Gumel Emir’s death a profound loss to Nigeria — Shettima

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has described the death of the Emir of Gumel, HRH Alhaji Dr Ahmed Muhammad Sani II, as a profound loss to Jigawa State and Nigeria.

Shettima stated this on Friday during a condolence visit to Jigawa State, where he conveyed the sympathies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government to the late monarch’s family, the Gumel Emirate Council, Governor Umar Namadi and the people of the state.

The Vice-President said the late Emir represented a generation of traditional rulers whose influence extended beyond the palace to peacebuilding, education, community development and national cohesion.

According to him, the late monarch, who died in Cairo, Egypt, on September 3, 2026, after nearly 46 years on the throne, would be remembered for his stability, wisdom and commitment to duty.

Shettima said the late Emir’s reign, which began on December 16, 1980, spanned decades of significant political and social changes in Nigeria, yet he remained committed to peace, education, Islamic scholarship and peaceful coexistence.

He described the late monarch as a father, bridge-builder and stabilising voice, noting that his death had deprived the nation of a repository of history, experience and institutional memory.

The Vice-President further said President Tinubu held the late Emir in high esteem, particularly for his contributions to peacebuilding and community development.

He assured that the Federal Government would continue to regard traditional institutions as important partners in strengthening national unity and stability.

Shettima prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the deceased, accept his good deeds and grant him Aljannah Firdaus, while also asking Allah to give the royal family, the Emirate and the people of Jigawa State the strength to bear the loss.