TheCable

Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, has appointed Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli as the new Emir of Zazzau. 

The state government announced the appointment in a statement signed by Ja’afaru Sani, commissioner of local government affairs.

Bamalli succeeds Shehu Idris who died on September 20 after reigning for 45 years.

Bamalli is said to be the first emir from the Mallawa ruling house in 100 years.

”Until his appointment as Emir of Zazzau, Alh. Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli held the title of Magajin Garin Zazzau and served as Nigeria’s ambassador to Thailand, with concurrent accreditation to Myanmar. He has been a permanent commissioner in the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission in 2015. He has worked in banking and as Executive Director and later acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Corporation. He was a staff of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Agency before a stint as head of Human Resources at MTel, the mobile communications arm of the old Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL),” the statement read.

”Born in 1966, Alh. Bamalli studied Law at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He holds a master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy and a diploma in Organisational Leadership from Oxford University. He is also a fellow on Conflict Resolution of the University of York, United Kingdom (UK).

”On behalf of the Kaduna State Government, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has congratulated HRH Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli on his appointment and wished him a successful and peaceful reign as Emir of Zazzau.”

Before announcing the new emir, el-Rufai said he would read some books to guide him in making the decision.

“While awaiting the recommendations of the Zazzau Emirate kingmakers, I am re-reading Prof MG Smith’s authoritative epic on the selection of Zazzau Emirs from 1800 to 1950 to guide me in taking a decision,” el-Rufai  had said.

An initial selection process was cancelled for a new one after two aspirants were left out.