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

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.