Alhaji Mukhtar Sarkin Bai: Portrait of integrity and loyalty

Alhaji Mukhtar Sarkin Bai lived for 95 years (1926-2021). He was born into the noble family that descended from Malam Dabo Dambazau the 19th century Islamic scholar who was one of the Jihad leaders in Kano. According to Dr. Muhammadu Uba Adamu who used original Arabic sources including Waziri Gidado dan Laima’s Raud al-Jinan, Dabo […]

Alhaji Mukhtar Sarkin Bai lived for 95 years (1926-2021). He was born into the noble family that descended from Malam Dabo Dambazau the 19th century Islamic scholar who was one of the Jihad leaders in Kano. According to Dr. Muhammadu Uba Adamu who used original Arabic sources including Waziri Gidado dan Laima’s Raud al-Jinan, Dabo Dambazau was one of the prominent followers of Shehu Usman Danfodio, who lived in Kano and were Jihad leaders in various locations. The others were: Muhammadu Dangabuwa of Mundubawa Clan, Danzabuwa of Daneji Clan, Abdurrahman Goshi and Jibril his younger brother of Yolawa Clan, Muhammadu, Jamo of Sullubawa Clan, Usman Bahuashe, Salihu Dattuwa of Gyanawa/Jallubawa Clan and Salihu of Yalligawa Clan (Adamu, M. U. (2007) Kano Kwaryar Kira Matattarar Alheri Litafi na Biyu: Kano Daga Kwazazzabon Yar Kwando pp. 50-51)

Dabo Dambazau outlived all the Jihad leaders. He died in 1846 during the reign of Sarkin Kano Usman Maje Ringim. The uniqueness of his family is that since he took the title of Sarkin Bai and Kingmaker during Ibrahim Dabo’s reign (1819-1846) the title never left his descendants unlike all other families in Kano in the last 200 years. His family has history of longevity unlike the Yolawa who had several Madaki titleholders. For example from 1954, there have been seven Madakis but only one Sarkin Bai Mukhtar Adnan. 

Sarkin Bai Mukhtar has been the patriarch of the Dambazawa Clan and one of the kingmakers who participated in the selection of four Emirs: Muhammad Inuwa, Ado Bayero, Muhammad Sanusi II and Aminu Ado Bayero. The leaders of the Dambazawa Clan are known for their forthrightness and he was no exception.

Managing an extended family is also a big challenge. He maintained his leadership with respect because of his contentment and integrity. This clan has contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria as a whole. It has produced ministers: Umaru Babura, Abba Dabo and Mansur Mukhtar, as well as distinguished professionals such as Barrister AB Mahmud SAN and Professor Gaji Badawi. The prominent Ilu Family of successful businessmen, also belong to this clan (Bello, Adnan Bawa (2020) Sheikh Yunusa Dabon Dambazau da Zuri’arsa).

Sarkin Bai Mukhtar attended Dambatta Elementary School (1935-1939), from where he proceeded to Kano Middle School (1939-1944). One of his friends and classmates at Kano Middle School was Sarki Usman who died more than 20 years ago. He worked briefly for one year in Dambatta and Ringim as a district scribe. He then attended the Zaria Clerical School (1946-1947), which later became the Institute of Administration and he was the best student in his class. The Regional Government employed him in the Colonial Audit Department, Kaduna. He worked there for two years before he was transferred to Zaria and later to Kano. He was posted to Kano Emirate as Senior Accountant in the Kano Native Authority Treasury. At that time Ciroma Muhammadu Sanusi was bringing Western educated elite into the Native Administration. Sarkin Bai Adnan was one of the kingmakers who selected Sarkin Kano Muhammad Sanusi. He was advised to relinquish his title for his son because there  were older members of the family who could take the title after him. He did and Sarkin Kano Muhammadu Sanusi appointed Mukhtar as the Sarkin Bai in 1954 during the first year of his reign.

Sarkin Bai Mukhtar like other aristocrats, was a member of the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC). Sarkin Kano Sir Muhammad Sanusi, the mentor of Sarkin Bai Mukhtar was the greatest supporter of this party, according to John Paden the official biographer of its leader, Sir Ahmadu Bello. Sarkin Kano Muhammadu Sanusi made sure the NPC won in Kano Emirate and he fielded most of its aristocratic candidates. Sarkin Bai Mukhtar was one of those he chose, and they were elected into the Parliament along with some of his teachers: Bello Dandago and Inuwa Wada and some of his juniors Mahmud Bayero and Abbas Sanusi. He excelled in the Federal Parliament with his eloquent speeches during the debating sessions and at a young age he became the NPC Chief Whip.

Sarkin Bai Mukhtar and the NPC Members of the Federal Government did not support the move of the NPC Northern Regional Government when it instituted the Muffett Commission of Inquiry to pave the way for the removal of Sarkin Kano Sir Muhammadu Sanusi. In fact the British officials in bureaucracy who influenced the Premier wanted to use Sarkin Bai Mukhtar when Muffett recommended that he should be appointed the Senior Councilor and Head of District Administration because of his brilliance. This recommendation was not implemented because of the other ambiguous recommendation on Madaki Shehu Ahmed. Years later Alhaji Sule Gaya Sarkin Fada confirmed to the Premier’s official biographer that the whole exercise was political because the Sardauna told him “that if Sanusi had shown any remorse they could have settled” the matter (Paden, J. N. (1986) Ahmadu Bello Sardauna of Sokoto: Values and Leaders in Nigeria p. 451).

Sarkin Bai Mukhtar returned to Kano after the collapse of the first republic. He was appointed into the rainbow cabinet of Kano State with membership from the defunct NPC, NEPU and the four Emirate Native Authorities. He was appointed the first Kano State Commissioner for Education. He was not just a commissioner who sat in the office giving orders to subordinates. One incident occurred when a school headmaster changed admissions of two pupils – he gave a privileged boy who was admitted to Wudil Craft School the admission of a less privileged pupil who passed to Barewa College. Sarkin Bai Mukhtar drove his car to Wudil took the boy to Zaria and returned the other to Wudil. That was how meticulous and honorable he was.

Sarkin Bai Mukhtar served with distinction as the Commissioner for Education. In fact he left the cabinet in 1973 before the state was plunged into financial crisis as a result of “fiscal recklessness”. According to Alhaji Shehu Shagari, the late President who was then the Federal Commissioner of Finance (Minister), Kano State had to turn to Federal Government for help as “there were no more on-going capital projects from which Governor Audu Bako could divert more funds” (Shagari, Shehu (2001) Beckoned to Serve p. 168). Sarkin Bai Mukhtar returned to his Dambatta District where he continued to serve his community with honour and commitment.

Sarkin Bai Mukhtar has never hidden his love for the descendants of Sarkin Kano Sir Muhammadu Sanusi. This could be one of the reasons for conflicting accounts of the selection of Sarkin Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero by John N. Paden, which was later clarified by Ibrahim, O. F. (2001) Prince of the Times: Ado Bayero and the Transformation of Emiral Authority in Kano pp. 118-119). In one of his BBC interviews after the selection of Sarkin Kano Muhammad Sanusi II he expressed his happiness that he participated in the selection of his son as the Emir of Kano. He was one of the closest friends of late Ciroma Ambassador Aminu Sanusi, the father of the Emir, who also later confirmed it was Sarkin Bai’s wish for over 20 years before his ascension.

Sarkin Bai Mukhtar received several honours including the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR). Bayero University also conferred on him the Honorary Doctor of Letters. He died on Thursday night December 2, 2021 and his funeral prayer was conducted after Juma’at prayer on December 3, 2021.

Ibrahim Ado-Kurawa

Editor, Nigeria Year Book and Who is Who.