Optics of Royalty at Jamaare, By Y. Z. Ya’u

On Tuesday, December 26, I was guest speaker at an event to honour the Sa’in Jamaare, Dr. Adamu Ahmed Abdullah, organized by the National Union of Jamaare Emirate Students (NUJES) at Jamaare, Bauchi State and to launch their yearly magazine, the Spear Magazine (spear is the traditional symbol of the Jamaare Emirate).

The yearly event has become a reunion of some sorts as Jamaare indigenes, living and working in different parts of the country converge at home during the end of the year holidays.

This year’s event has a number of peculiarities, which somehow, against the odds, made it remarkable. One of this was that 2023 was the year Jamaare experienced its first kidnapping for money incidence. On a June Saturday, during the ramadan, in the early evening hours when the Jamaare market was still busy, people who would later be identified as kidnappers stormed the market, firing warning shots in the air and made their way to a pre-determined shop where they picked the owner, a local popular business man and traditional titleholder, the Danejin Jamaare. He would spend a number of days before they could be released him after paying ransom money. `

On that day Jamaare lost its innocence and was cowed down by the unexpected episode. Not that it was the first time kidnapping could take place here. Many could recall the eight foreign staff of a construction company who were abducted by Boko Haram many years ago from their camp at the outskirts of Jamaare town but that was neither kidnapping for money nor were the victims local folks. This sobering experience seemed to have weakened the community which gave the kidnappers an opportunity to carry out many more raids, kidnapping people and extorting money until the shock was over and a resilience mode activated that the kidnappers met their waterloo, when they six of them were captured in an attempt to carry out one more kidnapping. They were eventually killed and corpses displayed in the town square, like trophies of gallantry. That seems to restore the relative peace of the community.

The kidnapping had kept many of the indigenes living and working outside Jamaare away from the town and when the organizers sent out invitations, many were still apprehensive to attend as some of the people who continued to visit had resorted to coming and leaving that same day. This December however, the allure of home, was much stronger than the fear of kidnapping and many turned up to witness the occasion.

The second uniqueness of the event was that the event was holding under the royal presence of the 10th Emir of Jamaare, Alhaji Nuhu Ahmed, mni, for the first time. In the previous occasions since he became Emir three years ago, the organizers were not able to get him to be physically present because of one reason or the other. But this year, the organizers were lucky and the Emir brought royal presence to the event.

The other uniqueness of the event was the chief Celebrant and honoree for the year, the Sa’in Jamaare. The Sa’i, like most Jamaare elite looked toward Kano, which is not surprising because culturally and politically Jamaare was part of Kano. The current emir himself is the grant grandson of a former Emir of Kano. Sa’i had his secondary school education at Rumfa College, Kano, and after his university education in the USA, he worked for many years as a Broadcaster with the both the NTA and CTV, Kano. There, his path crossed that of another fellow Broadcaster, Bello Sani Galadanci, who also worked with CTV and who also has a root in both the Jamaare and Kano Saurauta families. It was therefore no coincidence that Bello Sani turned out to be the chairman of the occasion, a role that he ably performed with his rich historical knowledge of the Jamaare Emirate and the saurauta dynasties in both Kano and Jamaare.

But that was not the only Kano connection. The Co- Launcher, Alhaji Abdulmanaf Yunusa Sarina, Chairman/ CEO Azman Airlines and Azman Oil & Gas, the Owner of Azman Air, is a major Kano businessman. While Kano was the base, their paths crossed again on a more professional and business platform when the Sa’i joined in the aviation industry where he worked at various positions for many years.

Sa’i, having spent many years in journalism went to become Commissioner of Information in his native Bauchi State and when he went back to the public service this time as an administrator, served several agencies including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission where he presently is as Executive Commissioner. With his foray in the aviation industry, it was not surprising that the Kano connection with the Azman owner could farther be elevated. But it was not him alone the owner of the Azman that graced the occasion as the Chairman/ CEO, Air Peace, Mr Allen Okechukwu Onyema was also represented.

There was another Kano connection: the Chief Launcher was Alhaji Mustapha Ado, Chairman & CEO of ANMASCO OIL. Although from Katsina, he made Kano his business home, in adoration of the place that also gave him a solid education. He attended Rumfa College which Sa’i also attended, the Bunun Jama’are, AIG Umaru Abdu, the current Bornu State Commissioner of Police who was also co-launcher not only attended Rumfa College, was also classmate with the ANMASCO OIL owner. The Guest Speaker also provided another Kano connection as he is based there.

On the political front, there were representatives of Hon Bala Kashuri, Member Jama’are Itas/Gadau federal constituency, the chairman of both Jamaare and Shira Local Governments as well a team of the youth member of the State House of Assembly representing the Jamaare State Constituency.

Professor Ibrahim Gambari was to be the Guest of Honor; he sent one of his first set of students of international relations at ABU, Director of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Development and Democracy, Ambassador Sani Bala Saulawa, Wamban Katsina. It was as if Prof Gambari knew that the event was going to be royalty inspired and decided to delegate a member of the Katsina ruling family to represent him.

The many turbans that graced the occasion was another optics of royalty. They included Sarkin Yaki, Alh Sabo Likita; Madakin Jama’are Alh Mohd Sabo; Dan Majen Jama’are Alh Abdulkadir Ahmed Wabi; Danburam Alh Kabiru Wabi; Alh Samaila Yarima Danejin Jama’are and Gado da Masun Jama’are, Alahji Saleh Malle among many others.

One of the royal optics that I was made to understand was that you were not supposed to cross your legs when the Emir was around. Although I tried not to, it was not easy and l counted many people crossing their legs though they might not be visible.

There is the greeting. For those of us with who are far removed from the world of traditional rulership, it was not easy to know and observe all the protocols but that is the nature of things. The Sa’in was not just a royal son of Jamaare being honored at home but also a nationalist and patriot as well as thoroughbred professional and administrator who has made some many networks and brought the outside Jamaare world to Jamaare. I have witnessed a number of these annual events but in terms of the money raised, none had reached near this one.

It is credit to the Emir, the celebrant Sa’i and the captivating chairing of Bello Sani Galadanci along with other ace broadcasters from the Jamaare such as MC Aliyu is who is presently the orator of the Bauchi State Governor and the younger Rabiu Ya’u, of the Public Relation Department of Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi that made the ociaaiob not only a success but also a remarkable event, showcasing the rich royalty traditions of the Emirate founded by the descendants of the Dilara Fulani clans.