AMADU, FIVE YEARS ON THE THRONE: Between Destiny Fulfilled and Persistent Opposition in Zazzau – VI (b)

Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli

His Highness, the 19th Emir of Zazzau, Five Years On

Read Bamalli’s Fifth Year Anniversary Chronicles Here:

AMADU, FIVE YEARS ON THE THRONE – I

AMADU, FIVE YEARS ON THE THRONE – II

AMADU, FIVE YEARS ON THE THRONE – III

AMADU, FIVE YEARS ON THE THRONE – IV

AMADU, FIVE YEARS ON THE THRONE – V

AMADU, FIVE YEARS ON THE THRONE – V (b)

AMADU, FIVE YEARS ON THE THRONE – VI (a)

 – Continued from –

AMADU, FIVE YEARS ON THE THRONE – VI (a)

Building on the paradox of destiny fulfilled yet legitimacy contested, the progress and development of Zazzau are inseparable from the strength of its Emir and the forces that seek to weaken him. Opposition, when unchecked, does not merely challenge a ruler—it fractures the very foundations of the Emirate, stalls progress, and saps collective resolve. History teaches that a divided throne produces a divided realm, and that the true measure of leadership lies in navigating these storms without losing sight of unity, vision, or purpose.

To understand the stakes, we turn to the lessons of the past, where kings and dynasties faced the twin currents of envy and entitlement—and where Zazzau’s destiny was forged not by titles alone, but by courage, strategy, and the unwavering will to preserve the soul of the Emirate.

A lesson from the past is instructive. The reign of Sambo (1888–1890) illustrates how political division can cripple kingship. From his accession, the throne’s administration was fragmented, with rival factions undermining cohesion. Even fear of the Emir’s authority could not guarantee loyalty, and miscalculations—such as the empowerment of Galadima Sulaimanu—exposed the throne to weakness and internal sabotage. Yet history also shows that when dynasties unite behind a worthy leader, as they did in 1897 for Kwassau, the Emirate’s destiny is safeguarded, and opposition, however persistent, can be tempered by strategy, foresight, and collective purpose.

The present principal actors would do well to take this lesson to heart. For they too face an opposition that refuses to fade, and the stakes are no less than the dignity, unity, and prosperity of Zazzau itself. In the case of Emir Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, what distinguishes his reign is not that it provoked dissent, but that this dissent hardened, calcified, and sought to make permanence of resistance. His enthronement became not the end of a contest, but the beginning of a struggle—one where legal challenges, political manoeuvres, and a steady undercurrent of misinformation tested the very fibre of leadership.

The persistent opposition to the Emir’s reign is not an act of courage or conviction—it is an exercise in futility. Those who persist in resistance fail to realise that every blow struck at the throne reverberates against the Emirate itself. Their defiance does not weaken the Emir; it weakens the very fabric of Zazzau’s unity, progress, and dignity. It is a tragic display of misplaced pride—born not of wisdom or foresight, but of envy, bitterness, and the inability to rise above personal ambition.

I must emphasise here that not all opposition is destructive. Some oppositions are noble—rooted in reason and guided by principle. Such individuals do not hesitate to offer objective criticism, draw the Emir’s attention to matters of genuine concern, or contribute—whether in counsel, in kind, or in resources—to the progress of the Emirate. Such dissent is born of loyalty, not rivalry, and must be acknowledged and commended.

But others, as has sadly become common in Zazzau, have turned opposition into a theatre of entitlement—a stage where actors mistake stubbornness for strength and bitterness for bravery. Such princes overplay opposition, not in pursuit of justice but for relevance; not out of purpose but out of pastime. Their actions, stripped of honour and guided by ego, reduce a noble institution to a spectacle of personal grievance.

They forget that every shout against the throne echoes back as a whisper against the Emirate itself. Each act of resistance chips away not at the crown, but at the collective pride, peace, and progress of the people. It is not wisdom—it is wasted energy. It is not courage—it is comedy. And the greatest tragedy of all is that the audience of this endless play is the very populace whose future remains held hostage to a drama scripted by inherited arrogance and performed in the name of pride.

This persistent opposition, born of wounded pride and generational entitlement, was aimed at nothing but stagnation and division. Fortunately, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli saw through their façade, confronting the monster head-on while pursuing development with strategic focus and quiet determination. Theirs is a war without victory, a journey without direction, a noise without meaning. The tragedy lies not in the opposition itself, but in its consequences—for it drains the strength of the Emirate, distracts its leadership, and denies its people the peace and progress they richly deserve.

But history is not a tale of opposition alone; it is also a testament to reconciliation. The same throne that once witnessed rivalry has always found renewal through unity. The enduring strength of Zazzau has never been in the noise of dissent but in the quiet resilience of its people—those who, when the dust settles, choose loyalty over pride, peace over power, and purpose over pettiness.

This, too, shall be captured in the next segment of these chronicles, where the true achievements of the past five years under the reign of Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, the 19th Emir of Zazzau, will be examined in their fullness.

Zazzau deserves better. It deserves sons who can see beyond rivalry, beyond the illusion of inherited rights, and beyond the narrow confines of personal ambition. The lessons of the past must not be lost on the princes of today, for every wound left unhealed becomes a scar upon the Emirate’s collective face. History has shown that no kingdom thrives when its heirs turn their spears inward. The prosperity of the Emirate lies not in endless quarrels over the crown, but in collective loyalty to the one who wears it.

True leadership demands foresight, not fury; unity, not rivalry. The crown, once placed, becomes the emblem of all, not the trophy of one. Therefore, the call of history and conscience alike is for every prince, elder, and son of Zazzau to rise above the shadows of entitlement and rally around the Emir.

For in rallying around him, they do not merely serve a man—they preserve a legacy. In strengthening the throne, they strengthen themselves, their lineage, and the soul of Zazzau itself.

It is time to end the performance and begin the progress—to stop the noise and start the nation-building. Let all hands join in loyalty and support of the Emir, so that together you will lift Zazzau higher—beyond the petty stage of self-inflicted discord, into the bright arena of peace, dignity, and sustainable development.

For unity is the truest crown, and in wearing it together, Zazzau shall stand not only as an Emirate of great history, but as a beacon of collective destiny fulfilled.

Next, we shall witness how Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli transforms vision into victory, stewardship into lasting legacy, and a contested throne into the unwavering beacon of unity, progress, prosperity and enduring leadership for all that Zazzau so richly deserves.