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The death of the Emir of Gumel in Jigawa State, Alhaji Ahmad Muhammad Sani II, has continued to draw condolences, with the Northern Governors’ Forum, former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, paying tributes to the monarch.
Sani, one of Northern Nigeria’s longest-serving traditional rulers, died yesterday in Cairo, Egypt, after nearly 46 years on the throne.
Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, described the monarch’s death as a profound loss to Jigawa State, Northern Nigeria and the country.
Speaking on behalf of the governors, Yahaya said the late emir distinguished himself through wisdom, humility, peace-building and commitment to the welfare and development of his people.
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, similarly described the death as a great loss to Jigawa State, the traditional institution and the people of Gumel Emirate.
In a statement by his spokesman, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Yusuf extended condolences to Governor Umar Namadi, the Jigawa State Government and people, the Gumel Emirate Council and the monarch’s family.
Kwankwaso described Sani as a distinguished and far-sighted leader who provided dedicated leadership to the Gumel Emirate for more than four decades.
Pantami described him as a distinguished scholar, beacon of wisdom and father figure who devoted his life to the service of his people, promotion of peace and education and preservation of cultural values.
“On behalf of myself and my family, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the immediate family of the late Emir, the Gumel Emirate Council, His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, CFR, the Government and good people of Jigawa State, and the entire nation,” Pantami said.
Born on December 12, 1942, Sani ascended the throne on December 16, 1980, following the death of his father, the 15th Emir of Gumel.
Before ascending the throne, he had a career spanning public administration, immigration service and politics.
He attended the Institute of Administration in Zaria, now part of Ahmadu Bello University, before proceeding to Ohio University in the United States, where he studied Political Science and International Relations.
He also served with the Gumel Native Authority and Nigeria Immigration Service and later became a senior government official at the Kazaure Divisional Office.
Sani subsequently ventured into politics and served as Commissioner for Information, Internal Affairs and Culture in the old Kano State.
His political career ended following his father’s death in December 1980, paving the way for his emergence as the 16th Emir of Gumel.
His death brought to an end a reign of more than 45 years.
There is actually an eighth independent story in the uploaded batch—the Rivers First Movement resignation story beginning at line 324. I have deliberately not merged it with Story 7, because you specifically asked that every story retain its individuality.
