ABUJA, Nigeria – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of the 16th Emir of Gumel, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Muhammad Sani II, CON, who died in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday, September 3, 2026, the State House announced in Abuja.
The monarch’s transition marks the conclusion of an era for the traditional institution in Northern Nigeria, with Alhaji Sani II reigning for nearly 46 years as one of the country’s longest-serving and most revered first-class traditional rulers, having ascended the historic throne on December 16, 1980.
Okay News reports that President Tinubu extended his heartfelt condolences to the royal family, the Gumel Emirate Council, the government and people of Jigawa State, and traditional councils across the federation.
In an official tribute released by the Presidency, President Tinubu celebrated the late monarch as an accomplished scholar, administrator, and statesman whose developmental impact extended far beyond palace administration.
Before his royal ascension, the late Emir built an extensive career across the public service, serving with the Gumel Native Authority, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Kazaure Divisional Office.
Between 1978 and 1980, he served as the Commissioner for Information, Internal Affairs, and Culture in the old Kano State, where he established a lasting legacy in public communication by spearheading the creation of the Triumph Newspaper and CTV 67—now known as Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV)—while supervising the modernization and expansion of Radio Kano, institutions that remain central to the information architecture of Northern Nigeria.
“As Emir, Alhaji Sani II transformed Gumel into a model of peace and development,” President Tinubu remarked. “He was a father to all, a beacon of wisdom, and a custodian of culture who devoted his long reign to promoting education, Islamic scholarship, unity among diverse communities, and the preservation of the rich heritage of one of the oldest Emirates in Northern Nigeria.”
The President observed that throughout four decades of national political transformations, the monarch’s calm, inclusive, and principled guidance provided a stabilizing anchor across Jigawa State and the broader region.
“In the state of Jigawa, his calm, conservative and inclusive leadership provided stability through decades of political and security transitions,” Tinubu stated. “He was an unfailing partner for peace-building and community development, always placing the welfare of his people above all else.”
Emphasizing the vital moral authority that traditional rulers contribute to democratic governance and social harmony, the President affirmed that the late Emir’s counsel will be deeply missed at a critical time in Nigeria’s journey toward national cohesion.
“Nigeria has lost a towering traditional leader whose wise counsel will be sorely missed at a time when the nation continues to draw on the moral authority of traditional institutions to strengthen national cohesion,” the President said. “I pray that Almighty Allah will forgive the shortcomings of the late Emir, accept his noble deeds, and grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus, while granting the royal family, the Gumel Emirate, and the people of Jigawa State the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss.”
