Besides, he was perceived as one of the very few princes whose eventual selection would not trigger off violence and altercations as was seen in the recent past. And  true to predictions, there were street jubilations once he was picked.

 

“I can see that the people are happy about this choice,” said Governor Attahiru Bafarawa when the new sultan paid him a courtesy call. “It is simply the work of God.  Nobody gave you but God. What we had just done was an act of God and nobody can remove it.” 

 

Announcing the name of the new sultan, who also doubles as the leader of the Nigerian muslims at the Sultan Bello Jumat mosque, Secretary to the Sokoto State Government, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi said, the choice of Sa’adu was a result of series of meetings with the kingmakers.

 

“In keeping with the tradition, members of the Sokoto kingmakers who are saddled with the responsibility of choosing the next sultan, have met and unanimously  agreed to recommend some selected suitable candidates for consideration and approval of the state governor.

 

“In keeping with the powers conferred on him by the Chiefs’ Appointment and Deposition Law of 1999, I am happy to inform you all that His Excellency, the  Excecutive Governor of Sokoto state, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa has approved the preferred choice of the kingmakers in the position of Muhammad Sa’adu  Abubakar III as the 20th Sultan of Sokoto”, he stated.

 

While paying a courtesy call on the governor, the new sultan pledged to be fair to all irrespective of their religion, creed and ethnic descent.

Immediately the new sultan was announced, and his letter of appointment handed over to him, a large crowd that gathered at the mosque began to celebrate, shouting  “Allah Akbar” ( Allah is Great), and hugging themselves.

 

“Indeed, it is one of the best things that has happened to the caliphate. You can see every one is happy, because the choice of Sa’adu is an appropriate one”, said his younger brother, Alhaji Muazu Sadiqque Abubakar, who was also touted as being eligible for the position.

 

The new Sultan was born on August 24, 1956 in Sokoto and attended Sultan ward Primary School, Sokoto and Barewa College, Zaria before proceeding to the  Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna in 1975 for the 18th Regular Combatant Course.

 

He was commissioned Second Lieutenant on December 17, 1977 and posted to Nigeria Army Armoured Corps. In his 31 years in the Army, Sa’adu Abubakar had  attended various professional courses in Nigeria and abroad. He is married with children, and enjoys football, squash and travelling.

 

However, the selection of Col. Sa’ad Muhammadu Abubakar as the new Sultan of Sokoto did not come to many of his fellow participants of the Senior Executive Course 28 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS) Kuru, Plateau State as a surprise. This is because he has always teased them that his possibility of becoming the “next Sultan,’ always saying to them that “you’re talking to His Eminence.”

 

At NIPSS, Thursday, many of those who spoke described his selection as well-deserved. Many of his colleagues who got the news of his hailed the development, noting that he has the right tools to become a good leader.

One of them, William Akanle, a fellow participant described the new Sultan as “easy-going, unassuming and a man whose comportment always exuded royalty in a humble manner.

“He is a complete gentleman. You can hardly notice him in a crowd because he is very unassuming and he has no airs around him despite his royal blood. But it is not really a surprise because we had always jovially referred to him as ‘‘His Eminence’’. He would always tease you that you are talking to the next Sultan. The only thing  is that  the thing probably came earlier than he expected because of the sudden death of the former Sultan. I have no doubt that he will make a good leader and a successful one at that.”

 

A friend of the new Sultan, Dr. Dogara Gwamna who lectures at the University of Jos also hailed the appointment of Col. Sa’adu. “You will hardly know that he has royal blood because he does not exhibit the arrogance that some in his shoes would have exhibited. I can tell you that he is a complete gentleman who is very nice and pleasant. I am not surprised at all that he was found worthy of the eminent position and I am very happy.”

 

Other Nigerians, especially in Sokoto, have continued to hail his selection. Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar III, Sarkin Arewa Sokoto said: “We’re very surprised at the final choice, but we are very happy with the gentleman selected at last. My advice to all contestants is to accept the choice of Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’adu as one from God and that they should cooperate with him for the sake of God. We are also grateful to Governor Attahiru Bafarawa, whom God used in appointing a new sultan in peace.”

 

The support for him transcends the Muslim community. Catholic Archbishop of Zaria Diocese, George J. Dodo commends “the governor for the peaceful way in which the new sultan was nominated. It is good for us all. We’re hopeful that he is going to deal with everyone without any sense of discrimination. While expressing our condolences on the death of the late sultan and others in last Sunday’s crash, I wish to, on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, express hope that we continue to live in peace and harmony.”

 

Also, Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia state said: “I am happy that there was no tearing of the list containing the recommendations of the kingmakers for a preferred  candidate. The election was free and fair, and the people are happy.”

 

Alhaji Muazu Abubakar, brother to the new Sultan predictably thumbs up for the choice, and promises that the new helmsman “is equal to the task. I expect that he is not going to disappoint the people. He is my brother, but because I am confident in his ability, I also wanted him to be nominated and we were actually happy that he was named at last.”

The 20th Sultan of Sokoto
I’ll be fair to all - Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar III
From Aminu  Mohammed & Andrew Agbese

The new Sultan of Sokoto, Colonel Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has assured that he would be just, fair and open to everybody in his new task. Accepting his appoint-ment as the 20th Sultan of Sokoto at the Government House yesterday, Col. Abubakar III said he will strive to sustain the peace that has been identified with Sokoto state, adding that he will tread the path of his predecessors who strove to unite the Muslim Ummah. He said: “I pray to Almighty Allah to guide me to follow the path of my father, late Sultan Abubakar II and my elder brother, late Sultan Muhammadu Maccido, who lost his life recently in a plane crash”.  Sultan Sa’adu Abubakar III promised to commit himself to the sustainance of peace and the propagation of Islam. He called on the Muslim Ummah to strive and work towards the propagation of Islam and peace which would help unify the entire Nigeria.  The new Sultan said for 50 years that his late father ruled as Sultan of Sokoto, the state was privileged to enjoy peace without interruption and likewise the 10 year- reign of his predecessor, Sultan Muhammadu Maccido. He therefore pledged to work for the state, nation and the entire Muslim Ummah, hoping that Allah will guide him in his stewardship.

Responding, Governor Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto state said: “When the news came to me that there was a plane crash and that the Sultan was involved, I prayed to God to guide me to make the right decision and today, from what we have witnessed, God has answered our prayers”.
The Sokoto state gover-nor said he was happy that the Sultan in his speech, promised to be a father to both the Muslim and Chris-tian communities and appealed to followers of the two major religions to cooperate and support the new Sultan to steer the affairs of the Sultanate and by extension, the entire Nigeria.

Governor Bafarawa appealed to traditional rulers in the country, especially those within the caliphate, to support the new Sultan in his new task to unite the entire nation and advised the new royal father, “to strive to leave good legacies behind as your 19 predecessors did”.
His appointment, announ-ced at about 10.15am yester-day at the Sultan Bello mosque, few metres away from the Sultan’s palace, came as a surprise to many. Sultan Sa’adu Abubakar, 53, is a serving military officer with the rank of a Colonel and was until his appointment yesterday attending a course at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Pleateau state. Colonel Sa’adu also yesterday completed a course at the military college in Jos where he was studying to be promoted to Brigadier General. He has not yet been officially promoted.  The announcement of Alhaji Mohammadu Sa’ad came as a surprise to many because his name had not featured prominently among the possible contenders before his appointment yesterday.  When his name was announced, there was unprecedented jubilation among the people of Sokoto.

While presenting the letter of appointment to the new sultan, the secretary to the state government, Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, said in keeping with tradition, members of the Sultanate Council who are kingmakers saddled with the responsibility of selecting the new Sultan have met and unanimously agreed to recommend some suitable candidates for consideration and approval by the state government.

He also said in keeping with the powers conferred on the state governor by the law on Appointment and Deposition of Chiefs (1999), he approved the provisional choice of the kingmakers who recommended Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abuabakar III.
Particpants at the NIPSS college are expected to submit a dissertation before they round up their courses.
Alhaji Abubakar is believed to have submitted his yesterday. He is awaiting the final induction as a Brigadier General.
His coursemates spoke fondly of the new sultan, saying he has exhibited leadership qualities which endeared him to many of the course participants in Kuru.
One of his coursemates from Borno state, Alhaji Musa Abba Aji, said the new sultan is a very friendly person who is focused in whatever he is doing.
Abba Aji said he is confident the new sultan will perform very well as he is humble, charismatic and a down-to-earth person who though being a blue blood, does not carry his background on his shoulders.
“Look, I am confident that he will succeed as he is somebody who is very focused in whatever he is doing and does not allow his position to get into him,” he stated.
The president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo yester-days congratulated the new sultan of sokoto and the Amirul-Mumuneen (spiritual leader of entire Muslims in Nigeria, Alhaji Sada Abubakar on his appointment
The president’s message was conveyed in a statement signed by the secretary to the government of the federa-tion, Chief Ufort Ekaitte, made available to Daily Trust. . The president, on behalf of the federal government and the entire people of Nigeria,
wished him a successful tenure in office and called the entire caliphate to support him.
The Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Najeeb Hussaini Adamu, has described the appointment of the new Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammed Sada, as the will of God. 

He told Daily Trust reporter in a telephone chat that such appointments are difficult to make but whoever God has destined to become the Sultan will come to be. 
He appealed to other ruling houses of the Sokoto Caliphate to cooperate with the new Sultan and guide him in the discharge of the onerous task of uniting and building a strong Muslim Ummah in Nigeria. 

Alhaji Najeeb Hussaini Adamu prayed that Allah guide the new Sultan in all his endeavours and hoped that the new Sultan will emulate the shinning examples of his late father Abubakar III and also of the late Sultan Maccido who died last week in and ADC air crash. 
He prayed that Allah reward the late Sultan and past Sultans with Jannah Firdausi and also prayed that Allah guide the new Sultan in all endeavours and called on the Muslim Ummah in the country to support and cooperate with the new Sultan of Sokoto.