By Mohammed Baba Busu
(Jakadan Labarin Nupe).
Indeed, the 13th Etsu Nupe, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr.) Yahaya Abubakar CFR, and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, is a game changer.
Since his appointment to the exalted throne, he has brought unusual change and transformation to the entire Nupe Kingdom.
That is why the celebration of his birthday is electrifying and greeted with much excitement and fanfare among both indigines and non indigines resident in Niger State.
The Royal Father and indeed, the entire residents of the state are having double celebrations. The royal father is marking his 20th year on the throne and his 71 birthday anniversary simultaneously.
HRH Yahaya Abubakar succeeded the late Etsu Nupe, Alhaji (Dr.) Umaru Sanda Ndayako, on September 11, 2003.
He was born on September 12, 1952, in Bida, Niger State, and hails from one of the Ruling Houses of Bida Emirate (Usman Zaki).
He was born into the family of Late Alhaji Abubakar Saganuwa Nakordi Nupe and brother to the 11th Etsu Nupe, Late Malam Musa Bello and his mother Late Hajiya Habiba Bantigi Ndayako, daughter of the 9th Etsu Nupe and Sister to late Alhaji Umaru Sanda Ndayako (the 12th Etsu Nupe of Nupe Kingdom.)
He attended Government College, Sokoto and later Commercial College Kano (1967–1971). He enrolled into the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna (1973–1975) for training and enlistment into the Nigerian Army.
As a Military Officer, his last Military Posting was the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, where he was Director, Foreign Operations, before retiring as a Brigadier- General in September 2003.
Before his appointment as the Etsu Nupe, HRH was the Kusodu Nupe.
His ascension to the throne, no doubt, brought a lot of good will to the good people of Nupe land.
Drawing from the reputation and goodwill he has garnered over the years, the Etsu Nupe has, within the past few years, attracted development to the Nupe land.
Within the few years HRH has been on the throne, he has taken the Nupe kingdom to a greater height in the area of culture by encouraging and supporting the culture and tradition of the Nupes. This has indeed, given the Nupes a global recognition.
Being very humble and detribalised, the Etsu Nupe has been able to unite all religious adherents, mainly the Christians and Muslims to live peacefully and harmoniously with each other.
Over the years, he has shown unique interest in his subjects. He is always available to listen and resolve all issues bothering his people.
This has endeared him to his people. In return, he is enjoying maximum love from his people.
In fact, in terms of education, which is the bedrock of every modern society, the Royal Father has ensured that schools in his domain are given face lift to make them conducive for learning as well as attract and retain learners.
The traditional ruler, in an effort to achieve this, set up Bida Emirate Education Fund which is chaired by a renowned educationalist, Prof. Jonathan Othman Ndagi.
The committee generated funds through contributions from civil servants, wealthy individuals in the emirate, among others.
To demonstrate his love for Education, the Royal father inaugurated a Committee for the establishment of a private university in his domain.
The members of the committee are made up of prominent sons and daughters of Nupe land.
The Etsu Nupe has, over the years, maintained an open door policy where his subjects have free access to him.
He has consistently ensured that any person with complaints have unfettered access to him for immediate solution.
He has, also over the years, become the backbone and supporter of the poor and vulnerable in his domain.
Findings across Nupe land indicate that the Royal Father has strong passion for the poor. He always ensures that those with one need or the other are provided for, given support, even if not hundred percent.
With this, their situation will never remain the same after seeing or meeting him over their complaints.
Indeed, one can comfortably say that Etsu Nupe is God-send to salvage the Nupe race and culture.
He has been the vanguard of ensuring that his people are safe. Security of his dormain is always a priority as he insists on costant partnership between the subjects and the security agencies to ensure that everyone is safe in the area.
The Royal Father has also consistently admonished the wealthy and more privileged ones among his subjects to make it a point of duty to support the have-nots and the vulnerable in his kingdom. Many residents of Nupe land have attested to this.
In the area of agriculture, the royal father has triggered the development of the sector beyond human imagination in Nupe kingdom.
Even though Nupe has remained the food basket of Niger State over the years, the ascension of HRH, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar as the Estu Nupe turned things around for the better.
Rice farming has skyrocketed considerably. Many rice mills have sprung up in the land over the years due to his encouragement and support to farmers.
Yam and maize farming has also taken a new technological dimension and center stage due to the encouragement of the royal father. He has been able to get the youth of his domain to buy into the agricultural policy of the government.
Their engagement in agricultural activities, is indeed, unprecedented.
He has also ensured that farmers in his domain acquired the needed support from the government to carry out their trade.
This, indeed, has put the Nupe land in a strategic position among food producers of different kind in the world map.
Another remarkable initiative introduced by Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar since his ascension to the throne is the introduction of Nupe Day which is being celebrated every June 26.
The wisdom behind the initiative is to bring together all the Nupe within and in the Diaspora to celebrate, rub minds on issues that will move Nupe land forward.
The day is also meant to engender unity, love and togetherness among the Nupe extraction.
Since the introduction of the annual Nupe Day, major achievements have been recorded. Some of them include the establishment of Nupe PAN Cultural Organisation headed by Major-General Idris Garba, Nupe single means of identity, Nupe Cultural Resources Centre and the establishment of Nupe Museum which is in its final stage of completion.
This is the time for all residents of the Nupe Kingdom to continue to intensify prayers for the royal father as he marks his glorious 20th year on the throne and clocks 71 years.
All sons and daughters of the Kingdom must also ensure they live in peace with each other so as to give the royal father the strength to attract more development to the kingdom.
We join all sons and daughters of the kingdom and well-wishers to congratulate the royal father and also pray for more fruitful years in good health for the benefit of the Nupe Kingdom.
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