By Zubair Abdurra’uf Idris.
This day, thirty years ago, Malam Zubair Jibrilu Abubakar ( MAIGWARI II) ascended the throne of Birnin-Gwari as the Seventy-Fourth Emir of Birnin-Gwari.
The Technocrat, a Teacher and a versatile Islamic jurisprudence expert, was chosen by the Kingmakers to fill the vacuum left by his father, Late Emir ( Mualimu) Jibrilu Abubakar Maigwari I, the father of modern Birnin-Gwari. Many pundits, wondered about the choice of Malam Zubair Jibrilu Abubakar as the emir due to their lack of knowledge of him and his cognate intellectualism on both Islamic and western education.
Today, as we celebrate thirty years on the throne, Malam Zubair Jibrilu Abubakar ( MAIGWARI II), has proved his worth of absolute capabilities by providing purposeful leadership and set the pace of administering our revered traditional institutions in the country back on track. It is a common knowledge that, Maigwari II, has became a jewel among his peers by his demonstration of reverting to the tradition of emirs after the crusade of Sheik Usman Danfodio in which some emirs that are knowledgeable, administer their domain and also led congregational prayers and adjudicate on matters among their subjects. Maigwari the second, has tripled roles of contemporary emirs of Kano, Muhammadu Sunusi I and that of Zazzau, Malam Jafaru Dan Isyaku of blessed memory.
The rare gem, Malam Zubair Jibrilu Abubakar II, everyday led five daily prayers with all the palace households as well as visitors in all his Palaces or anywhere he travels in the world. His humility cum perseverance has earned him respect among various strata of the society both within and outside the country. Infact, the doggedness and frankness of his Majesty, the Emir of Birnin-Gwari, has cultivate humility and personified him as the only emir that can stand with his head high and speak the sense of truth to leaders in all tiers of government.
The general insecurity bedeviling Birnin-Gwari today has changed not only the map of Birnin-Gwari but also has adverse effects on the socio-economic activities of its people. Despite all this set backs, Maigwari II as he had done many times, during his thirty years of leadership of Birnin-Gwari emirate, had led braved men notably hunters on the Frontline in 1997/98 to criminal hideouts in the Forest of Birnin-Gwari and successfully dislodged them. The current security problems can be tamed using the same method, Maigwari II used at the tail end of 1990’s in which notorious armed robbers along Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway were silenced.
The resurfacing of criminality of armed banditry and kidnappings in the last fifteen years had placed Birnin-Gwari the second epicentre of armed banditry and terrorists gangs. The Emir twice escaped deaths from terrorists that attacked his convoys. Yet, Malam Zubair Jibrilu Abubakar II, continued without any fear to speak on the nefarious activities of the terrorists. Twice, the emir was queried for saying the truth about insecurity situation in his emirate, particularly, when he granted media interviews on reported incidences of helicopters supplying arms and food supplies to terrorists in some locations at forests in Birnin-Gwari emirate. Alas, the Emir is vindicated and the rest is history.
The Emir of Birnin-Gwari thirty years on the throne, moving on, is truly a leader not a ruler.
We all hail our leader, Amir (Mu’alim) Zubair Jibrilu Abubakar ( MAIGWARI II), the transformer of modern Birnin-Gwari.
Allah Ya ja Zamanin, Sarki ( May you live long), Amen.
Zubair Idris is the Danmasani of Birnin-Gwari.
