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From John Adams, Minna
Penultimate week, Nigerians of all walks of life ignored the prevailing security situation in Niger State to honour the Emir of Borgu, Suleiman Haliru Jikantoro, on his 10th anniversary on the throne. For a whole week, the drumbeats were just for the crown and Borgu, an ancient, historical kingdom that resonated in culture, heritage and royalty.
Attendance cut across class, sex and age. While the rich were spotlighted and pampered with attention, the subjects and ordinary folks were allowed to own their modest space and rejoice with their crown.
Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, and Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II, led the list of traditional rulers. They were received by the Estu Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar.
Governors were led by the host governor, Umaru Bago, while the Federal Government’s delegation was led by Senator Sabi Abdullahi, an indigene of the state. There were electric displays of different cultural troupes of Borgu, complemented by their counterparts from outside the kingdom.
The troupes, included Koroso dancers from Kano, Swange dancers from Benue, Fati Niger Artist, Barute dancers from Benin Republic and Gwape International Dance Troupe. The occasion also featured the traditional durbar display of horses and horsemen.
President Bola Tinubu, in his goodwill massage, congratulated the monarch on the remarkable journey of service to his people and the country, saying the monarch’s legacy of selfless leadership would continue to resonate among the people of the state and beyond. Tinubu also prayed for his well-being and the prosperity of the kingdom.
The monarch honoured a number of prominent sons of the kingdom with various traditional titles. Some of those turbaned included the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, who was turbaned as Dokajin of Borgu Kingdom, a retired Assistant Comptroller-General of Immigration, Ahmed Mohammed, who was turbaned as the Ubandawakin Borgu, and Ilyasu Wara.
According to the Emir, the recipients were carefully selected on the basis of their record of service, achievements and contributions to the society. He noted that the conferment of the titles underscored their contributions to governance, their unwavering dedication to public service and their commitment to the development of both Borgu Emirate and Niger State.
Speaking on behalf of all the newly turbaned title holders, Sarkindaji lauded the Emir for the unique honours done to them. He pledged to use the opportunities of his title to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the traditional institution and Borgu in particular.
He also made a case for a well-defined constitutional role for the traditional institution, in view of the significant role it plays towards fostering unity among the people at the grassroots. He explained that as the custodians of culture and tradition, a clear and well- defined role will enable them contribute meaningfully to the development of the country, especially at the grassroots.
He added that the traditional institution could help greatly towards addressing the current security challenges bedeviling the country, adding that their close connection to the communities gives them a potential role in local security efforts and community policing initiatives.
