Katsina, the capital of Katsina State, last week stood still with glamour as Governor Dikko Umaru Radda gave out his first daughter, Aisha in marriage to Ahmad Usman.
Aisha is a graduate of the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Adamawa State. While the groom, Ahmed’s father is from Adamawa State, his mother is said to have her roots in Daura.
With the wedding, there is a proposal to bestow the traditional title of Inuwar Kasar Hausa in the Daura Emirate on the governor’s son-in-law.
The wedding caught people’s attention, not just because the governor is marrying off his first daughter but also because even the president of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, graced it.
Gathering across political, religious divides
In the political space of the country, some observers see the gathering as a growing political influence of Governor Radda, who, for the second time in a span of roughly three months, pulled such a distinguished and glamourous crowd into the state.
In the first time, though a sad and solemn occasion, the governor received important personalities from all over the country – across regional, religious and political divides – who came for condolences over the death of his mother, Hajiya Safara’u Umaru Barebari. A typical example was the presence of Vice President Kashim Shettima (APC), who led the federal government delegation on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (PDP), the 2023 presidential candidate of his party, and Peter Obi (LP), also the 2023 presidential candidate of his party.
The second occasion was the recent wedding of the governor’s daughter, which coincided with the commissioning of mega projects initiated and completed by the governor.
President Tinubu stood in as Waliy (guardian) of the bride, while former Bauchi State governor, Isa Yuguda, stood as the Wakil (representative), receiving the bride on behalf of the groom’s family.
The matrimonial rites were conducted by the Chief Imam of the Katsina Central Mosque, Imam Malam Mustapha and supported by the imam of Modoji Jumuat Mosque and former Grand Khadi of Katsina, Alhaji Amadi Batagarawa. The marriage was solemnised with a dowry of N700,000.
The very important dignitaries that stormed the city alongside President Tinubu did not only attend the wedding but spent two days in the state. It is said to be the first time the president would sleep in any state in the country other than his home state of Lagos and Abuja since he became president on May 29, 2023.
Other prominent dignitaries who stormed the state to witness the event include the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, wife of the vice president, Nana Shettima, several governors, including Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara/NGF chairman); Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe); Babagana Zulum (Borno); Dauda Lawal (Zamfara); Aliyu Sokoto (Sokoto); Hyacinth Alia (Benue); Mai Mala Buni (Yobe); Nasir Idris (Kebbi); Mohammed Bago (Niger); Uba Sani (Kaduna); Umar Namadi (Jigawa) and Abba Kabir Yusuf (Kano).
Others are the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi; Minister of Transport, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali; former Borno governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and former governors Aminu Bello Masari and Ibrahim Shehu Shema of Katsina state, as well as son of the president, Seyi Tinubu.
The deputy governor of the state, Faruk Lawal Jobe, along with several senators and members of the House of Representatives from the North-West and other states were also in attendance. Business moguls – Prince Arthur Eze, Dahiru Mangal and Isah Gerawa – were also there.
The director-general of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Charles Odii and the managing director of NEXIM Bank, Abba Bello, the two first class traditional rulers of the state, the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabir Usman and that of Daura, Umar Faruk Umar, also attended, among many others.
Weekend Trust also gathered that the groom’s father is a former representative of Nigeria to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company of Nigeria (NNPCL).
The groom as a climate change activist
Contrary to the speculation that the groom is from a poor background, Muhammad comes from a well-to-do family. He runs a foundation – Ahmad Usman Purelife Foundation – which works on four of the 17 SDGs, particularly SDG 13 that deals with climate action.
Lawal Usman who worked closely with the groom on some of his interventions in Katsina said he was in the state for the past one year.
“He worked on SDG 13, Climate Action, where he provides support to schools, mosques, hospitals and many other places, where he donated seedlings, including funds to encourage tree planting.
“For instance, here in Katsina, I know that he worked in about 25 schools across seven local government areas, and in each school, he picked at least 50 pupils from Primary One to Primary Five and gave then N5,000 each and tree seedlings to plant, either at their homes or schools.
“He also worked with the SDG that focuses on clean water; and he has done well in that area as well,” he revealed.
He was, however, not sure where the couple met.
Rarara’s ‘omologo’
The stage performance of the popular praise singer, Dauda Adamu Kahutu, popularly known as Rarara, at the event, also caught the attention of many, especially on the social media.
Rarara did not only perform at the wedding with his band but used the opportunity to unveil the new song he sang for President Tinubu, which opening lines were in Yoruba, the president’s mother tongue: Olori toré, Olori to saju, Bola Asiwaju Ómó ologo,×2 Asiwaju Omó ologo, x2 Asiwaju… Olori olo’oto, Olori to yege, Olori to ni iwa, Olori ala’ananu, Asiwaju eku iyanju Awon olote’n, which when translated into English language means, “The leader that is ahead of all. Bola Asiwaju, the star child, x2 Asiwaju, the star child, x2 Asiwaju…the honest leader, the successful leader, the leader of good character, the compassionate leader, Asiwaju, well done….”The song was also sang in Hausa language.
The chorus of the song went on to trend all over social media.
Viral videos of the performance trended online, where even the president was seen smiling and nodding in appreciation of the singer’s vocal prowess. Obviously mesmerised by the song, the president obliged the musician with a handshake and a photo session.
Similarly, reports indicated that Rarara was showered with various gifts, particularly from the bride’s mother and Katsina First Lady, Zulaihat Dikko Radda, who was said to have given him “cars.” But Weekend Trust could not independently verify that claim. Unconfirmed reports also indicated that the bride, Aisha Dikko Radda, was also said to have received car gifts from at least three persons, including her paternal aunt, Hajiya Hauwa Radda and the wife of the Kano State governor.
Tight security
With the city full of guests from within and outside the country, Weekend Trust observed that hotels and guest houses were fully booked.
The atmosphere was electrifying and security was indeed heavy as the military, Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Katsina Watch Corps and other paramilitary agencies with sirens and motorcades patrolled the streets of Katsina metropolis. In many cases, the president’s security men took charge, embarrassing even important personalities who were there to grace the occasion.
It is believed that many businesses experienced increase in sales due to the number of personalities and guests in town. For instance, a staff of Lady M, a popular restaurant in Katsina, told our correspondent that they were overstretched during the different occasions.
“We didn’t have time for ourselves, no one rested and our staff became grossly inadequate. I have not seen anything like that since the time I joined the services of Lady M. It was actually a boom during the wedding week when the president was here,” he said.
Many traders who spoke with our correspondent, particularly those in the business of eatery and drinks, said they recorded high sales.
Controversial billboard
But mixed reactions have continued to trail the eventful week in Katsina, which witnessed the wedding and commissioning ceremonies. While many view the presences of the president in Katsina as a golden opportunity to explain the challenges affecting the state to him, especially as it concerns insecurity, others expressed dissatisfaction to what they described as disconnect from the reality on ground in the state.
Some residents noted that on one hand, many villages have been sacked by bandits and many others taking refuge in other states or presently living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, while on the other hand, the elite of the state were seen dancing and dining with the president and the who-is-who in the society as if all was well.
The most talked-about after the wedding was a controversial giant billboard mounted in Katsina city carrying the photo of President Tinubu, Governor Radda and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, with Hausa inscription, Katsina ba korafi, literally translated as Katsina, no complaint.
The billboard generated a lot of controversy, particularly on the social media – that it is simply trying to cover the real situation in the state by telling the president that all is well with them.
The governor later apologised, clarifying that it was not intended to be insensitive and that it was mounted without his knowledge.
“It is imperative that people investigate issues when they surface on the social media or things seen physically. People need to ask questions and seek clarification.
“On the presidential visit, we briefed him on at least three of our major concerns, including the problem of insecurity, the Rimi windmill project and the project at our airport. As for road construction projects, the president himself mentioned it; and some were already awarded for completion.
“But with regard to the billboards, I as the governor was not aware that it was mounted until the time I saw the issue on the social media and I began to ask questions on how it was done and who did it.
“It is fine when people see mistakes and draw our attention to it for correction. We are human beings and we can make mistakes, but it is unfair to make a generalisation and apportion blames without investigation,” the governor said.
