EMIR OF DAURA: THE NICE GENTLEMAN

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By Danjuma Katsina
In the history of Hausa land, Daura emirate occupies a central position as the origin of the seven Hausa states, which, historically speaking, were the scion of Bayajidda; who killed the dreaded snake that was, as of then, known as ‘Sarki.’ This hefty python, according to legend, did not allow people to fetch water from the single well within the neighbourhood, but once in a week. Bayajidda, had, indeed, displayed an unusual courage by terminating the featful python; hence, the queen Daurama married him instantly.
The city of Daura is still strategically located at the distance of seventy kilometres away from Katsina; and fifty kilometres away from Kano; while one has to cover the distance of 150 kilometres to reach the city, when driving from Dagaran of Niger Republic.
The present Daura Senatorial district of Katsina State, consists of eleven local government areas, and the olden days Daura emirate, as of today, has seven local government areas.
The indigenes of Daura emirate in diaspora have been drawn from reputable business men and women; professionals from various field of human behavior and learnings; hence contribute immensely to the socio-economic life of their respective residence, courtesy of their traditional culture of hard work and dedication.
The current emir of Daura, His highness Alhaji Umar Farouk, is the 60th one in the series. He as a monarch, cultivate regal culture that stands our as the most unique one, compared to all traditional monarchs of Hausa land, as the case had been, right from the olden days. According to the Hausa kingship, traditionally speaking, the monarch does not go to wedding solemnization ceremony. In the case of Daura emir, he identified more with his subjects by attending to anybody’s wedding solemnization, provided the invitation was communicated to him. Among Hausa traditional mornachical ethics, ruler does not condole or commiserate with his subjects in the events of lost of life or any other tragedy which befell a common man; the current emir of Daura takes part in all of the above, regardless of the social status of one involved. It is also in sharp contrast with the Hausa ruling class' popular custom, merely for friendship, to visit someone who has no royal blood, running profusely, in body system, or has no traditional title. Alhaji n Umar Farouk, as the powerful emir, emabarks on all this, just to cement his
social relationship with both school, childhood friends and familiar faces. One can, unexpectedly, sees the Mornach and regal bodyguards arrived at one's home, at any givin moment.
In Hausa tradition, the Sarki says whatever he pleases, and at the same  time does whatever he wants at the time he wishes so doing in accordance with his whims and caprices, no one has any right takless of guts to question him with the aims of curbing or stopping him. But, going down the memory lane, when late Alhaji Umaru Musa 'Yar'adua was the number one citizen in the country, the first Lady, Hajiya Turai Umaru Musa, wife of Mr. President, had been to Katsina for official visit; among those who welcome her, were Alhaji Umar Farouk, the emir of Daura this gusture was to snub those that have become bloody political misogynistic in terms of posture.
As the first Lady alighted from the aircraft, the mornach instructed she had to be covered with his his royal umbrella. For which the top-most coutiers warned in strong terms to, though the emir ignored the warning and re-issued his command, till Turai had been under it to the car she board and drove away. Then, the umbrella was brought back to him.
His royal Highness, the emir of Daura, declines no invitation for any social gathering within his domain, provided he has been served with. I can precisely recall a time in which his Highness was invited to inaugurate the remodeled Daura Motel, he was took round it room by room; he touched the matteress of the bed and remarked to the manager that his manajgerialexpertise, had of course, paid substantiatly
A town in in Daua had dare look law into ithand by daringg he peonality of the emir They would be stopping at no matter how hugh his position, When their message got to the emirs ear he went there and dare themtoo, by asking those that sound rude against his roval personality to conme out and do what they had previously threatened to do. At last, the lad to confess their mistake and apologized before him.
Once upon a time, there was a crises at Yusuf Bala Usman School of legal Studies, for the Rector of the colledge took the case before the emir, and voiced out his side. After lending an attentive listening ear to the rector; then he said: "Mr. Rector, you said all that you have wanted to say, to justice and fairness a chance, you can allow us ample room to investigate the matter for a while, so that we can come out
with a report which would be more close to justice. Having left no stone unturned concerning what has
transpired in the whole saga, the emir did not mince words in faulting the Rector, in conclusion, he was relived of hís job based on Alhaji Umar Farouk's report to school governing council. By the time Daura town was under a heavy gun and boms attack, in which certain banks and Police station were seriously damaged, house-to-house search were to be launced, but the emir stood his ground that it might have
tend to amount to gross violation of his people's privacy. this obliged the securities to withdrew it, and
look for other alternatives, in their bids to fish out those that have orchestrate and executed the security ruckus in tlhe town. He has been known for his hospitality to the guest fo the extent that there is a section within the royal house whose occupants are no other than underpriviledge people, whom he
single handedly, feeds and cloth them.
There was a time in which certain journalists paid him a courtesy call, according them, they were treated by his royal highness in the palace as if he was one of their colleagues, instead of posing as a mornach. Two journalists that write for certain Hausa language media, told this writer that they were once took aback by the emir's simplicity and down-to-earth mien that one could mistake him as an ordinary person.
The emir poplated his traditional title holders with titles which vividly depict his concern for the bearfooted ones. Namely; Sarkin yakin Hausa (the lieutenant general who wage war for the language) conferred to His Excellency Ibrahim Shehu Shema, governor of Katsina state. While his wife bagged the Uwar marayun Hausa; which can be literally as the chief caterer for all the orphans in Hausa land, for instance. Former IG Ibrahim Commassie; former Jigawa state governor Saminu Turaki etc. have, all,
bagged traditional titles in the Daura's domain. His kindness, perhaps, would not be unconnected to his working experiences. Born in 1931, works in various capacities and places among which, was deputy to National Ameerul-Hajj. He has been awarded with a number medals both within and without Nigeria, i.e National medal of Commander of the Order of Niger, CON; and honourary doctorate degree was also conferfered on him by European Amrerican University. He was appointed and coronated as emire of Daura in 2007 due to the demise of his predecessor. Thus, he became the duputy to national Ameerul-Hajj. He no doubt, serves and still serving the humanity in his current capacity.
The article was published on Friday Leadership Newspapers in 2011

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