His Appointment As Waziri of Katsina
Prof. Sani Abubakar Lugga was appointed as the fifth Waziri of Katsina by His Royal Highness the late Emir of Katsina, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammadu Kabir Usman, LLD, CFR, on Saturday 20th Sha’aban 1423 (26th October 2002). The mode of the announcement of Prof. Sani’s appointment as the Waziri of Katsina by HRH the Emir of Katsina was unprecedented. HRH the Emir personally made the announcement at the launching of Katsina Islamic University’s Appeal Fund on Saturday, 26th October 2002. HRH the Emir made the announcement at the end of his speech as the Chief Host of the occasion as follows:-
Finally, I would like to end my speech by restating that, we are grateful to Allah (SWT) for making it possible for us to attend this Appeal Fund launching ceremony for the establishment of the first Islamic University in Nigeria. Government gives National Medals and Awards to persons who excel in the service of humanity. We, in the Traditional Institution, appoint such deserving persons into Traditional Offices (if they inherit same) or give them Traditional Titles. The Secretary General of Katsina Islamic Foundation, the Founders and Proprietors of this Islamic University project, has been the main pillar of the project and has served in similar capacities on many community projects for the benefit of humanity. For example, he was the Chairman of the Planning Committee of Katsina State Development Foundation (Gidauniyar Jihar Katsina) and the Chairman of the Publicity Committee for the establishment of Katsina State Education Trust Fund. This person is Alhaji Sani Abubakar Lugga, the grandson of the first Waziri of Katsina, Alhaji Haruna. With the Stool of the Waziri of Katsina currently vacant, and by the Grace of Allah, I hereby bestow the Title and the Office of the Waziri of Katsina on him. May Allah guide him in the discharge of the duties of this important Office, ameen.
His Royal Highness the Emir of Katsina made the announcement in the presence of the following high profile personalities:- His Excellency, the then Governor of Katsina State and later the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua GCFR, His Excellency, the former Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji (Dr) Atiku Abubakar GCON, His Eminence the late Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammadu Macido, their Royal Highnesses the Emirs of Kano Alhaji (Dr) Ado Bayero, Zazzau Alhaji (Dr) Shehu Idris, Ilorin Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, Gombe Alhaji (Dr) Usman Shehu Abubakar, Zuru Alhaji (Dr) Sani Sami, Hadejia Alhaji Adamu A. Maje, Bauchi Alhaji Sulaiman Adamu, Kazaure Alhaji Najib Husaini Adamu, Minna Alhaji Umar Farouq Bahago, Dutse Dr Nuhu Sanusi, Lafiya Alhaji Isa Mustapha, Suleija Alhaji Awwal Ibrahim, Birnin Gwari Alhaji Zubairu Jibrin Mai Gwari and several other distinguished traditional rulers. Also in attendance were the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Umar Na-Abba, the former Deputy Senate President Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu, Federal Ministers, top Businessmen and a host of other dignitaries. Key Muslim Scholars in attendance included Sheikh Ibrahim Sheriff Saleh, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, Sheikh Lawal Abubakar, Sheikh Muhammadu Sakanau and Sheikh Mudi Salga.
Also present were members of the International Muslim Community. They included His Excellency, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul-Ilah Ali Al-Abdali who represented both the Kingdom and the Chief Imam of the Holy Ka’aba Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, sent in a four man high powered delegation under the leadership of the Deputy Grand Sheikh of the University, His Eminence Sheikh Wafa Abou Agour who was accompanied by Their Eminences Sheikh Farahat el-Said el-Mongy, Sheikh Abdul Khalek Atteya Nosser and Sheikh Aly Mahmoud el-Hassan. Also present were the Governors of Maradi and Zinder in Niger Republic; and the Sultan of Damagaram, Alhaji Rahanadonu Moustapha, and the Emir of Kanem Bakashe Alhaji Daouda, also from Niger Republic. Prof. Sani Abubakar Lugga was traditionally turbaned as the Waziri of Katsina by His Royal Highness the late Emir of Katsina, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammadu Kabir Usman LLD, CFR, at the Emir’s Palace on Saturday, 28th December 2002.
Some Official Duties Of Waziri Sani Lugga At Emirate Level
The office of the Waziri of Katsina is a fairly new one compared to, for example, those of Borno and Sokoto that have been in existence for hundreds of years. The first Waziri of Katsina was Waziri Haruna (the grandfather of Waziri Sani Lugga) who was appointed in 1906 by the Emir of Katsina, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko. Waziri Haruna played dual roles – personal to the Emir and official to the Native Authority. As a close associate and friend of Emir Muhammadu Dikko, Waziri Haruna was the Emir’s Chief Adviser and under the then British “colonial indirect rule system”, he was the Chief Councillor and Head of Administration & Taxation of Katsina Emirate Native Authority.
The first Waziri (Sheikh Haruna) performed official roles as Chief Councillor and Head of Administration & Taxation of Katsina Emirate Native Authority. The 1928 Native Authority Reforms introduced by the Colonial Northern Nigerian Government affected the powers of the Waziri as the former method of using Arabic language (or Arabic letters to write the Hausa language called “ajami”) in official correspondences was abolished. That method was replaced with the use of the English language (or Latin letters to write the Hausa language). The second Waziri, appointed as a result of the 1928 Reforms, Sheikh Zayyana, remained as the Chief Councillor and Head of Administration & Taxation but relied on translators for correspondences. In 1946, Alhaji Isa Kaita (son of Waziri Haruna) was appointed as the Chief of Staff for Katsina Emirate and made responsible for all administrative duties and head of all staff (including Village and District Heads). He then held the title of the Madawaki of Katsina. He served in that capacity up to 1954 when he became a Northern Regional Minister under a Colonial Governor. Alhaji Isa Kaita was appointed as the third Waziri of Katsina in 1962. With his death in 1994, Dr. Hamza Zayyad (grandson of Waziri Zayyana) was appointed as the fourth Waziri of Katsina in 1995. Following the death of Waziri Hamza Zayyad in 2002, Prof. Sani Abubakar Lugga (grandson of Waziri Haruna) was appointed as the fifth Waziri of Katsina.
Both Waziri Isa Kaita and Waziri Hamza Zayyad lived in Kaduna and that affected the duties of the office of the Waziri of Katsina, as other traditional office holders had to be assigned some of the duties of the Waziri. Therefore, Waziri Sani Lugga (who lives in Katsina) had to contend with the situation and to gradually start to reclaim the Waziri duties. Taking back ones duties from others is not an easy task, but that of Waziri Sani Lugga was made easy by the support of the Emir who appointed him, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammadu Kabir Usman CFR, who was a witness to the roles played by the earlier occupants of the Waziri office under his grandfather (Sarki Dikko) and his father (Sarki Usman Nagogo). Waziri Sani Lugga had the confidence and the support of Sarki Muhammadu Kabir with whom he worked closely for the progress of Katsina Emirate, Katsina State and the Nigerian Nation. Katsina greatly benefited from the dynamism of late Sarki Muhammadu Kabir of blessed memory.
On the death of Sarki Muhammadu Kabir in March 2008, his eldest son, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, CFR, ascended to the throne. His Royal Highness, Sarki Abdulmumini, had been a long time school mate and associate of Waziri Sani Lugga, with the Waziri being one year senior to the Emir in Provincial Secondary School Katsina. Indeed, sometimes in 1965, when they were students at Provincial Secondary School Katsina and sharing the same School Dormitory, Sarki Abdulmumini once joked that, “Sani, I will insha Allah, turban you as the Waziri when I become the Emir”. That joke has now become a reality. Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman is now the Emir and Prof. Sani Abubakar Lugga is now the Waziri! Allahu Akbar!
It is on record that the first Sullubawa Emir of Katsina, HRH Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko, and the first Waziri of Katsina, Sheikh Haruna enjoyed closeness, mutual respect, harmony and understanding long before they ascended to the offices of Emir and Waziri respectively. It is also well known that HRH the Emir of Katsina Alhaji Sir Usman Nagogo, enjoyed similar closeness, mutual respect, harmony and understanding with the Waziri of Katsina Alhaji Isa Kaita long before they ascended to the offices of Emir and Waziri respectively. By the grace of Allah (SWT), HRH the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, CFR and the Waziri of Katsina, Prof. Sani Abubakar Lugga, enjoyed closeness, mutual respect and harmony and understanding long before they ascended to the offices of Emir and Waziri respectively!
At the early years of his emirship, His Royal Highness, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman CFR, has been assigning Waziri Sani Lugga numerous duties. The Waziri chairs the Emirate’s Finance and Establishment Committee and numerously represents the Emir within the Emirate, in the State and all over the Nation. The Waziri takes charge of religious matters at Emirate, State and National levels on behalf of the Emir and on his personal behalf. By the Grace of Allah (SWT) the Waziri has not failed his Emir and his people; and as such the Waziri gained the confidence of other Emirs and Chiefs from all over the Nigerian Nation.
Some Official Duties Of Waziri Sani Lugga At National Level
In November 2003, His Royal Higness, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Muhammadu Kabir Usman, CFR, after a brief Emirate Council meeting at the Palace, raised an item under “Any Other Matters” on the numerous duties of Waziri Sani Abubakar Lugga at the national level. The Emir gave the Waziri unreserved permission to continue to attend to official and private matters in and out of Katsina Emirate, whenever they arose. The Emir stated that it would be unfair to tie down the Waziri to only local Emirate functions while he has been of great importance to several other issues in Nigeria and even beyond. Specifically, the Emir mentioned the following:
- The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, where the Waziri has been a strong member for many years and one of the very few non-Emir Committee Chairman.
- The Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council and the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria where the Waziri has been a strong Secretariat Officer.
- The many counsels the Waziri travels to offer to His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence the Shehu of Borno, His Royal Highness the Emir of Kano; and several other Emirs and Chiefs all over Nigeria.
That declaration by His Royal Highness, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Muhammadu Kabir Usman, gave impetus to the Waziri Sani Abubakar Lugga to strive harder in National Affairs. That culminated in the Waziri’s participation in several national affairs including the following:
- Perhaps the most prominent service the Waziri of Katsina Professor Sani Abubakar Lugga rendered to the Nigeria Traditional Rulers was his establishment of the National Secretariat of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria; where he was subsequently appointed as the Consultant and Head of that National Secretariat (2019). That duty endeared the Waziri to the hearts of all Traditional Rulers in Nigeria. It enabled him to have unfettered access to Traditional Rulers form all the Six Zones of Nigeria. The National Council’s Secretariat is under a National Coordinating Committee chaired by the Etsu Nupe and has a Traditional Ruler from each of the Six Zones as Members. The Waziri of Katsina was an Ex-Officio Member and Head of the Secretariat Staff.
- Participation as a Delegate to the International Conference of Polio Eradication held in Cairo, Republic of Egypt under the leadership of His Royal Highness, the Emir Gombe (2006)
- Participation as a Delegate to the International Maulud (Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) Birthday celebration) held at Tripoli (Libya) and at Timbuktu (Mali) (2006).
- Appointed as a Member representing the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs on the Board of the National Orientation Agency, Abuja (2010).
- Appointed as a Special Adviser to the Association of Christians, Muslims and African Traditional Religionists in Nigeria (2012).
- Appointed as a Member representing the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs on the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation (2012).
- Appointed to represent the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria as a Member of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North (popularly called the Boko Haram Committee) (2013).
- Appointed as a Member of the State Committee on National Dialogue by the Katsina State Government (2013).
- Appointed as the Chairman of the Social Welfare and Disaster Relief Committee of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (2013).
- Appointed as a Member of the General Purpose Committee of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (2014).
- Appointed as a Member of the Presidential Committee on Continued Dialogue and Resolution of Security Challenges in the North (2014).
- Appointed into the Board of Trustees of Islamic Green Club of Nigeria, (2015).
- Appointed as a Member of Al-Qalam University Board of Trustees (2016).
- Appointed as the Patron of the Society for the Unity of Muslims in Nigeria (2016)
- Appointed as a Member of the National Amirul Hajj Team for the Hajj Exercise In Saudi Arabia (2016)
- Appointed as the Chairman of the Interim Governing Council of the At-Tanzeel University, Kano, Nigeria (2017)
- Appointed as a member of the Executive Committee of Interfaith Initiative for Peace under the Chairmanship of His Eminence Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, and the co-chairmanship of His Eminence Cardinal Onaiyekan, CON. (2017)
- Appointed as a Registered Trustee of Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace under the distinguished chairmanship of His Eminence Cardinal Onaiyekan, CON (2018)
- Appointed as a Member of the Presidential Committee to Study the Recommendations and Implementation Strategies on Strengthening Internal Security Framework and Community Policing in Nigeria (2019)
- Appointed as Grand Patron of Kaduna Polytechnic Alumni Association (2020)
- Appointed as Chairman of Museums and Monuments Friends Cooperative Society (2021)
- Appointed Chairman of Katsina State Technical Committee on Community Policing (2021)
- Patron of Katsina State Students’ Association, Nigerian Universities EducationStudents’ Association, Kaduna Polytechnic Marketing Students’ Association, Ahmadu Bello University Agricultural Students’ Association, Gamji Memorial Club, Katsina Games Club, Nigeria Union of Journalists, etc., (various dates).
- Served as an Executive Council/Committee Member of the Nigeria Institute of Management, Nigeria Marketing Association, Kaduna and Katsina Chambers of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture, and Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (various dates).
- Serving as Grand Patron of Katsina Zakkat Committee, Muslim Corpers’ Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Aid Group of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (various dates).
- Officiated at numerous occasions as Guest of Honour, Chairman or Guest Speaker (various dates).