Ado Bayero: SAN Nigeria falls Everywhere you go, as far as northern nigeria is concerned, talk or Discussions or commentary regarding the emirates of the North centre on priming kano emirate as the number one emirate council; right after the emir of sokoto (the sultanate). The Kano emir is kind of regarded as the most esteemed, prestigious and authoritative of all the emirs of northern nigeria. Mohammed harunas article as tribute to Ado Bayero also described kano emirate as the second or third or so right after the sultanate; he referenced the income generated by the kano emirate and the size of the kano emirs salary which was triple the salary of the sardauna of sokoto himself. Indeed kanos size in terms of commerce and so on, puts it ahead of other emirates but that is just on thin air and not on paper. The emir of gwandu actually comes second to the sultan of sokoto; being the brother or cousin to the sultan of sokoto. The emir who is the designate Sarkin Yakin Sarkin Musulmi is undeniably the Emir of Bauchi; the Yakubu of Bauchi of those times. He was crowned the chief warrior of the sultanate by virtue of his gallantry as he was called upon to truncate the Shehu of Bornos war procession as it marched to defeat the sultanate in a fight to the finish battle of all times that was never to be, thanks to the servitude of the fearless Yakubun Bauchi. He was the only emir that dared to face the dreaded Elkanemi of Borno at the time; all the other emirs under the sokoto caliphate having passed the call to war, absconded from the duty of protecting the sultanate from the conquest of the Shehu of Borno who stood mighty enough to actually win that war if perhaps it had taken place. This preview into the might or not of the then emirates (kano, bauchi, daura etc) is for one reason only; to finger the most enviable reign of the Ado of Kano as the character and time with the sole credit of pushing kano emirate and its image in our time, high above all other emirates. The SAN kanos over 50 years as Emir has come to define the entire emiral system which has seen to not only the transformation of traditional or native authority, but to its preservation and upliftment even if its in terms of its sheer grand and artistic form. Ado Bayeros reign could arguably be singularly responsible for the clamor for traditional title by every son of the north; be he in the emiral/title genealogy or not. The glamor, prestige and indeed class exuded by the SAN Kano has drawn great admiration and fervor for the traditional system and this has been replicated in all the emirates across northern Nigeria where accomplished businessmen, senior civil servants as well as politicians now jostle for one title or the other in the emirates of their respective domains. Ado has been a symbol of what the emirate should be, what class it should have, what respect should be accorded to it, and what dignity and royalty it commands. He was an absolute image or even more, of what the native authority used to be in northern nigeria, before colonial systems of government dethroned the authorities of the emirate councils. Growing up, I have not only revered the SAN Kano, but also feared him; the emir that darted his eyes through a thinly veiled face turban with the grey in his eyes constantly instilling fear in my young and aspiring Talban Bauchis mind. To us traditionalists and products of the ever colourful and graceful durbar system that always showcased the might and grandeur of the emirate councils, Ado was the height and pinnacle of traditional excellence and authority. I was opportuned to go-see Ado in 2005 at his palace in kanon dabo as I escorted late Talban Bauchi (Dr Ibrahim Tahir) on one of his visits to the emir. We were later to see Ado after the ceremonial homage in the main hall of his palace before we were escorted by the wakilin sallaman kano; to another chamber (zaure) deep inside the emirs palace. There was Ado seated alone, wearing an appapairan (open sleeved apparel which northern royalty wear as a relaxation cloth). Late Talba introduced me as one of his pikins. Immediately, I was desperate for the lavatory. I was awed beyond recognition and I could barely speak. Then Ado helped me out; in a calm and surprisingly slim voice he asked me, Yaya anti yelwa? That was my mum! In my mind I danced and swirled and shouted but neither Ado nor Talba could see me....i was elated that the most feared emir even knows my mums name? wow! I emptied all the thoughts and fears I had about ado and gave him a vote of confidence and love. From then on, I became one of his great admirers especially from within my own emirate of Bauchi. There and then I conceded to Ado, that much touted second position as the next in the chain of command after the sultan. Indeed Sanusi the second has mighty big shoes to fill as I am sure he recognises the size of the void he has to fill and also the missions of the emirate he is to fulfill. May your soul rest in peace; for you remain the shining crest of our northern emirates, ya sarki mijin goggo-amarya ki gudu, SAN jiya da dazu da anjima!
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 06:54:12 +0000
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