When the military administration of Ibrahim Babangida created Jigawa out of the old Kano State in 1991, the choice of its capital ignited a tense controversy. The new state consisted of five emirates – Kazaure, Gumel, Ringim, Dutse and Hadejia. The bustling town of Hadejia was the favourite to be the capital. However, the administration announced Dutse, a smaller city at the edge of the new state, as the capital. That decision birthed a rivalry between the Hadejia and Dutse emirates that continues to reverberate in the state’s politics.
The rivalry between the emirates was so pronounced that several clerics and other concerned individuals called for restraint and unity for the sake of the state. For instance, the chief Imam of the Dutse central mosque, Abubakar Sani, cautioned that the rivalry was against the teachings of Islam.
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Yet, when the state’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) chose Umar Namadi from Hadejia as its governorship candidate for the 2023 election, Dutse emirate voters resisted, thinking a man from Hadejia could not be fair to them in the allocation of public projects and civil service appointments. Some recalled how a former military governor of the old-Kano State, Hamza Abdullahi, allegedly skewed recruitments into the state civil service to favour his Hadejia kinsmen.
The rivalry intensified after the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nominated Mustapha Lamido, a son of former governor Sule Lamido, and an indigene of Dutse Emirate, as its candidate. Although Mr Namadi won the governorship election, the PDP won most of the federal and state legislative seats in the area.
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Two years into his tenure, PREMIUM TIMES analyses how Mr Namadi has addressed the fear of domination by residents of Dutse and the three other emirates in the state.
In the first week of Governor Namadi’s administration, he appointed his Chief of Staff and Secretary to the State Government from the Dutse Emirate. The appointments considerably dispelled the fear of the emirate’s marginalisation.
One year later, on 23 March, the Emir of Dutse, Hamim Nuhu-Sanusi, led a delegation of his council members and district heads to thank the governor for his administration’s development strides in the emirate.
The emir narrated how the governor encouraged President Bola Tinubu to complete the N59.4 billion Dutse Greater Water Supply Scheme, which had been abandoned for 24 years. He said the water project, a dream of his late father, was designed to supply 10 million litres of water daily to the about 1.5 million population of Dutse.
“We are here to express gratitude for the developmental projects your administration is embarking on in the Dutse Emirate. We are here to show appreciation and wish you well. To mention but a few, there is no local government area in this emirate that has not benefited from road projects. The overhauling of health infrastructures is taking place in this emirate. The emirate is the only place where your mass housing projects are sited in two LGAs, Dutse and Birnin Kudu”, the emir stated.
Mr Nuhu-Sanusi said a World Bank-assisted ₦10.8 billion Gully Erosion Control Project of the state government was addressing decades-long threats to farming and houses in the Dutse Emirate.
“I am excited to tell you that, due to the mass projects your administration is embarking on, residents are now looking for blocks (in the state capital) because multiple projects are ongoing, which has led to a scarcity of blocks. We are grateful to you, and we will continue to pray for the success of this administration”, said the emir.
Trust in leadership
“One problem is that Jigawa people do not trust leaders who are not from their community or emirate,” said Ahmed Ilallah, the coordinator of Jigawa Good Governance Advocators.
However, Mr Ilallah said the suspicion that the leader would not treat the Dutse Emirate fairly has disappeared under Governor Namadi.
“Governor Namadi’s election marks the first time the Jigawa Northeast zone, that is the Hadejia axis, produced a governor. The expectation was that he would focus on growing his area and treat the others unfairly.
“However, he has demonstrated otherwise. I commend his capacity for leadership and for ensuring justice to all. In fact, some people in his zone are concerned that he has paid more attention to other areas,” he said.
15 kilometres for Dutse development
Abdulhamid Sani, a youth leader in Dutse, praised the governor’s plan to construct 15 kilometres of roads yearly in the state capital. “It is a bold and strategic move that reflects both foresight and deep commitment to inclusive development,” he said.
“This initiative is not just about infrastructure; it’s a deliberate investment in the social and economic arteries of the capital city. Starting with the first phase within the heart of Dutse Local Government, the Namadi administration is laying concrete proof of its promise to build a more connected, accessible, and dignified capital for all residents.
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“By prioritising Dutse’s urban development as a cornerstone of Jigawa’s broader growth agenda, he is turning streets into symbols of progress, resilience, and people-centred governance. This is not just road construction, it is a foundation for opportunity, mobility, and prosperity for generations to come”, Mr Sani said.
Former Governor Muhammad Badaru said the development strides have vindicated his endorsement of Mr Namadi as his successor.
Mr Badaru, who is now Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, stated this in January last year during his first visit to the state after he left office in May 2023.
“I am delighted with the progress so far. I see people happy and smiling, and they are telling me that I left behind a great leader who is delivering on the mandate.
“I told you during the campaign that he is honest, straightforward, and very active, and that is what he is doing. God has vindicated me with all the developments that have been taking place in the state. I am sure he will do better than I have done.”
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