Royal Honour for the Social Entrepreneur 

Royal Honour for the Social Entrepreneur 

Ayodeji Ake who witnessed the turbaning ceremony of the first ‘Waziri Hausa’, Alhaji Yakubu Gobir, at the palace of the Emir of Dauara, Katsina State, reports that it was an honour well deserved for the social entrepreneur

It was an elaborate celebration recently in the ancient city of Daura in Kastina State on November 19, 2019, as indigenes and non-indigenes assembled in their stunning attires in the palce of the Emir to witness the turbaning of the first Waziri Hausa, Alhaji Yakubu Gobir, a foremost social entrepreneur and philanthropist.

Groups from Kwara State were all in attendance in their native attires and customised wears with ‘Alh. Yakubu Garba Gobir as Waziri Hausa’ inscribed on them, as a symbol of love and support.

For the records, the Waziri is synonymous to a prime minister and they mostly exist in Islamic nations   such as Turkey, Pakistan and so on. That title of Waziri is very well known, in fact, there is a place called Waziristan in Pakistan. The title is usually given to somebody that is very enlightened and  knowledgeable. The person is usually a scribe or adviser to the emir in most countries or empire and as the prime minister, he is very close to the emirs. It’s usually the position next to the emir.

The Feast 

Given the high position the Waziri occupies, the event started with a feast in the palace, with a well set table of different dishes-both local and foreign dishes. The Emir and the Waziri led the crowd to the feast room where all were fed in buffet style, after which the turbaning followed.

The Turbaning

At the event, the Emir of Daura, His Royal Majesty, Alhaji (Dr.) Umar Farouk, urged the newly turbaned Waziri to be upright and avoid anything that would tarnish the image of Daura Emirate and the entire Northern Nigeria. Umar emphasised that only the Daura Emirate council is the only council with the ability of giving traditional titles that covers the entire Northern Nigeria.

He said: “I have been given the mandate by emirs in the Northern Nigeria to bestow on you the title of Waziri Hausa. Daura Emirate council is the only council that can give a traditional title that covers the entire Northern Nigeria based on its historical background.

“We in Daura are aware that some disgruntled historians are desperately trying to destroy evidence about Daura history. We have evidences like the Kusugu well and the sword used to kill the snake inside the well. We still have the room of Queen Daurama inside the Emir’s Palace for all doubting to see.”

Spousal Commendation

Speaking with enthusiasm, the wife  of the new Waziri Hausa, Balikis Gobir, noted her husband over the years has been over the years been a philanthropist and ambassador of peace.

She said: “I am happy my husband is the Waziri Hausa. He has been very kind and I am sure he will use this title as a platform of reaching out to the people. He will do more by ensuring peace continues to reign.”

Transformational Pledge 

On his part as the Waziri Hausa, Alhaji Yakau Gobir, pledged positive transformation in the Northern areas and also bridging the gap between the Northern and the Southern regions.

He said: “First of all, I thank God for the gift and the responsibility that goes with it, and I acknowledge that it is only God that can help one to be successful in any role one is given. What I want to rely on is the fact that I am of the Gobir lineage, and if you look at it, the Gobirs are everywhere, even in Lagos.

“You  will see the mark, I don’t have the mark, but you will see people of Gobir descent in almost every town or city in Nigeria and as well in Niger, in fact the Gobir are very powerful in Niger.

”I will first of all rely on my Gobir people, they have been very supportive and that is a network that I will first of all use. I will of course reach out to the Northern emirs. And more importantly, the Emir of Daura in consultation with the other emirs decided to give somebody like me this title because they are looking at the future.”

Speaking on his first priority as the Waziri of Hausa, he said he will create harmony not only within Northerners, but across the country where Northerners resides to curb internal crisis, adding that the crisis are as a result of poverty and exclusion.

“Look at what happened in Kaduna recently, that has been a perennial problem. But it’s not about religion; most people don’t know. It’s about territory. If you look at the crisis that keeps happening in Jos, it’s not religion but territorial problem. If you look at what’s happening in the North-east with Boko Haram, it’s not religion, its poverty and feeling of exclusion.

“If you go to some of those areas you will not even know if they are part of Nigeria. When you go to some areas in Sokoto State, you will travel several kilometers and you won’t even see one police station. And you hear what’s happening in Zamfara, and it’s also happening in Sokoto State too. And especially when it’s time for politics, those kind of things start happening.

“It has nothing to do with religion. It usually has to do with economics and power. And also in the South, a lot of people don’t understand what the Northern agenda is. They will say President Muhammadu Buhari is pro-Islamic, or anti-Christian; it’s not so. If you get close to him, you will find out it’s not so.

“One of the closest person to President Mohammadu Buhari that I knew intimately was General Tunde Idiagbon. He’s from Ilorin, Yoruba speaking. So that’s the kind of role I intend to play as the Waziri of Hausa. You know this title is a lifetime title. And I pray that Allah gives me the long life to be able to do it and even over time, I will be able to have impact in Nigeria.”

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