What I Learnt From Dalhatu Bayero

A little over ten years ago, I was a guest of the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness Alhaji Ado Bayero (CFR) at the historic Emir’s Palace in Kano City. Actually, I accompanied an associate whose father was a close friend of the Emir. I recall that visit with delight for two reasons. One, it was my first opportunity of coming up close to the inscrutable persona of the Kano monarch. Second, it was at the palace that I met the Emir’s younger brother, Engr. Dalhatu Bayero then Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) who, unfortunately, passed passed away late last month.

We had left the domestic wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos that Monday afternoon with all it’s hustle and bustle and arrived Aminu Kano International airport in Kano about an hour and half later. In contrast to Lagos, the Kano airport was sparse and serene. Once out of the arrival lounge, we searched for the man who was supposed to be our guide and who was directed to meet us at the airport. Soon enough we found him but he spoilt our day: he said we should not have come to see the emir during the sallah because the emir does not receive non – Moslem visitors on such occasions. We tried to explain that we had an appointment in writing but he maintained his opinion. Undaunted, we asked him to take us to the palace so that, at least, we could satisfy ourselves that we kept our appointment.

We rode into the city taking in the scoured scenes, the leisurely pace of residents, ubiquitous aliens, the flat roof patterns of the houses, and other chacteristics that give Kano it’s uniqueness. When we arrived at the gates of the palace we did not need anyone to tell us that a celebration was in progress: hordes of men in flowing gowns, men on horses, trumpeters, big men in turbans accompanied by followers and tall guards in green or blue and red outfits complete with their own turbans. It was such a busy and picturesque sight that we immediately began to see some sense in the fears earlier raised by our guide.

Determined to try out our luck anyway, we asked him to enquire the way to the office of the Palace Secretary who signed our letter of appointment. We were promptly directed to the office where we found the kindly looking old man and introduced ourselves. He nodded knowingly and took us through a maze of rooms and passages to what seemed like a waiting lounge. As we waited, I noted the ornately decorated walls and imagined the wealth of visible and invisible historical data and artefacts that must be contained within the walls of the massive palace. I also thought of how expensive it must be to maintain such an expansive palace.

Soon the palace secretary returned with another man and motioned to us to follow them. We went through another maze of rooms and passages that made me loose my bearing. Passing through what seemed like an inner chamber, we were ushered into a large regal sitting room and, alas, sitting at the far end in majestic splendour was the emir who is as recognisable as any familiar beacon in the Nigerian landscape. Not expecting to be thrust into his presence so suddenly, we were taken by surprise. We recovered quickly and followed the example of the man who came with the palace secretary to pay obeisance to the great man. He shook our hands, called my friend by his vernacular name and waved us to seats. As I gingerly made for one of the few available seats, I noticed that most of the men dressed in expensive flowing gowns were sitting on the richly carpeted floor of the sitting room. Among them, I could recognise some important public figures of the day. By the emir’s feet on either side some men sat in uniform outfits.

As the emir discussed with my friend, enquiring after his family, I rehashed what I had learnt in undergraduate history class about northern Nigerian history and about the man before whom we sat. Born on June 15, 1930, Ado Bayero whose father Abdullahi served as Emir before him was installed as the 13th Emir of Kano at 33 on October 15, 1963. Before his ascension to the throne, the emir had acquired invaluable experience in the civil service. By his charismatic and friendly disposition, he had made Kano a home like no other for people from various ethnic groups, various countries and various persuasions.

Before we bowed out of the Emir’s presence, he invited us to come back the next day before our departure. Thereafter, he handed us over to his pleasant son, Sanusi, who went by the title Sarkin Dawakin Tsakagida. The prince took us to his own house in the heart of the old city and treated us to northern delicatessen.

The next day, a chauffer from the palace picked us from our hotel and took us to the palace where we were introduced by the emir to Engineer Dalhatu Bayero and his Polish wife. He was simply dressed, soft spoken and invited us to his office in Lagos.

Soon after we returned to Lagos, we visited Dalhatu in his office at the NNPC headquarters in Victoria Island. We arrived early. Later, the man arrived. As the GMD, we expected him to arrive in the manner of a whirlwind like most men in such positions. But we were pleasantly surprised when he arrived clutching his own bag, taking the elevator with everyone else, and passing quietly without airs. There were no intimidating army of protocol officers, security details, mobile police guards, no siren, no nothing. It was unbelievable. Without much delay, we were ushered into his office. At the end of the visit, he invited us to visit him at home in his house.

One day, we decided to visit Dalhatu in his house. A big surprise awaited us. His “house” turned out to be a small apartment in one of the towers in Eko Court in Victoria Island. A three-bedroom flat without a boys’-quarters? Our curiousity got the better of us. We asked him if this was a rest house or guest house of some sort. I can never forget what he said. He said he had lived in that flat for many years before his appointment as GMD. With an understanding smile on his face, he told us that his children were all grown up, that he lived alone with his wife and that they had no need to move from that flat because it was just sufficient for their needs. He explained that a bigger house would be difficult for him to maintain. I learnt that when the NNPC headquarters was moved to Abuja, he was compelled to move into a massive opulent house built by Julius Berger in Asokoro. Evidently, this was a matter of protocol: the house served as the official residence of the GMD of NNPC in Abuja.

Many years later, Bayero’s successor as GMD, Gaius-Obaseki, became entangled in a controversy over a N500m hotel bill which he allegedly incurred at Abuja Hilton. In asserting how prudent he had been to incur such a “low bill”, Obaseki reportedly claimed to be the cheapest GMD NNPC ever had! I laughed.

For a man born into the royal family in Kano Emirate, who held certificates in chemical and petroleum engineering, who rose with vast experience in the upstream and downstream sectors to the apex of the oil and gas industry, Dalhatu lived an amazingly frugal and simple life worthy of emulation. I will never forget what I learnt from Dalhatu Bayero.