In a rare and heartfelt show of reverence, His Royal Highness Alhaji Umar Faruk Umar, the Emir of Daura, declared that if royal customs permitted, he would kneel in honour of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the former Kano State Governor.
The statement came during Senator Kwankwaso’s condolence visit to the Daura Emirate and Katsina State, following the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Wallahi, if an Emir can kneel, I would kneel for you,” the Emir said, eliciting applause and surprise from attendees. This exceptional gesture highlighted Kwankwaso’s significant national stature and personal integrity.
The Emir reminisced about his close relationship with Kwankwaso, noting that the senator was the first to facilitate his honorary doctorate from a state university in Wudil.
He also recalled multiple invitations to Kano by Kwankwaso to commission major development projects during his governorship. The Emir spoke warmly of his bond with Kwankwaso’s late father, describing it as a brotherhood that went beyond ordinary friendship.
Paying tribute to the late President Buhari, the Emir praised him as a man of truth and integrity, praying for Allah’s mercy and eternal peace upon his soul in Aljannah Firdausi. He commended Kwankwaso’s visit as a noble act of respect and statesmanship.
Senator Kwankwaso, in turn, extended his condolences to the people of Daura, Katsina State, and Nigeria at large. He described his visit as an expression of solidarity during a time of national grief and praised the Emir as a father figure in his political journey.
Kwankwaso prayed for the Emir’s health and long reign, emphasising the importance of unity and peace across Nigeria.
The senator’s delegation included Kano State Deputy Governor Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, elder statesman Engr. Buba Galadima, and other senior members of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), underscoring Kwankwaso’s enduring connections to traditional institutions and his influence beyond regional boundaries.
