After his official unveiling as the new Emir of Zazzau on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, Ambassador Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli from the Mallawa dynasty told Daily Trust in this interview the type of monarch he will be. Excerpts:
Your Highness, how do you feel emerging the new emir out of the many contenders from different dynasties?
I am grateful to Allah and to all those who contributed in one way or the other in making my emergence a reality.
It has been about 100 years since any member of your dynasty ascended to the throne; your appointment must have been special for you and members of your dynasty?
Yes, over 100 years ago, my late grandfather, Aliyu Dan-Sidi, was deposed and taken to Lokoja (Kogi State).
Since then, no member of the family was able to make it to the throne.
So, it is a great day for us all in the family and the people of Zaria.
Forty-five years ago, my father lost to the late emir.
So, we thank Allah that today, we are celebrating the return of the seat to us.
So far, what type of response have you received?
We have received the well wishes of the people of Zaria for this status that Allah gave us.
This trust given to us by Allah is so heavy.
We are appealing to our people to help us to discharge this trust for the benefit of all.
I want to assure our people that whatever we are going to do would be a continuation from where our forefathers stopped.
Like my late predecessor, His Highness, who spent 45 years on the throne, had done many good things as the longest serving emir.
There is no right-thinking person who would come and say he will destroy what His Highness has left, be it the people he has developed and assisted or the structure of the emirate system.
As his children and subjects, we learnt a lot from him.
We have acquired the necessary experience on his style of leadership.
Our ambition is to continue from where he stopped in addition to other things that would suit our situation based on our own talent and experience.
You were not the only person who vied for this exalted seat, how do you intend to carry everyone along?
I am lucky that I have a close relationship with two dynasties of Zaria.
This is aside my maternal relations who are from the Sultanate, that is the house of the Sultan of Sokoto.
My grandparents are from the Bare-bari dynasty.
By this, it is obvious that I cannot neglect or do anything against the interest of my maternal relations.
Again, I have good relations with all members of the dynasties in Zaria.
We inherited peaceful coexistence and trust amongst us.
My wife of 30 years is the daughter of the late emir, His Highness, Alhaji Shehu Idris.
You can see my relationship with the Katsinawa dynasty.
Therefore, literally speaking, I belong to all the major dynasties.
I want to use this opportunity given to me to strengthen our ties.
I would ensure that we continue to be one by continuing with our good relationship for the development of our people.
We must unite to bring about development.
We must give peace a chance, because the absence of peace means absence of development.
We would continue to have peace if we continue to respect the views of one another.
We must continue to help each other as one family.
By this, success is ours inshaAllah.
What specific message do you have for your co-contenders?
My specific message for them is to urge them to be patient.
It is not out of my wisdom, intellect or power that I emerged as the emir.
If it were because of the foregoing, we would not have been here today. Allah decides.
He is the one who gives and He gives to whom He wishes at His own time.
I want us to have absolute faith in Allah in this issue.
It is the right of all princes to show their desire to become emir.
When a prince does that, he has not offended anyone.
Princes of the same parents can desire to become emir because it is the right of all.
However, once one of them emerges, it is then incumbent on all to support him.
It is the common residents that suffer once dispute over kingship ensues.
Rivalry over kingship is not always good.
Therefore, I am appealing to them to join me so as to move the emirate forward, which would be beneficial for our people.
Are you happy with the number of people who have expressed their allegiance so far?
Alhamdulillah (All praises are due to Allah).
So far, many members of the other dynasties were here and they reaffirmed their allegiance.
Members of the Katsinawa, Bare-bari and other district heads were all here.
I am still appealing to them to come and join me to move the emirate forward.
We have inherited royalty, as everyone feels he belongs to one dynasty or the other, but we did not inherit rivalry.
The late emir has left behind people who are known as Mutanan Fada (People of the Palace).
How are you going to handle them?
The people of the late emir are also going to be ours.
In our house, we grew up to see our parents accommodating the children of others.
This is why one of our songs of praises is Hankaka maida dan wani naka (the raven who turns other bird’s children his).
In our family, we do not destroy; we unite.
Therefore, I would accommodate all except the one who decides to dismiss himself, may be through his characters and attitudes. InshaAllah, I will do my best for the Mutanan Fada in accordance to my means and my capacity.
I don’t believe in winner takes all.
I have acquired enough experience to manage the complexity of the palace.
I have been Magajin Garin Zazzau for 19 years.
Before I became Magajin Garin Zazzau, for 20 years I was the one representing my father at different functions.
So, technically, I have served for 39 years out of the 45 years of the late emir’s reign.
With all sense of humility and responsibility, I have contributed my quota to the development of the emirate.
So, it is not something difficult to handle. We have some ideas.
The only appeal is for those who feel offended to sheath their swords so that together we can achieve the objectives of the emirate.
As Muslims, we believe that our destiny has been determined by Allah.
I have told the emirate council members that I am ready to move with all and sundry and continue from where the late emir stopped.
My intention is not to make life unbearable for anybody.
I hope in the next few weeks, when we fully settle down, we should be able to bring in more people to see reason why we have to work as a team.
What is your message for the people of Zaria?
My message to the people of Zaria is to request them to support us and to continue to live peacefully with one another.
Without peace, development would elude us. I will be emir for all.
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