Gusau gets new Emir amidst fanfare

Alhaji Ibrahim Bello’s ascension to the throne followed the demise of his cousin, the 14th Emir of Gusau,  Alhaji Muhammad Kabir Danbaba, last Thursday.The new Emir is a registered nurse and a holder of Master’s degree in Health Education from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.He was a principal School of Health Technology, Jega and […]

Alhaji Ibrahim Bello’s ascension to the throne followed the demise of his cousin, the 14th Emir of Gusau,  Alhaji Muhammad Kabir Danbaba, last Thursday.
The new Emir is a registered nurse and a holder of Master’s degree in Health Education from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
He was a principal School of Health Technology, Jega and Executive Director Sultan Abdurrahman School of Health Technology, Gwadabawa both in old Sokoto State. He was a Director Primary Healthcare Ministry of Health, Gusau Zamfara state. He was a Permanent Secretary in Zamfara civil service from 1998-2002 and Commissioner, Ministry of Animal Health from February 2011- June 2011. He is married with children.
Born on 12th June 1954 in Wonaka Town of Gusau local government, Ibrahim Bello is a grandson of Mallam Muhammad Murtala who reigned in Gusau from 1900-1916 and is of Muhammad Sambo lineage, the founder Gusau Emirate.
Alhaji Ibrahim Bello is also the 15th ruler of Gusau and 9th emir from Mallam Sambo Dan Ashafa family who ruled Gusau between1806-1827.
Soon after his appointment, a large jubilant crowd accompanied him to the palace, where he was traditionally presented with a copy of the Holy Qur’an and a sword, while the senior councilors in the emirate started coming in one after the other, prostrating in solidarity.
Local musicians and trumpeters were busy praise singing the new emir as residents were trooping in to the palace to rejoice with him.
In his speech, the new emir said his appointment as the new emir is something ordained by Almighty Allah.
“I didn’t know that I would find myself in this position and I don’t know how long I will live as emir. I’m calling on the members of this family to come and join hands with me in uplifting the status of the emirate.” he said.
Some people who spoke to Sunday Trust at the palace expressed joy over the development.
Alhaji Musa Ibrahim Gusau said the emergence of Alhaji Ibrahim Bello is a defining moment in the history of the emirate. “ The new emir is educated and smart enough to lead this emirate. In fact, he has all what it takes to rule the emirate. You know unlike his predecessors, the new emir is Dan boko (bureaucrat) and many of us believe that he would have modern approaches to issues at stake.”
Another resident, Mallam Yusuf Aliyu said the new emir’s good human relationship is another motivating quality in him and this would definitely encourage his subjects to interact with the emirate without any hindrance.
Despite the celebrations over the appointment of the new emir, some of the residents and councilors in the emirate still fondly shared the loving memories of the late emir Muhammad Kabir Danbaba.
His Highness the late Emir of Gusau popularly known as Sarkin Katsinan Gusau and the 14th ruler of the emirate Alhaji Muhammad Kabir Danbaba OFR was born on 15th October 1928 in to the family of the renowned Islamic scholar and Jihadist Mallam Sambo Dan Ashafa, the founder of Gusau kingdom.
Both his parents were of royal stock because they were common descendants of Mallam Sambo Dan Ashafa. His father was Mallam Muhammadu Mustapha, son of Sarkin Katsina Murtala, the grandson of Mallam Sambo Dan Ashafa, while his mother Fadimatu, was  daughter of Maimunatu and also daughter of Sarkin Katsina Muhammadu Gide, who was the grandson of Mallam Sambo Dan Ashafa also.
Mallam Muhammadu Sambo Dan Ashafa lived in Gusau between1811-1823 and  later moved and founded Wonaka town, which is still under Gusau local government. He later died in 1827.
The late emir, Muhammad Kabir, was appointed as the village head of Sabon Gari in 1975 with the title Magajin Sabon Gari by the then District head of Gusau Alhaji Sulaiman Isa who died in 1984. Alhaji Muhammadu Kabir Danbaba succeeded late Alhaji Sulaiman Isa as district head of Gusau and was turbaned by  the then Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Abubakar III on 31st August 1984.
This was a historical moment not only to Alhaji Muhammadu Kabir Danbaba but the whole Gusau royal family because it was after an interregnum of 67 years that the throne returned to the Sambo Dan Ashafa family. The last Sarkin Katsina of the Sambo family was Sarkin Katsina Dangida who was deposed in 1917.
Sarkin Katsinan Gusau took the throne as the first Emir of Gusau on 15th July 1997, thereby restoring glory, esteem, honour and eminence to the Sambo Dan Ashafa lineage and he was given a staff of office as Second Class Emir in June 1998 and elevated to a First Class Emir in July 2007.
Gusau city which is the headquarters of the emirate has seen a great expansion under the guidance of his Highness and settlements like Mareri,Damba,Unguwar Gwaza, Janyau,Abarma, Jauri and Gada biyu are now parts of Gusau.
It was reported that Mallam Sambo Dan Ashafa had once prophesied that one day Gusau would expand to the extent that houses would reach the bank of river Sokoto. Gusau is known for its commerce and industry in Hausaland as the city can now boost of 21 cotton ginnaries, Zamfara Textile Industry, Gusau Sweet Factory and Tannery among others.
One of the son of the late Emir, Alhaji Nuruddeen Muhammad Kabir, Dan Ruwatsan Gusau, who is also the secretary to the emirate told this reporter some of the sterling leadership qualities of his father ever since he was brought up in the royal family.
“When we made a proposal to him about his 30th anniversary on the throne he said there won’t be much things like celebrations rather the emirate would intensify prayers to Almighty Allah for peace and tranquility to reign in the emirate and the country at large. He said nobody would be involved in any ceremony especially at this critical time of security challenges in the country.
“His highness used to admonish us and the rest of the people in the Emirate on fear of Allah, honesty and self-reliance and apart from training us and bringing us up in this way that was how he was also training other people because he saw every one as members of his family,” he added.