Welcoming the 11th Emir of Gombe, Lamido Abubakar III

The first Abubakar to ascend the throne was Modibbo Bubayero, the founder of the Emirate of Gombe. The second was the 9th Emir of Gombe, Lamido (Emir) Abubakar son of Lamido Umaru. And we now have as the 11th Lamido of Gombe, the immediate past Santuraki of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar, Lamido Abubakar III, […]

The first Abubakar to ascend the throne was Modibbo Bubayero, the founder of the Emirate of Gombe. The second was the 9th Emir of Gombe, Lamido (Emir) Abubakar son of Lamido Umaru. And we now have as the 11th Lamido of Gombe, the immediate past Santuraki of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar, Lamido Abubakar III, (Sarki Abubakar Na Uku), whose historic Lamidoship started on Friday 6th June, 2014, amidst joy, jubilation and fanfare.

For the past 11 years we used to call him the 11th (Na sha daya). And as Allah would have it, 11 days after the demise of his father, he was announced as the 11th Emir of Gombe at about 11:00am. He has become truly the 11th.
It initially looked like just a dream. But it is not. It is rather a dream come true; a hope turned real; a vision actualized; a prayer divinely accepted. It is real. He is the Emir of Gombe, Sarkin Yakin Sarkin Musulmi. He was the heir and now the custodian of the prestigious royal throne of Bubayero. His appointment is Allah’s making. It is Allah’s choice. And he deserves it. Not only because he is a direct descendant of Modibbo Bubayero and son of the immediate past emir, but also, and more importantly, because he possesses the qualities required for a person to ascend to that venerated royal throne. The humility and simplicity that are needed, the love and concern for others that are required, the listening ear that is wanted and many other open qualities that are usually enumerated as requisite for one to be emir, have all gathered in him in a remarkably astonishing manner.
Analysis can show some interesting historical coincidences in the story of Sarki Abubakar III in Gombe. Among the emirs, the first two Abubakars ruled for longer periods than all others. Bubayero served for 37 years and Abubakar Umar for 48 years. We pray therefore, that he will follow that path and rule for a much longer period than both of them. Also, his grandfather, the 9th Emir held the post of Santuraki before he later gradually moved to the apex of the kingdom.
His father the 10th emir was promoted from Santuraki to Emir.
And His Royal Highness the 11th emir was also until his appointment as emir, the Santurakin Gombe.
His choice as the Lamido of Leddi (leader of the land) Bubayero is God-made.
One unique thing about HRH is that, perhaps because of his accommodating nature and humbleness, whoever comes near him will soon be enveloped by his modesty. And who knows whether that was why his appointment as emir was widely applauded? Since the demise of his late father, as usual, the talk of the town was, having lost a caring father, who would fit in the crown? An overwhelming majority of the elite and the Talakawa massively supported his ascension to the throne. The people of Gombe, from the rich to the poor, from the old to the young, from the male to the female, and from those related to Lamorde (palace) to those who are not, were in complete support of promoting the then Santuraki to Sarki.
What is most interesting was the maturity and clean-mindedness with which his appointment was received by his brothers from the Banu (descendants of) Bubayero, especially the revered Tafida of Gombe who is his elder full brother. Tafida was apparently elated with the fact that Allah, who is the Absolute Possessor of power has chosen his blood-brother as the emir.
In fact, immediately after the announcement in the mosque, he went and pledged his allegiance to the new emir, alongside all other Banu Bubayero. This was extra-ordinary! It was exemplary. And I was more impressed and better convinced by the Tafida’s sincerity when a few minutes after the declaration, some friends and I entered the palace to congratulate the mother of the emir and found Tafida jubilating with their mother and congratulating her for being the mother of an emir after being a wife of an emir. For him it was enough a success for his mother to produce the Lamido of Gombe even though he was not the one. But what does one expect from the family of Lamido Usman Shehu who spent his life uniting the people of Gombe and trying to rid them of unnecessary mutual enmity, mistrust and unhealthy competition?
The extraordinary positive reaction of the Tafida was no doubt indicative of the fact that he is a person who has an “abundance mentality”; a man who believes that it is Allah who can do and undo; a man who understands the fact that man can only propose but it is Allah who disposes; a man who understands the reality that it is Allah Who gives and takes away power; a person who knows that the success of his brother is equivalent to his own success. He accepted Allah’s decree wholeheartedly. He congratulated his brother happily. And so, he disappointed the potential mischief-makers immediately. May Allah (SWT) bless and guide Tafida.
There were a few people who felt that Abubakar was not qualified to succeed his late father. Their reason, however, has nothing to do with his ability or competence. They said he was not fit because, as a person who was only about 37 years of age, he was too young to be the royal father of Gombe. Now if at 37 he does not qualify by age to be emir, then how many years do they want a person to reach before he gets there? Their argument is so misplaced, especially given the fact that they are the very people who always challenge our elders of dominating all important positions and denying the upcoming generations the chance to use their fresh blood and contribute to the development of our dear nation.It can still be added that early in the history of the Sokoto Calphate, Sultan Muhammadu Bello, son of Shehu Usman Danfodio became the Ameerul Mu’mineen at the age of 34. One can go on and on.
Now the reader may ask why all these explanations about this leader?
Is it because of the writer’s personal relationship and closeness to HRH? Actually, no. Although it is the closeness that has played an important role in knowing and understanding the personality in him,the main motivator for this write-up is to educate the people about the person who is occupying this strategic position. The concern is actually about the position he is occupying vis-a-vis its socio-historical significance. Despite what has happened to the emirate system since our invasion by the colonial “monsters”, emirates, as the bastion of the Sokoto caliphal institution, still remain symbols of honor, respect and dignity for our society. They epitomize the symbol of pride for our community. They represent a source of hope and socio-cultural and religious solace for the common masses. The colonial monsters deliberately reduced the powers of the emirates, relegated them to the background and through the indirect rule system, forced them to be seen as agents of oppression rather than the agents of justice that they actually should have been.
Despite all this, however, to a large extent, the Emirs still remain the final point of call for the masses when it comes to the need to truly represent their collective conscience and communal aspirations.
Some of the emirs, for one reason or the other, might be seen as being reluctant in this responsibility. While this might be true, it can, however, be said that a large number of them have demonstrated their ability and readiness to courageously and selflessly protect the interest of the common man. HRH, the new Emir of Gombe, Sabon Sarki, would, insha Allah, be among them.
Our hope is that like his late father, he would be pro-poor in his leadership style. We hope he would use this good office to defend the rights of his Talakawa, promote their common good and be bold enough to kick against any unpopular policy that has the potential of jeopardizing their collective interest.
It is our prayer too that he would stay much longer than his forebears and would achieve far greater successes than his father and grandfather, and command far more influence and respect than any emir that has ever reigned in Gombe. It is our hope that he would never forget the basis of the emirate he leads, which is Islam. As the second Caliph of the Prophet (SAW), Umar Bin Khattab (RA), rightly said: ‘We were originally inferior people but raised in ranks and prestige by Allah as a result of Islam; and whenever we choose to abandon Islam, Allah will cause us to be the most inferior and downgraded people on earth.’ HRH should always refer to religion for answers to his leadership questions. Alhamdulillah, enough literature has been bequeathed to us by the triumvirate founders of the Sokoto Caliphate; Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio, Sheikh Abdullahi Bin Fodio and Sultan Muhammad Bello.
A. A. Lamido wrote from Ajiya Quarters, behind Emir’s Palace, Gombe State.