The Etsu Nupe, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr.) Yahaya Abubakar CFR, and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, is indeed, a rare gift to humanity. This is manifested in the way and manner he touches the lives of the poor and the less privileged positively.
Since the royal father ascended the throne of his forefathers, he has become a huge blessing, who at every given opportunity, literarily wipes off the tears of the poor and the downtrodden, both within and outside his domain.
At his palace and anywhere the royal father visits for a short stay, one sees the assembly of people seeking his attention over one challenge or the other.
This, he gladly attends to them, to the best of his ability and within the limited resources at his disposal.
This act of benevolence inherent in the traditional ruler is, indeed, a rare gift to very few mortals by the Almighty Allah.
This has vastly endeared him to the people of kin Nupe as the king’s benevolence clearly depicts the sense of humanity in him.
That explains the excitements and high spirits in the entire Nupe kingdom as Alhaji Abubakar and his subjects celebrate his 69th birthday and 18th year on the throne.
Alhaji Abubakar, the spiritual leader of Nupe race is also the Chancellor of the University of Ile Ife, Osun state and Ekpoma University, Benin.
He 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.
His mother, Late Hajiya Habiba Bantigi Ndayako, is the 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, within the past few years, attracted development to the Nupe land.
In terms of education, the bedrock of every modern society, the royal father ensured that schools in his domain were given facelift for conducive learning as well as attract and retain learners.
The monarch has to his credit, the emergence of the Bida Emirate Education Fund which is chaired by a renowned educationist, Prof. Jonathan Othman Ndagi.
The committee generated funds through contributions from civil servants, wealthy individuals in the Emirate, among others.
To further show his love for education, the royal father inaugurated a committee for the establishment of a private university in his domain.
The ommittee is composed of prominent sons and daughters of Nupe land.
In fact, through the relentless efforts of the royal father, the National University Commission (NUC) approved the establishment of EduSoko University in Bida which had commenced academic programmes. The Etsu Nupe has, over the years, maintained an open door policy for his subjects to have free access to him. The policy entails allowing persons with complaints unfettered access to his palace for immediate solution.
Findings across Nupe land indicate that the royal father has consciously built a strong passion for the poor.
The amiable ruler provides soccour in a way that beneficiaries will never remain the same after seeing or meeting him over any form of complaint.
The general belief in Nupe land is that Etsu Nupe is God-sent to salvage the Nupe race and culture.
Observers believe he has the interest of his subjects at heart to the extent that thousands of the less privileged gather on daily basis, most especially, after each Muslim obligatory prayer, to receive various forms of support.
For instance, during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, the monarch mobilised 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 to make it a point of duty to support the have-nots and the vulnerable in his kingdom.
No sooner had he ascended the throne than HRH Yahaya Abubakar ensured there was no segregation of any kind among his people.
Adherents of the two major religions – Islam and Christianity – enjoy equal opportunities 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.
Consequently, 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 has also put the Nupe land in a strategic position among food producers of different kind on the world map.
Another remarkable initiative introduced by Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar 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. Nupe Day has attracted some major achievements, including 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 generally opined in the kingdom that there is a need for support and prayers for the Etsu Nupe as he marks 18 years on the throne and clocks 69 years.
The people of kin Nupe must come together to ensure that all the good intention of the Royal Father come true and 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 18th year on the throne of his fore fathers and marks his 69th birthday, I heartily congratulate him and wish him very many more of the celebrations.
ONCE MORE CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR DEAR UNIQUE ROYAL FATHER OF KIN NUPE. BAHAGADOZHI!
Baba Busu writes from Bida, Niger state.
