Sokoto agog as Sultan turbans 13 eminent personalities to mark 20th anniversary of coronation 

Sokoto agog as Sultan turbans 13 eminent personalities to mark 20th anniversary of coronation

From Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto

Sokoto, the Seat of the Caliphate.was agog on Sunday as the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, turbaned 13 eminent personalities with prestigious traditional titles as part of activities marking the 20th Anniversary of his ascension to the throne of his forebears.

The epochal ceremony held at the Sultanate Palace, Sokoto, and attracted dignitaries from all walks of life including traditional rulers, top government functionaries, members of the National Assembly, Islamic scholars, captains of industry and thousands of well-wishers who trooped out to witness the historic occasion.

The main investiture was conducted between 11:00am and 11:30am at the Sultanate Council and was followed by a colourful traditional Durbar and Bukin Aski that added glamour and pageantry to the celebration.

Those honoured include the former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede as Kuliyan Sokoto, former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, Dr. Peter Igho as Kakakin Sokoto, Gandi Umar, Esq. as Sarkin Galmar Sarkin Musulmi, and a renowned lecturer at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto and Chief Imam of Abu Huraira Mosque, Prof. Mansur Ibrahim as Danmasanin Sokoto.

Others are Alhaji Murtala Abdulkadir Dan’iya as Dallatun Sokoto, Abdulkadir Jeli Bello as Sarkin Fuloti Sokoto, Abubakar Saddique Abubakar as Sarkin Dawakin Tsakar Gida Sokoto, Shehu Usman Abubakar as Fagacin Sokoto, Hon. Bello Idris as Wakilin Tarihin Daular Usmaniyya, Hon. Ibrahim Almustapha Aliyu Rabah as Bauran Sokoto, Aminu Isa Buhari as Danmalikin Sokoto, Dr. Balarabe Kakale Shehu Shuni as Wakilin Makarantar Daular Usmaniyya and Abubakar Hussaini Bazza as Sarkin Bai Sokoto.

Activities marking the anniversary had commenced on Friday, October 30 with special preaching sessions at the Abu Huraira Mosque, Polo Club area, Sokoto where 11 prominent Islamic scholars including Sheikh Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa and Prof. Abdullahi Usman Gadon Kaya delivered sermons on peace, unity and development.

In the spirit of the celebration, the organizing committees for the titles of Dallatun Sokoto and Danmasanin Sokoto carried out humanitarian gestures including the freeing of 56 inmates from correctional facilities and the provision of support to 500 patients across hospitals in Sokoto State.

According to Dr Balarabe Kakale, the new Wakilin Makaranta Daular Usmaniya, the turbaning is central to the celebration of two decades of transformative leadership by the Sultan, who ascended the throne on November 2, 2006.

He becomes the third Sultan in the history of the Caliphate to attain 20 years on the throne, after his father, Sultan Siddiq Abubakar III, the 17th Sultan who reigned for 50 years from 1938 to 1988, and his great great grandfather, Sultan Muhammadu Bello, son of Shehu Usman Dan Fodiyo, who reigned from 1817 to 1837.

During the 20 years, the Sultan, who is also President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and President-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam, has led reforms and consolidation of the NSCIA and JNI, advancement of Islamic education and scholarship, collaborative leadership of traditional and religious institutions, promotion of Islamic Social Finance including Zakat, Waqf and Sadaqatu Jariya.

Other tangible achievements of the Sultan included the promotion of Almajiri and alternate education reforms, girl-child education and skills-based functional education, primary healthcare and maternal health, Muslim-Christian and inter-religious harmony, research, documentation and digitalization of Sokoto Caliphate literature with an E-Library and QR Code for books of Shehu Usman Dan Fodiyo and founders of the Caliphate, promotion of agriculture and livestock value chains and building of national and international bridges for peace, unity and human development.

Among the honourees is Hon. Arc. Ibrahim Almustapha Aliyu, the incumbent member representing Wurno and Rabah Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, turbaned as Bauran Sokoto. Born on August 20, 1973 in Sokoto, Aliyu is a seasoned Architect who bagged his BSc and MSc in Architecture from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and a Diploma in Urban and Economic Development from Galilee College, Israel.

 He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects and Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants.

In the National Assembly, he has held several strategic positions including Chairman, House Committee on Alternative Education, Deputy Chairman, Committee on Urban Development and Regional Planning, Chairman, Special Ad-hoc Committee on Petroleum Subsidy Regime and Chairman, Nigeria-Hungary Parliamentary Friendship Group in the 10th Assembly.

 As a professional, he has designed and supervised numerous landmark projects including the passenger terminal and protocol lounge at Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto, Wamakko Grand Jumaat Mosque, International Conference Centre, Sokoto, High Court of Justice, Sokoto and mass housing projects across the 23 local government areas of the state.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajuddeen, also graced the historic occasion which was witnessed by thousands of friends, supporters and well-wishers of the celebrants.

While applauding the Sultan for bestowing him with the revered traditional title, Hon. Ibrahim Almustapha Aliyu promised that it would spur him to sustain his philanthropic gestures and offer quality representation at the National Assembly.

The ceremony was widely described by attendees as a celebration of merit, service and loyalty to the Sokoto Caliphate and Nigeria at large, while many extolled the Sultan’s 20 years of purposeful and impactful leadership which has fostered unity among Muslims and promoted peaceful coexistence in the country.

The historic event was graced by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Abbas Tajuddeen, among other eminent personalities from within and outside Nigeria.