ours was dragging its feet leaving our borders open practically inviting the virus to our shores.

Wonders shal never end, see the same person who talk say Northern gov quick close skul cos them no wan learn (dem prefer illiteracy) today na same man dey talk why govt no close skul from day1

Guest14:
Won LSS

Thanks sir

Guest14:
Yes. I did that last year

Pls were you successful at the end? if yes, which one LSS or OSS

Please can one apply for both OSS and LSS (MSc) both for this 2020

Govs Elrufai and Badaru, we thank you and the good people of Kogi & Bayelsa

yazga:


Of the 20 AIRPORTS in Nigeria,
12 are INTERNATIONAL
8 are DOMESTIC
The NORTH has 8 Airports designated as "International" by FAAN,
The rest of Nigeria has 4 INTERNATIONAL airports.
South-South 1
South East 1
South West 2
7 of the 8 Northern International airports handled less than 2,700 flights since 2016 according to FAAN figures.
Calabar is NOT designated as an "International" airport operation wise.
Enugu, till date, is still not functional.
The injustice in Nigeria is obvious to even the blind.

The implication of this is that these so-called ghost international airports get funds and attention like an International hub though nothing practically goes on there. How can Katsina, Yola, Maiduguri and Sokoto be designated international status for God's sake!

Who exactly is flying out of Nigeria from these places?
Please, lets peacefully split along regional lines before we choke to death on sadness.

Bigot, what has this your reply got to do with this post? Nothing but sentiment. Back to your write up, Are all those northern airports you mentioned built by their respective state gov'ts or by the federal govt? Where do the federal allocations being given to southern states go to? Ask your state govts and hold them accountable? Classifying northern airports as international airports is as a result of them airlifting passengers yearly directly to Saudi (which is an int'l destination), not that there is any benefit they will derive from such. You're a bigot and fanatic!!!

Brini:
Please, any update about the admission list??

Admission list has been released today 01/11/2019, you can check the portal at https://putme.abu.edu.ng

Paxie55:
He couldn't entrust his life on allah but on mere security, and here you are shouting allah protect him when he has already choosen who is more reliable.

You're mad of all the 3 previous incidents who do you think protected the imams? You or who? It's Allah, cos at those particular moments there are no security details attached to them. FYI in Islam we have a belief in what we refer to as Sabab ( pl. Asbab; meaning reason(s) ), you cant just be praying for wealth without you engaging in wealth creation opportunities/you cant be hungry and then praying to Allah to satisfy your hunger without taking food likewise you cant seek for Allah's protection without you protecting yourself or your properties in the first place. First we protect ourselves then seek for the Almighty's intervention. May Allah (SWT) protect us from bigots like you.

Tina26:
in may places of the world the north is always backward. why

Just like north african nations and sub saharan nations ko

mactoni91:
You see this bank, i hate anything about them with Passion...
After i made a complaint some years back which graced Nairaland's front page about their ATM paying me fake 1000 nairanote.
https://www.nairaland.com/4038695/fake-1000-naira-note-zenith/4

I stopped banking with them since they denied my claim about them paying me fake note.

Can you believe till date i still get debits alert from an account i stopped using many years ago.
They have so debited me that the zenith account now reads (minus) N -1,311.29.

I'm patiently waiting for the day they will touch my other account since CBN has instructed them to debit other bank accounts.

I dont believe you, coz Zenith accounts follow a numerical order, My dad n I opened our accts July '18 (212******3 and 212******4) respectively so how on earth are you telling me that you opened yours years back but the acct no is reading 215*******, I jst dont believe!!!. But anytin fee happen for 9ja

Here is mah number 08032126385

MSc UK pls add 08032126385

cfh

Pls help a brother with NPS, FRSC and FFS past questions

abdullahiahmad54@gmail.com

Pls!!!

Pls i need FRSC, FFS and NPS past questions


abdullahiahmad54@gmail.com


Thanks in advance

Pls i need FRSC, FFS and NPS past questions
abdullahiahmad54@gmail.com
Thanks in advance

Sd

so you guys are also abducting and converting

tnx

lemme try