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Opinion

My First Encounter with Nasiru Gawuna, the Humble Deputy Governor

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5 years ago

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By Sabo Abdullahi Guri

Penultimate, October 1979, the month we reported to Government Secondary School, Gwaram, which was the beginning of our journey of a lifetime in search of Western education after completion of our respective primary seven certificates.

On arrival at the school, I headed to the staff room for the necessary documentation.

2023 : We ‘ll clear APC Government and its atrocities in Jigawa – PDP

While waiting for the duty master to receive us, a Peugeot saloon arrived and parked in front of the staff room. The driver and an elderly person together with a new student came out from the car, and I heard one of the teachers telling his colleague that another student has reported. I saw a fair complexioned, slim, calm and composed young man within my age bracket alighting from the car.

After the necessary documentation, the duty master asked me to wait for the lanky student who arrived in the Peugeot to finish so that both of us can be escorted to our respective hostels. Thereafter, both of us carried our boxes and headed to the dormitory area.

On our way, I asked him his name and where he came from. He replied that his name is Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna from Kano City, I equally introduced myself and where I came from

That was the day I met Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna in 1979 and it was the beginning of our relationship. Since then, we have maintained this relationship and contact through mutual respect as classmates and friends.

At the dormitory, we were allocated our respective hostels. Nasiru Gawuna was taken to House Seven and I was sent to House Ten, but we were allocated the same class; that was Form One D.

I was appointed the class monitor while Nasiru Yusuf was appointed assistant monitor, and we served as liaison between the staff, school authority and our colleagues in the class.

I remembered with nostalgia that first day, as we also met in class during evening prep, which was observed after every Asr prayers during week days.

When we closed, he asked me to join him and see his hostel. I can vividly recall that when we arrived, he opened his locker and offered me biscuits and a sachet powdered beverage drink known as Treetop. I instantly rejected and thanked him for the gesture, but insisted that I must take.

After staying for some few minutes, he escorted me to our hostel, and on our way, he said he initially got admission at Kawaji Secondary School but his parents insisted that he will go to boarding school and luckily his admission to GSS Gwaram came before reporting to the Kawaji Secondary School.

Gwaram Secondary School was newly established at that time, and our set was the first to be admitted after the school’s relocation to its permanent site in Gwaram, though there were other senior students who transited at both Kauzare and Sumaila.

At that time, incessant cases of bullying and seniority by senior students forced a number of our classmates to transfer to other schools because they cannot withstand the maltreatment, but we stood our ground and endured the hardship.

Boarding school life during our days was memorable, eventful and historic. It was also a great opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds. As new school and pioneer students that did not pass through the transit system, we were also opportune that the population of our sets numerically was the highest at that time with students from almost all the nooks and crannies of the old Kano State, and others from Kaduna, Bauchi, Benue, Plateau and some South Western States.

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At that time, classes were not over crowded, as the average number of students per class was between 30 and 35. There were also adequate teaching and learning materials.

Apart from academic activities, students were fully engaged in extra curriculum activities. After school hours, the sporting arena was a beehive of activities after school hours. Even the dormitory side had table tennis facilities within the balcony, while weekends were slated for members of social club, drama society, and many more recreational activities.

With his football and table tennis skills, Gawuna was also an active member of the Boys Scout brigade, and he was subsequently appointed the Scout Troop Commander.

His passion for Scout and ingenuity in commanding Scout parade made us think he might either join the military or police after leaving school. Gawuna mastered the art of rolling scout stick while leading parade and students cheered him up during Scout events at the school.

He encouraged most of us to participate in Boys Scout, he taught parade to both old and new members as a tall and lanky person he was also extremely good in jogging.

In terms of academic performance, he was among the best five students, competing favourably for first or second position in examinations.

Not only that, he was also an active member of the Muslim Students Society. I can vividly remember that Gawuna was among the few of our classmates who initiated the present Gwaram Girls Unity Secondary School mosque which started as prayer area and eventually became the school mosque.

His simplicity made him command the respect of all among our classmates and other senior students. For that reason, he was nicknamed as brothy, meaning a friend and brother to all.

His name traversed Gwaram to Dawakin Kudu Science Secondary School where he completed his secondary school in 1984.

One other quality of Dr Gawuna was his sharp and good memory of almost everything he came across. He can remember names, faces, and events no matter how long it takes. Our 2020 GOSA 84 reunion meeting in Kano was a good example. He remembered everyone’s name.

During our last Old Boys meeting, which he personally hosted, he interfaced with old friends freely without the routine of his aides as a deputy governor.

Although Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna was in Gwaram Secondary School for only two and a half years before proceeding to Science Secondary School Dawakin Kudu, he always identifies with the school and old class mates from Gwaram Secondary School which was his stating point in secondary school life.

Some of our old classmates that passed the Science School Examination includes Hafiz Muhammad who is now the Special Adviser on Agriculture to the Executive Governor of Kano State Office of the Deputy Governor. They are best of friends and brothers from Gwaram and they went to Dawakin Kudu together and also proceeded to UDUS together. They are like twin brothers.

The rest are Pharmacist Bala Garba Gwaram of FMC Birnin Kudu; Salmanu Isyaku Kiru; Suleiman Talle Galamu Katanga, presently a Deputy Commissioner of Police to mention but a few who are all are presently professionals in their own rights.

Our colleagues who sat for and passed the Science Secondary School Examination to both Dawakin Kudu and Dawakin Tofa left a great vacuum at that time. Almost everyone of us felt their exit from Gwaram because we started together after leaving our respective primary schools. We experienced school life together, we became so intimate and now they have been moved to a new environment away from their old friends.

For Nasiru Gawuna, even at Dawakin Kudu Science, he was exceptional. We understand he was made a Deputy House Captain, a responsibility that was for only senior students. It was like record breaking to see a junior student holding such a responsibility.

Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna as a Deputy Governor can best be described as a bridge builder with uncommon character and discipline.

He is a generous, honest and trustworthy person who can be entrusted with a higher public responsibility, as a loyal deputy governor.

Gawuna is also a reliable, dependable and straight forward individual with wealth of experience in public administration, economics and diplomacy. Indeed, he is a kind of material needed in our present day political arrangement

The recent wedding fatiha of his daughter again proved to many people that indeed Nasiru is a bridge builder. Dignitaries from different parts of the country and beyond were in attendance. Politicians from different political backgrounds were also there to rejoice with him for attaining such a big stride in life. To see the marriage of your biological daughter is a great opportunity for every parent, and indeed Dr Nasiriu Yusuf Gawuna is a making a difference

Sabo Abdullahi Guri Writes from Dutse, Jigawa State

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Opinion

Beyond the Asphalt: Balancing Kwara’s Urban Renewal with Rural Renaissance

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1 hour ago

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June 25, 2026

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By Ibrahim Olaide Mariam

As a student navigating the intersections of development and communication, I have come to realize that the truest measure of governance is not found in the pages of budget defense documents, but on the very streets our people walk every day. Living in Kwara State offers a front-row seat to a fascinating transition. Walk through parts of Ilorin today, and you are greeted by the tangible impacts of the state’s Urban Renewal Agenda—visible road constructions, flyovers, and modernizing touch-ups that make the state capital look ready for business.

Yet, strategic communication teaches us to look past the surface and listen to the unspoken narratives. While the sounds of caterpillars and pavers echo loudly in our urban centers, a quiet hush still lingers over many of our rural communities and foundational sectors. The infrastructure push under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is undeniable and commendable. However, if we are to communicate true, inclusive change, the trajectory of development must shift from being central-heavy to being balance-driven.

My primary observation lies in the growing disconnect between our urban face and our rural backbone. Not far from the newly interlocked urban roads are agrarian communities like Agbeyangi in Ilorin East, alongside various outposts in Kwara North and South, where the pace of development seems to have slowed to a crawl. Farmers still struggle with the perennial nightmare of evacuating their produce to the markets because the inner link roads remain unmotorable. When rural infrastructure gaps persist, the economic ripple effect hits everyone—driving up food prices in the urban markets and widening the poverty gap.

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Furthermore, economic development is only as resilient as the digital and physical security of its citizens. Kwara has long prided itself as the “State of Harmony,” but harmony requires constant maintenance. With the government recently rolling out its 2026 Action Plan for the Ease of Doing Business, the intentions are bright. But you cannot easily do business if the local micro-entrepreneur feels choked by a lack of steady power or if political friction dominates local headlines more than community-level empowerment.

If I were to sit across the table from the state executive council, my recommendations would be rooted in sustainable, equitable growth rather than cosmetic progress.

First, the administration needs to urgently decentralize its infrastructure machinery. It is time to pause the heavy concentration on city-center face-lifts and redirect that energy toward a “Rural Renaissance.” Reconstructing critical agrarian axes like the Panada-Agbeyangi-Yarun road network, for instance, would do more for Kwara’s food security and local economy than another urban roundabout.

Second, the government must aggressively bridge the gap between policy and the grassroots. The newly launched land digitization systems via kwara state geographic information service (KWGIS) and the Ease of Doing Business frameworks are excellent on paper, but they remain abstract concepts to the average market woman or small-scale factory owner in Omu-Aran or Kaiama. The Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Technology must translate these reforms into localized town hall engagements and accessible micro-incentives.

Kwara is standing on the threshold of massive growth. The foundation is being laid with asphalt and concrete, but the superstructure must be built on human capital, rural inclusion, and economic empathy. By balancing the scales between the capital city and our rural communities, the government can ensure that the “State of Harmony” becomes not just a political slogan, but a lived reality for every Kwarand.

Ibrahim olaide mariam
Department of strategic communications university of Abuja

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Opinion

When Military Ethos Is Married Into Royalty: As Emir Muhammad Sanusi II Turbans Former Chief of Air Staff as “Sarkin Fulanin Jaidanawa”

Published

15 hours ago

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June 25, 2026

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By Alhaji Bashir Hayatu Gentile

The military is an institution all over the world that is synonymous with discipline and due process. It has made an impact in running nations and institutions throughout the world.

With both old and modern warfare at hand, no nation will pride itself or exist without facing existential threats if it lacks a military.

It is these military ethos and discipline that are passed from generation to generation for the effective running of state affairs.

Without much digression from the main subject matter at hand, the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, with due diligence and humility, is the most modern Emir in the history of Kano and the Dabo dynasty. He is the first Emir in Kano to combine two systems of education, both Islamic and Western. The world has testified that the Emir is making every effort to uplift the status of the Kano Emirate.

It is on this note that the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, will, on Friday, 26 June 2026, turban the former Chief of Air Staff, retired Air Marshal Muhammad Dikko Umaru, as Sarkin Fulanin Jaidanawa of Kano.

Since his ascension to the throne of Kano and that of his forefathers on 8 June 2014, 12 years ago, the Emir has been making appreciable efforts to ensure that learned technocrats who have distinguished themselves in their careers become part and parcel of the movers and shakers of the ancient Kano Emirate.

Sarkin Fulanin Jaidanawa is a great traditional title, and the Emir decided to carefully analyse and select one of the most suitable heirs to the traditional title in the person of the retired Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Muhammad Dikko Umaru.

Without much ado, let us cruise into the profile of the newly turbanned Sarkin Fulanin Jaidanawa, Air Chief Marshal Muhammad Dikko Umaru, and see how Emir Muhammad Sanusi II separated the chaff from the grain.

THE PROFILE

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1.
Air Marshal Muhammad
Dikko Umar (Rtd) was born on
June 20th, 1955, in Dambazau,
Kano Municipal Local
Government Area, Kano State into
the family of Umaru Babura, the
Sarkin Fulani Ja’idnawa of Kano.
His parents, Umaru Abdulaziz and
Salamatu Muhammad Dikko were
cousins and direct descendants of
Malam Inusa Dabon Dambazu the
leader of Dambazawa Fulani clan.
Dabo Inusa was one of the
prominent leaders of Sokoto Jihad
which culminated in the
appointment of Suleiman as the
first Emir of Kano. Malam Inusa
was the only one amongst the Kano
leaders that fought alongside Sheik
Usman bin Fodio in the battle of
Tsunsua that led to the victory of
the Jihad. Dabo Inusa was the
military arm of the Jihad in Kano
which is one aspect of his
grandfather that Air Marshall
inherited. Umaru, father of Dikko
was the son of Abdulaziz, son of
Umaru and son of Dabo Inusa. His
mother Salamatu Muhammad
Dikko was the daughter of
Muhammad Dikko the fifth Sarkin
Bai of Kano, whose name Air
Marshal inherited, was the son of
Abdurrahman who was the son of
Dabo Inusa. His grandmother
Hauwa from the father’s side was
the granddaughter of Emir
Suleiman and his grandmother
Asama’u from the mother’s side
was the granddaughter of Sheik
Usman bin Fodio. DISTINGUISHED MILITARY
CAREER
2. Muhammad Dikko Umar
started his school at Victory
College, Ma’adi, in Cairo, Egypt in
1963 following the grant of
scholarship slots by President
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein to
the Emir of Kano, Alhaji
Muhammad Sanusi I, which
Muhammad Dikko Umar
benefited from. After completing
his primary education in 1969, the
young Muhammad Dikko Umar
returned to Nigeria to continue his
secondary school education at
Sheik Sabbah College Kaduna
later renamed Sardauna Memorial
College. In 1976, the young
Muhammad Dikko Umar enlisted
into the Nigerian Air Force as a member of the Short Service
Course 12 Special Pilot Enlistment
Exercise to begin the process of a
distinguished military career.
3. On completion of his basic
military and pilot training in
Kaduna and the United Kingdom,
he was posted Benin in 1980 to
begin his flying career. He returned
to Kaduna in 1982 to serve as a
Flying Instructor and later rated a
Qualified Flying Instructor. In
December 1983, he received his
posting to the Presidential Air Fleet
where he not only spent 16 years
out of his 23 years of flying career
but unarguably where he
distinguished himself as a pilot and
professional of repute. From 1983
to 2000, when he served at the
Presidential Air Fleet, he flew all
the Presidents and Heads of State
including their deputies. He had
the singular privilege of flying Mr
Kofi Anan, the 7th Secretary
General of the United Nations as
well as Mr Sepp Blatter, the
President of FIFA. He held many
positions in the Nigerian Air Force
during his distinguished career. By
the special grace of the Almighty
Allah, these successes were
crowned with the appointment of
Air Marshal Muhammad Dikko
Umar (Rtd) as the 17th Chief of the
Air Staff on the 8th September
2010.
HIS FAMILY
4.
Air Marshal Muhammad
Dikko Umar (Rtd) is married to
Hajiya Aisha Uwani Umar from
the family of late Alhaji
Muhammad Bello Bature
(Garkuwan Wazirin Sokoto) and
Hajiya Aishatu Muhammad
Bature. They were married on the
24th March 1989. The marriage is
blessed with five lovely children:
two boys, Faisal and Farouk; three
girls, Salma, Aisha and Maryam.
NATIONAL HONOURS
5.
Air Marshal Muhammad
Dikko Umar (Rtd) was awarded
the Distinguished Flying Star
(DFS) and the National honour of
Commander of the Federal
Republic (CFR) by President
Goodluck Jonathan GCFR for his
meritorious service to the
nation.
FIKA EMIRATE AND
SOKOTO CALIPHATE
6.
The Fulani and Fulani
settlements have existed in the old
Emirate of Fika for many
centuries. This co-existence
engendered inter-marriages,
scholarship and monumental
commerce. It is well known that
the cattle market in the Emirate is
by far the largest in the West
African sub-region, which also
attracted the hides and skin market.
Most importantly, we must not
forget the show of uncommon
solidarity, love, faith, support and
courage by Moi Suleiman of Fika
to Sultan Muhammadu Attahiru I,
the last independent Sultan of
Sokoto Caliphate even when war
with the British colonialists was
imminent. Indeed, the war at
Bormi, 5km east of Bajoga in
present day Gombe State in 1903
was the fiercest battle against the
colonialists in Northern Nigeria
and its impact was monumental in
many respects. Sultan
Muhammadu Attahiru I was
martyred in the battle while Moi
Suleiman of Fika had to abdicate
his throne to avert the siege on Fika
by the colonialists’ forces. This
close bond of friendship between
the Bolawa and Fulani has
continued to manifest in the
honours and titles like Sarkin
Fulani, Hardo etc the Emirate
bestows on its worthy sons.
JA’IDANAWAN KANO
7. The title of “Sarkin Fulani
Ja’idanawa” was the most
prominent amongst what was
known as Kano Nine. These were a
group of village heads appointed
by the Emir to protect the boarders
of the Emirate. With the coming of
the Europeans the role of Kano
Nine was no longer required.
(Kano Emirate then include most
of present day Jigawa State).
However, when Emir
Muhammadu Sanusi 1 appointed
Umaru Babura as the Kano
Emirate Councilor of Agriculture
and Natural Resources in 1955 the
title of Sarkin Fulani Ja’idanawa
was selected for him as most
appropriate for the task at hand.
Agriculture was the mainstay of Nigerian economy and Kano led
the way with the production of
Groundnuts that made Kano
Groundnut Pyramids famous all
over the world. His role in
i mproving all aspects of
agriculture that included
conservation of forests, animal
health, fisheries and converting of
tsetse fly menace soon made
Umaru Babura noticed by
Northern Nigerian Government
when they appointed him the first
Minister of Establishment and
Training in the North that was
given the task of accelerating
training of Northern Nigerians to
catch up with southern part of the
country. His transfer to Ministry of
Social Welfare and Co-operatives
in 1964 made Ja’idanawa a
household name in Northern
Nigeria because of the nature of his
ministry that requires a lot of
travelling all over the North. It
was during this time that Ahmadu
Bello Stadium, Kaduna was built.
Dabon Dambazau was the richest
among all the jihad leaders in kano
and he used his resources to
sponsor the jihad from its inception
to its conclusion as narrated by
Dr.Uba Adamu
OTHER TITLES
In Osun State, His Royal Highness,
Oba Adeleke Agunbiade Oke,
Agunbiade III, the Ajalaye of
Ipetu-Ijesa, conferred upon Air
Marshal Muhammad Dikko Umar
(Rtd) the prestigious traditional
title of Olu Omo of Ipetu-Ijesa.
Further recognition came from the
South-South region of Nigeria,
where His Royal Majesty
AVM LO Ararile (rtd), Avwaeke I,
the Ovie of Umiaghwa-Abraka
Kingdom honoured him with the
chieftaincy title, Oyukor ‘Ovie in
Delta State. Also, the Odezuluigbo
III
of Nike Kingdom, Enugu,
South East Nigeria, His Royal
Majesty Barr Julius Nnaji, the then
King bestowed on him the
chieftaincy title of “Okenwa Ana
Amulu Oha” of Nike Kingdom.
These numerous honours and
traditional titles bestowed upon the
Sarkin Fulanin Ja’idanawan Kano
stand as a testament to his
exemplary character, exceptional
leadership, broad acceptance, and
unwavering integrity. They reflect
the profound respect, trust, and
admiration he commands across
Nigeria’s diverse communities,
ethnic groups, and regions. Such
recognitions underscore his
enduring contributions to national
development, the promotion of
unity, and selfless service to
humanity.
JA’IDANAWAN FIKA
His Royal Highness, the Emir of
Fika, Alhaji Muhammadu Abali
ibn Muhammadu Idrissa ibn
Suleiman, in keeping with the
noble tradition of his forebears,
conferred upon Air Marshal
Muhammad Dikko Umar ibn
Umaru Babura (Rtd) the
prestigious title of Ja’idanawan
Fika. This honour was bestowed in
recognition of a distinguished son
of the Sokoto Sultanate and a
steadfast friend of the Fika
Emirate.
Air Marshal Muhammad Dikko
Umar (Rtd), the Ja’idanawan Fika,
is a former Chief of the Air Staff, an
accomplished administrator, and a
consummate officer and
gentleman whose exemplary
service has earned him widespread
respect and admiration. His tenure
as Chief of the Air Staff was
distinguished by visionary
leadership, professionalism, and
f ar-reaching institutional
transformation.
Paying tribute to his leadership, his
former superior and mentor, Air
Chief Marshal Paul Dike (Rtd),
remarked:
“Umar’s leadership style has
placed the Nigerian Air Force well
ahead of other agencies and has
made the Service better positioned
to meet the contemporary
challenges confronting our
nation.”
This distinguished honour further
reflects the high esteem in which
Air Marshal Muhammad Dikko
Umar is held and acknowledges his
enduring contributions to national development.

 

Air Chief Marshal Muhammad Dikko Umaru’s profile and his contribution to the development of Nigeria, as someone who worked in the Presidential Fleet and flew many Nigerian leaders, make it imperative to understand that the Kano Emirate Council, as envisaged in Emir Muhammad Sanusi’s vision, will continue to soar higher in bringing development to the Emirate and the entire Kano State.

With the discipline, military ethics, and political experience acquired by Air Marshal Muhammad Dikko Umaru, coupled with his esprit de corps, it is pertinent to note that Emir Muhammad Sanusi’s vision of instilling discipline in the Kano royalty will be second to none in the entire federation.

Alhaji Bashir Hayatu Gentile is a member of the Organising Committee for the turbaning of the new “Sarkin Fulanin Jaidanawa of Kano,” Air Marshal Muhammad Dikko Umaru.

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Opinion

BATTLE OF THE TITANS: CAN MUHAMMAD GARBA CONFRONT IBRAHIM WAIYA – “THE RAVE OF THE MOMENT?

Published

3 days ago

on

June 22, 2026

By

 

By Shariff Aminu Ahlan

Modern politics is more than a contest for power. It tests strategy, loyalty, competence, and performance.

That test is playing out in Kano State, as Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, is now the focus of debate over leadership and results. He is being compared with his predecessor, Muhammad Garba.

In comparison, however, who among them has the vision to take Kano’s communication forward? This is the question that is on the lips of every Kano citizen

For Muhammad Garba, he run the Information Ministry for good eight years, yet a fair comparison with Waiya’s one and a half years would certainly outshine his record. The debate pits him against his predecessor, Muhammad Garba, who ran the ministry for 8 years.

Let’s look at the record, in just over 18 months, Waiya has made the Ministry of Information one of the most vibrant and active in the state, through innovative communication, public engagement, and clear dissemination of government activities.

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But even at that, a push is building intensely, urging the State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf to replace him. Critics are up at tarnishing his reputation, just for personal gain.

Garba’s supporters cite his experience, unionism, and long tenure, while Waiya’s supporters point to one thing: outstanding performance.
Of course, Waiya may be new in the Communication sector, but leadership is better judged by impact, not years in office. In a short time, Waiya’s work has earned him public attention and the tag “rave of the moment.”

This is why, what is playing out in Kano, is just a contest of “experience vs momentum”. Garba brings 8 years of institutional knowledge, while Waiya brings energy, innovation, and visible results.

The value of this debate isn’t rivalry. It’s policy evaluation. Concerned citizens are of the view that, as a way forward, a public exchange would let both men state their vision, defend their record, and show their plans for the ministry.

Kano people would benefit most. They deserve facts, not sentiment. The public can also judge who has the clearer vision and stronger strategy to help Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf communicate the achievements of his administration and deliver his agenda. The time now, is not for politicking or for the promotion of personal goals, but rather for concrete strategies that will pave the way for Governor Abba’s reelection in 2027.

For Waiya, it’s a chance to prove that leadership is all about vision and results, not just longevity. For Garba, it’s a chance to remind the public of his contributions and explain what he left undone in 8 years.

So the questions are simple: Are both men ready for a battle of ideas? Can Garba’s experience beat Waiya’s momentum? Or will Waiya’s record cement his place as one of this administration’s most effective commissioners?

Now that 2027 is almost around the corner, these questions will certainly shape Kano politics.
The stage is set. The public is watching the unfolding scenario between “acclaimed experience” and momentum. As the State progress, only time will tell.
Let the battle of ideas begin.

Shariff Aminu Ahlan
APC Intellectual Warrior.
Realahlan0101@gmail.com

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