BY Nafisa Adam

On Wednesday, 18th August, 2021, I was opportuned to travel from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria to Bichi in Kano state with three of my colleagues (Yusuf Kabir, Mallam idris uthman a.k.a Mai gaskiya and Mr Amos Tauna. We all travelled to Bichi to attend the Coronation ceremony of Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero as the second Emir of Bichi which was billed for 21st of August, and the solemnization of the marriage Princess Zahra, the Emir’s daughter with Yusuf, President Muhammadu Buhari’s son, which came up a day to the day of the coronation ceremony. The journey was an eye opener for me and my colleagues, most especially to me because I had never been to Kano before. To me, it was an honour done to me by my lecturer, Malam Waziri Isa Adam, who is also the Publisher and Group Editor-in-Chief of Education Monitor Newspaper, which we went to cover the two events for. This is indeed an experience I am definitely not going to forget anytime soon.

We began the journey from Ahmadu Bello University campus, Zaria to Kano successfully. In Kano, we had to stop to ensure our identity cards were produced for the assignment ahead of us, before we could finish other things, it was night and thank God, we proceeded with the journey to Bichi, it was all a successful journey.

As Henry Wheeler Shaw said “People travel to learn; most of them before they start should learn to travel”. As this was my first time in Kano, I used the opportunity to check out the center of commerce, and I realized that it did live up to its name, it’s big, lively and bubbly, when we were through, we continued with our journey to Bichi and arrived at around 8pm. We could not go to the Emir’s palace that night. We were fortunate that night that the Emir sent a traditional title holder in Bauchi, Dan Ruwatan Mai Garin Bichi, Mallam lawal Bello Mustapha who took us to the Quest House belonging to the Federal College of Education, Bichi, where we were each given a room. The people were extremely good, accommodating and helpful as we had no problem staying for four days, due to their hospitality.

The following day, Thursday, 19th August, 2021, we started with the business that took us to Bichi, We went back  to the Emir’s personal house in Kano,with the hope of interviewing the bride, her friends and the Emir but the interview did not take place due to the fact that the bride and her relatives where in bichi at the  time.

However, our group Editor-in-chief was able to interview the Emir’s friend and the Coordinator of Africa International Human Right, Ambassador Musa Saidu, who spoked on many issues concerning the emir and was happy to be a part of the wedding and coronation of his good  friend. I got to know one or two things about what an interview is all about. We later returned to Bichi and attended the coronation lecture in preparation for the presentation of the Staff of Office to the Emir. There were indeed personalities from all walks of life that attended the event, which was highly successful but it was hectic getting into the hall for the coronation lecture due to the level of security that was present, we had to undergo series of questioning before we were allowed entrance.

There, I came in contact with dignitaries like Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Sultan of Sokoto, Minister of communications, Isa Ali Pantami, the Director General of Nigerian Communication Commission, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, The Secretary General of OPEC, Dr Muhammadu Barkindo, The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr Mele Kyari, Governor of Kano state, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and other renowned Emir’s. The governor of Kano state gave reasons why he created other Emirate councils and called on the people of Bichi Emirate to support the Emir, saying that with his style of leadership, good things are coming the way of the people.

On Friday, 20th August, 2021, it was the wedding Fatiha of Yusuf, the son of President Muhammadu Buhari and Zahra, daughter of the Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero. As early as 7am, dignitaries stormed the town of Bichi to witness the ceremony, security personnel had a hectic day trying to control the crowd that was around. Though the wedding of princess Zahra and Yusuf took place after Juma’at prayers and the wedding knot was tied by Minister of communication (Dr Isa Ali Pantami) with the dowry of five hundred thousand Naira (N500,000). We were at the palace before the wedding took place but we were denied entry by a team of fierce and belligerant looking soldiers and other security personnel that were on guard because the palace was packed with people of different caliber, pickpockets business was at work and other criminals had a field day, a colleague of ours, Maigaskiya was the victim of such hoodlums as his phone was stolen at the Emir’s Palace.

We had to go back to the Emir’s palace, later in the evening where we were able to interview some Yoruba women who have been residents of the town for more than two decades. We met the wife of the Yoruba Chief in Bichi, they expressed their happiness on the occasion of the daughter of the land marrying the President’s son and were proud and supportive of their king, they wished him a successful, fair and just rule and offered some advice to the bride.

On Saturday 21st of August, the day of presentation of staff of office to the Emir of Bichi, was an educative one, we went to the stadium early in the.morning in order to gain entrance to the venue because there were soldiers that we were properly checked and be sure of who we were and what we were there for before we were allowed into the venue, the presence of the security was to ensure law and order.

At about 10:00 am, the programme started with dignitaries who started arriving  the Palace with their convoys, Emir of Kaltungo, Emir zazzau(Ahmad Nuhu Bamali) that of Daura Umar Farouk Umar, Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, Sultan of sokoto (Muhammad sa’ad III), Director General, Department of State Security (DSS) Yusuf Magaji, Governors and many other dignitaries were all at hand to witness the ceremony.

The Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero, after the presentation of the Staff of office, promised to be just and fair to all the people in the emirate. He urged the people of the emirate to intensify efforts in enrolling their children into the basic education system. Other dignitaries spoke and at the end, the programme went on to the end successfully.

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