Travelogue

The great-grandparents of the Waziri of Katsina, Prof. Sani Abubakar Lugga, descended from ancient Gulumba City in present day Borno State of Nigeria. His father, Alhaji Abubakar Lugga (lived 1912-1988), was the Sarkin Dawa of Katsina and the Katsina Emirate Councillor for Forestry and Natural Resources and was one of the senior sons of the first Waziri of Katsina, Sheikh Haruna (lived 1857-1937). Waziri Haruna was the grandson of Sarkin Kanem Bakashe Malam Haido (reigned 1899-1919) who descended from Sarki Muhammad Tanni (reigned 1579-1605), who was the founder of the Kanuri Ruling House at the Hausaland City of Kanem Bakashe, the largest Emirate in present day Maradi State of Niger Republic. Sarki Tanni was installed by the famous Kanem-Bornu Ruler Mai Idris Alooma (reigned 1571-1603) who conquered Hausaland at that time. Therefore, Sarki Tanni family has been ruling Kanem Bakashe for 438 years today! Waziri Sani Lugga’s grandfather, Sheikh Haruna, arrived in Katsina in search of Islamic knowledge in the year 1897 and became very close to the then Durbi of Katsina Muhammadu Dikko and the Emir of Katsina, Malam Abubakar of the Dallazawa Dynasty. Sheikh Haruna was recognized immediately as one of the most learned scholars of that time who needed no further training and therefore was appointed as one of the area Imams in Katsina. When Durbi Muhammadu Dikko became the Emir of Katsina in 1906, he immediately appointed his friend, confidant, teacher and associate, Sheikh Haruna, as the first Waziri of Katsina in the same year. Therefore, 1906 gave birth to the Sarki Dikko and Waziri Haruna Dynasties in Katsina.

Prof. Sani Abubakar Lugga occupies the traditional office of the Waziri (Vizier or Prime Minister) of Katsina, the second largest Emirate/Traditional Council in Nigeria. He holds a Doctor of Management Degree, a Doctor of Philosophy in Conflict Management Degree and a Master of Business Administration Degree in addition to several Higher and National Diplomas. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management, a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants (Nigeria), a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Financial Managers (UK), a Fellow of the Institute of Journalism and Management (Nigeria), a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Commerce of Nigeria and a Fellow of the London Graduate School (UK). The Waziri started his academic career as a humble Probationary Teacher with Katsina Native Authority Education Department in 1969. He is one of the founders of Al-Qalam University Katsina, where he lectured for several years without receiving any salary or allowances. He is a Visiting Professor of Management Studies at St. Clements Private Swiss University, Switzerland, which is a member of the St. Clements Education Group and he is a Visiting Professor at Ecole Superieure Universitaire Cotonou, Benin Republic, which is a private French/English Bilingual University. The Professor has so far written and published 45 books. One of his books that has relevance to the Niger Republic/Nigeria relations has been translated into the French language at the request of the Niger Republic Government. In addition, the Ethiopian Government has indicated interest in translating another of his books that is on the first Muslim Hijrah to Negash in ancient Habasha into the Ethiopian Amharic language.

Prof. Sani Abubakar Lugga worked with the defunct North-Central/Kaduna State Government from where he moved to the private sector in 1978. He held Senior Management positions in several companies and was the first Nigerian to attain a General Management position in a German multinational manufacturing company in 1984 from where he retired into private business in 1992. He served Katsina State Government as the Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport in 1994. He has over 50 prizes and awards and over 60 honorary appointments to his credit. His main hobby is philanthropy, service to humanity and championing peaceful co-existence. He is an Ambassador of the Universal Peace Federation, New York.