ROYALTY REPORTS: Emirs of Gwandu, Argungu pay Sultan of Sokoto Eid-el-Fitr homage on Wednesday

*As Iralepo of Isikan, Osolo of Isolo Akure South LGA Ondo State pay homage

*Ekiti Gov Fayemi, Attah of Aiyede salute Sariki Musulumi at Eid celebrations

*You are Nigeria’s conflict manager – Fayemi tells Sultan on homage

*Your blessings as our royal father and support as a General working for us – Chief of Army Staff tells Sultan on homage

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

The Gwandu and Argungu Emirates’ traditional Eid-el-Fitr homage to Daular Usmaniyyah leadership of Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, took place on Wednesday in Sokoto.

This year, for a reason not available to The DEFENDER, Sarikin Gwandu, as the Emir of Gwandu Alhaji Muhammadu Iliyasu Bashir, is also called, was unable to make the journey leaving the leadership of the delegation to the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammed Mera.

At the palace, the Emir of Argungu told his leader, the Sultan, that he came to pay the traditional Eid-el-Fitr homage and pray for his long and successful reign in the Usmaniyyah kingdom.

Responding, the Sultan appreciated his visiting brother and his entourage including the Wazirin of Gwandu who represented the Emir of Gwandu, while praying for their safe return to their destinations.

This online newspaper reports that Emir of Gwandu, who is the head of Kebbi State Emirate in North West Nigeria, is historically the younger brother of Usman Dan Fodio the first king of the reformed Islamic society, by the name Abdullahi, who had to travel to Gwandu, where he was caused – through a concealed letter that must not be opened until he had reached – to found an Emirate and rule as Emir till today.

The sojourn of that era of the old not only created a more influential Emirate outside of Sokoto Caliphate but also, it made it incontrovertibly smooth for offsprings of Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio to be he parent to the Sultanate of Sokoto and among who a Sultan is turbaned till today.

Iralepo of Isikan, Osolo of Isolo Akure South LGA Ondo State pay homage

Only on Tuesday, the Iralepo of Isikan and Osolo of Isolo, both ancient towns in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Barrister Olugbenga Ojo Adimula Arulewolasi III and Oba Edward Adewole Oshalade II, respectively, also paid homage – via exclusive messages to The DEFENDER Newspaper Nigeria – to one of four most influential Africa’s monarchs and 17th most influential world Muslim leader.

Although these two traditional rulers are not Muslims and are only second class Obas from the South West state governed by His Excellency Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), they said they were attracted by the quintessential leadership of the Sultan, whose efforts, not only as leader of Nigerian Muslims, have brought reasonable unity and internal mutual understanding to Muslim Ummah of Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo, but also his role, as Nigeria’s number one traditional ruler, has brought confidence to traditional institution in the country to naturally earn the love of people across the ethnic and religious backgrounds.

They thanked the Sultan for his noticable contributions to the development of Akure Kingdom under the first class Obaship of the Deji of Akure, Alayeluwa Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi and, by extension, Ondo State.

The Iralepo and Osolo, in the joint Eid-el-Fitr homage, assured the Sultan that, as soon as the “excellent Excellency” Governor of Ondo State Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu presents them their Staff of Office, they will swing into action by cooperating with his friend, the Deji, while also boosting development in their own respective ancient autonomous communities to the glory of traditional institution in Nigeria.

Gov Fayemi, Attah of Aiyede, COAS

On the Eid day on Monday, Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, was on ground in Sokoto to rejoice with the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, saying “my coming exactly at this time is acceptance of prayers”.

Fayemi said he was in the Seat of Caliphate to pay home to the Sultan he described as conflict manager, who has helped brought about peace and stability across the religions through his untiring efforts of not only preaching but also acting peaceful co-existence.

Attah of Aiyede Kingdom, Ekiti State, Oba Alhaji AbdulMumini Adebayo Orishagbemi, in his own homage simply said, “the best way to appreciate the Sultan is to reiterate my commitment to him as my spiritual leader. I have not seen a traditional leader of uncommon characteristics and quality establishment like this Sultan. With him, we are blessed as a country, as traditional institution and as an Ummah of Muslims in Nigeria.

“I will continue to mobilise my fellow traditional rulers in Yoruba Land to also let us learn from the leadership of Sultan to unite ourselves for security, peace and development of Nigeria,” the Attah said.

In his homage on Tuesday, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, said he was in Sokoto to take the blessings of the Sultan as those blessings as royal father and supports as a General, he said, were “working for us”.  He added them he was in the state for groundbreaking of an Army Operation Base project  in Isa Local Government towards boost security of the North West state among others.

More photographs of homage on Wednesday by Gwandu and Argungu Emirates below: