By: Godknows Boladei Igali
His Highness Alhaji Mustapha Agwai, the 16th ruler of the historic town of Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State of Nigeria finally closed his eyes at about 1pm on Thursday, 10th January 2019, at the Turkish Hospital, Idu, Abuja. When Baba’s demise was announced 40 days, not only Nasarawa State, the Kanuri people, the Nigerian Muslim Ummah, but indeed all of Nigeria found itself in true grief and sorrow. For a man that sat on one of the country’s most revered traditional stools for 44 good years and lived over 83 years, his exit should be a source of Thanksgiving. But not so, all were truly befuddled and bemoaned his departure.
Until his death, he was the Permanent Chairman of Nasarawa State Council of Traditional Rulers. He was also the serving National Vice Chairman of Jama’atu Natril Islam (JNI) and National Vice Chairman of the Supreme Council for Islam Affairs in Nigeria (effectively second in hierarchy to the Sultan of Sokoto). His thoughts and insight on pertinent matters; especially of faith and Islamic thought were often treated with weight and regards. He had previously been Chancellor of Tafawa-Balewa University (ABTU), Bauchi and contributed enormously to the growth of the institution. But until his death, the last Emir of Lafia was the pioneer Chancellor of Federal University, Otuoke in Bayelsa.
His earthly sojourn typified the common religious injunction of being a conscious pilgrim. He was pious but unprejudiced, sober but ever cheerful, very strict but open-minded to all, and so on. In another sense, Baba as he was fondly called, understood God and feared Him. More directly, he understood Nigeria and toiled and toiled for its oneness. In a broader and intellectual level, he understood, more that there is virtually no political community known throughout the course of human history that is exclusively homogenous.
He understood that, even where a political space, e.g. village, clan or tribe is particularly condensed in ethnic structure, quite often, there are few who may be “outsiders”, arising from intermarriage, presence of indentured workers, itinerant traders, travellers, visitors and outright settlers. In other cases, as is typical in human history, the ingress and egress of populations over great stretch of history has resulted in most villages, towns, communities being unable to ascribe true indigineship to any one group.
The histories of all peoples are therefore straddling, the genetic engineering indeterminate and the linguistic delineations rather tenuous. Take Nigeria for example, how would one strictly separate the Hausa from the Fulani in the north, or the Ijaw from the Urhobos and Itsekiris in Warri or the Tiv, Idoma and Egede in say Markudi, etc. It is difficult because majority share the same great-grand parents, grandfathers, grandmothers, stepmothers, stepfathers, cousins, etc.
Baba Agwai was daily conscious that Nigeria itself as a country is an incandescent demonstration of the straddling nature of our common humanity with over 360 known distinct and indigenous ethnic nationalities. Besides over 500 separate language and sub-national groups, the criss-cross of historical experiences and cultural expressions, ranks the country amongst the most complex and obviously exciting multinational states.
He worked with our country’s highest leaders at the national level, to deal with the profit and loss of such delicate and heterogenous mesh. But appreciated more than anyone of his time, that the tactual cobbling and webbing of harmonious coexistence in such setting are the product of building blocks adroitly put in place at much lower sub-national levels. That is where issues of daily co-existence between groups and individuals are dealt with in a practical manner.
Closer to his base, he recognized more than all that Nigeria’s middle Belt region is home to the most diverse states. This is easily understandable considering the moderate climate and huge hydrological environment, which offers the best opportunities for agriculture and human survival. Of all the peoples of that region of the country, the case of Nasarawa State, with over 20 groups in a relatively small landmass stands out as a microcosm of Nigeria. Also, being the most southerly and at an intersection of many socio-cultural, religious, geographic and even economic coincidences, Nasarawa, in course of time became home to all: These include the Afo, Agatu, Akye, Alago, (Kanuri) – Beriberi, Bassa, Egbira, Eggon, Fulani, Gade, Gbagyi, Gwandara, Hausa, Jukun, Kanuri, Mada, Ninzom, Arum, Rindei, Yeskwa and Tiv.
Of all of Nassarawa’s ethnic groups, and of great delight to historians is the story of the Kanuri, also known as Beri Beri people which stands out. Their origin is from the great Kanem-Bornu Empire of the Kanuris, which cover mainly, large parts of North-East Nigeria as well as Chad, Cameroon, Niger Republic. Interestingly enough, the southward movement of the Kanuris, in the year 1706 though from a strong political base, did not lead to the imposition of imperialistic dictates. In Lafia, the Kanuri (Beri Beri) who came at the time, with Islamic monotheism easily assimilated with the plethora of smaller autochthonous groups of diverse African belief systems and political systems. At the time, their original leader, was one Dunama from Gazargamur in present Borno State.
It is against this backdrop that on 15th May 1974, an erstwhile Local Government worker and District Head of Obi, Dr. Mustapha Agwai 1, was picked as the 16th Ruler of Lafia. On 26th October 1974, under the watch of then Governor, Joseph Gomwalk of Benue-Plateau State, he received his Staff of Office. He came with a rich educational back, being a 1959 alumnus of the prestigious Institute of Administration, Zaria which since its founding in 1947 virtually became the nurturing ground for the entire intelligentsia of Northern Nigeria. Not surprising, in 1962 that noble institution, metamorphized into the Ahmadu Bello University.
For over four decades when he ruled Lafia and became the longest serving monarch in Northern Nigeria, Baba grew to become the typical bridge that connected Nigeria. History will also not forget the role he played in the creation of Nassarawa state in 1996 and the support he gave to all the governors to develop one state. It will be difficult for any historian to gloss over these achievements. He was a voice of moderation, and conciliation and related with all, across creed and tongue.
For example, from the rest of Nigeria, he related with General Theophilus Danjuma as a blood brother and took some others such as, Prince Arthur Eze, Chief Aresekola Alao of blessed memory, Governors Rochas Okorocha, Darius Ishakyu, Simon Laloong, Gabriel Suswan, Joshua Dariye as personal children. At the same time, he related with King WSJ Igbugburu X, of Bayelsa State who is also Pro-Chancellor of Federal University, Lafia as a brother, confidante and trusted friend. Even under the stress of health limitations, he travelled to attend the former’s 80th birthday and 58th Coronation celebrations in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa in November 2017. On not less than two occasions, he travelled to the creeks of Bayelsa State to visit his adopted son Ambassador Godknows Igali, and regarded him passionately as a member of his household.
A tendency of negativism, pessimism and parochialism often stalks Nigeria’s national public space. Similarly, several people whom God has lifted high in various forms and privileged to lead do not still understand the great beauty of more openness and inclusiveness in building a greater Nigeria. But the truth is that, the country, from the earliest days has never been short of good and truly Godly people. People that go beyond, endless musing and sulking to actually work for the ‘unity and faith, peace and progress’ of our rich heterogenous mix.
But Baba Agwai was humbly, fatherly and personally connected with all strata of society and from all parts of the country. He personified the ethos, ideals and most cherished aspirations of the Nigerian dream and idealism. His was beyond common symbolism or euphemistic declaration for Nigerians to live in peace and mutual forbearance. His was its manifest actuality.
When people like this come and go, they leave a bouquet of well-arranged nuggets and sweet fragrances for future generations to inherit and benefit from. On this 40th day, we commiserate again with the Mustapha Agwai family and all good people of Nigeria who share his ideals, may God Almighty grant his soul eternal rest.
Amb. Godknows Boladei Igali, PhD, a Diplomat and Fellow of Historical Society of Nigeria.
