BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto-
Indeed, it was a gathering with all categories of personalities in attendance. The dignitaries ranges from the high, middle, low spectators and as expected praise singers.
Traditional sirens woven with local drums continues to rent the air as the aesthetic glamour of the venue added coloured to the epoch making event.
No doubt, the Sultanate Council has for time immemorial been honouring deserving individuals with traditional tittles. However, what made this Sunday 4th April turbanning entirely different were the caliber of dignitaries involved.
While each of those to be turbanned came with their well-wishers, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar 111, assured that they were all worthy ambassadors of their respective families and nation at large.
Amongst those turbanned were former Governor of Kogi State, Ibrahim Idris as Jekada of Sokoto, former Minister Yusuf Suleiman Dan’Amar of Sokoto, Prof Ahmad Tijjani Mora as Kayayen of Sarkin Musulmi, Alhaji Namadina Abdurrahman as Talba of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Bature as Dokaji of Sokoto, Alhaji Mustapha Garba as Dandarma of Sokoto.
Others are Alhaji Musa Bashar as Mayana of Sokoto, Alhaji Faruk Ahmad as Danmadami of Sokoto, Alhaji Maiakwai Mua’azu Lamido as Sarkin Gabas of Sokoto, Amimu Bala Sokoto as DanIya of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhtari Bello Maigona as Zanna of Sokoto, Dahiru Abbas as Sarkin Gandu of Sokoto, Alhaji Sada Bello S/Sudan as Marafan Yan Sarki of Sokoto, Yusuf Abubakar 111 as Cigari of Sokoto, Haliru Maccido as Danruwatau of Sokoto, Alhaji Aminu Buhari Galadima as Danmalikin Sokoto.
However the widest ovation came from spectators when the name of the youngest amongst all that was turbanned, Hon Abdusamad Dasuki was mentioned.
Abdusammad Dasuki was turbanned alongside two of his elder brothers, namely, Alhaji Abubakar Dasuki as Dan Maje of Sokoto, Alhaji Khadir Abba Dasuki as Durbi of Sokoto while Honourable Abdussamad Dasuki was given the traditional title of Santuraki of Sokoto
For the Dasuki’s family, the event could be nothing outside a rebirth of royalty. As the youngest of all that was turbanned was the 43 years old Honourable Abdussamad Dasuki.
For Abdussamad Dasuki, being the 13th of his father’s 27 children, destiny has on several occasions bestowed on him leadership anchored on excellence and deligence.
Adbussamad whose father Dasuki was the 18th Sultan of Sokoto, belongs to the Malam Buhari Dan Shehu ruling family of Sokoto Caliphate.
Being a thorough-bred professional with cherished experience in both public and private sectors, Abdusamad Dasuki (Santuraki of Sokoto) had his primary education at the Federal Staff Primary School, Sokoto from 1984 and finished in 1990.
After that he proceeded to Nigerian Military School, Zaria for his secondary education in 1991 and finished in 1996. Without delay, the lucky Abdussamad got admission into Nigerian Defense Academy, NDA, for active military training in 1997 but as fate may have it, he left NDA in 2000 to University of Abuja and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics in 2004.
Because of his quest for knowledge, Abdussamad Dasuki further went to the Harvard Kennedy School’s certificate: Leaders in Development (2013) and Business Analysis (2008) from the Lagos Business School.
At the moment, Dasuki a politician, philanthropist and easy going fellow is an associate of the Chartered Institute of Management, the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria and Chartered Institute of Economists of Nigeria.
Propelled by his desire for service to humanity, Abdussamad joined politics in 2011 and was elected member, Sokoto State House of Assembly, representing Tambuwal East constituency. He served as Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, and Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation. While in the House, he sponsored a number of impactful bills and motions, including the consumption tax bill, which were successfully passed into law.
Amazed by his scope of understandings, Abdussamad represented the House at various fora, including periodic meetings of Commonwealth Parliamentarians.
Like the golden fish that has no hidden place, the people of Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency were Abdussamad hailed from found him worthy of being elected as their representative at the National Assembly and unanimously did that in 2015.
Having that royalty in him, Dasuki distinguished himself with honours and respect for all at the lower chambers of the National Assembly, both at the plenary and floor of the House.
Though, now a serving Commssioner of Finance in Sokoto State under the governor Amimu Waziri Tambuwal led adminstration, Sultan of Sookoto, Alhai Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III found Abdussamad Dasuki not only worthy but also suitable to be conferred with the traditional title of “Santuraki of Sokoto”.
Historically, the title of ‘Santuraki’ originated from Kano royalty and later spread to some Emirates in Northern Nigeria, including the Sultanate Council. In Kano royal titles, like Danmaje, the titleholder of Santuraki is usually a prince from the royal family and sometimes a District Head.
The title is administrative in purpose and the titleholder, a prince and an inner member of the royal family, assists the Sultan in the day to day running of the Sultanate.
Abdusamad is the second person to have been given Santuraki of Sokoto after the late Alhaji Bello Dogondaji, a seasoned administrator and educationist. He was Minister of Education of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida’s regime. He was also a prince from Dogondaji, from the Buhari lineage, descendants of the Shehu Usmanu Danfodiyo. He was turbaned as the first Santuraki of Sokoto by the 18th Sultan of Sokoto, late Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki in June 1995.
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