“I leave every thing to Allah” those were the words of late Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Mohammadu Maccudo in 1988 when his selection as Sultan was nullified, by then Sokoto state government. He died on Sunday 29-10-2006 as a result of ill fated plane crashed that occurred on their way from Abuja to Sokoto. Like the recent plane crashed between Lagos and Benue, it was another fatal one that claimed the lives of prominent personalities which include the Sultan of Sokoto Mohammadu Maccudo his son Senator Badamasi Maccudo, his grand son and senator Sule Yari Grandi. The death of Sultan of Sokoto is indeed a great lost to the people of Sokoto state and the entire Muslims Umma.
The late Sultan had indeed succeeded in bringing unity, harmony, peace and restoring the past glory of the caliphate.
The late Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Mohammadu Maccudo had held various positions before selected as Sultan by kingmakers. Born in Dange district in 1926 as the eldest son of late Sultan Abubakar III, Maccudo was trained as an administrator.
He studied public administration at the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria, also attended the South Devon Technical College United Kingdom in 1952, on his return Maccudo was appointed district head of Talatan Mafara, in 1956, he was made councilor in the then Sokoto Native Authority. He was in charge of works, then rural development and later agriculture.
His position as councilor for agriculture opened new vistas for him. In 1961 he traveled to the United State to study agriculture under the sponsorship of Rockefeller foundation. The programme took him to agricultural projects in Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Puerto Rico and later Denmark.
On his return, Maccudo embarked on several agricultural programmes for farmers in the then Sokoto province. In 1968, he was appointed commissioner for agriculture, and later heath in the Usman Faruk administration of then North-western state. He served that government for seven years. He lost his job when the Gowon regime was toppled in 1975.
Maccudo was backed to government in 1976 as chairman of the local government service commission, GSC, when the ban on politics was lifted in 1978, he joined the National Party of Nigeria NPN, and became its chairman in Sokoto State. Following the victory of the party in the 1979 presidential election, Maccudo was appointed presidential liaison officer, PLO, for Sokoto State. After the coup of December 1983, ended the government, Maccudo when back to the Local Government Authority, LGA, as a councilor. He was later appointed an inner member of the Emirate council which he served until 1988 when Dasuki dissolved it.
Maccudo is said to be smooth operator.
He commanded immense respect among his people, he was generous, kind hearted man.
As the eldest son of the late Sultan Saddiq III, Maccudo was versed in the traditions of the Sultanate. In fact, his father fifty years as Sultan was a learning period for Maccudo. When his father was too old and feeble to carry out his public functions Maccudo was appointed a member of the caretaker committee set up by the state government to discharge such responsibilities. After the death of his father late Abubakar Saddiq the III “1938 to 1988” Alhaji Mohammadu Maccudo Sarinki Kudun Sokoto was selected by the kingmakers as the new Sultan of Sokoto. But the then Sokoto State Government declared the selection as irregular. In the new one ordered by the government Ibrahim Dasuki was selected. Because late Maccudo believed in predestination, he accepted the “annulment” of his selection with equanimity “I leave every thing to Alhaji” he said resignedly.
Following the removal of Alahji Ibrahim Dasuki from office on April 20-1996, Alhaji Mohammadu Maccudo was announced as the new Sultan of Sokoto on Sunday, April 21-1996. Several hundred of jubilant youths poured into the streets shouting “Sai Maccudo” and the palace was filled with people including traditional rulers, kingmakers, princes and ordinary citizens. Through out that week, the palace and entire Sokoto state was beehive of activities. Lorries and cars continued to off load hundreds of well wishers who were trooping in to pay homage to the new Sultan.
At his first press conference as sultan, he extended hand of fellowship to those who participated in scuttling his nomination in 1988, “I am assuring the generality of the people, particularly those who may seemed to have played any role against me in the drama of November 1988 that I hold no grudge against any person or group of persons and I do not intend to use my position to hinder any body or a group of persons” he said.
His agenda he said was to ensure peace and harmony in the community as well as to restore past glory of the caliphate and its founder Shehu Othman Dan Fodio. He also promise to foster unity among traditional rulers in the country.
Alhaji Mohammadu Maccudo has surely achieved his mission and vision, his shocking death on Sunday 29-2006 is a great setback to the entire people of this country and the whole Muslim society. May Alhaji grand him eternal peace and the other departed souls Amin.
By Adamu Mohammed Shuaibu
Dept of Mass Communication
University of Maiduguri