Top Zazzau prince, Munir Ja’afaru, resigns as district head

A prince in the Zazzau Emirate, Mallam Muhammad Munir Ja’afaru, has resigned his position as the district head of Basawa.

Mallam Ja’afaru, who also holds the traditional title of Madakin Zazzau, resigned over alleged usurpation of his prerogative with regards to the appointment of a ward head.

Son of late Sarki Jaafaru dan Isyaku, who reigned as Emir of Zazzau between 1937 and 1959, Mallam Muhammad Munir Ja’afaru was a top contender to the throne after the death of Emir Shehu Idris in September 2020.

A top source in the emirate said that district head resigned after the emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Bamalli, rejected the appointment of the ward head of Unguwar Gwaba.

“By tradition, the district head appoints ward heads, and the appointee would then be turbaned in the ante-chamber (Zaure) of the emir’s palace, and subsequently presented to the emir for endorsement by the clerk (Magatakarda) of the district head.

“But when the newly turbaned ward head of Unguwar Gwaba was presented to emir for endorsement, the emir queried the absence of the district head, and immediately ordered that the ward head be stripped of his turban,” the source said.

The spokesman for Zaria Emirate Council, Abdullahi Aliyu, reportedly confirmed the resignation in a statement.

He, however, didn’t state the reasons for the resignation.

Mr Kwarbai said the emir had since approved the resignation and subsequently appointed a replacement.

“Subsequent upon receiving a letter dated July 29, 2023 from Madakin Zazzau, Alhaji Muhammadu Munnir Ja’afaru from the district headship of Basawa District, the Emir of Zazzau, His Highness, Malam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, CFR, LLD, has with immediate effect approved the appointment of Architect Haruna Abubakar Bamalli, Barde Kerrariyyan Zazzau, District Head of Zangon Aya as the substantive District Head of Basawa,” Mr Aliyu said.