There is no doubt, the excitement and high spirits in the entire Kin Nupe in Niger State cannot be quantified as the people are having double celebrations.
The Etsu Nupe, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr.) Yahaya Abubakar CFR, and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, the Royal Father in charge of all the Nupe Nationalities in the World is celebrating his 17th year on the throne of Etsu Nupe and his 68th birthday.
On Friday September 11, 2020, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abubakar, who is also the Chancellor of the University of Ife and Ekpoma University, Benin, will clock 17 years on his ancestral throne.
HRH Yahaya Abubakar succeeded the late Etsu Nupe, Alhaji (Dr.) Umaru Sanda Ndayako, on September 11, 2003.
He was born on September 12, 1952, in Bida, Niger State, and hails from one of the Ruling Houses of Bida Emirate (Usman Zaki).
He was born into the family of Late Alhaji Abubakar Saganuwa Nakordi Nupe and brother to the 11th Etsu Nupe, Late Malam Musa Bello and his mother Late Hajiya Habiba Bantigi Ndayako, daughter of the 9th Etsu Nupe and Sister to late Alhaji Umaru Sanda Ndayako (the 12th Etsu Nupe of Nupe Kingdom.)
He attended Government College, Sokoto and later Commercial College Kano (1967–1971). He enrolled into the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna (1973–1975) for training and enlistment into the Nigerian Army.
As a Military Officer, his last Military Posting was the Defence Headquarters,Abuja, where he was Director, Foreign Operations, before retiring as a Brigadier- General in September 2003.
Before his appointment as the Etsu Nupe, HRH was the Kusodu Nupe.
His ascension to the throne, no doubt, brought a lot of good will to the good people of Nupe land.
Drawing from the reputation and goodwill he has garnered over the years, the Etsu Nupe has, within the past few years attracted development to the Nupe land.
In fact, in terms of education which is the bedrock of every modern society, the Royal Father has ensured that schools in his domain are given face lift to make them conducive for learning as well as attract and retain learners.
The Monarch, in an effort to achieve this, set up Bida Emirate Education Fund which is chaired by a renowned Educationalist, Prof. Jonathan Othman Ndagi.
The Committee generated funds through contributions from Civil Servants, Wealthy Individuals in the Emirate, among others.
To demonstrate his love for Education, the Royal father inaugurated a Committee for the establishment of a Private University in his domain.
The Members of the Committee are made up of prominent sons and daughters of Nupe land.
The Etsu Nupe has, over the years maintained an open door policy where his subjects have free access to him.
He has consistently ensured that any person with complaints have unfettered access to him for immediate solution.
He has, also over the years, become the backbone and supporter of the poor and vulnerable in his domain.
Findings across Nupe land indicates that the Royal Father has strong passion for the poor. He always ensures that those with one need or the other are provided for, given support, even if not hundred percent. With this,their situation will never remain the same after seeing or meeting him over the complaint.
Indeed, one can comfortably say that Etsu Nupe is God-sent to salvage the Nupe Race and Culture.
He has the interest of his subjects at heart to the extent that thousands of the less privileged in his domain gather on daily basis, most especially, after each obligatory prayer, to receive one form of support or the other.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, the monarch mobilized resources from friends and associates and shared to the less privileged in his domain to ease their sufferings.
The Royal Father has also consistently admonished the wealthy and more privileged ones among his subjects to make it a point of duty to support the have-nots and the vulnerable in his kingdom. Many residents of Nupe land have attested to this.
HRH, Yahaya Abubakar, since taking over the throne ensured that there is no segregation of any kind among his people. He makes sure members of the two major religions- Islam and Christianity, are given equal opportunity and are involved in decision making in the kingdom.
This has attracted applause from many quarters and also engendered trust, confidence and brotherliness among different ethnic and religious groups in the entire Nupe land.
Residents of the kingdom are now living in peace with each other. Hence, the massive development in all aspects of human endeavour.
In the area of agriculture, the royal father has triggered the development of the sector beyond human imagination in Nupe kingdom.
Even though Nupe has remained the food basket of Niger state over the years, the ascension of HRH, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar as the Estu Nupe turned things around for the better.
Rice farming has skyrocketed considerably. Many rice mills have sprung up in the land over the years due to his encouragement and support to farmers.
Yam and maize farming have also taken a new technological dimension due to the encouragement of the royal father. He has been able to get the youth of his domain to buy into the agricultural policy of the government.
Their engagement in agricultural activities, is indeed, unprecedented.
He has also ensured that farmers in his domain acquire the needed support from the government to carry out their trade.
This, indeed, has put the Nupe land in a strategic position among food producers of different kind in the world map.
Another remarkable initiative introduced by Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar from when he inherited the throne, is the introduction of Nupe Day which is being celebrated every June 26.
The wisdom behind the initiative is to bring together all the Nupe within and in the Diaspora to celebrate, rub minds on issues that will move Nupe land forward.
The day is also meant to engender unity, love and togetherness among the Nupe people.
Since the introduction of the annual Nupe Day, some major achievements have been recorded. Some of them include the establishment of Nupe PAN Cultural Organisation headed by Major-General Idris Garba, Nupe single means of identity, Nupe Cultural Resources Centre and the establishment of Nupe Museum which is in its final stage of completion.
It is pertinent to call for support and prayers for HRH, Etsu Nupe as he marks 17 years on the throne and clocks 68 years.
The People of Nupe Kingdom must come together to ensure that all the good intentions of the Royal Father come true and are also sustained.
There is also the need for residents of the kingdom to continue to live in peace with each other.
Without it, there is no meaningful development that will be attracted to the area.
As our Royal Father celebrates his 17th years on the throne of his fore Fathers and marks his 68th birthday, I heartily congratulate him and wish him very many more of the celebrations. CONGRATULATIONS.
