By Muhammad M. Isa
The late Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji (Dr) Shehu Idris has entered Nigeria’s Book of Record as the second longest serving Emir that worked under 12 Heads of States/Presidents and 20 Governors. The first is the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji (Dr) Ado Bayero.
Palace Monitor gathered that the late Emir who Succeeded Alhaji Muhammad Aminu, the father of the present Iyan Zazzau, Alhaji Bashar Aminu, who was appointed in 1975 as the 16th Fulani Emir of Zazzau, is from the Katsina Ruling House.
The late Emir was appointed during the reign of Col. Yakubu Gowon as Nigeria’s Military Head of State and had served, before his demise on Sunday 20th, 2020, eleven other Heads of States and Presidents.
They included General Murtala Mohammed, General Olusegun Obasanjo, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Major General Muhammad Buhari, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Ernest Shonekan.
Others were General Sani Abacha, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, President Olusegun Obasanjo, Alhaji Musa Yar’adua, Dr Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammad Buhari.
By Allah’s Providence, he had also in this vein served under Major Abba Kyari who endorsed his appointment when he was the Governor of the northern region.
The governors of the state during the reign of Alhaji Shehu Idris were Abba Kyari from 28 May 1967 to Jul 1975, Usman Jibrin, July 1975 to 1977, Muktar Muhammed, 1977 to July 1978,
Ibrahim Mahmud Alfa, July 1978 to October 1979 and Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, October 1979 to 23 June 1981.
Others include; Abba Musa Rimi, 6 July 1981 to October 1983, Lawal Kaita, October 1983 to December 1983,
Usman Mu’azu, January 1984 to August 1985, Dangiwa Umar, August 1985 to June 1988 and Abdullahi Sarki Mukhtar, July 1988 to August 1990.
Others were Abubakar Tanko Ayuba, August 1990 to 2 January 1992,
Mohammed Dabo Lere, 2 January 1992 to November 1993, Lawal Jafaru Isa, 9 December 1993 to 22 August 1996,
Hammed Ali, 22 August 1996- August 1998, Umar Farouk Ahmed, August 1998-29 May 1999 and Ahmed Makarfi, 29 May 1999-29 May 2007.
Mohammed Namadi Sambo governed the state between 29 May 2007 and 19 May 2010, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa between 20 May 2010 and 15 December 2012, while Mukhtar Ramalan Yero was occupied the ancient Sir Kashim Ibrahim House between 15 December 2012 and 29 May 2015. Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai 29 May 2015 to date.
Malam Nasir El-Rufai, who is said to be an incarnate of Bryan Sharwood Smith, the last colonial Governor of Northern Nigeria, and who was the District Officer (D.O.) of Zaria when the Emir of Zazzau, Ibrahim Kwasau, died in 1936. At that time, Sharwood Smith, not the Resident, contrived the emergence of Jafaru as the new Emir.
Malam Nasiru El-rufaí is, as it were, Smith-reincarnate, now the present Governor of the state to decide the future of the emirate.