7th June, 2015
Alhaji Ado Kurawa, the former Director, Research and Documentation Unit, Ado Bayero Foundation, has described the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, as the most influential monarch in the history of Kano Emirate Council.
Kurawa made the remark at the first memorial lecture of the revered traditional ruler in Kano on Sunday.
The lecture, titled “The Contribution of the late Emir Ado Bayero to the Development of Islam in Kano”, was organised by the Bayero University Kano.
According to him, the late monarch was an important asset in promoting mutual understanding and resolving conflicts between different ethnic and religious groups.
“Bayero who reigned for 50 years contributed immensely to the development of Islam in the state through donation to Islamic organisations.
“He, as well as establishment of Islamic schools and mosques across the state.
“He was an exemplary leader who fulfilled promises and carried everybody along in his leadership.
“He was a fearless leader in his actions based on his unflinching belief in justice and accountability in leadership,” he said.
Kurawa also described late Bayero as an exemplary leader who kept his promises even those that were made before he became the emir in his youthful days.
“For instance, while at the middle school between 1944 to 1945, he jokingly promised Adamu Gaya that he would appoint him as Sarkin Gaya (Emir of Gaya) and this promise was fulfilled when late Bayero became the emir of Kano.
“He fulfilled the promise he made by appointing Adamu Gaya the Sarkin Gaya in 1968,” he said.
Kurawa explained that late Bayero spent his 50 years reign as emir in supporting governments and non-governmental programmes that affected the masses.
He, however, stated that the Emir became a mediator between aggrieved masses in spite of the fact that he lacked judicial power to do so.
“His palace became an alternative to people who trooped daily to seek for solace and alternative arbitration of conflicts,” he said.
In his remark, Nigeria’s former Representative to the UN, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, described the late emir as a saint who did not tell lies.
“Late Ado Bayero was a saint because since our childhood as a friend I never heard him telling lies.
“He never told lies to get something from somebody, in fact he did not even swear to justify a statement,” he said.
Maitama, however, said that the late emir was a king of leaders who alleviated the sufferings of the less privileged and helped the masses secretly.