Isa Sa'idu
12 July 2008
Despite the superstitious belief which some residents of the ancient city of Zaria cling onto the Wazirin Zazzau's throne, the title continues to attract a hot contest among the Zazzau's princes of the dynasty.
The of death of the Wazirin Zazzau, Alhaji Abdulrahman Yahaya, on Saturday June 28, has opened the floodgate of speculations concerning the 'mystery' characterizing the throne of the Waziri in Zazzau Emirate. The Waziri is one of the most senior counsellors in the emirate and, indeed, every other emirate in the traditional ruling setting in the North right from the medieval times, and notably after the establishment of the Sokoto Caliphate.
Many residents now believe that ascending the Wazirin Zazzau throne is a license to the grave as the throne is said to be under the spell of some members of the Waziri dynasty who had always failed in vying for it.
Alhaji Suleiman Nuhu Mohammed, MagaYakin Zazzau, dismissed as baseless any belief or speculation that the ancestral dynasty has any mystery. Alhaji Mohammed, a brother to the late Waziri Yahaya, said emphatically that his brother died of a natural cause.
But what will Alhaji Mohammed say to disabuse the minds of those people who believe in the superstition that once a prince is turbaned the Wazirin Zazzau, his pathway to his early grave has opened as he will die soon after being turbaned, or even before the coronation?
"My family and the entire Wazirin Zazzau dynasty do not share that superstition and false claims. As Muslims, we don't have anything to do with superstition. I believe that every human being, once born, is destined to die. We believe everyone's date of death is predestined. Of course, one cannot stop people from spreading rumours and deception, but my brother, Waziri Abdulrahman Yahaya, and all the other Waziris died naturally because they have reached the time Allah has destined for them to die," Alhaji Mohammed said.
The belief that Wazirin Zazzau Abdulrahman Yahaya died of diabolical causes is not unconnected to the precedence of the Wazirin Zazzau's title. In recent years, some princes, according to some sources, had lost their lives either after being turbaned as Wazirin Zazzau or even when proposed to be turbaned.
Alhaji Mohammed, however, said his brother, the late Waziri Yahaya, has been battling with some health problems even before his turbanning as Wazirin Zazzau.
"My brother was infected by a terminal disease and this was what took him to Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He died Saturday, June 28, at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, Zaria at around 8:30pm," Alhaji Mohammed announced.
For Danejin Zazzau, Alhaji Isa Abdullahi Soba, it is only those with weak faith in Allah who believe that diabolical causes such as charms are capable of taking the soul of any individual.
"It is even wrong to mention that charm killed the Waziran Zazzau (Emir's deputies). Anybody saying such does not believe in Allah. What would such people say on those Waziris who had long reigns like Waziri Nuhu? I advise people to desist from spreading this kind of mischief which signifies weak faith," Alhaji Abdullahi said.
On Waziri Yahaya, Alhaji Abdullahi said the Zazzau Emirate has lost a great leader with vision. He described Waziri Yahaya as a gem whose life is worthy of emulation.
Late Alhaji Abdulrahman Yahaya was, before his coronation as Wazirin Zazzau, a seasoned administrator. He was the pioneer Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria from 1986 to 1992. He also served at the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), the Nigerian Army and the Federal Ministry of Transportation in various capacities.
Born in 1943 to the family of late Wazirin Zazzau Yusufu, Alhaji Yahaya is survived by wives, many children and grand children. Among the prominent personalities who paid condolence visits to the Waziri Yahaya family house at the Unguwan Juma Zaria city was the Speaker, House Representatives, Olademiji Bankole.
As the superstitious residents of the ancient city still cling to their belief that the Waziris of Zazzau die of diabolical causes, some of the Wazirin Zazzau's princes are said to have started jostling for the prominent seat soon after the announcement of Waziri Abdulrahman Yahaya's death.
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