Eminent Nigerians including President Goodluck Jonathan , former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have mourned the demise of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Abdullahi Bayero who died today at age 86.
The influential emir died in his sleep at about 5 a.m.
It would be recalled that Bayero returned from a medical check up abroad less than a fortnight ago.
Bayero ascended the throne about 51 years ago. About six years ago, during his 45th anniversary on the throne, Emir Ado Bayero, while assessing his successful reign, told newsmen that, “my faith in God has been my strength and the source of my success. My popularity, the respect and loyalty I get from my subjects is by the making of the Almighty Allah. Right from my princehood up till the time I climbed the throne as the Emir of Kano, it has been like that.
“I am a man of the people. I love my people, I speak with them and I interact with my people. I am open to them. So, in return, my people love me, they have respect for me and they adore me. In this light, I call on Nigerians to always express concern for people, love mankind and keep the light of compassion burning in their hearts always. I have no other secret apart from my faith in Allah. I have a good heart and I love people. I want the best for the people and my people have continued to wish me well.”
Until his death, Ado Bayero believed that in spite of all the challenges he encountered in the cause of championing, protecting and defending the culture, norms and heritage of his people, nothing has rattled him. For the Kano monarch, all tribulations, mishaps and misfortunes that came his way in the last 51 years remain the act of God, and the same God who has been seeing him through.
In an interview with newsmen just before his 50th anniversary on the throne in 2013, Bayero noted that nothing had ever rattled him as his faith was hinged on God.
Speaking further, he said, “in fact, I don’t even know what shock is. What I believe is that whatever happens to me on this earth is destined to happen to me by Almighty Allah. So there is no point in showing any fear, as whatever happens to any person is already pre-destined to happen to him. Therefore, wherever such things happen whether good or bad, what is required from that person is to thank Allah; if it is for good, exercise patience.
“Alhamdulillah, all praises are due to Allah who through all assistance made it possible for me to witness these years on the throne, which is a feat that none of my predecessors have achieved. I thank all the people of Kano and the country at large for showing me great love during this time and to have succeeded despite challenges because as I always say whoever puts his trust in Allah and follows instruction as prescribed by Islam in whatever he does, that person has nothing to worry about. So it is through Allah’s assistance that we succeeded all these years.
“I have absolute faith in God,” Bayero said, adding that perseverance, endurance and patience had been his watchword.
According to him, he stepped into the Kano throne with mixed feelings. “When I was crowned as the Emir of Kano in 1963, I received the honour with mixed feelings. I was happy, and then I was not happy. In any case, I took it as a call to serve my people. I was not happy because then, I had elder brothers, elderly uncles who could have done it better, but the mantle of leadership fell on me and I had no choice than to accept the responsibility.”
Meanwhile, there have been torrent of tributes immediately the news broke. President Goodluck Jonathan in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Dr. Rueben Abati said, he received with immense sadness and a deep feeling of great national loss, news of the passing away of the highly revered Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero earlier today.
“On behalf of himself, his family, the Federal Government and the people of Nigeria, President Jonathan commiserates with the Emir’s family and all the people of Kano over whom the departed Emir presided illustriously as traditional ruler for more than half a century.
“The President joins them in mourning the monarch whose uncommon leadership qualities and evident faith in the peace, unity, progress, and prosperity of Nigeria combined to make him one of the most respected traditional rulers in the country during his long and very successful reign,” Abati stated.
He also said “President Jonathan believes that Alhaji Ado Bayero will always be remembered and honoured by the people of Kano and all Nigerians for his immense wisdom and competence as a traditional ruler, as well as for using his exalted throne to build bridges of unity, friendship and harmony across the nation.
“The President reaffirms his declaration on the occasion of the Emir’s 50th anniversary celebrations last year that the late Alhaji Ado Bayero was one of the most decent and respectable Nigerians he has had the privilege of interacting with, and he will always treasure pleasant memories of their last meeting earlier this year.
“He prays that the Almighty Allah will receive the late Emir’s great soul and grant the good people of Kano a worthy successor who will carry on his good works and wise rule for the well-being and benefit of all Nigerians.”
Also the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP described Bayero’s demise a huge loss to the nation describing him as “an uncommon personality, a great African and a quintessential monarch”.
“Alhaji Dr. Ado Abdullahi Bayero lived a legend, a detribalized Nigerian and statesman who sacrificed the greater part of his life for the stability, oneness and development of our dear nation leaving for us and generations yet unborn resounding legacies and glowing footprints to follow.
“The late Emir personified dignity and finesses. Till death, he was the longest serving and unarguably one of the most respected emirs in the history of Kano Emirate; a devout muslim who, despite his exceptional attainments left us great lessons as a very strong symbol of godliness, tolerance, justice, honesty and service to our dear father land.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who also mourned the late Emir of Kano, said that with his death, he has lost a father, being his favourite son spanning over three decades.
In a tribute he signed Friday, Atiku Abubakar disclosed that he knew that death was coming (like it would for every mortal), but not in agony and humiliation because he (Ado Bayero) did not deserve it, adding that Ado Bayero was not only loyal to his people in his immediate domain, but to Nigeria and humanity at large.
According to Atiku, Ado Bayero was a pious, humble, upright and honest man whose integrity was unparalleled, just as he stressed that the death of Ado Bayero has robbed the nation of a noble crusader of unity, tolerance and peaceful co-existence.
