By; BALA B. BITRUS, Minna.
Exactly a year after the demise of the Emir of Borgu, Senator Haliru Dantoro, his successor and son, Barrister Muhammad Sani Haliru Dantoro was at the weekend coronated and presented with the insignia of office as the 17th Emir of Borgu.
At the coronation attended by dignitaries from across the country and beyond, not a few people including the new Emir broke down in tears as memories of the late traditional ruler flashed back into them.
The former Emir passed on exactly a year ago, on 29th of October 2015 in a German hospital where he was taken to for medical attention.
At the colourful coronation of the new Emir, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State tasked traditional rulers in the state to be active watchdogs besides being the custodians of the cultures and traditions of their subjects.
The Governor said all traditional rulers must help in preaching peaceful coexistence amongst their subjects since they are fathers of all the people living in their domains.
He noted that as respectable leaders, their voices on issues are held in high esteem by all just as he urged them to assist in monitoring and reporting developments that could lead to challenges to their people and society.
“You are the security watchdogs of your domain and by extension of the state. You are therefore to keep curious interest in the things that happen within your territory. You must avoid acts of negligence and criminal conspiracy as this can ruin any leader” said Governor Bello.
The Emir while responding, recalled with painful nostalgia, his last moments with his father while he was by his sick bed in Germany. But in a sudden burst of emotions, he fought back unsuccessfully to hold his tears as he spoke fondly of his father.
While paying glowing tributes to his late father, Barr. Muhammad Sani now crowned the 17th Emir of Borgu Kingdom, also carries the prefix of the Kitoro IV, (Mai Borgu) in succession after his father who was Kitoro III.
“In far away Germany, on October 29th, 2015, my father had asked me to return back to Nigeria to prepare for his return. But a day later, the Almighty Allah called Mai Borgu back to Himself” he recalled as he relentlessly fought back tears from his eyes.
The Emir who was during his father’s reign, the title holder of the Marafan Borgu, said “my father was a hero who was prepared to sacrifice even his exalted and revered seat for the common good of all. He pledged to carry on with his father’s lofty aspirations for his subjects.
He called on all sons and daughters of the Borgu Kingdom and every other person within the emirate to join hands with him in moving the Borgu Kingdom further forward.
President Muhammadu Buhari was represented by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory at the occasion which was marked with colour and candor of the people of Borgu.
No fewer than a hundred traditional rulers from across the country and from the neighbouring Benin Republic led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi II and the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar witnessed the coronation.
