Meet Wamban Sarki Ban Bichi, Engr Sani Abdulkadir

As Dale Carnegie, an American celebrated writer said, “People work for money but go the extra mile for recognition, praise and rewards.” By going the extra mile, it means you need to put in more effort and in this case, spend a portion of what you have laboured to earn for the betterment of your […]

As Dale Carnegie, an American celebrated writer said, “People work for money but go the extra mile for recognition, praise and rewards.” By going the extra mile, it means you need to put in more effort and in this case, spend a portion of what you have laboured to earn for the betterment of your community.

Similarly, a former American Secretary of Defence, Robert McNamara, said “Brains, like hearts, go to where they are appreciated.” Here, His Highness, Sarkin Ban Bichi, Alhaji Isyaku Wada Ibrahim, recognized the fact that showing appreciation to the little extra effort one is putting to better the lot of their people will serve as a great impetus for them to do more.

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It is against this backdrop that Alhaji Isyaku Wada Ibrahim, who is the District Head of Danbatta, decided to appreciate the little contribution this illustrious son of Dambazawa is making towards the development of the Dambazawa community.

Today, family, friends, colleagues and well-wishers, people from all walks of life converge on Danbatta, the traditional home of Sarkin Bai, to rejoice and celebrate with Engineer Sani Abdulkadir, the current Zonal Coordinator, North West II (Sokoto Zonal Headquarters) coordinating the activities of FERMA in Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states field offices.

He would be turbaned as the Wamban Sarki Ban Bichi in recognition of his contributions and selfless service to the development of Dambazawa Community by one of the topmost leaders of the community, the Sarkin Ban Bichi.

This honour is indeed in recognition and appreciation of what Engr. Abdulkadir did and has been doing for Dambazawa Community as Calvin Coolidge would say, “No person was ever honoured for what he received. Honour has been the reward of what he gave.”

This would therefore serve as a stimulus for him to do more and encourage others to emulate him, because they will know that hard work and generosity are appreciated in the Dambazawa community.  

The celebrant, Engr. Sani Abdulkadir, was born on February 7th, 1972 in the Ancient City of Kano. He is a descendent of Dabon Dambazau, the first Sarkin Bai of Kano.

Sani is the son of Malam Abdulkadir (Nasidi), the son Abubakar Bashir (Barau) the son of Sarkin Bai Bashir Alhaji, the son of Sarkin Bai Kwairanga who is the son of Sarkin Bai Malam Yunusa Dabo, popularly known as Dabon Dambazau. 

The young Sani completed his primary and secondary schools’ education at Dala Primary School and Senior Secondary Grammar School (SSGS) Gwammaja both in Kano, in 1984 and 1990 respectively.

He obtained his bachelor’s degree (B.Eng) in Civil Engineering in 1998, and Masters Degree, M.Eng. Civil (Geotechnical Engineering) in 2011, both from the Prestigious Bayero University Kano.

Engr. Sani Abdulkadir started his working career in 2001 as a Civil Engineer with the Kano State Ministry of works, Housing and Transport and by 2007, he rose to the position of a Senior Civil Engineer, and later joined the services of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Abuja in May, 2007 as a Road Maintenance Representative (RMR) in charge of maintenance of the ever-busy Kano-Kaduna dual carriageway under the North-West Zonal office of FERMA in Kano.

Due to his sheer hard work, discipline and uncommon honesty, Sani was promoted to the position of the Federal Roads Maintenance Engineer (FRME), in-charge of Kaduna State Field Office of FERMA, in 2009. In December 2020, he was appointed Ag. Zonal Director (Zonal Coordinator), North West II zonal Headquarters, Sokoto, to coordinate the Agency’s activities in Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

The new Wamban Sarkin Bai is a registered Civil Engineer with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) since 2006, and a registered member of both the Institution of Civil Engineers (MNICE) and the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE). He is also a member of the Institute of Industrialist and Corporate Administrators (MIICA) and a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Executives of Nigeria (FICEN).

He is a recipient of many awards which include a 2010 FERMA Governing Board letter of commendation for his “Excellent work performance,” the NSE, Kano Branch 2011 award for his consistent support and commitment to NSE, the 2007 award for his meritorious service to NSE, Kano branch, and the 2020 award for his outstanding contribution to Engineering profession. He has many other awards/recognitions from various communities, youths and student’s associations.

Engr. Sani Abdulkadir has a publication in the Bayero University, Kano, Journal of Engineering & Technology of 2012 titled “Evaluation Criteria For Hand-Guided Vibratory Rollers in Compaction of Laterites For Road Maintenance works” to his credit. He also attended many workshops and seminars locally and internationally.

His recognition has gone beyond the shores of Nigeria as he was recently appointed as International Peace Advocate by United Nations Polac Foundation. He is also a member of Kano Toastmasters Club, a branch of Toastmasters International Club.

His interest is in serving humanity and achieving excellence when discharging his professional responsibilities to the benefit of the society and the downtrodden in particular.

Engr Sani loves reading and is very passionate about books. As part of his community service, he mentors youths on leadership and entrepreneurship.

Engr. Sani Abdulkadir, Wamban Sarkin Ban Bichi, is happily married with children and grandchildren.

His conferment of the title of ‘Wamban Sarkin Ban Bichi’ by Sarkin Bai, one of the kingmakers in Bichi Emirate and thus a senior council member, is well celebrated by his friends, relatives, colleagues and other associates, who see the appointment as an honour well deserved.

As Aristotle, a Greek philosopher would say, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit,”

To cap it all, in addition to the widespread acceptance of the Dambazawa community, this recognition and appreciation has the approval of His Highness, the Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero.