The death of Emir of Dutse, Dr. Muhammad Nuhu Sunusi, was a great loss that shocked many Nigerians of different walks of life as evidenced by the mammoth gathering that attended his funeral prayer to bid him farewell.
Buried along with Emir Sunusi was the death of an illuminating and galvanising era of a passionate king, keeping a pledge with simplicity to achieve his life objective of putting broad smiles on others. The unprecedented era saw him neither mixing royalty with pride nor complacency. The era of Monarch Sunusi was the epoch in which he did not see himself like a holistic majesty as most kings of all ages demonstrate. Instead, the period fostered a symbolic dynasty in which he nurtured and trained his mind to recognise the socio-political potency of an ‘essential’ emir amidst leadership insolvency and unconstricted crisis.
Sunusi’s focal constituency was the afflicted and broken world of the downtrodden. He dismantled all class barriers to identify with their socio-economic needs and aspirations. To this category of the deprived, they have lost a caring and loving father, who passionately supported them with food in their hundreds on a daily basis to cushion the lingering effects of their difficulties without any resignation or retirement. This was a well articulated social welfare and emergency operation that touched many lives. No wonder, many beneficiaries of this benevolent urgency of the late king shed tears over the sad demise.
As a prince in his constituted dominion, Dr. Nuhu was shamelessly lambasted by certain reactionary elements for downgrading the pedigree of the traditional establishment through his persistent demonstration of modesty in his rulership. He was largely less monarchic, so to speak. Perhaps, they were influenced by the assertion of the Portuguese writer Jose Saramajo that in a king, modesty would be a sign of weakness. But Sunusi, dissatisfied with this projection, rejected and falsified it wholly. Indeed, modesty offered him strength and power and considered himself as only a man while majesty and royalty were meant for God. In fact, his lofty sense of modesty was identified as his mark of robustness after his departure!
The king was not on the throne to be mentally a master of his subjects but spiritually reflected on the greatest King of all times. Jolted by this fundamental knowledge, he would not mind being in the midst of talakawa, listening to Islamic teachings in the mosque and other religious gatherings. He was not carried away by power supremacy that he would humbly request Islamic scholars to preach to him good virtues. His conscience was always resonating with life beyond this world and never lost contact with the mainstream commoners. Till his demise, he boycotted elegant exuberance because he knew its incriminating effects on his faith and how it would have nullified his philanthropic career and spiritual ability.
He was a first class emir but would not hesitate to pay a visit of cordiality to his ordinary neighbors and make them feel a sense of human inclusiveness. The king’s joy rested on the rejoice of his people and therefore did all he could to defend their social integrity and enhance social cohesion. This was the only prince who left a befitting will that his lifeless body should be laid to rest not in a secluded place in the palace but in the public cemetery. The king is now laid to rest in the midst of talakawa. In this, the Sarki teaches us the greatest lesson of human equality after death. Only fools will forget this clear and simple admonition.
He was an active player of religious performances. He discovered his virtues and greatness, transformed them to systems of love and piety so as to earn the pleasure of Allah and history. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he firmly believes in doing the desirables more than in talking the undesirables. He was well composed and versatile with his time as too precious but limited, even if he were to spend hundreds of years. That was how he gallantly defeated the years in him to produce the best in his years. An example of the best in his years was his millions of naira investment on the library located inside the Dutse central mosque for researches.
Sunusi’s empire will particularly be remembered and celebrated for its fight against economic oppression through the enforcement of Zakkat- a financial obligation mandatory on the rich to assist the poor and the needy in the society. Under the Emir, this divine injunction was pursued and executed to its logical conclusion to ameliorate the financial hardships of the people. It was the effectiveness of this method of collecting and disbursing Zakkat that his palace was converted into a sort of a mini pilgrimage by people from other states to cultivate the required experiences in applying this Islamic injunction.
The theory and practice of Sunusi’s kingdom were compatible for the desired results. There was a profound insight to his successful leadership, serving as a valuable source of motivation and inspiration. In this way, his resourceful and prolific life will continue to evoke high passion. The name of Emir Sunusi will continue to be a message of transformation, of a king who defined himself in doing the needful and not allowing others to define him to do the needless. The crown of Sunusi was not composed and characterised by luxury and flamboyance but transcended to develop the larger world of the wretched of the earth.
The king was able to recognise the high value of the price of humility and virtues and scored hugely by associating himself with men of good deeds and actions. It was the story of the glorified king, who sensitised, gingered his generational Kings to descend to the grassroots to actualise and justify the fundamentals of leadership. He intentionally unlocked this reformative formula to work, not only for him, but also for his empire and beyond.
Born in 1945 at Yar gaba village, he started Quranic school at the tender age of five and was enrolled into pre-primary school class in 1954 and later senior secondary school at Birnin Kudu from 1957 to 1959. Thereafter, he went to the Teachers Training College in Kano from 1961 to 1966 and later Advanced Teachers College Kano from 1967 to 1970. He was at the Ohio University, America, where he bagged a degree in finance from 1967 to 1970. He also studied at the Brandford University, England in 1977.
The French writer Andre Malraux stated that to be a king is foolish; what matters is to make a kingdom. Indeed, Emir Nuhu’s wisdom did not bother much in the kingship, but succeeded to enthrone the era of a masses oriented kingdom. May his soul rest in peace!
Abdullahi writes from Ringim, Jigawa state via [email protected]
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