I have indeed been privileged to eat and dine with kings and princes. The good book says God will so direct the feet of those whom He loves to so experience such encounters.
In doing so, I have learnt to listen more to kings and princes share their thoughts and ideas about many issues of the state and those they govern than the lust of mouthwatering dishes on the dinner table. Indeed, I could be a bore and uninspiring dinner-mate at a king’s table, as I would prefer to listen and provoke more insights to issues that touche the hearts of kings and princes concerning those they govern.
The late emir of Borgu, the Mai Borgu, Senator (Dr.) Haliru Dantoro, was a deep teacher in humanities, politics and education. I will address him here and anywhere as my father, for he treated me as a prince while he lived, even though I wore no crown.
We had met at the table of conservation education, an area of knowledge, which most kings and princes of his time and now find hard, very difficult, to navigate but to the late revered emir of Borgu, nature conservation education could be likened to cutting a cake.
At New Bussa and leading a media team on conservation education retreat to the Kainji Lake National Park domiciled in his kingdom, where he was a patron-king, the late Mai Borgu (May God keep his soul in peace) spoke to us about the power of nature and its relationship with humanity, warning of the dire consequences of neglect and abuse of forest ecosystems.
We, about 30 of us drawn from various media houses, listened with rapt attention and went after him, at tea break, to seek clarification on most of his predictions, which today stare us in the face, particularly the impact of climate change. The late sage was prophetic!!
As the facilitator of the programme, supported by the visionary leadership of the late conservator-general of National Park Service then, Tanko ‘Technical’ Abubakar, I had shared my concerns about sustainable conservation in Nigeria, the role of the communities, poor funding and weak legislative instruments, and prayed for deepening of relationships between the media and conservation managers. I also sought the buy-in of traditional institutions in our national conservation trajectory, noting it must be a process deliberately driven for the sake of future well-being of our people.
With eyes for the best in people, the emir sent a note to me, insisting to host the team on our way out from the conference. Tanko, the NPS boss, who spent four days with us at the conference and dutifully informed by the palace of the emir’s request, led us to the king’s lunch table.
This was about 11 years ago, and the rest is history. From there, the emir took me off the lunch table, and made me his tourism media adviser (pro bono), an ambassador of Borgu nation, of its rich culture and tradition, to which I dedicated a greater part of my life, putting together one of the most enduring Gani Dubar festival in 2013, a think tank member on the public launch of his biography in 2014, attended by Nigeria’s A-list political powerbrokers, coordinated his investiture as national patron of the National Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria ( ATBOWATON) and media frontline member of the re-enactment group on Race to Nikki, a historic trajectory of how the British and French fought to partition the great and powerful Borgu Kingdom in 1859.
In all these events, the political reach and acceptation of the late emir was evidently unquestionable and enduring. Certainly, he was respected across the country and beyond our shores and was loved by the people of his kingdom. His words were authoritative and impactful.
And I took notes, not knowing why he so loved me. Through him and at his feet, I woke up to the realities of the power of our culture and traditional institutions. He was brave, forthright, unblemished and feared no foe. He was a nemesis to vain and inglorious sociopolitical panderings.
Emir Haliru Dantoro was everything I wished to see in our leaders, Caring, lover and enabler of peace and unity, a pan-Nigerian, highly detribalised and lover of education.
His dreams were to transform Borgu Kingdom into the Dubai of Nigeria, culturally unite the Borgu nation, partitioned and scattered across the West Coast of Africa, creating new trade and cultural posts among these once-powerful people, feared by then rampaging Uthman Danfodio’s army.
Long story, ehn! So when God took him back home in 2015, during the high tempo preparation of a special Gani Durbar festival to celebrate the election victory of his friend and brother, President Muhammadu Buhari, the curtain certainly fell, draped in agony for me, and I wept.
Interrogating the reason and lessons of his passage in Germany in 2015, about seven years today, I kept away from Borguland, stayed focused on his exemplary life, distressed at the neglect of his dreams, vision and family by his friends and political associates.
Then came to mind a book on the re-enactment of his cultural tourism dreams and I reached out to President Buhari, who penned the foreword, through Femi Adeshina, and I remain grateful.
In this mission to immortalize the late sage, the Emir of Borgu, I asked nor requested for funding from no one. On the presentation of the book, “Race to Nikki,” which I dedicated to his memory, at the Presidency on Monday, I had prayed for a national museum dedicated his visions and ideas, taking into cognizance his exemplary life as an anti-corruption crusader, a lover of national political cohesion and education for young persons.
Today, the late Emir’s clan needs our support and prayers. Seven out his numerous children, well-educated and in their prime, seem lost to the neglect of his political friends and associates. Even though it’s not my business to rouse his friends from their perceived silence over the affairs of the clan he left behind, I believe we owe this enigma, prophet-king, a duty to do our bit to advance succour to the family of the departed royal father, accommodating his wives, children, thus enthroning legacies worthy of good friends, benefactors and associates.
I have dropped the Race to Nikki , dedicated to him, and like I said, requested for nothing personal in return, and grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari, his media Adviser, Mr femi Adeshina and the entire presidency. Are you there, and you have one way or another benefited from benevolence of this great late Nigerian King who could not be ignored while he lived among us , please rise now and do something for his family, Borgu nation, all to his unforgettable memory. Thank you again, Mr President.