8 jostle for Emir of Zazzau stool

Eight princes of the Zazzau emirate have written to the emirate council’s kingmakers indicating their interest to succeed the late emir, Alhaji (Dr) Shehu Idris.

Daily Trust reliably gathered, on Thursday night, that as at 5pm on Wednesday, which was the deadline set by the council of kingmakers for submission of application by interested princes, seven applications were received.

Emir of Zazzau: Govt urged to re-strategise on crowd management

I got help to rule Nigeria from late Zazzau Emir – Obasanjo

Also, one of the princes who “protested” that he was not informed about the deadline submitted his application early yesterday morning, bringing the number of applicants to eight.

The criterion set by the council of kingmakers, an impeccable source said, was that “in the event a dynasty cannot agree to present a single candidate, each dynasty must not present more than three.”

The source added: “Therefore, princes from three dynasties, out of the four, have applied stating their desire to become the 19th Emir of Zazzau.”

“The Katsinawa dynasty, where the late emir hailed from, had four applicants, with the late joining of the race by Wamban Zazzau, Alhaji Abdulkareem Aminu.”

Others, according to our source, were Iyan Zazzau, Alhaji Bashar Aminu; Dangaladiman Zazzau, Alhaji Aminu Idris and Turakin Zazzau, Alhaji Aminu Shehu Idris.

From the Mallawa dynasty, Daily Trust learnt, three people applied. They include Ciroman Zazzau, Alhaji Sa’idu Mailafiya; Barden Kudun Zazzau, Alhaji Hassan Tijjani, and Magajin Garin Zazzau, Alhaji Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli.

Only Yariman Zazzau, Alhaji Munir Jafaru applied from the Bare-bari dynasty, our source said.

In the same vein, it was on Wednesday that an official letter was written to the Kaduna State government from the Zazzau emirate communicating the death of Emir Shehu Idris.

With the presentation of the letter, official administrative activities for the selection of the new emir have commenced.

The state government is expected to send a response, “perhaps stating the criteria to be adopted to guide the selection process and the council of kingmakers,” the source said.