Emir of Zazzau Alu Dansidi, a learned Poet

By Abubakar Muhammad Musa(Saraki)

linguistmam@gmail.com

Malam Sidi Abdulkadiri, the Sixth Emir of Zazzau, was the eldest son of Malam Musa Bamalli and was born before the jihad which ushered in the Fulani rule in Zazzau emirate. His mother, Aminatu was a Fulani of ‘Yandoto.

Malam Sidi Abdulkadiri who took over the mantle of leadership of Zazzau Emirate from Emir of Zazzau Muhammad Sani was succeded by Malam Abdussalami Basullube in the year 1853.

Emir Alu Dansidi with a European

Like other children of Malam Musa, Sidi Abdulkadiri was privileged as the first son of Musa to be trained both in the art of administration and scholarship.

Sidi waited for 40 years before he finally succeeded his father, Malam Musa. He held the office of Dangaladima, before his coronation. Sidi’s children; Muhammadu, Nuhu, and Aliyu (Alu) had each held the office of Wambai separately. Alu later succeeded his father and became the Emir of Zazzau in the year 1903.

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Alu Dansidi (1903 to 1922)belongs to Mallawa Ruling House of Zazzau Emirate. He was the grandson of the flag bearer of Usman Danfodio, the first Fulani Emir of Zazzau, Malam Musa Bamalle. Alu didn’t grow up in the palace with his parents as he was raised by his teacher and mentor, Malam Abubakar is popularly known as Liman Durum.

Alu was the first person that became Emir after the British colonial conquest of Zazzau emirate and its incorporation into the protectorate of Northern Nigeria. He became the Emir at the ripe age of 62 years.

As a poet, he contributed his quota in poetry and literary work. He wrote a lot of poetries among other ones are:

> – Tabarkoko

> – Saudul Kulubi

> – Wakar Diga

> – Wakar Kano etc

Emir of Zazzau Alu Dansidi was privileged to have a very formidable team of brave and influential people as his Council members and District Heads of the Emirate.

These include:

1. Magajin Gari Dalhatu Dan Yero (who later became an Emir)
2. Danmadami Ibrahim Kwasau (Later became an Emir)
3. Katukan Zazzau Ja’afaru Dan Isiyaku (Later became an Emir)
4. Madaki Sa’idu
5. Madaki Yero (Then he was Galadiman Zazzau)
6. Dangaladima Abbas
7. Wali Halliru
8. Iya Abdullahi

All of the listed councilors of the emirate were eminently qualified to ascend the throne of the emirship. Apart from being learned and experienced in administration, they all have a royal pedigree.

It’s in Alu Dansidi’s cabinet that three members ascended the throne of Zazzau Emirate. These are:

1 – Emir of Zazzau Dalhatu Dan Yero

2 – Emir of Zazzau Ibrahim Kwasau and

3 – Emir of Zazzau Malam Ja’afaru Dan Isiyaku.

MALLAWA’S LEGACIES IN ZAZZAU

The legacies of Emir of Zazzau, Malam Alu Dansidi are numerous but notably are:

1. Provision of Mallawa Eid Praying Ground along Zaria – Jos road axis, precisely near “Gonar Waziri”, opposite the present-day “Jushin Gari”, where he (Malam Musa) led the first Eid Prayer during his time and became Permanent during the reign of Alu Dansidi for Mallawa Dynasty.

2. Establishment of the first Zaria prison. Alu Dansidi’s uncle and predecessor, Emir Abubakar, who ruled for 3 years, from 1873 to 1876, during his reign he didn’t reside at the palace, instead decided to rule from his personal house which was much bigger than the palace at the time.

When Alu’s uncle, Emir Abubakar died he was buried inside the house which was personal property. However, on the ascension to the throne, Emir Alu donated his uncle’s house, ( Emir Abubakar’s house) located at Kofar Doka, Zaria to the colonial masters which were converted to Zaria Prison.

It was Malam Musa Bamalle that initiated the idea of moving the Zaria Central Mosque from it’s initial position at Anguwan Juma to its present location at Zazzau Emir’s Palace. He laid the foundation of the mosque by himself but the construction work was actually done during the reign of Emir Abdulkareem.

3. During Malam Musa’s reign, he established an intermarriage link between members of two royal families -the Mallawa ruling House and the Katsinawa ruling House by giving out the hands of his daughter in marriage, Iya Atu to his very close friend, Malam Abdulkarimu- the patriarch of Katsinawa ruling house.

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This culture of intermarriage between members of the two ruling houses has been sustained to date. For example, Ahmadu Nuhu Bamalli, a member of the royal family from the  Mallawa lineage is married to the daughter of the present Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, who hails from the Katsinawa ruling house. Many examples of this intermarital relationship abound between members of the two royal households.

4. Malam Musa Bamalle was among the closest allies of the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, Shehu Usman Danfodio, and one of the prominent field commanders of the1804 Jihad. He was the only person that participated in “Koto Jihad” from the Zazzau area.

5. Malam Musa was among the Danfodio’s acquaintance that accompanied Malam Sulaiman, who established the Fulani dynasty in Kano, following the overthrow of Habe where he (Malam Musa) spent a period of six months with the newly crowned Kano Emir, Malam Sulaiman, assisting him to put the administrative machinery in place.

6. It was during the reign of Emir Alu that railway line was constructed from Baro, in the present-day Niger State to Doguwa in the present day Kano State which passed through Zaria. In fact, it was Emir Alu himself that supervised the execution of the construction of the railway line project.

7. Alu Dan Sidi was credited with the establishment of new settlements in Zaria and beyond. It was during his reign that Tudun Wada and Gyallesu were established as settlements for the Fulanis and some Mallawas while Sabon Gari was reserved for the laborers who were engaged in the construction of the railway line as well as believers of other faiths.

He also established Doka, a settlement in  Kaduna, that is now at the heart of Kaduna metropolis. Iya Abdullahi was sent to preside over the new settlement.

8. Moreover, it was during Alu Dansidi’s reign that the road linking Zaria City to Samaru was constructed.

9. The historical flag given to Malam Musa Bamalle by Shehu Danfodio which granted him the authority to wage a holy war against Habe rulers in Zazzau is one of the relics kept inside the Emir’s Palace. The Flag is one of the instruments of office given to newly installed emir in Zaria upon coronation.

10. Other relics that had their origin traced to Malam Musa Bamalli which are considered instruments of office for the installation of new Emir in Zazzau are his walking stick (Kandiri); historical sword; a copy of the Holy Qur’an given to him by Shehu Danfodio in the year 1804.

11. Missionaries used to base at “Durumin Maigarke” an area within the core-walled City of Zaria. However, Emir Alu became suspicious of them, fearing that of missionaries might want to institutionalize their religion in his domain and convert his people into Christianity. Consequently, in his speech on Sallah day in the year 1910, he issued a Royal Decree ordering their immediate relocation to an area outside the ancient city of Zaria. This led to his dethronement from the throne. He was sent to Lokoja on exile in the present-day Kogi State,  by the British Colonial Masters in the year 1922, 19 years after his coronation.

Some  title holders in the present-day Zazzau Emirate who are from Malam Musa Bamalli’s lineage are:

1. Amb. Ahmadu Nuhu Bamalli – Magajin Garin Zazzau.
2. Alhaji Sa’idu Mailafiya – Ciroman Zazzau
3. Alhaji Aliyu Sani Yero (Ali Wakili) -Ubandoman Zazzau
4. Alhaji Balarabe Sidi Yero (Balarabe Muhammad Tijjani) – Bunun Zazzau
5. Alhaji Abdulkadir Iya Pate – Talban Zazzau
6. Durbin Zazzau – Alhaji Aliyu Umar Bamalli
7. Barden Kudun Zazzau
8. Alhaji Umar Abdullahi – Barden Gabas Zazzau
9. Alhaji Mansur Nuhu Bamalli – Barde Kerarriya
10. Alhaji Abdullahi Sidi Bamalli – Sarkin Kasuwa
11. Alhaji Aminu Usman – Sarkin Nassarawan Tudun Wada.
12. Sarkin Kasuwan Kaduna
13. Alhaji Muhammad Rabi’u Ja’afaru – Wakilin Kudun Kaduna (Dagacin Kabala Kostin)
14. Sarkin Makera
15. Alhaji Aminu Pate – Wamban Dawakin Zazzau

Malam Alu Dansidi became an Emir of Zazzau at the age of 62. He ruled for 19 years and was dethroned at the age of 83.

He died in the year 1924 at the age of 85 years.

Allah shi kyauta makwanci, Allah shi jikan magabatanmu, Allah shi kyauta tamu bayan ta su. Amin.

History will forever remember Emir of Zazzau Malam Alu Dansidi, because of the legacies he left behind will continue to benefit this generation and the generation yet unborn.

Acknowledgment: A special Royal Salute to His Excellency, Ambassador Ahmadu Nuhu Bamalli, Magajin Garin Zazzau, and the Nigerian Ambassador to The Kingdom of Thailand.

Abubakar Muhammad Musa is a public affairs commentator and analyst wrote this from Zaria.